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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: the specification describes Figures 2 and 4 as including transition channels 122 [0067,0076,0080], but Figs. 2 and 4 do not include reference number 122. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 34 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim cannot depend from any other multiple dependent claim (See Claims 10 and 26). See MPEP § 608.01(n). Accordingly, the claim 34 has not been further treated on the merits.
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) 1-4, 18-21, and 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dunham (US 2004/0127067).
Regarding Claims 1 and 18, Dunham (US’067) teaches a spray (showerhead diffuser) plate [0011], comprising a plate body 13 that has a gas outlet face, wherein a gas distribution system is formed in the plate body, and the gas distribution system comprises a main gas inlet channel (e.g. 17), a transition channel (e.g. 23, 25, or 27 in relation to channels 17, 23, and 25, respectively) and a spray channel (e.g. gas diffusion passage 31) (Figs. 1-2; [0028, 0031-0033]); and a plurality of spray holes are formed in the spray channel in an extension direction of the spray channel and extend to the gas outlet face (Fig. 4), and the spray channel is in communication with the main gas inlet channel(s) through the transition channel (Figs. 2-5; [0033-0034]).
Regarding Claims 2 and 19, the gas distribution system comprises a plurality of the transition channels and a plurality of the spray channels, which are in one-to-one correspondence; each spray channel is in communication with the corresponding transition channel through a plurality of connecting channels that are distributed at intervals in the extension direction of the spray channel (Fig. 2; for example, each spray channel 31 is in communication with a corresponding transition channel 23 through a plurality of other connecting channels -- for example, 27 and 25); and the main gas inlet channel is in communication with the plurality of transition channels in sequence (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claims 3 and 20, each spray channel 31 is of an elongated shape and extends along a first direction (up-down in Fig. 2), and the plurality of spray channels are arranged at intervals in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (left-right in Fig. 2; [0041]).
Regarding Claims 4 and 21, each transition channel is of an elongated shape, extends along the first direction, and is spaced apart from the corresponding spray channel in a third direction perpendicular to both of the first direction and the second direction, since transition channels 23 are circular and other channels 25 feed them. (Figs. 3-4; [0030-0033]).
Regarding Claim 35, US’067 teaches a spray method, comprising the steps of: introducing a process gas into a transition channel through a main gas inlet channel; introducing the process gas through the transition channel into a spray channel in communication with the transition channel; and conveying the process gas entering the spray channel along the spray channel, and spraying the process gas into a processing chamber through a plurality of spray holes distributed in an extension direction of the spray channel (Figs. 2-4; [0029-0031]). See, also, rejection of Claim 1 above for citations to structural features.
Claim(s) 1-3, 18-20, and 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ito et al. (US 2012/0228129).
Regarding Claims 1 and 18, Ito et al. (US’129) teach a spray plate, comprising a plate body that has a gas outlet face (Figs. 1-3; [0058]), wherein a gas distribution system is formed in the plate body, and the gas distribution system comprises a main gas inlet channel 3b, a transition channel 51a (also every other channel 52 can be considered a “transition channel,” since Applicant’s specification does not require a “transition channel” to have any specific features other than being elongated), and a spray channel 52; and a plurality of spray holes 6b are formed in the spray channel in an extension direction of the spray channel and extend to the gas outlet face, and the spray channel is in communication with the main gas inlet channel through the transition channel (Figs. 2, 4-5; [0036,0057-0060]).
Regarding Claims 2 and 19, US’129 teaches the gas distribution system comprises a plurality of the transition channels and a plurality of the spray channels, which are in one-to-one correspondence, since every other channel 52 can be considered a “transition channel” (Applicant’s specification describes an elongated “transition channel,” but does not require that it have or does not have any specific features); each spray channel is in communication with the corresponding transition channel through a plurality of connecting channels (each section 51b can be considered a channel that connects alternating channels) that are distributed at intervals in the extension direction of the spray channel; and the main gas inlet channel 3b is in communication with the plurality of transition channels in sequence (Figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claims 3 and 20, US’129 teaches that each spray channel (every other 52) is of an elongated shape and extends along a first direction (Fig. 2, up-down direction), and the plurality of spray channels are arranged at intervals in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (Fig. 2, left-right).
