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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 5 paragraph 4, filed 03/23/2026, with respect to claims 13-17 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections under 35 U.S.C. §112(b) of 01/05/2026 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 6 ln 3-7, filed 03/23/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 13-16 under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(2) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Bayless (US20210183803A1).
Applicant’s arguments, see page 6 lines 11-15, filed 03/23/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 17 under 35 U.S.C. §103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Bayless (US20210183803A1).
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 14 and 15 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 14 recites the limitation "the product" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination “the product” is interpreted as -the product substrate-.
Claim 15 is rejected as depending from an indefinite claim and failing to claim sufficient additional limitations to overcome the indefiniteness.
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.
Claim(s) 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bayless (US20210183803A1).
In reference to claim 13:
Bayless discloses a substrate system for the production of semiconductor components (abstract, para 0002), comprising:
a carrier substrate (“carrier wafer 110”, paras 0025-0028, Fig. 5);
a product substrate (“device wafer 424”, paras 0051-0054, Figs. 4-5); and
an inorganic separating layer arranged in between the carrier substrate and the product substrate, the product substrate being arranged on the inorganic separating layer (“non-elastic material layer 112”, paras 0028-0029, 0031, Fig. 5),
wherein the carrier substrate is separable from the product substrate by irradiation of the inorganic separating layer with a laser unit (para 0033, Fig. 5), and
wherein the inorganic separating layer fixes the product substrate on the carrier substrate (Figs. 4-5).
In reference to claim 14:
In addition to the discussion of claim 13, above, Bayless further discloses wherein at least one further layer is arranged between the inorganic separating layer and the product (paras 0032-0034, Figs. 4-5),
wherein the product substrate is fixed to the carrier substrate by the at least one further layer (paras 0032-0034, Figs. 4-5), and
wherein the at least one further layer is inorganic (paras 0032-0034, Figs. 4-5).
In reference to claim 15:
In addition to the discussion of claim 14, above, Bayless further discloses wherein the at least one further layer is a bonding layer (para 0040), and
wherein the bonding layer is produced at least from a first oxide layer and a second oxide layer by fusion bonding (para 0040).
In reference to claim 16:
In addition to the discussion of claim 13, above, Bayless further discloses wherein exclusively inorganic layers are arranged between the carrier substrate and the product substrate (paras 0031-0033, Fig. 5).
In reference to claim 17:
In addition to the discussion of claim 13, above, Bayless further discloses wherein the inorganic separating layer has a separating layer thickness between 10 nm and 500 nm (para 0030 disclosing 1,000-1,500 angstroms, which is 100-150 nm. See MPEP 2131.03).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Inao (US20130213582A1)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW L SWANSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1724. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 0800-1900 and every other Friday 0800-1600.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Phillip Tucker can be reached at (571)272-1095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW L SWANSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1745
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