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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 4/14/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-3,5-8 and 10-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Josseaux et al (US 9,914,864) in view of Singh et al (US 9,567,492).
Regarding claim 1, Josseaux et al disclose an improved abrasive particle includes a shaped abrasive particle (resemble as the claimed first particle) comprising a body, which corresponds to the claimed “first particle with a first hardness”; and a plurality of abrasive particles (resemble as the claimed second particles, with a second hardness) bonded to at least one surface of the body of the shaped abrasive particle (col.1, lines 61-62; col.2, lines 11-14; Figures 8,10).
Josseaux et al disclose that the shaped abrasive particle (first particle) is formed by using ceramic powder, the ceramic powder material can include an oxide, a nitride, a carbide, a boride, an oxycarbide, an oxynitride, and a combination thereof. In particular instances, the ceramic material can include alumina; More specifically, the ceramic material may include a boehmite material (col.3, lines 46-col.4, lines 27); aforesaid alumina and boehmite are the same as the instant invention’s first particle and expected to have the same hardness, that may have been greater than the second particles.
Josseaux et al also disclose that the plurality of abrasive particles can be applied or bonded to the at least one surface of the body of the mixture 101 and/or precursor shaped abrasive particles 123 as unsintered particles. For example, the plurality of abrasive particles can include a raw material including at least one material of the group of an oxide, a nitride, a carbide, a boride, an oxycarbide, an oxynitride, or a combination thereof (col.13, lines 50-62).
Josseaux et al disclose that an elongated abrasive particle (reads on the first particle) can have a length defined by longitudinal axis 652, a width defined by the lateral axis 653, and a vertical axis 654 defining a height. As will be appreciated, the body 651 can have a primary aspect ratio of length: width such that the length is greater than the width. Furthermore, the length of the body 651 can be greater than or equal to the height. Finally, the width of the body 651 can be greater than or equal to the height 654. In accordance with an embodiment, the primary aspect ratio of length: width can be at least 1.1:1, at least 1.2:1, at least 1.5:1, at least 1.8:1, at least 2:1, at least 3:1, at least 4:1, at least 5:1, at least 6:1, or even at least 10:1 (col.27, lines 27-38).
Josseaux et al may not disclose the second particles comprises as listed in the claim 1; and also fail to disclose that the composition further comprises an oxidizing agent.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Singh et al disclose a composition comprises composite particles with the hard particle coating on the soft-core particle, such as depicted in FIG. 2 which shows a plurality of composite particles 205 each including a plurality of hard particles 210 on a soft-core particle 215; example of composite particles includes diamond particles on alumina, silicon carbide or silica particles. Other examples of composite particles is boron nitride particles coated on alumina or silica. (col. 3, lines 60-col.4, lines 5) and aforesaid diamond particles and the boron nitride corresponds to the claimed second particles and alumina corresponds to the first particles.
Singh et al disclose that such composition having a synergistic combination of particles by providing composite particles each including a plurality of hard particles on a soft-core particle, along with optional added chemistries, which have been found to increase the removal rate of various hard substrate materials during CMP while minimizing the surface and sub-surface damage of the substrate surface of the substrate material (col.1, lines 48-54).
Singh et al also disclose that the composition also contains additives such as oxidizers (oxidizing agent), pH adjusting agent, etc. (col.5, lines 42-46).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ Singh et al's teaching of introducing the composite partcles, including a plurality of hard particles on a soft-core particle, into the teaching of Josseaux et al for increasing the removal rate of various hard substrate materials during CMP while minimizing the surface and sub-surface damage of the substrate surface of the substrate material as suggested by Singh et al.
Regarding claim 2, Josseaux et al disclose that a first-dimension length of the first particle is smaller than a second-dimension length of the first particle and a third-dimension length of the first particle (see Figures 8 and 10).
Regarding claim 3, Josseaux et al disclose that the shaped abrasive particle (first particle) is formed by using ceramic powder, the ceramic powder material can include an oxide, a nitride, a carbide, a boride, an oxycarbide, an oxynitride, and a combination thereof. In particular instances, the ceramic material can include alumina (col.3, lines 46-col.4, lines 27).
