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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Paragraphs 0008, 0011, and 0014 all contain instances that say, “a second holding mechanism configured to move the second holding mechanism”. It was assumed that the first instance of “second holding mechanism” in the quoted portion is actually supposed to say “a second moving mechanism”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Part of claim 3 reads “a second holding mechanism configured to move the second holding mechanism in a second conveyance direction”. The Examiner assumed this was meant to read “a second moving mechanism configured to move the second holding mechanism in a second conveyance direction”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim limitation “rotary mechanism” invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. The specification makes no mention of the nature of the rotary mechanism. It is unknown whether the rotary mechanism is uses gears, bearings, threaded members or any other rotating device. Furthermore, the drawings only show the rotary mechanism as a circle. Therefore, the claims 1, 14, and 27 are indefinite and are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph. The dependent claims 2, 4-6, 15, 17-19, and 20 inherit the indefiniteness and are therefore rejected.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-3, 9, 14, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chinese Application CN-110418691-B (hereinafter Imamura) in view of US Patent Application US 2021/0187659 A1 (hereinafter Yamaguchi).
Regarding claim 1, Imamura discloses a conveyance apparatus configured to convey a substrate to irradiate the substrate with a linear laser beam (Figs. 1 & 2), the conveyance apparatus comprising: a levitation unit including a loading region into which a substrate is loaded, the levitation unit being configured to levitate the substrate over an upper surface of the levitation unit (Figs. 1 & 2, No. 10); a first holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate over the levitation unit (Fig. 1, No. 12). Imamura discloses a first moving mechanism configured to move the first holding mechanism in a first conveyance direction to change an irradiation position of the laser beam on the substrate (Fig. 1, No 13), but not one tilted from a line direction of the laser beam when viewed from top. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the application would have been motivated to tilt the first moving mechanism. The substitution of a horizontal moving mechanism with a tilted one would have been made with a reasonable expectation of success.
Imamura also discloses a rotary mechanism in the loading region of the levitation unit and configured to rotate the substrate (Fig. 19, No. 68), but not one disposed among the plurality of pusher pins.
Yamaguchi discloses a rotating device in close proximity to a plurality of pusher pins (Fig. 2, Nos. 32 and 11a, and Fig. 3 Nos. 11a and 14). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to place the rotary device among the pusher pins. The motivation would be to create a more compact apparatus that would take up less space in a work room.
Regarding claim 2, Imamura and Yamaguchi disclose the conveyance apparatus of claim 1. Imamura further discloses an end part levitation unit disposed on the transfer machine side of the levitation unit and configured to levitate an end part of the substrate over an upper surface of the end part levitation unit (Fig 18, No. 67); a second holding mechanism disposed between the levitation unit and the end part levitation unit and configured to hold the substrate (Fig. 19, No. 62_1); and a second moving mechanism configured to move the second holding mechanism in a second conveyance direction so that the second holding mechanism moves between the levitation unit and the end part levitation unit (Fig. 19, No. 63_3). Yamaguchi discloses a pusher bar extending in a transfer direction of the transfer machine and configured to move upward and downward in coordination with the pusher pins to receive the substrate from the transfer machine (Fig. 17, No. 26).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the conveyance apparatus of Imamura and Yamaguchi with the end part levitation unit, second holding and moving mechanisms of Imamura with the pusher bars of Yamaguchi. The motivation would be to provide extra support and more gentle and precise handling of the substrates.
Regarding claim 3, Imamura discloses a conveyance apparatus configured to convey a substrate to irradiate the substrate with a linear laser beam (Figs. 1 & 2), the conveyance apparatus comprising: a levitation unit including a loading region into which a substrate is loaded, the levitation unit being configured to levitate the substrate over an upper surface of the levitation unit (Figs. 1 & 2, No. 10); a first holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate over the levitation unit (Fig. 1, No. 12). Imamura discloses a first moving mechanism configured to move the first holding mechanism in a first conveyance direction to change an irradiation position of the laser beam on the substrate (Fig. 1, No 13), but not one tilted from a line direction of the laser beam when viewed from top. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the application would have been motivated to tilt the first moving mechanism. The substitution of a horizontal moving mechanism with a tilted one would have been made with a reasonable expectation of success.
Imamura also discloses an end part levitation unit disposed on the transfer machine side of the levitation unit and configured to levitate an end part of the substrate over an upper surface of the end part levitation unit (Fig 18, No. 67); a second holding mechanism disposed between the levitation unit and the end part levitation unit and configured to hold the substrate (Fig. 19, No. 62_1); and a second moving mechanism configured to move the second holding mechanism in a second conveyance direction so that the second holding mechanism moves between the levitation unit and the end part levitation unit (Fig. 19, No. 63_3).
