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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 11 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.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "a second gas" and “a second gas feed device” without reciting a first gas or a first gas feed device (although claim 10 recites a first gas and a first gas feed device, claim 11 does not depend upon claim 10), and so it is unclear whether the total number of gases and gas feed devices is one (only the second gas and second gas feed device) or two (the second gas and second gas feed device in addition to an unclaimed first gas and first gas feed device).
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Thompson et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2023/0215690.
Regarding claim 1, Thompson discloses a method for fastening an object (“sample” [Abstract]) to a movable manipulator (“sample manipulator” [Abstract]) in a particle beam apparatus (“within a charged particle systems” [Abstract]) and for moving the object in the particle beam apparatus (“the sample manipulator 108 is a mechanism in the microscope chamber 130 that is able to interact with the sample 108 such that the sample may be translated, angled, and/or rotated” [0025]), including the following method steps the method comprising: fastening a material unit (“intermediate body” [0123]) configured to hold the object to a manipulator using a particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“milling, with the charged particle beam, portions of the intermediate body proximate to the probe, and wherein at least some of the removed intermediate body redeposits to form an attachment between the probe portion and the intermediate body” [0123]); fastening the object to the material unit using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“When portions 668 of the intermediary body 666 proximate the sample 642 are milled away, at least some of the milled material redeposits to form attachment structures 670 between the sample 662 and the intermediary body 666” [0063]); and using the manipulator and/or an object stage on which the object is arranged moving to move the object that is fastened to the material unit (“the sample manipulator 108 is a mechanism in the microscope chamber 130 that is able to interact with the sample 108 such that the sample may be translated, angled, and/or rotated” [0025]).
Regarding claim 2, Thompson discloses at least one of the following: generating the material unit by processing a piece of material using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“milling, with the charged particle beam, portions of the intermediate body proximate to the probe, and wherein at least some of the removed intermediate body redeposits to form an attachment between the probe portion and the intermediate body” [0123]); generating the material unit before the material unit is fastened to the manipulator using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus.
Regarding claim 3, Thompson discloses at least one of the following: cutting the material unit out of a piece of material using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“milling, with the charged particle beam, portions of the intermediate body proximate to the probe, and wherein at least some of the removed intermediate body redeposits to form an attachment between the probe portion and the intermediate body” [0123]); cutting the material unit out of a piece of material before the material unit is fastened to the manipulator of the charged particle beam apparatus.
Regarding claim 4, Thompson discloses one of the following: before the object is fastened to the material unit, generating a structural unit on the material unit by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus and, when the object is being fastened to the material unit, arranging the structural unit on the object (“When portions 668 of the intermediary body 666 proximate the sample 642 are milled away, at least some of the milled material redeposits to form attachment structures 670 between the sample 662 and the intermediary body 666” [0063]); before the object is fastened to the material unit, generating a structural unit having at least one projection on the material unit by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus and, when the object is being fastened to the material unit, arranging the structural unit on the object; before the object is fastened to the material unit, generating a first structural unit on the material unit by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus and, when the object is being fastened to the material unit, arranging the first structural unit of the material unit on a second structural unit of the object; before the object is fastened to the material unit, generating a first structural unit having at least one first projection on the material unit by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus and, when the object is being fastened to the material unit, arranging the first structural unit of the material unit on a second structural unit of the object, with the second structural unit comprising including at least one first cutout; before the object is fastened to the material unit, generating a first structural unit on the material unit by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus, generating a second structural unit on the object by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus, and when the object is being fastened to the material unit, arranging the first structural unit of the material unit on the second structural unit of the object; before the object is fastened to the material unit, generating a first structural unit, which has at least one first projection, on the material unit by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus, generating a second structural unit, which has at least one first cutout, on the object by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus, and when the object is being fastened to the material unit, arranging the first projection of the first structural unit on the first cutout of the second structural unit.
Regarding claim 5, Thompson discloses at least one of the following method steps: fastening the material unit to the manipulator, by guiding the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus to the material unit in such a way that material of the material unit is applied both to the manipulator and to the material unit and between the manipulator and the material unit (“milling, with the charged particle beam, portions of the intermediate body proximate to the probe, and wherein at least some of the removed intermediate body redeposits to form an attachment between the probe portion and the intermediate body” [0123]); to fasten fastening the material unit to the manipulator, by guiding the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus to the manipulator in such a way that material of the manipulator is applied both to the material unit and to the manipulator and between the manipulator and the material unit; to fasten fastening the object to the manipulator, by guiding the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus to the material unit in such a way that material of the material unit is applied both to the object and to the material unit and between the object and the material unit; to fasten fastening the object to the material unit, by guiding the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus to the object in such a way that material of the object is applied both to the object and to the material unit and between the object and the material unit.
Regarding claim 6, Thompson discloses that the material unit 666 has a first side, on which the material unit is fastened to the manipulator 664, and the material unit has a second side, on which the object 670 is fastened to the material unit (as illustrated in figure 6C); or the material unit has a first side, on which the material unit is fastened to the manipulator, and the material unit has a second side, on which the object is fastened to the material unit, with the first side and the second side being arranged opposite one another.
