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.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jeong et al. (US 2022/0075268).
Regarding Claim 1, Jeong et al. (US’268) teach an apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a processing chamber 530 enclosing a processing space, a substrate support 533 within the processing space (Fig. 4; [0056-0057]), a first supply port 535 configured to supply a supercritical fluid to an upper surface of a substrate supported by the substrate support and the first supply port located at an upper portion of the processing chamber, and a second supply port 538 configured to supply the supercritical fluid to a lower surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support and the second supply port located at a lower portion of the processing chamber (Fig. 4; [0059,0066,0089]); a fluid supply device configured to supply (i.e. capable of supplying) a supercritical fluid from a fluid storage tank 522 to the first supply port through a first supply line and the second supply port through a second supply line of the processing chamber (to first supply port 535 through valve 526 and to second supply port 538 through valve 525)[0059]; a fluid discharge device configured to discharge (i.e. capable of discharging) the supercritical fluid from the processing chamber (exhaust port 539 and line) (id.); and a control device configured to control (i.e. capable of controlling) operations of the fluid supply device and the fluid discharge device, wherein the fluid supply device comprises a first supply line (line with supply port 535) connected to an upper portion of the processing chamber and a second supply line (line with supply port 538) connected to a lower portion of the processing chamber, and the control device is configured boost pressure (i.e. capable of boosting pressure) in the processing space to a set pressure through performing a plurality of first cycles in which the supercritical fluid is supplied from the fluid storage tank into the processing space alternately through one of the first supply line and the second supply line, and then through the other of the first supply line and the second supply line (Figs. 4, 7, 10B; [0008, 0085-0089,0093]). Figure 7 shows that the pressure can be boosted from any of charging to A, charging to B, B to A and vent to any of A or B by controlling valves 516,525, 526, and 567, for example by controlling the 567 to lower pressure and then increasing (boosting) it [0076,0081,0088-0090].
Regarding Claim 2, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the set pressure is 80 bar to 150 bar [0072].
Regarding Claim 3, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the control device is capable of supplying the supercritical fluid through only the first supply line for a first time and immediately thereafter, supplying the supercritical fluid through the second supply line for a second time, and the first time and the second time are independently selected from a range of 1 second to 10 seconds by controlling valves 516,525, 526, and 567 [0076,0081,0088-0090,0096].
Regarding Claim 4, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the first time and the second time are same.
Regarding Claim 5, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein each of the plurality of first cycles includes supplying the supercritical fluid through only the second supply line for a first time and, immediately thereafter, supplying the supercritical fluid through the first supply line for a second time, and the first time and the second time are independently selected from a range of 1 second to 10 seconds by controlling valves 516,525, 526, and 567 (Fig. 4; [0008,0085-0088,0093]).
Regarding Claim 6, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, including wherein the plurality of first cycles are performed 8 to 16 times [0008].
Regarding Claim 7, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the control device is further configured to perform second cycles in which pressure in the processing space is alternately decreased and increased, after the first cycles are performed [0008,0085-0088,0093].
Regarding Claim 8, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the second cycles are performed 1 to 32 times (id.).
Regarding Claim 9, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein a pressure difference in the processing space generated by performing the second cycles is selected from a range of 5 bar to 75 bar [0072].
Regarding Claim 10, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the second cycles are performed in such a way that the supercritical fluid is alternately supplied through the first supply line and the supercritical fluid is discharged through the fluid discharge device (Claim 22; [0064,0100]).
Regarding Claim 11, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the control device is further configured to discharge the supercritical fluid from the processing chamber through the fluid discharge device, after the second cycles are performed (id.).
Regarding Claims 12 and 17, US’268 teaches a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: a first chamber module configured to coat (i.e. capable of coating) a photoresist onto a substrate; a second chamber module configured to bake (i.e. capable of baking) the photoresist on the substrate; a third chamber module configured to irradiate (i.e. capable of irradiating) an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) onto the photoresist on the substrate through an exposure mask; a fourth chamber module configured to provide (i.e. capable of providing) a developing solution to the exposed photoresist; a fifth chamber module configured to supply (i.e. capable of supplying) a supercritical fluid to the substrate coated with the photoresist to which the developing solution is provided; and a substrate transfer device configured to transfer (i.e. capable of transferring) the substrate between the first through fifth chamber modules, wherein the fifth chamber module comprises: a processing chamber 530 enclosing a processing space, a substrate support 533 within the processing space (Fig. 4; [0056-0057]), a first supply port 535 configured to supply a supercritical fluid to an upper surface of a substrate supported by the substrate support and the first supply port located at an upper portion of the processing chamber, and a second supply port 538 configured to supply the supercritical fluid to a lower surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support and the second supply port located at a lower portion of the processing chamber (Fig. 4; [0059,0066,0089]); a fluid supply device configured to supply (i.e. capable of supplying) a supercritical fluid from a fluid storage tank 522 to the first supply port through a first supply line and the second supply port through a second supply line of the processing chamber (to first supply port 535 through valve 526 and to second supply port 538 through valve 525)[0059]; a fluid discharge device configured to discharge (i.e. capable of discharging) the supercritical fluid from the processing chamber; and a control device configured to control (i.e. capable of controlling) operations of the fluid supply device and the fluid discharge device, and the fluid supply device comprises a first supply line connected to an upper portion of the processing chamber and a second supply line connected to a lower portion of the processing chamber, and the control device is configured to perform (i.e. capable of performing) a plurality of first cycles in which the supercritical fluid is alternately supplied into the processing space through the first supply line and the second supply line to boost (i.e. capable of boosting) pressure in the processing space to a set pressure (Figs. 4, 7, 10B; [0008, 0085-0089,0093]). See, also, rejection of Claim 1 above.
