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 .
Status
Acknowledgment is made of the amendment filed on 4/30/2026, which added new claims 16-20. Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
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, 2, and 4-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asayama et al. (US PGPub 2015/0194781, Asayama hereinafter) in view of Mizoguchi et al. (JP 2631607, Mizoguchi hereinafter; English translation included with the 2/2/2026 Office action).
Regarding claim 1, Asayama discloses a gas laser device (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0082]-[0084], laser apparatus includes laser chamber 10) comprising:
a conductive laser chamber including an opening and a pair of windows (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0084], [0111], [0127], the laser chamber 10 includes an opening for insulator 20 and windows 10a, 10b. The laser chamber 10 includes metal material);
an electrical insulating portion blocking the opening (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0084], [0125], insulator 20 is within the laser chamber 10 opening);
a first electrode fixed to a surface of the electrical insulating portion on a side of an internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126] electrode 11a is attached to insulator 20 on one interior side of the laser chamber 10); and
a second electrode facing the first electrode at the internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-7, 9, 31, 36-37, paras. [0083], [0098]-[0099], [0126], electrode 11b faces electrode 11a inside the laser chamber 10),
a laser gas being enclosed at the internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-7, 9, 31, 36-37, paras. [0079], [0082]-[0083], [0091]-[0094], [0099], laser gas is supplied between the electrodes 11a and 11b inside laser chamber 10),
the laser chamber being configured to cause light, generated through excitation of the laser gas due to discharge caused by a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, to be output outside the laser chamber through the pair of windows (Figs. 1-7, 9, 31, 36-37, paras. [0098]-[0104], a controller 30 applies a voltage between electrodes 11a and 11b to cause discharge and the emission of light from the excited laser gas. the light is output through windows 10a and 10b),
the first electrode including a contact region which is in contact with the surface of the electrical insulating portion, an opposing surface which faces the second electrode (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0140], [0145]-[0147], [0167], [0172]-[0173], [0177], [0194]-[0198], [0209]-[0212], electrode 11a contacts a surface in contact with insulator 20, such as insulators 73, 74, insulator member 121. The electrode includes a surface opposing the electrode 11b). Asayama does not appear to explicitly describe a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode, in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion.
Mizoguchi discloses an electrical insulating portion (Fig. 2, page 4 of English translation, insulating member 7), a first electrode fixed to a surface of the electrical insulating portion on a side of an internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, electrode 5, 16 is fixed to a surface of the insulating member 7 on one side of the discharge excitation region); and
a second electrode facing the first electrode at the internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, electrode 6, 17 faces the electrode 5),
the first electrode including a contact region which is in contact with the surface of the electrical insulating portion, an opposing surface which faces the second electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the first electrode includes a contact surface with the insulating member 7 and an opposing surface facing the second electrode), and a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, the electrode 5, 16 includes a convex surface between the contact surface and the opposing surface (see annotated Figs. 10 and 11 below)), and
in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion (Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the shape of the surface the electrode 16b provides contact with the insulating member 7 on an interior side of the electrode, and the convex surface is part of a circumference of an ellipse or circle not intersecting with the surface of the insulating member 7 in the annotated Figs. 10 and 11 below).
[AltContent: textbox (Examiner-annotated Figures 10 and 11)]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode, in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion as taught by Mizoguchi as the shape of the first electrode in the gas laser device as taught by Asayama since including a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode, in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion is commonly used to reduce discharge instability to produce a stable laser with a uniform light beam (Mizoguchi, pgs. 4, para. [0018], 6, 7, para. [0039]).
Regarding claim 2, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the region of the first electrode further includes a first plane connected to the contact region, extending in a direction away from the electrical insulating portion, and connected to the first curved surface (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], a plane extends away from the contact surface of electrode 11a with the insulating member 7 and connected to the surface of the electrode 11a, and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, a plane is connected to the contact region between the electrode 5, 16 and the insulating member 7 and connected to the convex surface of electrode 16).
