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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments, filed 7/23/2026, with respect to the amended claim(s) have been considered but, are moot due to a new grounds of rejection based upon the references, BYL et al. (US 20210189550 A1) in view of (JP 5925084 B2); and BYL et al. (US 20210189550 A1) in view of TANG et al. (US 20210398773 A1), see below.
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.
2. Claim(s) 1-3, 5-10, 13-17 and 19-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over BYL et al. (US 20210189550 A1) in view of TANG et al. (US 20210398773 A1).
Regarding claim 1, BYL discloses an ion implantation system (fig. 2, 200), comprising:
a gas supply assembly (202, 204, 262) comprising at least one gas supply vessel in fluid communication with an arc chamber (216) the arc chamber comprising a target material (walls of (218) [0014]
wherein the gas supply assembly (202, 214) is configured to supply a gas component (from 204, 202, 214) comprising at least one of GeF4 (from 204) [0073], GeH4, [0027] or any combination thereof [0027];
wherein, when the gas component is supplied from the at least one gas supply vessel (202, 204) to the arc chamber for implantation (ion beam 205) into a substrate (228),
a beam current of Ge ions (205) generated from the gas component (from 204, 202, 214) [0027 Note GeF4]] in the presence of the target material is greater than a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the absence of the target material
[0027 Note germane is GeH4]
(fig. 2, ion implanter 200, ion source 216, substrate 228, gas supply 204, gas supply 262, mixing chamber 260, mass flow controller 214)
[0070-0078].
Note applicant’s specification, [0038-0040] defines a target material as a solid material within the arc chamber.
But BYL fails to disclose the arc chamber comprising a target material comprising germanium (Ge); and/or that a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the presence of the target material comprising Ge is greater than a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the absence of the target material comprising Ge.
TANG, however, discloses an ion implanter (fig. 4, 300) with a gas supply (302, 304) and ion implantation of ions generated from a gas mixture that comprises GeF4 [0068] and GeH4 [0068] [0083];
an arc chamber comprising a target material/liners/walls comprising germanium (Ge) [0063]; and
that a beam current of Ge ions [0068] generated from the gas component in the presence of the target material comprising Ge [0063] is greater (abstract) than a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the absence of the target material comprising Ge (abstract) [0019].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA applications) to combine/modify the invention of BYL, with ion implantation of ions generated from a gas mixture that comprises GeF4 and GeH4 ; arc chamber comprising a target material comprising germanium (Ge);and that a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the presence of the target material comprising Ge is greater than a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the absence of the target material comprising Ge, as taught by TANG, to use as a substitution of one known gas mixture (i.e. at least containing GeF4 and GeH4 ) and arc chamber/ionization chamber material (i.e. Ge material liner walls) for another to obtain predictable ion generation and sample implantation results [0068] [0063] (abstract).
Regarding claim 16, BYL discloses a method of ion implantation (fig. 2, 200), comprising:
flowing a gas component into an arc chamber (216) comprising a target material
wherein the gas component (from 204, 202, 214) comprises at least one of GeF4 (from 204) [0073], GeH4, [0027]; or any combination thereof [0027]; and
generating Ge ions (205) from the gas component (from 204, 202, 214) [0027 Note GeF4]] for implantation into a substrate (228);
wherein a beam current of the Ge ions (205) generated from the gas component (from 204, 202, 214) [0027 Note GeF4]] in the presence of the target material is greater than a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the absence of the target material
[0027 Note germane is GeH4] .
(fig. 2, ion implanter 200, ion source 216, substrate 228, gas supply 204, gas supply 262, mixing chamber 260, mass flow controller 214)
[0070-0078].
Note applicant’s specification, [0038-0040] defines a target material as a solid material within the arc chamber.
But BYL fails to disclose the arc chamber comprising a target material comprising germanium (Ge); and/or that a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the presence of the target material comprising Ge is greater than a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the absence of the target material comprising Ge.
TANG, however, discloses an ion implanter (fig. 4, 300) with a gas supply (302, 304) and ion implantation of ions generated from a gas mixture that comprises GeF4 [0068] and GeH4 [0068] [0083];
an arc chamber comprising a target material/liners/walls comprising germanium (Ge) [0063]; and
that a beam current of Ge ions [0068] generated from the gas component in the presence of the target material comprising Ge [0063] is greater (abstract) than a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the absence of the target material comprising Ge (abstract) [0019] [0068].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA applications) to combine/modify the invention of BYL, with ion implantation of ions generated from a gas mixture that comprises GeF4 and GeH4 ; arc chamber comprising a target material comprising germanium (Ge);and that a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the presence of the target material comprising Ge is greater than a beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the absence of the target material comprising Ge, as taught by TANG, to use as a substitution of one known gas mixture (i.e. at least containing GeF4 and GeH4 ) and arc chamber/ionization chamber material (i.e. Ge material liner walls) for another to obtain predictable ion generation and sample implantation results [0068] [0063] (abstract).
Regarding claim 2, BYL discloses wherein the at least one gas supply vessel (202, 204) comprises a first vessel (204) comprising GeF4 (from 204) [0073], and a second vessel (262) comprising GeH44] [0075].
Regarding claim 3, BYL discloses wherein the at least one gas supply vessel (202, 204) comprises a single vessel (204) comprising GeF4 (from 204) [0073], and GeH4. [0027] [0027 Note less than 1% volume of dopant gas species that are different than GeF.sub.4] .
