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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on 06/27/2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the JP2022-102990 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required:
The term “temperature adjustment block” is not utilized in the specification. The Examiner believes the claims should recite “temperature adjustment unit”.
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) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Seshimo (US 20180182652 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Seshimo teaches of:
A heat treatment apparatus comprising:
a processing container having an interior space in which substrates are processed (Fig. 1, 22);
a temperature adjustment furnace disposed around the processing container and configured to heat the substrates accommodated in the interior space from an outer side of the processing container (Fig. 1, 25); and
an internal temperature adjustment block (Fig. 1, 1) movable relative to the processing container (Fig. 1 is movable relative to 22) and configured to supply a temperature adjustment gas for regulating a temperature of the processing container into the interior space (Fig. 1, 1 supplies a temperature adjustment gas via 20, gas supplied is capable of regulating the temperature of the processing container as Seshimo contains all the claimed structure in the claim) in a state of being disposed facing an opening (Fig. 1, opening is the open bottom portion of 22) that opens the interior space (Fig. 1, 1 faces the opening of 22)
Regarding claim 2, Seshimo teaches of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, and Seshimo further teaches of:
wherein the internal temperature adjustment block includes a facing plate movable to face the opening (Fig. 1, surface of 1 that is in contact with 23 is the facing plate), and a temperature adjustment gas supply pipe fixed to the facing plate and configured to move together with the facing plate to eject the temperature adjustment gas into the interior space (Fig. 1, temperature adjustment gas supply pipe 20 is fixed and moves with the facing plate)
Regarding claim 3, Seshimo teaches of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, and the combined teachings further teach of:
wherein the temperature adjustment gas supply pipe has an ejection port that ejects the temperature adjustment gas along an axial center of the processing container (Fig. 3, ejection ports 36 are vertical and therefore along an axial center of the processing container)
Regarding claim 4, Seshimo teaches of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, and the combined teachings further teach of:
wherein the internal temperature adjustment block moves relative to the processing container to dispose the facing plate at a position where the opening is closed, and ejects the temperature adjustment gas in a state where the opening is closed (Fig. 1, the gas is supplied when 1 is positioned on the opening)
Regarding claim 5, Seshimo teaches of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, and Seshimo further teaches of:
wherein the internal temperature adjustment block moves relative to the processing container to dispose the facing plate at a position spaced apart from the opening, and ejects the temperature adjustment gas in a state where a clearance is formed between the opening and the facing plate (Figs. 1-2, the temperature adjustment block 1 moves relative to the processing container and is capable of supplying gas when it is spaced from the opening)
Regarding claim 6, Seshimo teaches of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, and Seshimo further teaches of:
wherein the internal temperature adjustment block includes an exhaust provided in the facing plate and configured to exhaust a gas of the interior space (Fig. 1, 11 and 16 form an exhaust formed in the face plate of 1)
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) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seshimo (US 20180182652 A1) in view of Ueno (US 20090291566 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Seshimo teaches of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, however, Seshimo fails to explicitly teach:
further comprising:
a gas nozzle configured to supply a processing gas for processing the substrates into the interior space,
wherein the internal temperature adjustment block supplies the temperature adjustment gas in a larger supply amount than a supply amount of the processing gas.
