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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of 04/08/2026 in the reply filed on 09/23/24 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that (see Restriction Response on page 1) “The pending claims are related to a substrate processing apparatus and a method of energy generation which involves a substrate processing apparatus. As such, a search for the elected group would seem to include a search directed to the non-elected group as well”. This is not found persuasive because as explained in the Requirement for Restriction/Election the two inventions are independent and distinct because the apparatus (invention I) could be used in a method where the magnets hold the substrate holder still during substrate processing. Furthermore, there would be a serious burden to the examiner if restriction were not required because of the inventions have acquired different classification and separate status in the art due to their recognized divergent subject matter, and required a different field of search.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected -inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 04/08/26.
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) 1-7 and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by JP-2003-289050 A.
As to claim 1, JP’050 teaches (see Figs 1-2, Abstract) a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a substrate holder (susceptor 35) configured to receive a substrate (wafer 1); a shaft (turret 31 and rotating device 40) connected to the substrate holder at one end of the shaft and configured to rotate the substrate holder; a plate (rotating plate 32 and rotor 46) attached to the shaft (31) and configured to rotate with the shaft (31); magnets (49) integrated with the substrate holder (35), the plate (plate 32 and rotor 46) or both; and a coiled wire (44) positioned between the substrate holder (35) and the plate (46) and capable of generating an electrical current when the shaft rotates (when the stator 42 supplies electric power from a DC motor to the coil wire 44).
Regarding claim 2, JP’050 teaches the magnets include bar magnets arranged along a direction of a circumference of the shaft (see English translation on page 3 for a plurality of permanent magnets 49 are fixed to the outer periphery of the core 48 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction).
As to claim 3, in JP’050 the bar magnets (49) each capable of having a respective magnetic pole pointing towards the shaft (since the stator 42 cuts off the magnetic fields of the plurality of magnetic poles, see English Translation on page 3).
Regarding claim 4, in JP’050 the bar magnets (49) capable of having alternating magnetic polarity along the direction of the circumference of the shaft (see English Translation on page 3).
As to claim 5, JP’050 teaches the magnets include an even number of the bar magnets (see English Translation on page 3, for magnets 49 are fixed to the outer periphery of the core 48 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction).
Regarding claim 6, in JP’050 the bar magnets are configured to rotate (see rotating magnetic field formed by the stator, English Translation on page 3) around the shaft when the shaft rotates.
As to claim 7, in JP’050 the magnets (49) are embedded in the plate (rotor 46).
Regarding claim 10, in JP’050 the coiled wire (44) is configured to be stationary (since the coil 44 is fixed to the outer face of a yoke 41, see Abstract) when the shaft rotates.
As to claim 11, JP’050 teaches (see English Translation on page 3) a conductor wire (iron core 43) around which the coiled wire coils (44).
As to claim 12, in JP’050 (see English Translation on page 3) a battery connected to the conductor wire and configured to receive and store the electrical current (electric power from a drive of a brushless DC motor).
Regarding claim 13, in JP’050 (see Figs 1-2) the shaft (turret 31 and rotating device 40) extends through the plate (32), the plate is below the coiled wire (44), and the coiled wire (44) is below the substrate holder (35).
As to claim 14, in JP’050 (see Figs 1-2) the substrate processing apparatus comprises a plurality of coiled wires (44) arranged along a direction of a circumference of the shaft.
Claims 1, 7 and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2005032933A.
As to claim 1, JP’933 teaches (see Fig 14) a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a substrate holder (217) configured to receive a substrate (wafer 200); a shaft (rotating shaft 277) connected to the substrate holder at one end of the shaft and configured to rotate the substrate holder; a plate (rotating mechanism 267 with a housing 283) attached to the shaft (277) and configured to rotate with the shaft; magnets (292) integrated with the substrate holder (217), the plate (rotating mechanism 267 with a housing 283) or both; and a coiled wire (286) positioned between the substrate holder and the plate and configured to generate an electrical current when the shaft rotates (see para [0057] for the stator 284 receives electric power).
As to claim 7, in JP’933 (see Fig 14) the magnets (292) are embedded in the plate (rotating mechanism 267 with a housing 283).
Regarding claim 10, in JP’933 the coiled wire (286) is configured to be stationary (since the coil is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the housing 283, see para [0057]) when the shaft rotates.
As to claim 11, JP’933 teaches a conductor wire (iron core 291) around which the coiled wire coils (44).
As to claim 12, in JP’933 a battery connected to the conductor wire and configured to receive and store the electrical current (electric power from a brushless DC motor, see para [0057]).
Regarding claim 13, in JP’933 (see Fig 14) the shaft (rotating shaft 217) extends through the plate (rotating mechanism 267 with a housing 283), the plate is below the coiled wire (286), and the coiled wire (286) is below the substrate holder (217).
As to claim 14, in JP’933 (see Fig 14) the substrate processing apparatus comprises a plurality of coiled wires (286) arranged along a direction of a circumference of the shaft.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP’050 or JP’933 in view of Takahashi et al US 2019/0193242A1.
JP’050 or JP’933 lacks teaching a nozzle configured to discharge a liquid onto the substrate. However, in treating a semiconductor substrate using CVD a substrate processing apparatus, supplying a gas and/or liquid material is known in the art; for instance- as taught (see Fig 14, para and [0161] and [0252]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a nozzle configured to discharge a liquid onto the substrate to clean the substrate (see para [0159]).
Claims 8-9 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art of record JP’050 or JP’933 does not teach or suggest magnets are embedded in the substrate holder or the magnets are embedded in the plate and the substrate holder. Prior art of record does not disclose or suggest a substrate processing apparatus comprising, among others (see claim 1), a substate holder; a shaft; a plate attached to the shaft and configured to rotate with the shaft; magnets integrated with the substrate holder, the plate or both; a coiled wire positioned between the substrate holder and the plate and configured to generate an electrical current when the shaft rotates, wherein magnets are embedded in the substrate holder or the magnets are embedded in the plate and the substrate holder.
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YEWEBDAR T. TADESSE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717
/YEWEBDAR T TADESSE/
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