DETAILED ACTION
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 first fluid flows to the main outlet after passing through the second branch channel; and the first fluid flows to the main outlet after passing through the second and third branch channels in sequence 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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-4 and 8-17 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.
Claims 2 and 8 recite the limitation “a first fluid flows into the first branch channel from the first branch channel inlet, then enters the main channel, and then after passing through the second branch channel, the first fluid flows to the main channel outlet” and claims 3 and 9 recites the limitation “the first fluid flows into the first branch channel from the first branch channel inlet, then enters the main channel, and then after passing through the second branch channel and the third branch channel in sequence, the first fluid flows to the main channel outlet”. It is unclear from the claims, in light of the disclosure, whether the second/third branch channels are fed into the main channel as shown in figure 3, or whether each of the branch channels comprise a portion of the main channel, and the main channel is discontinuous when meeting the branch channels, in order for flow from the first branch channel through at least some portion of the second or second and third branch channels, rendering the claim vague and indefinite.
Claims 4 and 10-17 are rejected based upon their dependency upon claims 2, 3, 8 and 9 rejected above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tokoshima 2012/0325927.
In regards to Independent Claim 1, Tokoshima teaches a spraying device (figure 1) for spraying at least one semiconductor substrate (5, paragraph [0001]), the spraying device comprising: a main channel (15 to channel 4) comprising a main channel inlet (upstream of 15V) and a main channel outlet (outlet at nozzle 4) for gas to flow from the main channel inlet to the main channel outlet (Gas, paragraph [0004], where the functional limitation of the material acted upon by channel, the gas, has been considered); and at least one branch channel is communicated with the main channel (1st branch channel 12 and 2nd branch channel 16), and each of the at least one branch channel has a branch channel inlet provided for fluid to flow from the branch channel inlet to the main channel outlet (12 receives water from inlet at 1 and combines with flow from 15 at 2, and 16 receives a chemical agent at an inlet and flows it to 14).
Regarding Dependent Claim 2, Tokoshima teaches the at least one branch channel further comprises: a first branch channel (12), having a first branch channel inlet (inlet to channel 12 at 1); and a second branch channel (16), having a second branch channel inlet (inlet to 16 from chemical agent source); wherein, the first branch channel is more adjacent to the main channel inlet of the main channel than the second branch channel ( 12 is closer to 15 than 16 is to 15 in figure 1), so that a first fluid flows into the first branch channel from the first branch channel inlet (water flows through 12), then enters the main channel (water from 12 enters main channel at 2), and then after passing through the second branch channel (water passes through junction at between 16 and 14, where a portion of the junction receiving chemical liquid and the mixture of water and gas has been interpreted as being part of the second branch channel), the first fluid flows to the main channel outlet (water mixed with gas and chemical agent flows out of nozzle 4).
Claims 1-4, 6-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu 2006/0011214 A1.
In regards to Independent Claim 1, Liu teaches a spraying device (100) for spraying at least one semiconductor substrate (10, paragraph [0040]), the spraying device comprising: a main channel (channel from pump 151 to nozzle 113 in figure 5) comprising a main channel inlet (inlet to channel at pump 151) and a main channel outlet (outlet of nozzle 113) for gas to flow from the main channel inlet to the main channel outlet (although DIO3 in 150 is fed to main channel, the use of gas is not positively recited, and the main channel of Liu is capable transporting gas, where the material transported in not positively recited in the claim); and at least one branch channel is communicated with the main channel (1st, channel starting at 141, 2nd channel starting at 131, and 3rd channel starting at 121), and each of the at least one branch channel has a branch channel inlet provided for fluid to flow from the branch channel inlet to the main channel outlet (fluid flows from 140, 130, and 120 to each of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd branch channels respectively in figure 5).
Regarding Dependent Claim 2, Liu teaches the at least one branch channel further comprises: a first branch channel (1st channel from 141), having a first branch channel inlet (inlet to channel from 141); and a second branch channel (2nd channel from 131), having a second branch channel inlet (inlet to channel from 131); wherein, the first branch channel is more adjacent to the main channel inlet of the main channel than the second branch channel (141 closer to 151 than 131 is to 151 in figure 5), so that a first fluid flows into the first branch channel from the first branch channel inlet (flow from 140 through channel including valve 142), then enters the main channel (142 enters main channel at arrow downstream of 142), and then after passing through the second branch channel (flow passes through junction where flow from 131 meets the other combined flow, where the junction can be interpreted as part of the second branch channel instead of the main channel), the first fluid flows to the main channel outlet (all flows pass through nozzle 113 in figure 5).
