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 Group I, claims 1-9, in the reply filed on 06/02/2026 is acknowledged.
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the response filed on 06/02/2026. Claims 10-20 are canceled. Claims 21-31 are new. Claims 1-9 and 21-31 are currently pending and have been examined.
Claim Interpretation
Note: Whenever the claims indicated inclusive (and) or alternative (or) limitations, only the alternative limitations were examined unless stated different in the rejection. Similarly, whenever the claims indicated optional limitations (e.g. “optionally"), the claim limitations were considered to be a preference and not a requirement unless stated different in the claim rejection.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3-9, 21-25 and 27-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Orilall et al (US PGPUB No. 2016/0107288), hereinafter referred to as Orilall.
Regarding claim 1 (Original), Orilall discloses a polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor wafer [Orilall, fig 2, 18 polishes 14], the polishing pad comprising:
first grains formed from a first material with a first thermal conductivity [Orilall, page 3, pp 0037-0038, page 4, pp 0045, and page 5, pp 0050-0051, teaching that the polishing pad 18 is formed using additives from 57 that are thermally conductive, where the additives and the regions are interpreted to be grains]; and
second grains formed from a second material with a second thermal conductivity less than the first thermal conductivity [Orilall, see fig 3 and page 3, pp’s 0037-0039 and page 4, pp’s 0044, during the 3D additive forming of layers 50, droplets 52A and 52B are deposited and form the material of the pad 18 and that the additives may be formed within regions of the polishing pad 18, such that there are other regions that do not contain as many additives and that there are second material(s) that are not as thermally conductive as the additive(s) that are considered part of the first grains];
wherein the first grains and second grains are arranged to form a polishing surface of the polishing pad to provide the polishing surface with a desired heat dissipation pattern [Orilall, page 2, pp 0025, page 3, pp 0038, and page 4, pp 0045, the additives may be arranged in different zones in such a relationship as radial, azimuthal, polar, grid, or other spatial relationship and the additives may be printed as desired, such that because there are additives, there are more thermally conductive area(s) or region(s) within the polishing pad 18, further page 4, pp 0042 teaches the 3d additive manufacturing using a 3D plan of the pad and a computer to implement the plan].
Regarding claim 3 (Original), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 1, wherein at the polishing surface the grains have a surface shape selected from circle, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, and hexagon [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038, may be formed in different concentration such as radial, or grid spatial relationship, such that the grains may form either a circle or a square shape at the surface].
Regarding claim 4 (Original), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 1, wherein the polishing surface has a circular periphery centered on an axis, and wherein the polishing surface is formed with radially-arranged regions having different desired thermal conductivities [Orilall, fig 3, 41, 42, and 43 and page 2, pp 0025, page 3, pp 0038, page 4, pp 0045 and page 5, pp 0050, teaching that these regions have varied thermal conductivities due to the difference of concentration of additives such that the center region can be formed from having a first thermal conductivity within the center and the outer radial region can be made from a second thermal conductivity, where per pp 0038 this arrangement is expressly considered as the additives may decrease or increase in an edge to center relationship].
Regarding claim 5 (Original), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 4, wherein a central inner region is formed with a lower thermal conductivity than a radially outer region [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038 expressly teaching a decreasing in an edge to center relationship].
Regarding claim 6 (Original), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 4, wherein a central inner region is formed with a higher thermal conductivity than a radially outer region [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038 expressly teaching an increasing in an edge to center relationship].
Regarding claim 7 (Original), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 4, wherein a series of regions are formed from the axis to the circular periphery [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038], wherein a central inner region is formed with a lower thermal conductivity than a radially outer region and wherein a peripheral region is formed with a lower thermal conductivity than the radially outer region [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038, teaching a discrete alternating regions, which only having one higher concentration region meets this limitation].
