Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2025-03-19)

CLAIMS:
AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS

This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application:

Listing of Claims:

1\. (Currently Amended) An electrostatic chuck, comprising:a ceramic dielectric substrate configured to have a process object placed thereon;
a base plate supporting the ceramic dielectric substrate, the base plate having an upper surface at the ceramic dielectric substrate side and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, the base plate including a communicating path located between the upper surface and the lower surface, the communicating path having a spiral shape and being configured to allow a coolant to pass;
a first heater element including a plurality of first zones arranged in a radial direction and a circumferential direction, the first heater element including not less than twenty of the first zones; and
a plurality of first power feeding terminals feeding power to the plurality of first zones,
wherein each of the plurality of first zones including a first heater line emitting heat by allowing a current to flow, and a pair of first power feeding portions feeding power to the first heater line, a number of the plurality of first power feeding terminals being not less than a number of the first zones,
the pair of first power feeding portions being electrically connected to the plurality of first power feeding terminals, wherein the plurality of first power feeding terminals including a first annular portion including a portion of first power feeding terminals among the plurality of first power feeding terminals, the portion of power feeding terminals included in the first annular portion being disposed on a first virtual circle, a number of the portion of first power feeding terminals included in the first annular portion being at least seven, and a second annular portion including an other portion of first power feeding

terminals among the plurality of first power feeding terminals, the second annular portion being positioned inward of the first annular portion, the other portion of first power feeding terminals included in the second annular portion being disposed on a second virtual circle, a number of the other portion of first power feeding terminals included in the second annular portion being at least seven,wherein the communicating path including a first circumferential portion, the first circumferential portion surrounding the second annular portion between the first annular portion and the second annular portion when viewed along a stacking direction of the base plate and the ceramic dielectric substrate.
2\. (Original) The chuck according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first zones includes a first annular zone region,
the first annular zone region includes a portion of first zones among the plurality of first zones,
the portion of first zones included in the first annular zone region is arranged in a circumferential direction,
the portion of first power feeding terminals included in the first annular portion feeds power to the portion of first zones included in the first annular zone region, and
the number of the portion of first power feeding terminals included in the first annular portion is greater than 2xN1x0.6, where NI is a number of the portion of first zones included in the first annular zone region.
3\. (Original) The chuck according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first zones includes a first annular zone region,
the first annular zone region includes a portion of first zones among the plurality of first zones,
the portion of first zones included in the first annular zone region is arranged in the circumferential direction,
the portion of first power feeding terminals included in the first annular portion feeds power to the portion of first zones included in the first annular zone region, and
a zone center of the first annular zone region is aligned with at least one of a first

center of the first virtual circle or a second center of the second virtual circle.
4\. (Original) The chuck according to claim 3, wherein the at least one is the first center of the first virtual circle.

5\. (Original) The chuck according to claim 1, wherein the portion of first power feeding terminals included in the first annular portion are uniformly arranged in the circumferential direction.

6\. (Original) The chuck according to claim 1, further comprising:a second heater element including a plurality of second zones arranged in at least the radial direction; and
a plurality of second power feeding terminals feeding power to the plurality of second zones,
each of the plurality of second zones including a second heater line emitting heat by allowing a current to flow, and a pair of second power feeding portions feeding power to the second heater line,
a number of the plurality of second power feeding terminals being not less than a number of second zones,
the pair of second power feeding portions being electrically connected to the plurality of second power feeding terminals,
at least a portion of the plurality of second power feeding terminals overlapping at least one of the first virtual circle or the second virtual circle when viewed along the stacking direction.

7\. (Original) The chuck according to claim 6, wherein the number of the plurality of first zones is greater than the number of the plurality of second zones.

OFFICE 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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 are allowed over prior art of record.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach:
An electrostatic chuck, comprising: the plurality of first power feeding terminals including a first annular portion including a portion of first power feeding terminals among the plurality of first power feeding terminals, the portion of power feeding terminals included in the first annular portion being disposed on a first virtual circle, a number of the portion of first power feeding terminals included in the first annular portion being at least seven, and a second annular portion including an other portion of first power feeding terminals among the plurality of first power feeding terminals, the second annular portion being positioned inward of the first annular portion, the other portion of first power feeding terminals included in the second annular portion being disposed on a second virtual circle, a number of the other portion of first power feeding terminals included in the second annular portion being at least seven, wherein the communicating path including a first circumferential portion, the first circumferential portion surrounding the second annular portion between the first annular portion and the second annular portion when viewed along a stacking
direction of the base plate and the ceramic dielectric substrate as recited in claim 1.

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
Claims 1-7 are pending in the current application. Claim 1 is objected to for informalities. Applicant thankfully acknowledges the Examiner's indication that claims 1-7 are allowed; and that this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters related to claim objections. Reconsideration is respectfully requested in view of the remarks and amendments submitted herewith.
Amendments to the Claims
Claim 1 has amended as shown herein.
Independent claim 1 has been amended to recite
"wherein
each of the plurality of first zones" instead of "each of the plurality of first zones" at line 13 thereof; to recite
"wherein
the plurality of first power feeding terminals" instead of "the plurality of first power feeding terminals" at line 20 thereof; and to recite
"wherein
the communicating path" instead of "the communicating path" at line 32 thereof.
Support for these amendments may be found in the specification, figures and claims as originally filed. No subject matter has been disclaimed or abandoned and the amendment of certain claims is not to be construed as a dedication to the public of any of the subject matter of the claims as previously presented. Applicant respectfully submits that no new matter has been entered through these amendments and entry is respectfully requested.
Claim Ob
j
ections
As noted hereinabove, the Examiner objected to claim 1 for informalities. The objections are respectfully traversed.
Specifically, the Examiner takes the position that in claim 1, line 17 (as originally filed) the term "each of the plurality of first zones" changes to "wherein each of the plurality of first zones"; in line 26 thereof (as originally filed), the term "the plurality of first power feeding terminals" changes to "wherein the plurality of first power feeding terminals"; and in line 41 thereof (as originally filed), the term "the communicating path" changes to "wherein the
communicating path".
In this amendment, as suggested by the Examiner, claim 1 has been amended to recite
"wherein
each of the plurality of first zones" instead of "each of the plurality of first zones" at line 13 thereof; to recite
"wherein
the plurality of first power feeding terminals" instead of "the plurality of first power feeding terminals" at line 20 thereof; and to recite
"wherein
the communicating path" instead of "the communicating path" at line 32 thereof.
In view of the foregoing, Applicant respectfully submits that claim 1 can no longer be objected to for informalities. Withdrawal of the objections and a timely notice of allowance are respectfully requested.
Allowable Sub
j
ect Matter
As noted above, the Examiner indicated that claims 1-7 are allowed over prior art of record; and that this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters.
Applicant thankfully acknowledges the Examiner's indication that claims 1-7 are allowed; and that this application is in condition for allowance. As discussed above, in this response, the formal matters have been addressed. Accordingly, a timely notice of allowance is respectfully requested.
Conclusion