Detailed Correspondence
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 01/06/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicants’ submission, filed on 12/05/2025, in response to claims 1-11 and 14 rejection from the final office action (10/07/2025), by amending claims 1 and 3 is entered and will be addressed below.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 12-13 remain withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Interpretations
The newly added “a connection electrode layer” of claim 1, Applicants’ Specification describes the connection electrode layer 140 connecting the first electrodes 131 and the second electrodes 132 of the ESC, therefore, the a connection electrode layers is a portion of the ESC electrode.
The “a vacuum chamber in which an etching process is performed on a target substrate having at least one processing area”, a processing area, with broadest reasonable interpretation, can be of any size, includes area shined by the laser and area not exposed to the laser. A processing area may be the entire substrate or a portion of the substrate.
The “An etching apparatus for making a substrate of a display device”, an apparatus that is capable of etching by feed appropriate gases and is capable of processing a display device is considered read into the claim.
The “a vacuum chamber in which an etching process is performed on a target substrate having at least one processing area” of claim 1 and “the target substrate comprises a plurality of unit cells, and each of the unit cells includes at least one processing area” of claim 6, as the substrate used in the apparatus is an intended use of the apparatus, not part of the apparatus, the features on the substrate is also not part of the apparatus.
The “wherein the target substrate contacts the first area of the chuck and is spaced apart from the second area in areas where the indentations are disposed” of claim 2, the size of the substrate is also considered an intended use of the apparatus, as such as smaller substrate does not in contact the entire area of the chuck.
It has been held that claim language that simply specifies an intended use or field of use for the invention generally will not limit the scope of a claim (Walter, 618 F.2d at 769, 205 USPQ at 409; MPEP 2106). Additionally, in apparatus claims, intended use must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim (In re Casey, 152 USPQ 235 (CCPA 1967); In re Otto, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963); MPEP2111.02). When the structure recited in the reference is substantially identical to that of the claims, claimed properties or functions are presumed to be inherent (In re Best, 562 F.2d 1252, 1255, 195 USPQ 430, 433 (CCPA 1977); MPEP 2112.01).
As a result of replacement drawing, various limitations need to be clarified. For claim 1, “a second area having indentations”, this includes gird like interconnected indentations, or one single grid. For claim 2, “wherein the target substrate contacts the first area of the chuck and is spaced apart from the second area in areas where the indentations are disposed”, this areas is a description of another type of areas, unlike “a first area” and “a second area”. As this usage is easy to cause confusion, the examiner suggests change this to grooved areas (it is HMa and HMb in Fig. 4).
Furthermore, the limitations of amended claim 6: “wherein the at least one processing area comprises a plurality of processing areas,
wherein the target substrate comprises a plurality of unit cells, and
wherein each of the unit cells includes at least one of the plurality of processing areas”, the processing areas may or may not be the same as the areas (or HMa and HMb). And as the substrate is not part of the apparatus, the unit cells is not part of the apparatus, and “includes at least one of the plurality of processing areas” can be met by defining the processing areas of the target substrate. Note also includes does not need to be aligned as disclosed in the Specification ([0130]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
The ”wherein the first dielectric layer, the electrode layer, and the second dielectric layer expose at least a part of the one surface of the base substrate in the indentation area” of claim 4 and “wherein the electrode layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being electrically insulated from each other” of claim 5 are features of any of Fig. 10, 12-15, which is not available in the newly added limitations “wherein the chuck further comprises a connection electrode layer which comprises a portion extending from the first area of the first surface of the chuck to the inner side surfaces inclined with respect to the first area of the first surface of the chuck“ of a feature of Fig. 11 of claim 1. There is no description how Fig. 11 can be modified to derive a feature of any of Fig. 10, 12-15.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The ”wherein the first dielectric layer, the electrode layer, and the second dielectric layer expose at least a part of the one surface of the base substrate in the indentation area” of claim 4 and “wherein the electrode layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being electrically insulated from each other” of claim 5 contradicts the newly added limitations “wherein the chuck further comprises a connection electrode layer which comprises a portion extending from the first area of the first surface of the chuck to the inner side surfaces inclined with respect to the first area of the first surface of the chuck“ of claim 1. It is not clear which feature(s) are required in claims 4 and 5.
Claims 4 and 5 will be examined inclusive either same as claim 1 or without the newly added limitations of claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-3, 6, 11, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon (KR 20060004036, hereafter ‘036), in view of Paeng et al. (US 20210143032, hereafter ‘032).
