`
`__________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`__________
`
`CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`NIKON CORPORATION
`Patent Owner
`
`__________
`
`Case IPR2013-00363
`
`Patent 7,348,575
`
`__________
`
`EXPERT DECLARATION OF DR. JOSE SASIAN
`
`Mail Stop “PATENT BOARD”
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
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`
`
`
`
`
`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 1
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`
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`I.
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`Introduction
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
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`1. My name is Jose Sasian. I have been retained by counsel for patent
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`owner Nikon Corporation (“Nikon”) in the above captioned matter. I have been
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`asked to consider and analyze the validity of U.S. Patent No. 7,348,575 (“the 575
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`Patent”). I have been specifically asked to consider whether certain prior art
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`anticipates and/or renders obvious the invention claimed in claims 55-67 of the 575
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`patent (“the challenged claims”).
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`2.
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`All statements made herein are, to the best of my knowledge, true.
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`The opinions herein are my own.
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`3.
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`I am being compensated at a rate of $400 per hour, and my opinions
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`set forth herein are not contingent upon or influenced by my compensation. I do
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`not generate income from the sale of lithography products such as catadioptric
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`projection lenses.
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`4.
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`I understand that petitioner Carl Zeiss (“Zeiss”) submitted the
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`declaration of Mr. Richard C. Juergens in support of their allegations that the
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`challenged claims are unpatentable as anticipated and/or obvious over certain prior
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`art references submitted with the petition.
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`5.
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`In addition to the opinions set forth herein, I reserve the right to
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`amend and/or supplement my opinions in response to any additional filings made
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`
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`2
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 2
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`
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`by Zeiss and/or Mr. Juergens, or in response to any other submissions made in this
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
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`proceeding.
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`II. Expertise and Qualifications
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`6. My qualifications as an expert are included in my curriculum vitae,
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`which is Nikon’s Exhibit 2005.
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`7.
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`I am currently a full-time, tenured Professor of Optical Sciences at the
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`College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, a
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`position I have held since 2002. As a professor, I teach and conduct research in the
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`field of optical design. For example, I teach my students how to design lenses and
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`mirrors and how to think about light so that they can design useful optical systems.
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`As part of my academic and research responsibilities, I am frequently involved
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`with the design, fabrication, and testing of optical devices.
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`8.
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`Prior to receiving tenure, I was an Associate Professor of Optical
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`Sciences at the University of Arizona from 1995 to 2001. Prior to joining the
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`University of Arizona faculty, I was a member of the technical staff with AT&T
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`Bell Laboratories from 1990 to 1995. From 1984 to 1987, I was a Research
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`Assistant, and from 1988 to 1990, I was a Research Associate, in the Optical
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`Sciences Center at the University of Arizona. From 1976 to 1984, I was an
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`optician at the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Mexico.
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`
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`3
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 3
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the
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`9.
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`University of Mexico in 1982, a Master of Science degree in Optical Sciences from
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`the University of Arizona in 1987, and a Ph.D. degree in Optical Sciences from the
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`University of Arizona in 1988. My research areas include optical design;
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`fabrication and testing of optical instruments; astronomical optics; diffractive
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`optics; opto-mechanical design; light in gemstones; lithography optics; and light
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`propagation.
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`10. At the University of Arizona, I have taught the courses Lens Design
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`OPTI 517 (1997-present), Advanced Lens Design OPTI 595A (2008, 2012),
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`Illumination Optics Seminar (1997-2000), Introduction to Aberrations OPTI518
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`(2005-present), and Optical Shop Practices OPTI 597A (1996-present). I have
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`directed several theses and dissertations in the areas of lens design. I have lectured
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`regarding my work, and have published, along with students and colleagues, over
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`one hundred scientific papers in the area of optics. These include technical papers,
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`patents, thesis research done under my direction, related to optical design for
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`optical lithography. For example,
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`a. Lenny Laughlin, “Optical Source Modeling,” M. Sc. Report,
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`2003.
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`
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`4
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 4
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`b. Tony Lin, M. Sc. “Lens Design Guidelines for Coherence
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`Studies in the Optical Design of a Lithographic System,” M. Sc.
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`Thesis, 2001.
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`c. Tamer T. Elazhary, Masatsugu Nakano, and José Sasián,
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`“Hyper numerical aperture imaging lens using a thin multi
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`reflection Catadioptric optical element,” Optics Express, Vol.
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`21, Issue 13, pp. 15809-15814 (2013).
