DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on (4/9/2024), is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Claims (1-20) are pending and being examined.
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 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.
(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 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Huh et al (US 8980006).
Huh et al disclose an assembly (Fig 3) comprising:
a backing plate (Fig 3, 200);
and a diffuser plate (400) configured to be disposed under the backing plate,
wherein: the diffuser plate forms a plurality of holes in a first region (dead zone under buffer 220 at the perimeter denoted as ‘B’) of the diffuser plate between a diffuser plate upper surface and a diffuser plate lower surface; and
the diffuser plate forms a plurality of perforated area holes in a second region (middle region under inlet 210 denoted as ‘A’) of the diffuser plate between the diffuser plate upper surface and the diffuser plate lower surface,
wherein each of the plurality of perforated area holes has a first width at the diffuser plate upper surface and a second width at the diffuser plate lower surface, wherein the second width is larger than the first width (holes 410).
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 10-17and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huh et al (US 8980006)
Huh et al disclose an assembly (Fig 3) comprising:
a backing plate (Fig 3, 200);
and a diffuser plate (400) configured to be disposed under the backing plate,
wherein: the diffuser plate forms a plurality of purge holes in a first region (under buffer 220 at the perimeter denoted as ‘B’) of the diffuser plate between a diffuser plate upper surface and a diffuser plate lower surface; and
the diffuser plate forms a plurality of perforated area holes in a second region (middle region under inlet 210 denoted as ‘A’) of the diffuser plate between the diffuser plate upper surface and the diffuser plate lower surface,
wherein each of the plurality of perforated area holes has a first width at the diffuser plate upper surface and a second width at the diffuser plate lower surface, wherein the second width is larger than the first width (holes 410).
It is noted that holes in the dead zone could be used as purge holes.
Regarding claim 2 the first region surrounds the second region.
Regarding claim 3, 14 and 17 gas enters from backing plate top to backing plate bottom and through the diffusion plate 400 to the substrate 800.
Regarding claim 4 perimeter dead zone is disclosed at (B).
Regarding claim 6 central recess area is disclose at (A ).
Regarding claims 7 and 19 the perforated holes 410 have cone shape.
Regarding claim 8 Huh discloses the apparatus to be a chemical vapor deposition which requires gases and plasma and could be used for ALD process.
Regarding claim 10, 11 and 20 Huh does not explicitly disclose dead zone height or its ratio with respect to gap. However, considering Fig 5 thickness of item 700 being 105mm the thickness of dead zone 220 would be approximately 5 mm. and considering Fig 3 approximately 10%-25% of the gap obviously.
Regarding claim 12 holes in the dead zone could be usable as purge holes.
Regarding claims 13 and 16 diffuser plate includes perforated holes in the recess area.
Claim 15 is rejected with claim 1 as being of similar scope.
Claims 5 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Huh et al (US 8980006) in view of Miller et al (US 20050268856).
Huh et al disclose shower holes at the edge which could be used as purge holes but do not disclose them to be of uniform diameter.
Miller et al disclose purge holes of uniform diameter around a showerhead distribution plate 144.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary sill in the art before the effective filing date of this application to have purge holes of uniform diameter as being conventional and simpler.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wright et al (US 20130125818) disclose purge holes (404) around the showerhead with uniform diameter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAM N KACKAR whose telephone number is (571)272-1436. The examiner can normally be reached 09:00 AM-05:00 PM.
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RAM N. KACKAR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1716
/RAM N KACKAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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