‘036 teaches some limitations of:
Claim 1: equipment for deposition and etching processes in the manufacturing process of semiconductors and LCDs includes an electrostatic chuck to hold the wafer in place in the chamber … the deposition process is a chemical vapor deposition deposit (CVD) process in the semiconductor process through the chemical vapor deposition in the chamber in the vacuum (top of P2, includes the claimed “An etching apparatus for making a substrate of a display device, the apparatus comprising: a vacuum chamber in which an etching process is performed on a target substrate having at least one processing area; a chuck disposed inside the vacuum chamber to support and fix the target substrate onto a first surface thereof”, note any part of the substrate, large or small, can be considered as a “processing area”);
The second embodiment of the present invention has the same point of forming the depressions 28 as in the first embodiment, but differs in the structure for forming the depressions 28. That is, the recessed portion 28 is formed on the upper surface of the dielectric film 16 by recessing only the dielectric film 16 positioned at the top layer around the power supply hole 18 to a predetermined area and depth (lower portion of P5, “wherein the first surface of the chuck includes: a first area, and a second area having indentations recessed in a thickness direction of the chuck, wherein at least a part of the indentations overlaps the processing area of the target substrate, wherein the chuck comprises a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the indentations are not connected to any hole extending through the second surface, wherein inner side surfaces of the indentations are inclined with respect to the first area of the first surface of the chuck“, as shown in Fig. 1, 3, or 4. Fig. 5 shows the depression are not connected to helium passages 20),
The power supply line 22 is inherently connected to the conductive film 14 so as to provide a high voltage (middle of P2, the conductive film is the ESC electrode, includes the claimed “wherein the chuck further comprises a connection electrode layer which comprises a portion extending from the first area of the first surface of the chuck to the inner side surfaces inclined with respect to the first area of the first surface of the chuck“, again as shown in Fig. 1, 3, or 4).
‘036 does not teach the other limitations of:
Claim 1: a laser module disposed outside the vacuum chamber to irradiate a laser beam onto the processing area of the target substrate.
‘032 is analogous art in the field of ATOMIC LAYER ETCH AND DEPOSITION PROCESSING SYSTEMS (title), the substrate support 110 includes an electrostatic chuck or vacuum chuck (Fig. 1 or 2, [0061], 4th last sentence). ’032 teaches that a substrate processing system 200 incorporating a RTP system 202 including a laser 204, a lens circuit 206 (Fig. 2, [0068]), FIG. 8 shows an example etch rate versus laser fluence plot for ALE performed ([0089]), If the light rays are directed in a direction orthogonal to the image plane 304, then an ideal laser beam condition exists for etch rate uniformity across a surface of the substrate 112 ([0128], 5th sentence).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have added a laser and a lens circuit of ‘032 to the embodiment Fig. 1, 3, or 4 of ‘036, for the purpose of controlled laser etching including uniform etch rate, as taught by ‘032 ([0128], 5th sentence).
‘036 further teaches the limitations of:
Claim 2: The areas within depressions 28 of ‘036 do not contact the wafer 26, includes the claimed “wherein the target substrate contacts the first area of the chuck and is spaced apart from the second area in areas where the indentations are disposed”.
Claim 3: the electrostatic chuck 100 has a structure in which the insulating film 12, the conductive film 14, and the dielectric film 16 are sequentially stacked from the bottom to the aluminum substrate 10 as a base plate (bottom portion of P4, includes the claimed “wherein the chuck comprises an electrostatic chuck including: a base substrate including a flat area and an indentation area having third indentations corresponding to the indentations formed in the second area; a first dielectric layer disposed on a surface of the base substrate; an electrode layer disposed on the first dielectric layer; and a second dielectric layer disposed on the electrode layer, and wherein the connection electrode layer is disposed on the first dielectric layer and the connection electrode layer is disposed on the electrode layer“, Note “on” is the left edge of the connection electrode layer on the right edge of the electrode layer).
Claim 6: as the substrate is not part of the apparatus, furthermore, one can designated various portions of the substrate as unit cells and corresponding processing area, it reads into the claimed “wherein the at least one processing area comprises a plurality of processing areas, wherein the target substrate comprises a plurality of unit cells, and wherein each of the unit cells includes at least one of the plurality of processing areas”.
