USPTO Examiner ASFAW MESFIN T - Art Unit 2882

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
19180769GEOMETRIC LOADING EFFECT CORRECTION FOR LITHOGRAPHYApril 2025November 2025Allow710YesNo
19044116HEAT TREATMENT APPARATUS AND HEAT TREATMENT METHODFebruary 2025July 2025Allow610YesNo
18771085CYLINDER SCANNERJuly 2024March 2026Allow2000NoNo
18769032ON CHIP SENSOR FOR WAFER OVERLAY MEASUREMENTJuly 2024March 2026Allow2000NoNo
18724144LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, ILLUMINATION SYSTEM, AND CONNECTION SEALING DEVICE WITH PROTECTIVE SHIELDJune 2024January 2026Allow1900NoNo
18746751LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEM AND METHODSJune 2024February 2026Allow2000NoNo
18717684METHOD OF REDUCING CYCLIC ERROR EFFECTS IN A LITHOGRAPHIC PROCESS, PROJECTION SYSTEM AND LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS COMPRISING A PROJECTION SYSTEMJune 2024February 2026Allow2000NoNo
18734904CONFIGURING OPTICAL LAYERS IN IMPRINT LITHOGRAPHY PROCESSESJune 2024February 2025Allow800NoNo
18671187METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING HYDROGEN PERMEATION FROM LITHOGRAPHIC TOOLMay 2024June 2025Allow1310NoNo
18710419PARTICLE TRANSFER BLOCKING DEVICE AND LITHOGRAPHY DEVICE USING ELECTRON LAYER IN VACUUM SYSTEMMay 2024June 2025Allow1310YesNo
18650441OPTICAL SYSTEM, LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS AND METHODApril 2024February 2026Allow2220NoNo
18588305METHOD FOR IDENTIFICATION OF A NOISE POINT USED FOR LIDAR, AND LIDAR SYSTEMFebruary 2024July 2024Allow420YesNo
18582045METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICEFebruary 2024September 2024Allow700NoNo
18440727CONTROLLING LIGHT SOURCE WAVELENGTHS FOR SELECTABLE PHASE SHIFTS BETWEEN PIXELS IN DIGITAL LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEMSFebruary 2024March 2025Allow1410NoNo
18426879METHOD FOR SELECTIVE EXPOSURE OF WAFER TO CORRECTIVE IRRADIATION AT A PER-DIE LEVELJanuary 2024October 2025Allow2010YesNo
18415411ION EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUSJanuary 2024January 2025Allow1200NoNo
18402835GAS LASER DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODJanuary 2024October 2025Allow2210NoNo
18573025SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR THERMAL CONDITIONING OF RETICLES IN LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUSESDecember 2023November 2025Allow2320NoNo
18524876EUV Lithography System With 3D Sensing and Tunning ModulesNovember 2023September 2025Allow2200NoNo
18523620DYNAMIC GENERATION OF LAYOUT ADAPTIVE PACKAGINGNovember 2023March 2025Allow1610NoNo
18523198IMAGING OPTICAL UNITNovember 2023February 2026Allow2720NoNo
18516825DETERMINATION METHOD, EXPOSURE METHOD, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ARTICLE, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND EXPOSURE APPARATUSNovember 2023August 2025Allow2100NoNo
18513844RETICLE STORAGE CABINET SYSTEM AND METHOD USING THE SAMENovember 2023January 2026Allow2610NoNo
18513827RETICLE LOADING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING THE SAMENovember 2023December 2025Allow2510NoNo
18562770MODULAR WAFER TABLE AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING THEREOFNovember 2023December 2025Allow2510NoNo
18388298LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUSNovember 2023May 2025Allow1800NoNo
18504532LASER DEVICE, LASER OSCILLATION METHOD, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODNovember 2023June 2025Allow2000NoNo
18496629EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ARTICLEOctober 2023September 2025Allow2310YesNo
18485147USE OF ALTERNATING LAYER PATTERNS APPROACH FOR EFFECTIVE OVERLAY METROLOGY IN MULTI-STACK DIE APPLICATIONSOctober 2023September 2025Allow2410NoNo
18481524METHOD OF COMPENSATING WAVELENGTH ERROR INDUCED BY REPETITION RATE DEVIATIONOctober 2023October 2025Allow2410NoNo
18375290EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET INNER POD DISTRIBUTED SUPPORTSeptember 2023May 2025Allow1900NoNo
18284580A POSITIONING SYSTEM, A LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, A DRIVING FORCE ATTENUATION METHOD, AND A DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODSeptember 2023October 2025Allow2510NoNo
18477089EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT GENERATION CHAMBER DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODSeptember 2023October 2025Allow2510NoNo
18552623ASYMMETRY EXTENDED GRID MODEL FOR WAFER ALIGNMENTSeptember 2023September 2025Allow2410NoNo
