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 .
This is a response to the Applicants' file on 4/29/25. In virtue of this filing, claims 1-9 are currently presented in the instant application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/29/25 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 &1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by KR101989847B1 in view of Nakaya et al (US Pub.No:2021/0265135).
With respect to claim 1, KR101989847B1 disclose in figures 1-6 that, an electron emission source comprising: a housing provided with a gas inlet pipe(200) (figures 1 and 5) configured to introduce an inert gas into an internal space for plasma generation(paragraphs [63]; a cathode electrode (130) mounted inside the housing, the cathode electrode(130) having a hemispherical shape and being made of a metallic material(figure 1); a power supply unit(paragraphs [ 42])connected to the cathode electrode(130); and an anode electrode (140) mounted inside the housing at a position facing the cathode electrode(130), the anode electrode(140) having an internal space formed in a conical shape and composed of a ceramic dielectric material, the anode electrode(140) including an electron emission port formed at an apex of the conical shape, the conical internal space functioning as a plasma chamber(110).Paragraphs [24-43].
KR101989847B also disclose wherein RF power is supplied to the cathode electrode (130) to generate in the plasma chamber, and electrons are emitted through the electron emission port of the anode electrode (140). Paragraphs [42-45].
KR101989847B do not explicitly disclose the cathode electrode and the anode electrode by using the CCP.
Nakaya et al disclose an inside the chamber 10, there are electrodes that function as an anode and a cathode for the plasma generated inside the chamber 10 (paragraph [57]) and paragraph [94] for using CCP.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features of Nakaya et al into the processing device of KR101989847B to using CCP to implement process stabilization while suppressing consumption of components inside a chamber.
With respect to claim 2, KR101989847B disclose in figures 1, 4-7 that, wherein a rotational center of the hemispherical cathode electrode is aligned with a position corresponding to the electron
emission port of the anode electrode, or a position corresponding to an area surrounding the
electron emission port.
With respect to claim 3, KR101989847B1 discloses wherein the power supply
unit comprises: an RF power supply unit configured to supply RF power for plasma generation; and
a DC power supply unit configured to supply DC power for enabling electrons in the
plasma to escape, wherein the RF power and the DC power are combined and applied to the cathode electrode. Paragraph [42].
With respect to claim 4, KR101989847B1 discloses, wherein the DC power supply unit provides a negative DC voltage in a range of 0 to 100 volts. Paragraph [50,54].
With respect to claim 5, KR101989847B1 discloses the anodes can be formed in a mesh shape with a material having a low electrical resistance.
KR101989847B1 do not explicitly disclose wherein the ceramic dielectric material constituting the anode electrode is an insulating material having dielectric properties, and is composed of one selected from the group consisting of alumina (Al₂O₃), zirconia (ZrO₂), yttria (Y₂O₃), magnesia (MgO₂), yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), boron nitride (BN), quartz, and Pyrex.
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to select different material for the anode electrode, since these materials do not solve any problem or for a particular reason.
Therefore, to select different material for the anode electrode to generate plasma in chamber for a particular environment or a desired application would have been deemed obvious to a person skilled in the art.
With respect to claim 6, KR101989847B1 discloses wherein the cathode electrode (130), serving as the electrode for generating plasma (figure 1), is composed of a heat-resistant metal capable of withstanding the plasma temperature, and wherein no cooling water is supplied to the cathode electrode. Paragraphs [42-43] for generating plasma and using gas in the cathode.
With respect to claim 9, KR101989847B1 discloses, wherein the gas inlet pipe is
configured to supply an inert gas. Figures 1 and 5.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by KR101989847B1 in view of KR1020080079924.
With respect to claim 7, KR101989847B1 discloses all limitations recited in claim 1 above, except for further comprising a plasma backflow prevention module installed at an end of the gas inlet pipe on the plasma chamber side, wherein the plasma backflow prevention module is configured to prevent plasma in the plasma chamber from backflowing into the gas inlet pipe.
KR1020080079924 disclose a backflow preventing means is installed at the outlet of the carrier gas supply pipe as shown in claim 1.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features of KR1020080079924l into the processing device of KR101989847B to prevent gas flow into the plasma chamber.
With respect to claim 8, KR101989847B1 as modified claim 7 above, discloses, wherein the plasma backflow prevention module.
However, KR101989847B1 as modified claim 7 above, do not disclose wherein the plasma backflow prevention module comprises a filter having fine pores, the filter being formed by sintering micro- or nano-sized powder.
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to provide wherein the plasma backflow prevention module which include a filter having fine pores, the filter being formed by sintering micro- or nano-sized powder, since the filter having fine pores, the filter being formed by sintering micro- or nano-sized powder do not solve any problem or for a particular reason.
Therefore, to provide the filter having fine pores, the filter being formed by sintering micro- or nano-sized powder into the plasma chamber for a particular environment or a desired application would have been deemed obvious to a person skilled in the art.
Citation of pertinent prior art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicants' disclosure. See prior arts/references listed on the PTO-892 form attached.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Minh Tran whose telephone number is (571)272-1817. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taningco Alexander H can be reached on 571-272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Minh Tran/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2845
Prosecution Insights