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 .
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) filed on 08/26/25 with a preliminary amendment has been considered by the examiner. Amended claims 1-7, 10-20 and 23-24 have been examined as follow:
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I (claims 1-7 and 10-14) in the reply filed on 12/11/25 is acknowledged.
Claims 15-20 and 23-24 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/11/25.
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 1-7 and 10-14 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.
In claim 1, line 10, the phrase “the mask pattern” with the phrase “a side surface of the mask pattern” lacks proper antecedent basis. For the purpose of examination, the phrase “a side surface of each of the plurality of mask patterns” is assumed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 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.
Claims 2-7 and 10-14 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include 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: Dong et al (US 2021/0359210A1) teaches (see Figs 10, 14 and 17, para [0003] and Abstract) a mask-support assembly for use in a process of forming organic light emitting diode (OLED) pixels on a semiconductor wafer, the mask-support assembly (see Fig 12b for a plurality of mask arranged in a matrix) comprising: a support (130) including an edge portion (130, see Fig 10) and a grid portion (130); a mask (shadow mask 110) connected onto the support and including a plurality of mask patterns formed therein (aperture patterns, see para [0068] and [0071], and wherein the support (130) is formed from a silicon wafer (see [0086]), the mask is formed on the silicon wafer (see para [0037], wherein the composition of the first surface, which is lower surface of the mask, and the second surface, which is the side surface of the mask pattern are capable of being different from the compositions of the third surface, which is the upper surface of the mask (since different material composition of the membrane layer 303 of the mask is taught in Dong et al see para [0048] and Figs 3). KR102435341B1 also teaches (see Figs 7-9, Abstract and English translation Description) a mask-support assembly for use in a process of forming organic light emitting diode (OLED) pixels on a semiconductor wafer a deposition mask (100) and a support (mask frame 200) used in a process for depositing an organic material on a substrate (300), the support including edge and grid portions (mask frame including an opening), the deposition mask connected onto the support and including a plurality of mask patterns formed therein (see Figs 7-9 for a plurality through-holes of the deposition mask 100, see para [0104]), wherein the composition of the first surface, which is lower surface of the mask, and the second surface, which is the side surface of the mask pattern are capable of being different from the compositions of the third surface, which is the upper surface of the mask (see Abstract, para [0051], Fig 1, and claims for a deposition mask for green organic material deposition having different atomic concentrations depending the depth of the metal plate 10 of the deposition mask). Both Dong et al and KR’341 lack teaching the mask formed on a silicon wafer by electroforming, wherein a portion of the mask between adjacent mask patterns exhibiting a change in composition due to a combination of electroforming growths in vertical and horizontal directions, and includes a crystal structure tilted at a predetermined angle. KR 20190005432 A teaches a vertical growth master manufactured by the electroforming process, wherein an electroforming die enabling metal growth and the electroformed workpiece is mainly grown in height direction and growth in the width directions is restricted (see Abstract and description). In addition to preventing electroforming growth in horizontal direction, KR’432 lacks teaching a mask-support assembly for use in a process of forming pixels on a substrate and a crystal structure tilted at a predetermined angle. KR-100857613B1 teaches an electro-formed master using a method of manufacturing the film to easily form a micro pattern in a desired size and shape by controlling an electro-forming process duration using horizontal and vertical growths of the electro-forming material and masking layer formed on electroformed workpiece (see Abstract and Description). KR’613 does not teach a mask-support assembly for use in a process of forming pixels on a substrate, wherein the mask-support assembly comprising a mask formed on the silicon wafer by electroforming, and a crystal structure tilted at a predetermined angle. KR-20210142840 teaches a mask formed by electroforming in a method of manufacturing a deposition mask (see English Translation on page 5). However, KR’840 or KR’613 does not teach composition of lower, upper, and side surfaces of the mask, wherein a portion of the mask between adjacent mask patterns exhibiting a change in composition due to a combination of electroforming growths in vertical and horizontal directions, and includes a crystal structure tilted at a predetermined angle. TW-201344959A teaches in an apparatus for manufacturing light-emitting elements, such as OLED, wherein a mask layer is provided for wet etching of an optical substrate (see Figs 25-27, for mask 516), the optical substrate having concave-convex structure formed on the optical substrate, wherein a semiconductor crystal layer can be grown from the concave/convex portions, and the concave/convex portions (703, 705) having inclination angles (see Figs 32A-32C, 33, 34, 47A-47C, 48A-48D and 49A-49B, 50A-50D). However, TW’959 does not teach a mask-support assembly for use in a process of forming pixels on a substrate, wherein the mask is formed on the silicon wafer by electroforming, and wherein a portion of the mask between adjacent mask patterns exhibiting a change in composition due to a combination of electroforming growths in vertical and horizontal directions, and includes a crystal structure tilted at a predetermined angle. Actually, in TW’959 (see Figs 32A-32C) a portion of the substrate having a crystal layer grown by using the top of the convex portion (705) of uneven structure (L), wherein the convex portion (705) having inclination angles formed (these structures are not portions of the mask, they are part of the substrate body 702). Prior art of record does not disclose or suggest a mask-support assembly for use in a process of forming pixels on a semiconductor wafer, the mask-support assembly comprising, among others, a support, a mask connected onto the support and having a plurality of mask patterns formed therein, wherein the support is formed from a silicon wafer, the mask is formed on the silicon wafer by electroforming, wherein composition of a first surface, which is a lower surface of the mask, and a second surface, which is a side surface of the mask pattern, differs from composition of a third surface, which is an upper surface of the mask, wherein a portion of the mask between adjacent mask patterns exhibits a change in composition due to a combination of electroforming growths in vertical and horizontal directions, and includes a crystal structure tilted at a predetermined angle.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YEWEBDAR T TADESSE whose telephone number is (571)272-1238. The examiner can normally be reached 7.00-3:30 PM.
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YEWEBDAR T. TADESSE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717
/YEWEBDAR T TADESSE/