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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-22 and 46-47 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 4/13/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II in the reply filed on 4/13/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim 24 is 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.
Claim 24 recites “deposited at a temperature from 30° to above 330° C” rendering the claim indefinite. It is not clear if the temperature range is intended to be bounded by an upper temperature. As currently written, the range has no upper bound because “above 330° C” includes infinite values. For purposes of examination the claim will be understood to include any temperature greater than 30°C.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 23-24, 28-29, and 32-45 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Portela et al. (US 2020/0023584 A1), hereinafter Portela, in view of Chen et al. (US 2019/0263125 A1), hereinafter Chen.
Regarding claim 23, Portela teaches a method comprising: 3D printing a polymer structure, wherein the polymer structure is a complex device in three dimensions; (preparing a structure via an additive manufacturing process; wherein: said structure has an architected three-dimensional geometry, see [0041]) and forming a conformal thin film on the polymer structure, wherein the forming includes: depositing a thin film on the seed layer using atomic layer deposition. (Using deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or magnetron sputtering we then deposited anywhere from 5 nm to 5 μm of a metal or ceramic, [0232])
Portela is silent on depositing a seed layer on the polymer structure, wherein the seed layer provides a planarized adhesion layer, and wherein the seed layer is an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride.
Chen meets the claimed depositing a seed layer on the polymer structure, wherein the seed layer provides a planarized adhesion layer, and wherein the seed layer is an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride (Chen teaches the thinner passivation layer can be achieved by using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to form an oxide layer in the passivation layer, see [0019]. The oxide layer formed using ALD according to some examples can include a metal oxide. Examples of a metal oxide can be selected from among: hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, [0035]. Chen further teaches a nitride layer under the oxide layer, examples of nitride layer includes tantalum nitride [0033]. A metal layer 116 can be provided over the passivation layer 106. The metal layer 116 can include tantalum or other metal, and is formed over the passivation layer 106 to add mechanical strength, [0028]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to combine the oxide and nitride layers of Chen underneath the metal layer of Portela because pinhole defects and/or other manufacturing defects of the passivation layer can be avoided or reduced by using the ALD-formed passivation layer, see [0019].
Regarding claim 24, Portela as modified does not teach the method of claim 23, wherein the thin film is deposited at a temperature from 30° to above 330° C.
Chen teaches the process further includes forming (at 606) a metal oxide layer over the silicon nitride layer using ALD at a temperature greater than 270° C, [0047].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to select the temperature of greater than 270° C as taught by Chen in ALD forming step of Portela because etch rate as a function of ALD process temperature, see [0038].
Regarding claim 28, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the thin film is a metal oxide. (Chen teaches The oxide layer formed using ALD according to some examples can include a metal oxide. Examples of a metal oxide can be selected from among: hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, [0035]).
Regarding claim 29, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 28, wherein the thin film is at least one of at least one of ZnO, SnO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, (Chen teaches aluminum oxide, [0035]) AZO, In.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, LiO.sub.x, GaO.sub.x, AgO.sub.x, NiO.sub.x, WO.sub.x, or CoO.sub.x.
Regarding claim 32, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the thin film is at least one of SiN, AlN, HfN, ZrN, TaN, (Chen teaches examples of nitride layer includes tantalum nitride [0033]) or YN.
Regarding claim 33, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the seed layer is at least one of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, ZrO2, HfO2, Y2O3, GeOx La2O3, SiN, AlN, HfN, ZrN, TaN, (Chen teaches examples of nitride layer includes tantalum nitride [0033]) or YN.
Regarding claim 34, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the thin film is a dielectric, semiconductor, or conductor. (Portela teaches using deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or magnetron sputtering of a metal or ceramic, [0232]. Examiner notes the metal of Portela is inherently a conductor. Where the claimed and prior art products are identical or substantially identical in structure or composition, or are produced by identical or substantially identical processes, a prima facie case of either anticipation or obviousness has been established. In re Best, 562 F.2d 1252, 1255, 195 USPQ 430, 433 (CCPA 1977). )
Regarding claim 35, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the seed layer is configured as a barrier to subsurface diffusion into the polymer structure. (Portela teaches using deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or magnetron sputtering of a metal or ceramic, [0232]. Examiner notes the metal of Portela is inherently a barrier to subsurface diffusion. Where the claimed and prior art products are identical or substantially identical in structure or composition, or are produced by identical or substantially identical processes, a prima facie case of either anticipation or obviousness has been established. In re Best, 562 F.2d 1252, 1255, 195 USPQ 430, 433 (CCPA 1977).)
Regarding claim 36, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the thin film has a thickness less than 5 nm.
