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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-5 cancelled
Claims 16-20 elected
Claims 21-35 new
Claims 16-35 pending
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 16-20 in the reply filed on 06/20/2025 is acknowledged.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 16-20, 32-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chuang (PG Pub 2021/0116821 A1) in view of Hori (Aligned Growth of Single-Walled and Double-Walled Carbon Nanotube Films by Control of Catalyst Preparation, 2011).
Consider Claim 16, Chuang teaches the process of manufacturing auxiliary structure/pressing unit(140/240) and the reticle carrier (100) (figure 1 and figure 2), where the auxiliary structure having pins (241/341/841/1041) (figures 2-3, figure 8 , and figure 10a) and the pin (841) have raised structure/pressing part (8411) which comprises contact pattern/contact protrusions (8414) (figure 8, [0051]), and where the pin (1041) comprises carbon nanotubes [0055].
Chuang does not teach the detailed process of forming the contact pattern having carbon nanotubes.
However, Hori is in the prior art of forming carbon nanotube films (introduction, page 2), teaches the process of forming carbon nanotubes by photoresist layer has a plurality of openings; depositing a metal material into the openings in the photoresist layer; depositing a plurality of Co/Ti catalyst nanoparticles over the metal material; and growing a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from the metal catalyst nanoparticles (figure 24, page 31 and first paragraph, page 32).
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A person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention would combine Chuang with Hori to form contact pattern/contact protrusions (8414) from vertically aligned CNT, to provide with an electrostatic dissipative material process for dissipating the electrostatic charge away for the reticle structure (Chuang, [0054]-[0055]).
Consider Claims 17-19, the combined Chuang (with Hori) teaches the growing of CNT on Co/Ti nano particles (Hiro, 1st paragraph, page 32) in straight shape (Hiro, step 4, figure 24), where it would be obvious for skilled person in the art to change the shape from strips to angles or to islands. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) (The court held that the configuration of the claimed disposable plastic nursing container was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed container was significant.) MPEP 2144.04, IV-B.
Consider Claim 20, the combined Chuang (with Hori) teaches the removing the photoresist layer from the substrate (step 4) prior to growing the CNTs (step 5) and after depositing the metal catalyst nanoparticles (step 3) (Hiro, figure 24).
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Consider Claim 32, Chuang teaches the process of providing a substrate to form an auxiliary structure for a reticle carrier, the auxiliary structure is mountable to an inner baseplate or an inner cover plate of the reticle carrier;
Chuang does not teach the detailed process of forming the contact pattern having carbon nanotubes.
However, Hori is in the prior art of forming carbon nanotube films (introduction, page 2), teaches the process of forming carbon nanotubes by photoresist layer has a plurality of openings; depositing a metal material into the openings in the photoresist layer; depositing a plurality of Co/Ti catalyst nanoparticles over the metal material; and growing a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from the metal catalyst nanoparticles (figure 24, page 31 and first paragraph, page 32). Hiro the removing the photoresist layer from the substrate (step 4) prior to growing the CNTs (step 5) and after depositing the metal catalyst nanoparticles (step 3) (figure 24).
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A person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention would combine Chuang with Hori to form contact pattern/contact protrusions (8414) from vertically aligned CNT, to provide with an electrostatic dissipative material process for dissipating the electrostatic charge away for the reticle structure (Chuang, [0054]-[0055]).
The combined Chuang (with Hori) teaches the mounting of the auxiliary structure (441) onto the inner baseplate (420) or the inner cover plate (430) of the reticle carrier (Chuang, figures 1, 4).
Consider Claim 33, the combined Chuang (with Hori) teaches the growing of CNT on Co/Ti nano particles (Hiro, 1st paragraph, page 32) in straight shape (Hiro, step 4, figure 24), where it would be obvious for skilled person in the art to change the shape from strips to angles or to islands. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) (The court held that the configuration of the claimed disposable plastic nursing container was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed container was significant.) MPEP 2144.04, IV-B.
Consider Claim 34, the combined Chuang (with Hori) teaches the step of removing the photoresist layer is performed to remove any excess metal material and catalyst nanoparticles located over the photoresist layer (Hori, figure 24, step 4).
Consider Claim 35, the combined Chuang (with Hori) teaches the carbon nanotubes are grown such that the carbon nanotubes are substantially aligned along a growth direction corresponding to the strip pattern (Hori, figure 24, step 5).
Claim(s) 21-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chuang (PG Pub 2021/0116821 A1).
Consider Claims 21-26, Chuang teaches a reticle system (100) comprising an inner pod (110) used to receive a reticle (R), the inner pod (110) comprising an inner baseplate (120) and an inner cover plate (130), where an inner surface of the inner baseplate (120) and an inner surface of the inner cover plate (130) face each other (figure 1); where forming a first auxiliary structure (121/140) on one of the inner surface of the inner baseplate (120) or the inner cover plate (130) (figure 1), where the forming the first auxiliary structure (121-921/140-841) comprises: forming a raised structure (9213/8413) over a substrate of the first auxiliary structure (921/841) (figures 8-9); forming plurality of a contact pattern (9212/8414) on the raised structure (921/841) extending along the raised structure (figure 8-9); and assembling the inner pod (420) into an outer pod (430) to house the inner pod and the reticle (R) (figure 4).
Chuang does not teach the contact pattern (9212/8414) being in parallel strips shape.
However, it would be obvious for skilled person in the art to change the shape forming straight parallel strips to angled parallel strips or to curved parallel strips, and facing any direction. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) (The court held that the configuration of the claimed disposable plastic nursing container was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed container was significant.) MPEP 2144.04, IV-B.
Consider Claims 27-29, Chuang teaches the first auxiliary structure having pins (241/341/841/1041) (figures 2-3, figure 8, and figure 10a) and the pin (841) have raised structure/pressing part (8411) which comprises contact pattern/contact protrusions (8414) (figure 8, [0051]), and where the pin (1041) and the raised structure (9211/8411) comprises carbon nanotubes or PE or PC [0055]. Leading to having contact pattern and the raised structure from different materials, and different stiffness.
Consider Claims 30-31, Chuang teaches having second/third auxiliary structures on the inner surface of the inner baseplate (120), where a top view of the contact pattern of the second/third auxiliary structures are different from a top view of the contact pattern of the first auxiliary structure (figure 1).
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mohammad Mayy whose telephone number is (571)272-9983. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday, 8:00AM-5:00PM EST.
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/Mohammad Mayy/
Art Unit 1718
/KELLY M GAMBETTA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1715