Regarding claims 8 (Original) and 9 (Original), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 1, wherein the polishing pad includes a sub-surface portion formed from a nanostructure material configured to transfer heat from the polishing surface [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038, page 4, pp’s 0044-0045 and page 5, pp 0050, teaching that additives to the pad material may be added and the additives may be thermally conductive nanoparticles, where the nanoparticles are not limited to just the polishing surface but throughout the pad as well] (clm 8); and wherein the nanostructure material comprises nanospheres, nanocubes, or nano dendric structures [Orilall, page 5, pp 0050, core-shell NP meet the nano dendric structure definition] (clm 9).
Regarding claim 21 (New), Orilall discloses a polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor wafer [Orilall, fig 2, 18 polishes 14], the polishing pad comprising:
a polishing surface having a circular periphery centered on an axis [Orilall, fig 2, 18 is a shown in cross section and has a circular periphery on the edges on 18 and centered on the axis running through the center of the platen 16]; and
radially-arranged regions of the polishing surface centered on the axis [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038, and page 2, pp 0025, and fig 3, teaching regions 41, 42, and 43, which can be radially arranged regions and makes up the polishing surface of 18], the radially- arranged regions including a central inner region formed from a first material with a first thermal conductivity and an outer region formed from a second material with a second thermal conductivity different from the first thermal conductivity [Orilall, fig 3, 41, 42, and 43 and page 2, pp 0025, page 3, pp 0038, page 4, pp 0045 and page 5, pp 0050, teaching that these regions have varied thermal conductivities due to the difference of concentration of additives such that the center region can be formed from having a first thermal conductivity within the center and the outer radial region can be made from a second thermal conductivity, where per pp 0038 this arrangement is expressly considered as the additives may decrease in an edge to center relationship];
wherein the radially-arranged regions are arranged to provide the polishing surface with a desired heat dissipation pattern [Orilall, page 4, pp 0042, teaching that a computer stores the pattern for the layer formation of the polishing pad and directs the nozzles and the concentrations from a pattern stored in a 3D drawing computer program that runs on a computer].
Regarding claim 22 (New), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 21, wherein the second thermal conductivity of the outer region is greater than the first thermal conductivity of the central inner region [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038 expressly teaching a decreasing in an edge to center relationship].
Regarding claim 23 (New), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 22, wherein the radially-arranged regions include a peripheral region surrounding the outer region, the peripheral region having a thermal conductivity less than the second thermal conductivity of the outer region [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038 expressly teaching an increasing in an edge to center relationship].
Regarding claim 24 (New), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 21, wherein the second thermal conductivity of the outer region is less than the first thermal conductivity of the central inner region [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038 expressly teaching an increasing in an edge to center relationship].
Regarding claim 25 (New), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 21, wherein the radially-arranged regions include an intermediate region positioned radially between the central inner region and the outer region, the intermediate region having a third thermal conductivity between the first thermal conductivity and the second thermal conductivity [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038, teaching a discrete alternating regions, which only having one higher concentration region meets this limitation].
Regarding claim 27 (New), Orilall discloses a polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor wafer [Orilall, fig 2, 18 polishes wafer 14], the polishing pad comprising:
a non-nanostructure material extending from a bottom surface of the polishing pad to a polishing surface of the polishing pad [Orilall, page 3, pp’s 0037 and 0039-0040, teaching that 18 is formed by droplets of a pad material to 3d additive manufacturing]; and
a nanostructure material dispersed in the non-nanostructure material and having a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the non-nanostructure material [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038, page 4, pp’s 0044-0045 and page 5, pp 0050, teaching that additives to the pad material may be added and the additives may be thermally conductive nanoparticles];
wherein the nanostructure material is arranged to form a conductive path configured to transfer heat from the polishing surface into the polishing pad in a desired heat dissipation pattern [Orilall, page 3, pp 0038, teaching that the additives may gradually change in concentration, where this gradual change in concentration in a thermally conductive nanoparticle additive would make a conductive path, and page 4, pp 0042 teaching that the additive manufacturing is done with a computer and is thus planned out].
Regarding claim 28 (New), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 27, wherein the nanostructure material comprises nanospheres, nanocubes, or nano dendric structures [Orilall, page 5, pp 0050, core-shell NP meet the nano dendric structure definition].
