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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sangam et al (US 2012/0208372 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Sangam et al discloses an apparatus for film deposition (Figure 1), comprising: a chamber (Figure 1, reference 100); a substrate holder (Figure 1, reference 108), disposed in the chamber (Figure 1, reference 100), and configured to hold a substrate (Figure 1, reference 112) during the film deposition; a gas dispenser (Figure 1, reference 132), disposed in the chamber (Figure 1, reference 100) and above the substrate holder (Figure 1, reference 108); a passage (Figure 1, reference 134), disposed above and connecting to the substrate holder (Figure 1, reference 108), wherein the passage (Figure 1, reference 134) has a curved sidewall; and a first inlet (Figure 1, reference 136a), connecting to the passage (Figure 1, reference 134) for a first gas injection (paragraph 0035) to the gas dispenser (Figure 1, reference 132), wherein the first inlet includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to and substantially parallel to the first sidewall, the first sidewall connects the curved sidewall at a first point, the second sidewall connects the curved sidewall at a second point, and a first angle between the first sidewall and a first tangent line at the first point on the curved sidewall is in a range of 0 to 80 degrees (Figure 1, reference 136a).
Regarding claim 2, Sangam et al discloses wherein a second angle between the second sidewall and a second tangent line at the second point is less than or equal to 90 degrees (Figure 1, reference 136a).
Regarding claim 3, Sangam et al discloses wherein the first sidewall is aligned with the first tangent line at the first point (Figure 1, reference 136a).
Regarding claim 4, Sangam et al discloses further comprising: a second inlet (Figure 1, reference 136b), connecting to the passage (Figure 1, reference 134) for a second gas injection (paragraph 0035) to the gas dispenser (Figure 1, reference 132), wherein the second inlet includes a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall opposite to and substantially parallel to the third sidewall, the third sidewall connects the curved sidewall at a third point, the fourth sidewall connects the curved sidewall at a fourth point, the third sidewall and a third tangent line at the third point on the curved sidewall is in a range of 0 to 80 degrees (Figure 1, reference 136b).
Regarding claim 5, Sangam et al discloses wherein a second angle between the fourth sidewall and a fourth tangent line at the fourth point is less than or equal to 90 degrees (Figure 1, reference 136b).
Regarding claim 6, Sangam et al discloses wherein the third sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136b) is substantially parallel to with the first sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136a).
Regarding claim 7, Sangam et al discloses wherein the first inlet is one of a plurality of inlets, each inlet has a sidewall contacting the curved sidewall of the passage at a contacting point, the sidewall of each inlet and a tangent line at the contacting point of the sidewall on the curved sidewall is substantially parallel (Figure 1, references 136a-136d).
Regarding claim 8, Sangam et al discloses wherein a number of the plurality of inlets is in a range of 2 to 7 (Figure 1, references 136a-136d).
Regarding claim 9, Sangam et al discloses an apparatus for film deposition (Figure 1), comprising: a gas mixer body (Figure 1, reference 172), disposed over a chamber for the film deposition (Figure 1, reference 100); a first inlet (Figure 1, reference 136a), connecting (Figure 1, reference 150a) to a first gas source (Figure 1, reference 140) and extending into the gas mixer body (Figure 1, reference 172) for a first gas injection (paragraph 0035), wherein the first inlet includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to and substantially parallel to the first sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136a); a passage (Figure 1, reference 134), disposed in the gas mixer body (Figure 1, reference 172) and connecting the first inlet (Figure 1, reference 136a) and the chamber (Figure 1, reference 100), wherein the passage has an outer sidewall (Figure1, reference 134), the first sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136a upper) connects the outer sidewall (Figure 1, reference 134) at a first tangent point, the second sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136a lower) connects the outer sidewall (Figure 1, reference 134) at a second tangent point, the first sidewall and a first tangent line at the first tangent point on the outer sidewall is in a range of 0 to 80 degrees (Figure 1, reference 136a); and a second inlet (Figure 1, reference 136b), connecting (Figure 1, reference 150b) to a second gas source (Figure 1, reference 138b) and extending into the gas mixer body (Figure 1, reference 172) for a second gas injection (paragraph 0035), wherein the second inlet includes a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall opposite to and substantially parallel to the third sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136b), the third sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136b upper) connects the outer sidewall (Figure 1, reference 134) at a third tangent point, the fourth sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136b lower) connects the outer sidewall (Figure 1, reference 134) at a fourth tangent point, the third sidewall and a third tangent line at the third tangent point on the outer sidewall (Figure 1, reference 134) is in a range of 0 to 80 degrees (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 10, Sangam et al discloses wherein a first angle between the first sidewall and a first line connecting the first tangent point and a center of the passage is less than or substantially equal to 90 degrees (Figure 1, reference 134a).