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`d. Sasian J. M., Lerner S. A., Lin, T. Y., and Laughlin, L., “Ray
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`and Van Citter-Zernike characterization of Spatial Coherence,”
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`Appl. Opt. 40(7), 1037-1043, March 2001.
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`e. Liang, C., Descour, M., Sasian, J., and Lerner, S., “Multilayer-
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`coating-induced aberrations in extreme-ultraviolet lithography
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`optics,” Appl. Opt. 40(1), 129-135, January 2001.
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`f. J. M. Sasian, “Passive pupil correction as applied to annular
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`field systems,” Opt. Eng. 38 (4) 646-649, 1999.
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`g. J. M. Sasian, “Annular surfaces in annular field systems,”
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`Optical Engineering, 36(12), 3401-3403, 1997.
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`h. U.S. Patent No. 7,405,871, “Efficient EUV collector designs,”
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`2009.
`
`
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`5
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 5
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`
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
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`i. U.S Patent No. 6,307,913, “Shaped source of soft x-ray,
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`extreme ultraviolet and ultraviolet radiation,” 2001.
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`j. U.S. Patent Application No. 20130329283, “Catadioptric
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`optical system with total internal reflection for high numerical
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`aperture imaging,” 2013.
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`11. At the University of Arizona, I directed an effort for the
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`Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), 1998-2001, related to illumination
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`optics and projection cameras for lithography. I have served as a consultant for
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`Lawrence Livermore Laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories and JMAR about
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`illumination optics and projection cameras for lithography. Recently, I have
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`conducted a three-year project for Canon involving immersion optics, and a project
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`for Samsung involving projection optics for lithography.
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`12. Since 1995, I have been a consultant and have provided to industry
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`solutions for a variety of projects in lens design. I hold patents and patent
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`applications related to lithography optics.
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`13.
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`I have been a topical editor and reviewer for the peer-reviewed journal
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`Applied Optics. I am a fellow of the International Society for Optics and
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`Photonics (SPIE), a fellow of the Optical Society of America (OSA), and a lifetime
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`member of the Optical Society of India.
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`
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`6
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 6
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
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`I have served as a co-chair for the conferences “Novel Optical
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`14.
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`Systems: Design and Optimization” (1997-2006), “Optical Systems Alignment,
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`Tolerancing, and Verification” (2007-2012), and “International Optical Design
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`Conference,” (2002). I am the author of the book, “Introduction to Aberrations in
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`Optical Imaging Systems,” by Cambridge University Press, 2013.
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`III. Materials Considerered
`
`15.
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`In forming my opinions in this matter, I considered Zeiss’ Petition for
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`Inter Partes Review of the challenged claims, dated June 17, 2013, along with
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`Zeiss Exhibits 1101 through 1131. I also considered the Board’s Decision to
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`Institute Trial (Paper 7) and Nikon’s Patent Owner’s Response to the Petition,
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`along with Nikon Exhibits 2001, 2003, and 2004.
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`IV. Applicable Legal Standards
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`16.
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`I am not an attorney. Nikon’s counsel has informed me about the
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`legal standards of patent validity. I also understand from Nikon’s counsel that
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`Zeiss, as the Petitioner, bears the burden of proving unpatentability by a
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`preponderance of evidence.
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`
`
`A. Anticipation
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`17.
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`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that invalidity by anticipation
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`requires that the four corners of a single, prior art document describe every element
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`
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`7
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 7
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`
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`of the claimed invention, either expressly, implicitly, or inherently, such that a
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
`
`person of ordinary skill in the art could practice the invention without undue
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`experimentation.
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`18.
`
`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that if the prior art reference does
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`not expressly set forth a particular element of the claim, that reference still may
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`anticipate if that element is “inherent” in its disclosure. An element is inherent in a
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`disclosure if a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the filing of the
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`patent at issue, would have found that the disclosure makes clear that the missing
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`descriptive matter is necessarily present in the thing described in the disclosure.
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`Inherency, however, may not be established by probabilities or possibilities. The
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`mere fact that a certain thing may result from a given set of circumstances is not
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`sufficient.
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`19.
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`In addition to disclosing every element of the challenged claim, I
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`understand from Nikon’s counsel that a prior art reference must enable a person of
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`ordinary skill in the art to make the anticipating subject matter without undue
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`experimentation. I further understand from Nikon’s counsel that undue
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`experimentation is a conclusion reached by weighing factual considerations, such
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`as, the quantity of experimentation necessary and the amount of direction of
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`guidance presented.