Yamaguchi discloses a plurality of pusher pins disposed in the loading region (Fig. 1, No. 11a) of the levitation unit and provided to be movable upward and downward to receive the substrate from a transfer machine transferring the substrate (Fig. 4, No. 14), and a pusher bar extending in a transfer direction of the transfer machine and configured to move upward and downward in coordination with the pusher pins to receive the substrate from the transfer machine (Fig. 17, No. 26).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the conveyance apparatus of Imamura with the pins and pusher bars of Yamaguchi. The motivation would be to provide extra support and more gentle and precise handling of the substrates.
Regarding claim 14, Imamura discloses a transfer method of transferring a substrate to a conveyance apparatus configured to convey the substrate to irradiate the substrate with a linear laser beam (Figs. 1 & 2), wherein the conveyance apparatus includes a levitation unit including a loading region into which a substrate is loaded (Fig. 24, No. 60A), the levitation unit being configured to levitate the substrate over an upper surface of the levitation unit (Fig. 24, No. 60), a first holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate over the levitation unit (Fig. 24, No. 62_1), a first moving mechanism configured to move the first holding mechanism in a first conveyance direction tilted from a line direction of the laser beam when viewed from top to change an irradiation position of the laser beam on the substrate (Fig. 24, No. 63_1), and a rotary mechanism disposed among the plurality of pusher pins in the loading region of the levitation unit and configured to rotate the substrate (Fig. 24. No. 68).
Imamura does not disclose a transfer method that includes (A1) step of moving the plurality of pusher pins upward to receive a substrate loaded into the loading region by the transfer machine, (A2) step of moving the transfer machine to a standby position outside the loading region, and (A3) step of moving the plurality of pusher pins downward to move the substrate downward to a levitation height of the levitation unit.
Imamura also does not disclose a plurality of pusher pins disposed in the loading region of the levitation unit and provided to be movable upward and downward to receive the substrate from a transfer machine transferring the substrate, or a tilted moving mechanism. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the application would have been motivated to tilt the first moving mechanism. The substitution of a horizontal moving mechanism with a tilted one would have been made with a reasonable expectation of success.
Yamaguchi discloses pusher pins (Fig. 4, No. 14) and the method described in the immediate application (Fig. 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Imamura with the pins of Yamaguchi. The motivation would be to have an orderly and well-timed sequence to accurately irradiate the substrates.
Regarding claim 15, Imamura and Yamaguchi disclose the method of claim 14. Imamura further discloses wherein the conveyance apparatus includes an end part levitation unit disposed on the transfer machine side of the levitation unit and configured to levitate an end part of the substrate over an upper surface of the end part levitation unit, (Fig 18, No. 67); a second holding mechanism disposed between the levitation unit and the end part levitation unit and configured to hold the substrate, and (Fig. 19, No. 62_1); and a second moving mechanism configured to move the second holding mechanism in a second conveyance direction so that the second holding mechanism moves between the levitation unit and the end part levitation unit, (Fig. 19, No. 63_3).
Yamaguchi discloses a pusher bar extending in a transfer direction of the transfer machine and configured to move upward and downward in coordination with the pusher pins to receive the substrate from the transfer machine, (Fig. 17, No. 26) and in the (A1) and (A3) steps, the pusher bar moves upward and downward in coordination with the pusher pins (Fig. 17, No. 26).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Imamura and Yamaguchi with the aforementioned additions of the same. The motivation would be to provide extra support and more gentle and precise handling of the substrates.
Regarding claim 27, Imamura discloses A semiconductor apparatus manufacturing method comprising: (s1) step of forming an amorphous film on a substrate; (s2) step of transferring the substrate on which the amorphous film is formed to a conveyance apparatus; and (s3) step of annealing the amorphous film by irradiating the substrate with a linear laser beam while conveying the substrate by using the conveyance apparatus so that the amorphous film is crystallized to form a crystallized film (pg. 8, first paragraph), wherein the conveyance apparatus includes a levitation unit including a loading region into which a substrate is loaded, the levitation unit being configured to levitate the substrate over an upper surface of the levitation unit (Figs. 1 & 2, No. 10), a first holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate over the levitation unit (Fig. 24, No. 62_1), a first moving mechanism configured to move the first holding mechanism in a first conveyance direction tilted from a line direction of the laser beam when viewed from top to change an irradiation position of the laser beam on the substrate (Fig. 24, No. 63_1), a rotary mechanism disposed among the plurality of pusher pins in the loading region of the levitation unit and configured to rotate the substrate (Fig. 24. No. 68),
Yamaguchi a plurality of pusher pins disposed in the loading region of the levitation unit and provided to be movable upward and downward to receive the substrate from a transfer machine transferring the substrate (Fig. 17, No. 26), and (s2) the transferring step includes (sa1) step of moving the plurality of pusher pins upward to receive a substrate loaded into the loading region by the transfer machine, (sa2) step of moving the transfer machine to a standby position outside the loading region, and(sa3) step of moving the plurality of pusher pins downward to move the substrate downward to a levitation height of the levitation unit (Fig. 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the methods of Imamura and Yamaguchi and the apparatus of Imamura and Yamaguchi. The motivation would be to provide a single, unified method for the process of annealing substrates on levitation conveyance tables.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Imamura in view of US Patent Application US 20220081227 A1 (Hereinafter Pun).
