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 Objections
Claims 9-16 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 9 recites, “voltage differential of at least 300” in lines 2-3, which should be corrected to “voltage differential of at least 300V”. Claims 10-16 depend from Claim 9. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 4, 7-9, 12, 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Honma et al. (US 5,748,436).
Regarding Claim 1, Honma discloses an electrostatic chuck for holding a substrate (10, Figures 1-4, Abstract), the chuck comprising:
a support assembly (comprising 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, Figure 3) having two electrodes therein (electrodes 24a, 24b, Figure 3) and an electrically insulating support surface for receiving the substrate (insulating coating 26 on top portion receiving substrate 14, Figure 3);
a heating element operably connected to the support surface (25a, 25b, Figure 3); and
a high current, high voltage power supply (comprising 31, Figure 3) adapted to provide a voltage differential of at least 300V and having two outlets operably connected to the electrodes, with each of the power supply outlets isolated or floating with respect to ground (31 with positive and negative terminals connected to 24a, 24b respectively, Figure 3, Column 5, lines 6-13, “….the electrostatic chuck 10 at different voltage settings between DC500V and DC2000V…”).
Regarding Claim 4, Honma discloses the electrostatic chuck of Claim 1, wherein the heating element is adapted to heat the substrate to at least 250°C (Column 1, lines 64-67).
Regarding Claim 7, Honma discloses the electrostatic chuck of Claim 1, wherein the power supply has a first power source providing a positive voltage and a second power source providing a negative voltage (31 with positive and negative terminals connected to 24a, 24b respectively, Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 8, Honma discloses the electrostatic chuck of Claim 1, wherein the power supply has a bipolar power source providing a positive voltage and a negative voltage (31 with positive and negative terminals connected to 24a, 24b respectively, Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 9, Honma discloses an electrostatic chuck for holding a substrate (electrostatic chuck for holding substrate 14, Figures 1-4, Abstract), the chuck comprising:
a high current, high voltage power supply (comprising 31, Figure 3) adapted to provide a voltage differential of at least 300V for operating the electrostatic chuck, the power supplying having two outlets isolated or floating with respect to ground (31 with positive and negative terminals connected to 24a, 24b respectively, Figure 3, Column 5, lines 6-13, “….the electrostatic chuck 10 at different voltage settings between DC500V and DC2000V…”);
a support assembly (comprising 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, Figure 3) with a heating element (comprising 25a, 25b, Figure 3) operably connected to an electrically insulating support surface of the support assembly (25a, 25b operably connected to 26, Figure 3); and
at least two electrodes (comprising 24a, 24b, Figure 3) within the support assembly and electrically connected to the outlets of the power supply for charging the electrodes to electrostatically hold the substrate to the electrostatic chuck (24a, 24b within support assembly and electrically connected to positive and negative poles of the power supply 31, Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 12, Honma discloses the electrostatic chuck of Claim 9, wherein the heating element is adapted to heat the substrate to at least 250°C (Column 1, lines 64-67).
Regarding Claim 15, Honma discloses the electrostatic chuck of Claim 9, wherein the power supply has a first power source providing a positive voltage and a second power source providing a negative voltage (31 with positive and negative terminals connected to 24a, 24b respectively, Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 16, Honma discloses the electrostatic chuck of Claim 9, wherein the power supply has a bipolar power source providing a positive voltage and a negative voltage (31 with positive and negative terminals connected to 24a, 24b respectively, Figure 3).
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.
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.
Claims 2-3, 5-6, 10-11, 13-14, 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Honma et al. (US 5,748,436).
Regarding Claim 2, Honma does not specifically disclose the electrostatic chuck of Claim 1, wherein the high current, high voltage power supply is configured to provide 1 to 100 milliAmps. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the power supply in the electrostatic chuck of Honma, to provide current of 1 to 100mAmp or a desired level to reliably and safely clamp the substrate and not to damage the electrostatic chuck, based on the clamping voltage, processing temperature and resistivity of the electrostatic chuck.
Regarding Claim 3, Honma discloses the electrostatic chuck of Claim 2, wherein the power supply is adapted to provide a nominal voltage of at least +/-150V (Column 5, lines 6-13, “….the electrostatic chuck 10 at different voltage settings between DC500V and DC2000V…”).
Claim 10 recites the same limitations as that of Claim 2, except that the electrostatic chuck of Claim 9 is recited. Therefore, Claim 10 is rejected similarly as Claim 2.
Regarding Claim 11, Honma discloses the electrostatic chuck of Claim 10, wherein the power supply is adapted to provide a nominal voltage of at least +/-150V (Column 5, lines 6-13, “….the electrostatic chuck 10 at different voltage settings between DC500V and DC2000V…”).
Regarding Claims 5-6, Honma does not specifically disclose the electrostatic chuck of Claim 1, wherein the power supply is a monopolar power supply (Claim 5), the monopolar provides a negative voltage . Honma discloses the monopolar power supply in the prior art (power supply 15 connected to electrode 12 of electrostatic chuck 10 in prior art Figure 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in Figure 3 embodiment, a monopolar power supply as in the prior art and configure the monopolar power supply to provide a negative voltage based on the electrode type and processing conditions.
Claims 13-14 recite the same limitations as that of Claims 5-6, except that the electrostatic chuck of Claim 9 is recited. Therefore, Claims 13-14 are rejected similarly as Claims 5-6.
Regarding Claims 17-19, Honma discloses a method of holding a substrate in a process chamber (method holding substrate 14 on electrostatic chuck 10 a processing chamber, Figures 1-3, Abstract), the method comprising:
providing an electrostatic chuck comprising a support assembly having an electrically insulative support surface in the process chamber (providing electrostatic chuck 10 comprising a support assembly having insulative support surface at 26, Figure 3), the support assembly having two electrodes therein (comprising 24a, 24b, Figure 3) electrically connected to outlets of a power supply for charging the electrodes, the outlets isolated or floating with respect to ground (24a, 24b connected to outlets of power supply 31, Figure 3);
placing a substrate on the support surface (substrate 14 at 26, Figure 3); and
applying a current via the power supply to the at least two electrodes to produce a voltage differential of at least 300V (Column 5, lines 6-13, “….the electrostatic chuck 10 at different voltage settings between DC500V and DC2000V…”). Honma does not specifically disclose the current being of at least 1 milliAmp (Claim 17) or wherein applying a current of at least 1 milliAmp comprises applying a current of 1 milliAmp to 100 milliAmp (Claim 19). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select the current in the method of Honma, being of at least 1 milliAmp, 1 milliAmp to 100 milliAmp, or a desired level to reliably and safely clamp the substrate and not to damage the electrostatic chuck, based on the clamping voltage, processing temperature and resistivity of the electrostatic chuck.
Regarding Claim 18, Honma discloses the method of Claim 17, further comprising: heating the substrate to at least 250°C (Column 1, lines 64-67).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lesser (US 6,236,555) discloses in Figure 6 an electrostatic chuck 602 comprising an electrode 604 and a monopolar power supply 606 with positive pole connected to the electrode and a ground/negative pole conductively coupled to the substrate 610 via contact 608; Burkhart (US 5,764,471) discloses in Figures 1-2 an electrostatic chuck 102 comprising electrodes 1061, 1062 and a bipolar power supply 126 comprising 128, 130, with a negative pole connected to electrode 106-1 and positive pole connected to electrode 106-2.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUCY M THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-6002. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Crystal L Hammond can be reached at (571)270-1682. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LUCY M THOMAS/Examiner, Art Unit 2838, 7/14/2026
/CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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