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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3, 5, 6, 8-10, 12-15 and 19-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 Ln 2, please amend to --allowing [[a]] the substrate--.
Claim 3 Ln 2-3, please amend to --on [[an]] the upper internal wall surface--.
Claim 5 Ln 2, please amend to --covering [[the]] a light emitting surface--.
Claim 6 Ln 2-3, please amend to --processing [[a]] the substrate--.
Claim 8 Ln 2-3, please amend to --surrounding [[the]] an external side of the opening on [[an]] the upper internal wall surface--.
Claim 9 Ln 3, please amend to --processing [[a]] the substrate--.
Claim 10 Ln 2, please amend to --processing [[a]] the substrate--.
Claim 10 Ln 3, please amend to --allowing [[a]] the substrate--.
Claim 12 Ln 3, please amend to -- processing [[a]] the substrate --.
Claim 13 Ln 3, please amend to -- on [[an]] the upper internal wall surface --.
Claim 14 Ln 3, please amend to --from a central portion of the substrate to a region adjacent to at least [[an]] the edge of the substrate--.
Claim 14 Ln 6, please amend to --to [[an]] the edge--.
Claim 15 Ln 4, please amend to --supply the liquid--.
Claim 19 Ln 3, please amend to --processing [[a]] the substrate--.
Claim 19 Ln 5, please amend to --processing [[a]] the substrate--.
Claim 19 Ln 15, please amend to --processing [[a]] the substrate--.
Claim 19 Ln 18, please amend to --heat [[an]] the edge--.
Claim 20 Ln 2 , please amend to --processing [[a]] the substrate--.
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 15 and 16 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 15 Ln 6-7 states the limitation "configured to heat an inner region of at least an edge of an upper surface of the substrate”. This phrase appears to be a translational error from another language and the original meaning has been lost. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate. For examination, the limitation was interpreted as -- configured to heat an inner region of the upper surface of the substrate --.
Claim 16 Ln 2-4 states the limitation "a central portion of the substrate to a region adjacent to the edge of the substrate
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.
-(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by KCTECH CO LTD KR 10-2019-0077920 A, hereinafter Kctech. A machine translation of Kctech is provided and used throughout for disclosure callouts.
Regarding claim 1, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 5) a bowl for processing a substrate (w), the bowl comprising:
an opening (area depicted in Fig. 1 approximate (30) arrow) disposed in an upper portion and allowing a substrate to be discharged and input therethrough;
a cup (20) configured to form a processing space (“substrate processing environment” [0062]) for processing the substrate; and
an edge heating portion (400/420) provided in the cup and configured to heat an edge of the substrate [0060, 0062, 0066].
Regarding claim 2, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 5) the bowl further comprising: the at least one cup (200) disposed to surround a support portion (121) supporting the substrate (2), wherein the edge heating portion (400/420) is coupled to an upper internal wall surface of the cup adjacent to the opening (depicted in Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 3, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 5) the edge heating portion (400/420) is disposed in a ring shape [0060] surrounding an external side of the opening on an upper internal wall surface of the cup (depicted in Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 5) the cup includes a side wall (200B) extending upwardly from a bottom surface of the bowl for processing a substrate and an inclined wall (200A) inclined upwardly toward the opening from an upper portion of the side wall, and the edge heating portion is obliquely coupled to an internal wall surface of the inclined wall forming the opening [0078] (depicted in Fig. 5).
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 4-5, 8 and 10-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kctech in view of ABE; Hiroshi et al. US 20210197224 A1, hereinafter Abe. 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 (apparatus for handling or holding wafers); or the references is/are reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (thermal treatment of wafers). MPEP2141.01(a) I.
Regarding claim 4, Kctech discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 3 except fails to explicitly state that the edge heating portion includes an edge LED module as a heat source. Instead, Kctech discloses that 400/420 may comprise “a heat medium supply unit” [0063], “an electric heater… an electric circuit… a heating wire… hot air supply unit” [0066-0067].
Abe discloses (Fig. 3, 4) a heating portion (12) includes a LED module (84) as a heat source [0164].
One of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted one known element (LED module) for another (heat source), and the results of the substitution (providing heat to the substrate) would have been predictable. Because both Kctech and Abe teach heat applying components, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to substitute the LED module for the heat source to achieve the predictable result of providing heat to the substrate.
