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 Species V-Figure 6 (claims 1-4, 8-9, and 12-13 in the reply filed on March 24, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 5-7, 10-11, and 14-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
The traversal is on the ground(s) that since the primary inventive concept (i.e., the technical feature related to the gas introduction pipe) is consistent across these species, searching one species would necessarily involve searching the others. Therefore, maintaining the restriction does not significantly reduce Examiner's search burden. This is not found persuasive because the search and examination of the entire application would place a serious burden on the Examiner since the search required for the features of the elected species is not co-extensive with the search required for the features of the non-elected species.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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, 3-4, and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hyoubu (WO 2007/114331A1).
Referring to Figures 5 and 12, and paragraphs [0038]-[0043], [0097]-[0102] , Hyoubu discloses a wafer support plate 51, comprising: a flat portion 54 configured to support a wafer (par.[0038]); and an outer circumferential protruding portion 59 (par.[0039]), being disposed in a surrounding shape on an outer circumference of the flat portion and being formed with a larger thickness than the wafer (Fig. 5A); wherein the flat portion comprises a perforated support portion 53 and an annular support portion 51 (Fig. 5A-i.e. peripheral portion of wafer support plate 51), and the annular support portion is disposed outside of the perforated support portion and is configured to support an outer circumferential end portion of the wafer (Figs. 5A-5B).
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With respect to claim 3, the wafer support plate of Hyoubu discloses wherein the perforated support portion 303 comprises a linear portion, the perforated support portion comprises a linear pattern, and the linear pattern is symmetric with respect to a center of the flat portion (Fig. 19).
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With respect to claim 4, the wafer support plate of Hyoubu discloses the wafer support plate further includes wherein the perforated support portion 303 comprises a ring-shaped portion centered on the center of the flat portion and a radial linear portion extending radially in a linear shape from the ring-shaped portion to the annular support portion (Fig. 19).
With respect to claim 12, the wafer support plate of Hyoubu discloses wherein the wafer support plate is formed with a heat resistant material and a melting point of the heat resistance material is equal to or higher than 500oC (par.[0043]).
With respect to claim 13, the wafer support plate of Hyoubu discloses wherein the heat resistant material further comprises one of a steel use stainless, a titanium alloy, a nickel alloy, a cobalt alloy, a tantalum alloy, and a molybdenum alloy or a combination thereof (par.[0043]).
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) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hyoubu (WO 2007/114331A1).
Hyoubu discloses a perforated support portion 303 comprises a linear portion (Fig. 19). Hyoubu is silent on the wafer support plate further includes wherein the perforated support portion comprises a linear portion with a width equal to 3 mm, more than 3 mm and less than 30 mm, or equal to 30 mm. However, since Hyoubu shows wafer support plate with a linear portion, then it should be noted that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed linear portion and a linear portion having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art linear portion, the claimed linear portion was not patentably distinct from the prior art linear portion (MPEP 2144.04 IVA).[AltContent: rect]
Claim(s) 2 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hyoubu (WO 2007/114331A1) in view of Kim (U.S. 2007/0151515).
The teachings of Hyoubu have been discussed above. Specifically, Hyoubu discloses a gas introduction pipe extending from a side surface of the outer circumferential protruding portion. However, Hyoubu fail to teach wherein a gas introduction pipe extending from a top surface to an inner circumferential sidewall is formed in the outer circumferential protruding portion.
With respect to claim 2, referring to Figure 4 and paragraphs [0066]-[0070]the wafer support plate of Hyoubu discloses wherein a gas introduction pipe 70 extending from a top surface to an inner circumferential sidewall is formed in the outer circumferential protruding portion in order to provide coolant spray above the wafer (par.[0066]). 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 Hyoubu with a gas introduction pipe extending from a top surface to an inner circumferential sidewall is formed in the outer circumferential protruding portion as taught by Kim since it is an alternate arrangement that would provide coolant spray above the wafer.
With respect to claim 9, the wafer support plate of Hyoubu in view of Kim further includes wherein the gas introduction pipe 70 of the outer circumferential protruding portion comprises a gas introduction hole disposed in the top surface, a gas discharge hole disposed in the inner circumferential sidewall, and a gas flow channel 71 allowing the gas introduction hole to communicate with the gas discharge hole (Kim-Fig. 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Srinivasan et al.’753 and Yudovsky et al.’011 teach a gas introduction pipe in an outer circumferential protruding portion. Hashiguchi’900 teach a wafer support having an outer circumferential protruding portion. Arai et al.’256 teach a gas introduction pipe in a wafer support.
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/Michelle CROWELL/Examiner, Art Unit 1716
/SYLVIA MACARTHUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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