18468438MOUNTING FOR A LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEM, AND LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEMSeptember 2023September 2025Allow2410NoNo
18281676MAINTENANCE OF MODULES FOR LIGHT SOURCES USED IN SEMICONDUCTOR PHOTOLITHOGRAPHYSeptember 2023April 2025Allow1900NoNo
18279694OPERATING A METROLOGY SYSTEM, LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, AND METHODS THEREOFAugust 2023February 2026Allow2920NoNo
18456639IMPRINT APPARATUS, PATTERN FORMING METHOD, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICEAugust 2023September 2025Allow2410NoNo
18233920EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ARTICLEAugust 2023October 2024Allow1410NoNo
18231909Acoustic Particle Deflection In Lithography ToolAugust 2023March 2025Allow2010NoNo
18365479SYSTEM AND PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUSAugust 2023October 2025Allow2720NoNo
18358735HIGH-SPEED NANOPATTERNING METHOD AND APPARATUS OF TWO-COLOR SUPER-RESOLUTION PHOTOLITHOGRAPHYJuly 2023May 2025Allow2110NoNo
18357540OPTICAL SYSTEM, LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS AND METHODJuly 2023March 2026Allow3120NoYes
18273618MULTI-CHANNEL LIGHT SOURCE FOR PROJECTION OPTICS HEATINGJuly 2023August 2025Allow2510NoNo
18355918SUBSTRATE TREATMENT SYSTEM AND SUBSTRATE TREATMENT METHODJuly 2023October 2025Allow2710NoNo
18223496NEW DESIGN OF EUV VESSEL PERIMETER FLOW AUTO ADJUSTMENTJuly 2023August 2024Allow1310NoNo
18351630EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT GENERATION APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODJuly 2023September 2025Allow2610NoNo
18342635MATERIAL MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEMJune 2023April 2025Allow2210NoNo
18339592PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR LITHOGRAPHYJune 2023April 2025Allow2210NoNo
18337982IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHIC SYSTEMJune 2023January 2026Allow3120YesNo
18332192METHOD AND SWAPPING TOOLJune 2023December 2025Allow3020YesNo
18266361CHARGE DISSIPATIVE RETICLE TABLE CLEANING RETICLEJune 2023August 2025Allow2610NoNo
18327814EUV LIGHT GENERATION SYSTEM AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODJune 2023September 2025Allow2710NoNo
18325200SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD USING THE SAMEMay 2023September 2025Allow2710YesNo
18322131EUV LIGHT GENERATION APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODMay 2023September 2025Allow2810NoNo
18321244OPTICAL COMPONENT AND OPTICAL SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHYMay 2023September 2025Allow2810NoNo
18253747MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES METROLOGY SYSTEM, LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, AND METHODS THEREOFMay 2023July 2025Allow2620NoNo
18319362PELLICLE, PELLICLE REMOVAL TOOL, AND METHOD OF UTILIZING PELLICLE AND PELLICLE REMOVAL TOOLMay 2023June 2025Allow2510YesNo
18252902EUV RETICLE STOCKER AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAMEMay 2023July 2025Allow2610NoNo
18139459STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR USE IN PHOTOLITHOGRAPHYApril 2023March 2024Allow1100NoNo
18299255FOREIGN PARTICLE REMOVING METHOD, FORMATION METHOD, ARTICLE MANUFACTURING METHOD, FOREIGN PARTICLE REMOVING APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMApril 2023August 2025Allow2910NoNo
18296186SUPPORT FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENTApril 2023December 2024Allow2000NoNo
18247872METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A SET OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS ON THE FRONT OF A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATEApril 2023October 2025Allow3120YesNo
18021401EXPOSURE APPARATUS, MEASURING DEVICE, MEASURING METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODMarch 2023September 2025Allow3120YesNo
18127074Method and System for Determining Initial Contact Control Values for Shaping Partial Fields and Method and System for Shaping Partial FieldsMarch 2023October 2024Allow1910NoNo
18126898RETICLE ENCLOSURE FOR LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEMSMarch 2023November 2023Allow800NoNo
18186396OPTICAL SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN OPTICAL SYSTEMMarch 2023April 2025Allow2410NoNo
18186359SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS, SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT, AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHODMarch 2023May 2025Allow2610YesNo
18026585EXPOSURE CONTROL IN PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIC DIRECT EXPOSURE METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING CIRCUIT BOARDS OR CIRCUITSMarch 2023August 2024Allow1710NoNo
