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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the furnace" in Claim 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, as there is “a first furnace” but not an overall “a furnace.”
In regard to Claim 2, it is unclear how a separator roll is configured to insert a separator between adjacent layers of the nano-forest coated substrate as there is only a precursor on the collapsed nanoforest. Specifically, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim as no other layer is deposited on the substrate passing through the second growth zone other than precursor.
Claims 3-18 are rejected in part due to their dependency to Claims 1 and 2.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-18 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record, whether alone or in combination, does not expressly teach an apparatus where there are two zones, two cooling zones and a mechanism for flattening the nanostructures and then adding a precursor via a second showerhead on the collapsed substrate passing through the second growth zone and a takeup roll. Specifically, even if there is the post processing of flattening the nanostructures and then depositing more nanostructures thereon, the addition of the precursor and the additional cooling zones and second growth zones are not found in the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. United States Patent Application No. 2012/0164903 to Wardle et al.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIFFANY Z NUCKOLS whose telephone number is (571)270-7377. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10AM-7PM.
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/TIFFANY Z NUCKOLS/Examiner, Art Unit 1716
/Jeffrie R Lund/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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