DETAILED ACTION
The Applicant’s amendment filed on February 11, 2206 was received. Claim 1 was amended.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action issued November 12, 2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tono and Nam on claims 1-5 are withdrawn because independent claim 1 has been amended.
The claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tono, Nam and Liu on claim 6 is withdrawn because independent claim 1 has been amended.
The claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tono, Nam and Liu on claims 7-8 and 10 are withdrawn because independent claim 1 has been amended.
Please consider the following.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuno (US 2013/0269737) in view of Nam (US 2003/0098040).
In regards to claim 1, Mizuno teaches liquid processing apparatus comprising:
a support plate (21) on a rotating shaft (22) (spin chuck) holds a wafer and rotates about an axis of rotation extending in a vertical direction (fig. 1, 8; para. 33-34, 51);
a rotating motor (31) which rotates the support plate and shaft (fig. 1, 8; para. 34, 62);
a liquid discharge nozzle (411/412) discharges a liquid onto the wafer (fig. 1, 8; para. 44-45, 63);
a cup (14/51a) collects scattered liquid from the substrate when the wafer rotates (fig 1, 8; para. 87-88);
a control unit (7, controller);
the cup comprises an upper wall portion (511, part of eaves part) which covers a peripheral edge of the wafer over an entire circumference, in plan view vertically above and the upper wall portion starts from above the wafer and has an angled surface which extends to below the wafer (fig 1, 8-11; para. 87-88).
Mizuno does not explicitly teach the processing liquid discharge nozzle discharges the processing liquid from the discharge port lands on the peripheral edge part of the substrate with the discharge port located at a bevel processing position lower than the eaves part in the vertical direction.
However, Nam teaches a control system (121, controller) which controls the cleaning apparatus. Nam teaches the cleaning apparatus comprises a guide (260) which covers a peripheral edge of a substrate (900)
Nam teaches the control system controls the positioning of nozzle assembly (200) relative to the guide (260, eaves), where a first nozzle (202) of the nozzle assembly is positioned to be lower (bevel processing position) than the upper part of the guide in the vertical direction (fig. 2, 4, 6; para. 24, 44, 52, 54, 57-62).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the control system and the nozzle assembly of Nam onto the liquid processing apparatus of Mizuno because Nam teaches it will provide cleaning of the substrate edge and prevent the liquid from transferring to the center of the substrate (para. 9).
In regards to claim 2, Mizuno and Nam as discussed, where Nam teaches at the first nozzle is position below the guide/processing liquid unit (eaves) in the vertical direction (fig. 2, 4-6).
In regards to claim 3, Mizuno and Nam as discussed, where Nam teaches a first pneumatic cylinder (108, nozzle mover) is controlled by the control system, moves the first nozzle and the nozzle assembly in the radial direction (fig. 2, 4, 6; para. 36-37).
Mizuno and Nam is capable of the process of the discharge port is located at the bevel processing position when the peripheral edge part of the wafer/substrate is processed, whereas the discharge port is located at the pre-dispense position and the processing liquid discharged from the discharge port is directly discharged to the cup when pre-dispense from the processing liquid discharge nozzle is performed.
In regards to claim 4, Mizuno and Nam as discussed, where Nam teaches the first pneumatic cylinder (108, nozzle mover) the first nozzle and the nozzle assembly in the radial direction (fig. 2, 4, 6; para. 36-37).
In regards to claim 5, Mizuno and Nam as discussed, where Nam teaches the first nozzle is on a bracket (208, nozzle body) which is radially movable by the first pneumatic cylinder (108, nozzle mover) (fig. 2, 4, 6; para. 39, 41).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuno and Nam as applied to claims 1-5 above, and further in view of Liu (US 7,644,512).
In regards to claim 6, Mizuno and Nam as discussed above, where Nam teaches the first nozzle is on a bracket (208, nozzle body) which is radially movable by the first pneumatic cylinder (108, nozzle mover) (fig. 2, 4, 6; para. 39, 41).
Mizuno and Nam do not explicitly teach an end part distant from the cup and supported pivotably about a pivot axis extending in the vertical direction.
However, Liu teaches a nozzle assembly comprising a head portion (400A) at an end of a (42A). Liu teaches indicia marks (47A,47B) are used to set angle of the head portion (400A) (supported pivotably about a pivot axis extending in the vertical direction) (fig. 9-11; col. 19, lines 5-15, col. 19-line 50 col. 20-line 15).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the claimed invention, to incorporate the rotation of the head portion of Liu onto the nozzle of Mizuno and Nam because Liu teaches it will reduce negative effects caused by splash back (col. 3, lines 50-55).
Claims 7-8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuno and Nam as applied to claims 1-5 above, and further in view of Amano (US 2013/0156948).
In regards to claim 7, Mizuno and Nam as discussed above, but do not explicitly teach a shielding plate that covers an upper surface of the substrate at a predetermined interval from the upper surface of the substrate held by the spin chuck inside the cup in a plan view vertically from above and the processing liquid discharge nozzle is arranged to close a cut formed in a peripheral edge part of the shielding plate.
However, Amano teaches a substrate processing apparatus comprising a cover member (5, shielding plate) which covers an upper surface of the substrate overlaps the cup body (3). Amano teaches the cover member comprises an opening (cut in cover) through which a nozzle head (72) is positioned and where the nozzle head is capable of closing the opening as the nozzle head spans the size of the opening (fig. 4-5, 7a-d; para. 74, 83-85, 88, 97).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the claimed invention, to incorporate the cover member of Amano onto the liquid processing apparatus of Mizuno and Nam because Amano teaches it will reduce substrate contamination (para. 21-22).
In regards to claim 8, Mizuno, Nam and Amano as discussed above, where Amano teaches nozzles (73/76) are formed at a lower part of the nozzle head (72) and the nozzle head is capable of closing the opening as the nozzle head spans the size of the opening (fig. 7a-d; para. 88, 97).
In regards to claim 10, Mizuno, Nam and Amano as discussed above, where Amano teaches an elevating mechanism (48) moves the cover member (5) (fig. 3-5; para. 83, 117).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see response filed February 11, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Mizuno and Nam.
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.
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/Binu Thomas/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1717