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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 19-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 2/9/2026.
Claim Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities:
The Examiner suggests amending claim 17 as follows to correct an apparent typographic error:
17. The window of claim 11, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels, and wherein the second layer of fluid channels is disposed below the first layer of fluid channels, the second layer [[or]] of fluid channels having a plurality of apertures fluidly coupled to the bottom surface.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-2, 4, 6, 8-11, 13, 15 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lu et al. (PG Pub. No. US 2014/0231671 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lu teaches a semiconductor process chamber window component (¶ 0002) comprising:
a transparent quartz body (¶¶ 0020-0022: 130 and/or 136), the body comprising:
a top surface (top surface of 130);
a bottom surface (bottom surface of 136);
a central portion disposed near a center axis of the body (fig. 1 among others: 130/136 comprises a central portion); and
one or more fluid channels (¶ 0022: 138 and/or 140) formed within the body (fig. 1: 138/140 formed within 130/136), the one or more fluid channels configured to flow a fluid from a first side of the body towards a second side of the body (fluid flows through channel 140 from left to right of 10/136, and/or flow through 138 from top to bottom of 130/136), the first side disposed opposite the second side (fig. 1: left side opposite to right side, bottom side opposed top side).
Regarding claim 2, Lu teaches the window component of claim 1, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (140), and further comprising a second layer of fluid channels (138) disposed above or below the first layer of fluid channels (fig. 1: 138 disposed below 140).
Regarding claim 4, Lu teaches the window component of claim 1, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (138), and wherein the one or more fluid channels have a diameter (¶ 0023: channels are holes with diameters) that decreases near the central portion of the body (¶ 0023 & fig. 3: diameter of 138-2 in middle portion of 136 smaller than diameter of 138-3 away from center of 136).
Regarding claim 6, Lu teaches the window component of claim 1, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (138), and wherein the one or more fluid channels have a cross-sectional shape comprising a circle, an oval, or a rectangle (fig. 1: 138 and 140 have side cross-sections of substantially rectangular shapes).
Regarding claim 8, Lu teaches the window component of claim 2, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (140), and wherein the second layer of fluid channels is disposed below the first layer of fluid channels (138 below 140), the second layer of fluid channels having a plurality of apertures fluidly coupled to the bottom surface (138 fluidly coupled to bottom surface of 130/136).
Regarding claim 9, Lu teaches the window component of claim 8, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (140), and wherein the plurality of apertures fluidly coupled to the bottom surface are configured to flow into a process volume of a semiconductor chamber (fig. 1: 138 flows into process volume 104).
Regarding claim 10, Lu teaches a semiconductor process chamber (¶ 0011 & fig. 1: 100) comprising:
an upper body (¶¶ 0016-0022: upper portion including 120/130/140/136);
a lower body (¶ 0059: process chamber bottom including elements 152/154), a space between the upper body and the lower body defining a process volume (¶ 0011: processing chamber 104);
a pedestal (¶ 0019: platform 126) within the process volume (fig. 1: 126 disposed in 140); and
one or more transmissive windows (¶¶ 0020-0022: 130/136), each window comprising:
a circular transparent quartz body (¶¶ 0015, 0020-0022: 130 and/or 136, arranged over circular process chamber 104), the body comprising:
a top surface (top surface of 130);
a bottom surface (bottom surface of 136);
a central portion disposed near a center axis of the body (fig. 1 among others: 130/136 comprises a central portion);
one or more fluid channels (¶ 0022: 138 and/or 140) formed within the body (fig. 1: 138/140 formed within 130/136), the one or more fluid channels configured to flow a fluid from a first side of the body towards a second side of the body (fluid flows through channel 140 from left to right of 10/136, and/or flow through 138 from top to bottom of 130/136), the first side disposed opposite the second side (fig. 1: left side opposite to right side, bottom side opposed top side).
Regarding claim 11, Lu teaches the window of claim 10, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (140), further comprising a second layer of fluid channels (138) disposed above or below the first layer of fluid channels (fig. 1: 138 disposed below 140).
Regarding claim 13, Lu teaches the window of claim 10, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (138), and wherein the one or more fluid channels have a diameter (¶ 0023: channels are holes with diameters) that decreases near the central portion of the body (¶ 0023 & fig. 3: diameter of 138-2 in middle portion of 136 smaller than diameter of 138-3 away from center of 136).
