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 .
Claim Interpretation
Claims 7, 9, and 17 recite an upward/downward mover which is interpreted according to the original specification as the upward/downward movement driver 400 which is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and discussed in [0027] corresponding to the first driver includes, as drive sources, an upward/downward drive motor 410, a rotation drive motor 430, and a boat elevator 420 including a linear actuator serving as a substrate-support lifter that drives the substrate support 300 upward/downward.
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.
Claims 1-3 , 5-7, 12-17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee (US 7,207,763).
Regarding claim 1. The prior art of Lee teaches a substrate holder (wafer loading/dual boat 9) comprising: a substrate support (second wafer loading boat 4) including a plurality of first props (see Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2) capable of supporting a plurality of substrates at intervals in an up-down direction; and a partition support (first wafer loading boat 3) including a plurality of partitions 34 and a plurality of second props(see Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2), the plurality of partitions each having a cut-away portion 40 at which the plurality of first props is disposed, the plurality of partitions being disposed one-to-one in spaces between the plurality of substrates held by the substrate support, the plurality of second props supporting the plurality of partitions.
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Fig. 1A of Lee
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Figs 3A, 3B1, and 3B2 of Lee
Regarding claim 2. The substrate holder according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first props each includes a support (wafer support 28) that supports the plurality of substrates, and the cut-away portion 40 is provided such that the support is movable in the up-down direction. See Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2 of Lee.
Regarding claim 3. The substrate holder according to claim 1, wherein a gap is present between each of the plurality of partitions 34 and each of the plurality of first props. See Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2 of Lee.
Regarding claim 5. The substrate holder according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first props each includes a support (wafer support 28) that supports the plurality of substrates, and the cut-away portion 40 includes a first recess capable of housing the support. See Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2 of Lee.
Regarding claim 6. The substrate holder according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first props is movable upward or downward such that the plurality of substrates moves to a height. See Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2 and the discussion in the paragraph that joins columns 4 and 5 of Lee.
Regarding claim 7. The substrate holder according to claim 1, wherein the substrate support includes a base supporting the plurality of first props at respective lower ends of the plurality of first props, and the base is movable upward or downward by an upward/downward mover. See Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2 and the discussion in the paragraph that joins columns 4 and 5 of Lee. Where the gap adjusting unit 5 of Lee is interpreted as the mover.
Regarding claim 12. See rejection of claim 1 and Lee teaches a reaction tube 1 configured to house the substrate holder; and a gas supplier configured to supply gas into the reaction tube. See the paragraph joining columns 4 and 5 of Lee.
Regarding claim 13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of first props 4 each includes a support 28 that supports the plurality of substrates, and the cut-away portion 40 is provided such that the support is movable in the up-down direction. See Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2 of Lee.
Regarding claim 14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a gap is present between each of the plurality of partitions and each of the plurality of first props. See Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2 of Lee.
Regarding claim 15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of first props 4 each includes a support 28 that supports the plurality of substrates, and the cut-away portion 40 includes a first recess capable of housing the support. See Fig. 3A of Lee.
Regarding claim 16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of first props is movable upward or downward such that the plurality of substrates moves to a height. See Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2 and the discussion in the paragraph that joins columns 4 and 5 of Lee. Where the gap adjusting unit 5 of Lee is interpreted as the mover.
Regarding claim 17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an upward/downward mover, wherein the substrate support includes a base supporting the plurality of first props at respective lower ends of the plurality of first props, and the base is movable upward or downward by the upward/downward mover. See Fig. 1A, 3A-3B2 and the discussion in the paragraph that joins columns 4 and 5 of Lee. Where the gap adjusting unit 5 of Lee is interpreted as the mover.
