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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Claim 6 Ln 1-3 states the limitation: “the central region or outer circumferential region of at least one of the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate or the adhesive surface of the base plate is formed with a concave portion. The drawings only depict a an embodiment with EITHER the ceramic plate (Fig. 8)or the base plate (Fig. 9), but not both as is claimed with the ‘at least one’ term. A new drawing figure depicted the double concavity or a claim amendment is required.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3 Ln 9-11, please amend to --wherein the carbon nanotube has one of the end surfaces exposed from the first surface of the resin and in contact with the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate, and has [[the]] another of the end surfaces exposed--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(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.
Claims 1-8 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 Ln 5-9 states the limitation "a thermal conduction member (21) arranged … of at least one of an adhesive surface of the ceramic plate, an adhesive surface of the base plate, or an inside of the adhesive layer”. This phrase appears to be a translational error from another language and the original meaning was lost. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate. For examination, the limitation was interpreted as -- a thermal conduction member arranged … [[of]] and on at least one of an adhesive surface of the ceramic plate, an adhesive surface of the base plate, or an inside of the adhesive layer--.
Claim 7 Ln 1-3, please amend to --the thermal conduction member is arranged in the central region of at least one of the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate, the adhesive surface of the base plate, or the inside of the adhesive layer--. It is unclear how or what the phrase ‘in the central region of the inside of the adhesive layer’ is attempting to convey. Throughout the disclosure, the central region is always associated with the ceramic plate or the base plate, but not the adhesive layer. Furthermore, it is unclear how the thermal conduction member can be at a plurality of regions/layers as stated by the italicized phrase ‘at least one of’. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate.
Claim 8 Ln 1-3, please amend to --the thermal conduction member is arranged in the outer circumferential region of at least one of the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate, the adhesive surface of the base plate, or the inside of the adhesive layer--. It is unclear how or what the phrase ‘in the outer circumferential region of the inside of the adhesive layer’ is attempting to convey. Throughout the disclosure, the outer circumferential region is always associated with the ceramic plate or the base plate, but not the adhesive layer. Furthermore, it is unclear how the thermal conduction member can be at a plurality of regions/layers as stated by the italicized phrase ‘at least one of’. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate.
Claims 2-6 are rejected at least for their dependence upon claim 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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-2, 4-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FUJITA; Kazuhiro US 20180374735 A1, hereinafter Fujita, in view of TAKEMOTO; Keiichi et al. US 20180047604 A1, hereinafter Takemoto. The references is/are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because the references is/are from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (substrate fixing devices); or the references is/are reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (composition of substrate fixing devices). MPEP2141.01(a) I.
Regarding claim 1, Fujita discloses (Fig. 1) a substrate fixing device comprising:
a base plate (10);
a ceramic [0030] plate (40/41) bonded to the base plate via an adhesive layer (20) and configured to adsorb a substrate (“wafer”) by electrostatic force [0031];
a thermal conduction member (21) arranged
in a region, which overlaps a central portion of the ceramic plate in a plan view, or in a region, which overlaps an outer circumferential portion of the ceramic plate in a plan view (depicted as overlapping in a plan view a central portion of (40/41)) and
on at least one of an adhesive surface (depicted bottom surface of (41)) of the ceramic plate, an adhesive surface of the base plate (depicted top surface of (10)), or an inside of the adhesive layer (depicted as on both the adhesive surfaces),
the thermal conduction member having thermal conductivity in a stack direction of the base plate and the ceramic plate member higher than thermal conductivity in a plane direction perpendicular to the stack direction [0022].
Fujita fails to explicitly state that the thermal conduction member is arranged in only a central region or in only an outer circumferential region of the ceramic plate.
Takemoto discloses (Fig. 1, 7) a substrate fixing device comprising:
a base plate (10);
a ceramic [0028] plate (40/41) bonded to the base plate via an adhesive layer (20/50) and configured to adsorb a substrate (“wafer”) by electrostatic force [0029];
a thermal conduction member (21) arranged in only a central region, which overlaps a central portion of the ceramic plate in a plan view, (depicted as overlapping in a plan view a central portion of (40/41) only in the central region); and
a seal member (50) which serves to prevent the insulating layer from being subjected to plasma that may lead to erosion [0061].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Fujita, by providing the seal member and thermal conduction member arranged in only a central region, as taught by Takemoto, for the purpose of preventing erosion to the layers between the ceramic plate and base plate.
