DETAILED ACTION
In Reply filed on 04/20/2026, claims 1-21 are pending. Claims 18-21 are withdrawn based on restriction. Claims 1 and 4 are currently amended. Claims 1-17 are considered in the current 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 .
Status of Previous Objections/Rejections
Previous objection to drawings are withdrawn based on the Applicant’s amendment.
Previous rejections are withdrawn based on the Applicant’s amendment. However, new rejections have been established.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Interpretation
The Applicant is reminded that apparatus claims are not limited by the function they perform, as per MPEP §2114. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, claims directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function. As the apparatus of the prior art and the claimed apparatus are patentably indistinguishable in terms of structure, the apparatus of the prior art is reasonably expected to be able to perform the claimed functionalities. Furthermore, Applicant is reminded that apparatus claims are not limited by the material worked upon as per MPEP §2115)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-6, 9, 11-12, 14, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR2010/0022817 (“Choi et al” hereinafter Choi), machine translation provided, in view of KR 20090002828 (“Kwon et al” hereinafter Kwon), machine translation provided.
Regarding Claim 1, Choi teaches an imprinting device (Figure 1, fine pattern forming apparatus 100) comprising:
a stamp holder (Figure 1, stamp elevating part 160) configured such that a stamp is mounted thereon (Figure 1 and page 3, lines 15-17, the stamp elevating portion 160 elevates the stamp 20 and adjusts the distance of the stamp 20 relative to the substrate 10 supported on the stage 140);
a substrate holder (Figure 1, substrate chuck 141) arranged in a first direction with respect to the stamp holder (Figure 1) and configured such that a substrate is mounted thereon (Figure 1 and page 3, lines 38-39, substrate chuck 141 for attaching the substrate 10 thereto);
an ultraviolet emitter (Figure 1, ultraviolet module 181) configured to emit ultraviolet rays toward the substrate mounted on the substrate holder (page 4, lines 49-54); and
a pressing module (Figure 1, stamp pressing portion 170) configured to move at least one of the stamp holder such that the substrate holder and the stamp mounted on the stamp holder come into contact with each other (page 4, lines 10-15),
PNG
media_image1.png
704
831
media_image1.png
Greyscale
wherein the imprinting device is configured to allow the stamp to be mounted on the stamp holder in a state in which the substrate holder and the stamp holder are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance or more (Figure 1, stamp 20 mounted upon stamp elevating part 160 and substrate 10 mounted upon substrate chuck 141 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance).
Choi fails to teach wherein the stamp defines at least a portion of a chamber space that is disposed in a direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the stamp holder, and configured to be deformed in a direction in which the chamber space expands so as to come into contact with a surface of the substrate.
However, Kwon teaches wherein the stamp (Figure 4, stamp 10) defines at least a portion of a chamber space (Figure 4, pressurized space 102) that is disposed in a direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the stamp holder (Figure 4, support 101, page 4, para.11, the first chamber 100 is provided with a support 101 for supporting the outer circumferential portion of the stamp 10 to fix the stamp 10), and configured to be deformed (Figures 3-4, page 4, para. 11, the space is provided to free the deformation of the seam stamp) in a direction in which the chamber space expands so as to come into contact with a surface of the substrate (Figures 3-4, page 4, para. 3, the deforming of the stamp may be performed by pressing an upper surface of the central portion of the stamp in a direction in which the stamp is bonded to the substrate. The stamp 10 is deformed and the pressurized space 102 expanded as the stamp 10 comes into contact with the surface of the substrate 20).
Choi and Kwon are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of pattern forming device with stamp and controlling the distance between the stamp and the substrate. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus as taught by Choi such that it disclosed all of the above mentioned limitations as taught by Kwon to prevent air bubbles flowing between the stamp and the substrate (page 2, para. 6).
Regarding Claim 2, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 1, further comprising:
a support (Choi, Figure 1, substrate lift 130) disposed in the first direction with respect to the substrate holder (Figure 1), the support being configured to be brought into contact with and spaced apart from the substrate mounted on the substrate holder and configured to be capable of supporting the substrate mounted on the substrate holder to prevent the substrate from being separated (page 2, lines 43-49 and page 3, lines 38-39),
wherein the imprinting device is configured to allow the substrate to be mounted on the substrate holder in a state in which the support and the substrate holder are spaced apart from each other (Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 3, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 2, wherein the pressing module, the stamp holder, the substrate holder, and the support are sequentially arranged in the first direction (Choi, see annotated Figure 1),
wherein the pressing module is configured to be brought into contact with and spaced apart from the stamp holder (Figure 1) and configured to press the stamp holder in the first direction (page 4, lines 10-15), and
wherein the pressing module presses the stamp holder in the first direction to move the stamp holder in the first direction (page 4, lines 10-15) so that the stamp mounted on the stamp holder comes into contact with the substrate holder and the substrate holder moves in the first direction to come into contact with the support (Figure 7 and page 4, lines 10-18).
