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`Attorney Docket No. EGQ-005CP3C3
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`PATENT
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`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`APPLICANT:
`
`Smith
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`CONFIRMATION NO.:
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`5575
`
`APPLICATION NO.:
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`”510959
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`GROUP N0:
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`2881
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`FILING DATE:
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`October 9, 2014
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`EXAMINER :
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`McCormack, Jason L.
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`TITLE:
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`Laser—Driven Light Source
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`Commissioner for Patents
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`PO. Box 1450
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`Alexandria, VA 22313— 145 0
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`Madam:
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`AMENDMENT AND RESPONSE
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`This paper is submitted in response to the Office Action mailed from the Patent Office on
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`November 12, 2014. In the event any fees are due, the Commissioner is hereby authorized to
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`charge them to Attorney’s Deposit Account No. 50—3081.
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`Applicant respectfully requests entry of this Amendment and Response, in which:
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`Amendments to the Specification begin on page 2,
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`Amendments to the Claims begin on page 3, and
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`Applicant’s Remarks begin on page 9.
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`ASML 1009
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`ASML 1009
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`
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.: 14/510,959
`Page 2 of 12
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`Amendments to the Specification
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`Please amend the title of the application as indicated below, in conformance with 37
`
`C.F.R. § 1.121.
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`Light Source for Generating Light from a Laser Sustained Plasma in an Above—
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`Atmospheric Pressure Chamber Ewen—Light—Seuree
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`
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.: 14/510,959
`Page 3 of 12
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`Amendments to the Claims
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`Please amend the claims as follows, in compliance with 37 CPR. § 1.121. This listing
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`of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application:
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`Listing of the Claims:
`
`
`
`,u
`an ignition source for ionizing \ gas Within the chamber; and
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`
`
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`at least 3;
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`laser for providing energy
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`\to the ionized gas to sustain a plasma Within the chamber
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`
`
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`____light source of claim 1, comprising at least one
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`optical element for modifying a property of the laser energy provided to the ionized gas.
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` ‘ light source of claim 1 wherein the pressurized
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`chamber or a Window in the chamber comprises a material selected from the group consisting of
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`quartz, Suprasil quartz, sapphire, Mng, diamond, and CaFg.
`
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`1
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`ight source of claim 1 wherein the
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`ignition source
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`IS SC
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`lected from the group consisting of electrodes, an ultraviolet ignition source, a capac'
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`ignition source
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`3
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`an induct'
`we ignition source
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`3
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`a flash lamp,
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`a pulsed laser, and a pulsed lamp.
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`wherein the pressure
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`ht source comprising
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`
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.: 14/510,959
`Page 5 of 12
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`
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`
`
`a:
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`d at between '
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`‘
`
`ine
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`10 atmospheres and 200
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`of claim 15 wherein the
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`atmospheres during operation 0
`
`f the l
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`ht source
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`comprises a para
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`rface that
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`is re
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`flective.
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`q 1
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`ight source of claim 15 Where
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`in
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`the chamber
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`comprises sapp pressure Within the chamber is mainta
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`a Wll’l
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`dow that is transparent to the
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`laser energy
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`hire or quartz.
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`pressurize
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.: 14/510,959
`Page 6 of 12
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`an ignition source for ionizing a gas within the
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`
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`\ curved reflective surface receiving and reflecting at least a portion of the
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`electromagnetic energy toward the ionized gas within the chamber to produce a plasma that
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`l generates plasma—generated light, 1:
` ’ 1‘, the curved reflective
`surface also receiving at least a portion of the plasma— generated light emitted by the plasma and
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` l reflecting the__j'*"“‘"*~‘ ‘
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`
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`light source.
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`21. ;‘light source of claim 20, wherein the curved
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`reflective surface focuses the electromagnetic energy on a region in the chamber where the
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`plasma is located.
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`
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`:1 pressurized chamber.
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`23.
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` :__light source of claim 20, wherein the pressurized
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`chamber comprises the curved reflective surface and a window that is transparent to the emitted
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`light and laser energy.
