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 with traverse of Group II (Claims 12-18) in the reply filed on 03/30/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that: there is not a serious search and examination burden, only some amount of burden. This is not found persuasive because:
The inventions as claimed are different statutory categories, which causes the interpretation of the claims of each grouping to be different. For example, while Groups I and III discuss additive manufacturing in a product-by-process limitation, the method claims in Group II require a step of additive manufacturing in the prior art.
The groupings contain numerous mutually exclusive limitations such that a search for one group does not necessarily contain all of the limitations of another group. For example, Group I requires spiral channels that neither Groups II or III requires, Group II requires a method step of additive manufacturing that neither Groups I or III requires, and Group III requires a non-transitory computer readable medium that neither Groups I and II require.
The inventions as claimed are located in different classification areas and require separate keyword searches.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 1-11 and 19-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 12-14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sung (US20200157682A1) in view of Tham (US20160103031A1).
Claim 12
Sung teaches a method for forming an apparatus (152, 154, 156) for a process chamber (110), comprising: forming a showerhead body (152, 154, 156); forming a first gas channel of the showerhead body (Figure 1 shows a plurality of channels formed through the body.); and forming one or more first gas pressure sensors (170) positioned at a surface of the first gas channel of the showerhead body (Figure 1).
Sung does not disclose how the pressure sensors are made, and thus does not disclose forming one or more first gas pressure sensors using an additive manufacturing process.
However, Tham (US20160103031A1) teaches forming one or more first pressure sensors using an additive manufacturing process. (Figures 1-2 teach pressure sensors made using a 3-D printing method (¶0073).)
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to apply the known 3-D printing technique of Tham to the pressure sensors of Sung in order to use a method that makes it possible to generate nearly pore-free base bodies and/or measuring membranes with more complex shapes, in particular shapes having undercuts. Accordingly, base bodies having structures and/or measuring membranes with high pressure resistance can be generated, and the structures which are largely pressure resistant can be printed on the base body and/or the measuring membrane. (See Tham ¶0070)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was effectively filed, to apply the known 3-D printing technique of Tham to the pressure sensors of Sung because it has been held to be prima facie obvious to apply a known technique to a known method/apparatus to yield predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(D).
The predictable result is the pressure sensors and electrical connections in Sung will be produced using additive manufacturing/3-D printing.
Claim 13
Sung in view of Tham teaches the method of claim 12, further comprising: forming a second gas channel of the showerhead body (Sung, Figure 1 teaches a plurality of gas channels passing through the showerhead (152, 154, 156).); and forming one or more second gas pressure sensors positioned at a surface of the second gas channel of the showerhead body (Sung, Figure 1 teaches a plurality of pressure sensors (170) located within the plurality of gas channels passing through the showerhead body (152, 154, 156).) using the additive manufacturing process. (Tham, Figures 1-2 teach pressure sensors made using a 3-D printing method (¶0073).)
Claim 14
Sung in view of Tham teaches the method of claim 13, further comprising: electrically connecting the one or more first gas pressure sensors and the one or more second gas pressure sensors to a controller (Sung, ¶0050 teaches a controller connected to the pressure sensor(s). Tham, Figures 1-2 and ¶0085 teaches an electrical connection (17, 19) that is created during the additive manufacturing.) that detects differential pressure between the one or more first gas pressure sensors and the one or more second gas pressure sensors. (Sung ¶0050-0052 teach the controller is connected to a comparator (164) through a circuit. The comparator compares the signals received by the pressure sensors through the detector (162).)
Claim 16
Sung in view of Tham teaches the method of claim 12, further comprising: electrically connecting the one or more first gas pressure sensors to a controller (Sung, ¶0050 teaches a controller connected to the pressure sensor(s). Tham, Figures 1-2 and ¶0085 teaches an electrical connection (17, 19) that is created during the additive manufacturing.), wherein the controller is configured to alter a process in the process chamber based on a pressure provided by the one or more first gas pressure sensors to a controller. (Sung ¶0054-0055 teaches the controller uses the information from the comparator to alter the process (change the gas flow in one flow path) based on the differential pressure readings.)