Chen teaches the oxide layer 110 formed using ALD can have a thickness T2. s, the thickness T2 of the oxide layer can be in the range between a lower thickness of 50 Å and an upper thickness of less than 250 Å, [0043]. Chen teaches the etch rate of the ALD oxide layer can be reduced by increasing the ALD process temperature when forming the oxide layer, [0046]. Examiner notes that 50 Å is equal to 5 nm.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to vary the thickness of the metal layer of Portela and Chen to be less than 5 nm because Chen teaches varying the thickness to optimize the product produced and reduce pinhole defects, see [0019].
Regarding claim 37, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the thin film has a thickness from 2 nm to 500 nm. (Using deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or magnetron sputtering we then deposited anywhere from 5 nm to 5 μm of a metal or ceramic, [0232]. Portela further teaches an example of ALD achieving a sputtered 14-126 nm-thick high-entropy alloy (HEA)-coatings, [0336]).
Regarding claim 38, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the seed layer has a thickness from 5 nm to 200 nm. (Using deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or magnetron sputtering we then deposited anywhere from 5 nm to 5 μm of a metal or ceramic, [0232]. Portela further teaches an example of ALD achieving a sputtered 14-126 nm-thick high-entropy alloy (HEA)-coatings, [0336]).
Regarding claim 39, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the polymer structure includes acrylated polyurethane, bisphenol A glycerolate (1 glycerol/phenol) diacrylate (BPAGDA), poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), polymer pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETA), epoxy based resins, (Portela teaches the matrix phase to be an epoxy, [0040]) or methacrylic acid resins.
Regarding claim 40, Portela as modified does not teach the method of claim 23, wherein the thin film and the seed layer are disposed on less than an entirety of the polymer structure.
Chen teaches varying the coverage of the layers, see resistive layer 104 can form a thermal resistor for a corresponding nozzle of the fluid ejection die 100, see Fig. 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to vary the coverage of the thin film and seed layer as taught by Chen in the product of Portela in order to form vias for electrical contacts or to form other structures, see [0037].
Regarding claim 41, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the thin film and the seed layer are disposed an entirety of the polymer structure. (Portella is understood to cover the entirety of the polymer structure when teaching “using deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or magnetron sputtering we then deposited anywhere from 5 nm to 5 μm of a metal or ceramic,” [0232])
Regarding claim 42, Portela as modified teaches method of claim 23, wherein the polymer structure is a lattice structure, (Portela teaches a lattice [0031], see Fig. 3) a cantilever, or a beam.
Regarding claim 43, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the polymer structure has an irregular cross-sectional geometry. (Portela teaches examples with irregular cross-sectional geometry such as Fig. 18F).
Regarding claim 44, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the polymer structure has feature dimensions of less than 10 μm. (the three-dimensional geometry is characterized by a plurality of features independently having physical dimensions independently selected to a tolerance within 100 nm, see [0032])
Regarding claim 45, Portela as modified teaches the method of claim 23, wherein the polymer structure has feature dimensions from 10 μm to 3 cm. ( In some embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein, the three-dimensional geometry is characterized by a plurality of features, wherein at least a portion of said features independently have one or more average cross sectional physical dimensions (e.g., thickness, width, diameter, etc.) …selected from the range 100 μm to 200 μm, see [0032])
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 25-27 and 30-31 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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:
The closest prior art of record includes Portela et al. (US 2020/0023584 A1), hereinafter Portela, in view of Chen et al. (US 2019/0263125 A1), hereinafter Chen.
Portela teaches using deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or magnetron sputtering we then deposited anywhere from 5 nm to 5 μm of a metal or ceramic, [0232], but does not teach a temperature.
Chen teaches the process further includes forming (at 606) a metal oxide layer over the silicon nitride layer using ALD at a temperature greater than 270° C, [0047].
Regarding claims 25-27, the claimed temperatures in combination with the method of claim 24 is not taught or suggested by the prior art.
Regarding claims 30-31, the claimed materials in combination with the method of claim 24/28 is not taught or suggested by the prior art.
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Pain et al. (US 2021/0054498 A1) teaches [0139] In the process illustrated in FIG. 22, step 2201 first deposits a seed layer 2211 on top of the first insulating layer. This seed layer may for example include Niobium or Titanium Nitride, onto which a suspension of diamond nanoparticles is applied.
Torbatisarraf et al. (US 2023/0348311 A1) teaches [0206] a method of performing three-dimensional (3D) printing of a silicon component, [0009], a processing chamber 1102 for substrate processing such as atomic layer deposition (ALD).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL M. ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-0467. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30AM-6PM.
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/MICHAEL M. ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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