Ueno teaches of:
further comprising:
a gas nozzle configured to supply a processing gas for processing the substrates into the interior space (Fig. 3, 83A),
wherein the internal temperature adjustment block supplies the temperature adjustment gas in a larger supply amount than a supply amount of the processing gas (Fig. 3, 83A-83C provide nitrogen purge gas equal in amount to the nitrogen purge gas supplied by 74 but split into three smaller amounts; ¶ [0152]-[0154], At this time, the flow rate controllers 86A, 86B, 86C regulate the flow rate of the nitrogen gas 90 to a rate of 50 to 100 liters per minute. Preferably the flow rate from the gas supply nozzle 74 is set to 150 liters per minute, and the flow rate from the side coolant gas supply nozzles 80A, 80B, 80C is set to 75 liters per minute. Also, the ratio of the gas supply nozzle 74 flow rate versus the total sum of the side coolant gas supply nozzle 80A, 80B, 80C flow rates is preferably set as 1 to 1)
The primary reference can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
provide the three gas nozzles of Ueno into the system of Seshimo so that they supply nitrogen purge gas during the purge process in Seshimo and further so that they supply the gas at 1/3 the rate it is supplied by 7 of Seshimo so that the temperature adjustment gas is supplied in a larger supply amount than a supply amount from a single nozzle
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
it would allow for the wafers to be cooled uniformly (Ueno, ¶ [0130], The spray port 74a of the gas supply nozzle 74 and the spray holes 83A, 83B, 83C of the side coolant gas supply nozzles 80A, 80B, 80C each spray the nitrogen gas 90 supplied to the gas supply nozzle 74 and the side coolant gas supply nozzles 80A, 80B, 80C. The nitrogen gas 90 makes uniform contact with the wafer 1 group arranged by the boat 30 in the processing chamber 32, and is suctioned and evacuated from the exhaust port 37 at the bottom end of the processing chamber 32)
Claim(s) 1-5, 8-9 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakamoto (US 20040159284 A1) in view of Itaya (JP H09298162 A) (cited in the IDS filed on 12/08/2025).
Regarding claim 1, Sakamoto teaches of:
A heat treatment apparatus comprising:
a processing container having an interior space in which substrates are processed (Fig. 1, 11A);
a temperature adjustment furnace disposed around the processing container (Fig. 1, 251-255 are positioned around the processing container 11A) and configured to heat the substrates accommodated in the interior space from an outer side of the processing container (Fig. 1, 251-255 heat the substrates within 11A)
Sakamoto fails to explicitly teach:
an internal temperature adjustment block movable relative to the processing container and configured to supply a temperature adjustment gas for regulating a temperature of the processing container into the interior space in a state of being disposed facing an opening that opens the interior space.
Itaya teaches of:
an internal temperature adjustment block movable relative to the processing container (Fig. 1, 8 is movable relative to 5) and configured to supply a temperature adjustment gas for regulating a temperature of the processing container into the interior space in a state of being disposed facing an opening (Fig. 1, the open portion at the bottom of 5 is the opening) that opens the interior space (Fig. 1, 8 is movable relative to the opening of 5 and supplies temperature adjustment gas for regulating the temperature of 5 into the interior space of 5 via 8a)
The primary reference can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
when the apparatus of Sakamoto is done processing substrates and in a position shown in Fig. 2 where the wafer boat 17 and the cap 20 is retreated from opening of 12, place the cap 8 of Itaya onto the opening of 12 and utilize the exhaust 16 to pull the cooling gas through 8a of Itaya up out of the top of 11A and into the exhaust port
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
it would allow for the temperature of 31 to be quickly lowered so that cleaning of 31 can occur faster and overall efficiency of the system is increased (Itaya, ¶ [0005])
Regarding claim 2, the combined teachings teach of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, and the combined teachings further teach:
wherein the internal temperature adjustment block includes a facing plate movable to face the opening (Itaya, Fig. 1, 8), and