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` light source of claim 20\ ""
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`
`
`
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`least one optical element comprises a reflector that at least substantially reflects a first set of
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`predefined wavelengths of the electromagnetic energy generated by the at least one laser and at
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`least substantially allows a second set of wavelengths of the plasma—generated light to pass
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`
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.: 14/510,959
`Page 7 of 12
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`through the optical element thereby separating the beam of electromagnetic energy provided by
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`the laser from the beam of plasma— generated light generated within the pressurized chamber.
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`_~___light source of claim 203“‘\\‘\f§1\\\\
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`
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`least one optical element comprises a reflector that at least substantially allows a first set of
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`predefined wavelengths of the electromagnetic energy generated by the at least one laser to pass
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`through the optical element and at least substantially reflects a second set of wavelengths of the
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`plasma— generated light thereby separating the beam of electromagnetic energy provided by the
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`laser from the beam of plasma— generated light generated within the pressurized chamber.
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`27. ‘\light source of claim 20, wherein the pressurized
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`chamber has a pressure of at least 10 atmospheres during operation.
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`28. 1 light source of claim 20, wherein the pressurized
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`chamber has a pressure between about 10 atmospheres and 200 atmospheres during operation.
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`29. :__light source of claim 20, wherein the ignition
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`source includes electrodes within the chamber.
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` light source of claim 20 wherein the plasma—
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`generated light is sustained by a continuous wave laser.
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`
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`
`
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.’ 14/510,959
`Page 8 of 12
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.: 14/510,959
`Page 9 of 12
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`REMARKS
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`Claims 1—30 were pending in the application. Claims 4, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 23 are
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`canceled, claims 1—3, 5—9, 12, 15—22 and 24—30 are amended, and new dependent claims 31—36
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`are added. Support for the new and amended claims can be found in the canceled claims and in
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`the specification at least at paragraphs 0011, 0030, 0069, 0143, 0164 and 0249. Applicant
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`submits that no new matter is added to the application by these amendments.
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`Examiner Interview
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`The following is intended to provide an accurate summary of the telephonic examiner
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`interview that took place yesterday, pursuant to MPEP 713.04. Applicant’s representatives thank
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`the Examiner for his comments and suggestions offered during the telephonic interview held on
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`December 4, 2014. Differences of the invention over Cross and Hunt were discussed, and the
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`Examiner suggested additional features that could clarify the claims. The claim amendments
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`submitted herewith include those features.
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`Title
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`The Office Action objects to the title of the invention. As suggested by the Office
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`Action, Applicant hereby amends the title to “Light Source for Generating Light from a Laser
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`from a Laser—Sustained Plasma in an Above—Atmospheric Pressure Chamber.” Applicant
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`respectfully submits that the new title is “clearly indicative” of the claimed invention and
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`requests withdrawal of this objection.
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`Re'ection under 35 U.S.C.
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`102
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`The Office Action rejections claim 15 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being anticipated by
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`U.S. Patent No. 4,780,608 (Cross).
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`
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.: 14/510,959
`Page 10 of 12
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`Rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 103
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`The Office Action rejects claims 1-4,7-10, 13 and 14 over USPN 6,541,924 (Kane) in
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`view of Cross. The Office Action rejects claim 5 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Kane in view of
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`Cross, further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2003/0147499 (Kondo). The Office Action rejects
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`claims 6, 20-22, 24, 29 and 30 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Kane in view of Cross, further in
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`view of U.S. Publication No. 2006/0192152 (Ershov). The Office Action rejects claims 11 and
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`12 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Kane in view of Cross and further in view of U.S. Publication
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`No. 2003/0052609 (Eastlund). The Office Action rejects claim 16 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
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`over Cross in view of Eastlund. The Office Action rejects claims 17 and 18 under 35 U.S.C. §
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`103(a) over Cross in view of Kane. The Office Action rejects claim 19 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
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`over Cross in view of Kane, and further in view of Kondo. The Office Action rejects claim 23
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`under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Kane in view of Cross, further in view of Ershov, and further in
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`view of U.S. Publication No. 2006/0218857 (Ershov II). The Office Action rejects claims 25 and
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`26 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Kane in view of Cross, further in view of Ershov and U.S.