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`
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`8
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 8
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
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`B. Obviousness
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`20.
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`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that a patent is obvious if the
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`differences between the claimed subject matter and the prior art are such that the
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`subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was
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`made to a person having ordinary skill in the art. Nikon’s counsel has also
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`informed me that obviousness is based on underlying questions of fact.
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`21.
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`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that the underlying factual
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`inquiries in an obviousness analysis include: (1) determining the scope and content
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`of the prior art; (2) resolving the level of ordinary skill in the prior art; (3)
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`ascertaining the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art; and
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`(4) considering objective evidence of nonobviousness.
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`22.
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`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that a patent claim composed of
`
`several elements is not proved obvious merely by demonstrating that each of its
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`elements was, independently, known in the prior art. I also understand from
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`Nikon’s counsel that the Petitioner, Zeiss, has the burden to show that a person of
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`ordinary skill in the relevant field had a reason to combine the elements in the
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`manner claimed when asserting obviousness in view of a combination of
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`references. Nikon’s counsel has further informed me that I should value “common
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`sense” over “rigid preventative rules” in determining whether a motivation to
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`
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`9
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 9
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`
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`combine exists. I understand that any need or problem known in the field of
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
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`endeavor at the time of invention and addressed by the patent can provide a reason
`
`for combining the elements in the manner claimed. However, I also understand
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`that if a person of ordinary skill in the art would have had reason to attempt to
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`make the composition or device, or carry out the claimed process, the Petitioner,
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`Zeiss, must also demonstrate that such a person would have had a reasonable
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`expectation of success in doing so.
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`23.
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`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that the express, implicit, and
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`inherent disclosures of a prior art reference may be relied upon in the rejection of
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`claims for anticipation and obviousness.
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`24.
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`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that hindsight may not be used to
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`determine obviousness; in other words, it is wrong to use the patent as a guide
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`through the prior art references, combining the right references in the right way so
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`as to achieve the result of the claims of the challenged patent.
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`25.
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`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that conclusory statements are
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`insufficient to support the legal conclusion of obviousness. Instead, I have been
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`informed that Zeiss must articulate a basis on which it concludes that it would have
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`been obvious to make the claimed invention.
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`
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`10
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 10
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`In forming my opinions on non-obviousness, I have considered
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`26.
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`interrelated teachings of multiple patents, the effects of demands known to the
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`design community or present in the market place, and the background knowledge
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`possessed by a person having ordinary skill in the art in order to determine whether
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`there was an apparent reason to combine known elements in the fashion claimed by
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`a patent. To facilitate this review, I understand from Nikon’s counsel that Zeiss
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`must provide explicit analysis in support of their obviousness based invalidity
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`allegations. In particular, I have been informed from Nikon’s counsel that Zeiss
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`must provide some articulated reasoning with some rational underpinning to
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`support its legal conclusion of obviousness.
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`27.
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`I have also been informed by Nikon’s counsel that a teaching,
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`suggestion, or motivation to combine prior art references can provide useful insight
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`into whether patent claims are obvious. However, I understand that this
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`obviousness analysis is not confined by a formalistic conception of the words
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`teaching, suggestion, and motivation, or by overemphasis on the importance of
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`published articles and the explicit content of issued patents. Although the
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`obviousness analysis is not confined by a formalistic conception of the words
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`teaching, suggestion, and motivation, I understand that it does require identifying a
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`
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`11
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 11
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`
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`reason that would have prompted a person of ordinary skill in the relevant field to
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`combine the elements in the way the claimed invention does.
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`28.
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`I further understand from Nikon’s counsel that a reference may be
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`said to teach away when a person of ordinary skill, upon reading the reference,
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`would be discouraged from following the path set out in the reference, or would be
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`led in a direction divergent from the path that was taken by the applicant. I also
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`understand that a reference may teach away from a use when that use would render
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`the result inoperable.
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`29.
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`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that there is no suggestion or
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`motivation to make a modification to a prior art reference if the proposed
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`modification would render the prior art invention unsatisfactory for its intended
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`purpose. I also understand that an obviousness allegation cannot be supported by a
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`combination of references that would require a substantial reconstruction and
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`redesign of the elements shown in the primary reference as well as a change in the
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`basic principle under which the primary reference was designed to operate.
