OPTICAL DEVICE, METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A SETPOINT DEFORMATION AND LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEM

Application No. 18/512,872

• Filed: Nov 17, 2023
• Priority: May 27, 2021 — DE 10 2021 205 425.0
  • May 20, 2022 — continuation of PCTEP2022063791
• Examiner: CHAMPION, RICHARD DAVID
• Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
• OA Round: 1 (Non-Final)

Office 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 .

Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
1. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
2. 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:
3. 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.

4. Claims 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Apparatus and method for monitoring fatigue and debonding of composite structures, Research Disclosure, vol. 662, no. 20, 1 June 2019, page 560, hereinafter Research Disclosure.
5. Regarding Claims 16-27, Research Disclosure teaches (pg. 2, Fig. 1) an apparatus. Research Disclosure teaches (pg. 2, Fig. 1) a radiation source. Research Disclosure teaches (pg. 2, Fig. 1) an optical unit comprising the optical apparatus. Research Disclosure teaches (pg. 2, Fig. 1) the apparatus is a semiconductor lithography projection exposure apparatus.

Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 1-15 and 17-27 are allowed. The prior art fails to teach the claim limitation of the strain gauge device comprising an optical fiber configured to maintain polarization.

Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to RICHARD D CHAMPION at telephone number [phone]. The examiner can normally be reached on 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon-Fri EST.
8. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KEITH D HENDRICKS can be reached at [phone]. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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10. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.

/Keith D. Hendricks/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1733

/R.D.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1737

Prosecution Timeline

• Nov 17, 2023: Application Filed
• Jul 01, 2026: Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)