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`Application No.
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`Applicantls)
`
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`118535.523
`SMITH, DONALD K.
`Notice OfAHOWflbIth
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`MEENAKSHI S. SAHU 2881
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`All claims being allowable. PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS (OR REMAINS) CLOSED in this application.
`If not included
`herewith (or previously mailed), a Notice of Allowance (PTOL-85) or other appropriate communication will be mailed in due course. THIS
`NOTICE OF ALLOWABILITY IS NOT A GRANT OF PATENT RIGHTS. This application is subject to withdrawal from issue at the initiative
`of the Office or upon petition by the applicant. See 37 CFR 1313 and MPEP 1308.
`
`1. X This communication is responsive to 11/06/2006.
`
`2. IXI The allowed claim(s) isiare 1-81.
`
`3. El Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`a) I] All
`b} [I Some“
`0} El None
`of the:
`
`1. El Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2. El Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`
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`3. El Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this national stage application from the
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`International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a}).
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`" Certified copies not received:
`
`Applicant has THREE MONTHS FROM THE “MAILING DATE” of this communication to file a reply complying with the requirements
`noted below. Failure to timely comply will result in ABANDONMENT of this application.
`THIS THREE-MONTH PERIOD IS NOT EXTENDABLE.
`
`4. El A SUBSTITUTE OATH OR DECLARATION must be submitted. Note the attached EXAMINER‘S AMENDMENT or NOTICE OF
`INFORMAL PATENT APPLICATION (PTO-152) which gives reason(s) why the oath or declaration is deficient.
`
`5. El CORRECTED DRAWINGS ( as “replacement sheets”) must be submitted.
`(a) El including changes required by the Notice of Draftsperson’s Patent Drawing Review ( PTO—948} attached
`
`
`1) El hereto or 2) I] to Paper NoJMail Date
`
`(b) [I including changes required by the attached Examiner’s Amendment I Comment or in the Office action of
`
`Paper NoJMail Date
`Identifying indicia such as the application number {see 37 CFR 1.34(o)} should be written on the drawings in the tront (not the back) of
`each sheet. Replacement sheet{s) should be labeled as such in the header according to 3? CFR 1.121(d).
`
`6. El DEPOSIT OF andi’or INFORMATION about the deposit of BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL must be submitted. Note the
`attached Examiner’s comment regarding REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEPOSIT OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL.
`
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`
`
`Attachment(s)
`1. E Notice of References Cited (PTO—892}
`
`2. El Notice of Draftperson's Patent Drawing Review (PTO—948}
`
`
`
`
`3. E Information Disclosure Statements (PTOISBIOB),
`
`
`Paper NoJMaiI Date 631206 YIQIOY YIQIOY 10I23I07
`
`4. El Examiner's Comment Regarding Requirement for Deposit
`
`of Biological Material
`9. D Other
`IJack |. Bermani
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Ofiice
`
`PTOL-ST (Rev. 08-06)
`
`Notice of Allowability
`
`Part of Paper NoJMail Date 20080814A
`
`5. El Notice of Informal Patent Application
`
`6. El Interview Summary (PTO—413},
`Paper NoJ’Mail Date
`.
`7. El Examiner's AmendmentIComment
`
`8. E Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance
`
`ASML 1207
`
`ASML 1207
`
`

`

`Continuation Sheet [PTOL-37)
`
`Application No.
`
`

`

`ApplicationlControl Number: 11l395,523
`
`Page 2
`
`Art Unit: 2881
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`1. Preliminary amendment filed on November 6, 2006 and addition of new claims
`
`75 to 81 is noted.
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`2. Claims 1, 30, 37, 67, 74, 75 and 78 are allowed.
`
`3. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
`
`Prior art fails to disclose a light source or light bulb or a method of producing
`
`light, comprising: a chamber; an ignition source for ionizing a gas within the
`
`chamber; and at least one laser for providing energy to the ionized gas within the
`
`chamber to produce a high brightness light.
`
`High brightness light sources have several applications particularly in the fields of
`
`lithography and wafer inspection. In the instant application, the ignition source is
`
`a cathode and anode which generate an electrical discharge and provide ionized
`
`gas or plasma. During operation, the cathode and anode can get very hot and
`
`can wear out and emit particles that contaminate the light source and reduce the
`
`efficiency of the light source. To overcome this, a laser which provides energy to
`
`sustain the plasma or ionized gas is included. The temperature in the plasma
`
`rises due to heating by the laser beam and these high temperatures lead to
`
`

`

`ApplicationlControl Number: 11,695,523
`
`Page 3
`
`Art Unit: 2881
`
`increased radiation at the shorter wavelengths such as in the ultraviolet.
`
`Prior art by Hoshino et al. (US 2005(0167618 A1) disclose a light source which
`
`has a laser that generates a plasma by focusing the laser beam onto a target
`
`material that injected downward through a nozzle. In the instant application the
`
`plasma is produced by an electrical discharge but maintained by a laser and
`
`does not have the debris problem of laser produced plasma (LPP) sources.
`
`Prior art by Sato (JP 61193358 A) discloses a light source where a laser beam
`
`excites gas (for emitting UV and FUV light) that is sealed in a bulb tube but fails
`
`to disclose an ignition source that generates the plasma and a laser beam to
`
`maintain the plasma as in the instant application, which results in a more
`
`powerful light source.
`
`Application 111695848 (US 2007/0228300 A1) has been checked for double
`
`patenting issues.
`
`4. Claims 2 to 29, 31 to 36, 38 to 66, 68 to 73, 76 to 77 and 79 to 81 are allowed
`
`by virtue of their dependencies on claims 1,30, 37, 67, 75 and 78.
`
`

`

`Application!Control Number: 11,695,523
`
`Page 4
`
`Art Unit: 2881
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no
`
`later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should
`
`preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled
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`“Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from
`
`the examiner should be directed to MEENAKSHI S. SAHU whose telephone
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`number is (571)270-3101. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday -
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`Friday 8AM - 5PM est.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the
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`examiner’s supervisor, Robert H. Kim can be reached on 571-272-2293. The fax
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`phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is
`
`assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`

`

`ApplicationIControl Number: 11,695,523
`
`Page 5
`
`Art Unit: 2881
`
`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 only. For more information about the PAIR system, see htthI’pair-
`
`direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR
`
`system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-
`
`free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service
`
`Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-
`
`9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`IJack I. Bermanf
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
`
`{Meenakshi S Sahuf
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 2881
`
`

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