Attorney Docket No. EGQ—005CP3C2
`
`PATENT
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`APPLICANT:
`
`Smith
`
`CONF. NO.:
`
`8145
`
`APPLICATION NO.:
`
`14/448,258
`
`GROUP NO.:
`
`2881
`
`FILING DATE:
`
`July 31, 2014
`
`EXAMINER:
`
`McCorrnack, Jason L.
`
`TITLE:
`
`Laser—driVen Light Source
`
`RESPONSE TO OFFICE ACTION
`
`Madam:
`
`Applicant submits this paper in response to a non—final Office Action mailed
`
`December 15, 2014. Applicant respectfully requests entry of the following amendments,
`
`reconsideration and withdrawal of all grounds of objection and rejection, and passage of the case
`
`to allowance. Applicant submits with this paper a fee and Petition for Extension of Time,
`
`extending the due date for response to Tuesday, June 15, 2015. Applicant also submits herewith
`
`a terminal disclaimer and fee, and fees for the new dependent claims. If any additional fees are
`
`due, the Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge them to Attorney’ s Deposit Account No.
`
`50-3081.
`
`Amendments to the Claims begin on page 2 of this paper.
`
`Applicant’s Remarks begin on page 6 of this paper.
`
`Page 1 of 10
`
`ASML 1009
`
`

`
`US Patent Serial No. 14/448,258
`
`Attorney Docket No. EGQ—005CP3C2
`Page 2 of 10
`
`AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS
`
`The following listing of claims replaces all previous versions and listings of claims in the
`
`application.
`
`1.
`
`(currently amended) A plasma—based light source, comprising:
`
`a pressurized chamber configured to contain an ionized gas at a ressure greater
`
`
`
`than 10 atmos heres durin‘ 0 eration;
`
`a substantially continuous laser for providing a beam of laser energy within a
`
`wavelength ran are of up to about 2000 nm to the ionized gas within the
`
`chamber to maintain a plasma, the beam configured to maintain the
`
`plasma in an elongated form having a plasma length that is greater than
`
`that of a plasma diameter; and
`
`a tool optically coupled to the chamber for collecting light generated by the
`
`plasma, the generated light having wavelengths of at least than 50 mm.
`
`2.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 1, wherein the plasma a length is at least 10 times that
`
`of the plasma diameter.
`
`3.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 1, wherein the plasma length is at least 20 times that
`
`of the plasma diameter.
`
`4.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 1, wherein the plasma length is at least 40 times that
`
`of the plasma diameter.
`
`5.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 1, wherein the light generated by the plasma is
`
`collected along an axis defined by the laser beam.
`
`6.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 1, wherein the laser comprises a continuous wave
`
`(CW) laser.
`
`

`
`US Patent Serial No. 14/448,258
`
`Attorney Docket No. EGQ—005CP3C2
`Page 3 of 10
`
`7.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 1, wherein the gas is ignited to generate the ionized
`
`gas without an ignition electrode and laser energy from a laser source is used to ionize or
`
`excite the gas.
`
`(currently amended) A plasma—based light source, comprising:
`
`a pressurized chamber configured to contain an ionized gas at a pressure greater
`
`than 10 atmos T heres during o eration;
`
`a su.bstantially continuous laser for generating a beam of laser energy within a
`
`wavelength range ofup to about 2000 nm;
`
`an optical system coupled to the laser configured to maintain a plasma in an
`
`elongated form having a plasma length that is greater than that of a plasma
`
`diameter; and
`
`a tool optically coupled to the chamber for collecting light generated by the
`
`plasma, the generated light having wavelengths of at least 50 nm.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 8, wherein the optical system is configured to sustain
`
`the plasma such that the plasma length is at least 10 times that of the plasma diameter.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 8, wherein the optical system is configured to sustain
`
`the plasma such that the plasma length is at least 20 times that of the plasma diameter.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 8, wherein the optical system is configured to sustain
`
`the plasma such that the plasma length is at least 40 times that of the plasma diameter.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 8, wherein the light generated by the plasma is
`
`collected along an axis defined by the laser beam.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 8, wherein the laser source comprises a continuous
`
`wave (CW) laser.
`
`10.
`
`11.
`
`12.
`
`13.
`
`