Regarding claim 11, Sangam et al discloses wherein a second angle between the third sidewall and a second line connecting the second tangent point and a center of the passage is less than or substantially equal to 90 degrees (Figure 1, reference 134b).
Regarding claim 12, Sangam et al discloses wherein a ratio between a diameter of the passage (Figure 1, reference 134) and a diameter of the first inlet (Figure 1, reference 136a) is in a range of 1.7 to 5.4.
Regarding claim 13, Sangam et al discloses wherein a diameter of the first inlet (Figure 1, reference 136a) is substantially equal to a diameter of the second inlet (Figure 1, reference 136b).
Regarding claim 14, Sangam et al discloses wherein the first sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136a) is substantially parallel to the third sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136b).
Regarding claim 15, Sangam et al discloses wherein the first inlet (Figure 1, reference 136a) extends along a first direction, the second inlet (Figure 1, reference 136b) extends along the first direction, and the first inlet (Figure 1, reference 136a) and the second inlet (Figure 1, reference 136b) are separated (Figure 1, reference 134) along the first direction.
Regarding claim 16, Sangam et al discloses further comprising: a gas dispenser (Figure 1, reference 132), disposed below the gas mixer body (Figure 1, reference 172) in the chamber (Figure 1, reference 100), wherein the passage (Figure 1, reference 134) connects to the gas dispenser (Figure 1, reference 132) for introducing a mixed gas of the first gas injection (Figure 1, reference 136a) and the second gas injection (Figure 1, reference 136b) to the chamber (Figure 1, reference 100).
Regarding claim 17, Sangam et al discloses a method of film deposition (Figure 1), comprising: placing a substrate (Figure 1, reference 112) over a pedestal (Figure 1, reference 108) in a chamber (Figure 1, reference 100); introducing a first gas (Figure 1, reference 142a) to a first inlet (Figure 1, reference 136a), wherein the first inlet includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to and substantially parallel to the first sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136a); introducing the first gas (Figure 1, reference 142a) to a passage (Figure 1, reference 134) through the first inlet (Figure 1, reference 136a), wherein the passage has a curved sidewall (Figure 1, reference 134), the first sidewall connects the curved sidewall at a first point, the second sidewall connects the curved sidewall at a second point, the first sidewall and a tangent line at the first point on the curved sidewall is substantially parallel (Figure 1, reference 134); introducing a second gas (Figure 1, reference 138b) to a second inlet (Figure 1, reference 136b), wherein the second inlet includes a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall opposite to and substantially parallel to the third sidewall (Figure 1, reference 136b); introducing the second gas (Figure 1, reference 138b) to the passage (Figure 1, reference 134) through the second inlet (Figure 1, reference 136b), wherein the third sidewall connects the curved sidewall at a third point, and the fourth sidewall connects the curved sidewall at a fourth point (Figure 1, reference 136b); and mixing the first gas (Figure 1, reference 140) and the second gas (Figure 1, reference 138b) in the passage (Figure 1, reference 134), thereby generating a downstream gas toward the substrate (Figure 1, reference 112).
Regarding claim 18, Sangam et al discloses wherein the first gas (Figure 1, reference 130) and the second gas (Figure 1, reference 138b) are different from each other.
Regarding claim 19, Sangam et al discloses further comprising: distributing the downstream gas (Figure 1, reference 160) from the passage (Figure 1, reference 134) toward the substrate (Figure 1, reference 112) through a gas dispenser (Figure 1, reference 132) disposed over the substrate (Figure 1, reference 112) in the chamber (Figure 1, reference 100).
Regarding claim 20, Sangam et al discloses further comprising: forming a film (paragraph 0017) over the substrate (Figure 1, reference 112), wherein a thickness variation of the film across the substrate is less than or equal to 2 angstroms (paragraphs 0041-0043 and 0056).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chen et al (US 2005/0173068) discloses a gas delivery assembly and method for atomic layer deposition (Figure 1).
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/MONICA D HARRISON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
mdh
July 1, 2026
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