DETAILED ACTION
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
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, and 9-17, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U. S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0129300 (hereinafter referred to as Ono).
Ono, in the abstract, and in [0012]-[0013], discloses a pellicle that includes a support frame with an opening and a pellicle film that is extended over the opening of the support frame and attached (in surface contact with the frame surface) to the support frame (pellicle film supported by the support frame), and Ono, in [0091], discloses that the pellicle film is a self-standing film (self-supporting film) that has an exposing region (portions not supported or masked by the frame) and center regions and peripheral regions. Ono, in [0092], and in [0115]-[0116], discloses that the support frame is not limited to a particular and as illustrated in figures 11A and 11D, the support frame can be rectangular or square wherein the rectangular support frame has a pair of longer side regions that are parallel to each other and a pair of shorter side regions that are parallel to each other and the square support frame has a pair of first side portions that are parallel to each other and a pair of second side portions that are parallel to each other and thereby the pellicle film extended over the rectangular frame has the corresponding pair of longer side regions that are parallel to each other and pair of shorter side regions for a rectangular frame, and the pellicle film that is extended over a square frame has the corresponding pair of first side portions that are parallel to each other and second side portions that are parallel to each other. Ono, in figure 4, [0097], [0130], and [0140] discloses that the thickness direction (increase in thickness) is toward the peripheral region along the border wherein the thickness appears to be higher along the length of the pair of first side portions or the pair of longer side regions and appear to extend towards the center portions/regions and at least include 5% of the length, is the same thickness variation recited in (i) and (ii) such that the border portions of the pellicle film are thicker than the center exposing regions of the pellicle film (claims 1-3, 6). Ono, in [0120]-[0122], discloses that the carbon nanotubes that constitutes the pellicle film has a diameter as high as 100nm and varies to a diameter as low as 20nm or less i.e., the nanotube bundles that are arranged in the planar direction ([0014]) which is perpendicular to the thickness direction wherein the thickness vary from 20nm to 100nm i.e., thicker in the border regions (peripheral regions) and thinner in the stacked exposing regions (towards the center regions) i.e., the thickness of the pellicle film in the thicker portions is at least 1.5 times the film thickness of the exposing regions (thinner stacked regions of 20nm bundles in the center exposing regions) (claims 4-5). Ono, in [0029], discloses and exposure pattern plate (exposure original plate) that has the pellicle attached to the pattern plate (claim 9). Ono, in [0215]-[0216], discloses an exposure device that includes a light source that releases (emits) EUV light, an exposure pattern plate that has a pellicle attached (mounted) on the surface of the exposure pattern plate, an illumination optical system that guides the EUV light from the light source to the exposure pattern plate, and the exposure pattern plate is positioned such that the EUV light from the light source transmits (penetrates) through the pellicle film and irradiates the exposure pattern plate with the EUV light (claims 10-11). Ono, in [0110], [0114]-[0116], and [0118], discloses a method of making the support frame, and the forming of the pellicle film and the assembling of the pellicle film by connecting the pellicle film to the support frame (claim 12). Ono, in [0102], and [0109]-[0110], discloses that the pellicle film comprises carbon nanotubes and the film portion of the pellicle film is formed by spray coating the carbon nanotube dispersion wherein film portion includes the thicken film portion. Ono, in [0120], discloses that the pellicle film is a carbon nanotube sheet and Ono, in [0190], discloses that the pellicle film can be two or more layers i.e., the two or more layers of carbon nanotube sheets (layered) can constitute the pellicle film which would inherently include preparing the first and second sheets/layers of the carbon nanotubes as disclosed by Ono, in [0109]-[0110], and mounting the pellicle film that comprise the first and second layers of carbon nanotubes, on the support frame as disclosed by Ono, in [0118], (claims 13-16). Ono, in [0215]-[0217], and [0220]-[0221], [0230]-[0232], discloses the process of making a semiconductor device that includes guiding the EUV light from the light source to transmit through the pellicle film and irradiate the exposure pattern plate with the transmitted EUV light resulting in the exposure pattern plate reflecting the EUV light (exposure light), the reflected EUV light is transmitted through the pellicle film and irradiates the sensitive substrate with the transmitted EUV light resulting in exposure of the sensitive substrate with the shape of a pattern (claim 17).
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.
Claim(s) 7-8, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U. S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0129300 (hereinafter referred to as Ono) in view of U. S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0144641 (hereinafter referred to as Lima).
Ono is discussed in paragraph no. 3, above.
Ono, in [0118], and [0190], discloses that the pellicle film can be two or more layers i.e., the two or more layers of carbon nanotube sheets (layered) can constitute the pellicle film which would inherently include layering of the first and second sheets/layers of the carbon nanotubes mounting the pellicle film that comprise the first and second layers of carbon nanotubes, on the support frame. Ono, in figure 4, [0097], [0105], [0130], and [0140] discloses that the thickness direction (increase in thickness) is toward the peripheral region along the border (perpendicular to the planar direction) wherein the thickness appears to be higher and in the planar region (including the center) the bundles of carbon nanotubes (first and/or second layer that includes first/second carbon nanotube sheet) are thinner. Ono, in [0120]-[0122], discloses that the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that constitutes the pellicle film (first and second layer of CNTs) have a diameter as high as 100nm and varies to a diameter as low as 20nm or less i.e., the nanotube bundles that are arranged in the planar direction ([0014]) which is perpendicular to the thickness direction, the thickness vary from 20nm to 100nm i.e., thicker in the border regions and thinner in the stacked exposing regions (towards the center regions) i.e., the thickness of the pellicle film in the thicker portions is at least 1.5 times the film thickness of the exposing regions (thinner stacked of 20nm bundles in the center exposing regions) (claims 7-8).
The difference between the claims and Ono is that Ono does not disclose a no film region in the exposing region.
Lima, in the abstract, [0025], [0038]-[0039], [0059], and in figure 5, discloses carbon nanotube layers (first and second layers of carbon nanotubes/nanofiber sheets) use as pellicle, and the layered films result in a non-uniform film (varying in thickness) and illustrates in figure 5 in the pellicle exposing region , and no film portion in the region that corresponds to exposure region (center area away from the peripheral regions).
Therefore, it would be obvious to a skilled artisan to modify Ono by including the gap regions in the CNT layer formed in the pellicle as taught by Lima because Ono teaches the random arrangement of carbon nanotubes and Lima illustrates that the random arrangement of the carbon nanotubes results in an area without film portion in the exposing region of the pellicle, and Lima, in [0025], [0059], discloses that the random orientation of the carbon nanofibers enables improved heat transmission between the nanofibers (nanotubes) and at the same time decrease the median gaps between adjacent nanotubes.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daborah Chacko-Davis whose telephone number is (571) 272-1380. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:30AM-6:00PM EST Mon-Fri. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sally A. Merkling can be reached on (571) 272-6297. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-272-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DABORAH CHACKO-DAVIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737 June 24, 2026.
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