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 .
Response to Election/Restrictions
1. Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-13 in the reply filed on 5/19/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
2. Claim 1, 6-8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (US 2022/0319818).
Re claim 1, Chen teaches, under BRI, Fig. 3, [0026, 0028, 0036, 0038], an apparatus, comprising:
-a semiconductor structure holding device (chamber 108) configured to hold a semiconductor structure (substrate 105); and
-a light projection device (laser emitter 202) configured to generate a certain pattern of light,
wherein the light projection device (202) is integrated with the semiconductor structure holding device (108) such that when the semiconductor structure holding device (108) is holding the semiconductor structure (105), the certain pattern of light generated by the light projection device (202) is projected onto the semiconductor structure holding device (108) and a corresponding certain pattern of heat is generated and transferred through the semiconductor structure holding device (108) (e.g., temperature detected & fed back by temperature sensors 117) and applied to the semiconductor structure (105).
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Re claim 6, Chen teaches wherein the light projection device (202) includes a plurality of light projection units (202) that are controlled to generate light independently (e.g., by controller 251, [0039]).
Re claim 7, Chen teaches, Fig. 3, [0036], wherein the light projection units (202) are arranged in a matrix.
Re claim 8, Chen teaches wherein at least one of the light projection units includes one or more laser devices (laser emitter 202).
Re claim 11, Chen teaches, [0038], wherein the at least one of the light projection units further includes a temperature sensor (117) that is configured to sense a temperature of the at least one of the light projection units.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
3. Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Albert et al. (US 2020/0135965).
The teachings of Chen have been discussed above.
Re claims 2 & 3, Chen does not teach wherein the semiconductor structure holding device is a gripper, wherein the gripper is a vacuum gripper.
Albert teaches a vacuum gripper (710) (Fig. 7, [0063]).
As taught by Albert, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize & modify the above teaching to obtain a vacuum gripper as claimed, because it aids in reducing deformation of a growth substrate.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Albert in combination Chen due to above reason.
4. Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Lafarre et al. (CN 104081285 A, English translation attached).
The teachings of Chen have been discussed above.
Re claims 4 & 5, Chen does not explicitly teach wherein the gripper includes aluminum nitride (AlN); wherein the gripper includes siliconized silicon carbide (SiSiC).
Lafarre teaches wherein the gripper (e.g., holder 100) includes aluminum nitride (AlN); wherein the gripper includes siliconized silicon carbide (SiSiC) [0083].
As taught by Lafarre, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize & modify the above teaching to obtain AlN & SiSic included in the gripper as claimed, because they are known in the art to provide better mechanical strength & high thermal conductivity and stability in manufacturing process.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Lafarre in combination Chen due to above reason.
5. Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Bergmann et al. (US 2021/0370088).
The teachings of Chen have been discussed above.
Re claims 9 & 10, Chen does not teach wherein at least one of the light projection units includes a digital light processor; wherein at least one of the light projection units includes an array of light pipes.
Bergmann teaches, [0126], “a light delivery structure 140 (e.g., a light pipe, a fiber, a diffuser, one or more lenses, a digital light processor, an index matching feature, etc.)”.
As taught by Bergman, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize & modify the above teaching to obtain a digital light processor & an array of light pipes included in the light projection units as claimed, because they aid in achieving project light patterns with minimal light loss.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Bergmann in combination Chen due to above reason.
6. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Yamamoto et al. (US 2011/0064880).
The teachings of Chen have been discussed above.
Re claim 12, Chen does not explicitly teach wherein the temperature sensor includes a thermistor.
Yamamoto teaches “a temperature sensor such as a thermistor” [0092].
As taught by Yamamoto, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize & modify the above teaching to obtain a thermistor as claimed, because it aids in allowing for precise and accurate temperature measurements.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Yamamoto in combination Chen due to above reason.
7. Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Raring et al. (US 2020/0232611).
The teachings of Chen have been discussed above.
Re claim 13, Chen does not teach wherein the light projection device further includes a heat sink that is thermally coupled to the light projection unit.
Raring teaches, Fig. 28, [0346], the light projection device further includes a heat sink (2810) that is thermally coupled to the light projection unit (2802).
As taught by Raring, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize & modify the above teaching to obtain a heatsink coupled to the light projection units as claimed, because it aids in reducing heat and improving performance of the light device.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Raring in combination Chen due to above reason.
8. Claims 1-3, 6-8 and 11 are, alternatively, rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (KR 20070000612 A, English translation attached) in view of Chen et al. (US 2022/0319818).
Re claim 1, Kim teaches, under BRI, Fig. 2, abstract, page 4, an apparatus, comprising:
-a semiconductor structure holding device (indicated) configured to hold a semiconductor structure (substrate W); and
-a light projection device (110, 120, 130) configured to generate a certain pattern of light,
wherein the light projection device (110, 120, 130) is integrated with the semiconductor structure holding device (indicated) such that when the semiconductor structure holding device is holding the semiconductor structure (W), the certain pattern of light generated by the light projection device (110, 120, 130) is projected onto the semiconductor structure holding device (indicated).
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Kim does not explicitly teach a corresponding certain pattern of heat is generated and transferred through the semiconductor structure holding device and applied to the semiconductor structure.
Chen teaches, Fig. 3, [0028, 0038], a corresponding certain pattern of heat is generated and transferred through the semiconductor structure holding device and applied to the semiconductor structure (e.g. temperature detected/monitored and fed back by temperature sensor 117).
As taught by Chen, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize & modify the above teaching into Kim to obtain a corresponding certain pattern of heat is generated and transferred through the semiconductor structure holding device and applied to the semiconductor structure as claimed, because it aids in achieving improved pattern density & improving a control of temperature of the working substrate.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Chen in combination Kim due to above reason.
Re claims 2 & 3, Kim teaches wherein the semiconductor structure holding device is a gripper; wherein the gripper is a vacuum gripper (188) (page 6, 9th par.).
Re claim 6, in combination cited above, Chen teaches wherein the light projection device (202) includes a plurality of light projection units (202) that are controlled to generate light independently (e.g., by controller 251, [0039]).
Re claim 7, in combination cited above, Chen teaches, Fig. 3, [0036], wherein the light projection units (202) are arranged in a matrix.
Re claim 8, Kim teaches wherein at least one of the light projection units includes one or more laser devices (e.g., KrF laser) (page 4, 5th par.).
Re claim 11, in combination cited above, Chen teaches, [0038], wherein the at least one of the light projection units further includes a temperature sensor (117) that is configured to sense a temperature of the at least one of the light projection units.
Conclusion
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUY T.V. NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7431. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7AM-4PM, alternative Friday off.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, EVA MONTALVO can be reached at (571) 270-3829. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DUY T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818 5/29/26
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