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 Group I, claims 1-9 in the reply filed on 01/06/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the inventions are similar enough to examine together. This is not found persuasive because as pointed out in the Restriction Requirement of 11/10/2025, the two inventions have a proper combination/subcombination relationship, which results in an Examination burden, per MPEP 806.05(c).
Accordingly, the requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Angelov et al. (US 20120264051, hereinafter ‘Angelov’) in view of Koelmel et al. (US 20090209112, hereinafter ‘Koelmel’), Raj et al. (US 20160329230, hereinafter ‘Raj’) and Boyd Jr. et al. (US 20190111541, hereinafter ‘Boyd’).
Regarding claim 1, Angelov discloses a substrate support assembly 202 configured for use in a semiconductor processing chamber. The substrate support assembly comprises a substrate support 204 and a cover plate 206 disposed over the support surface. The substrate support comprises a support surface 220 and an outer lip 416 surrounding the support surface. The support surface further comprises a plurality of grooves (Paragraph [0054]) and a central opening (see Fig. 3B). The cover plate comprises a top surface 502 and a bottom surface 510. An alignment protrusion 514 extends from the bottom surface and into the central opening. Angelov does not disclose the claimed center tap, plurality of dimples, plurality of lift pin openings and the edge ring as claimed.
Koelmel discloses a similar apparatus, wherein the substrate support is provided with a plurality of lift pin openings 302 passing through the entirety of the substrate support, and an edge ring 226 disposed around the top surface of the substrate support.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the lift pin openings through the substrate support and cover plate of Angelov, as taught by Koelmel in order to easily lift the substrate from the support when needed. Additionally, providing the edge ring of Koelmel to the apparatus of Angelov would have been an obvious modification one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have made in order to direct energy to only the desired part of the substrate if desired (Paragraph [0028]). Neither Angelov nor Koelmel disclose the claimed center tap or dimples in the substrate support.
Raj discloses another similar device, wherein the substrate support is provided with a center tap 305. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide a center tap as taught by Raj to the substrate support of Angelov in view of Koelmel to electrostatically hold a workpiece in place.
Finally, Boyd discloses yet another similar device, wherein the support surface of a substrate support is provided with a plurality of dimples 217. As outlined in Paragraph [0054] of Angelov, various embodiments of the contact between the substrate support and cover plate are contemplated, ranging from polished surfaces and complete contact to a gap, or supports/spacers if desired. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide a plurality of dimples between the support surface and cover plate of the device of Angelov in view of Koelmel and Raj, as taught by Angelov/Boyd, in order to achieve the proper balance of support and heat transfer resistance between the two pieces of the substrate support assembly.
Regarding claim 2, Angelov does not explicitly disclose a spacer on top of the outer lip, supporting the edge ring. However, forming the outer lip in two pieces, such that one part of the outer lip is provided on the cover plate in the form of a spacer 406 would have been an obvious modification one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have made, in order to simplify the construction of the substrate support (Paragraph [0059]).
Regarding claim 3, Angelov discloses the top surface of the cover plate comprising a support ring 504 centered around a central axis of the top surface.
Regarding claim 4, Angelov discloses a support 506 extending from the top surface. Angelov does not explicitly disclose this support lying at the central axis, but contemplates various configurations (Paragraphs [0064-0066]). Providing a central support to ensure the substrate does not sag in the center would have been an obvious modification one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have made.
Regarding claim 5, Angelov discloses the cover plate comprising an aluminum material (e.g. aluminum oxide, Paragraphs [0067-0068]).
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Angelov does not disclose the outer surface of the cover plate and inner surface of the edge ring interlocking.
Koelmel discloses the edge ring and outer surface of the substrate support being provided with a respective plurality of protrusions 406 and plurality of notches 312, so as to facilitate interlocking the two pieces together.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the interlocking features of Koelmel to the modified device of claim 1 in order to ensure the edge ring is installed in the desired position.
Regarding claim 8, Angelov discloses that the top surface of the cover plate is planar and unbroken from a radial distance of about 3 mm to about 80 mm from a central axis of the cover plate (Paragraph [0066]).
Regarding claim 9, Angelov does not disclose the edge ring and substrate support comprising ceramic materials.
Koelmel discloses the edge ring comprising ceramic materials (Paragraph [0035]) but is silent as to the material(s) of the substrate support.
Boyd discloses the substrate support being formed from a ceramic material (Paragraph [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to form the edge ring and substrate support of the modified device of claim 1 from ceramic materials, as taught by Koelmel and Boyd, in order to allow them to function as desired during operation. See also MPEP 2144.07.
Conclusion
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/Alan Snyder/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3722