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 without traverse of Species I-Figure 5, Species A-Figure 2 (claims 1-3, 8-10, 12-15, and 18) in the reply filed on February 11, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 4-7, 11, 16-17, and 19-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Drawings
Figures 3A & 3B should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 8-10, 14-15, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sasaki et al. (J.P. 2020-043137A).
Note. U.S. 2021/0327688 is used for the translation of Sasaki et al. (J.P. 2020-043137A).
Referring to Figures 1-2 and paragraphs [0033]-[0037], Sasaki et al. disclose a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a plasma processing chamber 10 (par.[0016]); a support 12 accommodated in the plasma processing chamber (par.[0017]); an inner edge ring 361 provided around a substrate (par.[0034]); an outer edge ring 362 provided around the inner edge ring, the outer edge ring having an inner peripheral portion overlapping an outer peripheral portion of the inner edge ring when viewed from above and having a first alignment portion (par.[0034]); an outer edge ring electrostatic chuck 45 disposed at a position of the support, the position facing the outer edge ring (pars.[0021]-[0023]); and a lifter 75, 76 configured to move the inner edge ring 361 and/or the outer edge ring up and down, wherein the inner edge ring is aligned with the outer edge ring by the first alignment portion in a state in which the outer edge ring electrostatic chuck is driven and the outer edge ring is attracted (pars.[0035]-[0037], [0042]).
With respect to claim 2, the substrate processing apparatus of Sasaki et al. further includes wherein the lifter has a pin 75 and an actuator 76 that moves the pin up and down (pars.[0035]-[0037]).
With respect to claim 8, the substrate processing apparatus of Sasaki et al. further includes wherein the outer edge ring electrostatic chuck 362 is a bipolar electrostatic chuck (par.[0050]).
With respect to claim 9, the substrate processing apparatus of Sasaki et al. further includes wherein the inner edge ring 361 and the outer edge ring 362 are arranged concentrically (Fig. 3).
With respect to claim 10, the substrate processing apparatus of Sasaki et al. further includes wherein the inner edge ring 361 and the outer edge ring 362 are made of the same material (par.[0019]).
With respect to claim 14, the substrate processing apparatus of Sasaki et al. further comprising: a gas supply 64 supplying a cleaning gas into the plasma processing chamber (par.[0032]), wherein the actuator 76 drives the pin to move up and down in accordance with the supply of the cleaning gas, and the pin 75 is configured to raise the inner edge ring 361 and/or the outer edge ring (pars.[0035]-[0037]).
With respect to claim 15, the substrate processing apparatus of Sasaki et al. further comprising: a controller, wherein the controller 100 controls: unloading the inner edge ring 361 from the plasma processing chamber by raising and lowering the pin 75 using the actuator 76; holding an inner edge ring for replacement on the pin by raising the pin using the actuator; and aligning the inner edge ring for replacement by the first alignment portion provided on the outer edge ring by lowering the pin using the actuator (par.[0067]-[0072]).
With respect to claim 18, a method for aligning a ring member performed with the substrate processing apparatus described in Sasaki et al., the method comprising: unloading the inner edge ring 361 from the plasma processing chamber by raising and lowering the pin 75 using the actuator 76; holding an inner edge ring for replacement on the pin by raising the pin using the actuator; and aligning the inner edge ring for replacement by the first alignment portion provided on the outer edge ring by lowering the pin using the actuator (par.[0067]-[0072]).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sasaki et al. (J.P. 2020-043137A) in view of Yan et al. (U.S. 2016/0211166).
The teachings of Sasaki et al. have been discussed above.
Sasaki et al. fail to teach wherein the first alignment portion includes a tapered surface formed on at least a portion of an inner peripheral surface of the outer edge ring.
Referring to Figures 16-21 and paragraph [0079] wherein the first alignment portion 1046 includes a tapered surface formed on at least a portion of an inner peripheral surface of the outer edge ring 1018 as a conventionally known shape that would provide suitable mating between the inner edge ring 1014 and the outer edge ring 1018. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the apparatus of Sasaki et al. with wherein the first alignment portion includes a tapered surface formed on at least a portion of an inner peripheral surface of the outer edge ring as taught by Yan et al. since it is an alternate shape that would provide suitable mating between the inner edge ring 1014 and the outer edge ring 1018.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sasaki et al. (J.P. 2020-043137A) in view of Matsuura et al (U.S. 2021/0280396).
The teachings of Sasaki et al. have been discussed above.
Sasaki et al. fail to teach wherein the outer edge ring has a through hole penetrating through the outer edge ring in a thickness direction at a portion overlapping the inner edge ring when viewed from above, and the lifter penetrates the through hole and moves up and down.
Referring to Figures 19-28 and paragraphs [0180]-[0183], [0203], and [0231], Matsuura et al. teach a substrate support arrangement wherein the outer edge ring Cb has a through hole penetrating through the outer edge ring in a thickness direction at a portion overlapping the inner edge ring Fb when viewed from above, and the lifter 504 penetrates the through hole and moves up and down as a means to selectively lift both the outer edge ring and inner edge ring or either one of the outer edge ring and inner edge ring for replacement. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the apparatus of Sasaki et al. with wherein the outer edge ring has a through hole penetrating through the outer edge ring in a thickness direction at a portion overlapping the inner edge ring when viewed from above, and the lifter penetrates the through hole and moves up and down as taught by Matsuura et al. since it is a conventionally known means to selectively lift both the outer edge ring and inner edge ring or either one of the outer edge ring and inner edge ring for replacement.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sasaki et al. (J.P. 2020-043137A) in view of Genetti et al. (U.S. 10,062,599).
The teachings of Sasaki et al. have been discussed above.
Sasaki et al. is silent on a storage container disposed adjacent to the substrate processing apparatus and storing at least one of an inner edge ring for replacement and an outer edge ring for replacement.
Referring to Figure 1 and column 9, lines 22-46, Genetti et al. teach a substrate processing apparatus wherein a storage container 108 disposed adjacent to the substrate processing apparatus 112-120 and storing at least one of an inner edge ring for replacement and an outer edge ring for replacement since this would allow an inner edge ring and an outer edge ring to be easily replaced without breaking a vacuum. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the apparatus of Sasaki et al. with a storage container disposed adjacent to the substrate processing apparatus and storing at least one of an inner edge ring for replacement and an outer edge ring for replacement as taught by Genetti et al. since this would allow an inner edge ring and an outer edge ring to be easily replaced without breaking a vacuum.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Koshimizu et al.’920, Uchida et al.’753, Takahashi et al.’550, Matsuura’366, Matsuura et al.’417, and Dogome’339 teach movable inner and outer edge rings. Ueda’645 teach a tapered surface between mating surface of rings. Matsuyama et al.’565 teach a bipolar electrostatic chuck.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michelle CROWELL whose telephone number is (571)272-1432. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 10:00am-6:00pm.
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, Parviz Hassanzadeh can be reached at 571-272-1435. 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.
/Michelle CROWELL/Examiner, Art Unit 1716
/SYLVIA MACARTHUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716