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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the purge gas channel must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 20, 1-2, 6, 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20190051544 to Verbaas in view of US 20200095680 to Satoh.
Claims 20, 1, 6: Verbaas discloses a reactor system comprising: a reaction chamber 400 [reactor], Fig. 4); and a susceptor assembly (414 [susceptor heater assembly]) within the reaction chamber (400), the susceptor assembly (414) comprising: a heater pedestal (420 [base]); and a cap (422 [substrate supporting portion or removable cap], para. [0044]) coupled to the heater pedestal (420), the cap (422) comprising a body (422) comprising a top surface (426 [top surface]) and a bottom surface (bottom surface of 422), wherein the bottom surface comprises a recess (bottom recess of 422, Fig. 4) to receive a top portion of the heater pedestal (top portion of 420).
However Verbaas does not disclose (claims 20, 1) and wherein the cap comprises one or more holes radially exterior the recess, the one or more holes extending from the top surface to the bottom surface; (claim 6) wherein the cap comprises between 12 and 72 holes.
Satoh discloses and wherein the cap (105 [stage], Fig. 5) comprises one or more holes (203c or 203cX [openings]) radially exterior the space (202 [flow path]), the one or more holes (203c/cx) extending from the top surface to the bottom surface (Fig. 3/5); (claim 6) wherein the cap (105) comprises between 12 and 72 holes (para. [0045] where 48 openings are disclosed as an example); for the purpose of hindering the processing gas from flowing into the staying space (0051]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitation above as taught by Satoh with motivation to hinder the processing gas from flowing into the staying space.
Claim 2: The apparatus of Verbaas in view of Satoh discloses wherein the top surface (426, Fig. 4, Verbaas) comprises a substrate recess to receive a substrate (412, para. [0044] where a recess is considered).
Claims 11-12: The apparatus of Verbaas in view of Satoh discloses (claim 11) wherein the cap (422, Fig. 4, Verbaas) comprises an inner region (inner region of 422) and an outer region (outer region of 422), wherein a height of the inner region (inner region of 422, Fig. 4) is greater than a height of the outer region (outer region of 422, Fig. 4); (claim 12) wherein the one or more holes (203c/cX, Fig. 5, Satoh) are located within the outer region (outer region of 105).
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Verbaas in view of Satoh as applied to claims 20, 1-2, 6, 11-12 above, and further in view of US 20040221808 to Kawano, US 20050253341 to Shojima.
Claims 3-5: The apparatus of Verbaas in view of Satoh does not disclose (claim 3) wherein the outer region comprises a seal recess to receive a portion of the seal; (claim 4) wherein the seal comprises metal; (claim 5) wherein the one or more holes are radially inward the seal recess.
Kawano discloses (claim 3) further comprising a seal (30 [o-ring gasket], Fig. 3), wherein the top surface/outer region (top surface/outer region of 4 [susceptor], Fig. 3) comprises a seal space (14 [step portion] of 4) to receive a portion of the seal (30); (claim 4) wherein the seal comprises metal (para. [0064-0067]); (claim 5) wherein the one or more holes (holes of 9) are radially inward the seal space (14 of 4); for the purpose of achieving sealing (para. [0066]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitations above as taught by Kawano with motivation to achieve sealing.
Regarding the seal space, Shojima teaches a seal recess (3 [installation groove], Fig. 1) for a seal (5 [o-ring]) for the purpose of improving a plasma shielding effect achieved by the plasma seal (para. [0013]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the recess as taught by Shojima with motivation to improve a plasma shielding effect achieved by the plasma seal.
Claim(s) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Verbaas in view of Satoh as applied to claims 20, 1-2, 6, 11-12 above, and further in view of US 20090235866 to Kataigi.
Claim 7: The apparatus of Verbaas in view of Satoh does not disclose wherein a diameter of each of the one or more holes is not less than 0.5 mm and not greater than 1.5 mm.
Kataigi discloses wherein a diameter of each of the one or more holes (diameter of 24 [purge holes], Fig. 2) is not less than 0.5 mm and not greater than 1.5 mm (para. [0081] which overlaps the claimed range) for the purpose of avoiding resulting in insufficient removal (purge) of a corrosive gas and/or deteriorating the temperature uniformity of the outer periphery thereof via cooling (para. [0081]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the range requirements as taught by Kataigi with motivation to avoid resulting in insufficient removal (purge) of a corrosive gas and/or deteriorating the temperature uniformity of the outer periphery thereof via cooling.
Claim 8: The apparatus of Verbaas in view of Satoh does not disclose wherein the cap further comprises one or more vacuum chuck grooves within the body.
Kataigi discloses wherein the cap further comprises one or more vacuum chuck grooves (28 [vacuum chuck grooves], Fig. 2) within the body (12 [first base]), for the purpose of adsorbing the substrate onto the surface of the first region for uniform processing (para. [0058-0059]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitation above as taught by Kataigi with motivation to adsorb the substrate onto the surface of the first region for uniform processing.