`
`US Patent Serial No. 14/448,258
`
`Attorney Docket No. EGQ—005CP3C2
`Page 4 of 10
`
`14.
`
`15.
`
`16.
`
`17.
`
`18.
`
`19.
`
`20.
`
`(original) The light source of claim 8, wherein the gas is ignited to generate the ionized
`
`gas without an ignition electrode and laser energy from a laser source is used to ionize or
`
`excite the gas.
`
`(currently amended) A method for producing light, comprising:
`
`ionizing a gas within a pressurized chamber having a pressure greater than 10
`
`atrnos _heres durin o eration; and
`
`providing a beam of substantially continuous laser energy within a wavelength
`
`range of up to about 2000 nrn to the ionized gas within the chamber to
`
`maintain a plasma within the chamber,
`
`wherein the laser beam is configured to maintain the plasma in an
`
`elongated form having a plasma length that is greater than that of a
`
`plasma diameter. the produced light having wayelentnths of at least
`
`than 50 nm.
`
`(original) The method of claim 15, wherein the plasma length is at least 10 times that of
`
`the plasma diameter.
`
`(original) The method of claim 15, wherein the plasma length is at least 20 times that of
`
`the plasma diameter.
`
`(original) The method of claim 15 , wherein the plasma length is at least 40 times that of
`
`the plasma diameter.
`
`(original) The method of claim 15 , wherein the light generated by the plasma is collected
`
`along an axis defined by the laser beam.
`
`(original) The method of claim 15 , wherein the laser comprises a continuous wave (CW)
`
`laser.
`
`

`
`US Patent Serial No. 14/448,258
`
`Attorney Docket No. EGQ—005CP3C2
`Page 5 of 10
`
`21.
`
`22.
`
`23.
`
`24.
`
`25.
`
`(original) The method of claim 15, further comprising an optical system configured to
`
`maintain the plasma in the elongated form.
`
`(new) The plasma—based light source of claim 1 wherein the pressure is greater than 30
`
`atmospheres during operation.
`
`(new) The plasma—based light source of claim 8 wherein the pressure is greater than 30
`
`atmospheres during operation.
`
`(new) The method of claim 15 wherein the pressure is greater than 30 atmospheres during
`
`operation.
`
`(new) The method of claim 15 wherein the plasma length is not more than about 2 mm.
`
`

`
`US Patent Serial No. 14/448,258
`
`Attorney Docket No. EGQ—005CP3C2
`Page 6 of 10
`
`Status of the claims
`
`REMARKS
`
`Claims 1-21 were pending in the application. Of these, claims 1, 8 and 15 are
`
`independent. Claims 1, 8 and 15 are amended. New dependent claims 22-25 are added. Support
`
`for the new and amended claims can be found in paragraphs 0013, 0069, 0070, 0143, 0164 and
`
`0178 of the published application.
`
`Rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 102
`
`Claims 1, 8, 15 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102 as anticipated by U.S.
`
`Publication No. 2002/0044629 (“Hertz”).
`
`Hertz describes a device for generating X—ray or EUV radiation (title of Hertz) in a
`
`device having a low—pressure chamber, stating “FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the
`
`inventive apparatus for generating X—ray or EUV radiation from a stable jet in a low—pressure
`
`chamber...” (para. 0029; FIG. 1). Hertz states “this usually takes place at low pressure, to
`
`prevent emitted soft X—rays or EUV radiation from being absorbed” (para. 0033). The low
`
`pressure of Hertz are “maintained with a vacuum pump 13, which typically keeps the chamber
`
`pressure at 10'3 — 10'4 mbar during operation” (para. 0041). When Hertz does reference high
`
`pressure he describes, e.g., “Xenon 4 is urged under high pressure (usually 5-500 atmospheres)
`
`from a pump (not shown) or a pressure vessel 5 through a small nozzle 6 having an orifice
`
`diameter which usually is smaller than about 100 um and typically. . .results in a microscopic jet
`
`2 of liquid...” (para. 0034).
`
`Independent claims 1, 8 and 15 are hereby amended to recite the chamber having a
`
`pressure greater than 10 atmospheres during operation, and light having wavelengths of at least
`
`50 nm. These limitations are missing from Hertz. Moreover, Hertz would not work under the
`
`claimed conditions as the wavelengths recited in these claims would be absorbed by, e.g., the
`
`Xenon gas present in the chamber of Hertz if present at the claimed pressures.
`
`Applicant submits that for at least these reasons these claims, and the claims that depend
`
`therefrom, are not anticipated by Hertz.
`
`

