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
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.
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sato (US 2012/0034768).
(Claim 1) Sato teaches a nitride semiconductor substrate in which a nitride semiconductor thin film is formed on a substrate (1) for film formation made of single-crystal silicon (wafer, paragraph 15),
wherein a silicon nitride film (fig. 1C #4, paragraphs 15 – 17) is formed on a peripheral portion of the substrate (1) for film formation;
an AIN film (5, paragraph 18, III-V compound semiconductor, Al.sub.xGa.sub.1-xN (0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, x = 1) is formed on the substrate for film formation and on the silicon nitride film (4); and
the nitride semiconductor thin film (5, multiple layers, paragraph 18) is formed on the AIN film, and
wherein the nitride semiconductor thin film on the silicon nitride film is a single crystal (paragraph 19).
(Claim 3) Sato teaches a method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor substrate (figs. 1), the method comprising the steps of:
(1) forming a silicon nitride film (fig.1D #4) on a peripheral portion of a substrate (1) for film formation made of single-crystal silicon (wafer, paragraphs 15 – 17);
(2) growing an AIN (5 paragraph 18, III-V compound semiconductor, Al.sub.xGa.sub.1-xN (0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, x = 1) film on the substrate (1) for film formation and on the silicon nitride film (4) on the peripheral portion; and
(3) growing a GaN film, an AIGaN film, or both (5, multiple layers, paragraph 18) as a nitride semiconductor thin film on the AlN film,
wherein the nitride semiconductor thin film on the silicon nitride film is a single crystal (paragraph 19).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) filed on July 2, 2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Contact Information
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Landau can be reached at (571) 272- 1731. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/IGWE U ANYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891
September 19, 2026
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