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 Species II (Figure 3; claims 15-19) in the reply filed on April 2, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground that “a single search of elected Species II will necessarily have result depicting the features in Species I”. This is not found persuasive because the elected species has at least the illustrated feature of “backside gas inlet” that is exclusive to Species II.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 “removeable ring” must be shown or the features canceled from the claims. No new matter should be entered.
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(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 15-20 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 15 recites the limitation “the substrate support” in claim 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claimed “the substrate support” is assumed to be “the substrate support surface”.
Claims 17, 18 recite the limitation “the ring” in claim 17, 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claimed “the ring” is assumed to be “the removable ring”.
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.
Claims 15, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ogata; Atsushi (US 20200111648 A1). Ogata teaches a substrate support assembly comprising: a cooling base (2a; Figure 1; [0026]-Applicant’s 112; Figure 3,4) having a top surface and an outer diameter sidewall; an electrostatic chuck (6; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 110; Figure 3) having a substrate support surface (6/W interface; Figure 1-Applicant’s 116; Figure 3), a bottom surface and an outer diameter sidewall, the ESC (6; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 110; Figure 3) having a chucking electrode (6a; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 129; Figure 4) disposed therein; a facility plate (4; Figure 1-Applicant’s 124; Figure 3,4) disposed below and in contact with the cooling base (2a; Figure 1; [0026]-Applicant’s 112; Figure 3,4);a backside gas inlet (30; Figure 1; He-[0026]-Applicant’s 371; Figure 3) extending through the substrate support (assumed to be “substrate support surface” - 6/W interface; Figure 1-Applicant’s 116; Figure 3) and configured to supply a gas to the substrate support surface (6/W interface; Figure 1-Applicant’s 116; Figure 3);a lift pin (61; Figure 1; [0027]-Applicant’s 155; Figure 3) extending through the ESC (6; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 110; Figure 3); and a lift pin guide (200; Figure 1; [0027]-Applicant’s 157; Figure 3) , the lift pin guide (200; Figure 1; [0027]-Applicant’s 157; Figure 3) extending into the ESC (6; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 110; Figure 3), as claimed by claim 15
Ogata further teaches the substrate support assembly of claim 15 wherein the lift pin guide (200; Figure 1; [0027]-Applicant’s 157; Figure 3) is potted to the ESC (6; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 110; Figure 3), as claimed by claim 20
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.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogata; Atsushi (US 20200111648 A1) in view of Jeong; Woohyun (US 20200219748 A1). Ogata is discussed above. Ogata does not teach Ogata’s substrate support assembly of claim 15 further comprising: a locking assembly (Applicant’s 137=412+452; [0046]; Figure 4) coupling to Ogata’s chucking electrode (6a; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 129; Figure 4) in Ogata’s ESC (6; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 110; Figure 3), the locking assembly (Applicant’s 137=412+452; [0046]; Figure 4) configured to secure Ogata’s facility plate (4; Figure 1-Applicant’s 124; Figure 3,4) in place and up against Ogata’s cooling base (2a; Figure 1; [0026]-Applicant’s 112; Figure 3,4).
Jeong also teaches an ESC (310; Figure 3A) including a locking assembly (320; Figure 3A) between Jeong’s ESC and support (330; Figure 3A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Ogata to add Jeong’s locking assembly.
Motivation for Ogata to add Jeong’s locking assembly is for avoiding deformation of the chuck as taught by Jeong ([0004]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-19 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: Ogata; Atsushi (US 20200111648 A1) as the closest prior art is discussed above. Ogata does not teach, alone or in combination:
The substrate support assembly of claim 15 further comprising: a removeable ring (not shown by Applicants) disposed about Ogata’s backside gas inlet (30; Figure 1; He-[0026]-Applicant’s 371; Figure 3) in Ogata’s substrate support assembly, wherein the ring (assumed to be “removeable ring” not shown by Applicants) has a recess (Applicant’s 352; Figure 4) along a top surface of the ring (assumed to be “removeable ring” not shown by Applicants) and a protrusion (Applicant’s 353; Figure 4) extending outward and away from the ring (assumed to be “removeable ring” - not shown by Applicants) at a bottom surface of the ring (assumed to be “removeable ring” - not shown by Applicants), as claimed by claim 17
The substrate support assembly of claim 17, wherein a top surface of the ring (assumed to be “removable ring”, not shown by Applicants) is disposed adjacent Ogata’s bottom surface of Ogata’s ESC (6; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 110; Figure 3) and the ring (assumed to be “removable ring”, not shown by Applicants) extends through Ogata’s cooling base (2a; Figure 1; [0026]-Applicant’s 112; Figure 3,4) to Ogata’s facility plate (4; Figure 1-Applicant’s 124; Figure 3,4), as claimed by claim 18
The substrate support assembly of claim 18 further comprising: a first O-ring (Applicant’s 331; Figure 4) disposed about Ogata’s recess (Applicant’s 352; Figure 4) between the removeable ring (not shown by Applicants) and Ogata’s ESC (6; Figure 1; [0025]-Applicant’s 110; Figure 3); and a second O-ring (Applicant’s 332; Figure 3) disposed about the protrusion (Applicant’s 353; Figure 4) between the removeable ring (not shown by Applicants) and Ogata’s facility plate (4; Figure 1-Applicant’s 124; Figure 3,4), as claimed by claim 19
Kuno; Tatsuya et al. (US 20190131163 A1-16231662) illustrates a similarly dimensioned backside gas cartridge; however, the cited prior art do not teach or suggest, alone or in combination, the claimed allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. ESC apparatus with back side gas (BSG) structure similar to the claimed invention includes US 20190019714 A1; US 20230144107 A1; US 20190355598 A1; US 20180330925 A1; US 20200395235 A1; US 20230170241 A1; US 20200373184 A1; US 20230238224 A1; US 20180358253 A1; US 20220028719 A1
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Examiner Rudy Zervigon whose telephone number is (571) 272- 1442. The examiner can normally be reached on a Monday through Thursday schedule from 8am through 6pm EST. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Any Inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the Chemical and Materials Engineering art unit receptionist at (571) 272-1700. If the examiner cannot be reached please contact the examiner's supervisor, Parviz Hassanzadeh, at (571) 272- 1435.
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/Rudy Zervigon/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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