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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 01/08/2026 has been entered. Applicant’s amendments to the specification and claims have overcome each and every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 10/08/2025.
Claim Status
Claims 1-18 are pending.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 10-11, 14-15, and 18 are currently amended.
Claims 19-20 are currently withdrawn.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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 1-9 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Singu (US 20200373187 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Singu teaches a susceptor assembly (Fig. 2, [0031], support 109), comprising:
a wafer support configured to support a wafer (Fig. 2, [0031], support 109 may be configured to hold a workpiece W), the wafer support comprising:
a wafer support body configured to support the wafer on a support surface of the wafer support body (Fig. 2, [0032], workpiece W is supported on the upper surface of support 109);
a purge channel extending laterally from an inner portion of the wafer support body to an outer portion of the wafer support body (Fig. 4B, [0044], radial purge channels 248 extend laterally from middle of susceptor body 200 towards the outer circumference of susceptor body 200);
a first plenum channel disposed at the outer portion of the wafer support and in fluid communication with the purge channel (Fig. 4A-4C, [0044], circumferential purge channel 256 is in fluid communication with purge channel 248 at outer circumference of susceptor body 200); and
an annular outlet to deliver purge gas to an edge of the wafer, the annular outlet in fluid communication with the first plenum channel (Figs. 3, 4A-4B, [0035], [0042], openings 222 and axial channel 224 is in communication with purge channel 252, which is in communication with circumferential purge channel 256, at outer circumference of susceptor body 200).
Regarding claim 2, Singu teaches a purge gas supply hole on a surface opposite to the support surface of the wafer support body, the purge gas supply hole in fluid communication with the purge channel (Fig. 4B, [0044], bottom of pedestal purge channel 260 is in communication with purge channel 248); and a plurality of first purge holes providing fluid communication between the first plenum channel and the purge channel (Fig. 4A-4B, [0035], where the one or more purge channels 248 connect to circumferential purge channel 256).
Regarding claim 3, Singu teaches wherein the wafer support comprises a cylindrical body and the annular outlet is concentric with the wafer support (Fig. 3, 4A-4B, [0035], [0042], openings 222 and axial channel 224 are located near outer circumference of cylindrical susceptor body 200, and is concentric to the body).
Regarding claim 4, wherein the wafer support comprises a plurality of the purge channels extending symmetrically from the inner portion (Fig. 4B, 7, [0044], one or more purge channels extend from central pedestal 218 to outer circumference of body 200, where radial offset between neighboring purge channels 248 and between groupings of purge channels 248 may be equal, [0050]).
Regarding claim 5, Singu teaches wherein the wafer support body comprises a recess portion configured to support the wafer (Fig. 4A, [0038]-[0039], workpiece retaining portion 214 defines a recess in susceptor body 200 where workpiece 206 is held), and the outlet is formed on the recess portion and in fluid communication with the first plenum channel (Fig. 3, 4A-4B, [0035], [0042], opening 222 and axial channel 224 is in communication with purge channel 252 and purge channel 256 and is formed within recess defined by retaining portion 214).
Regarding claim 6, Singu teaches wherein the wafer support further comprises an annular ridge on the recess portion, and said annular ridge is concentric with a circumference of the wafer to be treated (Fig. 4A, [0037], workpiece contact zone 210 can be a raised circumferential rib disposed radially inward of the outer edge of the workpiece, within the recess defined by retaining portion 214).
Regarding claim 7, Singu teaches wherein the annular ridge is configured to be disposed within a perimeter of the wafer to be treated (Fig. 4A, [0037], workpiece contact zone 210 can be a raised circumferential rib disposed radially inward of the outer edge of the workpiece).
Regarding claim 8, Singu teaches wherein the outlet is formed along an outermost periphery of the annular ridge (Fig. 3, 4A-4B, [0035], [0042], opening 222 and axial channel 224 is formed at the outer periphery of workpiece contact zone 210).
Regarding claim 9, Singu teaches wherein a depth of the recess portion at an outer diameter side of the annular ridge is deeper than an inner diameter side of the annular ridge (Fig. 4A, [0037], depth of recess at the outer diameter location to the left of contact zone 210 is deeper than recess depth at inner diameter location to the right of contact zone 210) and progressively decreased toward a perimeter of the cylindrical body (Fig. 4A, [0037]-[0038], depth of recess decreases moving from right to left, moving from contact zone 210, to sloping retaining portion 214, to outer perimeter of susceptor body 200).
Regarding claim 12, Singu teaches wherein the susceptor assembly is coupled to a shaft which comprises a vacuum tube and an inner gas supply tube (Fig. 4B-4C, 5, [0044]-[0046], pedestal 218 has purge channels 260 and vacuum channels 266 within), and a plurality of purge gas supply holes are configured to be fluidly connected to an inert gas source through the inner gas supply tube (Fig. 4B, [0044]-[0045], pedestal 218, where purge channels 260 run through the bottom, and are anchored to fluidics via an anchoring assembly).
