DETAILED ACTION
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 1-11 and 13-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ito (US 2012/0229003).
Regarding claim 1, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising a stage treating a first substrate comprising at least one stage carried out in an item of equipment carrying out a heat treatment (s104 in FIG. 1), the first substrate being a substrate comprising a semiconductor material or a piezoelectric material (Fig. 1 and [0027]) subsequently, a decontamination stage of reduction in the a level of contamination of the item of equipment by a contaminating metal element by carrying out a heat treatment of substrate ( S105 in FIG. 1) and subsequently a subsequently, a stage of treating a second substrate (substrate 3 as shown in FIG. 3a-A-3D) comprising at least one stage carried out in the item of equipment carrying out a heat treatment, the second substrate being a substrate comprising a semiconductor material or a piezoelectric material ([0027]).
Regarding claim 2, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising wherein the first and the second substrate are of different materials ( see substrate 1 vs substrate 3).
Regarding claim 3, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising the first substrate is a piezoelectric substrate chosen from lithium niobate (LiNbO3) and lithium tantalate (LiTaO3) and/or the second substrate is a semiconductor substrate chosen from silicon, silicon carbide (SiC), sapphire (A1203) or a III-V semiconductor substrate, in particular, gallium arsenide (GaAs) ([0031]).
Regarding claim 4, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising the contaminating metal element is lithium ([0011]).
Regarding claim 5, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1),further comprising, before and/or after the decontamination stage, a stage of determination of the level of contamination of the at least one contaminating component metal element inside the item of equipment (see FIG. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising wherein the decontamination stage is carried out response to the level of contamination exceeding a predetermined contamination threshold threshold (see FIG. 1 and process steps).
Regarding claim 7, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising the decontamination stage is carried out at temperature of at least 5000 C ([0015]).
Regarding claim 8, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising wherein the decontamination stage is carried out under an oxidizing atmosphere, in particular, by introducing oxygen ([0011]).
Regarding claim 9, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising wherein the decontamination stage is carried out for a predetermined period of time ([0041]).
Regarding claim 10, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising further comprising repeating the decontamination stage at least once before carrying out the stage of treating the second substrate (see FIG. 1).
Regarding claim 11, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), comprising discarding the decontamination substrate after the heat treatment of the decontamination substrate (see FIG. 1).
Regarding claim 13, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), wherein the decontamination substrate comprises a silicon-based substrate ([0034]).
Regarding claim 14, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), wherein the silicon-based substrate is a monocrystalline substrate, a polycrystalline substrate, or a porous substrate ([0002]).
Regarding claim 15, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), wherein the silicon-based substrate is a silicon substrate [0034]).
Regarding claim 16, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), wherein the silicon-based substrate comprises SiOCH ([0034]).
Regarding claim 17, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), wherein the decontamination stage is carried out at a temperature of at least 800 ([0043]).
Regarding claim 18, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), further comprising introducing oxygen into the item of equipment to form the oxidizing atmosphere ([0011]).
Regarding claim 19, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), wherein the predetermined period of time is at least 30 minutes ([0043]).
Regarding claim 20, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), wherein the predetermined period of time is at least 1 hour ([0043]).
Regarding claim 21, Ito shows a method of treating substrates (substrate 1 in FIG. 2A with respect to FIG. 1), wherein further comprising using a fresh decontamination substrate during each repetition (see Fig. 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIAS M ULLAH whose telephone number is (571)272-1415. The examiner can normally be reached M-F at 8AM-5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yara Green can be reached at 571-270-3035. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ELIAS ULLAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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