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`V. Customary Usage of the Term “Units” in Optical Design
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`30. At the time of the invention of claim 55, typical designs of complex
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`optical systems often included numerous optical elements. This is especially true
`
`in the design of projection optical systems for lithography. A customary practice
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`
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`12
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 12
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`
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`of optical designers now, as well as at the time of the invention of the 575 Patent,
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`was to group optical elements (lenses or mirrors) that cooperate together to
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`perform a specific purpose or common function. Such a group of optical elements
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`is referred to as a “unit,” with the term unit usually being preceded by a modifier
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`that is descriptive of the function performed by that unit. Common examples
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`include “relay” unit, “magnification” unit, and “zoom” unit.
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`31. Based on my experience, certain systems, however, are not conducive
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`to grouping optical units by specific purpose or common function. For example,
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`many optical designs purposefully distribute multiple optical functions across large
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`portions of an optical system, either purposefully or as a result of poor design. In
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`such cases no groups or units of optical elements can be identified that cooperate
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`together to perform a specific purpose or common function.
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`32.
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`It is my opinion that a person of ordinary skill in the art, when
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`presented with an optical system including units, can determine whether or not a
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`grouping of optical elements into units is possible. Such a determination merely
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`requires studying the purpose or function of these elements within the optical
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`design. Specifically, when presented with projection optical systems, common
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`optical functions can be divided into two classes: imaging and optical aberration
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`control. Typical examples of imaging functions include: (a) forming an image, (b)
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`
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`13
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 13
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`
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`relying an image, (c) forming a pupil, (d) relying a pupil, (e) providing
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`telecentricity, and (f) providing specific system size. Typical examples of optical
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`aberration control functions include correcting for specific aberrations such as:
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`(i) spherical aberration, (ii) coma, (iii) astigmatism, (iv) Petzval field curvature, (v)
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`distortion, and (vi) chromatic aberrations.
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`33. Based on my review of the record here, Zeiss’ expert, Mr. Juergens,
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`even agrees that dividing complex projection optical systems into groups or units
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`of optical elements that cooperate together to perform a specific purpose or
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`common function was and remains a common practice in the art of projection
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`optical systems. In fact, during his deposition, Mr. Juergens confirmed, within the
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`field of optics, that one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention
`
`would have readily understood that “units” in an optical system are defined by the
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`function the optical elements in the unit perform. (Ex. 2004 26:8-14.)
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`34.
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` Consistent with the above-described customary practice of optical
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`designers, the 575 Patent uses the term “unit.” Specifically, the 575 Patent claims
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`a high-resolution catadioptric projection optical system that includes four
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`numbered units, a first unit, a second unit, a third unit, and a fourth unit. As I
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`explained above, a person of ordinary skill in the art, when presented with this
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`optical system, could have determined whether or not a grouping of the 575
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`
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`14
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 14
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`
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`patent’s optical elements into units was possible by simply studying the purpose or
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`function of the optical elements within the design. In doing so, from the disclosure
`
`and the claims of the 575 Patent, it would have been readily apparent to one of
`
`ordinary skill in the art that a numbered unit meant something more than simply an
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`arbitrary grouping of optical elements. In my opinion, it would have been clear to
`
`one of ordinary skill in the art that the recited numbered units meant a group of
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`optical elements that cooperate together to perform a specific purpose or common
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`function.
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`VI. Summary of the 575 Patent
`
`35.
`
` In my opinion, the 575 Patent provides for the first time a complete
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`specification for a lithographic exposure apparatus that employed an immersed
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`lithographic catadioptric system that is compact, provides high resolution, off-axis
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`imaging, and is inline. That is, the 575 Patent provided a new technology directed
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`to a high-resolution projection optical system to meet the industry’s needs.
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`36. Based on my review of the disclosure, the 575 Patent describes a
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`relatively compact design of a projection optical system having excellent imaging
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`performance that is well corrected for various aberrations, such as chromatic
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`aberration and curvature of field, and is capable of securing a large effective
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`image-side numerical aperture while well suppressing the reflection loss on optical
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`
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`15
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 15
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`surfaces. (Ex. 1101 2:1-9.) In my opinion, an indispensable feature in the 575
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`Patent is the manufacturability of the embodiments to suit exposure tools.
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`37. With reference to Figures 9 and 10, the 575 Patent teaches an optical
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`design of a projection optical system that is divided into four numbered units,
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`including a first unit, second unit, third unit, and fourth unit. As described above,
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`the 575 Patent divides the projection optical system in a manner that is consistent
`
`with my understanding of the customary practice in the art of projection optical
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`system design. As such, the description of numbered units by the 575 Patent
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`would have been readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to teach that
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`each of the numbered units contained a group of optical elements (lenses or
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`mirrors) that cooperate together to perform a specific purpose or common function.
