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
Applicant’s election without traverse of invention I in the reply filed on 6/8/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 6 and 13-16 are withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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 1-5, 7-12, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2005/0264148 A1 [Maldonado].
Regarding Claim 1:
Maldonado teaches an electron gun comprising:
a light source (Fig. 1 (24));
a photocathode configured to generate releasable electrons in response to receiving light from the light source (Fig. 1 (36), para 34);
an anode configured to generate an electric field between the photocathode and the anode, extract the releasable electrons by the generated electric field, and form an electron beam (Fig. 1 (96), para 49); and
a control unit (Fig. 1 (56, 64)),
wherein the control unit
sets the number of emission times of the electron beam and sets an electron beam parameter for each emitting electron beam (paras 76-80, 96), or
sets an emission duration of the electron beam and sets an electron beam parameter of an emitting electron beam in association with the emission duration (paras 76-80, 96).
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Regarding Claim 2:
Maldonado teaches the electron gun according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit sets the number of emission times of the electron beam and sets an electron beam parameter for each emitting electron beam (paras 76, 96), and
wherein the electron beam parameter includes at least one selected from an intensity of an electron beam, a level of acceleration energy of an electron beam, a size of an electron beam, a shape of an electron beam, an emission duration of an electron beam, and an emittance of an electron beam (paras 76-80, 96).
Regarding Claim 3:
Maldonado teaches the electron gun according to claim 2,
wherein the number of emission times is two or greater (para 76), and
wherein the control unit performs control such that at least one electron beam parameter differs from one selected from the remaining electron beam parameters when emitting an electron beam the set number of times (para 76-80, 96).
Regarding Claim 4:
Maldonado teaches the electron gun according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit sets an emission duration of the electron beam and sets an electron beam parameter of an emitting electron beam in association with the emission duration (para 96), and
wherein the electron beam parameter includes at least one selected from an intensity of an electron beam, a level of acceleration energy of an electron beam, a size of an electron beam, a shape of an electron beam, and an emittance of an electron beam (paras 76-80, 96).
Regarding Claim 5:
Maldonado teaches the electron gun according to claim 4,
wherein the control unit performs control such that the duration includes durations to emit the electron beams with the different parameters when emitting electron beams in the set emission duration (paras 76-80, 96).
Regarding Claim 7:
Maldonado teaches the electron beam applicator including the electron gun according to claim 1, wherein the electron beam applicator is:
a free electron laser accelerator,
an electron microscope,
an electron holography device,
an electron beam drawing device,
an electron diffractometer,
an electron beam inspection device,
an electron beam metal additive manufacturing device,
an electron beam lithography device,
an electron beam processing device,
an electron beam curing device,
an electron beam sterilization device,
an electron beam disinfection device,
a plasma generation device,
an atomic element generation device,
a spin-polarized electron beam generation device,
a cathodoluminescence device, or
an inverse photoemission spectroscopy device. See Para 33.
Regarding Claim 8:
Maldonado teaches an emission method of an electron beam,
wherein the electron beam is emitted from an electron gun including
a light source (Fig. 1 (24)),
a photocathode configured to generate releasable electrons in response to receiving light from the light source (Fig. 1 (36), para 34),
an anode configured to generate an electric field between the photocathode and the anode, extract the releasable electrons by the generated electric field, and form an electron beam (Fig. 1 (96), para 49), and
a control unit (Fig. 1 (56, 64)), and
wherein the control unit is configured to
set the number of emission times of the electron beam and set an electron beam parameter for each emitting electron beam (paras 76-80, 96), or
set an emission duration of the electron beam and set an electron beam parameter of an emitting electron beam in association with the emission duration (paras 76-80, 96),
the emission method comprising:
an electron beam emission step of forming an electron beam by irradiating the photocathode with excitation light from the light source and extracting releasable electrons generated by the photocathode in response to receiving the excitation light by using an electric field generated between the photocathode and the anode (as shown in Fig. 1),
wherein control unit performs control in the electron beam emission step such that an emitting electron beam has the set electron beam parameter (paras 76-80, 96).
Regarding Claim 9:
Maldonado teaches the emission method according to claim 8,
wherein the control unit is configured to set the number of emission times of the electron beam and set an electron beam parameter for each emitting electron beam (paras 76, 96), and
wherein the electron beam parameter includes at least one selected from an intensity of an electron beam, a level of acceleration energy of an electron beam, a size of an electron beam, a shape of an electron beam, an emission duration of an electron beam, and an emittance of an electron beam (paras 76-80, 96).
Regarding Claim 10:
Maldonado teaches the emission method according to claim 9,
wherein the number of emission times is two or greater (para 76), and
wherein the control unit performs control such that at least one electron beam parameter differs from one selected from the remaining electron beam parameters when emitting an electron beam the set number of times (para 76-80, 96).
Regarding Claim 11:
Maldonado teaches the emission method according to claim 8,
wherein the control unit is configured to set an emission duration of the electron beam and set an electron beam parameter of an emitting electron beam in association with the emission duration (para 96), and
wherein the electron beam parameter includes at least one selected from an intensity of an electron beam, a level of acceleration energy of an electron beam, a size of an electron beam, a shape of an electron beam, and an emittance of an electron beam (paras 76-80, 96).
Regarding Claim 12:
Maldonado teaches the emission method according to claim 11, wherein the control unit performs control such that the duration includes durations to emit electron beams with different parameters when emitting electron beams in the set emission duration (paras 76-80, 96).
Regarding Claims 17-20:
Maldonado teaches an electron beam applicator including the electron gun according to claims 2-5, wherein the electron beam applicator is:
a free electron laser accelerator,
an electron microscope,
an electron holography device,
an electron beam drawing device,
an electron diffractometer,
an electron beam inspection device,
an electron beam metal additive manufacturing device,
an electron beam lithography device,
an electron beam processing device,
an electron beam curing device,
an electron beam sterilization device,
an electron beam disinfection device,
a plasma generation device,
an atomic element generation device,
a spin-polarized electron beam generation device,
a cathodoluminescence device, or
an inverse photoemission spectroscopy device. See Para 33.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2021/0134551 A1 appears to anticipate at least claims 1 and 8.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WYATT A STOFFA whose telephone number is (571)270-1782. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 0700-1600 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ROBERT KIM can be reached at 571 272 2293. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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WYATT STOFFA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2881
/WYATT A STOFFA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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