Regarding claim 4, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the region of the first electrode further includes a second plane extending in the separation direction and connected to the first curved surface and the opposing surface (Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, a second plane extends between the electrodes and connected to the curved surface and the surface facing the electrode 17b).
Regarding claim 5, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the first electrode extends in a travel direction of the light (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126] electrode 11a extends in the direction of the laser beam, and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, electrode 5, 16), and the predetermined direction is a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the first electrode (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], a direction is perpendicular to the length direction of the electrode 11a (see Figs. 2, 3B, 4B, for example), and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, a direction perpendicular to the length direction of electrode 5, 16).
Regarding claim 6, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the first electrode extends in a travel direction of the light (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], electrode 11a extends in the direction of the laser beam, and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, electrode 5, 16), and the predetermined direction is a longitudinal direction of the first electrode (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], electrode 11a extends in the direction of the laser beam (see Figs. 6A, 31A, for example), and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, electrode 5, 16).
Regarding claim 7, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the region of the first electrode further includes a first plane connected to the contact region and extending in a direction away from the electrical insulating portion, and a third plane connected to the first plane and the first curved surface and parallel to the electrical insulating portion (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], a plane extends away from the contact surface of electrode 11a with the insulating member 7, and plane extends parallel to the insulating member 7, and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, a plane is connected to the contact region between the electrode 5, 16 and the insulating member 7, and a plane parallel to the insulating member 7 connects to the curved surface of the electrode).
Regarding claim 8, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the region of the first electrode further includes a second plane extending in the separation direction and connected to the first curved surface and the opposing surface (Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, a second plane extends between the electrodes and connected to the curved surface and the surface facing the electrode 17b).
Regarding claim 9, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the first plane is perpendicular to the contact region (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], a plane extends away from the contact surface of electrode 11a with the insulating member 7).
Regarding claim 10, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the first curved surface is connected to the opposing surface (Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the convex surface of electrode 16 provides a connection to the surface facing electrode 17).
Regarding claim 11, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the opposing surface further includes a second curved surface connected to the first curved surface and a fourth plane connected to the second curved surface (Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the surface of electrode 16 facing electrode 17 includes a curved surface connected to the curved surface connected to the contact surface for insulating member 7 (see annotated Figs. 10-11 above), and a plane is connected to the surface opposite electrode 17),
the first curved surface and the second curved surface are located on the circumference of the circle in the cross section of the first electrode (Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the curved surface of electrode 16 are on a circle (for example, see annotated Figs. 10 and 11 above)), and
the fourth plane is parallel to the electrical insulating portion (Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the plane is parallel to the insulating member 7).
Regarding claim 12, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the region of the first electrode further includes a first plane connected to the contact region and extending in a direction away from the electrical insulating portion, and a third plane connected to the first plane and the first curved surface and parallel to the electrical insulating portion (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], a plane extends away from the contact surface of electrode 11a with the insulating member 7, and plane extends parallel to the insulating member 7, and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, a plane is connected to the contact region between the electrode 5, 16 and the insulating member 7, and a plane parallel to the insulating member 7 connects to the curved surface of the electrode).
Regarding claim 13, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the opposing surface further includes a second curved surface connected to the first curved surface (Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the surface of electrode 16 facing electrode 17 includes a curved surface connected to the curved surface connected to the contact surface for insulating member 7 (see annotated Figs. 10-11 above)),
the first curved surface and the second curved surface are located on the circumference of the ellipse in the cross section of the first electrode (Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the curved surface of electrode 16 are on an ellipse (for example, see annotated Figs. 10 and 11 above)).
Regarding claim 14, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the region of the first electrode further includes a first plane connected to the contact region, extending in a direction away from the electrical insulating portion and perpendicular to the contact region and connected to the first curved surface (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], a plane extends away from the contact surface of electrode 11a with the insulating member 7 and perpendicular to the insulating member 7 and surface of the electrode 11a, and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, a plane is connected to the contact region between the electrode 5, 16 and the insulating member 7 and perpendicular to the insulating member 7).