Imamura discloses a conveyance apparatus configured to convey a substrate to irradiate the substrate with a linear laser beam (Figs. 1 & 2), the conveyance apparatus comprising: a levitation unit configured to levitate the substrate over an upper surface of the levitation unit (Fig. 2, No. 10); a holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate over the levitation unit (Fig. 1, No. 12); a moving mechanism configured to move the holding mechanism in a conveyance direction to change an irradiation position of the laser beam on the substrate (Fig. 1, No. 13);
Imamura does not disclose a nozzle unit provided in a gap between the levitation unit cells adjacent to each other and configured to eject gas toward an end part of the substrate, or that the levitation unit includes a plurality of levitation unit cells, or that the moving mechanism is tilted from a line direction of the laser beam when viewed from top.
However, a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the application would have been motivated to tilt the first moving mechanism. The substitution of a horizontal moving mechanism with a tilted one would have been made with a reasonable expectation of success. Furthermore, Pun discloses a levitation unit that includes a plurality of levitation cells (¶0040), and a nozzle unit (Fig. 4, No. 201).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the conveyance apparatus of Imamura with the levitation unit consisting of a plurality of levitation cells and add a nozzle unit of Pun. The motivation to create the levitation unit out of multiple levitation cells would be to maintain functionality in the case that one of the cells becomes inoperable. The motivation to add nozzle units would be to have a high degree of precision while blowing the gas onto the substrate, as nozzles are well known to produce precise streams of air.
Claim 7, 10, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Imamura in view of Yamaguchi in further view of Pun.
Regarding claim 7, Imamura and Yamaguchi disclose the conveyance apparatus of claim 3. They do not disclose levitation unit cells or nozzle units. Pun discloses a levitation unit that includes a plurality of levitation cells (¶0040), and a nozzle unit (Fig. 4, No. 201).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the conveyance apparatus of Imamura and Yamaguchi with the levitation unit consisting of a plurality of levitation cells and add a nozzle unit of Pun. The motivation to create the levitation unit out of multiple levitation cells would be to maintain functionality in the case that one of the cells becomes inoperable. The motivation to add nozzle units would be to have a high degree of precision while blowing the gas onto the substrate, as nozzles are well known to produce precise streams of air.
Regarding claim 10, Imamura, Yamaguchi and Pun disclose the conveyance apparatus of claim 7. Pun also discloses wherein gas ejection from the nozzle unit is controlled in accordance with a conveyance position of the substrate (¶0109, 117).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the conveyance apparatus of Imamura, Yamaguchi and Pun with the controlled nozzles of Pun. The motivation would be to prevent the substrate from taking on extreme positions which could lead to damage.
Regarding claim 20, Imamura and Yamaguchi disclose the method of claim 14, but not wherein the levitation unit includes a plurality of levitation unit cells, and a nozzle unit configured to eject gas upward to an end part of the substrate is provided in a gap between the levitation unit cells adjacent to each other. Pun, does disclose wherein the levitation unit includes a plurality of levitation unit cells (¶0040 and a nozzle unit configured to eject gas upward to an end part of the substrate is provided in a gap between the levitation unit cells adjacent to each other (Fig. 4, No. 201).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Imamura and Yamaguchi with the levitation unit consisting of a plurality of levitation cells and add a nozzle unit of Pun. The motivation to create the levitation unit out of multiple levitation cells would be to maintain functionality in the case that one of the cells becomes inoperable. The motivation to add nozzle units would be to have a high degree of precision while blowing the gas onto the substrate, as nozzles are well known to produce precise streams of air.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, and 11-13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMARI JADAN MEDDLING whose telephone number is (571)272-8178. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gene Crawford can be reached at 5712726911. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AMARI J MEDDLING/ Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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