Claim 14: as the entire substrate is the processing area, it reads into the claimed “A system comprising: the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chuck unit is configured to support the target substrate such that an entirety of the processing area of the target substrate overlaps the indentations” or by using a very large substrate.
The combination of ‘036 and ‘032 further teaches the limitations of:
Claim 11: A beam size adjustment device 226 may be disposed between the beam shaping optics 212 and the first mirror 214 (‘032, [0071], is capable being adjusted to be smaller than depressions 28 of ‘036, includes the claimed “wherein a width of each groove is greater than a width of the processing area”).
Claims 4-5 and 7-10, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘036 and ‘032, as being applied to claim 1 rejection above, further in view of Hashizume et al. (US 20110011514, hereafter ‘514).
The combination of ‘036 and ‘032 does not teach the limitations of:
Claim 4: wherein the first dielectric layer, the electrode layer, and the second dielectric layer expose at least a part of the one surface of the base substrate in the indentation area.
Claim 7: wherein the indentations comprise grooves formed in a generally lattice shape.
Claim 8: wherein the grooves comprise a first groove extending in a first direction and a second groove extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction.
Claim 9: wherein the first groove comprises a plurality of first grooves along the second direction, the second groove comprises a plurality of second grooves along the first direction, and
wherein a first distance between the first grooves disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction is greater than a first width of each first groove in the second direction, and a second distance between the second grooves disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction is greater than a second width of each second groove in the first direction.
Claim 10: wherein the grooves comprise a plurality of first grooves arranged along a first direction and spaced apart from each other and a plurality of second grooves arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction and spaced apart from each other.
‘514 is analogous art in the field of APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BONDED SUBSTRATE (title), liquid crystal displays (LCDs) ([0002]), a bonded substrate holds each substrate 11, 16 with a vacuum chuck, an electrostatic chuck, or a mechanical chuck ([0011]), FIG. 13A is a block diagram schematically showing the electric circuit of the upper electrostatic chuck 76a. The upper electrostatic chuck 76a includes a plurality of dielectric layers that are applied on the upper holding plate 75a. In this embodiment, the upper electrostatic chuck 76a has four dielectric layers, or first, second, third, and fourth dielectric layers 91a, 91b, 91c, 91d. First, second, third, and fourth electrodes 92a, 92b, 92c, 92d are embedded in the first to fourth dielectric layers 91a-91d, respectively ([0137], same layer structure as ‘036). ’514 teaches that An upper attraction line 77a is formed in the upper chuck unit 72a for attracting the second substrate W2 through vacuum (using a difference in pressure). The upper attraction line 77a includes a plurality of upper attraction holes, an upper horizontal passage, and a plurality of upper discharge passages ([0122], 2nd sentence, 12B shows the attraction lines 77A penetrates the base layer), As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, a plurality of attraction grooves 89 are formed in the attraction side of the upper electrostatic chuck 76a. The position of each attraction groove 89 corresponds to the second substrate W2 when the upper electrostatic chuck 76a attracts the substrate W2 ([0131]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have added vertical attraction line 77a of ‘514 penetrating to base layer of ‘036 and to have changed the shape of the depressions 28 of ‘036 to lattice from top view, as taught by ‘514, for the purpose of more chucking capability.
‘514 further teaches the limitations of:
Claim 5: Fig. 13A shows the claimed “wherein the electrode layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being electrically insulated from each other”.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/05/2025 have been fully considered but they are not convincing in light of the new grounds of rejection above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The examiner notices the newly submitted IDS US 8848334 teaches channels 121/grooves (Fig. 5A), is also applicable to the rejection. But this IDS was submitted after the examiner finished writing this OC.
TW 201324673 is cited for the shape of grooves 111 over ESC electrode 323 (Fig. 4). KR 20220015009 is cited for lattice like groove 102 from top view (Fig. 2) and cross-sectional shape of groove 32 from side view and conformal ESC electrode 20 (Fig. 3). US 5745331 is cited for conformal ESC electrode (Fig. 2a).
US 20100013058 is cited for exhaust tube 46 at lateral side of pedestal 43 (Fig. 7).
US 20150348752 is cited for laser etching beam size 0.5 µm ([0024]). The examiner notices Applicants’ IDS, KR 101761585 (Fig. 3) and KR 101906288 (Fig. 1) each teaches laser outside the vacuum chamber.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEATH T CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1870. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Parviz Hassanzadeh can be reached at 571-272-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KEATH T CHEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716