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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Pub. 2021/0181033 (“Akao”).
Claim 1
Akao discloses a temperature measurement assembly comprising: a gas supply pipe including therein a flow path through which a gas flows (paragraph [0027], gas pipe 22); at least one temperature sensor including a temperature measurement gauge disposed outside the gas supply pipe (temperature sensors 66); and a protective tube inside which the gas supply pipe and the at least one temperature sensor are disposed (process tube 11), wherein an outlet of the gas supply pipe configured to eject the gas into the protective tube is positioned higher than the at least one temperature sensor (Fig. 2, opening 108), and the gas descends via a gap between an outer wall of the at least one temperature sensor and an inner wall of the protective tube (paragraphs [0027-0028]).
Claim 2
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a gas discharge pipe configured to discharge the gas from an inside of the protective tube, wherein a diameter of the gas discharge pipe is larger than a diameter of the gas supply pipe (Figs 1 and 2, openings 110).
Claim 3
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 1, wherein the protective tube includes an internal space in an ejection direction of the gas from the gas supply pipe (Figs. 1 and 2).
Claim 4
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensor includes a sheath tube, and the temperature measurement gauge is disposed inside the sheath tube (paragraph [0036], tube 12).
Claim 5
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a holder including a bonder bonded to a lower side of the protective tube (terminal 222), a connector including an exposed terminal electrically connected to the at least one temperature sensor (cable 223), and an exhauster configured to exhaust the gas (exhaust 82).
Claim 6
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 5, wherein the holder further includes an engager configured to engage with a vacuum joint configured to maintain an airtightness between the holder and the protective tube (paragraph [0079]).
Claim 7
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 4, further comprising a gas discharge pipe configured to discharge the gas from an inside of the protective tube, wherein the gas supply pipe, the sheath tube, and the gas discharge pipe are arranged to extend inside the protective tube in a longitudinal direction of the protective tube, with each of the gas supply pipe, the sheath tube, and the gas discharge pipe partially exposed outside the protective tube, so that a space between: a lower side of the protective tube; and the gas supply pipe, sheath tube, and gas discharge pipe is sealed with a sealing material (Fig. 6, paragraph [0037], seal cap 25).
Claim 8
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 5, wherein the holder includes a casing configured to accommodate a wire of the at least one temperature sensor, and the connector is formed at the casing (Fig. 2, casing 2).
Claim 9
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 8, wherein the casing includes a flat surface portion parallel to a longitudinal direction of the protective tube, and the terminal is disposed on the flat surface portion (Fig. 1).
Claim 10
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 8, wherein one end of a gas discharge pipe configured to discharge the gas from an inside of the protective tube is open to enable fluid communication with an interior of the casing, the interior of the casing is purged with the gas, the casing includes a flat surface portion parallel to a longitudinal direction of the protective tube, and the terminal is disposed on the flat surface portion (Figs. 1 and 2).
Claim 11
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is positioned farther from a central axis of the protective tube than the gas supply pipe (Figs. 1 and 2).
Claim 12
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 6, wherein the engager includes a flange configured to come into contact with the vacuum joint and a cap nut configured to be screwed during installation to pull the holder closer to the vacuum joint, and wherein the cap nut is loosely fitted into the holder by the flange in a non-removable manner (Figs. 1 and 2, paragraphs [0055-0056]).
Claim 13
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 1, wherein a wire of the at least one temperature sensor is drawn out of the casing via a hole provided at the casing and is connected to a terminal screw provided outside the casing (Figs. 1 and 2, paragraph [0042]).
Claim 14
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a lid configured to close a lower end opening of the casing and to support the gas supply pipe (cap 25).
Claim 15
Akao discloses the temperature measurement assembly according to claim 4, wherein the at least one temperature sensor includes a plurality of temperature sensors, each individually accommodated in the sheath pipe (Fig. 6).
Claim 16
Akao discloses a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a process container (chamber 14); a heater provided to surround the process container (heater 65); a cylindrical heat generator disposed inside the process container to accommodate a substrate (Fig. 1, paragraph [0071], heater 40), the heat generator capable of being raised in temperature by the heater (paragraph [0071]); a cylindrical thermal insulator disposed between the process container and the heat generator (Fig. 1); and a temperature measurement assembly disposed inside the heat generator to extend in an axial direction of the heat generator (Figs. 1 and 2), wherein the temperature measurement assembly comprises: a gas supply pipe including therein a flow path through which a gas flows (paragraph [0027], gas pipe 22); at least one temperature sensor including a temperature measurement gauge disposed outside the gas supply pipe (temperature sensors 66); and a protective tube inside which the gas supply pipe and the at least one temperature sensor are disposed (process tube 11), and wherein an outlet of the gas supply pipe configured to eject the gas into the protective tube is positioned higher than the at least one temperature sensor (Fig. 2, opening 108), and the gas descends via a gap between an outer wall of the at least one temperature sensor and an inner wall of the protective tube (paragraphs [0027-0028]).
Claim 17
Akao discloses a method of processing a substrate, comprising: accommodating a substrate inside a cylindrical heat generator disposed in a process container (chamber 14); raising a temperature of the cylindrical heat generator by a heater provided to surround the process container (paragraph [0071]); and controlling the heater based on a temperature measured by a temperature measurement assembly disposed inside the heat generator to extend in an axial direction of the heat generator (Figs. 1 and 2), wherein the temperature measurement assembly, which is used in the act of controlling, comprises: a gas supply pipe including therein a flow path through which a gas flows (paragraph [0027], gas pipe 22); at least one temperature sensor including a temperature measurement gauge disposed outside the gas supply pipe (temperature sensors 66); and a protective tube inside which the gas supply pipe and the at least one temperature sensor are disposed (process tube 11), and wherein the gas, which is ejected into the protective tube from an outlet of the gas supply pipe positioned higher than the at least one temperature sensor (Fig. 2, opening 108), descends via a gap between an outer wall of the at least one temperature sensor and an inner wall of the protective tube (paragraphs [0027-0028]).
Claim 18
Akao discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the method according to claim 17 (paragraphs [0017-0049]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERICA S Y LIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7911. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4, TW M,W.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERICA S LIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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