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Verbaas in view of Satoh as applied to claims 20, 1-2, 6, 11-12 above, and further in view of US 5445677 to Kawata.
Claims 9-10: The apparatus of Verbaas in view of Satoh does not disclose (claim 9) wherein the cap comprises a purge gas channel within the body and extending laterally; (claim 10) wherein the heater pedestal comprises a purge gas hole.
Kawata discloses (claim 9) wherein the cap (10 [stage], Fig. 1, 3), comprises a purge gas channel (51 [circular groove passage]) within the body (10) and extending laterally (c. 9, l. 8-18); (claim 10) wherein the heater pedestal (9 [heater]) comprises a purge gas hole (43 [fluid conduit]), for the purpose of preventing deposition of the reaction byproduct (abstract).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitations above as taught by Kawata with motivation to prevent deposition of the reaction byproduct.
Claim(s) 13-16, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20190051544 to Verbaas in view of US 20200095680 to Satoh and further in view of US 20040221808 to Kawano, US 20050253341 to Shojima.
Claim 13-16, 19: Verbaas discloses (claim 13) an assembly comprising: a heater pedestal (420 [base]); a cap (422 [substrate supporting portion or removable cap], para. [0044]) coupled to the heater pedestal (420), the cap (422) comprising a body (422) comprising a top surface (426 [top surface]), a bottom surface (bottom surface of 422), an inner region (inner region of 422), an outer region (outer region of 422), a flow control ring (435 [flow control ring]); (claim 19) wherein a height of the inner region (inner region of 422, Fig. 4) is greater than a height of the outer region (outer region of 422, Fig. 4)
However Verbaas does not disclose (claim 13) and one or more holes extending from the top surface to the bottom surface in the outer region;
Satoh (claim 13) and wherein the cap (105 [stage], Fig. 5) comprises one or more holes (203c or 203cX [openings]) extending from the top surface to the bottom surface in the outer region (202 [flow path]), for the purpose of hindering the processing gas from flowing into the staying space (0051]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitation above as taught by Satoh with motivation to hinder the processing gas from flowing into the staying space.
However Verbaas does not disclose (claim 13) and a seal between the flow control ring and the outer region; (claim 14) wherein the outer region comprises a seal recess to receive a portion of the seal; (claim 15) wherein the one or more holes are radially inward the seal recess; (claim 16) wherein the seal comprises metal.
Claims 13-15: The apparatus of Verbaas in view of Satoh does not disclose (claim 13) and a seal between the flow control ring and the outer region; (claim 14) wherein the outer region comprises a seal recess to receive a portion of the seal; (claim 16) wherein the seal comprises metal; (claim 15) wherein the one or more holes are radially inward the seal recess.
Kawano discloses (claim 13) further comprising a seal (30 [o-ring gasket], Fig. 3) between the flow control ring (38 [separation plate]) and the outer region (outer region of 4); (claim 14) wherein the top surface/outer region (top surface/outer region of 4 [susceptor], Fig. 3) comprises a seal space (14 [step portion] of 4) to receive a portion of the seal (30); (claim 16) wherein the seal comprises metal (para. [0064-0067]); (claim 15) wherein the one or more holes (holes of 9) are radially inward the seal space (14 of 4); for the purpose of achieving sealing (para. [0066]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitations above as taught by Kawano with motivation to achieve sealing.
Regarding the seal space, Shojima teaches a seal recess (3 [installation groove], Fig. 1) for a seal (5 [o-ring]) for the purpose of improving a plasma shielding effect achieved by the plasma seal (para. [0013]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the recess as taught by Shojima with motivation to improve a plasma shielding effect achieved by the plasma seal.
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Verbaas in view of Satoh, Kawano, Shojima as applied to claims 13-16, 19 above, and further in view of US 5445677 to Kawata.
Claims 17-18: The apparatus of Verbaas in view of Satoh does not disclose (claim 17) wherein the cap comprises a purge gas channel within the body and extending laterally; (claim 18) wherein the heater pedestal comprises a purge gas hole.
Kataigi discloses (claim 17) wherein the cap (10 [stage], Fig. 1, 3), comprises a purge gas channel (51 [circular groove passage]) within the body (10) and extending laterally (c. 9, l. 8-18); (claim 18) wherein the heater pedestal (9 [heater]) comprises a purge gas hole (43 [fluid conduit]), for the purpose of preventing deposition of the reaction byproduct (abstract).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitations above as taught by Kawata with motivation to prevent deposition of the reaction byproduct.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20240167160 discloses a seal (355, Fig. 3) positioned in a recess (350 [first groove]) which is part of a susceptor (130) between a second ridge (325) of a flow control ring (300, para. [0051]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Charlee J. C. Bennett whose telephone number is (571)270-7972. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at 5712725166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Charlee J. C. Bennett/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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