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 Objections
Claims 1-2 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, line 7, “the number of" should read “a number of”.
In claim 2, line 7, “the number of" should read “a number of”.
In claim 2, line 12, “the number of" should read “a number of”.
In claim 2, line 20, “the number of" should read “a number of”.
In claim 2, line 28, “the number of" should read “a number of”.
In claim 2, line 36, “the number of" should read “a number of”.
Appropriate correction is required
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe et al. (US 20180351038) in view of Tanaka et al. (US 20160233080).
Regarding claim 1, Watanabe teaches a Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate (fig. 1, self-supporting polycrystalline gallium nitride substrate 12; para. 0054), comprising:
a first surface (top surface); and
a second surface (bottom surface),
wherein the Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate (12) has a thickness of 200 μm or more (300 μm or greater; para. 0031).
Watanabe fails to explicitly teach the number N of times of light-and-dark switching in a line segment having a length of 2 mm, which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image obtained by observation of a region including a central portion of a surface of the first surface with a polarizing microscope, is 50 or more.
However, Tanaka teaches the number N (Tanaka: number of crystal grain; para. 0062) of times of light-and-dark switching (Tanaka: pattern to show the crystal grain; para. 0062) in a line segment (Tanaka: long side of rectangular shape like a line shape; para. 0062) having a length of 2 mm (Tanaka: not more than 3 mm; para. 0062), which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image (Tanaka: crossed Nicols; para. 0062) obtained by observation of a region including a central portion (Watanabe: center region of 12) of a surface (Watanabe: top surface) of the first surface with a polarizing microscope (Tanaka: polarization microscope; para. 0062), is less than 200 (Watanabe: 2000/10 for number of crystal grains 10 μm or more in 2mm; para. 0028), which overlaps the number range 50 or more.
Tanaka and Watanabe are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of semiconductor substrates.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a crossed-Nicols image with the polarizing microscope as taught by Tanaka and have modified the number range from less than 200 to 50 or more.
Doing so would realize a crossed-Nicols image with a polarizing microscope as common knowledge to check the surface quality to help improve the method for manufacturing (para. 0062). Here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955) (MPEP Chapter 2100-Section 2144.05-Optimization of Ranges).
Regarding claim 2, Watanabe teaches a Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate (fig. 1, self-supporting polycrystalline gallium nitride substrate 12; para. 0054), comprising:
a first surface (top surface); and
a second surface (bottom surface),
wherein the Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate (12) has a thickness of 200 μm or more (300 μm or greater; para. 0031).
Watanabe fails to explicitly teach when the number of times of light-and-dark switching in a line segment having a length of 2 mm, which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image obtained by observation of a region including a central portion of a surface of the first surface with a polarizing microscope, is represented by N,
the number of times of light-and-dark switching in a line segment having a length of 2 mm, which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image obtained by observation of a region including a site located in a rightward direction from the central portion when the surface of the first surface is viewed from a planar direction, the site being distant from an outer periphery of the first surface by 10 mm, with the polarizing microscope, is represented by "a",
the number of times of light-and-dark switching in a line segment having a length of 2 mm, which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image obtained by observation of a region including a site located in a leftward direction from the central portion when the surface of the first surface is viewed from the planar direction, the site being distant from the outer periphery of the first surface by 10 mm, with the polarizing microscope, is represented by "b",
the number of times of light-and-dark switching in a line segment having a length of 2 mm, which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image obtained by observation of a region including a site located in an upward direction from the central portion when the surface of the first surface is viewed from the planar direction, the site being distant from the outer periphery of the first surface by 10 mm, with the polarizing microscope, is represented by "c", and
the number of times of light-and-dark switching in a line segment having a length of 2 mm, which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image obtained by observation of a region including a site located in a downward direction from the central portion when the surface of the first surface is viewed from the planar direction, the site being distant from the outer periphery of the first surface by 10 mm, with the polarizing microscope, is represented by "d",
a change ratio of each of the "a", the "b", the "c", and the "d" with respect to the N is 20% or less.