Regarding claim 5, Abe discloses (Fig. 3, 4) the edge heating portion includes an edge light transmissive layer covering the light emitting surface of the edge LED module (fundamentally, LED modules comprise electrical components that emit light covered by a light emitting surface that enables the light form the electrical component to shine therethough.
Regarding claim 8, Kctech discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 2. Kctech further discloses (Fig. 1, 5) the edge heating portion (400/420) includes a plurality of edge LED modules surrounding the external side of the opening on an upper internal wall surface (200A) of the cup (200) spaced apart from each other with a predetermined distance therebetween in a circumferential direction of the cup [0060].
Kctech fails to explicitly state that the edge heating portion (400/420) includes a plurality of edge LED modules.
Abe discloses (Fig. 3, 4) a heating portion (12) includes a plurality of LED modules (84) as a heat source [0164].
One of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted one known element (LED module) for another (heat source), and the results of the substitution (providing heat to the substrate) would have been predictable. Because both Kctech and Abe teach heat applying components, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to substitute the LED module for the heat source to achieve the predictable result of providing heat to the substrate.
Regarding claim 10, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 5) an apparatus for processing a substrate (w), the apparatus comprising:
a bowl (200) for processing a substrate including
an opening (area depicted in Fig. 1 approximate (30) arrow) disposed in an upper portion and allowing a substrate to be discharged and input therethrough;
a cup (20) configured to form a processing space (“substrate processing environment” [0062]) for processing the substrate; and
an edge heating portion (400/420) provided in the cup and configured to heat an edge of the substrate [0060, 0062, 0066]
a support portion (121) disposed in the processing space and configured to support the substrate;
a supply portion (30) configured to supply liquid to the substrate [0038-0039].
Kctech fails to explicitly state that the apparatus further comprises an upper-surface heating portion configured to heat an upper surface of the substrate.
Abe discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) an apparatus for processing a substrate (w), the apparatus comprising:
a bowl (283) for processing a substrate including
an edge heating portion (252) configured to heat an edge of the substrate [0308];
a supply portion (231) configured to supply liquid to the substrate [0296]; and
an upper-surface heating portion (272) configured to heat an upper surface of the substrate [0290], for the purpose of assisting the edge heating portion [0376] and enabling separate processing regions/treatments [0378-0380].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Kctech, by providing distinct edge heating and upper-surface heating portions, as taught by Abe, for the purpose of assisting in surface treatment of the wafer and enabling separate processing regions/treatments. This modification also brings the LED modules and various supporting structures/control from Abe to Kctech.
Regarding claim 11, Abe discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) among the upper-surface heating portion and the edge heating portion, at least the edge heating portion includes an LED module as a heat source [0172, 0252, 0309, 0326].
Regarding claim 12, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 5) the edge heating portion (400/420) disposed upwardly of the support portion on an upper internal wall surface (200A) of the cup while processing a substrate (see Fig. 5), and disposed in a ring shape surrounding an external side of the opening [0060].
Abe further discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) the edge heating portion includes an edge LED module [0172, 0252, 0309, 0326].
Regarding claim 13, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 5) the edge heating portion (400/420) surrounding an external side of the opening on the upper internal wall surface of the cup (see Fig. 5) and spaced apart from each other with a predetermined distance therebetween in a circumferential direction of the cup [0060].
Abe further discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) the edge heating portion includes a plurality of edge LED modules [0172, 0252, 0309, 0326].
Regarding claim 14, Abe further discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) the upper-surface heating portion (272) has a first heating region covering from a central portion of the substrate a region adjacent to at least an edge of the substrate in a radial direction toward an external side, when viewed from an upper portion, and wherein the edge heating portion (252) includes a second heating region disposed to surround the first heating region and having a ring shape corresponding to an edge of the substrate [0378-0380].
Regarding claim 15, as far as is determinate, Abe further discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) the supply portion (231) includes a driving arm (240) rotatably disposed about a rotational shaft (A12/239, [0298]) and a supply nozzle (231) disposed on an end of the driving arm and configured to supply liquid to the substrate [0296], and wherein
the upper-surface heating portion (272) is rotatably disposed together with the driving arm [0305] and is configured to heat an inner region of at least an edge of an upper surface of the substrate [0378-0380].
