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 .
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(s) 1 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuki et al (jp 2020/147497)
The Yuki et al reference teaches a silicon carbide ingot, note entire reference. The silicon carbide ingot is grown from a first end inclined by an offset angle from the (0001) plane towards the second end, note translation page 4. The silicon carbide is grown step-flow growth and has a facet. The boundary between the facet and growth is less than 2 degrees, note page 4. The sole difference between the instant claim and the prior art is the cut on the surface angle. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to modify the Yuki et al reference to have a cut surface with an angle of (11-20) in order to exposed the desired surface, noting the reference does teach that the (11-20) in a silicon carbide ingot is known in the art.
With regards to claim 11, the Yuki et al reference teaches preparing the ingot and the slicing the Silicon carbide ingot, note claims.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuki et al (jp 2020/147497)
The Yuki et al reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claim in the inner boundary orientation. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to modify the Yuki et al reference to have an angle of less than 2 degrees off the (-1-1-20) in order to have less defects, noting the reference does teach angle less than 2 degrees from any orientation, note page 3.
Claim(s) 3 to 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuki et al (jp 2020/147497)
The Yuki et al reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claims in the diameter and thickness of the ingot. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to modify the Yuki et al reference to a set diameter and thickness at the ends of the ingot in order to allow for the step growth and less defects in the ingot.
Claim(s) 10 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuki et al (jp 2020/147497) in view of Yuzo et al (jp2016-32002).
The Yuki et al reference is relied on for the same reasons as stated, supra, and differs from the instant claims in the slicing of the ingot after making it cylindrical. The Yuki et al reference does teach evaluating the silicon carbide slices for the inner boundary between facet and step flow growth, determining the angle and determining the value of the slice, note translation. The Yuzo et al reference teaches taking grown silicon carbide ingots, making them cylindrical and then slicing, note translation. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to modify the Yuki et al reference by the teachings of the Yuzo et al reference to make the ingot cylindrical prior to slicing in order to have a uniform wafer for further processing steps.
Examiner’s Remarks
The remaining references are merely cited of interest as showing the state of the art in silicon carbide ingot step flow growth with a facet.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT M KUNEMUND whose telephone number is (571)272-1464. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
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RMK
/ROBERT M KUNEMUND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1714
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