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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20240006164 to Takeda in view of US 5897311 to Nishi.
Claims 1-4: Takeda discloses a plasma processing apparatus comprising: a processing container (203/201 reaction tube]/[process chamber], Fig. 1); a substrate holder (217 [boat]) inserted into the processing container (203/201) and configured to hold a plurality of substrates (200 [wafers]) in a plurality of tiers (Fig. 1, para. [0027]); a rotating shaft (255 [rotating shaft]) configured to rotate the substrate holder (217) inside the processing container (203/201, para. [0056]);
a gas supply pipe (249 [nozzles], Fig. 1) configured to supply a processing gas into the processing container (para. [0019]); an exhaust port (231 [exhaust pipe], para. [0052]) configured to evacuate an inside of the processing container (para. [0054]); a pair of electrodes (300 [electrode structure]) arranged outside the processing container (203/201, para. [0029]) and positioned to face each other with respect to a center of the processing container (Fig. 2, para. [0032]); and
a radio-frequency power supply (320 [high frequency power supply], Fig. 2) configured to apply a radio-frequency power to the pair of the electrodes (300, para. [0034]), thereby generating a capacitively-coupled plasma in the processing container (para. [0029]).
However Takeda does not disclose (claim 1) wherein the substrate holder includes a ring plate configured to hold the substrate, and surrounding a radial outer side of the substrate in a plan view; (claim 2) wherein the ring plate is made of an insulating material; (claim 3) wherein a plurality of ring plates is arranged in a height direction; (claim 4) wherein each of the plurality of ring plates has an annular-shaped portion configured to hold the substrate.
Nishi discloses (claim 1) wherein a substrate holder (20 [support boat], Fig. 3) includes a ring plate (48 [ring-shaped support shelves]) configured to hold the substrate (W [wafers]), and surrounding a radial outer side of the substrate in a plan view (Fig. 2); (claim 2) wherein the ring plate (48) is made of an insulating material (c. 5, l. 25-30); (claim 3) wherein a plurality of ring plates (48) is arranged in a height direction (Fig. 3); (claim 4) wherein each of the plurality of ring plates (48) has an annular-shaped portion (60 [stepped mount]) configured to hold the substrate (W). Nishi discloses the above limitations for the purpose of suppressing the faster temperature rise of the peripheral parts of wafers (c. 1, l. 35-41).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitations above as taught by Nishi with motivation to suppress the faster temperature rise of the peripheral parts of wafers.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20240006164 to Takeda in view of US 6474987 to Nakai.
Claim 1-3, 5: Takeda discloses a plasma processing apparatus comprising: a processing container (203/201 reaction tube]/[process chamber], Fig. 1); a substrate holder (217 [boat]) inserted into the processing container (203/201) and configured to hold a plurality of substrates (200 [wafers]) in a plurality of tiers (Fig. 1, para. [0027]); a rotating shaft (255 [rotating shaft]) configured to rotate the substrate holder (217) inside the processing container (203/201, para. [0056]);
a gas supply pipe (249 [nozzles], Fig. 1) configured to supply a processing gas into the processing container (para. [0019]); an exhaust port (231 [exhaust pipe], para. [0052]) configured to evacuate an inside of the processing container (para. [0054]); a pair of electrodes (300 [electrode structure]) arranged outside the processing container (203/201, para. [0029]) and positioned to face each other with respect to a center of the processing container (Fig. 2, para. [0032]); and
a radio-frequency power supply (320 [high frequency power supply], Fig. 2) configured to apply a radio-frequency power to the pair of the electrodes (300, para. [0034]), thereby generating a capacitively-coupled plasma in the processing container (para. [0029]).
However Takeda does not disclose (claim 1) wherein the substrate holder includes a ring plate configured to hold the substrate, and surrounding a radial outer side of the substrate in a plan view; (claim 2) wherein the ring plate is made of an insulating material; (claim 3) wherein a plurality of ring plates is arranged in a height direction; (claim 5) wherein the ring plate includes: an annular-shaped portion configured to hold the substrate; and a vertical wall portion provided on an upper surface of the annular-shaped portion.
