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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 03/20/2026.
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) 1-5 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tsunekawa et al. (US 20120193071).
As to claim 1, Tsunekawa et al. discloses an apparatus comprising a substrate holding unit; a heating unit; an irradiation unit; a cooling unit; and a lifting mechanism that moves the substrate holding unit up and down to place it in a first position near the heating unit and a second position near the cooling unit (see abstract, Fig. 1, 0043, 0061, 0067-0069). The recitation that the apparatus is “for curing a curable composition” is considered intended use language, which does not structurally limit the claimed apparatus. The apparatus of Tsunekawa et al. is capable of performing heating, irradiation, and cooling functions on a substrate therefore meets the claimed structural limitations.
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As to claim 2, the heating position is above the cooling position (see Fig. 1).
As to claim 3, the cooling position can be close to the cooling unit (see 0067).
As to claim 4, the substrate holding device comprises a plurality of through holes (see Fig. 1 near 13a), the film forming apparatus includes a plurality of lift pins that are places to extend through the holes (see Fig. 1, near 13a); and the substrate is supported by the plurality of pins when placed in the heating position (see 0066).
As to claim 5, the plurality of pins protrude upward from the cooling unit (see Fig. 1).
As to claims 8 and 9, the heating unit irradiates electromagnetic waves (infrared waves – see 0061).
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Laaksonen et al. (US 2023/0294190).
As to claim 1, Laaksonen et al. discloses an apparatus that forms a cured film comprising a substrate holding unit (see 44 of Fig. 4A and 0041); a heating unit (48 of Fig. 5 and 6B and paragraph 0041); an irradiation unit (see 30/32 of Fig. 4A and 0041); and a lifting mechanism configured to move the substrate from a first position where the heating unit hits and the irradiation unit irradiates a composition on the substrate and a second position where the substrate holding unit is placed near the cooling unit (see 0040-0041, Fig 8).
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As to claim 2, the irradiation unit is placed above the cooling unit (see Fig. 4A and paragraph 0040).
As to claim 6, the heating unit is placed on the substrate holding unit (see Fig. 6B).
As to claims 8-9, UV lamps are used to irradiate the coating (see 0041-0042).
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.
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) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laaksonen et al. (US 2023/0294190) as applied to claim 6 above, in view of Yendler et al. (US 2004/0226515).
The teachings of Laaksonen et al. as applied to claim 6 are as stated above.
Laaksonen et al. states the substrate support has one or more heaters that heat the substrate and further states the heater(s) can be embedded in the substrate holder (see 0030).
Laaksonen et al. fails to explicitly teach the heater is fixed to a lower surface of the substrate holding unit as required by claim 7.
Yendler et al. discloses a substrate processing apparatus where a heater is ether embedded or attached to the bottom surface of the substrate support to heat the substrate (see 0029).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Laaksonen et al. to provide the heater at the bottom of the substrate support as taught by Yendler et al. One would have been motivated to do so since both are directed to heating substrates using the substrate holder where Yendler et al. teaches placing a heater at the bottom surface is a known alternative to embedding the heater. It has been established that the mere substitution one known alternative for another provides predictable results.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6 and 8-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Imai (US 20090273119) in view of Laaksonen et al. (US 2023/0294190).
As to claim 1, Imai discloses a film forming apparatus comprising a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate (see 2 of Fig. 1, 0058, 0086); a heating unit configured to heat the curable composition (1a of Fig. 1, 0060, 0062) on the substrate (6a/6b of Fig. 1,0062); a cooling unit that cools the substrate holding unit (see 0060, 0099); and a lifting mechanism for moving the substrate up and down (see 7 of Fig. 1, 0065, 0103).
Imai does not explicitly teach an irradiation unit, a first position where the heating unit heats the composition and the irradiation unit cures the composition, and a second position where the substrate is placed on the cooling unit as required by claim 1.
Imai does state when the composition is formed of a photo-curing resin, ultraviolet rays are applied to harden the layer and that the mold is subjected to the heat generating during the hardening process (see 0062). Imai further states that after the pattern transfer step, the heaters are turned off to reduce the temperatures of the substrate and mold, thereby cooling the substrate. The substrate holder is moved away from the mold during the cooling step (see 0060, 0103-0104).
