DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group I, claims 1-12 and 17-20 in the reply filed on July 22, 2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
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 1-3, 6, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by Ikedo (US 20070089670).
As to claim 1, Ikedo teaches a chamber component comprising a body (21) with a textured surface comprising a lattice structure (Figs. 7(a)-Fig. 8(c)) that meets the claimed textured surface. Since Ikedo teaches that the component is a susceptor ([0057]), it is interpreted to be inherently capable of absorbing incident electromagnetic radiation at multiple frequencies and angles.
As to claim 2, Ikedo expressly teaches that the chamber component is a susceptor ([0057]). As to claim 3, Ikedo’s chamber component comprises a substrate support (4 is a substrate supported on susceptor 21) that is configured to support a substrate on its upper surface. As to claims 6 and 7, Ikeda teaches a continuous hexagonal pattern lattice structure where each cell shares a sidewall (Fig. 7(a)) with each of the six cells on its perimeter. The dimples can each have a hexagon shape ([0031]), and when hexagons are provided in this hexagonal pattern lattice structure, all features of claim 7 are met.
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 4, 5, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ikedo (US 20070089670) in view of Gangakhedkar (US 10,685,864). Ikedo teaches the subject matter of claim 1 above under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1).
As to claims 4, 5, and 12, Ikedo provides a lattice structure but is silent to the silicon carbide coating, blackbody behavior, and emissivity at least 0.7.
However, Gangakhedkar provides a silicon carbide coating on graphite. When the Ikedo susceptor is provided from the Gangakhedkar SiC coated graphite, the lattice structure comprises SiC and the graphite would cause the Ikedo susceptor to behave as a blackbody and would have an emissivity of at least 0.7 (consistent with the instant application).
It would have been prima facie obvious to incorporate these materials from Gangakhedkar into Ikedo because (i) one would have viewed these materials to be an obvious interchangeable substitute for the similar materials already provided in Ikedo, or (ii) Ikedo teaches/suggests a susceptor ([0019]-[0024]) and Gangakhedkar provides a susceptor within the scope of the Ikedo teaching/suggestion.
Claims 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ikedo (US 20070089670). Ikedo teaches the subject matter of claim 1 above under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1).
As to claims 8 and 9, Ikeda teaches hexagon dimples ([0031]), but is silent to the size and depth of the hexagonal cells. However, since Ikeda teaches that the purpose of the dimple structure is to reduce wafer sticking using the dimples, an ordinary artisan would recognize the size and depth of the dimples to be a result effective variable. One would have found it obvious to optimize the size and depth of the dimples to provide the maximum reduction in wafer sticking and thereby arrive at the claimed sizes as a matter of routine optimization.
As to claims 10 and 11, Ikedo depicts the cross section of square dimples as hollow and having vertical sidewalls (Fig. 8(c), items 42 and 43). Ikeda teaches another embodiment where dimples can each have a hexagon shape ([0031]) and would inherently have six sidewalls. When these hexagon dimples are provided, one would have found it obvious to provide the same vertical sidewalls and substantially flat base already provided with the square dimples (Figs. 8(a)-8(c)) in Ikedo since the same sidewall shape would be expected in all embodiments.
Claims 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ikedo (US 20070089670) in view of Gangakhedkar (US 10,685,864).
As to claim 17, Ikedo teaches a processing chamber (Fig. 2, item 6) and a susceptor (21) with a top surface comprising a lattice structure (Figs. 7(a)-Fig. 8(c)) configured to receive a substrate. Since Ikedo teaches a susceptor ([0057]), it is interpreted to be inherently capable of absorbing incident electromagnetic radiation at multiple frequencies and angles.
Ikedo is silent to a top surface comprising a plurality of pockets each configured to receive a substrate.
Gangakhedkar teaches a similar apparatus with a susceptor provided with a plurality of pockets, each configured to receive a substrate.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the Gangakhedkar multiple pocket configuration into Ikedo motivated by providing the ability to process more/additional substrates simultaneously and maintaining their positions on the susceptor.
As to claims 18 and 20, Ikedo provides a lattice structure but is silent to the silicon carbide coating and blackbody behavior. However, Gangakhedkar provides a silicon carbide coating on graphite. When the Ikedo susceptor is provided from the Gangakhedkar SiC coated graphite, the lattice structure comprises SiC and the graphite would cause the Ikedo susceptor to behave as a blackbody. It would have been prima facie obvious to incorporate these materials from Gangakhedkar into Ikedo because (i) one would have viewed these materials to be an obvious interchangeable substitute for the similar materials already provided in Ikedo, or (ii) Ikedo teaches/suggests a susceptor ([0019]-[0024]) and Gangakhedkar provides a susceptor within the scope of the Ikedo teaching/suggestion.
As to claim 19, Ikeda teaches a continuous hexagonal pattern lattice structure where each cell shares a sidewall (Fig. 7(a)) with each of the six cells on its perimeter. The dimples can each have a hexagon shape ([0031]), and when hexagons are provided in this hexagonal pattern lattice structure, all features of claim 19 are met.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW J DANIELS whose telephone number is (313)446-4826. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 pm.
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/MATTHEW J DANIELS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742