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`Publication No. 200110016430 (Nakano). The Office Action rejects claims 27 and 28 under 35
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`U.S.C. § 103(a) over Cross in view of Ershov and Eastlund.
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`Claim 1
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`Independent claim 1 and the claims that depend therefrom are rejected over combinations
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`of Cross, Kane, Kondo, Ershov and Eastlund.
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`Claim 1 is amended to recite a laser driven light source that includes a sealed chamber
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`having a gas pressure greater than 10 atmospheres during operation, a laser providing energy
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`within a wavelength range from about 700 to 2000 nm to produce plasma generated light having
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`output wavelengths of greater than 50 nm, and a region of transparent material that allows at least
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`a portion of the plasma generated light to exit the chamber.
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`As discussed with the Examiner, the features recited in these amendments are lacking
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`from these references and distinguish the art of record. For example, none of the references of
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`record produce a plasma generated light having output wavelengths greater than 50 nm. This
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`
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.: 14/510,959
`Page 11 of 12
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`response is provided to make the record complete. Applicant submits that for at least these
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`reasons claim 1, and the claims that depend therefrom, define patentable subject matter.
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`Claim 13
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`Independent claim 13 and the claims that depend therefrom are canceled by this paper.
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`Claim 15
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`Independent claim 15 is rejected over Cross. Claims that depend from Cross are rejected
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`over Cross with combinations of Eastlund, Kane and Kondo.
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`Claim 15 is amended to recite a laser driven light source having a light bulb defining a
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`sealed chamber having a gas pressure greater than 10 atmospheres during operation, a laser
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`providing energy within a wavelength range of up to about 2000 nm to produce plasma generated
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`light having output wavelengths of greater than 50 nm, and a region of transparent material that
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`allows at least a portion of the plasma generated light to exit.
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`As discussed with the Examiner, the features recited in these amendments are lacking
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`from Cross and distinguish the art of record. For example, none of the references of record
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`produce a plasma generated light having output wavelengths greater than 50 nm. Neither
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`Eastlund, Kane nor Kondo cure these deficiencies. This response is provided to make the record
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`complete. Applicant submits that for at least these reasons claim 15, and the claims that depend
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`therefrom, define patentable subject matter.
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`Claim20
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`Independent claim 20 and the claims that depend therefrom are rejected over
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`combinations of Cross, Kane, Ershov, Ershov II, Nankano and Eastlund.
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`Claim 20 is amended to recite a laser driven light source that includes a sealed
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`pressurized chamber having a window and a wall that forms a curved reflective surface, the
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`reflective surface receiving and reflecting electromagnetic energy from a laser to produce a
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`
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`Response to Office Action
`Application No.: 14/510,959
`Page 12 of 12
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`plasma— generated light having output wavelengths greater than 50 nm, and to reflect the plasma
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`generated light to the window to exit the light source.
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`As discussed with the Examiner, the features recited in these amendments are lacking
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`from these references and distinguish the art of record. For example, none of the references of
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`record produce a plasma generated light having output wavelength s greater than 50 nm. This
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`response is provided to make the record complete. Applicant submits that for at least these
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`reasons claim 20, and the claims that depend therefrom, define patentable subject matter.
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`The new claims
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`New dependent claims 31—36 are added by this paper. Applicant submits that these
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`claims also are patentable at least because they depend from allowable independent claims.
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`CONCLUSION
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`Applicant requests that the Examiner reconsider the application and claims in light of the
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`foregoing amendment and response, and respectfully submits that the pending claims are in
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`condition for allowance. The Examiner is invited to call the undersigned attorney at (617) 526—
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`9626 to discuss the application.
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`Respectfully submitted,
`
`/Gerald E. Worth 45 .238/
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`Gerald E. Worth, P.E.
`Proskauer Rose LLP
`
`Attorney for the Applicant
`One International Place
`
`Boston, MA 02110
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`Date: December 17, 2014
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`Reg. N0.: 45,238
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`Tel. N0.: (617) 526—9626
`Fax N0.: (617) 526—9899
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`46523428V1
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`