DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/17/26 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 8-13, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Paul Ma et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2022/0403516, here after Ma).
Claim 1 is rejected. Ma teaches a method for processing a substrate, which
performs a processing process on a substrate in a processing space (102) divided into a first processing region and a second processing region [fig. 1, fig. 2, 0009, 0035], spatially separated from each other, the method comprising:
a step of performing a first processing process (depositing indium oxide) on the
substrate in the first processing region when the substrate supported by a supporting
unit (susceptor) is disposed in the first processing region;
a step of rotating the supporting unit (with rotating arm) within the processing space to move the substrate to the second processing region, when the first processing process is completed (transporting substrate between the chambers); and
a step of performing a second processing process (depositing zinc oxide) on the
substrate in the second processing region when the substrate supported by the
supporting unit is disposed in the second processing region;
wherein the step of performing the first processing process is performed in a
state where rotation of the supporting unit is stopped (it has to be stopped in the
chamber until process of deposition is complete) and comprises:
a step of injecting a first source gas (indium precursor) [0042, 0052, 0011, 0021] into the first processing region; and
a step of injecting a second source gas (oxygen precursor) into the first
processing region [0052]. Ma also teaches the step of injecting the first source gas into
the first processing region and the step of injecting the second source gas into the first
processing region are sequentially performed (as it is ALD process) [0023], and the first
processing region and second processing region are spatially separated from each
other [fig. 1].
Claim 2 is rejected as Ma teaches the step of performing the first processing
process comprises a step of injecting a purge gas into the first processing region [0023].
Claim 3 is rejected as Ma teaches the step of performing the first processing
process comprises a step of injecting a third source gas (purge gas) into the first
processing region [0023].
Claim 4 is rejected. Ma teaches the limitation of claim 1, and Ma teaches in step
of injecting the second source gas (reactant gas or oxygen) into the first processing
region injects the second source gas which differs from the first source gas (indium
precursor) [see claim rejection above].
Claim 5 is rejected. Considering first indium oxide layer and second indium oxide
layer, Ma teaches the first step as the step of injecting the second source gas (indium
precursor) into the first processing region injects the second source gas (another indium
precursor for next indium oxide layer) which is the same as the first source gas.
Claim 8 is rejected as Ma teaches the step of performing the second processing
process comprises a step of injecting a first reactant gas (zinc precursor) into the
second processing region [abstract, 0009].
Claim 9 is rejected. Ma teaches a method for processing a substrate, which
performs a processing process on a substrate in a processing space divided into a first
processing region and a second processing region spatially separated from each other
[above figure], the method comprising:
a step of performing a first processing process on the substrate in the first
processing region when the substrate supported by a supporting unit(susceptor) is disposed in the first processing region (in first chamber) [fig. 1];
a step of rotating the supporting unit (by robot arm) to move the substrate to the
second processing region [0023] when the first processing process is completed (after
depositing indium oxide in the first chamber); and
a step of performing a second processing process (depositing zinc oxide) on the
substrate in the second processing region when the substrate supported by the
supporting unit is disposed in the second processing region, wherein the step of
performing the second processing process is performed in a stage where rotation of the
supporting unit is stopped (the robot must stop in the second chamber until the
deposition of zinc oxide layer is completed), and comprises:
a step of injecting a first reactant gas (zinc precursor) [0052, 0011, 0021] into the
second processing region; and
a step of injecting a second reactant gas (oxidant) into the second processing
region [0052]. Ma also teaches the step of injecting the first reactant gas into the second
processing region and the step of injecting the second reactant gas into the second
processing region are sequentially performed (because it is an ALD process), and the
first processing region and the second processing region are spatially separated from
each other [fig. 1].
Claim 10 is rejected as Ma teaches the step of performing the second processing
process comprises a step of injecting a purge gas into the second processing region
[0023-0024].
Claim 11 is rejected as Ma teaches the step of injecting the second reactant gas
(oxidant) into the second processing region injects the second reactant gas (zinc
precursor) which differs from the first reactant gas, and
the step of performing the second processing process comprises a step of
injecting a third reactant gas(nitrogen), which differs from each of the first reactant gas
and the second reactant gas, into the second processing region [0023-0024].
Claim 12 is rejected as Ma teaches the step of performing the second processing
process comprises a step of generating plasma in the second processing region [0052].
Claim 13 is rejected. Ma teaches the step of performing the first processing
process comprises a step of injecting a first source gas (indium precursor) into the
first processing region [0009].
Claim 17 is rejected. Ma teaches the step of performing the second processing
process comprises:
a step of injecting a first reactant gas (zinc precursor) into the second processing
region [0009]; and a step of generating plasma in the second processing region [0059].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/17/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argues Ma does not teach the transfer arm supports any substrate subjecting to processing within a reaction chamber. The examiner disagrees, in fact substrate placed on susceptor and transfer arm moves substrate within chambers. Ma teaches transfer arm 202 used to provide a substrate onto a susceptor within a reaction chamber and take out a substrate on the susceptor, therefore substrate is on susceptor when moves into chamber and move out of chamber, therefore susceptor engaged to transfer arm during processing the substrate.
The applicant argument regarding paragraph 0048 is not persuasive, the
examiner does not agree that the supporting substrate is lower stage; in fact, as figure 3
shows the substrate (1) is on a susceptor placed on lower stage (2) where a temperature regulator may be provided in it.
Ma teaches substate is on a susceptor and can be move or rotate to different chambers by transfer arm.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TABASSOM TADAYYON ESLAMI whose telephone number is (571)270-1885. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at 5712725166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TABASSOM TADAYYON ESLAMI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718