`
`US Patent Serial No. 14/448,258
`
`Attorney Docket No. EGQ—005CP3C2
`Page 7 of 10
`
`Rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 103
`
`Claims 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 are rejected as unpatentable over Hertz in View of
`
`U.S. Publication No. 2003/0068012 (“Ahmad”).
`
`Ahmad does not cure the deficiencies of Hertz discussed above. Ahmad does not use a
`
`laser. Ahmad also relates to an EUV light source (title) and operates at a deep vacuum, stating
`
`“a vacuum (in the range of 1 to 20 Pa) is realized in the entire discharge chamber 3 by means of
`
`an oppositely connected vacuum system 9”( para. 0041 of Ahmad).
`
`For at least these reasons, and the reasons discussed above with respect to Hertz, Ahmad
`
`and Hertz, taken alone or in combination, do not teach or suggest all the elements of Applicant’s
`
`amended independent claims. Neither reference teaches or suggests a plasma—based light source
`
`having wavelengths of at least 50 nm in a chamber having an operating pressure greater than 10
`
`atmospheres.
`
`Claims 5, 7, 12, 14 and 19 are rejected over Hertz in view of U.S. Publication No.
`
`2004/0238762 (“Mizoguchi”).
`
`Mizoguchi fails to cure the defects of Hertz discussed above. For example, Mizoguchi
`
`fails to teach or suggest a pressurized plasma chamber. Instead, Mizoguchi notes that “extreme
`
`ultraviolet light with a wavelength of approximately 13 nm [] is emitted from an extreme
`
`ultraviolet light source inside a vacuum chamber (not shown in the figures) .
`
`.
`
`. .” Mizoguchi at
`
`para. 0005. Mizoguchi’s generation of EUV light “having a wavelength of several nanometers to
`
`several tens of nanometers” (Mizoguchi at para. 0063) also differs from Applicant’s amended
`
`claims, which now recite light having wavelengths of at least 50 nm.
`
`Claims 6, 13 and 20 are rejected over Hertz in view of U.S. Patent No. 4,179,566. The
`
`Office Action indicates this patent is to Conrad, but Applicant notes this patent number is to
`
`Nadelson. Nadelson relates to an unrelated technology, namely Substituted Hydroxy Pyridones.
`
`Nadelson does not relate to lasers, plasmas, or light sources.
`
`Applicant previously cited U.S. Patent No. 4,152,625 to Conrad (“Conrad ’625”) and
`
`responds below as if this is the patent intended by the examiner.
`
`

