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 .
Status of Application
Claims 1-13 are pending and presented for examination.
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.
1. Claim(s) 1-7, 10, 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Orihashi et al. (U.S. PGPUB No. 2017/0221699).
Regarding claims 1-7, 10, 12 and 13, Orihashi teaches a thin film deposition process (abstract) comprising: repeatedly performing a first injection of DCS, dichlorosilane, into a chamber (first process gas, Figure 4); and a second injection of DS, disilane, into a chamber (second process gas, Figure 4) to form a silicon seed layer (see bottom of Figure 4). Orihashi teaches performing purging by injecting nitrogen into the chamber between the first injection and second injection and after the second injection (see inert gas, Figure 4), and that the number of repetitions is 10-50 times (0101). Orihashi further teaches forming an additional seed layer (comparable to a silicon film) over the seed layer by repeatedly performing the injection of DCS and DS that yields an amorphous state (see Figure 5 and 0077). Orihashi teaches a further injection of a purge gas into the chamber (Figure 5) and that an additional injection of hydrogen can be performed, wherein the hydrogen is included with the DCS or DS gas injection step (0178). Orihashi also teaches performing the process at a temperature in the range of 370-390 ºC (0097). Orihashi teaches all the critical limitations of claims 1-7, 10, 12 and 13; therefore, Orihashi anticipates the claims.
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.
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.
2. Claim(s) 8, 9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Orihashi in view of Takagi et al. (U.S. PGPUB No. 2019/0043719).
Regarding claims 8, 9 and 11, Orihashi teaches all the limitations of claims 7 and 10 (see above), including performing an injection of hydrogen (see above), and performing an injection of hydrogen and a purge after injection of the hydrogen (see above and Figures 4 and 5, wherein hydrogen can be injected with any of the process gases and the nitrogen is continuously injected as a purge gas). Orihashi fails to teach nitriding or oxidizing the silicon seed layer and/or the silicon thin film.
However, Takagi teaches a similar process for forming a silicon thin film by initially forming a seed layer and then forming a silicon layer over the seed layer (abstract). Takagi further teaches oxidizing the seed layer (0068). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Orihashi’s process by oxidizing Orihashi’s first and additional seed layers as disclosed by Takagi. One would have been motivated to make this modification as Takagi teaches that this allows for forming a film with uniform thickness (0071).
Conclusion
Claims 1-13 are pending.
Claims 1-13 are rejected.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT S WALTERS JR whose telephone number is (571)270-5351. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8-5.
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, Dah-Wei Yuan can be reached at 571-272-1295. 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.
/ROBERT S WALTERS JR/
June 3, 2026Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1717
Prosecution Insights