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)(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.
Claim(s) 1 - 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lo et al (US 2024/0177990).
With regards to claims 1, 7 and 15, Lo teaches a method of degassing a substrate in a station (Abstract, paragraph 23) comprising:
Magnetically levitating a carrier with a substrate disposed thereon (paragraph 47) in a first position between a reflector assembly (Figure 3 item 350) and a heater assembly (Figure 3 item 332) disposed within a housing of the station
Moving the reflector assembly and the heater assembly from a retracted position to an extended position while the carrier is disposed between the reflector assembly and the heater assembly (paragraphs 46 and 47)
Degassing the substrate disposed on the carrier with the heater assembly while the reflector assembly and heater assembly are each in the extended position, where the degassing includes pumping a purge gas through a gas port formed in at least one of the reflector assembly or the heater assembly towards the substrate (paragraphs 23 and 51).
With regards to claim 2, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that the heater assembly is disposed above the substrate (Figure 3 item 332) and the reflector assembly is positioned below the substrate (Figure 3 item 350).
With regards to claim 3, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that the heater assembly is disposed below the substrate (paragraph 47) and the reflector assembly is positioned above the substrate (Figure 3 item 350).
With regards to claims 4, 12 and 18, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that the heater assembly comprises a first support, a first reflector disposed within the housing by the first support and the first heat source coupled to the reflector (Figure 3 item 332).
With regards to claims 5, 13 and 19, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that the reflector assembly comprises a second support, a second reflector disposed within the housing by the second support and a second heat source coupled to the second reflector (Figure 3 item 350).
With regards to claims 6, 14 and 20, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that degassing the substrate is performed at a vacuum pressure of 10-6 Torr to 10 Torr (paragraph 34).
With regards to claim 8, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that the method further comprises raising the reflector assembly, moving the carrier under the reflector assembly and transferring the substrate back onto the carrier (paragraphs 46, 47 and 60 – 62).
With regards to claim 9, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that the method further comprising moving the carrier above a substrate support disposed below a processing chamber, transferring the substrate from the carrier to the substrate support, moving the carrier to a park position, raising the substrate on the substrate support into the processing chamber and processing the substrate in the processing chamber (paragraph 46, 47 and 60 – 62).
With regards to claim 10, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that the method further comprises lowering the substrate on the substrate support out of the processing chamber, moving the carrier from the park position to above the substrate support, transfer the substrate onto the carrier and moving the carrier out ofc the first station to a second station (paragraphs 60 – 62).
With regards to claims 11 and 17, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that degassing the substrate further comprises pumping purge gas through a gas port formed in the reflector assembly (paragraphs 23 and 51).
With regards to claim 16, the teachings of Lo are presented above. Additionally, Lo teaches that the substrate is disposed in a recess of the reflector when the reflector assembly is in the degas position (paragraph 47).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHEL RIVERA whose telephone number is (571)270-7655. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12pm - 8pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Orlando can be reached at (571) 270-5038. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSHEL RIVERA/Examiner, Art Unit 1746
/MICHAEL N ORLANDO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1746
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