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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2017/0040076 (YOKOYAMA).
Regarding claim 1, YOKOYAMA disclose a method for manufacturing a micostructured transmission grating for X-radiation, the method comprising:
providing a substrate (13a, 132) and creating a grating structure by means of structuring a plurality of periodically arranged cavities (134) in a first main side of the substrate (13a, 132), wherein individual ridges (13e) of substrate material remain between each of the cavities (Fig. 5-7, [0065]-[0069]);
filling the cavities (134) with particles in the form of loose, dry powder (135)(Fig. 8A, [0074], gold powder);
wherein the substrate (13a, 132) comprises a lower absorption of X-radiation than the particles (135) located in the cavities (134)[0074].
Regarding claim 2, YOKOYAMA disclose the according to claim 1, further comprising: at least partial consolidation of the particles located in within the cavities using a coating process in order to provide at least a part of the particles in the form of a plurality of consolidated porous bodies with higher X-radiation absorption compared to the substrate [0078].
Regarding claim 3, YOKOYAMA disclose the according to claim 2, wherein the particles located in the individual cavities are each completely consolidated by means of the coating process to form porous bodies [0078].
Regarding claim 4, YOKOYAMA disclose the according to claim 2, wherein the coating process is performed using a liquid polymer; and/or wherein the coating process comprises depositing organic and inorganic substances from a gaseous phase, e.g., by means of a chemical vapor deposition, or, e.g., by means of an atomic layer deposition [0078]. Please note this claim is drawn to product by process. A product by process claim are not limited to the manipulations of the recited steps. See MPEP 2113.
Regarding claim 5, YOKOYAMA disclose the according to claim 1, further comprising: applying a cap layer to the first main side of the substrate in order to enclose the particles located in the cavities therein (Fig. 20-29).
Regarding claim 6, YOKOYAMA disclose the according to claim 1, further comprising: back thinning of a second main side of the substrate opposite the first main side of the substrate (Fig. 20-29).
Regarding claim 7, YOKOYAMA disclose the according to claim 1, further comprising: at least partially removing one or multiple ones of the remaining ridges of substrate material (Fig. 20-29).
Regarding claim 8, YOKOYAMA disclose the according to claim 7, wherein the ridges are at least partially removed from the first main side, and/or wherein the ridges are at least partially removed from a second main side of the substrate opposite the first main side (Fig. 20-29).
Regarding claim 9, YOKOYAMA disclose the according to claim 7, further comprising: at least partially filling the regions, in which the ridges, or parts of the ridges, of substrate material are removed, with a filler; wherein the filler comprises a lower absorption of X-radiation than the particles .
Regarding claim 10, YOKOYAMA disclose the according to claim 1, further comprising: applying a sacrificial layer to the first main side of the substrate before creating the grating structure (Fig. 20-29); wherein the structuring of the plurality of periodically arranged cavities in the first main side of the substrate comprises structuring the sacrificial layer, so that the individual ridges respectively remaining between the cavities remain covered by the sacrificial layer (Fig. 20-29); and wherein the method further comprises removing the sacrificial layer after filling the cavities with the particles (Fig. 20-29).
Regarding claim 11, YOKOYAMA disclose a microstructured transmission grating for X-radiation, the transmission grating comprising:
a substrate with a grating structure (Fig. 1 and 14), the grating structure comprising multiple alternating first and second grating portions (111a and 112a);
wherein the first grating portions comprise a plurality of particles present in the form of loose, dry powder and/or in the form of particles consolidated by means of a coating (135) (Fig. 8A, [0074], gold powder); and
wherein the first grating portions comprise a higher absorption of X-radiation than the second grating portions in order to thus form the microstructured transmission grating for the X-radiation [0058].
Regarding claim 12, YOKOYAMA disclose a transmission grating according to claim 11, wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of periodically arranged cavities (Fig. 1 and 14); and wherein the respective cavities form the first grating portions (Fig. 1 and 14).
Regarding claim 13, YOKOYAMA disclose a transmission grating according to claim 12, wherein the respective cavity comprises an aspect ratio, regarding width to depth, of at least 1:9 or at least 1:5 (Fig. 1 and 14).
Regarding claim 14, YOKOYAMA disclose a transmission grating according to claim 12, wherein the particles are present both in the form of loose, dry powder and/or in the form of particles consolidated by means of a coating to form porous bodies; and wherein the loose, dry powder is enclosed, in each case, between the consolidated particles and the substrate in the cavities [0078].
Regarding claim 15, YOKOYAMA disclose a transmission grating according to claim 11, wherein the particles are present in the form of particles consolidated by means of a coating to form porous bodies, wherein the porous bodies each form the first grating portions [0078].
Regarding claim 16, YOKOYAMA disclose a transmission grating according to claim 14, wherein the first grating portions comprise a particle distribution free of imperfections, wherein imperfections are voids which are several times larger than an average pore size of the porous bodies (Fig. 1 and 14).
Regarding claim 17, YOKOYAMA disclose a transmission grating according to claim 11, wherein the second grating portions comprise substrate material and/or a material different from the substrate, wherein the material different from the substrate is configured in the form of a filler with a lower X-ray absorption compared to the first grating portions (Fig. 1 and 14).
Regarding claim 18, YOKOYAMA disclose a transmission grating according to claim 11, further comprising: a cap layer arranged on the grating structure for enclosing the particles in the first grating portions (Fig. 20-29).
Regarding claim 19, YOKOYAMA disclose a transmission grating according to claim 11, wherein the grating period of the grating structure is less than 50 µm; and/or wherein the first grating portions each comprise a thickness of at least 100 µm to be measured in a direction of arrival of the X-radiation [0122].
Regarding claim 20, YOKOYAMA disclose a transmission grating according to claim 11, wherein the particles comprise tungsten or are composed of tungsten ([0014]-[0015]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANI FOX whose telephone number is (571)272-3513. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Makiya can be reached at 571-272-2273. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANI FOX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884