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 .
Claims 1-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected apparatus, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6-4-26.
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 13-15 in the reply filed on 6-4-26 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Atsushi et al. JP 2010027720 (US’720) (machine translation provided used for citation).
Regarding claim 13, JP’720 teaches a method of treating a supported object supported on a film using a support frame having an opening defined therein (frame 10 supports adhesive tape 12 that holds semiconductor wafer 1, page 3, see annotated fig. 4 below) and
including a first surface with which the film is to be in contact when in use, a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, and a third surface joined to both the first surface and the second surface and defining the opening that is open in both the first surface and the second surface (see annotated fig. 4 below),
the method comprising: a frame unit forming step of forming a frame unit including the support frame, the film, and the supported object by affixing the film to the first surface of the support frame in covering relation to the opening and affixing the film to the supported object disposed in the opening (the adhesive tape 12 is detachably adhered to the flat back surface of the resin frame 10 to cover the hollow 11 from below, and the outer peripheral edge of the resin frame 10, The semiconductor wafer 1 that is cut into a flat circle along the surface and accommodated in the hollow 11 of the resin frame 10 functions so as to be detachably mounted and adhered and held, page 3),
wherein the third surface of the support frame has a portion inclined to the first surface such that a length of the opening along a direction parallel to the first surface is larger along the second surface than along the first surface (see annotated fig. 4 below, water draining taper 14, page 4-5);
after the frame unit forming step, a treating step of treating the supported object with liquid by supplying the liquid to the supported object (cleaning process after dicing with cleaning liquid, page 4);
and after the treating step, a discharging step of discharging the liquid remaining on the supported object or the film under centrifugal forces by rotating the frame unit about an axis extending through the opening (when the semiconductor wafer 1 is cleaned by rotating liquid is guided by the taper 14 and flows out to the outside, so that the cleaning liquid does not remain in the hollow 11 of the ring frame. Therefore, it is clear that the remaining cleaning liquid can effectively suppress the possibility of adversely affecting the semiconductor wafer 1 and causing the adhesive tape 12 to peel off, para. 4, wherein the liquid guided by the taper to flow outside while the semiconductor wafer is rotated reads on centrifugal forces by rotating the frame unit about an axis extending through the opening).
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Claim(s) 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Atsushi et al. JP 2010027720 (US’720) (machine translation provided used for citation).
Regarding claim 14, JP’720 teaches a method of treating a supported object supported on a film using a support frame having an opening defined therein and (frame 10 supports adhesive tape 12 that holds semiconductor wafer 1, page 3, see annotated fig. 4 below)
including a first surface with which the film is to be in contact when in use, a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, and a third surface joined to both the first surface and the second surface and defining the opening that is open in both the first surface and the second surface (see annotated fig. 4 above),
the method comprising: a frame unit forming step of forming a frame unit including the support frame, the film, and the supported object by affixing the film to the first surface of the support frame in covering relation to the opening and affixing the film to the supported object disposed in the opening (the adhesive tape 12 is detachably adhered to the flat back surface of the resin frame 10 to cover the hollow 11 from below, and the outer peripheral edge of the resin frame 10, The semiconductor wafer 1 that is cut into a flat circle along the surface and accommodated in the hollow 11 of the resin frame 10 functions so as to be detachably mounted and adhered and held, page 3),
wherein the third surface of the support frame has a portion inclined to the first surface such that a length of the opening along a direction parallel to the first surface is larger along the second surface than along the first surface (see annotated fig. 4 above, water draining taper 14, page 4-5);
the portion includes a first portion closer to the first surface and a second portion closer to the second surface, and an angle formed between the first portion and the first surface and an angle formed between the second portion and the first surface are different from each other (see annotated fig. 4 below, the taper 14 forms an angle, angle (2) shown in the annotated figure below, with the first surface that is different than the angle, angle (2) shown in the annotated figure below, formed between the lower section of the frame and the first surface)
after the frame unit forming step, a treating step of treating the supported object with liquid by supplying the liquid to the supported object (the semiconductor wafer 1 is cleaned by rotating the ring frame, page 4);
and after the treating step, a discharging step of discharging the liquid remaining on the supported object or the film under centrifugal forces by rotating the frame unit about an axis extending through the opening (when the semiconductor wafer 1 is cleaned by rotating liquid is guided by the taper 14 and flows out to the outside, so that the cleaning liquid does not remain in the hollow 11 of the ring frame. Therefore, it is clear that the remaining cleaning liquid can effectively suppress the possibility of adversely affecting the semiconductor wafer 1 and causing the adhesive tape 12 to peel off, para. 4, wherein the liquid guided by the taper to flow outside while the semiconductor wafer is rotated reads on centrifugal forces by rotating the frame unit about an axis extending through the opening).