Regarding claim 13, Singu teaches a vacuum chuck groove disposed at the inner portion of the wafer support (Fig. 5, [0046], radial vacuum grooves 246 are disposed on the inner portion of the susceptor 200 within circumferential groove 236); and a vacuum chuck hole in fluid communication with a plurality of vacuum chuck grooves through the vacuum tube (Fig. 5, [0046], vacuum holes 244 are in communication with grooves 246, which are in communication with vacuum channels 266), wherein the vacuum chuck hole is configured to be in fluid connection with a vacuum source (Fig. 5, [0054], vacuum is applied to the vacuum channel 266, which is in communication with vacuum holes 244).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singu (US 20200373187 A1), as applied in claims 1-9 and 12-13, and further in view of Yudovsky (US 20170309512 A1) and Yi (KR 20190068163 A, using previously attached English machine translation).
The limitations of claims 1-9 and 12-13 are set forth above.
Regarding claim 10, Singu teaches wherein a plurality of first purge holes are in fluid communication with the respective purge channels (Figs. 4B, [0044], both sides of circumferential purge channel connect to axial purge channels 252 and radial purge channels 248 via circular hole connections).
Singu fails to teach a second plenum channel formed at the outer portion of the wafer support, the second plenum channel positioned vertically apart from the first plenum channel in a thickness direction of the wafer support body, and a plurality of secondary purge holes providing fluid communication between the first plenum channel and the second plenum channel, wherein a plurality of first purge holes are in fluid communication with the second plenum channel the purge channels.
However, Yudovsky teaches a second plenum channel formed at the outer portion of the wafer support (Yudovsky, Fig. 8, [0049]-[0050], first ring plenum 346 and second ring plenum 347 are located at outer portion of susceptor body 312), the second plenum channel positioned vertically apart from the first plenum channel in a thickness direction of the wafer support body (Yudovsky, Fig. 8, [0049]-[0050], first ring plenum 346 and second ring plenum 347 are separated vertically), and providing fluid communication between the first plenum channel and the second plenum channel (Yudovsky, Fig. 8, [0049]-[0050], first ring plenum 346 and second ring plenum 347 are in communication via compression gap 344), wherein a plurality of first purge holes are in fluid communication with the second plenum channel and the purge channel (Yudovsky, Figs. 7-8, [0048]-[0050], holes 336 communicate gas feed channels 332 to annular plenum 340 and plenum 346).
Yudovsky is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated a second plenum channel to the apparatus of Singu in the manner taught by Yudovsky as doing so provide separate mechanisms to first increase the pressure uniformity of the purge gas in one plenum, and then separately control and define the velocity of the purge gas using the other plenum with respect to the process of preventing or minimizing backside deposition (Yudovsky, [0049]-[0050]).
Modified Singu fails to teach a plurality of secondary purge holes providing fluid communication between the first plenum channel and the second plenum channel.
However, Yi teaches a plurality of secondary purge holes providing fluid communication between the first plenum channel and the second plenum channel (Yi, Figs. 2-3, [0024], spray holes H in diffuser ring 220).
Yi is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have replaced the compression gap of modified Singu with the spray holes in the manner taught by Yi as doing so would allow for adjustment of purge flow uniformity irregularities by altering the spray hole diameters or locations, resulting in possibly more uniform film thickness at the edge of the wafer and prevention of film deposition on the back of the wafer (Yi, [0040]-[0042]).
Regarding claim 11, modified Singu fails to teach wherein a number of the second purge holes is greater than a number of the first purge holes.
However, Yi teaches wherein a number of the second purge holes is greater than a number of the first purge holes (Yi, Figs. 2-3, [0024], the number of spray holes H in diffuser ring 220 that lead to buffer space BS2 are greater than the number of purge gas flow path holes 245 leading to buffer space BS1).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have replaced the compression gap of modified Singu with the spray holes in the manner taught by Yi as doing so would allow for adjustment of purge flow uniformity irregularities by altering the spray hole diameters or locations, resulting in possibly more uniform film thickness at the edge of the wafer and prevention of film deposition on the back of the wafer (Yi, [0040]-[0042]).
Claims 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schmitz (US 5447570 A) in view of Yudovsky (US 20170309512 A1).
Regarding claim 14, Schmitz teaches a susceptor assembly (Schmitz, Fig. 2, C6 L4-6, chuck assembly 15), comprising:
a wafer support configured to support a wafer (Schmitz, Fig. 15, C18 L31-57, chuck 318 supports wafer 314), wherein the wafer support comprises:
a wafer support body configured to support a wafer to be treated (Schmitz, Fig. 15, C18 L31-57, chuck 318 supports wafer 314);
a plurality of purge channels extending laterally from an inner portion of the wafer support body to an outer portion of the wafer support body (Schmitz, Figs. 5 and 15, C6 L56-65, lateral purge channels 73, 75, and 77 extend outwardly towards outer edge of chuck face from central passage 79);
a first plenum channel disposed at the outer portion of the wafer support (Schmitz, Fig. 15, C18 L31-57, annular cavity 322 is disposed at the outer edge of chuck 318);
a second plenum channel positioned vertically apart from and in fluid connection with the first plenum channel via a plurality of secondary purge holes (Schmitz, Fig. 15, C18 L31-57, annular groove 328 is spaced vertically from annular cavity 322 via through holes in ring 330); and
an outlet in fluid communication with the first plenum channel to deliver purge gas to an edge of the wafer (Schmitz, Fig. 15, C18 L31-57, annular cavity 322 is in fluid communication with annular slot 324).