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sung (US20200157682A1) in view of Tham (US20160103031A1), as applied in claim 14, further in view of Yonejima (US20180144953A1).
Claim 15
Sung in view of Tham teaches the method of claim 14, further comprising: wherein the controller is configured to alter a process in the process chamber based on the differential pressure. (Sung ¶0054-0055 teaches the controller uses the information from the comparator to alter the process (change the gas flow in one flow path) based on the differential pressure readings.)
Sung in view of Tham does not disclose that the controller is configured to halt a process.
However, Yonejima teaches a controller that is configured to halt a process. (Yonejima teaches a substrate processing apparatus that uses a process gas supply system (¶0043). The system includes a controller (240) configured to control the operation and monitor pressure and temperature (¶0100). ¶0106 teaches that an error occurs when a deviation in pressure causes degradation in the forming process. ¶0105 teaches that when the error is determined as severe, the controller system is configured to stop the operation of the system.)
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to apply the known system pausing/halting technique from Yonejima to the controller scheme of Sung in view of Tham in order to prevent damage to the system or degradation of the products in the occurrence that the error in pressure is too severe. (See Yonejima ¶0105-0106)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was effectively filed, to apply the known system pausing/halting technique from Yonejima to the controller scheme of Sung in view of Tham because it has been held to be prima facie obvious to apply a known technique to a known method/apparatus to yield predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(D).
The predictable result is the controller of Sung will be designed/programmed to have the functionality of a system pause/halt when severe errors in the pressure differential are detected using the first and second pressure sensors.
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sung (US20200157682A1) in view of Tham (US20160103031A1), as applied in claim 14, further in view of Morgan (US20230235458A1).
Claim 17
Sung in view of Tham teaches the method of claim 12, further comprising: forming the showerhead body (Sung, Figure 1) and forming the one or more first gas pressure sensors using an additive manufacturing process. (Tham does disclose that the process is selective laser melting of ceramics (¶0062).)
Sung in view of Tham does not disclose forming the showerhead body using the additive manufacturing process.
However, Morgan teaches forming the showerhead body using the additive manufacturing process. (Morgan teaches a showerhead for semiconductor processing operations (abs) that is made using additive manufacturing (¶0005) that includes selective laser melting using ceramics (¶0005).)
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to apply the known additive manufacturing technique of Morgan to the showerhead production method of Sung in view of Tham in order to permit the adaption of showerhead geometries that would be difficult to produce using conventional techniques and allow for a decreasing of the amount of gas needed to provide a desired gas flow through the showerhead. (Morgan ¶0008)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was effectively filed, to apply the known additive manufacturing technique of Morgan to the showerhead production method of Sung in view of Tham because it has been held to be prima facie obvious to apply a known technique to a known method/apparatus to yield predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(D).
The predictable result is the showerhead body in Sung will be manufactured using additive manufacturing, using the same process (SLM) as the sensor manufacturing method in Tham.
Claim 18
Sung in view of Tham and Morgan teaches the method of claim 17, further comprising: forming electrical connections to the one or more first gas pressure sensors through the showerhead body during the additive manufacturing process. (Tham, Figures 1-2 and ¶0085 teaches an electrical connection (17, 19) that is created during the additive manufacturing. Sung Figure 1 shows connections from the sensors (170) to the controller that pass through the body.)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found on the PTO-892.
Document
Date
Description of Relevant Subject Matter
US20090117746A1
2008-10-31
Figure 1 teaches a gas supply device for a plasma etching apparatus. The apparatus includes a shower head (16); pressure sensors (72a/b); and a controller (71) that is responsive to information received from the pressure sensors (¶0069).
US20170032982A1
2015-11-19
¶0070 teaches a control system for a processing chamber that includes a controller (95) that cooperates with a pressure sensor (83) to calibrate the gas intake/outflow from the chamber.