Regarding Claim 13, Claim 12 is drawn to an apparatus, which includes structural features capable of performing certain operations on a supercritical fluid, including supplying and discharging a supercritical fluid. The claimed apparatus does not itself include a supercritical fluid. Rather, a supercritical fluid is recited as an aspect of an intended use, not given patentable weight for the claimed apparatus, capable of performing the recited intended use(s). The apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the intended use on supercritical carbon dioxide, even were supercritical carbon dioxide not taught. However, US’268 also teaches the recited intended use, wherein the supercritical fluid comprises CO2 [0067].
Regarding Claim 14, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the control device is further configured to perform second cycles in which pressure in the processing space is alternately decreased and increased, 1 to 32 times after the first cycles are performed [0008,0085-0088,0093].
Regarding Claim 15, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein a pressure difference in the processing space generated by performing the second cycles is selected from a range of 5 bar to 75 bar [0072].
Regarding Claim 16, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the pressure in the processing space is increased when the supercritical fluid is supplied through the first supply line and the pressure in the processing space is decreased when the supercritical fluid is discharged through the fluid discharge device (Claim 21).
Regarding Claim 18, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the control device is further configured to alternately supply the supercritical fluid through the first supply line for a first time and the supercritical fluid through the second supply line for a second time, and the first time and the second time are independently selected from a range of 1 second to 10 seconds [0096].
Regarding Claim 19, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the control device is further configured to perform second cycles in which pressure in the processing space is alternately decreased and increased, after the first cycle is performed, and the pressure in the processing space is increased when the supercritical fluid is supplied through the first supply line, and the pressure in the processing space is decreased when the supercritical fluid is discharged through the fluid discharge device (Claim 21; [0008,0085-0088,0093]).
Regarding Claim 20, the apparatus of US’268 is capable of performing the recited intended use, wherein the second cycles are performed 1 to 32 times (id).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 20 December 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s argument that US’268 is not configured to supply the supercritical fluid to a lower surface of the substrate because blocking plate 536 is positioned between first supply port and the substrate (Remarks, p. 4), the assertion is expressly contradicted by US’268 [0062], which rather explains that while the blocking plate “may prevent supercritical fluid sprayed from the supply port 538 from being directly sprayed onto the substrate w supported by the substrate support 533.” The supercritical fluid may nevertheless “may reach the substrate w supported by the substrate support 533 after moving along a surface of the blocking plate 538” [0062]. Again in paragraph [0063], “the blocking plate 536 may have a radius less than that of the substrate w so that supercritical fluid may easily reach the substrate w.” Therefore, Applicant’s assertion that the blocking plate prevents supply port 538 from supplying supercritical fluid to a lower surface of the substrate appears to be in error.
In response to Applicant’s argument that the controller 540 of Jeong is not configured to boost pressure in the processing space to set pressure through performing a plurality of first cycles, etc. (Remarks p. 4), the controller is capable of boosting pressure by controlling valves 516,525, 526, and 567, for example by controlling the 567 to lower pressure and then increasing (boosting) it [0076,0081,0088-0090], even considering only tank 522 (Fig. 4).
In response to Applicant’s argument that “there is no indication or description of valves being controlled to supply supercritical fluid from tank 522 alternately (sic) first supply port 538 and the second supply port 535” (Remarks, p. 4), the intended use is not given significant patentable weight towards the claimed apparatus, capable of performing the recited intended use). The controller of US’268 is capable of controlling control valves 516,525,and 526, including opening and closing them to permit or stop flow through each line supplying 535 and 538 and is thus considered capable of performing the intended use of alternately supplying ports 535 and 538 from tank 522 even where US’268 does not expressly teach the process steps; the present claims are not drawn to a process.
Conclusion
No claim is allowed.
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 ALEXANDER M WEDDLE whose telephone number is (571)270-5346. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-6:30.
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ALEXANDER M WEDDLE
Examiner
Art Unit 1712
/ALEXANDER M WEDDLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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