Nakai discloses (claim 1) wherein a substrate holder (12/13, Fig. 5) includes a ring plate (13 [wafer holders]) configured to hold the substrate (27 [wafer]), and surrounding a radial outer side of the substrate in a plan view (Fig. 5, 7); (claim 2) wherein the ring plate (13) is made of an insulating material (c. 6, l. 15-22); (claim 3) wherein a plurality of ring plates (13) is arranged in a height direction (Fig. 5); (claim 5) wherein the ring plate (13) includes: an annular-shaped portion (24/31 [projections]/[concave ring]) configured to hold the substrate (27); and a vertical wall portion (26 [upwardly projecting convex ring]) provided on an upper surface of the annular-shaped portion (24/31). Nakai discloses the above limitations for the purpose of preventing deviation from a relevant predetermined position from having wafers of different diameters assuredly held be the same holder (abstract).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitations above as taught by Nakai with motivation to prevent deviation from a relevant predetermined position from having wafers of different diameters assuredly held be the same holder.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20240006164 to Takeda in view of US 5743967 to Kobori, and further in view of US 5897311 to Nishi.
Claims 1-3, 6-7: Takeda discloses a plasma processing apparatus comprising: a processing container (203/201 reaction tube]/[process chamber], Fig. 1); a substrate holder (217 [boat]) inserted into the processing container (203/201) and configured to hold a plurality of substrates (200 [wafers]) in a plurality of tiers (Fig. 1, para. [0027]); a rotating shaft (255 [rotating shaft]) configured to rotate the substrate holder (217) inside the processing container (203/201, para. [0056]);
a gas supply pipe (249 [nozzles], Fig. 1) configured to supply a processing gas into the processing container (para. [0019]); an exhaust port (231 [exhaust pipe], para. [0052]) configured to evacuate an inside of the processing container (para. [0054]); a pair of electrodes (300 [electrode structure]) arranged outside the processing container (203/201, para. [0029]) and positioned to face each other with respect to a center of the processing container (Fig. 2, para. [0032]); and
a radio-frequency power supply (320 [high frequency power supply], Fig. 2) configured to apply a radio-frequency power to the pair of the electrodes (300, para. [0034]), thereby generating a capacitively-coupled plasma in the processing container (para. [0029]).
However Takeda does not disclose (claim 1) wherein the substrate holder includes a ring plate configured to hold the substrate, and surrounding a radial outer side of the substrate in a plan view; (claim 2) wherein the ring plate is made of an insulating material; (claim 3) wherein a plurality of ring plates is arranged in a height direction; (claim 6) wherein the ring plate includes: a plurality of first ring plates each configured to hold the substrate; and a plurality of second ring plates each positioned between the first ring plates adjacent to each other in the height direction; (claim 7) wherein, when viewed from one electrode toward a remaining electrode, an opening height above the second ring plate is greater than an opening height below the second ring plate.
Kobori discloses (claim 1) wherein a substrate holder (103 [boats], Fig. 1) includes a plate (trays for 101 [substrates], and 102 [corrective frames], c. 2, l. 60-64) configured to hold the substrate (101); (claim 3) wherein a plurality of plates (trays for 101, and 102) is arranged in a height direction (Fig. 1-4); (claim 6) wherein the plate (trays for 101, and 102) includes: a plurality of first plates (trays for 101) each configured to hold the substrate (101); and a plurality of second ring plates (102) each positioned between the first ring plates (trays for 101) adjacent to each other in the height direction (Fig. 1);
(claim 7) wherein, when viewed from one heat component (204, Fig. 2) toward a remaining heat component (204), an opening height above the second ring plate (102) is greater than an opening height below the second ring plate (c. 3, l. 64-67—c. 4, l. 1-5). Kobori discloses the above limitations for the purpose of permitting substrate spacing to be reduced thus enhancing the throughput (c. 4, l. 3-6) and/or growth of films having uniform film thickness distribution can be conducted with high productivity (c. 3, l. 1-2).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitations above as taught by Kobori with motivation to permit substrate spacing to be reduced thus enhancing the throughput and/or growth of films having uniform film thickness distribution can be conducted with high productivity.
However Kobori does not disclose (claims 1, 6) details about the trays to be first ring plates, and surrounding a radial outer side of the substrate in a plan view; (claim 2) wherein the ring plate is made of an insulating material.
Nishi discloses (claim 1) wherein a substrate holder (20 [support boat], Fig. 3) includes a first ring plate (48 [ring-shaped support shelves]) configured to hold the substrate (W [wafers]), and surrounding a radial outer side of the substrate in a plan view (Fig. 2); (claim 2) wherein the ring plate (48) is made of an insulating material (c. 5, l. 25-30); for the purpose of suppressing the faster temperature rise of the peripheral parts of wafers (c. 1, l. 35-41).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the limitations above as taught by Nishi with motivation to suppress the faster temperature rise of the peripheral parts of wafers.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20250149292 discloses a similar invention with same filing date with narrower claims, drawn to ribs (220, Fig. 9) on an inner tube (200, para. [0078]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Charlee J. C. Bennett whose telephone number is (571)270-7972. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at 5712725166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Charlee J. C. Bennett/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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