Regarding Dependent Claim 3, Liu teaches the at least one branch channel further comprises: a third branch channel (channel from 121), having a third branch channel inlet (inlet to channel from pump 121); wherein, the third branch channel is further away from the main channel inlet of the main channel than the first branch channel and the second branch channel (channel from 121 is further from main channel from 151 than both channels from 131 and 141 in figure 5), so that the first fluid flows into the first branch channel from the first branch channel inlet (flow from 140 through channel downstream of 141 to main channel), then enters the main channel (where flow arrow from channel downstream of 142 enters the main channel in figure 5), and then after passing through the second branch channel and the third branch channel in sequence (flow from 141 passes through junctions where 2nd and 3rd branch channels meet main channel before exiting through nozzle 113, where the junction can be interpreted as part of the second branch channel and third branch channel respectively instead of the main channel, before the first fluid flows to the main channel outlet at 113).
Regarding Dependent Claim 4, Liu teaches the second branch channel inlet is provided for a second fluid (fluid from 130) to flow from the second branch channel into the main channel (flow from 130 through pump 131 to main channel after passing through flow arrow passing toward 113), the third branch channel inlet is provided for a third fluid (fluid from 120) to flows from the third branch channel into the main channel (flow from 120 through pump 121 to main channel after passing through flow arrow passing toward 113), and the second fluid and the third fluid enter the main channel to be mixed and then flow to the main channel outlet (paragraph [0036]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 6, Liu teaches the main channel inlet and each of the branch channel inlet respectively have a valve to control opening or closing of the main channel and each of the at least one branch channel (valves 152 for main flow, and valves 142, 132, and 122 for each branch channel respectively).
Regarding Dependent Claim 7, Liu teaches a spraying system (the system that comprises the sprayer 100 of figure 5), comprising: at least one semiconductor substrate (10); the spraying device according to claim 1 (rejection of claim 1 above) disposed above the at least one semiconductor substrate (sprayer 113 is above 10 in figure 5), wherein the main channel inlet and the branch channel inlet of the spraying device each have a valve for controlling opening or closing of the main channel and the at least one branch channel (valve 152 of main channel, and valves 142, 132, and 122 for each branch channel respectively, where there are 1st, 2nd and 3rd branch channels); a plurality of flow controllers (pumps 151, 141, 131, and 121 on each line in figure 5), respectively communicated with the valve of the main channel and the valve of each of the at least one branch channel (each pump is upstream of each valve on each line as shown in figure 5), configured to monitor a flow rate of the gas or the fluid (each pump controls the flow of fluid through each line, paragraph [0038]); and a control module (160), signally connected to the spraying device and the plurality of flow controllers (160 is connected to each valve and pump in figure 5, such that it controls the pumps and flow through the spraying device, paragraph [0038]), configured to adjust flow of the gas or the fluid, and the opening or closing of the main channel and each of the at least one branch channel (paragraphs [0038] and [0039]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 8, Liu teaches the at least one branch channel further comprises a first branch channel (channel including valve 142) and a second branch channel (channel including valve 132), and the main channel, the first branch channel, and the second branch channel respectively have a main valve (152), a first valve (142), and a second valve (132); wherein, the first branch channel has a first branch channel inlet (inlet from 140) provided for a first fluid to flow from the first branch channel inlet to the main channel outlet (channel including valve 142), and the second branch channel has a second branch channel inlet (inlet from 130) provided for a second fluid to flow from the second branch channel inlet to the main channel outlet (channel including valve 132); wherein, the first branch channel is more adjacent to the main channel inlet of the main channel than the second branch channel (inlet from 140 closer to inlet from 150 than inlet from 130 is to inlet from 150 in figure 5), so that the first fluid flows into the first branch channel from the first branch channel inlet, then enters the main channel (flow from 142 enters main channel exiting at 113), and then after passing through the second branch channel (flow from 142 passes through junction where flow from 132 meets the main channel, such that when the junction as treated as part of the second branch channel, the first fluid passes through the second branch channel), the first fluid flows to the main channel outlet (flow from 142 exits through nozzle 113); wherein, the main valve, the first valve, and the second valve are respectively provided to control opening or closing of the main channel, the first branch channel, and the second branch channel (paragraph [0038]), and are respectively communicated with one of the plurality of flow controllers (valves 152, 142, and 132 are fluidly coupled to flow controllers 151, 141 and 131 respectively).