Laaksonen et al. discloses an apparatus that forms a cured film comprising a substrate holding unit (see 44 of Fig. 4A and 0041); a heating unit (48 of Fig. 5 and 6B and paragraph 0041); an irradiation unit (see 30/32 of Fig. 4A and 0041); and a lifting mechanism configured to move the substrate from a first position where the heating unit hits and the irradiation unit irradiates a composition on the substrate and a second position where the substrate holding unit is placed near the cooling unit (see 0040-0041, Fig 8).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the imprint apparatus of Imai to include the irradiation and multi-zone thermal processing taught by Laaksonen. One would have been motivated to do so since both references are directed to heat-treating a composition on a substrate. Imai teaches that, depending upon the composition used, photocuring or heating may be performed, while Laaksonen et al. teaches an operable device providing IR and UV heating options for treating the coating, along with a separate cooling device allowing for improved process control.
As to claim 2, the irradiation unit is placed above the cooling unit (see Fig. 4A and paragraph 0040 of Laaksonen).
As to claim 6, the heating unit is placed on the substrate holding unit (see Fig. 6B of Laaksonen).
As to claims 8-9, UV lamps are used to irradiate the coating (see 0041-0042 of Laaksonen).
As to claim 10, the substrate comprises a driving mechanism for placing a mold on the curable composition (see 0065, 0103 of Imai).
As to claim 11, the heating unit irradiates the composition with heat rays through the mold (see 0062 of Imai).
As to claim 12, the heating uses UV lamps (see 0062 of Imai and 0041-42 of Laaksonen).
As to claim 13, the apparatus comprises a heater on the substrate holder (see Laaksonen 6B, and Imai 6 of Fig. 1) and the driving mechanism moves the mold (see 0062).
As to claim 14, Imai states the substrate can be further treated by planarized (see 0144).
As to claim 15, the mold has a pattern (see 3 of Fig 1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Shimoda et al. (US 2013/0285285) discloses an apparatus comprising a substrate holder (see 29 of Fig. 2), a lifting mechanism used to move the substrate in position (see lift pin 47 of Fig. 2, 0060) with a mold (see M of Fig. 2) to cure a material on the substrate (see abstract, Fig.2 ). The lifting mechanism is configured to move the substrate relative to other components of the apparatus, including positing the substrate for curing operations using a mold.
Iwatani (US 20180017874) discloses an apparatus comprising a substrate holding unit (3/301 of Fig. 1); a heating/irradiation unit (7 of Fig. 1, 0020, 0023); a cooling unit to cool the substrate holder (see 0045-0047; 304c of Fig. 2B); and a lifting mechanism configured to move the substrate up and down (see 0029, 0038). Iwatani teaches cooling the substrate in order to reduce thermal deformation caused by irradiation with light that cures the curable material (see 0040). Iwatani fails to teach a first position where the heating unit heats and irradiates the composition and a second position where the substrate is placed near the cooling unit as required by claim 1.
Kondo (US 20230382019) discloses a film forming apparatus for curing a film (see abstract) comprising a substrate holding unit (see 0026, 302 of Fig.); a heating unit (see 0019, 401 of Fig 4.); an irradiation unit (109 of Fig. 0023); and a cooling unit (see 0026 and 403 of Fig.). Kondo teaches the substrate is transferred to the cooling/heating unit after processing (see 0026).
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Aramaki et al. (JP 2004235468) discloses a heat treatment device having a heating unit (see 53 of Fig. 10) and a cooling unit (see 52 of Fig. 10 ). The substrate holder has a lifting unit that places the substrate in a heating position and cooling position (see 57 Fig. 10). Aramaki teaches moving the substrate holder between a first position associated with heating and a second position associated with cooling.
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Raaijmakers (US 6108937) discloses an apparatus for cooling semiconductor substrates prior to handling (see abstract). The apparatus comprises a cooling unit (See col. 4, lines 1-16 ); a substrate support that is movable between a first position and a second position; and a lift system allowing for vertical movement (see 22 of Fig 2; Fig. 2A-2B).
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/CACHET I. PROCTOR/
Examiner
Art Unit 1712
/CACHET I PROCTOR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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