Regarding claim 5, Singh et al teach above the second particles being diamond particles with a particle size varying from 4 nm to 20 μms (col.7, lines 20-25); aforesaid overlaps the claimed ranges of less than 2 or 1 micron or less than 500 nm and additionally, changes in size of an article were held to be obvious. In re Rose 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Regarding claim 6, Singh et al teach the second particles being diamond particles as hard particles and providing a slurry including composite particles including a plurality of hard particles on a soft-core particle dispersed in a liquid media, the hard particles have a Mohs hardness at least 2 greater than a Mohs hardness of the soft-core particles or a Vickers hardness of at least 1,000 Kg/mm.sup.2 greater than the soft-core particles (col.2, lines 63-67); and therefore, the hardness of the second particles of greater than 2000 kg/mm2.
Regarding claims 7-8, Singh et al disclose that the composition also contains additives pH adjusting agent, etc. and the pH of the slurry can generally vary from 0 to 14.0, such as a pH of 9 or greater (e.g., 9 to 14) or a pH lower than 4 (e.g., 0.01-4). (col.5, lines 42-46).
Regarding claim 10, Singh et al disclose that the oxidizing agent can comprise a per-compound, hydrogen peroxide, ammonium cerium nitrate, periodates, periodic acid, iodates, persulfates, chromates, permanganates, ferricyanides, bromates, perbromates, ferrates, perrhenates, and perruthenates [0042]; and aforesaid “ammonium cerium nitrate” being an isotropic oxidizer.
Regarding claims 11-12, Josseaux et al disclose above that the first particle is rod-shaped or platy shaped (see Figures 6B, 8 and 10).
Regarding claim 13, Josseaux et al disclose above that Josseaux et al disclose that an elongated abrasive particle (reads on the first particle) can have a length defined by longitudinal axis 652, a width defined by the lateral axis 653, and a vertical axis 654 defining a height. As will be appreciated, the body 651 can have a primary aspect ratio of length: width such that the length is greater than the width. Furthermore, the length of the body 651 can be greater than or equal to the height. Finally, the width of the body 651 can be greater than or equal to the height 654. In accordance with an embodiment, the primary aspect ratio of length: width can be at least 1.1:1, at least 1.2:1, at least 1.5:1, at least 1.8:1, at least 2:1, at least 3:1, at least 4:1, at least 5:1, at least 6:1, or even at least 10:1 (col.27, lines 27-38).
Regarding claim 14, the primary reference, Josseaux et al disclose that the shaped abrasive particle fractions of the embodiments herein may be utilized in free abrasive technologies, including for example grinding and/or polishing slurries (col.3, lines 28-30). And Singh et al also disclose above that the composition comprises a slurry composition (col.2, lines 63-67). Therefore, both the Josseaux et al and Singh et al are in the same field of endeavor.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record, listed in the PTO-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. LAMBOURNE et al (US 2016/0375538) a polishing composition comprise elongated polishing media units with an aspect ratio greater than 1, for example comprising abrasive particles bonded to the outer surface of rod-shaped ferromagnetic components. The abrasive particles may comprise silicon carbide, alumina, boron nitride or other ceramic grinding media ([0015],[0020],[0070], Figure 7A).
Wu et al (US 2010/0159806) disclose bonded abrasive tool comprises abrasive particles (103) bonded on a core (101), wherein the core 101 include glass fibers, carbon fibers, polymer fibers, ceramic fibers, ceramic particles and grains. Additionally, other materials, such as hollow filler materials can be added to the core 101, which are typically inorganic materials, including for example glass, mullite, and alumina [0018],[0019]; and the abrasive grains can include abrasive materials such as alumina, silicon carbide, or a combination thereof. In certain instances, the abrasive grains can include superabrasive materials such as diamond or cubic boron nitride, or a combination thereof. In one particular instance, the abrasive grains are made entirely of diamond (natural or synthetic)[0024]- [0025].
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 SHAMIM AHMED whose telephone number is (571)272-1457. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH (8-5:30pm).
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SHAMIM AHMED
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1713
/SHAMIM AHMED/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1713
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