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`16
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 16
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`38. For example, Figure 9 the 575 Patent (reproduced above) teaches an
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`optical design of a catadioptric projection optical system PL1 that includes a first
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`optical system G1 and a second optical system G2. The first optical system G1,
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`functions to form an intermediate image, marked O in Figure 9, of the pattern of
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`the reticle R1, while the second optical system G2 functions to reduce an image of
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`the reticle pattern on the wafer W on the basis of light from the intermediate
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`image. (See, Ex. 1101, 21:56-67.)
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`39. The 575 Patent divides the optical elements of the projection optical
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`system PL1 by common function into four numbered units, with each numbered
`
`unit performing primarily the function shown in the chart below.
`
`NUMBERED UNIT
`First Unit
`(G11)
`Second Unit
`
`Third Unit
`(G21)
`
`Fourth Unit
`(G22 and G23)
`
`
`
`
`
`FUNCTION
`Makes the optical system telecentric on the reticle RI
`side and creates a first pupil. (Ex. 1101, 29:42-43.)
`Guides the beam from the first to the second imaging
`optical system and forms an intermediate image in order
`to readily and securely achieve optical path separation,
`even where the numerical aperture of the catadioptric
`projection optical system is increased. (Ex. 1101, 12:7-
`14, 12:31-36.)
`Satisfies Petzval’s condition, adjusts the magnification,
`suppresses aberration, and decreases system length.
`(Ex. 1101, 12:14-23, 29:49-53, 30:36-42, and 31:36-48.)
`Converges and condenses the beam so as to achieve a
`large numerical aperture on the wafer side. (Ex. 1101,
`29:53-55.)
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`17
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 17
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
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`40. Additionally, the 575 Patent teaches that the third unit permits good
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`imaging performance throughout an entire region in an exposure area, even in the
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`case where the object-side and image-side numerical apertures of the catadioptric
`
`projection optical system are increased in order to enhance the resolution. (See,
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`Ex. 1101, 31:36-48.)
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`VII. Claim Construction
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`41.
`
`I understand from Nikon’s counsel that in an inter partes review,
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`claim terms in an unexpired patent are given their broadest reasonable construction
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`in light of the specification of the patent in which they appear, as those terms
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`would be interpreted by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
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`Numbered Units – First Unit, Second Unit, Third Unit, and Fourth Unit
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`42. Claim 55 recites a catadioptric projection optical system having four
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`“numbered units” that include “a first unit,” “a second unit,” “a third unit,” and “a
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`fourth unit.” In view of the 575 Patent’s specification and the context of the term
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`within the claims, it is my opinion that the recitation of numbered units should be
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`construed to mean a group of optical elements (lenses or mirrors) that cooperate
`
`together to perform a specific purpose or common function.
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`43.
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`In my opinion, the above construction is consistent with the disclosure
`
`of the 575 Patent. Specifically, the 575 Patent teaches a catadioptric projection
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`
`
`18
`
`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 18
`
`
`
`optical system that is divided into four numbered units. As described above, the
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
`
`numbered units described in the 575 Patent clearly correspond to groups of optical
`
`elements that cooperate together to perform a specific purpose or common
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`function. Further, as was consistent with the common practice in the art, each
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`numbered unit would have been readily understood by a one of ordinary skill in the
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`art to be a group of optical elements that cooperate together to perform a specific
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`purpose or common function as described in the chart above.
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`44. Accordingly, the recited numbered units would have had a specific
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`meaning to one of ordinary skill in the art. That meaning would require the optical
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`elements of a numbered unit to perform a common function, and thus would have
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`been narrower than an arbitrary collection of optical elements or a single, distinct
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`part of a catadioptric projection system. In my opinion, using an arbitrary selection
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`of lenses to define units was not a practice in the art of projection lens design.
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`From both the language of the claims and the corresponding disclosure in the 575
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`Patent it is clear that one of ordinary skill in the art would interpret the numbered
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`units recited in independent claim 55 as optical elements that are grouped
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`according to a specific purpose or common function.
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`45.
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`It is my opinion that the claim construction of “a first unit,” “a second
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`unit,” “a third unit,” and “a fourth unit” as “a group of optical elements (lenses or
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`
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`19
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 19
`
`
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`mirrors) that cooperate together to perform a specific purpose or common
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
`
`function” is consistent with both the common practice in the art as described above
`
`and with the disclosure of the 575 Patent.