Regarding Claim 35, US’129 teaches a spray method, comprising the steps of: introducing a process gas into a transition channel through a main gas inlet channel; introducing the process gas through the transition channel into a spray channel in communication with the transition channel; and conveying the process gas entering the spray channel along the spray channel, and spraying the process gas into a processing chamber through a plurality of spray holes distributed in an extension direction of the spray channel (Abstract; Figs. 1-3; [0036,0054-0060]). See, also, rejection of Claim 1 above for citations to structural features.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-20,22-23,25-29,31-33, and 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ito et al. (US 2012/0100311).
Regarding Claims 1 and 18, Ito et al. (US’311) teaches a spray plate, comprising a plate body that has a gas outlet face 14 [0049], wherein a gas distribution system is formed in the plate body, and the gas distribution system comprises a main gas inlet channel 53 or 55 (Fig. 2; see , also, openings at left and right into introduction paths 55 in Figs. 5-6, 11, and 13), a transition channel (e.g. every other branch part 52, 52a; e.g. channels 1,3,5,7, and 9 from the left in Fig. 5) and a spray channel (every other channel 52, 52a that is not considered a “transition channel”; e.g. channels 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10); and a plurality of spray holes 6 are formed in the spray channel in an extension direction of the spray channel and extend to the gas outlet face, and the spray channel is in communication with the main gas inlet channel through the transition channel (Figs. 2, 4-6, 11, 13; [0056-0063,0069-0071]. NOTE: Applicant’s specification does not require a “transition channel” to have any specific features -- or an absence of special features -- other than being elongated.
Regarding Claims 2 and 19, US’311 teaches that the gas distribution system comprises a plurality of the transition channels and a plurality of the spray channels, which are in one-to-one correspondence (See rejection of Claim 1 above, every other channel 52/52a can be considered a “transition channel”); each spray channel is in communication with the corresponding transition channel through a plurality of connecting channels 51 (alternatively vertical channels, connecting 51 to channel 51 in Fig. 8B) that are distributed at intervals in the extension direction of the spray channel (Figs. 2,4-6, 11,13; [0082]) and the main gas inlet (See openings on left and right supplying gas to channels 55 and also 55 itself) is in communication with the plurality of transition channels in sequence (Figs. 2,4-6, 11,13).
Regarding Claims 3 and 20, US’311 teaches that each spray channel is of an elongated shape and extends along a first direction (e.g. up-down in Fig. 5), and the plurality of spray channels are arranged at intervals in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g. left-right in Fig. 5). See, also, Fig. 8B)
Regarding Claims 5 and 22, US’311 teaches that the main gas inlet channel is of an elongated shape and extends along the second direction (openings extend to the left and right from 55 in the direction in which spray channels 52 are spaced from each other and also 55 itself) (e.g. Figs. 5-6,11).
Regarding Claim 6, US’311 teaches that the main gas inlet channel is in communication with middle portions of the plurality of transition channels in sequence, since the main gas inlet channel is in fluid communication with all parts of the gas distribution channels, including middle portions of transition channels as interpreted in the rejection of Claim 1 above. Also, Fig. 13 teaches an embodiment where main gas inlet channel 51 intersects with each of “transition channel” 52/52a as interpreted in the rejection of Claim 1 above at a junction offset from a midpoint of the transition channel towards an end of the transition channel.
Regarding Claims 7 and 23, US’311 teaches a junction of the main gas inlet channel and each transition channel is offset from a midpoint of the transition channel towards an end of the transition channel, since such a junction can be considered to be, for example, at corners where 53 meets 55 and/ or where each of 52 meets 51 (Figs. 5-6, 11 and Figs. 8A-8B; [0075-0078]).
Regarding Claim 8, US’311 teaches that a part of the transition channel located on one side of the junction opposite to the midpoint has a smaller inner diameter than a part of the transition channel located on the other side of the junction facing the midpoint, since it teaches “gradually increasing the cross-sectional area in the gas flow perpendicular direction (cross-sectional area of a flow path) of the gas flow path 52a of the branch part 52 with increasing distance from the first inlet 53” [0071].
Regarding Claims 9 and 25, US’311 teaches that a junction of the main gas inlet channel (51 in the embodiment of Fig. 13, for example) and each transition channel 52 is at a midpoint (widthwise) of a transition channel 52 (Fig. 13).
Regarding Claims 10 and 26, US’311 wherein the numbers of the connecting channels on two sides of the junction in the first direction are the same (e.g. 51 in Figs. 5-6, 11; also vertical portions in Fig. 8B).
