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 .
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 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgment is made of Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) form PTO 1449.These IDS has been considered.
Examiner’s Note
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages, paragraph and figures may apply. Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election, without traverse, of Group I: claims 1-16, in the “Response to Election / Restriction Filed” filed on 1/12/26 is acknowledged and entered by Examiner.
This office action considers claims 1-20 are thus pending for prosecution, of which, non-elected claims 17-20 are withdrawn, and elected claims 1-16 are examined on their merits.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “support member; transfer device” in claims 1 and 9; “measurement station” in claim 5.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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 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 of this title, 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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 9, 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHEN et al. (US 20200185603 A1) (herein after CHEN) in view of AMIKURA et al. (US 20220277981 A1) (herein after AMIKURA).
As to claim(s) 1, CHEN discloses and shows in figs. 1A, a wafer alignment system comprising:
a wafer sensor comprising a wafer substrate [106A] and a phase change material layer [100A] provided on the wafer substrate [¶0022];
a support member [104A] configured to support the wafer sensor and heat the wafer sensor [the energy element 112A may represent one or more physical structures or aspects such as a probe, optical element, or a heating element…¶0022][¶0040].
[Note: while each unit configured to perform as claimed may be recited either structurally or functionally, claims directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function, because apparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does].
CHEN discloses all the features of the claimed invention except the limitation such as: “a transfer device configured to transfer the wafer sensor to the support member”.
However, AMIKURA from the same field of endeavor discloses a transfer device configured to transfer the wafer sensor to the support member [a difference between the sensor wafer and the substrate W that is actually transferred. According to the transfer system 480 of the present embodiment, since the misalignment of the substrate W can be corrected, the substrate w can be transferred with high positional accuracy…¶0344].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the device/method/system of CHEN such that the transfer device configured to transfer the wafer sensor to the support member; as taught by AMIKURA, for the advantages such as: to effectively increase alignment accuracy.
As of claim 2, CHEN discloses the wafer alignment system wherein the phase change material layer configured to store pattern information and edge information based on the support member [¶0028, 0036].
As of claim 3, CHEN discloses the wafer alignment system further comprising: a barrier layer provided between the wafer substrate and the phase change material layer
As to claim(s) 9, CHEN discloses and shows in figs. 1A, wafer alignment system comprising:
a wafer sensor comprising a wafer substrate [106A] and a first phase change material pattern [100A] provided on the wafer substrate [¶0022]; and
a second phase change material pattern [he phase change material may interface with a resistance measuring apparatus 116A (e.g., an ohmmeter) with interface points along at least two points of the phase change material. The interface points of the resistance measuring apparatus 116A are drawn as lines in phantom…¶0024],
the first phase change material pattern comprising a plurality of first phase change material portions [¶0022] and the second phase change material pattern comprising a plurality of second phase change materials [¶0024-0025];
a support member [104A] configured to support the wafer sensor and heat the wafer sensor [the energy element 112A may represent one or more physical structures or aspects such as a probe, optical element, or a heating element…¶0022] [¶0040].
[Note: while each unit configured to perform as claimed may be recited either structurally or functionally, claims directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function, because apparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does].
CHEN discloses all the features of the claimed invention except the limitation such as: “a transfer device configured to transfer the wafer sensor to the support member”.
However, AMIKURA from the same field of endeavor discloses a transfer device configured to transfer the wafer sensor to the support member [a difference between the sensor wafer and the substrate W that is actually transferred. According to the transfer system 480 of the present embodiment, since the misalignment of the substrate W can be corrected, the substrate w can be transferred with high positional accuracy…¶0344].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the device/method/system of CHEN such that the transfer device configured to transfer the wafer sensor to the support member; as taught by AMIKURA, for the advantages such as: to effectively increase alignment accuracy.
As of claims 13-14, CHEN discloses the wafer alignment system wherein the plurality of first phase change material portions are provided along an edge of the wafer substrate [¶0024];
the wafer alignment system, wherein one or more of the plurality of first phase change material portions overlap the edge of the wafer substrate [¶0024-0025].
Claim(s) 3-8 and 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHEN et al. (US 20200185603 A1) (herein after CHEN) in view of AMIKURA et al. and further in view of Liu (US 20090180314 A1) (herein after Liu).
As to claim(s) 3-8 and 15-16, CHEN when modified by AMIKURA discloses all the features of the claimed invention except the limitation such as: “The wafer alignment system of claim 1, further comprising: a barrier layer provided between the wafer substrate and the phase change material layer.
The wafer alignment system wherein the phase change material layer includes GeSbTe (GST).
The wafer alignment system further comprising: a measurement station configured to analyze crystal information of the phase change material layer of the wafer sensor and control the transfer device.
The wafer alignment system, wherein the measurement station is configured to electrically measure a change in electrical characteristics of the phase change material layer.
The wafer alignment system, wherein the measurement station is configured to optically measure a change in optical characteristics of the phase change material layer.
