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. Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election of Group I, claims 1-3, in the reply filed on 11/25/2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claim s 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Claim 1 recites the limitation " a reduced pressure state ". This limitation could be interpreted to mean that “creating” the “reduced pressure state” requires reducing a pressure within the processing chamber. However, with this interpretation it is not clear what pressure would be required in order for it to be considered “a reduced pressure state”. Alternatively, “creating a reduced pressure state” may be interpreted as providing any pressure within a processing chamber where that pressure can then be compared to some other higher pressure such that it is considered “a reduced pressure state”. Claim 1 is indefinite because it is not clear exactly what is required by this limitation. Claim 1 recites the limitation “etching the coating film is performed when the OH stretching vibration of a predetermined threshold value or higher is detected in the substrate”. It is unclear what is required by this limitation because it is unclear what would be required for a OH stretching vibration value to be considered a predetermined threshold value. For example, zero could be considered a value and all etching could presumably occur when zero or higher values are detected. Additionally, it is not clear if this limitation is intended to refer to the entirety of the limitation that is presented together as “ supplying an etching gas containing hydrogen fluoride into the processing chamber and etching the coating film formed on the substrate ” or if the limitation only relates to “etching the coating film formed on the substrate”. Claim 1 is indefinite because it is not clear exactly what is required by this limitation. Claims 2 and 3 are indefinite due to being dependent upon claim 1. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-3 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not disclose or render obvious all the limitations of claim 1, with particular attention to the limitation “ in supplying the vapor, detecting OH stretching vibration in the substrate by infrared spectroscopy ”. The closest prior art of record is considered to be Inaba et al. (JP-2018056465-A, IDS document) and Kuwabara et al. (US-5321264-A). Inaba teaches a method of etching that includes reducing the pressure withing a processing chamber, supplying water vapor to a substrate, and etching the substrate by supplying hydrogen fluoride gas. However, Inaba does not teach detecting OH stretching vibration by infrared spectroscopy and teaches supplying the water vapor for a set amount of time prior to supplying the hydrogen fluoride gas and etching the substrate. Kuwabara teaches a method of using infrared spectroscopy that can measure the amount of water present on a substrate using OH stretching vibration. However, the method of Kuwabara requires moving a prism element into contact with the surface of the substrate to be measured, and therefore this method would not be suitable for measuring the amount of water on the substrate while supplying the water. Claims 2 and 3 would be allowable due to being dependent upon claim 1. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT ANDREW KEELAN LAOBAK whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (703)756-5447 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:30pm . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. 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