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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamamichi (JP H0974077, cited by applicant; see provided machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Yamamichi discloses a surface irregularity reducing method comprising: a holding step of holding a first workpiece on a first holder and holding a second workpiece that is of a same material as the first workpiece on a second holder (fig 1; first and second semiconductor workpieces 1 on first and second holders 2; described in [0011]); and a surface irregularity reducing step of moving the first holder and the second holder relatively to each other (indicated by arrows in fig 1) while the first workpiece held on the first holder and the second workpiece held on the second holder are being kept in contact with each other ([0011]; may be moved rotationally or linearly), thereby removing surface irregularities of a contact surface of at least either the first workpiece or the second workpiece ([0012]; the described polishing achieves flatness).
Regarding claim 3, Yamamichi further teaches the surface irregularity reducing step includes a step of controlling a pressure under which the first workpiece and the second workpiece are pressed against each other (as broadly claimed, the relative movement of the holders to receive pressure from each other described [0010] constitutes pressure control).
Regarding claim 5, Yamamichi discloses a surface irregularity reducing apparatus comprising: a first holder (2) for holding a first workpiece (1) thereon; a second holder (2) for holding thereon a second workpiece (1) that is of a same material as the first workpiece held on the first holder ([0011], fig 1; both holders 2 holding workpieces 1; note that the desired workpiece material does not limit the structure of the claimed apparatus), in facing relation to the first workpiece (as shown in fig 1); and a moving mechanism for moving the first holder and the second holder relatively to each other, wherein the moving mechanism moves the first holder and the second holder relatively to each other while the first workpiece held on the first holder and the second workpiece held on the second holder are being kept in contact with each other (movement described in [0011]; mechanism can be linear or rotational drive), thereby removing surface irregularities of a contact surface of at least either the first workpiece or the second workpiece (as described [0012]).
Regarding claim 7, Yamamichi further discloses each of the first workpiece and the second workpiece is an ingot or wafer having a peel-off surface that has been peeled off from the ingot (surfaces facing each other in fig 1; note that the claimed previous manufacturing steps of the workpiece do not in any way limit the structure of the claimed apparatus; see MPEP 2115 “inclusion of the material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims”), and the moving mechanism moves peel-off surfaces of a combination of at least either an ingot and an ingot, a wafer and a wafer, or an ingot and a wafer relatively to each other while the peel-off surfaces are being kept in contact with each other (function described in [0011-0012]).
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.
Claim(s) 2 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamichi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Donofrio (US 2020/0316724).
Regarding claim 2, Yamamichi teaches all the elements of claim 1 as described above. Yamamichi does not teach after the surface irregularity reducing step, a grinding step of contacting the first or second workpiece with a grinding wheel. Donofrio teaches a surface irregularity reducing method in the field of semiconductor manufacturing, wherein after a surface irregularity reducing step of a workpiece (coarse grinding; fig 40), a grinding step of grinding the contact surface of the workpiece (fine grinding step 312) with a grinding wheel ([0282]). It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to grind the first or second workpiece of Yamamichi with a grinding wheel, achieving the predictable result of further smoothing the contact surface as taught by Donofrio ([0282]).
Regarding claim 4, Yamamichi teaches all the elements of claim 1 as described above. Yamamichi further teaches the first and second workpieces are semiconductor wafers ([0011]) with peel-off surfaces (the rough faces) wherein the wafers are moved relatively to each other while in contact with each other ([0011]). Yamamichi is silent as to how the wafers are produced before the holding step. However, it is obvious to apply a known technique to a known method to yield predictable results (MPEP 2143 I. D.). Donofrio teaches a method of reducing surface irregularities on a wafer, wherein before the surface irregularity reducing method, a peel-off layer producing step of producing peel-off layers in an ingot (62) by applying a laser beam (61; fig 10A) having a wavelength transmittable through the ingot to the ingot while positioning a focused spot of the laser beam in the ingot at a depth from an end face of the ingot, the depth corresponding to a thickness of a wafer to be manufactured from the ingot (as described [0214] and shown in fig 10, the laser is focused at a depth from the surface to form line 63); and before the surface irregularity reducing method, a wafer manufacturing step of manufacturing the wafer by peeling off a portion of the ingot as the wafer from the peel-off layers as separation initiating points (fracturing described [0215], [0257]), wherein in a subsequent surface irregularity reducing step (coarse grinding; fig 40) first and second workpieces each of a first workpiece and a second workpiece is the ingot having a peel-off surface from which the wafer has been peeled off in the wafer manufacturing step or the wafer having a peel-off surface that has been peeled off from the ingot in the wafer manufacturing step, and, in the surface irregularity reducing step, the peel-off surfaces of a combination of at least either an ingot and an ingot, a wafer and a wafer, or an ingot and a wafer are moved relatively to each other while in contact with each other (described [0282]). It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to, before the holding and surface irregularity reducing steps of Yamamichi, form peel-off layers in an ingot and wafer by focusing a spot of a laser through the ingot at a depth to form the wafer and peeling off the wafer from the ingot, as such a laser cutting and peeling method is known for achieving the predictable result of forming wafers from an ingot as taught by Donofrio.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamichi as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Chen (US 2019/0126433).
Regarding claim 6, Yamamichi teaches all the elements of claim 5 as described above. Yamamichi further teaches the moving mechanism includes a first moving unit for moving the first holder and the second holder relatively to each other in a direction parallel to the contact surface (as indicated by double sided arrow in fig 1 and described [0011]), a second moving unit for moving the first holder and the second holder relatively toward and away from each other in a direction transverse to the contact surface (as indicated by arrow in fig 1 and described application of pressure in [0012]). Yamamichi does not teach a pressure sensor mounted on the first or second holder for measuring a pressure, or adjusting a distance between the first holder and second holder for a measured value of pressure to fall within a desired range. Chen teaches an apparatus for reducing surface irregularities, wherein a pressure sensor (13) mounted on a workpiece holder (22; fig 7) for measuring a pressure produced when the workpiece is pressed against a grinding surface ([0044]), and, while the workpiece is being kept in contact with the grinding surface, a moving unit adjusts a distance between second holder (12) and the workpiece holder (22) in order for a measured value of the pressure from the pressure sensor to fall within a desired range (as described [0045]). It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a pressure sensor on the first or second holder of Yamamichi to measure the pressure produced when the first and second workpieces are pressed against each other, and to configure the second moving unit to adjust a distance between the first and second holders to maintain a measured value of the pressure within a desired range, as this improves consistency of machining, resulting in more accurate and efficient machining as taught by Chen ([0005], [0045]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Other similar surface smoothing methods and apparatuses are cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCEL T DION whose telephone number is (571)272-9091. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9-5, F 9-3.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Keller can be reached at 571-272-8548. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MARCEL T DION/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/BRIAN D KELLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
Prosecution Insights