Last updated: July 17, 2026

Application No. 18/836,734

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING VARIABILITY IN FEATURES OF A SUBSTRATE

Non-Final OA

Filed

Aug 07, 2024

Priority

Feb 17, 2022 — provisional 63/311,226 +1 more

Examiner

ALANKO, ANITA KAREN

Art Unit

Tech Center

Assignee

Lam Research Corporation

OA Round

1 (Non-Final)

Interview Optional

— -17.4% interview lift. Interview lift (-17.4%) is below the 15.0% threshold. A written response is recommended.

Based on 693 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Examiner Intelligence

ALANKO, ANITA KAREN View full profile →

Grants 70% — above average

Career Allowance Rate

483 granted / 693 resolved

+9.7% vs TC avg

Minimal -17% lift

Without

With

+-17.4%

Interview Lift

resolved cases with interview

Typical timeline

2y 12m

Avg Prosecution

35 currently pending

Career history

729

Total Applications

across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101

0.6%

-39.4% vs TC avg

§103

67.2%

+27.2% vs TC avg

§102

9.9%

-30.1% vs TC avg

§112

9.8%

-30.2% vs TC avg

Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 693 resolved cases

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 07, 2024

Application Filed

May 07, 2026

Non-Final Rejection mailed (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

18/042,315

Patent 12680021

Composition, Its Use And A Process For Selectively Etching Silicon-Germanium Material

3y 4m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026

18/325,705

Patent 12685199

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING A 2-D-MATERIAL-BASED QUANTUM SENSOR CHIP

3y 1m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026

18/280,569

Patent 12648404

SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER PROCESSING METHOD

2y 9m to grant Granted Jun 02, 2026

18/357,725

Patent 12648380

SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD USING THE SAME

2y 10m to grant Granted Jun 02, 2026

18/075,128

Patent 12642022

Plasma Etching

3y 5m to grant Granted May 26, 2026

Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

Get a prosecution strategy drawn from examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.

Typically takes 5-10 seconds — AI-generated, attorney review required before filing

Prosecution Projections

1-2

Expected OA Rounds

70%

Grant Probability

52%

With Interview (-17.4%)

2y 12m (~1y 0m remaining)

Median Time to Grant

Low

PTA Risk

Based on 693 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.