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 .
The present Office Action is in response to Applicant’s filing of October 23, 2023. Claims 1-12 are presented for examination, with Claims 1 and 12 being in independent form.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on October 23, 2023 and January 2, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
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 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021/0351012 (“Onuma”).
Regarding Claim 1, Onuma discloses a frequency-variable power supply that outputs radio-frequency waves of a set frequency (16 in Fig. 1; [0036]; [0046]), comprising an operation part configured to calculate a correction value according to each of a plurality of frequencies within an outputtable frequency range (correction unit 102 of controller 100 in Fig. 7; [0091]).
Regarding Claim 2, Onuma further discloses wherein the correction value is at least one of an amplifier distortion correction value, a reflection correction value, or a power correction value ([0030]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 3, Onuma further discloses wherein the correction value is a correction value for at least one of an amplitude or a phase of the RF waves ([0030]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 4, Onuma further discloses a directional coupler provided between the frequency-variable power supply and a load (16f, 16h in Fig. 2; [0072]-[0073]),
wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the amplifier distortion correction value based on a comparison between traveling waves output from the directional coupler and set waveform data ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 5, Onuma further discloses wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the amplifier distortion correction value based on an amplification factor and an amplification phase difference of the traveling waves with respect to the set waveform data ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 6, Onuma further discloses wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the reflection correction value based on a comparison between the traveling waves and reflected waves output from the directional coupler ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 7, Onuma further discloses wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the reflection correction value based on a reflectance and a reflection phase difference of the reflected waves ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 8, Onuma further discloses wherein the reflection correction value has a phase obtained by inverting a phase of the reflected waves by 180 degrees (Fig. 3; [0065]-[0066]; [0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 9, Onuma further discloses wherein the operation part is configured to calculate the power correction value based on the traveling waves when controlling an input power to be constant, and calculate the power correction value based on a difference between the traveling waves and the reflected waves when controlling an effective power to be constant ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 10, Onuma further discloses a first demodulator configured to demodulate the traveling waves; and a second demodulator configured to demodulate the reflected waves (29, 161, Fig. 1-3; [0028]-[0030]),
wherein the traveling waves are traveling waves corrected with a correction value corresponding to the first demodulator, and wherein the reflected waves are reflected waves corrected with a correction value corresponding to the second demodulator (Fig. 3; [0061]-[0066]; [0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 11, Onuma further discloses a modulator configured to generate the RF waves; an amplifier configured to amplify the generated RF waves (Fig. 3; [0064]-[0066]; Fig. 2; [0061]-[0063]); and
a directional coupler provided between the amplifier and a load (16f, 16h in Fig. 2; [0072]-[0073]),
wherein the operation part is configured to: correct set waveform data with the correction value; input the corrected set waveform data to the modulator; and update the correction value based on traveling waves and reflected waves output from the directional coupler ([0070]-[0075]; [0090]-[0095]).
Regarding Claim 12, Onuma discloses a plasma processing apparatus (1 in Fig. 1; [0036]) comprising:
a processing container (12);
an electrode provided in the processing container (14d; [0043]); and
a frequency-variable power supply configured to output RF waves of a set frequency to the electrode (16 in Fig. 1; [0036]; [0046]),
wherein the frequency-variable power supply comprises an operation part configured to calculate a correction value according to each of a plurality of frequencies within an outputtable frequency range (correction unit 102 of controller 100 in Fig. 7; [0091]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017/0365445 (“Kubota ‘445”) relates to a plasma processing apparatus and waveform correction method.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0286714 (“Kubota ‘714”) relates to a plasma processing apparatus and method for generating plasma.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PEDRO C FERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-7050. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander H Taningco can be reached at 1-(571) 272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PEDRO C FERNANDEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2844
/ALEXANDER H TANINGCO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2844