Regarding claim 5, BYL discloses that the arc chamber (216) comprises a target material (from 204 inside of 216) [0029] comprising at least one of
Regarding claim 19, BYL discloses that the target material
But BYL fails to disclose wherein the arc chamber comprises a target material/liner comprising Ge comprises at least one of pure Ge, a germanium isotope, silicon germanium, or any combination thereof
TANG, however, discloses ion implantation of ions generated from a gas mixture that comprises GeF4 [0068] and GeH4 [0068] [0083] and that the arc chamber contains a target material/liners/walls made from Ge [0063 Note Ge is inclusive of pure Ge].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA applications) to combine/modify the invention of BYL, with a target material/liner comprising Ge comprises at least one of pure Ge,, as taught by TANG, to use as a substitution of one known liner/target material (i.e. Ge/pure Ge ) for another to obtain predictable ion generation and sample implantation results [0068] [0063].
Regarding claim 6, BYL discloses the arc chamber (216) is at least
Regarding claim 7, BYL discloses that the arc chamber (216) comprises a container (walls of 216) of a target material (GeF.sub.4 gas in 216)
Regarding claim 8, BYL discloses the arc chamber (216) comprises
Regarding claim 13, BYL discloses wherein the gas component (from 204, 202, 214) [0027comprises GeF4, [0027] [0027] and H2 (from 262) [0027] [0075] ; and wherein the arc chamber (216) comprises a target material comprising
But BYL fails to disclose wherein the arc chamber comprises a target material/liner comprising Ge.
TANG, however, discloses ion implantation of ions generated from a gas mixture that comprises GeF4 [0068] and GeH4 [0068] [0083] and that the arc chamber contains a target material/liners/walls made from Ge [0063].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA applications) to combine/modify the invention of BYL, with a target material/liner comprising Ge,, as taught by TANG, to use as a substitution of one known liner/target material (i.e. Ge/pure Ge ) for another to obtain predictable ion generation and sample implantation results [0068] [0063].
Regarding claim 9, BYL discloses wherein the gas component (from 204, 202, 214) [0027 Note GeF4]] comprises GeF4 [0027], GeH4, [0027] and H2 (from 262) [0075] [0027 Note less than 1% volume of dopant gas species that are different than GeF.sub.4] .
Regarding claim 10, BYL discloses wherein the gas component (from 204, 202, 214) [0027]] further comprises GeH4 [0027] and a fluorine-containing gas [0027] [0027 Note GeF4]] [0027 Note less than 1% volume of dopant gas species that are different than GeF.sub.4] .
Regarding claim 14, BYL discloses wherein the gas component (from 204, 202, 214) [0027] comprises:
20% to 95% by volume of GeF4 [0027 Note GeF4]] based on a total volume of the gas component;
4 [0027 Note germane is Geh4] based on the total volume of the gas component [0027];
up to 70% by volume of H2 (from 262) [0027] [0075] based on the total volume of the gas component; and
up to 90% by volume of a fluorine-containing gas [0027 Note GeF4]] [0027-0028] based on the total volume of the gas component.
In regards to claim(s) 14, BYL differ(s) from the claimed invention by not showing the stated ranges disclosed (i.e., 5% to 80% by volume of GeH4).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the stated ranges disclosed, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 15, BYL discloses that wherein at least one of GeF4 (from 204) [0073], [0027-0029], ,[0027] or comprises an isotopically enriched germanium [0028-0029] .
Regarding claim 17, BYL discloses that the flowing comprises flowing the gas component (from 204, 202, 214) [0027 Note GeF4]] at a flowrate of 0.1 to 5 sccm [0059].
Regarding claim 20, BYL discloses that the Ge ions (in 216) are generated from the gas component without applying a bias voltage (BYL does not explicitly disclose a bias voltage in 216 for Ge ions generation).
Moreover, regarding claim(s) 20, TANG discloses that the Ge ions [0068] are generated from the gas component without applying a bias voltage [0019] (TANG does not explicitly disclose a bias voltage in the arc chamber for Ge ions generation); and is obvious for the reasons discussed supra with reference to claim(s) 16, see previous.
Moreover, regarding claim(s) 21-22, TANG discloses wherein the gas component comprises GeF4 and GeH4 [0068]; and is obvious for the reasons discussed supra with reference to claim(s) 1 and/or 16, see previous.
Moreover, regarding claim(s) 23-24, TANG discloses wherein the beam current of Ge ions [0068] generated from the gas component in the presence of the target material comprising Ge [0066] is at least (abstract) [0019] [0068] than the beam current of Ge ions generated from the gas component in the absence of the target material comprising Ge (abstract) [0019] [0068]..
In regards to claim(s) 23-24, TANG differ(s) from the claimed invention by not showing the stated ranges disclosed (i.e., at least 10% greater).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the stated ranges disclosed, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
2. Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over BYL et al. (US 20210189550 A1) in view of TANG et al. (US 20210398773 A1); as applied to claim(s) 1 above, and further in light of Josephson et al. (US 20030161774 A1).
Regarding claim 4, BYL discloses the gas supply assembly (202, 204, 262) 2 (from 262) [0075].
But BYL fails to disclose an electrochemical cell configured to generate H2 .
Josephson, however, discloses use of an electrochemical cell configured to generate H2 [0065].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA applications) to combine/modify the invention of BYL, with an electrochemical cell configured to generate H2, as taught by Josephson, to use as a substitution of one known H2 source (i.e. an electrochemical cell to generate H2) for another to obtain predictable H2 generation results for downstream application [0063].
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Andrew Smyth whose telephone number is 571-270-1746. The examiner can normally be reached between 9:00AM - 6:00PM; Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Georgia Epps can be reached on (571) 272-2328. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW SMYTH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878