Regarding claim 15, Asayama discloses an electronic device manufacturing method (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0005]-[0006], [0079], [0082]-[0084], [0097], [0101], laser apparatus includes laser chamber 10 generates a laser for exposure apparatus 100 to expose a wafer during exposure processing for semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing), comprising:
generating laser light using a gas laser device (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0079]-[0080], [0082]-[0084], [0098]-[0104], laser apparatus includes laser chamber 10 to produce a laser output to exposure apparatus 100);
outputting the laser light to an exposure apparatus (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0079]-[0080], [0082]-[0084], [0098]-[0104], the laser beam is output to exposure apparatus 100); and
exposing a photosensitive substrate to the laser light in the exposure apparatus to manufacture an electronic device (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0005]-[0006], [0079], [0082]-[0084], [0097], [0101], exposure apparatus 100 uses the laser beam to expose a wafer during exposure processing for semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing), the gas laser device comprising:
a conductive laser chamber including an opening and a pair of windows (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0084], [0111], [0127], the laser chamber 10 includes an opening for insulator 20 and windows 10a, 10b. The laser chamber 10 includes metal material);
an electrical insulating portion blocking the opening (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0084], [0125], insulator 20 is within the laser chamber 10 opening);
a first electrode fixed to a surface of the electrical insulating portion on a side of an internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0083]-[0084], [0125]-[0126] electrode 11a is attached to insulator 20 on one interior side of the laser chamber 10); and
a second electrode facing the first electrode at the internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-7, 9, 31, 36-37, paras. [0083], [0098]-[0099], [0126], electrode 11b faces electrode 11a inside the laser chamber 10),
a laser gas being enclosed at the internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-7, 9, 31, 36-37, paras. [0079], [0082]-[0083], [0091]-[0094], [0099], laser gas is supplied between the electrodes 11a and 11b inside laser chamber 10),
the laser chamber being configured to cause light, generated through excitation of the laser gas due to discharge caused by a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, to be output outside the laser chamber through the pair of windows (Figs. 1-7, 9, 31, 36-37, paras. [0098]-[0104], a controller 30 applies a voltage between electrodes 11a and 11b to cause discharge and the emission of light from the excited laser gas. the light is output through windows 10a and 10b),
the first electrode including a contact region which is in contact with the surface of the electrical insulating portion, an opposing surface which faces the second electrode (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0140], [0145]-[0147], [0167], [0172]-[0173], [0177], [0194]-[0198], [0209]-[0212], electrode 11a contacts a surface in contact with insulator 20, such as insulators 73, 74, insulator member 121. The electrode includes a surface opposing the electrode 11b). Asayama does not appear to explicitly describe a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode, and in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion.
Mizoguchi discloses an electrical insulating portion (Fig. 2, page 4 of English translation, insulating member 7), a first electrode fixed to a surface of the electrical insulating portion on a side of an internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, electrode 5, 16 is fixed to a surface of the insulating member 7 on one side of the discharge excitation region); and
a second electrode facing the first electrode at the internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, electrode 6, 17 faces the electrode 5),
the first electrode including a contact region which is in contact with the surface of the electrical insulating portion, an opposing surface which faces the second electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the first electrode includes a contact surface with the insulating member 7 and an opposing surface facing the second electrode), and a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the electrode 5, 16 includes a convex surface between the contact surface and the opposing surface (see annotated Figs. 10 and 11 above)), and
in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion (Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the shape of the surface the electrode 16b provides contact with the insulating member 7 on an interior side of the electrode, and the convex surface is part of a circumference of an ellipse or circle not intersecting with the surface of the insulating member 7 in the annotated Figs. 10 and 11 above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode, in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion as taught by Mizoguchi as the shape of the first electrode in the gas laser device in the method as taught by Asayama since including a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode, in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion is commonly used to reduce discharge instability to produce a stable laser with a uniform light beam (Mizoguchi, pgs. 4, para. [0018], 6, 7, para. [0039]).