a temperature adjustment gas supply pipe fixed to the facing plate and configured to move together with the facing plate to eject the temperature adjustment gas into the interior space (Itaya, the opening left behind by the removal of 8a is the gas supply pipe)
Regarding claim 3, the combined teachings teach of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, and the combined teachings further teach:
wherein the temperature adjustment gas supply pipe has an ejection port that ejects the temperature adjustment gas along an axial center of the processing container (Itaya, the outlet end of the space left behind by 8a is the ejection port and it ejects gas vertically which is along the axial center of 5)
Regarding claim 4, the combined teachings teach of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, and the combined teachings further teach:
wherein the internal temperature adjustment block moves relative to the processing container to dispose the facing plate at a position where the opening is closed, and ejects the temperature adjustment gas in a state where the opening is closed (Itaya, 8 is moved to cover the processing container and ejects the gas when it is attached to the opening of the container)
Regarding claim 5, the combined teachings teach of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, and the combined teachings further teach:
wherein the internal temperature adjustment block moves relative to the processing container to dispose the facing plate at a position spaced apart from the opening, and ejects the temperature adjustment gas in a state where a clearance is formed between the opening and the facing plate (Itaya, 8 is movable onto the opening 7 and would inherently need to spaced apart from the opening while it is moved into position, functionally it is capable of ejecting gas in such a state as it has all the claimed structure required by the claims)
Regarding claim 8, the combined teachings teach of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, and the combined teachings further teach:
further comprising:
a manifold (Fig. 1, 12) configured to support the processing container at a lower end of the processing container (Fig. 1, 12 supports 11A at a lower end of 11A), and having a lower end at which the opening is formed (Sakamoto, Fig. 1, the lower portion of 12 where 20 is in contact with 12 is the opening); and
a substrate disposition unit having a wafer boat that holds a plurality of substrates, and configured to move relative to the manifold to insert the wafer boat into the interior space through the opening (Fig. 1, 24 has a wafer boat 17 that holds a plurality of substrates and moves relative to 12),
wherein when the temperature of the processing container is regulated, the substrate disposition unit retreats from the processing container, and the internal temperature adjustment block is disposed facing the opening (see combination made in the rejection of claim 1 above, in Fig. 1 of Itaya, the wafer boat retreats from the processing container and the temperature adjustment block 8 is positioned on the opening; further the examiner indicates that this limitation is a contingent limitation and does not need to be taught by the prior art)
Regarding claim 9, the combined teachings teach of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 8, and the combined teachings further teach:
further comprising:
a sub temperature adjustment gas supply pipe supported on the manifold, and configured to supply the temperature adjustment gas into the interior space separately from the internal temperature adjustment unit (Fig. 1, 15A-B are supported on 12 and supply a temperature adjustment gas in 11Z)
Regarding claim 12, Sakamoto teaches of:
A temperature regulation method comprising:
(a) providing a heat treatment apparatus equipped with a processing container having an interior space in which substrates are processed (Fig. 1, 11A);
(b) heating the substrates accommodated in the interior space from an outer side of the processing container by a temperature adjustment furnace disposed around the processing container (Fig. 1, 251-255)
Sakamoto fails to explicitly teach:
(c) moving an internal temperature adjustment block relative to the processing container to dispose the internal temperature adjustment block to face an opening that opens the interior space; and
(d) in a state where the internal temperature adjustment block is disposed facing the opening, supplying a temperature adjustment gas for regulating a temperature of the processing container into the interior space.
