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 .
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) 1-2 , 4 and 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Wang et al 2626/0096384 A1.
Wang et al disclose the claimed invention as recited in the claims as shown below:
1. A wafer holder for providing even temperature distribution, comprising:
a support assembly, comprising:
at least one recess 1000 disposed on a top surface of the support assembly;
an inlet pipeline 406 connected to the recess for supplying a gas to the recess located on the
top surface of the support assembly; and
a diffusion unit located on the top surface of the support assembly, wherein the diffusion
unit is a porous material, comprising:
a main body including a bearing surface 3000;
a plurality of protrusions 4000 located on the bearing surface of the main body for supporting
at least one wafer Par. 0004;
at least one diffusion channel 2000 located between the plurality of protrusions.
PNG
media_image1.png
858
688
media_image1.png
Greyscale
2. The wafer holder for providing even temperature distribution according to claim 1,
wherein the support assembly further comprises a base and a carrier unit 410, the carrier unit is
disposed on the base, and the recess is formed on the carrier unit.
4. The wafer holder for providing even temperature distribution according to claim 1,
wherein an area of the plurality of protrusions is between 30% and 70% of that of the bearing
surface of the main body. The protrusions appear to cover at least 50 percent
7. A wafer holder for providing even temperature distribution, comprising:
a support assembly, comprising:
at least one recess disposed on a top surface of the support assembly;
an inlet pipeline connected to the recess for supplying a gas to the recess located on the
top surface of the support assembly; and
a diffusion unit located on the top surface of the support assembly, wherein the diffusion
unit is a porous material, comprising:
a first diffusion region;
a second diffusion region located on the outer side of the first diffusion region, wherein
the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region are used to support at least one wafer,
and a gas permeability of the first diffusion region is different from that of the second diffusion
region. The device is taught above because there are a polarity of diffusion regiona
8. The wafer holder for providing even temperature distribution according to claim 7,
wherein the gas permeability of the first diffusion region is greater than that of the second
diffusion region. See Fig.4B
9. The wafer holder for providing even temperature distribution according to claim 7,
wherein the first diffusion region is disk-shaped, the second diffusion region is annular, and the
second diffusion region is annularly disposed around the first diffusion region.
PNG
media_image2.png
858
688
media_image2.png
Greyscale
10. The wafer holder for providing even temperature distribution according to claim 7,
comprising a plurality of protrusions disposed on the first diffusion region and the second
diffusion region, and at least one diffusion channel formed between the plurality of protrusions.
PNG
media_image2.png
858
688
media_image2.png
Greyscale
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al 2626/0096384 A1 in view of Chang et al 12740365.
Wang et al disclose the claimed invention except for titanium metal.
Chang et al disclose the material titantium metal used in substrate holding device which allows a metal with a low coefficient of thermal expansion, so as to avoid excessive thermal expansion. The common metal with the low coefficient of thermal expansion is a titanium alloy. However, the titanium alloy is high in material cost and difficult to process, which often increases the manufacturing cost of the holder plate and it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to used titanium as metal substitute of which yields the preditable result of at least low coeffiicient of thermal expansion. KSR
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al 2626/0096384 A1 in view of Linebarger Jr. et al 2023/0118592 A1
Wang et al disclose the claimed invention except for titanium metal.
Linebarger Jr. et al disclose the use of channel being at least .75 mm deep then the protrusion would at least match that depth which allows for the depths used in substrate holding device and it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention to have modfied the Wang et al device by providing channels and protrusion which are at least which yields the preditable result of having protrusion at least .75 mm. KSR
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 11 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The 892 form discloses prior art being made of record.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEE D WILSON whose telephone number is (571)272-4499. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 6;30-4;30.
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, BRIAN KELLER can be reached at 571-272-8548. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
LEE D. WILSON
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
Ldw
/LEE D WILSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723 September 15, 2026
Prosecution Insights