Regarding Claim 4, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 1, wherein the pressing module is configured to be brought into contact with and spaced apart from the stamp holder and configured to press the stamp holder in the first direction (Choi, Figure 7 and page 4, lines 10-18), and
wherein, in a contact state in which the pressing module, the stamp holder, the stamp mounted on the stamp holder, and the substrate holder are in contact with one another (Figure 7), the stamp, the stamp holder, and the pressing module are configured to be in close contact with one another to form the chamber space (Figure 7, processing space 115 and page 4, lines 2-11).
Regarding Claim 5, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 4, further comprising: a pipe (Choi, Figure 7, exhaust pipe 121) configured to guide fluid introduced into the chamber space (page 2, lines 37-40, exhaust pipe 121 which communicates with the process space 115 through the upper chamber 111 and the lower chamber 113 and thus capable of guiding fluid into the space. Limitations directed toward the capabilities or intended uses of the apparatus are given patentable weight to the extent which effects the structure of the apparatus. MPEP 2114).
Regarding Claim 6, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 4, wherein the pressing module comprises a chamber cover (Choi, Figure 1, upper chamber 111) configured to be in contact with the stamp holder in the contact state (Figure 1, upper chamber 111 in contact with the stamp pressing portion 170), and wherein the chamber space is surrounded by the stamp, the stamp holder, and the chamber cover (Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 9, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet emitter is disposed in the first direction with respect to the substrate holder (Choi, Figure 1) so that the ultraviolet rays penetrate the substrate and irradiate contact surfaces between the substrate and the stamp (page 4, lines 49-54).
Regarding Claim 11, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet emitter is disposed in a second direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the stamp holder so that the ultraviolet rays penetrate the stamp and irradiate contact surface between the substrate and the stamp (Choi, Figure 1 and page 4, lines 49-54).
Regarding Claim 12, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 11, wherein the pressing module is disposed in the second direction with respect to the stamp holder (Choi, Figure 1, stamp pressing portion is disposed in the second direction with respect to the stamp elevating portion), and wherein the ultraviolet emitter is disposed in the pressing module (Figure 1, UV emitter is disposed in the stamp pressing portion).
Regarding Claim 14, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 1, wherein at least one of the stamp holder is configured to rotate or move in a direction transverse to the first direction (Choi, page 4, lines 35-36).
Regarding Claim 17, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 1, wherein the stamp holder has a protrusion (Choi, Figure 1, stamp guide 163) protruding in a direction facing the stamp mounted on the stamp holder (Figure 1 and page 3, line 60-page 4, line 2).
Claim(s) 7-8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR2010/0022817 (“Choi et al” hereinafter Choi), machine translation provided, in view of KR 20090002828 (“Kwon et al” hereinafter Kwon), machine translation provided, as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of KR20090071031 (“Kim et al” hereinafter Kim), machine translation provided.
Regarding Claim 7, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 6, Choi discloses a vacuum processing space 115 (Figure 7 and page 4, lines 5-7) but fails to teach a sealer located at least one of between the stamp and the stamp holder or between the stamp holder and the chamber cover to prevent fluid in the chamber space from leaking.
However, Kim discloses a sealer (Figure 4, sealing member 113) located at least one of between the stamp holder and the chamber cover to prevent fluid in the chamber space from leaking (Figure 4 and page 2, lines 24-26).
Choi and Kim are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of imprinting method using stamp and UV emitter to cure the imprintable material. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus as taught by the modified Choi such that it disclosed all of the above mentioned limitations as taught by Kim to form a vacuum chamber to obtain a uniform imprint pressure and to simplify the structure (page 1, lines 18-19).
Regarding Claim 8, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 6, but fails to teach wherein at least one of the stamp holder or the chamber cover comprises an elastic portion formed of an elastic material to prevent fluid in the chamber space from leaking.
However, Kim teaches at least one of the stamp holder comprises an elastic portion (Figure 4, elastic member 130 and page 2, lines 16-17) formed of an elastic material (page 2, lines 26-37) to prevent fluid in the chamber space from leaking (page 2, lines 28-29).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus as taught by the modified Choi such that it disclosed all of the above mentioned limitations as taught by Kim to form an airtight chamber (page 2, lines 28-29).
Regarding Claim 10, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 9, further comprising:
a support (Choi, Figure 1, substrate lift 130) disposed in the first direction with respect to the substrate holder (Figure 1) and configured to be capable of supporting the substrate holder to prevent the substrate holder from being separated (page 2, lines 43-49 and page 3, lines 38-39), but fails to teach wherein the ultraviolet emitter is disposed in the support.
