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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMIVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`
`
`
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`15/428,477
`
`02/09/2017
`
`SHOGO OKITA
`
`PIPMM—57210
`
`8291
`
`11/22/2017 —PEARNE&GORDON LLP m
`7590
`52054
`1801 EAST 9TH STREET
`MULPURL SAVITRI
`S UITE 1 200
`CLEVELAND, OH 441 14-3 108
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`2816
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`11/22/2017
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
`
`patdocket @ pearne.c0m
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`
`
`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 15/428,477 OKITA ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`SAVITR MULPURI $2215 2816
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1.136(a).
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1 .704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`Status
`
`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 10/20/2017.
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)|:l This action is non-final.
`2a)|Z| This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)|:| Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
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`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`
`5)IZI C|aim(s) 1,2 and 4-7is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`is/are allowed.
`6 El Claim s)
`) 1-2, 4-7is/are rejected.
`
`)
`
`
`
`is/are objected to.
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`
`
`
`hit
`:i/wwwusnto. ov/ atentS/init events/
`iindex.‘s orsend an inquiry to PPI-iieedback{®usgtc.00v.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)I:l The drawing(s) filed on
`is/are: a)I:I accepted or b)I:I objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`
`12)I:| Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a)I:l All
`
`b)|:l Some” c)I:l None of the:
`
`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.|:| Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) D Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`2) I] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`.
`4) I:I Other:
`.
`
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20171108
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 15/428,477
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2816
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
`
`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`This action is in response to applicant's communication filed on 10/20/2017.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 USC. 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 1-2, 4-7 are rejected under 35 USC. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Geerpuram et al (US 8,691,702) in combination with Arita et al (US 8026181).
`
`With respect to claim1, Geerpuram et al teach a method for manufacturing an
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`element chip, comprising: a mounting' step of mounting a semiconductor substrate
`
`with flexibility, which has a first main surface and a second main surface located at
`
`an opposite side of the first main surface, which has a plurality element regions and
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`a dividing region for defining the element regions, and on which a mask “200”for
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`covering the first main surface in each of the elements “1 10”region and for
`
`exposing the first main surface in the dividing region is formed, on a stage which is
`
`included in a plasma processing apparatus, in a state where the second main
`
`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/428,477
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`Page 3
`
`Art Unit: 2816
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`surface is held on a holding sheet”300”: and a plasma dicing step of dicing the
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`semiconductor substrate into a plurality of element chips including the element
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`regions by exposing a side of the first main surface of the semiconductor
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`substrate”lOO” to plasma on the stage and etching the semiconductor substrate
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`from the side of the first main surface to the second main surface while forming a
`
`groove on the dividing region, wherein in the plasma dicing step, by performing
`
`the etching the semiconductor substrate from the side of the first main surface to
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`the second main surface in a state where a bottom portion of the groove is always
`
`exposed, the semiconductor substrate is diced without forming a scallop on a side
`
`surface of each of the element chips”l lO”(abstract; fig.2,3,5,7 and related
`
`deception). Geerpuram et al do not teach in the plasma dicing step, the plasma is
`
`generated using a process gas containing sulfur hexafluoride, oxygen, and at least
`
`one of helium or argon, as a raw material. Arita et al teach process gas mixture
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`hydrogen hexafluoride and helium to form plasma for dicing (col.l4, lines 26-40).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the
`
`invention Geerpuram by mixing hydrogen hexafluoride gas and helium gas for
`
`controlling the process pressure in the process chamber for controlled plasma
`
`dicing (etching).
`
`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/428,477
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2816
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`With respect to claim 2, Geerpuram et al teach the method, wherein the thickness
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`of the semiconductor substrate is 50 microns or less (seecol3, lines 5-10).
`
`With respect to claim 3, Geerpuram et al do not teach the method, wherein, in the
`
`plasma dicing step, the plasma is generated using a process gas containing sulfur
`
`hexafluoride and oxygen, as a raw material (col. 25, lines 38-58). Arita et al teach
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`process gas mixture hydrogen hexafluoride and oxygen to form plasma for dicing
`
`(col.l4, lines 26-40). It would have been obVious to one of ordinary skill in the art
`
`to modify the invention Geerpuram by mixing hydrogen hexafluoride gas and
`
`helium gas for controlling the process pressure in the process chamber for
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`controlled plasma dicing (etching).
`
`With respect to Claim 4, Geerpuram et al teach he method, wherein a thickness of
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`the semiconductor substrate is smaller than a thickness of the holding sheet (see
`
`abstract; fig.2,3,5,7 and related deception).
`
`With respect to claim 5, Geerpuram et al do not teach the method, wherein the
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`process gas contains helium. Arita et al teach process gas mixture hydrogen
`
`hexafluoride and helium to form plasma for dicing (col.l4, lines 26-40). It would
`
`have been obVious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention
`
`Geerpuram by mixing hydrogen hexafluoride gas and helium gas for controlling
`
`the process pressure in the process chamber for controlled plasma dicing (etching).
`
`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/428,477
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2816
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`With respect to claim 6, Geerpuram et al teach the method, wherein a thickness of
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`the semiconductor substrate is smaller than a width of the dividing region sheet
`
`(see abstract; fig.2, 3, 5, 7 and related deception)...
`
`With respect to claim 7, Geerpuram et al do not teach the method, wherein the
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`process gas is introduced in a reaction chamber from a gas feed port connected to
`
`the reaction chamber, the process gas is a mixture of sulfur hexafluoride, oxygen,
`
`and at least one of helium or argon. Arita et al teach process gas mixture hydrogen
`
`hexafluoride and helium to form plasma for dicing (col.l4, lines 26-40). It would
`
`have been obVious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention
`
`Geerpuram by mixing hydrogen hexafluoride gas and helium gas for controlling
`
`the process pressure in the process chamber for controlled plasma dicing (etching).
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-2, 4-7 have been considered
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`but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being
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`used in the current rejection.
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection
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`presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL.
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`See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as
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`set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/428,477
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2816
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire
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`THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is
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`filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the
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`advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened
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`statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the
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`advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will
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`be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however,
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`will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of
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`this final action.
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`Conclusion
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`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
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`applicant's disclosure. Prior art teach plasma dicing.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to SAVITR MULPURI Whose telephone number is
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`(571)272-1677. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri from 8am to
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`4.30pm.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
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`supervisor, Zandra Smith, can be reached on 571-272-2429 The fax phone number
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/428,477
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2816
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`for the organization Where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-
`
`8300.
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`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
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`only. For more information about the PAIR system, see
`
`http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal. Should you have questions on access to the
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`Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-
`
`9197 (toll-free).
`
`/SAVITR MULPURI/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2816
`
`
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