`
`US Patent Serial No. 14/448,258
`
`Attorney Docket No. EGQ—005CP3C2
`Page 8 of 10
`
`Conrad ’625 fails to cure the deficiencies of Hertz discussed above. Conrad ’625 is not a
`
`light source. Instead, Conrad ’625 describes manipulation of a magnetic field strength, a laser
`
`output power and a laser output intensity to maintain a stationary plasma location and increase
`
`plasma temperature (col. 2, lines 50-58).
`
`Since neither Hertz, Ahmad, Mizoguchi nor Conrad ’625, either alone or in combination,
`
`teach or suggest the claimed plasma—based light source having wavelengths of at least 50 nm in a
`
`chamber having an operating pressure greater than 10 atmospheres, Applicant submits that
`
`amended independent 1, 8 and 15, and that claims that depend therefrom, all define patentable
`
`subject matter.
`
`Moreover, Applicant amends independent claims 1, 8 and 15 to recite a substantially
`
`continuous laser providing the beam of laser energy within a wavelength range of up to about
`
`2000 nm. Applicant submits that these limitations further distinguish these claims, and the
`
`claims that depend therefrom, from the cited references.
`
`Double patenting
`
`Claims 1, 8 and 15 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as
`
`unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 8,525,138 in view of Hertz. Claims 1, 8 and 15 are
`
`provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable over
`
`claims 1, 13 or 26 of U.S.S.N. 13/964938 (now USPN 9,048,000) in view of Hertz. Claims 1, 8
`
`and 15 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable
`
`over claims 21 of U.S.S.N. 13/964938 (now USPN 9,048,000). Claims 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17
`
`and 18 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable
`
`over claim 22 of U.S.S.N. 13/964938 (now USPN 9,048,000) in view of Ahmad. Claims 6, 13
`
`and 20 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable
`
`over claim 8 or 16 of U.S.S.N. 13/964938 (now USPN 9,048,000) in view of Hertz. Claims 1, 8
`
`and 15 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable
`
`over claims 1, 58, 67 or 68 of U.S.S.N. 13/024027 (now USPN 8,525,138) in view of Hertz.
`
`Claims 1, 8 and 15 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable
`
`over claims 2, 14 or 38 of U.S. Patent No. 7,989,786 in view of Hertz. Claims 1, 8 and 15 are
`
`rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable over claims 1, 17, 19,
`
`

`
`US Patent Serial No. 14/448,258
`
`Attorney Docket No. EGQ—005CP3C2
`Page 9 of 10
`
`28, 34 or 39 of U.S. Patent No. 7,786,455 in View of Hertz. Claims 1, 8 and 15 are rejected on
`
`the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable oVer claims 1, 30, 37, 67 or 78 of
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,435,982 in View of Hertz. Claims 1, 8 and 15 are provisionally rejected on the
`
`ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable oVer claims 1, 13 15 or 20 of U.S.S.N.
`
`14/510959 (now USPN 8,969,841) in View of Hertz. Claims 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 are
`
`proVisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as unpatentable oVer
`
`claims 7 or 30 of U.S.S.N. 14/510959 (now USPN 8,969,841) in View of Ahmad.
`
`Applicant submits herewith a terminal disclaimer and fee to oVercome these rejections.
`
`The new claims
`
`Applicant submits herewith new dependent claims 22-25. Support for the new claims can
`
`be found, e.g., in para. 0070 and 0178 of the application. Applicant submits these new claims
`
`are also allowable at least because they depend from allowable independent claims.
`
`

`
`US Patent Serial No. 14/448,258
`
`Attorney Docket No. EGQ-005CP3C2
`Page 10 of 10
`
`CONCLUSION
`
`Applicant requests that the Examiner reconsider the application and claims in light of the
`
`foregoing amendments and remarks, and respectfully submit that the pending claims are in
`
`condition for allowance.
`
`The Examiner is invited to call the undersigned attorney at (617) 526-9626 to discuss the
`
`application.
`
`Date: June 15, 2014
`Reg. No.: 45,238
`
`Tel. No.: (617) 526-9626
`Fax No.: (617) 526-9899
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`
`
`,
`9
`.~:s=>
`*3"
`Gerald Worth, P.E.
`Proskauer Rose LLP
`
`Attorney for the Applicant
`One International Place
`Boston, MA 02110
`
`49974533V1