Regarding claim 16, as far as is determinate, Abe further discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) the upper-surface heating portion (272) includes an upper-surface LED module [0172, 0252, 0309, 0326] extending from a central portion of the substrate to a region adjacent to at least an edge of the substrate in a radial direction toward an external side, when viewed from an upper portion [0378-0380].
Regarding claim 17, Abe further discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) at least one of the upper-surface heating portion (272) and the edge heating portion (252) includes a gas spraying portion (235) configured to supply a high-temperature inert gas to the substrate [0305].
Regarding claim 18, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 5) the support portion (21) includes a spin chuck (22) configured to support the substrate.
Kctech fails to explicitly state that the support portion includes heating member disposed on the spin chuck and configured to heat the substrate.
Abe further discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) a support portion (5) includes a spin chuck (20) configured to support the substrate and a heating member (6) for the purpose of heating the entirety of the substrate [0022].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Kctech, by providing support portion heating member, as taught by Abe, for the purpose of heating the entirety of the substrate.
Regarding claim 19, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 5) an apparatus for processing a substrate (w), the apparatus comprising:
a process chamber (area depicted in Fig. 1 approximate arrow (30));
a bowl (20) for processing a substrate, including
an opening in an upper portion (area depicted in Fig. 1 approximate arrow (30)) thereof and having a processing space for processing a substrate;
a support portion (21-23) disposed in the processing space and including a spin chuck (22) configured to support the substrate and a driving member (21) configured to drive the spin chuck to rotate [0008];
a supply portion (30) configured to supply liquid to the substrate [0038-0039]; and
wherein the bowl for processing a substrate further includes an edge heating portion (400/420) inserted into and coupled to an upper internal wall surface (200A) adjacent to the opening in a ring shape surrounding the opening [0060] configured to heat an edge of the substrate [0060, 0062, 0066].
Kctech fails to explicitly state that the apparatus further comprises:
a lifting unit to move up and down the bowl;
a driving arm and supply nozzle for the supply portion;
an upper-surface heating portion disposed to rotate together with the driving arm and including an upper-surface LED module configured to heat an inner region of an edge of an upper surface of the substrate; and
an edge LED module for the edge heating portion.
Instead, Kctech discloses that 400/420 may comprise “a heat medium supply unit” [0063], “an electric heater… an electric circuit… a heating wire… hot air supply unit” [0066-0067].
Abe discloses (Fig. 3, 4, 16) an apparatus for processing a substrate (w), the apparatus comprising:
a process chamber (area depicted in Fig. 16 approximate line (A11));
a bowl (7R) for processing a substrate disposed to move up and down by a lifting unit (287) in the process chamber [0337] for the purpose of controlling/selecting a particular bowl for receiving a particular fluid [0345, 0356, 0358], including
an opening in an upper portion (area depicted in Fig. 16 approximate line (A11)) thereof and having a processing space for processing a substrate;
a support portion (5) disposed in the processing space and including a spin chuck (20) configured to support the substrate and a driving member (219) configured to drive the spin chuck to rotate [0293];
a supply portion (231) including a driving arm (240) disposed to rotate around a rotational shaft (A12/239, [0298]) in the process chamber and a supply nozzle (231) disposed on an end of the driving arm and configured to supply liquid to the substrate [0296] for the purpose of applying heat/liquid to particular regions of the substrate [0298-0299, 0333-0334];
an upper-surface heating portion (272) disposed to rotate together with the driving arm [0305] and including an upper-surface LED module [0172, 0252, 0309, 0326] configured to heat an inner region of an edge of an upper surface of the substrate [0378-0380] for the purpose of assisting the edge heating portion [0376] and enabling separate processing regions/treatments [0378-0380],
wherein the bowl for processing a substrate further includes an edge heating portion (252) including an edge LED module (84) [0172, 0252, 0309, 0326] configured to heat an edge of the substrate [0378-0380].
