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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 2/12/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment and Remarks filed 1/5/2026 have been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Amended claim 13 recites “a plurality of arcuate contact sub-members that are disjoint and circumferentially spaced collectively to define a ring shape” (emphasis added). There is no explicit support in the Specification for the emphasized portion. Examiner notes that Specification para 0034 states that fig. 2 shows “the contact member 21 includes a plurality of arc-shaped sub-contact members arranged along a circumference at intervals to form a ring-shaped contact member as a whole”.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Amended claim 17 (dependent on claim 14) “a plurality of second conductors, a number of the plurality of second conductors being same as a number of the plurality of second insulators” (emphasis added). Claim 17 is indefinite as to whether the “plurality of second conductors” is intended to: refer in some manner to the singular “second conductor” of claim 14, or intended to be distinct structures from the “second conductor” of claim 14.
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.
Claims 11-12 and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Subramani et al (US 9,853,579).
With respect to claim 11, Subramani discloses in fig. 1 an apparatus comprising a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber [100] including a target [166] at the top of the PVD chamber [100] applied with a negative voltage via DC power source (i.e. excitation power supply assembly) [168] to cause a plasma to eject atoms from the target [166] (e.g. sputter the target [166]) to deposit onto substrate (i.e. wafer) [S] (col. 3, lines 37-40; col. 4, lines 35-59). Since the DC power source [168] applies an electric potential to the target [166] that inherently has an associated magnetic field with the target [166], the PVD chamber [100] is fully capable of a magnetron sputtering of the target [166]; thus the “apparatus” is a magnetron sputtering apparatus. Fig. 1 further depicts the PVD chamber [100] also includes a hollow shaft (i.e. base assembly) [112] of an electrostatic chuck arranged at a bottom of the PVD chamber [100] that is further shown in detail in fig. 2 (col. 3, lines 40-47); fig. 2 depicts a housing [206] (of the base assembly [112] from fig. 1) is configured to: support a disk (i.e. wafer carrier ) [202], drive the wafer carrier [202] to move (via lift mechanism [113] in fig. 1), and heat the wafer carrier [202] via lamps [214] (col. 4, lines 60-67; col. 5, lines 1-37). Fig. 2 depicts chucking power lines, electrodes, and bias plate (i.e. bias guide assembly) [228],[208],[212] arranged on the housing [206] (of the base assembly [112] from fig. 1) and configured to both support and electrically contact the wafer carrier [202], and DC and RF power sources (i.e. bias power supply assembly) [226],[117] electrically connected to the bias guide assembly [228],[208],[212] and configured to apply a bias voltage of DC and RF to the wafer carrier [202] (col. 5, lines 12-21; col. 6, lines 30-37). The claim requirements of “a bias power supply assembly electrically connected to the bias guide assembly and configured to apply a bias voltage to the wafer carrier through the bias guide assembly during a pre-cleaning process” (emphasis added) and “an excitation power supply assembly electrically connected to the target and configured to apply an excitation voltage to the target during a film deposition process” (emphasis added) relates to the intended functioning of the claimed apparatus, with the apparatus of Subramani fully capable of functioning in the claimed manner.
With respect to claim 12, Subramani further depicts in figs. 1-3 a dielectric plate and layer (i.e. insulation connector) [302],[306] arranged at a shaft [204] of the hollow shaft (i.e. base assembly) [112] (col. 3, lines 62-67; col. 4, lines 1-2; col. 6, lines 19-48), the insulation connector [302],[306] configured to insulate between conductors (i.e. conduction part) [304] and the shaft [204] of the base assembly [112] (col. 6, lines 19-48). Figs. 2-3 depict: electrodes (i.e. contact member) [208] electrically contacting the wafer carrier [202] and configured to support the wafer carrier [202] and guide the bias voltage of DC from the DC power source [226] of the bias power supply assembly [226],[117] (col. 6, lines 24-37); and the conduction part [304] inserted in the insulation connector [302],[306] to be insulated from the shaft [204] of the base assembly [112] (col. 6, lines 21-48), the conduction part [304] capable of guiding the bias voltage from the DC power source [226] (of the bias power supply assembly [226],[117]) to the contact member [208], with two ends of the conduction part [304] electrically connected to the DC power source [226] (of the bias power supply assembly [226],[117]) and the contact member [28] (col. 6, lines 21-48).