US20120161405A1
2011-12-16
Figure 4B teaches a reactor (400) that includes a showerhead (408) and pressure sensors mounted within the reactor to measure pressures at one or more locations inside the reactor (¶0171). The pressure readings are provided to a controller that controls the pressure inside the chamber (¶0269).
US20200157682A1
2019-07-12
Figure 1 teaches a showerhead (152) having multiple gas channels (30) and pressure sensors (170). A controller (160)(¶0050) is connected to the pressure sensors (¶0050) and compares the values received from the pressure sensors (¶0051-0052) and alters the process if a difference is found (¶0054-0055).
US20180144953A1
2017-11-22
Figure 1 teaches a substrate processing apparatus that uses a process gas supply system (¶0043). The system includes a controller (240) configured to control the operation and monitor pressure and temperature (¶0100). ¶0106 teaches that an error occurs when a deviation in pressure causes degradation in the forming process. ¶0105 teaches that when the error is determined as severe, the controller system is configured to stop the operation of the system. ¶0052 teaches that the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the controller.
US20160103031A1
2015-10-06
Figures 1-2 teach pressure sensors made using a 3-D printing method (¶0073). The pressure sensor includes an electrical connection (17, 19) that is created using the 3-D printing method (¶0085).
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to apply the known 3-D printing technique of xx to the system of xx in order to use a method that makes it possible to generate nearly pore-free base bodies and/or measuring membranes with more complex shapes, in particular shapes having undercuts. Accordingly, base bodies having structures and/or measuring membranes with high pressure resistance can be generated, and the structures which are largely pressure resistant can be printed on the base body and/or the measuring membrane. (See Tham ¶0070)
US20160202101A1
2016-01-12
¶0007 teaches a sensor structure made from three dimensional printing. The motivation to use three dimensional printing to form the sensor structure is that it can be formed as a single integral component and produce a structure having small feature sizes without processing restrictions and requirements typically encountered when using traditional techniques. (¶0008-0009)
US20220082463A1
2019-12-17
Vasic teaches a method of producing a shaped body (10), membrane (12) and supporting section (14) for a pressure sensor (¶0109) by additive manufacturing (¶0057). The motivation to use additive manufacturing to produce the pressure sensor with reduced effort, and increased flexibility, respectively. (¶0005)
US20230235458A1
2021-07-22
Morgan teaches a showerhead for semiconductor processing operations (abs) that is made using additive manufacturing (¶0005) that includes selective laser melting using ceramics (¶0005). The motivation to use the additive manufacturing technique is to permit the adaption of showerhead geometries that would be difficult to produce using conventional techniques and allow for a decreasing of the amount of gas needed to provide a desired gas flow through the showerhead. (¶0008)
US20160348242A1
2016-05-24
Figure 1 teaches a showerhead (100) that can be manufactured using additive manufacturing (¶0051) such as a ceramic sintering process. The motivation to use the additive manufacturing technique is to manufacture the showerhead as a monolithic structure (¶0051) and reduce process steps.
US20160343595A1
2015-05-19
¶0030 and Figure 3 teach a showerhead for semiconductor fabrication. ¶0040 teaches the use of ceramic material for the showerhead part (108) and ¶0041 teaches the use of 3D printing of ceramics to form said part. The motivation to use 3D printing to form the part is to allow for the formation of internal passages without bonding two ceramic layers together. (¶0041)
US20060124169A1
2004-12-09
Figure 1 teaches a showerhead (38) that has multiple flow paths (122 and 123) that are moderated by pressure control units (124 and 125) having gauges (124a and 125a). The gauges cooperate with a pressure ratio controller (126) (¶0042) to control/alter the process based on desired gas flows.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael W Hotchkiss whose telephone number is (571)272-3854. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday from 0800-1600.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sunil K Singh can be reached at 571-272-3460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL W HOTCHKISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726
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