DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of claims 1-2 in the reply filed on December 10, 2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
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 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Basceri (US 2004/0083961).
In regards to claim 1, Basceri teaches a deposition system comprising:
a first gas source-162a that supplies a first precursor and a second gas source-162b that supplies a second precursor to a reaction chamber (120) during a process of dose step of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) sequence (fig. 4, 9; para. 28-29, 31);
a first inlet valve-174a is connected to the first gas source-162a and a second inlet valve-174b is connected to the second gas source-162b (fig. 4, 9; para. 30-31);
a controller (190) controls at least the first inlet valve-174a and the second inlet valve-174b, where
a first pulse of the reactant from the first gas source-162a to the reaction chamber during the dose step of the ALD sequence by activating the first valve;
and supply a second pulse of the reactant from the second gas source-162b to the reaction chamber during the dose step of the ALD sequence by activating the second inlet valve-174b (fig. 4, 9; para. 31, 34-36, 38).
In regards to claim 2, Basceri teaches
a third gas source-162c (third canister) that supplies a purge gas to the reaction chamber during a purge step of the ALD sequence (fig. 4, 9; para. 29, 3134-36);
a third inlet valve-174c (third valve) that connects to the third gas source-162c to the reaction chamber (fig. 4, 9; para. 30-31);
the controller supplies a third pulse of the purge gas from the third gas source-162c to the processing chamber during the purge step of the ALD sequence by activating the third inlet valve-174c, and the third pulse is supplied after supplying the second pulse of the reactant in the dose step. (fig. 4, 9; para. 31, 34-36, 38).
Claim 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shibata (US 2018/0006327).
In regards to claim 1, Shibata teaches a production apparatus (1) comprising:
a first precursor supply section-3 (first canister) and a second precursor supply section-4 (second canister) that supplies reactants to a reactor (processing chamber) during a dose step of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process/sequence (fig. 1, 2a, 2b; para. 26-29);
a first valve-V1 and second valve-V3 connects the first precursor supply section-3 and second precursor supply section-4 to the reactor, respectively (fig. 1, 2a, 2b; para. 33, 43, 56);
a controller (15) controls the first valve-V1 and the second valve-V3 to:
supply a first pulse of the reactant from the first precursor supply section-3 to the reactor during the dose step of the ALD sequence by activating the first valve-V1; and
supply a second pulse of the reactant from the second precursor supply section-4 to the reactor during the dose step of the ALD sequence by activating the second valve-V3 (fig. 1, 2a, 2b; para. 26, 33-39, 43-64).
In regards to claim 2, Shibata teaches
a purge gas supply section-14 (third canister) supplies a purge gas to the reactor during a purge step of the ALD process/sequence (fig. 1, 2a, 2b; para. 31, 69); and
a third valve-V7 connects the purge gas supply section-14 to the reactor (fig. 1, 2a, 3b, para. 31, 69);
wherein the controller supplies a third pulse of the purge gas from the purge gas supply section-14 to the reactor during the purge step of the ALD sequence by activating the third valve-V7, and wherein the third pulse is supplied after supplying the second pulse of the reactant in the dose step (fig. 1, 2a, 3b, para. 31, 69, 126).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Binu Thomas whose telephone number is (571)270-7684. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday, 8:00AM-5:00PM.
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/Binu Thomas/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1717
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