Regarding Dependent Claim 9, Liu teaches the at least one branch channel further comprises: a third branch channel (channel including valve 122) having a third branch channel inlet (inlet to channel from source 120) provided for a third fluid to flow from the third branch channel inlet to the main channel outlet (flow through channel including valve 122 enters main flow and exits nozzle 113 as shown in figure 5); wherein, the first branch channel is more adjacent to the main channel inlet of the main channel than the second branch channel and the third branch channel (channel with 142 is closer to channel with 152 than channel with 132 or 122), and the second branch channel is more adjacent to the main channel inlet than the third branch channel (132 is closer to 152 than 122 is to 152 in figure 5), so that the first fluid flows into the first branch channel from the first branch channel inlet, then enters the main channel, then after passing through the second branch channel and the third branch channel in sequence (flow from 142 passes into main channel, then through the junction of the main channel with the second and third branch channels, where the junction of each branch channel is interpreted as a portion of each branch channel), the first fluid flows to the main channel outlet (all flows exit nozzle 113), and so that the second fluid flows into the second branch channel from the second branch channel inlet (flow from channel with 132 enters main channel in figure 5), then enters the main channel, and after passing through the third branch channel (flow from 132 passes junction of channel from 122 and main channel, which is interpreted as part of the third branch channel), the second fluid flows to the main channel outlet (flow from 132 exits through nozzle 113 in figure 5).
Regarding Dependent Claim 10, Liu teaches opening the second valve (valve 132 can be opened with command from control system 160, paragraph [0038]), and spraying the second fluid on the at least one semiconductor substrate (paragraph [0045]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 11, Liu teaches detecting that an opening time of the second valve has reached a preset time value (completion of DI water rinse for 5 minutes, paragraph [0045]), closing the second valve (closing of valve 132, paragraph [0046]), and opening the first valve (opening of valve 142, paragraph [0046]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 12, Liu teaches opening the first valve (opening valve 142, paragraph [00456]), and spraying the first fluid on the at least one semiconductor substrate (paragraph [0046]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 13, Liu teaches when detecting that an opening time of the first valve has reached a preset time value (about 6 minutes, paragraph [0046]), closing the first valve (paragraph [0047]), and opening the main valve (main valve 152 is opened in a step after closing of 142, paragraph [0048], where it is not claimed that it is the step immediately after).
Claims 1 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamaguchi 2016/0059380 A1.
In regards to Independent Claim 1, Yamaguchi teaches a spraying device (300A in figure 1) for spraying at least one semiconductor substrate (wafer W, paragraph [0246]), the spraying device comprising: a main channel (722a) comprising a main channel inlet (inlet from 724) and a main channel outlet (second end of 740 opens onto wafer W, paragraph [0265]) for gas to flow from the main channel inlet to the main channel outlet (paragraph [0265]); and at least one branch channel is communicated with the main channel (channels 732 and 712a), and each of the at least one branch channel has a branch channel inlet provided for fluid to flow from the branch channel inlet to the main channel outlet (flows from 732, 722a and 712a merge into flow of 740 before exiting upon wafer W, paragraph [0264]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 5, Yamaguchi teaches the at least one branch channel further comprises: a first branch channel (732), having a first branch channel inlet (inlet to 732 from 734); and a second branch channel (712a), having a second branch channel inlet (inlet to 712a from 714); wherein, a distance between a position where the first branch channel is communicated with the main channel and the main channel inlet of the main channel, and a position where the second branch channel is communicated with the main channel and the main channel inlet of the main channel in a vertical direction are the same (both 732 and 712a merge with 722a at the same position in figure 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-17 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: prior art fails to teach, in combination with the other limitations of dependent claim 14, opening the main valve, and spraying the gas on the at least one semiconductor substrate; prior art fails to teach, in combination with the other limitations of dependent claim 16, opening the second and third valves, mixing the second and third fluids in the main channel, and spraying the mixture on the semiconductor substrate. The closest prior art of Orll 2003/0226577 A1 teaches injecting nitrogen gas onto the semiconductor wafer, but does not teach the flow controllers, control module, or the positioning of the first and second branch channels relative to the main channel, such that the flow from the first branch channel passes through the second branch channel.
Conclusion
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/STEVEN M SUTHERLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752