Regarding claims 29 (New) and 30 (New), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 27, wherein the nanostructure material comprises a metal [Orilall, page 5, pp 0050] (clm 29); and wherein the metal is selected from silver, copper, gold, aluminum, sodium, molybdenum, tungsten, nickel, iron, platinum, tin, and lead [Orilall, page 5, pp 0050] (clm 30).
Regarding claim 31 (New), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 27, wherein the nanostructure material and the non- nanostructure material are formed by a three-dimensional printing process [Orilall, page 4, pp 0042 and page 3, pp 0037].
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.
Claims 2 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Orilall et al (US PGPUB No. 2016/0107288) as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of Ganapathiappan et al (US PGPUB No. 2017/0203406), hereinafter referred to as Orilall and Ganapathiappan, respectively.
Regarding claim 2 (Original), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 1, wherein the polishing pad is formed with voids [Orilall, page 2, pp 0027, teaching that the pad may be made of polyurethane and page 3, pp 0034, the pad 18 can be made from open or closed cell foam, which has voids formed].
Orilall does not explicitly disclose the voids being located on the polishing surface of the polishing pad.
Ganapathiappan teaches a polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the polishing pad comprising:
first grains formed from a first material with a first thermal conductivity [Ganapathiappan, fig 2A-2K, 204 and page 8, pp 0083, 204 has a thermal conductivity]; and
second grains formed from a second material with a second thermal conductivity [Ganapathiappan, fig 2A-2K, 206 and page 8, pp 0083, 206 also has a thermal conductivity];
wherein the first grains and second grains are arranged to form a polishing surface of the polishing pad [Ganapathiappan, fig 2A-2K, 204 and 206 form the polishing surface of 200]; and
wherein the polishing pad is formed with voids located on the polishing surface [Ganapathiappan, page 4, pp 0059, teaching the pad base material using an open cell material that creates open pores on the surface].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the polyurethane material of the pad of Orilall to have voids formed on the polishing surface of the polishing pad as taught by Ganapathiappan because the porosity of the polishing pad contributes to the polishing uniformity and having an open pore surface area yields improved uniform polishing results [Ganapathiappan, page 1, pp’s 0008-0010, summarized].
Regarding claim 26 (New), Orilall further discloses the polishing pad of claim 21, but does not explicitly disclose wherein each of the radially-arranged regions has a radial width from 1 micrometer to 40 millimeters.
Ganapathiappan teaches a polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor wafer, the polishing pad comprising:
a polishing surface having a circular periphery centered on an axis [Ganapathiappan, fig 2A, 200 has a circular periphery centered on an axis in the middle of 200]; and
radially-arranged regions of the polishing surface centered on the axis [Ganapathiappan, fig 2A, 204a], the radially- arranged regions including a central inner region formed from a first material with a first thermal conductivity [Ganapathiappan, fig 2A, 204a in the center and page 8, pp 0083, 204 has a thermal conductivity] and an outer region formed from a second material with a second thermal conductivity [Ganapathiappan, fig 2A, 206a and page 8, pp 0083, 206 also has a thermal conductivity];
wherein each of the radially-arranged regions has a radial width from 1 micrometer to 40 millimeters [Ganapathiappan, page 7, pp 0073, width 214 of 204 has a radial width of 250 microns to 5 mil, which is narrower than the claimed range and thus overlaps the claimed range, further with 216, is between 05 0.5 mil to 5 mil and which includes dimension 214, the width of 206 can be calculated as the difference between 216 and 214, which thus overlaps the claimed range as well].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the spacing between radial-arranged regions of Orilall with the spacing of the radial-arranged regions as taught by Ganapathiappan because this configuration allows for the dimensions to vary which allows for a variation in the pattern of hardness and porosity of the pad which affect the uniformity of the polishing rate [Ganapathiappan, page 7, pp 0073 and page 1, pp’s 0008-0010, summarized].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kwon et al (US PGPUB No. 2023/03/1913) teaches a 3D additive manufactured polishing pad having a thermal conductive element pattern within the pad.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT NEIBAUR whose telephone number is (571)270-7979. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/ROBERT F NEIBAUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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