Itaya teaches of:
(c) moving an internal temperature adjustment block relative to the processing container to dispose the internal temperature adjustment block to face an opening that opens the interior space; and
(d) in a state where the internal temperature adjustment block is disposed facing the opening, supplying a temperature adjustment gas for regulating a temperature of the processing container into the interior space (Fig. 1, 8 is movable relative to 5 and supplies temperature adjustment gas for regulating the temperature of 5 into the interior space of 5 via 8a)
The primary reference can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
when the apparatus of Sakamoto is done processing substrates and in a position shown in Fig. 2 where the wafer boat 17 and the cap 20 is retreated from 11, place the cap 8 of Itaya onto the opening of 12 and utilize the exhaust 16 to pull the cooling gas through 8a of Itaya up out of the top of 11A and into the exhaust port
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
it would allow for the temperature of 31 to be quickly lowered so that cleaning of 31 can occur faster and overall efficiency of the system is increased (Itaya, ¶ [0005])
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakamoto (US 20040159284 A1) in view of Itaya (JP H09298162 A) (cited in the IDS filed on 12/08/2025) as presented in claim 1, and in further view of Hasegawa (US 20120160169 A1)
Regarding claim 10, the combined teachings teach of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, however, the combined teachings fail to explicitly teach:
further comprising:
a controller configured to control operations of the temperature adjustment furnace and the internal temperature adjustment block,
wherein the controller performs a temperature lowering process to lower the temperature of the processing container by supplying the temperature adjustment gas from the internal temperature adjustment block into the interior space after a heating of the substrates by the temperature adjustment furnace is stopped
Hasegawa teaches of:
further comprising:
a controller configured to control operations of the temperature adjustment furnace and the internal temperature adjustment block,
wherein the controller performs a temperature lowering process to lower the temperature of the processing container by supplying the temperature adjustment gas from the internal temperature adjustment block into the interior space after a heating of the substrates by the temperature adjustment furnace is stopped (¶ [0097], The operation processing unit reads the program stored in the memory unit, transmits a control signal to each component constituting the boat 44 (substrate maintaining unit), the heating controller 62a of the heater (substrate heating unit) 62, the supply mechanism 70, the heating controller 80 of the supply pipe heating mechanism 77, and the exhaust mechanism 85, and executes film formation processing (to be described later) depending on the program; the controller 90 controls both the supply and exhaust mechanisms and in the combination the exhaust mechanism would perform the cooling process)
The combined teachings can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
connect the gas exhaust and supply systems of Sakamoto to a single controller and as a result controls the temperature lowering process of the combined teachings as Itaya relies on the exhaust system to supply cooling gas
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
it would allow for automatic control of the system of the combined teachings
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakamoto (US 20040159284 A1) in view of Itaya (JP H09298162 A) (cited in the IDS filed on 12/08/2025) and Hasegawa (US 20120160169 A1) as presented in claim 10, and in further view of Akao (US 20210181033 A1)
Regarding claim 11, the combined teachings teach of the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 10, however, the combined teachings fail to explicitly teach:
wherein a temperature adjustment space is formed between the temperature adjustment furnace and the processing container, and the temperature adjustment furnace includes an external distribution unit including a gas pipe that distributes a cooling gas in the temperature adjustment space, and during the temperature lowering process, the controller performs supplying the temperature adjustment gas into the interior space by the internal temperature adjustment block and distributing the cooling gas in the temperature adjustment space by the external distribution unit
Akao teaches of:
wherein a temperature adjustment space is formed between the temperature adjustment furnace and the processing container, and the temperature adjustment furnace includes an external distribution unit including a gas pipe that distributes a cooling gas in the temperature adjustment space, and during the temperature lowering process, the controller performs supplying the temperature adjustment gas into the interior space by the internal temperature adjustment block and distributing the cooling gas in the temperature adjustment space by the external distribution unit (Akao, Fig. 2, see external distribution unit including a gas pipe 104 that supplies cooling gas to the space between 11 and heater 40; further see combination made below on integration with the controller of the combined teachings)
The combined teachings can be modified to meet this/these limitation(s) as follows:
Modify the system of Sakamoto so that the heating elements creating the furnace are encases in a housing that is identical in structure to 40 of Akao, including the cooling gas external distribution unit and exhaust systems 90, further integrate the external distribution unit with the controller of Hasegawa so that the controller now controls both the exhaust system and external distribution unit
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
Supplying the external distribution unit for supplying cooling gas to the temperature adjustment space reduces the amount of time to cool the interior space of the processing container (Akao, ¶ [0088], Simultaneously, in order to efficiently lower the inner temperature of the process chamber 14 from the process temperature, the cooling air 90 serving as the cooling gas is supplied to the gas introduction path 107 via the check damper 104)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL J GIORDANO whose telephone number is (571)272-8940. The examiner can normally be reached M-Fr 8 AM - 5 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Helena Kosanovic can be reached at (571) 272-9059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL JAMES GIORDANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3762
/HELENA KOSANOVIC/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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