With respect to claim 14, Subramani further depicts in fig. 3 the insulation connector [302],[306] includes the dielectric plate (i.e. first insulator) [302] horizontally at the shaft [204] of the base assembly [112] (from fig. 1), and the dielectric layer (i.e. second insulator) [306] arranged vertically on top at the first insulator [302] (col. 6, lines 44-48). Subramani also discloses the conduction part [304] includes plural electrodes (i.e. first and second conductors) [304] (col. 6, lines 38-41), with fig. 3 depicting: the first conductor [304] (attached to lamp [214]) inserted in the first insulator [302] and extending from the first insulator [302] to be electrically connected with the DC power source [226] (of the bias power supply assembly [226],[117]) (col. 6, lines 38-50); and the second conductor [304] inserted in the second insulator [306] and extending from the second insulator [306] to be electrically connected to the first conductor [304] and the contact member [208] via the DC power source [226] (col. 6, lines 24-48).
With respect to claim 15, Subramani further depicts in fig. 3 the first insulator [302] has U-shape portions to fit the conductors [304], the first insulator [302] including first and second insulation members, wherein the second insulation member: intersects and is staggered with the first insulation member, and vertically arranged at the second insulation member [306]. Fig. 3 also depicts the first conductor [304] (attached to lamp [214]) includes: a first conduction member [214] inserted in the first insulation member and extending from the first insulation member to be electrically connected to the DC power source [226] of the bias power supply assembly [226],[117] (col. 6, lines 38-43); a second conduction member (below the first conduction member [214]) electrically connected to the first conduction member [214] and inserted in the second insulation member and electrically connected to the second conductor [304] via the DC power source [226] (col. 6, lines 41-44).
With respect to claim 16, Subramani further depicts in fig. 3 the first insulator [302] has U-shape portions to fit the conductors [304], wherein each U-shaped portion includes a first insulation connector including a first accommodation groove (for inserting/embedding each conductor [304]), and a second insulation connector capable of being detached from the first insulation connector and also including a second accommodation groove (for inserting/embedding each conductor [304]) that cooperate to form an accommodation space that contains the first conductor [304].
With respect to claim 17, Subramani further depicts in fig. 3 the first insulator [302] has plural U-shape portions (i.e. second insulators) to fit a corresponding same number of second conductors [304], wherein the second conductors [304] are electrically connected to different positions of the contact member [208] (col. 6, lines 21-48).
With respect to claim 18, Subramani further depicts in fig. 2 the bias power supply assembly [226],[117] includes the RF power source (i.e. bias power supply) [117] configured to provide the bias voltage (col. 5, lines 16-19), with fig. 1 depicting the RF power source [117] connected with RF match network (i.e. matcher) [116] (col. 3, lines 66-67; col. 4, lines 1-2), wherein the RF match network [116] is fully capable “to realize impedance matching”. Fig. 1 further depicts wiring (i.e. RF guide member) sealed and arranged at a vacuum chamber wall of the PVD chamber [100], an end of the RF guide being electrically connected to the bias guide assembly [228],[208],[212] (as shown in fig. 2), and another end of the RF guide member being electrically connected to the bias power supply [117] through the matcher [116] and configured to guide the bias voltage from the bias power supply [117] to the bias guide assembly [228],[208],[212] (col. 3, lines 25-27 and 62-67; col. 4, lines 1-2; col. 5, lines 12-23).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Subramani et al (US 9,853,579).
With respect to claim 13, Subramani further discloses the contact member [208] as “one or more electrodes” [208] (e.g. plural contact sub-members) “arranged in any configuration [e.g. arranged in any shape] that will sufficiently secure the substrate to the upper surface of the disk [i.e. wafer carrier] during processing” (col. 5, lines 2-11); thus each contact sub-member [208] is disjointed from each other to have an opening between adjacent contact sub-members [208], with the opening in each capable of allowing lift pins (i.e. transfer member) to pass through for transferring the substrate (i.e. wafer) [S] (col. 7, lines 8-34). Since the contact sub-members [208] are within the disk (i.e. wafer carrier) [202] that is circular as shown in fig. 4, and the substrate [S] is a “semiconductor wafer” (which is also circular) (col. 3, lines 37-40), one of ordinary skill would find it obvious to arrange the contact sub-members [208] circumferentially to collectively define a ring shape that matches the circular shape of both the wafer carrier [202] and wafer [S] to “sufficiently secure” the wafer [S] to the wafer carrier [202] during processing (col. 5, lines 2-11). Further as taught by Subramani, the contact sub-members [208] are arranged in any configuration (col. 5, lines 2-11), with it being held that ‘the claimed shape is a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular shape was significant’ (MPEP 2144.04, IV, B). In this case, the contact sub-members [208] would still sufficiently secure the wafer to the wafer carrier regardless of each being arcuate or any other shape.