However, Tanaka teaches when the number (Tanaka: number of crystal grain; para. 0062) of times of light-and-dark switching (Tanaka: pattern to show the crystal grain; para. 0062) in a line segment (Tanaka: long side of rectangular shape like a line shape; para. 0062) having a length of 2 mm (Tanaka: not more than 3 mm; para. 0062), which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image (Tanaka: crossed Nicols; para. 0062) obtained by observation of a region including a central portion (Watanabe: center region of 12) of a surface (Watanabe: top surface) of the first surface with a polarizing microscope (Tanaka: polarization microscope; para. 0062), is represented by N (Tanaka: number of crystal grain in the center region),
the number (Tanaka: number of crystal grain; para. 0062) of times of light-and-dark switching (Tanaka: pattern to show the crystal grain; para. 0062) in a line segment (Tanaka: long side of rectangular shape like a line shape; para. 0062) having a length of 2 mm (Tanaka: not more than 3 mm; para. 0062), which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image (Tanaka: crossed Nicols; para. 0062) obtained by observation of a region including a site located in a rightward direction from the central portion (Watanabe: a region rightward from center of 12 and 10 mm from outer periphery) when the surface (Watanabe: top surface) of the first surface is viewed from a planar direction (top view), the site being distant from an outer periphery of the first surface by 10 mm, with the polarizing microscope (Tanaka: polarization microscope; para. 0062), is represented by "a" (Tanaka: number of crystal grain in the region rightward),
the number (Tanaka: number of crystal grain; para. 0062) of times of light-and-dark switching (Tanaka: pattern to show the crystal grain; para. 0062) in a line segment (Tanaka: long side of rectangular shape like a line shape; para. 0062) having a length of 2 mm (Tanaka: not more than 3 mm; para. 0062), which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image (Tanaka: crossed Nicols; para. 0062) obtained by observation of a region including a site located in a leftward direction from the central portion (Watanabe: a region leftward from center of 12 and 10 mm from outer periphery) when the surface of the first surface is viewed from the planar direction (top view), the site being distant from the outer periphery of the first surface by 10 mm, with the polarizing microscope (Tanaka: polarization microscope; para. 0062), is represented by "b",
the number (Tanaka: number of crystal grain; para. 0062)of times of light-and-dark switching (Tanaka: pattern to show the crystal grain; para. 0062) in a line segment (Tanaka: long side of rectangular shape like a line shape; para. 0062) having a length of 2 mm (Tanaka: not more than 3 mm; para. 0062), which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image (Tanaka: crossed Nicols; para. 0062) obtained by observation of a region including a site located in an upward direction from the central portion (Watanabe: a region upward from center of 12 and 10 mm from outer periphery) when the surface (Watanabe: top surface) of the first surface is viewed from the planar direction (top view), the site being distant from the outer periphery of the first surface by 10 mm, with the polarizing microscope (Tanaka: polarization microscope; para. 0062), is represented by "c", and
the number (Tanaka: number of crystal grain; para. 0062)of times of light-and-dark switching (Tanaka: pattern to show the crystal grain; para. 0062) in a line segment (Tanaka: long side of rectangular shape like a line shape; para. 0062) having a length of 2 mm (Tanaka: not more than 3 mm; para. 0062), which is drawn in a crossed-Nicols image (Tanaka: crossed Nicols; para. 0062) obtained by observation of a region including a site located in a downward direction from the central portion (Watanabe: a region downward from center of 12 and 10 mm from outer periphery) when the surface (Watanabe: top surface) of the first surface is viewed from the planar direction (top view), the site being distant from the outer periphery of the first surface by 10 mm, with the polarizing microscope (Tanaka: polarization microscope; para. 0062), is represented by "d",
a change ratio of each of the "a", the "b", the "c", and the "d" with respect to the N is 70% or less (Watanabe: change ratio of when N from the average grain size 2000/22=90 and a, b, c, d with max variety 2000/14=140 and 2000/70=28 based on grain size 14 μm to 70 μm and indeed change ratio should be much less as a uniform no crack surface; para. 0028), which overlaps the change ratio range of 20% or less.
Tanaka and Watanabe are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of semiconductor substrates.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a crossed-Nicols image with the polarizing microscope to check several regions as taught by Tanaka and have modified the change ratio range from 70% or less to 20% or less.
Doing so would realize a crossed-Nicols image with a polarizing microscope as common knowledge to check the surface quality to help improve the crystal grain homogeneous (para. 0062). Here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955) (MPEP Chapter 2100-Section 2144.05-Optimization of Ranges).
Regarding claim 3, Watanabe in view of Tanaka further teaches the Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate according to claim 1, wherein a maximum length (Watanabe: maximum length along long side of the crystal grain; para. 0028) between points of the light-and-dark switching (Tanaka: pattern to show the crystal grain) is 700 μm or less (Watanabe: 14 μm to 500 μm; para. 0028).
Regarding claim 4, Watanabe in view of Tanaka further teaches the Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate according to claim 2, wherein a maximum length (Watanabe: maximum length along long side of the crystal grain; para. 0028) between points of the light-and-dark switching (Tanaka: pattern to show the crystal grain) is 700 μm or less (Watanabe: 14 μm to 500 μm; para. 0028).
Regarding claim 5, Watanabe in view of Tanaka further teaches the Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate according to claim 1, wherein the substrate (Watanabe: fig. 1, 12) has a diameter of 45 mm or more (Watanabe: 50.8 mm (2 inches) or greater; para. 0031).
Regarding claim 6, Watanabe in view of Tanaka further teaches the Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate according to claim 2, wherein the substrate (Watanabe: fig. 1, 12) has a diameter of 45 mm or more (Watanabe: 50.8 mm (2 inches) or greater; para. 0031).
Regarding claim 7, Watanabe in view of Tanaka further teaches a bonded substrate (Watanabe: fig. 1, light emitting device 10; para. 0054), comprising:
the Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate (Watanabe: 12) of claim 1; and
a support substrate (Watanabe: electrode layer 18; para. 0066) bonded thereto.
Regarding claim 8, Watanabe in view of Tanaka further teaches a bonded substrate (Watanabe: fig. 1, light emitting device 10; para. 0054), comprising:
the Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate (Watanabe: 12) of claim 2; and
a support substrate (Watanabe: electrode layer 18; para. 0066) bonded thereto.
Conclusion
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/ZHIJUN XU/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/BRIAN TURNER/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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