Regarding claim 16, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein a space surrounded by the electrical insulating portion, the first plane, the third plane, and the first curved surface is formed in the internal space (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0082]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], the interior of the laser chamber 10 includes the plane that extends away from the contact surface of electrode 11a with the insulating member 7, and plane extends parallel to the insulating member 7, and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the plane is connected to the contact region between the electrode 5, 16 and the insulating member 7, and the plane parallel to the insulating member 7 connects to the curved surface of the electrode, and the planes are inside the laser chamber).
Regarding claim 17, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi discloses wherein the space extends along the predetermined direction (Asayama, Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0082]-[0084], [0125]-[0126], the interior of the laser chamber 10 extends in a longitudinal direction and a horizontal direction, and as modified by Mizoguchi, Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the laser chamber has a longitudinal direction).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Katsuumi et al. (US PGPub 2017/0346252, Katsuumi hereinafter).
Regarding claim 3, Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi does not appear to explicitly describe wherein the first plane is inclined with respect to the contact region.
Katsuumi discloses wherein the first plane is inclined with respect to the contact region (Figs. 15A-D, 16, paras. [0157]-[0159], the electrode 11a includes a wide portion 11c with an inclined portion of the electrode with respect to the contact region).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included wherein the first plane is inclined with respect to the contact region as taught by Katsuumi as the first plane in the gas laser device as taught by Asayama as modified by Mizoguchi since including wherein the first plane is inclined with respect to the contact region is commonly used to provide a shape of the electrode to ease an electric field to reduce electric discharge in spaces other than the intended discharge space (Katsuumi, para. [0157]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-20 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.
Regarding claim 18, the prior art of record, either alone or in combination, fails to teach or render obvious wherein a distance from the third plane to the electrical insulating portion is equal to a length of the first plane in a direction away from the electrical insulating portion. These limitations in combination with all of the other limitations of the parent claims would render the claim non-obvious over the prior art of record if rewritten.
The dependent claim is likewise allowable by virtue of its dependency.
Asayama discloses the first electrode including a contact region which is in contact with the surface of the electrical insulating portion, an opposing surface which faces the second electrode (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0140], [0145]-[0147], [0167], [0172]-[0173], [0177], [0194]-[0198], [0209]-[0212], electrode 11a contacts a surface in contact with insulator 20, such as insulators 73, 74, insulator member 121. The electrode includes a surface opposing the electrode 11b). Asayama does not describe or render obvious wherein a distance from the third plane to the electrical insulating portion is equal to a length of the first plane in a direction away from the electrical insulating portion.
Mizoguchi discloses the first electrode including a contact region which is in contact with the surface of the electrical insulating portion, an opposing surface which faces the second electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the first electrode includes a contact surface with the insulating member 7 and an opposing surface facing the second electrode), and a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, the electrode 5, 16 includes a convex surface between the contact surface and the opposing surface). Mizoguchi does not describe or render obvious wherein a distance from the third plane to the electrical insulating portion is equal to a length of the first plane in a direction away from the electrical insulating portion.
Regarding claim 20, the prior art of record, either alone or in combination, fails to teach or render obvious wherein a creepage distance, along the predetermined direction, from an edge of the contact region to the chamber inner wall surface of the laser chamber facing the edge is longer than a shortest distance from the first electrode to the chamber inner wall surface, the shortest distance is 25 mm or more and 36 mm or less; and the creepage distance is 40 mm or more than 65 mm or less. These limitations in combination with all of the other limitations of the parent claim would render the claim non-obvious over the prior art of record if rewritten.
