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 § 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.
Claims 1-10, 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cloin et al (U.S.Pat. 9,176,393 B2).
With respect to claims 1, 3, 13 and 18, Cloin discloses a fluid system for a lithographic apparatus and comprising: a fluid extraction system (400) configured to extract fluid that a fluid handling system having a fluid handling structure, is arranged to supply along a flow path
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that has a gap (401) between an edge of the substrate (W) and an edge of a surrounding structure (see figure 15) of the substrate and a controller (600) configured to control the flow rate of the fluid (see col.26, lines 7-15).
As to claim 2, Cloin discloses a variable valve (350; 420) in the fluid flow path such that the flow rate of the fluid in the fluid flow path.
As to claim 9, wherein the fluid has immersion liquid (LQ) an/or gas.
As to claim 10, Cloin discloses a substrate support (WT) for supporting the substrate (W).
As to claim 12, Cloin discloses a lithography apparatus (see figure 1) having the fluid handling system as described above.
Thus, Cloin discloses substantially all limitations of the instant claims. Cloin does not expressly discloses the flow rate of the fluid in the flow path is controlled in dependence on data relating to a separation between the fluid handling structure and the fluid extraction system, as recited in the claims. However, Cloin discloses dimension of gap (401) which represents a physical separation between the fluid handling structure and the extraction region. Furthermore, Cloin teaches that extraction flow characteristics depend on the gap dimension, and teaches active control of the extraction flow via the controller, Cloin clearly suggests controlling the flow in dependence on data relating to a separation between structural components defining the gap (see col.19, lines 53-63). Cloin states that “selection of a gap dimension may determine the achievable flow rate”. In view of such teachings, it would have been obvious to a skilled artisan before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to control the extraction flow rate of the fluid based on the separation between the fluid handling system and the fluid extraction system in order to maintain stable confinement of immersion liquid, prevent leakage and to reduce pressure variations as explicitly recognized in Cloin.
As to claim 4, and 16, Cloin teaches the data regarding one or more selected from: the height, shape and/or warpage of the substrate (see col.21, lines 1-9).
As to claims 5 and 17, wherein the data has data regarding one or more selected form: a fluid flow within the fluid handling system; a pressure within the fluid flow path and a separation distance between the fluid handling structure and the substrate (see col.25-27).
As to claim 6, Cloin teaches stabilizing liquid confinement and managing pressure behavior. Reducing pressure variation is an inherent and obvious objective of the disclosed control system.
As to claim 7, Cloin discloses scanning substrate tables and dynamic immersion liquid management. It would have been obvious to coordinate extraction flow control with substrate scanning to maintain fluid stability.
As to claim 8, Cloin discloses active control via a controller (600). Implementing a closed-loop control system is a well-known and predictable technique in fluid systems. It would have been obvious to employ the controller of Cloin to control the flow rate of the fluid in the flow path in dependence on a control loop for the purpose of maintaining fluid stability.
As to claim 14, Cloin teaches height differences, gap dimension (401), and adjustment of extraction behavior based on geometry (see col.14-15). Because the gap dimension depends directly on the substrate height relative to the surrounding structure, determining the gap dimension inherently requires determining the substrate height or relative positioning. Thus, Cloin teaches measuring or determining the height of the substrate. It would have been obvious to a skilled artisan to adjust the separation between the fluid handling structure and the fluid extraction system in dependence on the measured height of the substrate to maintain a stable immersion liquid confinement.
As to claim 15, Cloin lacks to show a variable valve in the fluid flow path. The use of a variable valve to control fluid rate in a fluid extraction line is well known in the art. It would have been obvious to a skilled artisan to employ a variable valve in the fluid extraction line of Cloin in order to control the fluid rate for the purpose of maintaining stable confinement of immersion liquid as intended by Cloin.
Response to Amendment/Argument
Applicant’s amendment filed January 26, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 4, 5, 13 and 14 have been amended. New claims 15-21 have been added. Applicant’s arguments in conjunction with the amendment have been carefully reviewed but have been traversed in view of a new ground of rejection as set forth above.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG HENRY NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2124. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00AM-4:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Toan Minh Ton can be reached at 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HUNG HENRY NGUYEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2882
Hvn
3/4/26
/HUNG V NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882