One of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted one known element (LED module) for another (heat source), and the results of the substitution (providing heat to the substrate) would have been predictable. Because both Kctech and Abe teach heat applying components, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to substitute the LED module for the edge heating portion to achieve the predictable result of providing heat to the substrate.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Kctech, by providing lifting unit, driving arm and distinct edge heating and upper-surface heating portions, as taught by Abe, for the purpose of controlling/selecting a particular bowl for receiving a particular fluid, applying heat/liquid to particular regions of the substrate and assisting in surface treatment of the wafer and enabling separate processing regions/treatments.
To further clarify the modification, the edge heating portions heating element types of Kctech were replaced by LED modules via the substitution modification, and the additional structures of Abe are provided to Kctech as indicated by the motivated modification.
Regarding claim 20, Kctech discloses (Fig. 1, 3, 5) the bowl for processing a substrate includes:
a first cup (200b) surrounding the support portion and having a first recovery space (211) connected to a first inlet port (depicted space approximate arrow from (w) to (210) in Fig. 5, [0044-0045]) communicating with the opening;
a second cup (200c) surrounding the first cup and having a second recovery space (212) connected to a second inlet port (depicted space approximate arrow from (w) to (210) in Fig. 5, [0044-0045]) communicating with the opening in an upper portion of the first inlet port; and
a third cup (200d) surrounding the second cup and having a third recovery space (213) connected to a third inlet port (depicted space approximate arrow from (w) to (210) in Fig. 5, [0044-0045]) communicating with the opening in an upper portion of the second inlet port,
wherein the edge LED module includes
a first cup LED module (420, LED module as modified by Abe) coupled to an upper internal wall surface (200A) of the first cup adjacent to the first inlet port,
a second cup LED module (420, LED module as modified by Abe) coupled to an upper internal wall surface (200A) of the second cup adjacent to the second inlet port, and
a third cup LED module (420, LED module as modified by Abe) coupled to an upper internal wall surface (200A) of the third cup adjacent to the third inlet port, and
wherein the first cup LED module, the second cup LED module and the third cup LED module are aligned in a vertical direction (see Fig. 5), and are inserted into and coupled to an upper internal wall surface of the first cup, an upper internal wall surface of the second cup and an upper internal wall surface of the third cup, respectively (see Fig. 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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 7, Kctech discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 3 except fails to explicitly state that a coupling groove to which the edge heating portion is inserted and coupled is disposed in the cup, and the edge heating portion forms a flat connection surface with an upper end of the coupling groove.
The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim and specifically does not show the claimed coupling groove. Although Kctech discloses an edge heating portion, 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 Kctech to incorporate the details of a coupling groove to which the edge heating portion is inserted and coupled is disposed in the cup, and the edge heating portion forms a flat connection surface with an upper end of the coupling groove, along with the other claimed components of the bowl. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the present invention as set forth in the claim.
Regarding claim 9, Kctech discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 2. Kctech further discloses (Fig. 1, 5) the cup includes
a side wall (200B) extending upwardly from a bottom surface of the bowl for processing a substrate (w),
an inclined wall (200A) inclined upwardly toward the opening from an upper portion of the side wall
Kctech fails to explicitly state that that the cup further includes:
a vertical wall extending vertically and upwardly from an opening side of the inclined wall, and
a guide wall protruding obliquely from a lower portion of the vertical wall toward the side wall, and wherein the edge heating portion is inserted into and coupled to the guide wall.
The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim, and specifically does not show the claimed vertical and guide wall. Although Kctech discloses a cup, 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 Kctech to incorporate the details of the cup further includes:a vertical wall extending vertically and upwardly from an opening side of the inclined wall, and a guide wall protruding obliquely from a lower portion of the vertical wall toward the side wall, and wherein the edge heating portion is inserted into and coupled to the guide wall, along with the other claimed components of the bowl. 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 20220352014 A1, US 20190043741 A1, US 20140270735 A1, US 20210050235 A1, US 20230080325 A1, US 20160071745 A1, US 20140261554 A1, US 20170361364 A1, 20230317501 A1, US 20150162224 A1, US 20220199434 A1, US 20250125165 A1, US 20150087082 A1, US 20230352322 A1, WO 2014157179 A1 and KR 20200026415 A disclose apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a bowl, support portion, supply portion and heating portion.
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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