Asayama discloses the first electrode including a contact region which is in contact with the surface of the electrical insulating portion, an opposing surface which faces the second electrode (Figs. 1-7, 9, 13-24, 26-28, 30-37, paras. [0140], [0145]-[0147], [0167], [0172]-[0173], [0177], [0194]-[0198], [0209]-[0212], electrode 11a contacts a surface in contact with insulator 20, such as insulators 73, 74, insulator member 121. The electrode includes a surface opposing the electrode 11b). Asayama does not describe or render obvious wherein a creepage distance, along the predetermined direction, from an edge of the contact region to the chamber inner wall surface of the laser chamber facing the edge is longer than a shortest distance from the first electrode to the chamber inner wall surface, the shortest distance is 25 mm or more and 36 mm or less; and the creepage distance is 40 mm or more than 65 mm or less.
Mizoguchi discloses the first electrode including a contact region which is in contact with the surface of the electrical insulating portion, an opposing surface which faces the second electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the first electrode includes a contact surface with the insulating member 7 and an opposing surface facing the second electrode), and a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, the electrode 5, 16 includes a convex surface between the contact surface and the opposing surface). Mizoguchi does not describe or render obvious wherein a creepage distance, along the predetermined direction, from an edge of the contact region to the chamber inner wall surface of the laser chamber facing the edge is longer than a shortest distance from the first electrode to the chamber inner wall surface, the shortest distance is 25 mm or more and 36 mm or less; and the creepage distance is 40 mm or more than 65 mm or less
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/30/2026 been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on pages 7-8 that Asayama in view of Mizoguchi fails to render obvious “in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion” as recited in claims 1 and 15. The Applicant contends that Mizoguchi is silent regarding whether the circles or ellipses intersect the electrical insulating portion and alleges it cannot be determined that the circles or ellipses intersect the electrical insulating portion from the drawings annotated by the Examiner. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. The claim language recites “in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion.” Similar to at least Figs. 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the Applicant’s instant application, the drawings of Mizoguchi clearly show the structure of “the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion” under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language as currently drafted, and the annotation by the Examiner is supported by at least page 5, lines 3-10 and claim 3. That is, Figs. 1, 2, 10, and 11, show the shape and curvature of the electrodes and the arrangement of the electrodes in the laser chamber. See MPEP 2125. Therefore, under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language, Mizoguchi discloses an electrical insulating portion (Fig. 2, page 4 of English translation, insulating member 7), a first electrode fixed to a surface of the electrical insulating portion on a side of an internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, electrode 5, 16 is fixed to a surface of the insulating member 7 on one side of the discharge excitation region); and a second electrode facing the first electrode at the internal space of the laser chamber (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, electrode 6, 17 faces the electrode 5), the first electrode including a contact region which is in contact with the surface of the electrical insulating portion, an opposing surface which faces the second electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the first electrode includes a contact surface with the insulating member 7 and an opposing surface facing the second electrode), and a first curved surface which is included in a region between the contact region and the opposing surface and which is convexly curved toward an outer side of the first electrode (Figs. 1-2, 5, 10-11, pgs. 4 and 7, the electrode 5, 16 includes a convex surface between the contact surface and the opposing surface (see annotated Figs. 10 and 11 above)), and in a cross section of the first electrode along a surface extending in a separation direction of the first electrode and the second electrode and a predetermined direction perpendicular to the separation direction, the contact region being located on an inner side of the first electrode with respect to the first curved surface, and the first curved surface being a part of a circumference of a circle or an ellipse which does not intersect the electrical insulating portion (Figs. 2 and 10-11, pgs. 4-5 and 7, the shape of the surface the electrode 16b provides contact with the insulating member 7 on an interior side of the electrode, and the convex surface is part of a circumference of an ellipse or circle not intersecting with the surface of the insulating member 7 in the annotated Figs. 10 and 11 above). Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered, but they are not persuasive.
Conclusion
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 CHRISTINA A. RIDDLE whose telephone number is (571)270-7538. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:30AM-5PM.
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/CHRISTINA A RIDDLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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