Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026

Examiner: BAND, MICHAEL A

Tech Center 1700 • Art Units: 1723 1754 1794 1795

This examiner grants 45% of resolved cases

Performance Statistics

44.8%
Allow Rate
-20.2% vs TC avg
888
Total Applications
+55.2%
Interview Lift
1600
Avg Prosecution Days
Based on 833 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Rejection Statute Breakdown

0.1%
§101 Eligibility
17.0%
§102 Novelty
41.5%
§103 Obviousness
30.5%
§112 Clarity

Currently Pending Office Actions

App #TitleStatusAssignee
18590406 FOCUS RING ALIGNMENT APPARATUS Non-Final OA SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
17756200 POWER STORAGE MODULE Final Rejection Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
17687961 SPUTTERING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THIN FILM ELECTRODE DEPOSITION Non-Final OA Samsung Display Co., LTD.
18418930 METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SPUTTERING OF A GROUNDED SHIELD IN A PROCESS CHAMBER Final Rejection Applied Materials, Inc.
17687157 COIL FOR IMPROVED PROCESS CHAMBER DEPOSITION AND ETCH UNIFORMITY Final Rejection Applied Materials, Inc.
18409974 Hybrid Cathodes for ION Plasma Deposition Systems and Methods Final Rejection GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
18399237 SPUTTER TARGETS FOR SELF-DOPED SOURCE AND DRAIN CONTACTS Final Rejection Intel Corporation
18911171 Substrate Processing Apparatus Final Rejection Tokyo Electron Limited
17862889 SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING APPARATUS, CONDITION COMPENSATION METHOD, AND PROGRAM Final Rejection Tokyo Electron Limited
17676411 APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING SPUTTERING PROCESS AND METHOD THEREOF Non-Final OA Tokyo Electron Limited
18286826 ION MILLING DEVICE Final Rejection Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
18120358 LOW CARBON DEFECT COPPER-MANGANESE SPUTTERING TARGET AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Final Rejection Tosoh SMD, Inc.
17613065 PVD COATINGS COMPRISING MULTI-ANION HIGH ENTROPY ALLOY OXY-NITRIDES Non-Final OA OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFÄFFIKON
18258499 MAGNETRON SPUTTERING APPARATUS Non-Final OA BEIJING NAURA MICROELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
18286506 SPUTTERING TARGET AND METHOD FOR FORMING CESIUM TUNGSTEN OXIDE FILM Final Rejection SUMITOMO METAL MINING Co., Ltd.,
18283870 Sputtering Apparatus Final Rejection Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd.
18427610 SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IN-SITU ETCHING PRIOR TO PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION IN THE SAME CHAMBER Non-Final OA OEM Group, LLC
17757098 METHOD OF SPUTTER-COATING SUBSTRATES OR OF MANUFACTURING SPUTTER COATED SUBSTRATES AND APPARATUS Final Rejection EVATEC AG

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