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Subramani et al (US 9,853,579) as applied to claim 18 above, and further in view of Allen et al (US 11,049,701).
With respect to claim 19, the reference is cited as discussed for claim 18. However Subramani is limited in that a particular structure of the wiring (i.e. RF guide member) is not suggested.
Allen teaches in fig. 1 a magnetron sputtering apparatus comprising a PVD chamber [102] including a target [108] electrically connected to a power source (i.e. excitation power supply assembly) [116], and a substrate support (i.e. base assembly) [110] having an electrostatic chuck arranged at the bottom of the process chamber [102] (Abstract; col. 3, lines 9-65), similar to the PVD chamber [100] of Subramani. Allen further depicts in fig. 1 a bias voltage applied via RF power source (i.e. bias power supply) [156] to the base assembly [110] via conductive rod (i.e. RF guide member) [158] (as further shown in fig. 3) (col. 5, lines 21-47), similar to the wiring (i.e. RF guide member) of Subramani. Allen depicts in figs. 1 and 3 the RF guide member [158] includes a RF shield structure [322],[316] sealed and arranged at a vacuum chamber wall [150] of the PVD chamber [102], and a RF guide structure [158],[320] inserted into a dielectric outer covering (i.e. first insulator) [322] of the RF shield structure [322],[316] and sealed and connected to the RF shield structure [322],[316], wherein an end of the RF guide structure [158],[320] is arranged in the process chamber [102] (as shown in fig. 1) and another end of the RF guide structure [158],[320] is arranged outside of the process chamber [102] and electrically connected to the bias power supply [156] (as also shown in fig. 1) (col. 9, lines 49-64; col. 10, lines 3-20); fig. 3 also depicts the RF shield structure [322],[316] includes a dielectric outer covering (i.e. second insulator) [316] sleeved at the end of the RF guide structure [158],[320] in the process chamber [102] (as shown in fig. 1) (col. 9, lines 55-60; col. 10, lines 3-20). Allen further teaches the RF guide structure [158],[320] is configured to guide the bias voltage provided by the bias power supply [156] to the base assembly [110], and the RF shield structure [322],[316] is configured to shield the bias voltage guided by the RF guide structure [158],[320] (col. 9, lines 57-60; col. 10, lines 3-20).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the RF guide member of Allen as the RF guide member of Subramani since Subramani fails to specify the particular structure of the RF guide member, and one of ordinary skill would have had a reasonable expectation for success in making the modification since Allen has shown success in a similar RF guide member having the particular structure of the RF guide structure and RF shield structure that yield the predictable result of allowing the bias voltage to the base assembly.
With respect to claim 20, Allen further depicts in fig. 3 the RF guide structure [158],[320] includes the conductive rod (i.e. first guide member) [158] sealed and connected to the end of the RF shield structure [322],[316] outside the process chamber [102] (as shown in fig. 1), wherein figs. 1 and 3 further depict: an end of the first guide member [158] being connected to the bias power supply [156], and another end of the first guide member [158] extending into the first insulator [322] (col. 5, lines 41-47; col. 10, lines 16-20), and figs. 1 and 3 depict a conductive coupler (i.e. second guide member) [320] sealed and connected to the end of the RF shield structure [322],[316] inside the process chamber [102], an end of the second guide member [320] connected to the base assembly [110] (and thus the base assembly [112] and bias guide assembly [228],[208],[212] of Subramani), and another end of the second guide member [320] extending into the first insulator [322] and connected to the first guide member [158], and the second insulator [316] sleeved at the end of the second guide member [320] to the base assembly [110] (and thus the base assembly [112] and bias guide assembly [228],[208],[212] of Subramani) (col. 10, lines 3-20).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s Remarks on p. 8-11 filed 1/5/2026 are addressed below.
Claim Objections
Claim 17 has been amended to recite “a plurality of second conductors”; the previous objection has been withdrawn.
102 Rejections
Applicant’s arguments on p. 9-11 with respect to dependent claim 13 have been considered but are moot in view of the new 103 rejection due to claim 13 requiring new limitations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A BAND whose telephone number is (571)272-9815. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm EST.
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, James Lin can be reached at (571) 272-8902. 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.
/MICHAEL A BAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1794