Schmitz fails to teach wherein the second plenum channel is in fluid communication with the plurality of purge channels by way of a plurality of first purge holes.
However, Yudovsky teaches wherein the second plenum channel is in fluid communication with the plurality of purge channels by way of a plurality of first purge holes (Yudovsky, Figs. 7-8, [0048]-[0050], holes 336 communicate gas feed channels 332 to plenum 346).
Yudovsky is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have connected the purge channels and annular groove of Schmitz via a plurality of purge holes in the manner taught by Yudovsky as doing so would ensure that a substantially equal conductance of purge flow gas is flowing into the annular groove (Yudovsky, [0048]).
Regarding claim 15, Schmitz teaches wherein the wafer support body comprises a recess portion configured to support the wafer (Schmitz, Fig. 15, C18 L31-57, chuck 318 supports wafer 314, and where top surface of ring 312 can extend above wafer surface), and
the outlet is formed on the recess portion and in fluid communication with the first plenum channel (Schmitz, Fig. 15, C18 L31-57, annular cavity 322 is in fluid communication with annular slot 324, and where ring 312 can be a part of chuck 318).
Regarding claim 16, Schmitz teaches wherein the susceptor assembly is coupled to a shaft which comprises a purge gas supply tube connected to an inert gas source (Schmitz, Figs. 4, 5 and 15, C6 L56 - C7 L4, purge gas flows from a gas supply through tubing 87 within arm 17 to which the chuck 15 is mounted).
Regarding claim 17, Schmitz teaches a heater pedestal coupled to the shaft (Schmitz, Fig. 4, C6 L56 - C7 L4, heating block 80 is coupled between chuck 15 and arm 17) which comprises one or more vacuum tubes (Schmitz, Fig. 5 and 15, C18 L31-57, vacuum line 316 connected to vacuum supply, C17 L30-38) and one or more inner gas supply tubes (Schmitz, Figs. 4, 5 and 15, C6 L56 - C7 L4, purge gas flows from a gas supply through tubing 87 within arm 17 to passage 79 though chuck and heat block), wherein the heater pedestal comprises one or more vacuum holes configured to couple to a respective vacuum tube in the shaft (Schmitz, Fig. 5 and 15, C18 L31-57, vacuum line 316 opens through chuck surface behind the wafer) and one or more purge gas holes configured to couple to a respective inner gas supply tube in the shaft (Schmitz, Figs. 4, 5 and 15, C6 L56 - C7 L4, purge gas flows from a gas supply through tubing 87 within arm 17 to passage 79).
Regarding claim 18, Schmitz teaches wherein the one or more vacuum holes are configured to be fluidly connected to a vacuum source through the respective vacuum tube (Schmitz, Fig. 5 and 15, C18 L31-57, vacuum line 316 connected to vacuum supply, C17 L30-38, and vacuum line 316 opens through chuck surface behind the wafer), and
wherein the one or more purge gas holes are configured to be fluidly connected to an inner gas source through the respective inner gas supply tube (Schmitz, Figs. 4, 5 and 15, C6 L56 - C7 L4, purge gas flows from a gas supply through tubing 87 within arm 17 to passage 79).
Response to Arguments
In the Applicant’s response filed 01/08/2026, the Applicant asserts that none of the cited prior art, particularly Singu, teach the claim limitations “an annular outlet to deliver purge gas to an edge of the wafer, the annular outlet in fluid communication with the first plenum channel” of independent claim 1 as newly amended. The Examiner has carefully considered the arguments but does not find them persuasive. Openings 222 are in communication with circumferentially extending axial channel 224, which in turn are in communication with circumferential purge channel 256, at outer circumference of susceptor body 200 (Figs. 3 and 4A-4B, [0035], [0042]), where axial channel 224 is ring shaped.
In the Applicant’s response filed 01/08/2026, the Applicant asserts that none of the cited prior art, particularly Singu in view of Yudovsky and Yi, teach the claim limitations “a second plenum channel positioned vertically apart from and in fluid connection with the first plenum channel via a plurality of secondary purge holes, wherein the second plenum channel is in fluid communication with the plurality of purge channels by way of a plurality of first purge holes” of independent claim 14 as newly amended. T In response to the amendments, the Examiner has newly rejected the claims in the “Claims Rejections” sections above, thereby rendering the arguments moot.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TODD M SEOANE whose telephone number is (703)756-4612. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at 571-272-5166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TODD M SEOANE/Examiner, Art Unit 1718
/GORDON BALDWIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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