Regarding claim 15, Lu teaches the window of claim 10, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (138), and wherein one or more fluid channels have a cross-sectional shape formed like a circle, an oval, or a rectangle (fig. 1: 138 and 140 have side cross-sections of substantially rectangular shapes).
Regarding claim 17, Lu teaches the window of claim 11, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (140), and wherein the second layer of fluid channels is disposed below the first layer of fluid channels (138 below 140), the second layer of fluid channels having a plurality of apertures fluidly coupled to the bottom surface (138 fluidly coupled to bottom surface of 130/136).
Regarding claim 18, Lu teaches the window of claim 17, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (140), and wherein the plurality of apertures fluidly coupled to the bottom surface are configured to flow into the process volume of a semiconductor chamber (fig. 1: 138 flows into process volume 104).
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.
Claims 3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Ranish et al. (PG Pub/ No. US 2013/0298832 A1).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Lu teaches the window and/or window component of claims 2 and 11, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (¶ 0022 & fig. 1: 140), and wherein the first layer of fluid channels is configured to flow a first fluid (¶ 0021: 104 configured to flow cooling gas, meeting the broadest reasonable interpretation of ‘fluid’), and the second layer of fluid channels is configured to flow a second fluid (¶ 0023: 138 configured to flow cooling gas).
Lu fails to teach the second fluid channels are configured to flow the second fluid in an opposite direction than the first fluid.
Ranish teaches a process chamber component (¶ 0028 & fig. 1A: 154/132) including first fluid channels (¶ 0034: first coolant loop 202) and second fluid channels (second coolant loop 204), the second fluid channels configured to flow second fluid in an opposite direction than a first fluid in the first fluid channels (fig. 2: 202 and 204 configured to flow coolant in opposite directions).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to configure the second fluid channels of Lu to flow the second fluid in an opposite direction than the first fluid, as a means to facilitate efficient flow of a heat transfer fluid through the coolant loops (Ranish, ¶ 0034).
Claims 5 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Baluja et al. (PG Pub. No. US 2014/0053866 A1).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Lu teaches the window and/or window component of claims 1 and 10, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (¶ 0022: 138), and wherein the one or more fluid channels have a first diameter near the first side, a second diameter near the central portion of the body, and a third diameter near the second side (¶ 0023 & fig. 3: holes 138-1, 138-2, and 138-3 have diameters near sides and center of 136-2), the third diameter being greater than the second diameter (fig. 3: 138-3 has greater diameter than 138-2).
Lu does not teach the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.
Baluja teaches a process chamber component body (¶ 0017: transparent showerhead 116) including a plurality of fluid channels (¶ 0024: 202 & 204, similar to 138 of Lu), the one or more fluid channels have a first diameter near the first side (diameter of 202 proximal to left side), a second diameter near the central portion of the body (diameter of 204 proximal to center), and a third diameter near the second side (diameter of 202 proximal to right side), the first and third diameter being greater than the second diameter (fig. 2: diameter of 202 greater than diameter of 202). Baluja further teaches a gas inlet (¶ 0022: 132, similar to 132 of Lu) arranged above the component body (fig. 1: 132 disposed above transparent body 116).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to configure the fluid channels of Lu with the diameters of Baluja, as a means to promote faster flow through the component body (Baluja, ¶ 0024).
Claims 7 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Brillhart et al. (PG Pub. No. US 2015/0340257 A1).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Lu teaches the window and/or window component of claims 1 and 10, wherein the one or more fluid channels are disposed within a first layer of fluid channels (¶ 0022: 138).
Lu does not teach wherein the body has a height of about 2 mm to about 30 mm.
Brillhart teaches a process chamber window component (¶ 0027: transparent plate 114, similar to portion 136 of Lu) with a height of about 3 mm to about 10 mm (¶ 0044).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to adjust the height/thickness of the body of Lu, as a means to provide the body with structural rigidity for withstanding various chamber pressures (Brillhart, ¶ 0044 & Lu, ¶ 0034), as well as providing properties such as transparency to various wavelengths of light (Brillhart, ¶ 0027 & Lu, ¶ 0033).
Furthermore, it has been held that where the claimed ranges overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art, a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990). In the instant case, the claimed range overlaps the range disclosed by Brillhart.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN TURNER whose telephone number is (571)270-5411. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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/BRIAN TURNER/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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