Regarding claim 7, Thompson discloses at least one of the following: when the object is being moved using the manipulator and/or the object stage, removing the object from an object material; before the object is moved using the manipulator and/or the object stage, separating the object from the object material (“For example, the FIB column 112 may be used to mill away portions of a specimen body to reveal or otherwise create the sample 108” [0023]); when the object is being moved using the manipulator, moving the manipulator using a first movement device; when the object is being moved using the object stage, moving the object stage using a second movement device.
Regarding claim 8, Thompson discloses at least one of the following: after the object has been moved using the manipulator and/or the object stage, the object is fastened to an object holder by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“attaching the sample to a manipulation probe to allow the sample to be translated within the microscopy system, and attaching the sample to a sample holder such that a region of interest on the sample can be processed, imaged, and/or otherwise investigated” [0001]); after the object has been moved using the manipulator and/or the object holder, the object is released from the material unit by means of using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus.
Regarding claim 9, Thompson discloses that a metal unit is used as the material unit or a metal unit comprising copper is used as the metal unit or a metal unit made of copper is used as the material unit (“Specifically, a high sputter yield material, such as copper, may be attached to a sample manipulator within the chamber of a charged particle system, outside of such a chamber, or a combination thereof” [0056]).
Regarding claim 10, Thompson discloses that the material unit is fastened to the manipulator using a first gas, which is provided by a first gas feed device (“For example, the high sputter yield material may be attached to a probe portion of a sample manipulator using gas deposition attachment where a precursor gas is introduced to a region between the sample manipulator and the high sputter yield material, and then a charged particle beam is used to induce the precursor gas to deposit to form an attachment bond” [0056]).
Regarding claim 11, Thompson discloses that the material unit is fastened to the manipulator using a gas, which is provided by a gas feed device (“For example, the high sputter yield material may be attached to a probe portion of a sample manipulator using gas deposition attachment where a precursor gas is introduced to a region between the sample manipulator and the high sputter yield material, and then a charged particle beam is used to induce the precursor gas to deposit to form an attachment bond” [0056]).
Regarding claim 12, Thompson discloses that the material unit is generated using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“milling, with the charged particle beam, portions of the intermediate body proximate to the probe, and wherein at least some of the removed intermediate body redeposits to form an attachment between the probe portion and the intermediate body” [0123]) in such a way that the material unit comprises a first material part 668 and a second material part 666, the first material part 668 being arranged on the second material part 666 (as illustrated in figure 6C).
Regarding claim 13, Thompson discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium containing program code which can be loaded into a processor and which, when executed, controls a particle beam apparatus to perform the following (“computing architecture 150 illustrates additional details of hardware and software components that can be used to implement the techniques described in the present disclosure” [0031]): fastening a material unit (“intermediate body” [0123]) configured to hold the object to a manipulator using a particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“milling, with the charged particle beam, portions of the intermediate body proximate to the probe, and wherein at least some of the removed intermediate body redeposits to form an attachment between the probe portion and the intermediate body” [0123]); fastening the object to the material unit using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“When portions 668 of the intermediary body 666 proximate the sample 642 are milled away, at least some of the milled material redeposits to form attachment structures 670 between the sample 662 and the intermediary body 666” [0063]); and using the manipulator and/or an object stage on which the object is arranged moving to move the object that is fastened to the material unit (“the sample manipulator 108 is a mechanism in the microscope chamber 130 that is able to interact with the sample 108 such that the sample may be translated, angled, and/or rotated” [0025]).
