DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/08/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung (2018/0254204) in view of Unno (2020/0396801) and Tian (2020/0098551).
Jung teaches a substrate heating device comprising:
- a body having a substrate seating element, see Figs. 1 and 3 particularly, as per the related text, it is understood that there is some type of seating element to hold the substrate [0002-07],
- a first heating element in the inner region – see [0011],
- a second heating element surrounding the inner area [0011],
- a power transfer wire to transfer current to the second heating element across the inner area – see as per related text and Figs. 3A-C, the same components are present per Jung as per instant application, therefore teaching the claimed power transfer wire (as in specification figures 4A-C particularly), and
- the teachings include the same elements as depicted per the noted figures, but do not specifically name a ‘connector connecting element”, however, Unno teaches an equivalent device including ceramic body for holding a wafer wherein the body includes a heater, see Figs. 1-3 and related text, particularly [0020-24]. Unno teaches that it is useful to include connector parts, particularly 41 and 42 as depicted, in order to connect different parts of the heater to each other and to the power source, see citation. It would have been obvious at the effective date of the invention to apply the wire connection element of Unno (as the connector connecting element as claimed) to connect the heater connector to the power transfer wire in the apparatus of Jung as it would allow for an ideal connection as per Unno. In regard to the composition of the wire, Tian teaches that in a system including heating element for a substrate support, it is useful to have a wire connection element, such as made of a tungsten molybdenum alloy to connect a wire to heating element [0005-06] particularly. It would have been obvious at the effective date of the invention to form the connector wires of the combined art of the noted alloy as an operable material for such use. The connector element also meets the material requirements, but in any case, the selection of a particular material for its intended use is obvious without a showing of criticality as per MPEP 2144.07. In this case, there is no criticality demonstrated and the prior art teaches the usefulness of the same material.
Regarding the diameters, the teachings do not describe the relative size of the wires, however, as per MPEP 2144.04 IV. A. and B. a change of size and shape is obvious without a showing of criticality. Further, the teachings generally include wires of different diameters [0058].
Regarding claim 2, Jung teaches connectors 340 (Fig. 6A).
Regarding claim 3, the selection of material arguments is applied to claim 3 as per claim 1 above. The material is generally known for use in adjoining heat elements.
Regarding claim 5, the connector 340 of Fig. 6A has the same general shape and is described in the manner claimed [0058]
Regarding claim 7, Jung teaches AIN as the ceramic of the body [0042].
Regarding claim 8, the heating element is Mo [0043].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 is allowed. The Office agrees that the material is demonstrated in instant specification as having criticality.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/08/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicants argue that the dimensions are not arbitrary – but there is no particular support for criticality. Per MPEP 2144.05 III. A. applicants must demonstrate that a range (i.e. thickness) is critical.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH A MILLER, JR whose telephone number is (571)270-5825. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Cleveland can be reached at 571-272-1418. The fax phone number for the organization where this application is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSEPH A MILLER, JR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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