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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/1/223, 3/19/2025, 3/25/2025, 6/2/2025, 7/30/2025, and 10/7/2025 have been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Interpretation
Claim 1 recites, "providing a solid body that consists of a chemical compound, the chemical compound comprising a combination of elements from the 3rd, 4th and 5th main group and subgroup 12 of the Periodic Table of the Elements." The recited groups and subgroup are interpreted as follows:
the 3rd main group is interpreted as consisting of the elements B, Al, Ga, In, Tl, and Nh;
the 4th main group is interpreted as consisting of the elements C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, and Fl;
the 5th main group is interpreted as consisting of the elements N, P, As, Sb, Bi, and Mc; and
subgroup 12 is interpreted as consisting of the elements Zn, Cd, Hg, and Cn.
Claim 1 recites, “wherein the crystal lattice, as a result of the modifications, fissures in a subcritical manner,” and also recites, “the subcritical fissures.” The term “subcritical” is interpreted as described in Applicant’s filed specification at paragraph [0015], which states, “[s]ubcritical means here that the fissure propagation comes to rest or stops before the fissure splits the solid into at least two parts.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 – 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites, "providing a solid body that consists of a chemical compound, the chemical compound comprising a combination of elements from the 3rd, 4th and 5th main group and subgroup 12 of the Periodic Table of the Elements." It is unclear whether the combination of elements must include (A) an element from the 3rd main group, and an element from the 4th main group, and an element from the 5th main group, and an element from subgroup 12, or (B) an element from the 3rd main group or the 4th main group or the 5th main group, and an element from subgroup 12. Examiner is interpreting as described in (B). Claims 2 – 10 are rejected by virtue of their dependence on claim 1.
Claims 7, 9, and 10 are rejected as being indefinite for the following reason: claim 1 recites, "providing a solid body that consists of a chemical compound ...." The phrase "consists of" is interpreted as excluding any element not specified in the claim. MPEP 2111.03-II. However, claims 7, 9, and 10 recite, "wherein the solid body comprises ...." The term "comprises" is interpreted as being open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements. MPEP 2111.03-I. Therefore, use of the term "comprises" in claims 7, 9, and 10, which indicates that the solid body can include additional elements beyond those recited in the respective claims, contradicts the interpretation that the solid body as recited in claim 1 excludes any not specified in the claim.
Applicant may wish to instead recite the following in claims 7, 9, and 10, respectively, if these are the intended meanings:
Claim 7: The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical compound is silicon carbide.
Claim 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the conversion of matter comprises a breakdown of the chemical compound into several or all of its individual constituents and/or elements.
Claim 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wherein the chemical compound is silicon carbide, and wherein the conversion of matter results in Si (silicon) and DLC (diamond-like carbon) phases.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 – 10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. The prior art of record does not teach, disclose, or suggest the method of claim 1, which requires:
providing a solid body that consists of a chemical compound, the chemical compound comprising a combination of elements from the 3rd, 4th and 5th main group and subgroup 12 of the Periodic Table of the Elements;
providing a laser light source; and
exposing the solid body to laser beams from the laser light source,
wherein the laser beams penetrate into the solid body via a main surface of the solid body,
wherein the laser beams are applied in a defined manner on a predefined portion of the solid body within the solid body to form a detachment region,
wherein the application of the laser beams successively creates multiple modifications in a crystal lattice of the solid body;
wherein the crystal lattice, as a result of the modifications, fissures in a subcritical manner at least in a portion in each case in regions that surround the modifications, wherein the subcritical fissures propagate mainly in a plane which is parallel or in a defined alignment and essentially parallel with respect to the main surface,
wherein the subcritical fissures in the region of the modifications define the detachment region or multiple partial detachment regions,
wherein the subcritical fissures join to form a main fissure, and
wherein the main fissure separates a solid layer from the solid body.
Kunishi et al. (US 2013/0312460) is directed to a manufacturing method of a single crystal substrate and with an internal modified layer. Kunishi discloses applying laser energy (Fig. 3, laser beams B) to a single crystal substrate, (Fig. 1, single crystal member 11), such as SiC [0101], which is a chemical compound comprising a combination of elements from the 3rd, 4th and 5th main group and subgroup 12 of the Periodic Table of the Elements as interpreted above. The laser beam B creates multiple modifications, resulting in “modified layer 12” comprising subcritical fissures / “cracks 12c” [0040]. However, Kunishi does not disclose wherein the subcritical fissures propagate mainly in a plane which is parallel or in a defined alignment and essentially parallel with respect to the main surface, wherein the subcritical fissures join to form a main fissure, and wherein the main fissure separates a solid layer from the solid body.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIZABETH KERR whose telephone number is (571)272-3073. The examiner can normally be reached M - F, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM.
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/ELIZABETH M KERR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761