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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
In addressing the rejection ground, each claim may not have been separately discussed to the extent the claimed features are the same as or similar to the previously-discussed features; the previous discussion is construed to apply for the other claims in the same or similar way.
In the office action, “/” should be read as and/or as generally understood. For example, “A/B” means A and B, or A or B.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-10 and 18-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 08/11/2025.
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 11-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Jang et al. (KR 10-2020-0051087, see IDS) in view of Chrerepy et al. (US 2016/0071718)
Regarding claim 11, Jang discloses a substrate processing apparatus [see at least claims 1-12], comprising: a base material [e.g. 10 figs 1-3] installed in a processing space where substrates are processed; and a coating film [e.g. 100] formed on the base material, wherein the coating film comprises: a first coating layer [e.g. 110] coated on the base material, having a fluorescence property [The first coating layer 110 has a fluorescent characteristic, and when light of a first wavelength is incident, light of a second wavelength may be emitted], and emitting light of a second wavelength [The first coating layer 110 has a fluorescent characteristic, and when light of a first wavelength is incident, light of a second wavelength may be emitted ] when light of a first wavelength is incident thereon; and a second coating layer [e.g. 120] coated on the first coating layer and transmitting light emitted from the first coating layer. Regarding claim 12, Jang discloses the substrate processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first coating layer is a phosphor including a matrix, and wherein the matrix includes one or more materials selected from yttrium oxide (Y2O3), gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3), yttrium borate (YBO3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), zinc oxide (ZnO), cerium oxide (CeO2), and lanthanum oxide (La2O3) [see at least claims 1-12]. Jang does not disclose doped with carbon. However, Chrerepy discloses phosphor can be doped with carbon [see at least para. 0047]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device disclosed by Jang in accordance with the teaching of Chrerepy regarding phosphor in order to control the luminescence [abstract].
Regarding claim 12, the combination discussed above discloses the substrate processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first coating layer is a phosphor including a matrix, and wherein the matrix includes one or more materials selected from yttrium oxide (Y2O3), gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3), yttrium borate (YBO3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), zinc oxide (ZnO), cerium oxide (CeO2), and lanthanum oxide (La2O3) [see at least claims 1-12 Jang].
Regarding claim 13, the combination discussed above discloses the substrate processing apparatus of claim 12, except wherein a carbon content of the first coating layer falls within the range of 0.01 to 10% by weight based on 100% by weight of the matrix. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a first refraction section having a carbon content of the first coating layer falls within the range of 0.01 to 10% by weight based on 100% by weight of the matrix, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum of working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 14, the combination discussed above discloses the substrate processing apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: an inspection unit configured to evaluate quality of the coating film, wherein the inspection unit comprises: a light irradiation part [e.g. 210, Jang] that irradiates the coating film with the light of the first wavelength; a vision part [e.g. 220] that acquires an image of light emitted from the coating film by the light of the first wavelength; and a determination part [e.g. 230] that determines a state of the coating film on the basis of the image acquired by the vision part.
Regarding claim 15, the combination discussed above discloses the substrate processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein when the light irradiation part irradiates the coating film with the light of the first wavelength, the light of the second wavelength emitted from the first coating layer passes through the second coating layer and is observed on the top of the coating film, and when a portion of the second coating layer is damaged, a difference occurs in an intensity of light observed on the top of an area where the second coating layer is damaged and an intensity of light observed on the top of an area where the second coating layer is not damaged [see at least figs. 2-5 and the description. Jang].
Regarding claim 16, the combination discussed above discloses the substrate processing apparatus of claim 15, wherein when the portion of the second coating layer is damaged, the image acquired by the vision part includes a damaged shape of the second coating layer [see at least figs. 2-5 and the description. Jang].
Regarding claim 17, the combination discussed above discloses the substrate processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein a thickness of the first coating layer falls within the range of 0.1 to 50% of a total coating film thickness [see at least claims 1-12 Jang].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 11 has been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection rely on a new reference, Chrerepy et al. (US 2016/0071718), which was not applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK C CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7207. The examiner can normally be reached M-F Flexible 9:00-5:30.
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/PATRICK C CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2842