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`Both Zeiss and the Board Improperly Parse the Claim Recitation, and
`Thus Only Construe the Term “Unit”
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`46. From my study of claim 55, I believe that Zeiss’ construction
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`improperly parses the recited claim limitation, and merely construes the word
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`“unit” in isolation, instead of construing the entire numbered unit term (i.e., first
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`unit, second unit, third unit, and fourth unit) as recited by the claims. Zeiss defines
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`unit as a “single, distinct part or object.” (Pet. 13:12-14.) I believe that such
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`construction is improper as overly broad because the surrounding language of
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`claim 55 clearly requires that the recited numbered units include optical elements.
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`Further, it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in the context of
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`the entire disclosure of the 575 Patent that the optical elements are grouped into
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`numbered units according to the common functions that they cooperate to perform.
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`47.
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`I also believe that the Board would realize that its construction for the
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`word “unit” is very broad. For example, the Board states that the term “unit”
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`should “encompass not only ‘a single, distinct part or object,’ but also ‘a
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`determinate quantity adopted as a standard of measurement for other quantities of
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`the same kind.’” (Decision to Institute “Dec.”, Paper 7, 9-10.) In support of this
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`
`
`20
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`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 20
`
`
`
`broader interpretation, the Board cited examples where the 575 Patent uses the
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
`
`term “unit,” including “lens unit,” “unit area,” “unit pulse,” “unit magnification,”
`
`and “unit time,” and states that the interpretation of the term “unit” in claim 55
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`must encompass all of these uses. (Dec. 9-10.) For the same reasons that I
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`disagree with Zeiss’ construction, I also respectfully disagree with the Board’s
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`construction as being a generic and overly broad construction of the recited
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`numbered units that is both inconsistent with the plain language of independent
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`claim 55, as well as the disclosure in the 575 Patent.
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`48.
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`In the context of the 575 Patent, a numbered unit is a group of optical
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`elements that operate together to perform a common function. As opposed to an
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`arbitrary group of lenses, one of ordinary skill in the art would have understood
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`from the disclosure of the 575 Patent that the term “unit” has a more particular
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`meaning. As such, I disagree with Zeiss’ construction of the term “boundary lens”
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`as overly broad. Likewise, I respectfully disagree with the Board’s even broader
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`construction of the term “unit,” primarily based on a dictionary definition that is
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`inconsistent with the plain language of claim 55.
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`The Intrinsic Evidence
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`
`
`
`
`
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`The Language of Claim 55
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`49. Claim 55 recites a catadioptric projection optical system that includes
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`“a first unit,” “a second unit,” “a third unit,” and “a fourth unit.” The surrounding
`21
`
`
`
`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 21
`
`
`
`words in claim 55 reveal that each of these numbered units relates to optical
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
`
`elements, such as lenses and/or mirrors. For example, claim 55 recites the “second
`
`unit” comprises “at least four mirrors,” the “third unit” includes “at least two
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`negative lenses,” and the “fourth unit” comprises “at least three positive lenses.”
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`Thus, any interpretation of the first through fourth “units” as recited in claim 55
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`that is not limited to units of optical elements would be inconsistent with the
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`language of claim 55.
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`50. Zeiss interprets the term “unit” as a “single, distinct part or object.”
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`(Pet. 13:12-14.) However, this interpretation is overly broad because the
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`surrounding language of claim 55 contextually defines the recited “units” as
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`limited to optical elements.
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`51.
`
`I believe that the Board construes the term “unit” even more broadly
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`than Zeiss, stating the term “unit” should “encompass not only ‘a single, distinct
`
`part or object,’ but also ‘a determinate quantity adopted as a standard of
`
`measurement for other quantities of the same kind.’” (Dec. 9-10.) In support of
`
`this interpretation, the Board cites examples where the 575 Patent uses the term
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`“unit,” including “lens unit,” “unit area,” “unit pulse,” “unit magnification,” and
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`“unit time,” and states that the interpretation of the term “unit” in claim 55 must
`
`encompass all of these uses. (Dec. 9-10.) This interpretation conflicts with the
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`
`
`22
`
`CARL ZEISS V. NIKON
`IPR2013-00363
`Substitute Ex. 2002, p. 22
`
`
`
`plain language of claim 55, which limits the recited “units” to units of optical
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Jose Sasian
`IPR2013-00363
`Patent 7,348,575
`
`
`elements. I respectfully submit that no reasonable interpretation