The wafer alignment system, wherein the measurement station is configured to initialize the wafer sensor by causing a phase change uniformly throughout the phase change material layer.
The wafer alignment system, wherein the measurement station is configured to electrically measure a change in electrical characteristics of the first phase change material pattern and the second phase change material pattern or optically measure a partial change in optical characteristics of the first phase change material pattern and the second phase change material pattern”.
However, Liu from the same field of endeavor discloses a barrier layer provided between the wafer substrate and the phase change material layer [FIG. 1 illustrates six layers of phase change material 106 to 116 in a PCRAM 100, with layers 106, 110 and 114 being shown as being thicker than the remaining layers. It is also possible to insert diffusion barrier layers…¶0027];
wherein the phase change material layer includes GeSbTe (GST) [Layer 106 may be a layer of an undoped phase change material such as germanium antimony tellurium (GST) in a crystalline state. … Layer 108 may be a doped GST layer…¶0027];
a measurement station configured to analyze crystal information of the phase change material layer of the wafer sensor and control the transfer device [FIGS. 1 to 4, operates by setting the six shown phase change material layers (206-216 in FIG. 2) to a crystalline state by applying a SET current selected to exceed the Tg of all of the layers, but not high enough to reach Tm for any one of the layers. The number of phase change material layers is not limited to six, and increased numbers of layers result in an increase in the number of logic states available to a single PCRAM cell. With all six shown layers in a crystalline state…¶0033];
wherein the measurement station is configured to electrically measure a change in electrical characteristics of the phase change material layer [¶0033];
wherein the measurement station is configured to optically measure a change in optical characteristics of the phase change material layer [¶0033];
wherein the measurement station is configured to initialize the wafer sensor by causing a phase change uniformly throughout the phase change material layer [¶0033, ¶0038];
the measurement station is configured to electrically measure a change in electrical characteristics of the first phase change material pattern and the second phase change material pattern or optically measure a partial change in optical characteristics of the first phase change material pattern and the second phase change material pattern [¶0033, ¶0038].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the device/method/system of CHEN when modified by AMIKURA such that the barrier layer provided between the wafer substrate and the phase change material layer; wherein the phase change material layer includes GeSbTe (GST); the measurement station configured to analyze crystal information of the phase change material layer of the wafer sensor and control the transfer device; the measurement station is configured to electrically measure a change in electrical characteristics of the phase change material layer; the measurement station is configured to optically measure the change in optical characteristics of the phase change material layer; wherein the measurement station is configured to initialize the wafer sensor by causing the phase change uniformly throughout the phase change material layer; the measurement station is configured to electrically measure the change in electrical characteristics of the first phase change material pattern and the second phase change material pattern or optically measure a partial change in optical characteristics of the first phase change material pattern and the second phase change material pattern; as taught by Liu, for the advantages such as: provide improved layer thickness uniformity and sharp material boundaries at the interface of different phase change materials, thus providing improved resistance level accuracy.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHEN et al. in view of AMIKURA et al. and further in view of FRANCESCHINI et al. (TW I513073 B) (herein after FRANCESCHINI).
As to claim(s) 10, CHEN when modified by AMIKURA discloses all the features of the claimed invention except the limitation such as: “The wafer alignment system of claim 9, wherein the second phase change material pattern is provided to be symmetrical to the first phase change material pattern with respect to a center of the wafer substrate”.
However, FRANCESCHINI from the same field of endeavor discloses a second phase change material pattern is provided to be symmetrical to the first phase change material pattern with respect to a center of the wafer substrate [the exemplary unit structure provides a non-symmetrically grown small melting zone 410 that changes the percentage of shielding at least the first conductive electrode zone 404 as current increases…page 8].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the device/method/system of CHEN when modified by AMIKURA such that the second phase change material pattern is provided to be symmetrical to the first phase change material pattern with respect to the center of the wafer substrate; as taught by FRANCESCHINI, for the advantages such as: in order to obtain an optimum measurement.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 11-12 is/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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As to claim 11, the prior arts alone or in combination fails to disclose the claimed limitations such as “wherein the third phase change material pattern comprises a plurality of third phase change material portions, wherein the fourth phase change material pattern comprises a plurality of fourth phase change material portions, and wherein the third phase change material pattern is provided to be symmetrical to the fourth phase change material pattern with respect to a center of the wafer substrate” along with all other limitations of the claim.
As to claim 12, the prior arts alone or in combination fails to disclose the claimed limitations such as “a third phase change material pattern provided on the wafer substrate, the third phase change material pattern comprising a plurality of third phase change material portions, and the first phase change material pattern, the second phase change material pattern, and the third phase change material pattern are provided at intervals of 120 degrees with respect to a center of the wafer substrate” along with all other limitations of the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MD M RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-9175. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur.
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MD M. RAHMAN
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2886
/MD M RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877