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Atsushi et al. JP 2010027720 (US’720) (machine translation provided used for citation) in view of Ogata et al. US 2014/0014134 (US’134).
Regarding claim 15, JP’720 teaches a method of treating a supported object supported on a film using a support frame having an opening defined therein and (frame 10 supports adhesive tape 12 that holds semiconductor wafer 1, page 3, see annotated fig. 4 below)
including a first surface with which the film is to be in contact when in use, a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, and a third surface joined to both the first surface and the second surface and defining the opening that is open in both the first surface and the second surface (see annotated fig. 4 above),
the method comprising: a frame unit forming step of forming a frame unit including the support frame, the film, and the supported object by affixing the film to the first surface of the support frame in covering relation to the opening and affixing the film to the supported object disposed in the opening (the adhesive tape 12 is detachably adhered to the flat back surface of the resin frame 10 to cover the hollow 11 from below, and the outer peripheral edge of the resin frame 10, The semiconductor wafer 1 that is cut into a flat circle along the surface and accommodated in the hollow 11 of the resin frame 10 functions so as to be detachably mounted and adhered and held, page 3),
wherein the third surface of the support frame has a portion inclined to the first surface such that a length of the opening along a direction parallel to the first surface is larger along the second surface than along the first surface (see annotated fig. 4 above, water draining taper 14, page 4-5);
the portion includes a first portion closer to the first surface and a second portion closer to the second surface, an angle formed between the first portion and the first surface and an angle formed between the second portion and the first surface are different from each other (see annotated fig. 4 above, the taper 14 forms an angle, angle (2) shown in the annotated figure below, with the first surface that is different than the angle, angle (2) shown in the annotated figure below, formed between the lower section of the frame and the first surface)
after the frame unit forming step, a treating step of treating the supported object with liquid by supplying the liquid to the supported object (the semiconductor wafer 1 is cleaned by rotating the ring frame, page 4);
and after the treating step, a discharging step of discharging the liquid remaining on the supported object or the film under centrifugal forces by rotating the frame unit about an axis extending through the opening (when the semiconductor wafer 1 is cleaned by rotating liquid is guided by the taper 14 and flows out to the outside, so that the cleaning liquid does not remain in the hollow 11 of the ring frame. Therefore, it is clear that the remaining cleaning liquid can effectively suppress the possibility of adversely affecting the semiconductor wafer 1 and causing the adhesive tape 12 to peel off, para. 4, wherein the liquid guided by the taper to flow outside while the semiconductor wafer is rotated reads on centrifugal forces by rotating the frame unit about an axis extending through the opening).
JP’720 does not teach the angle formed between the first portion and the first surface is smaller than the angle formed between the second portion and the first surface.
US’134 teaches the present disclosure provides a cleaning method which enables a cup and a member around the cup to be cleaned thoroughly (abstract). US’134 further teaches a cleaning jig for expelling fluid from a rotating surface including a first inclined section 82a, a second inclined section 82b, and a third inclined section 82c. The inclined portion 82 has a shape which causes the cleaning liquid to be scattered obliquely. the inclination angle of the third inclined section 82c is caused to be larger than the inclination angle of the first inclined section 82a, accordingly, the cleaning liquid may be accurately supplied to the gap (para. 60-61, see fig.3-11). Therefore, both JP’720 and US’134 are concerned with how to directing fluid in a semiconductor processing chamber with a rotating pedestal using an inclined annual frame. US’134 teaches that the geometry of the frame can be selected to include a first section having a shallow incline and a second section having a steep incline to effectively transport the fluid out and away from the frame.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of JP’720 to include the angle formed between the first portion and the first surface is smaller than the angle formed between the second portion and the first surface because US’134 teaches that the geometry of the frame can be selected to include a first section having a shallow incline and a second section having a steep incline to effectively transport the fluid out and away from the frame and use of known technique to improve similar methods in the same way is obvious, see MPEP 2141 III (C).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN FLANAGAN BERGNER whose telephone number is (571)270-1133. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua Allen can be reached at 571-270-3176. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIN F BERGNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1713
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