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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Gao (CN-109280976).
The Gao reference teaches a system for sublimation growth process of a semiconductor, silicon carbide, note entire reference and translation. The system has a crucible with a longitudinal axis. There is a means to fix a seed at one end and the starting material at the other end, note figure 1, translation page 6. There is a heating system which surrounds the crucible, note figure and page 6. The heater creates heating along the longitudinal axis. The system includes a thermal insulation unit that surround the crucible that has a radial or axial asymmetric form to compensate for irregular temperature field ,note figure 1 and translation page 3.
With respect to claim 2, the Gao reference teaches a heating means with is induction coils to heat translation page 6.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 3 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao (CN-109280976).
The Gao reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claims in the type of carbon insulation. The Gao reference does teach carbon as an insulation material. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to have carbon in the form of a felt (instant claim 3) or bendable sheet (instant claim 4) in the Gao reference in order to shape the insulation to the desired form increasing the uniformity on the temperature in the crucible.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao (CN-109280976).
The Gao reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claims in the metal strut heating member. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to use a metal struct in the Gao reference in order to hold the heating coils in place and stable during the process.
Claim(s) 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao (CN-109280976).
The Gao reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claims in the heating tube arrangement. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to arrange the heating tubes as wanted in the Gao reference in order to create the desired temperature profile across the crucible as the tube place with materially affect the heating.
Claim(s) 8 to 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao (CN-109280976).
The Gao reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claims in the shape of the insulation including slots, gaps and trenches. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to have a various shape insulation including slots, trenches and gaps in the Gao reference in order to create and adjust the temperature profile, noting the reference does teach creating a uniform profile using the insulation.
Claim(s) 13 to 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao (CN-109280976).
The Gao reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claims in the growth rate, mean value and circumference. However, in the absence of unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to determine through routine experimentation the optimum, operable growth rate, mean value in the Gao reference in order to have a uniformly grown silicon carbide on a substrate.
With respect to claim 15, the Gao reference teaches the circumference to be the outer of the grown crystal, note fig 1.
Examiner’s Remarks
The remaining references are merely cited of interest as showing the state of the art in silicon carbide sublimation growth.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT M KUNEMUND whose telephone number is (571)272-1464. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
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RMK
/ROBERT M KUNEMUND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1714