However, Kim teaches wherein the ultraviolet emitter is disposed in the support (Figure 3, curing unit 170 comprises light source 172 disposed in the lower chamber and page 2, lines 51-53).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus as taught by the modified Choi such that it disclosed all of the above mentioned limitations as taught by Kim to cured the resin with a predetermined pattern and contain the vacuum chamber (page 2, lines 51-53). Furthermore, it have been held that a mere rearrangement of element without modification of the operation of the device involves only routine skill in the art. One would have been motivated to rearrange the position of the ultraviolet emitter for the purpose of curing the resin with a predetermined pattern without breaking the airtight chamber. See MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR2010/0022817 (“Choi et al” hereinafter Choi), machine translation provided, in view of KR 20090002828 (“Kwon et al” hereinafter Kwon), machine translation provided, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US2018/0318833 (“Barcelo et al” hereinafter Barcelo).
Regarding Claim 13, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 1, Choi fails to teach wherein the ultraviolet emitter comprises: a first ultraviolet emitter disposed in the first direction with respect to the substrate holder so that the ultraviolet rays penetrate the substrate and irradiate contact surfaces between the substrate and the stamp; and a second ultraviolet emitter disposed in a second direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the stamp holder so that the ultraviolet rays penetrate the stamp and irradiate the contact surfaces between the substrate and the stamp.
PNG
media_image2.png
487
582
media_image2.png
Greyscale
However, Barcelo teaches the ultraviolet emitter (Figure 2) comprises: a first ultraviolet emitter disposed in the first direction with respect to the substrate holder (See annotated Figure 2) so that the ultraviolet rays penetrate the substrate and irradiate contact surfaces between the substrate and the stamp (Figure 2 and [0024], one and/or the other of the substrate 100 and the imprint stamp 104 can be formed of fused silica in order to remain transparent to enable ultra-violet (UV) curing of an imprintable polymer material 108 deposited in the microfluidic channel 102); and a second ultraviolet emitter disposed in a second direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the stamp holder (see annotated Figure 2) so that the ultraviolet rays penetrate the stamp and irradiate the contact surfaces between the substrate and the stamp (Figure 2 and [0024], one and/or the other of the substrate 100 and the imprint stamp 104 can be formed of fused silica in order to remain transparent to enable ultra-violet (UV) curing of an imprintable polymer material 108 deposited in the microfluidic channel 102).
Choi and Barcelo are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of imprinting method using stamp and UV emitter to cure the imprintable material. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus as taught by the modified Choi such that it disclosed all of the above mentioned limitations as taught by Barcelo to enable UV light come through either the substrate or the imprint stamp to cure the imprintable polymer material ([0024]) to increase efficiency of the curing process.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR2010/0022817 (“Choi et al” hereinafter Choi), machine translation provided, in view of KR 20090002828 (“Kwon et al” hereinafter Kwon), machine translation provided, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US2009/0123590 (“Komoriya et al” hereinafter Komoriya).
Regarding Claim 15, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 1, but fails to teach an optical path guide configured to guide a movement of ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet emitter.
However, Komoriya teaches an optical path guide configured to guide a movement of ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet emitter (Figure 6, exposure unit 31 comprises an UV irradiating plate (e.g., sapphire plate) 33 , an irradiating lens 35 , and an UV lightguide means (e.g., optical fiber) 37; thus, the UV lightguide means such as optical fiber guide the movement of the UV rays [0041]).
Choi and Komoriya are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of imprinting method using stamp and UV emitter to cure the imprintable material. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus as taught by the modified Choi such that it disclosed all of the above mentioned limitations as taught by Komoriya to guide the UV ray to the desired location ([0042]).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR2010/0022817 (“Choi et al” hereinafter Choi), machine translation provided, in view of KR 20090002828 (“Kwon et al” hereinafter Kwon), machine translation provided and US2009/0123590 (“Komoriya et al” hereinafter Komoriya) as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of US2018/0318833 (“Barcelo et al” hereinafter Barcelo).
Regarding Claim 16, the modified Choi teaches the imprinting device of Claim 15, wherein the ultraviolet emitter and the optical path guide are disposed in the pressing module (Komoriya, Figure 6 and [0042], exposure unit 31 is located on the stamper holding jig 29 that functioned to press the stamp toward the substate [0056]); but fails to teach wherein the imprinting device further comprises a light source located separately outside the pressing module and configured to generate the ultraviolet rays moving along the optical path guide.
However, Barcelo teaches the imprinting device further comprises a light source located separately outside the pressing module (See annotated Figure 2; a plurality of light source are present and at least one of the light source is located outside of the pressing module) and configured to generate the ultraviolet rays moving along the optical path guide ([0024]).
Choi and Barcelo are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of imprinting method using stamp and UV emitter to cure the imprintable material. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the apparatus as taught by the modified Choi such that it disclosed all of the above mentioned limitations as taught by Barcelo to enable multiple light sources to simultaneously cure the materials to increase efficiency of the curing process.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XINWEN (Cindy) YE whose telephone number is (571)272-3010. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8:30 - 17:00.
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.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Susan Leong can be reached at (571) 270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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.
XINWEN (CINDY) YE
Examiner
Art Unit 1754
/SUSAN D LEONG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754
Prosecution Insights