Regarding claim 14, Thompson discloses a particle beam apparatus for processing, observation and/or analysis of an object, comprising at least one movable manipulator (“the sample manipulator 108 is a mechanism in the microscope chamber 130 that is able to interact with the sample 108 such that the sample may be translated, angled, and/or rotated” [0025]); at least one material unit, which can be fastened to the manipulator (“milling, with the charged particle beam, portions of the intermediate body proximate to the probe, and wherein at least some of the removed intermediate body redeposits to form an attachment between the probe portion and the intermediate body” [0123]); at least one movable object stage for arranging the object (“The sample holder 140 is configured to hold the sample 108, and can translate, rotate, and/or tilt the sample 108 in relation to the example microscope system(s) 104” [0025]); at least one beam generator for generating a particle beam including comprising charged particles (“an electron source 116… that emits an electron beam 114 along an electron emission axis 118 and towards the sample 108” [0020]); at least one objective lens for focusing the particle beam onto the object, the manipulator and/or the material unit (“the electron focusing column 122 may include… an… objective lens, etc. that… focus electrons from electron source 116 onto a small spot on the sample 108” [0021]); at least one scanning device for scanning the particle beam over the object, the manipulator and/or the material unit (“Different locations of the sample 108 may be scanned by adjusting the electron beam direction via the deflectors and/or scan coils” [0021]); at least one detector unit for detecting interaction particles and/or interaction radiation which result/results from interaction of the particle beam with the object and/or with the manipulator and/or with the material unit (“detector systems 126(a) and 126(b) for detecting emissions 124 resultant from the electron beam 114 being incident on the sample 108” [0022]); and at least one processor coupled to a non-transitory computer readable medium that contains a program code which is loadable into the processor and which, when executed (“computing architecture 150 illustrates additional details of hardware and software components that can be used to implement the techniques described in the present disclosure” [0031]), fastens a material unit (“intermediate body” [0123]) configured to hold the object to a manipulator using a particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“milling, with the charged particle beam, portions of the intermediate body proximate to the probe, and wherein at least some of the removed intermediate body redeposits to form an attachment between the probe portion and the intermediate body” [0123]); fastens the object to the material unit using the particle beam of the particle beam apparatus (“When portions 668 of the intermediary body 666 proximate the sample 642 are milled away, at least some of the milled material redeposits to form attachment structures 670 between the sample 662 and the intermediary body 666” [0063]); and uses the manipulator and/or an object stage on which the object is arranged moving to move the object that is fastened to the material unit (“the sample manipulator 108 is a mechanism in the microscope chamber 130 that is able to interact with the sample 108 such that the sample may be translated, angled, and/or rotated” [0025]).
Regarding claim 15, Thompson discloses one of the following features: the material unit has a structural unit, which can be arranged on the object; the material unit has a structural unit with at least one projection, with the projection being able to be arranged on the object; the material unit has a first structural unit, with the object having a second structural unit, and the first structural unit being able to be arranged on the second structural unit; the material unit has a first structural unit with at least one first projection, with the object having a second structural unit with at least one first cutout and the first projection being able to be arranged on the first cutout; the material unit has a first side 666 for fastening to the manipulator 664 and a second side 668 for fastening the object 670 (as illustrated in figure 6C).
Regarding claim 16, Thompson discloses at least one of the following features: the material unit is in the form of a metal unit; the material unit is in the form of a metal unit comprising copper; the material unit is made of copper (“Specifically, a high sputter yield material, such as copper, may be attached to a sample manipulator within the chamber of a charged particle system, outside of such a chamber, or a combination thereof” [0056]); the material unit comprises includes a first material part and a second material part, with the first material part being arranged on the second material part.
Regarding claim 17, Thompson discloses a first gas feed device for feeding a first gas (“For example, the high sputter yield material may be attached to a probe portion of a sample manipulator using gas deposition attachment where a precursor gas is introduced to a region between the sample manipulator and the high sputter yield material, and then a charged particle beam is used to induce the precursor gas to deposit to form an attachment bond” [0056]).
Regarding claim 18, Thompson discloses at least one additional beam generator for generating an additional particle beam including additional charged particles (“a charged particle emitter 132 configured to emit a plurality of ions 134 along an ion emission axis 136” [0023]); and at least one additional objective lens for focusing the additional particle beam onto the object and/or onto the manipulator and/or the material unit (“The FIB column 112 further includes an ion focusing column 138 that comprises one or more of an… objective lens, etc. that… focus ions from charged particle emitter 132 onto a small spot on the sample 108” [0024]).
Regarding claim 19, Thompson discloses an electron beam apparatus (“an electron source 116 (e.g., a thermal electron source, Schottky-emission source, field emission source, etc.) that emits an electron beam 114 along an electron emission axis 118 and towards the sample 108” [0020]) and/or an ion beam apparatus (“The FIB column 112 is shown as including a charged particle emitter 132 configured to emit a plurality of ions 134 along an ion emission axis 136” [0023]).
Regarding claim 20, Thompson discloses a device for fastening and moving an object in a particle beam device, comprising: a movable manipulator (“sample manipulator” [Abstract]), and a material unit (“intermediate body” [0123]) for fastening an object, with the material unit being fastened to the manipulator (“When portions 668 of the intermediary body 666 proximate the sample 642 are milled away, at least some of the milled material redeposits to form attachment structures 670 between the sample 662 and the intermediary body 666” [0063]).
Regarding claim 21, Thompson discloses that the device has one of the following features: the material unit has a structural unit, which can be arranged on the object; the material unit 666 has a structural unit with at least one projection 668, with the projection 668 being able to be arranged on the object 670 (as illustrated in figure 6C).
Regarding claim 22, Thompson discloses that the device has at least one of the following features: the material unit is in the form of a metal unit; the material unit is in the form of a metal unit including copper (“Specifically, a high sputter yield material, such as copper, may be attached to a sample manipulator within the chamber of a charged particle system, outside of such a chamber, or a combination thereof” [0056]); the material unit is made of copper; the material unit includes a first material part and a second material part, with the first material part being arranged on the second material part.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON L MCCORMACK whose telephone number is (571)270-1489. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:00AM-5:00PM EST.
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/JASON L MCCORMACK/Examiner, Art Unit 2881