Regarding Claims 11 and 27, US’311 wherein each of two ends of the main gas inlet channel 55 in an extension direction of the main gas inlet channel is provided with a gas inlet 53 [0069].
Regarding Claims 12 and 28, wherein the main gas inlet channel comprises an introducing channel (e.g. opening in the middle of channel 55), a splitting channel that extends along the first direction (e.g. introduction channels 55) [0056], and two discharging channels that extend along the second direction (e.g. channels 51 can be considered “discharging channels” in the case of embodiment taught in Fig. 8B, where “connecting portions” are the vertical channels between 54 and 52), wherein the introducing channel (openings at left and right in the Figs. 5-6 and 11 and in the middle of splitting channel 55) is in communication with a middle portion of the splitting channel, and the two discharging channels 51 are in communication with two ends of the splitting channel respectively (Figs. 5-6,11); and one of the two discharging channels (e.g. top 51 in Fig. 11) is in communication with one end of each of the transition channels in sequence, and the other one of the two discharging channels is in communication with the other end of each of the transition channels in sequence (e.g. 51 at other end of a transition channel 52) (Figs. 5-6, 11).
Regarding Claims 13 and 29, US’311 teaches that a junction (e.g. at 53 in Fig. 5) of the introducing channel 55 and the splitting channel 51 is offset from a midpoint of the splitting channel towards one end of the splitting channel.
Regarding Claim 14, in Fig. 13, the outside channels 52/52a can be considered splitting channels, splitting from introducing channel 51 US’311 splitting channel located on one side of the junction opposite to the midpoint has a smaller inner diameter than a part of the splitting channel located on the other side of the junction facing the midpoint, since US’311 teaches “gradually increasing the cross-sectional area in the gas flow perpendicular direction (cross-sectional area of a flow path) of the gas flow path 52a of the branch part 52 with increasing distance from the first inlet 53” [0071].
Regarding Claims 15 and 31, US’311 teaches that a junction of the introducing channel and the splitting channel is at a midpoint of the splitting channel, since an introducing channel can be considered to intersect with a splitting channel at a midpoint of the width of the splitting channel (e.g. at joint 53 between introducing channel 55 and splitting channels 51 in an embodiment of Figs. 5-6; at corner between outside channels 52/52a, which can be considered to be “splitting channels,” forming a junction with introducing channel 51 at the upper right and left corners in the embodiment shown in Fig. 13).
Regarding Claims 16 and 32, the numbers of the introducing channel and the splitting channel are both two (e.g. two introducing channels 55 and two splitting channels 51 in Figs. 5-6; two introducing channels 51 and two splitting channels -- outside channels 52/52a -- in Fig. 13; the two splitting channels are respectively arranged at two ends of the plate body in the second direction; and ends of the two introducing channels are in communication with two ends of one of the two splitting channels respectively, and the other ends of the two introducing channels are in communication with two ends of the other one of the two splitting channels respectively (Fig. 13).
Regarding Claims 17 and 33, US’311 teaches that at least two gas distribution systems are provided in the plate body, and have the spray channels alternately arranged in the second direction (Fig. 11).
Regarding Claim 35, US’311 teaches a spray method, comprising the steps of: introducing a process gas into a transition channel through a main gas inlet channel; introducing the process gas through the transition channel into a spray channel in communication with the transition channel; and conveying the process gas entering the spray channel along the spray channel, and spraying the process gas into a processing chamber through a plurality of spray holes distributed in an extension direction of the spray channel (Figs. 1-2, 4-6, 11, and 13; [0040,0049,0056-0061,0069-0072]]). See, also, rejection of Claim 1 above for citations to structural features).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 24 and 30 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claims 24 and 30, in US’311, the transition channel (or splitting channel) can be considered to comprise a first channel portion (third channel portion) and a second channel portion (fourth channel portion) respectively located on two sides of a junction between the main gas inlet channel and each transition channel, wherein the length of a first channel portion is smaller than a length of a second channel portion (Fig. 8B). However, US’311 fails to teach or fairly suggest that an inner diameter of the first channel portion is smaller than an inner diameter of the second channel portion.
Conclusion
No claim is allowed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER M WEDDLE whose telephone number is (571)270-5346. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-6:30.
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ALEXANDER M WEDDLE
Examiner
Art Unit 1712
/ALEXANDER M WEDDLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1712