Regarding claim 19. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by use of a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate holder including: a substrate support including a plurality of first props capable of supporting a plurality of substrates at intervals in an up-down direction; and a partition support including a plurality of partitions and a plurality of second props, the plurality of partitions each having a cut-away portion at which the plurality of first props is disposed, the plurality of partitions being disposed one-to-one in spaces between the plurality of substrates held by the substrate support, the plurality of second props supporting the plurality of partitions; a reaction tube configured to house the substrate holder (see the rejections of claim 1 above) ; and a gas supplier (see the paragraph that joins columns 4 and 5 and the discussion of the gas supply unit in Lee) is configured to supply gas into the reaction tube, the method comprising: loading the substrate holder into the reaction tube (via the discussion of moving the support holder (wafer loading boat 9) up/down to move in/out of the reaction tube as desired via the gap adjusting unit see paragraph joining columns 4 and 5 and see col. 6 lines 12 -17); and supplying the gas into the reaction tube.
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.
Claims 4, 8-11, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 7,207,763) in view of Matsuura et al (US 2009/0305512).
The teachings of Lee were discussed above esp. the gap adjusting unit 5.
The prior art of Lee fails to teach:
Regarding claim 4. The substrate holder according to claim 3, wherein the gap is 2 to 4 mm.
The prior art of Matsuura et al teaches a substrate processing apparatus with a boat (substrate holder 3). See [0040] – [0042] where the gap is taught be to withing a range of 1-5mm. The gap of Matsuura et al overlaps the claimed gap of 2-4mm. The motivation to modify the apparatus of Lee with the suggested gap range to keep the gap as small as possible so that the gas diffusion from each processing space 10 to the adjacent (upper/lower) processing spaces 10 is prevented. Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Lee with the suggested gap of Matsuura et al.
Regarding claims 8-11 and 18
The teachings of Lee were discussed above esp. the gap adjusting unit 5.
The prior art of Lee fails to teach:
Regarding claim 8. The substrate holder according to claim 1, further comprising a cover that covers a heat insulator, wherein the cover includes a second recess at which the plurality of first props is disposed.
Regarding claim 9. Recall the discussion of Lee and the substrate holder 9 in the rejections above. Lee fails to teach cover that covers a heat insulator, wherein the cover includes a second recess at which the plurality of first props is disposed.
Regarding claim 10. The substrate holder according to claim 9, wherein the opening is wider by 1 to 10 mm than a range in which the base is movable.
Regarding claim 11. The substrate holder according to claim 8, wherein part of each of the plurality of first props is opposite the cover, at least a portion facing the cover in the part is columnar in shape, and the second recess has a shape in which the portion columnar in shape is disposed.
Regarding claim 18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a cover that covers a heat insulator, wherein the cover includes a second recess at which the plurality of first props is disposed.
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Figs. 1 and 2 of Matsuura et al
The prior art of Matsuura et al teaches a substrate processing apparatus with a cover (lid member 13 see [0035]. The cover 13 has a protection cover which is corrosion resistant and is heat insulating as it is preferably made of quartz. Note also the heat shielding stage 15 see [0034]. Matsuura et al teaches using recesses so that the props can be coupled to the cover is Figs. 1, 2, and 5.See Fig. 5 of Matsuura et al and the recesses and opening. See [0040] where the opening is designed to have a minute gap s within a range of 1-5mm so that the boat can rotate through the cover. See Fig, 2 where the props 3a are provided within recesses. Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Lee with the suggested cover of Matsuura et al to provide hermetical sealing for the boat (substrate holder) within the reactor and to maintain its temperature and ample support.
The prior art of Lee further fails to teach:
Regarding claim 20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program that causes, by a computer, the substrate processing apparatus to perform a process comprising the method according to claim 19.
The prior art of Matsuura et al teaches that a computer is used to control and execute the processing apparatus and perform the process steps. Matsuura et al further teaches that the a storage medium is read by a computer and stores a control program. The motivation to modify the apparatus of Lee with a computer and storage medium as suggested by Matsuura et al in order to ensure that the method can be performed and executed autonomously. Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Lee with a computer and storage medium as suggested by Matsuura et al in order to ensure that the method can be performed and executed autonomously.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ishii et al (US 5,820683) teaches an object supporting boat (substrate holder) with props 14-17.
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/SYLVIA MACARTHUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716