Regarding claim 2, Fujita discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the thermal conduction member comprises:
a carbon nanotube (212) arranged such that a longitudinal direction is along the stack direction, and
a resin (211) covering the carbon nanotube in a state in which both end surfaces of the carbon nanotube in the longitudinal direction are exposed [0022-0023].
Regarding claim 4, Fujita discloses (Fig. 1) the adhesive layer (20) comprises:
a first adhesive (22) bonding the thermal conduction member to the central region or outer circumferential region of the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate (40/41), and
a second adhesive (211) stacked between the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate and the adhesive surface of the base plate (10) and configured to cover the thermal conduction member and the first adhesive.
Regarding claim 5, Fujita discloses (Fig. 1) the first adhesive has thermal conductivity higher than that of the second adhesive [0022-0023, 0025-0026].
Regarding claim 7, Fujita discloses (Fig. 1) the thermal conduction member (21) is arranged in the central region of at least one of the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate, the adhesive surface of the base plate, or the inside of the adhesive layer (as modified above, (21) is only in the central regions of the ceramic plate and base plate), and
wherein the ceramic plate has an electrode (43) for generating heat embedded in the outer circumferential portion [0029].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6 and 8 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 3, Fujita discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 2. Fujita further discloses (Fig. 1) the thermal conduction member is arranged in only the central region (as modified above, (21) is only in the central region) or in only the outer circumferential region in the inside of the adhesive layer,
wherein the resin (211) has:
a second surface (depicted bottom surface) bonded to the adhesive surface (10a) of the base plate (10); and
a side surface (depicted vertical surfaces) connecting the first surface and the second surface, and
wherein the carbon nanotube has the other end surface (depicted bottom end surface) exposed from the second surface of the resin and in contact with the adhesive surface of the base plate (depicted as contacting (10)).
Fujita fails to explicitly state that the resin has a first surface bonded to the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate; and wherein the carbon nanotube has one end surface exposed from the first surface of the resin and in contact with the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate and a side surface covered by the adhesive layer.
Withstanding the formalities/rejections listed previously, Claim 3 contains allowable subject matter. The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim, and specifically does not show the claimed structural relationship between the first surface and the one end of the carbon nanotube. Although Fujita discloses a device comprising a ceramic plate and nanotubes, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Fujita to incorporate the details of the resin has a first surface bonded to the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate; and wherein the carbon nanotube has one end surface exposed from the first surface of the resin and in contact with the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate and a side surface covered by the adhesive layer, along with the other claimed components of the substrate fixing device. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the claim.
Regarding claim 6, Fujita discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 1 except fails to explicitly state that the central region or outer circumferential region of at least one of the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate or the adhesive surface of the base plate is formed with a concave portion, and wherein the thermal conduction member is arranged in the concave portion.
Withstanding the formalities/rejections listed previously, Claim 6 contains allowable subject matter. The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim, and specifically does not show the claimed concave portion. Although Fujita discloses a device comprising a ceramic plate and base plate, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Fujita to incorporate the details of the central region or outer circumferential region of at least one of the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate or the adhesive surface of the base plate is formed with a concave portion, and wherein the thermal conduction member is arranged in the concave portion, along with the other claimed components of the substrate fixing device. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the claim.
Regarding claim 8, Fujita discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 1 except fails to explicitly state that the thermal conduction member is arranged in the outer circumferential region of at least one of the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate, the adhesive surface of the base plate, or the inside of the adhesive layer, and wherein the ceramic plate has an electrode for generating heat embedded in the central portion.
Withstanding the formalities/rejections listed previously, Claim 8 contains allowable subject matter. The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim, and specifically does not show the claimed structural relationship between the thermal conduction member and the outer circumferential region. Although Fujita discloses a device comprising a ceramic plate, a base plate and a thermal conduction member, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Fujita to incorporate the details of the thermal conduction member is arranged in the outer circumferential region of at least one of the adhesive surface of the ceramic plate, the adhesive surface of the base plate, or the inside of the adhesive layer, and wherein the ceramic plate has an electrode for generating heat embedded in the central portion, along with the other claimed components of the substrate fixing device. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the claim.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Relevant Art
The following is a listing of relevant art:
US 20240312769 A1, US 20230386880 A1, US 20180269097 A1, US 20180151402 A1, US 20180123486 A1, US 20160118285 A1, US 20130321974 A1, US 12400897 B2, US 12482691 B2 disclose substrate fixing devices similar to the claimed invention.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW WIBLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9836. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NATHANIEL WIEHE can be reached on 571-272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW WIBLIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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