18183774OPTICAL SYSTEM AND LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUSMarch 2023May 2025Allow2610NoNo
18175195DIGITAL MICROMIRROR DEVICE FOR AN ILLUMINATION OPTICAL COMPONENT OF A PROJECTION EXPOSURE SYSTEMFebruary 2023March 2025Allow2410YesNo
18164167OPTICAL ASSEMBLY, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN OPTICAL ASSEMBLY, AND PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUSFebruary 2023June 2025Allow2920NoNo
18163023TARGET SUPPLY SYSTEM, EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT GENERATION APPARATUS, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODFebruary 2023September 2024Allow2000NoNo
18161804WORK STAGE AND EXPOSURE APPARATUSJanuary 2023January 2025Allow2410NoNo
18102274MASKLESS PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY DEVICES, METHODS, AND SYSTEMSJanuary 2023April 2025Abandon2710NoNo
18100662METHODS OF DETERMINING CORRECTIONS FOR A PATTERNING PROCESS, DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUSJanuary 2023August 2023Allow700NoNo
18100695High Refractive Index Nano-Imprint Lithography ResinJanuary 2023November 2024Allow2200NoNo
18158293DYNAMIC GENERATION OF LAYOUT ADAPTIVE PACKAGINGJanuary 2023October 2023Allow920YesNo
18100409METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING HYDROGEN PERMEATION FROM LITHOGRAPHIC TOOLJanuary 2023February 2024Allow1310NoNo
18097242HIGH-PERFORMANCE EUV MICROSCOPE DEVICE WITH FREE-FORM ILLUMINATION SYSTEM STRUCTUREJanuary 2023March 2025Allow2610NoNo
18153640A PROJECTION OBJECTIVE INCLUDING AN OPTICAL DEVICEJanuary 2023January 2025Allow2410NoNo
18151334ILLUMINATION APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED METROLOGY AND LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUSESJanuary 2023February 2025Allow2510NoNo
18090750APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESS-WINDOW CHARACTERIZATIONDecember 2022August 2024Allow2010NoNo
18003691System and method for controlling measurements of sample's parametersDecember 2022September 2023Allow810NoNo
18146714PHOTO MASK STAGE UNIT AND PHOTO MASK STOCKER INCLUDING THE SAMEDecember 2022January 2025Allow2510NoNo
18087320LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODDecember 2022June 2024Allow1810NoNo
18080490CONFIGURING OPTICAL LAYERS IN IMPRINT LITHOGRAPHY PROCESSESDecember 2022April 2024Allow1600NoNo
18063965GAS LASER APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODDecember 2022January 2025Allow2510NoNo
18062100DETECTION APPARATUS, LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS, AND ARTICLE MANUFACTURING METHODDecember 2022December 2023Allow1210NoNo
18061857EXPOSURE SYSTEM, EXPOSURE METHOD, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHODDecember 2022December 2025Allow3610NoNo
18008409A FLUID PURGING SYSTEM, PROJECTION SYSTEM, ILLUMINATION SYSTEM, LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, AND METHODDecember 2022October 2024Allow2310NoNo
17993731LIGHT SOURCE CALIBRATION METHOD AND SYSTEM EMPLOYED IN SOURCE MASK OPTIMIZATIONNovember 2022March 2024Allow1610NoNo
17923184METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DIAGNOSING UNOBSERVED OPERATIONAL PARAMETERSNovember 2022August 2024Allow2200NoNo
17922593ALIGNMENT METHOD AND ASSOCIATED ALIGNMENT AND LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUSESOctober 2022March 2024Allow1600NoNo
17977677Extreme Ultraviolet Photolithography Method with Infiltration for Enhanced Sensitivity and Etch ResistanceOctober 2022June 2024Allow1910NoNo
17997102METHOD OF FABRICATING MICRO-NANO STRUCTUREOctober 2022February 2023Allow400NoNo
17967481ASSEMBLY, IN PARTICULAR IN A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUSOctober 2022August 2024Allow2200NoNo
17967163DRIVE DEVICE, OPTICAL SYSTEM AND LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUSOctober 2022May 2024Allow1910NoNo
17915056IMAGE STABILIZATION FOR DIGITAL LITHOGRAPHYSeptember 2022June 2024Allow3010YesNo
17914903SYSTEM, LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND METHODSeptember 2022March 2025Allow2920NoYes

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner ASFAW, MESFIN T.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Decisions

Total PTAB Decisions
12
Examiner Affirmed
8
(66.7%)
Examiner Reversed
4
(33.3%)
Reversal Percentile
53.4%
Higher than average

What This Means

With a 33.3% reversal rate, the PTAB reverses the examiner's rejections in a meaningful percentage of cases. This reversal rate is above the USPTO average, indicating that appeals have better success here than typical.

Strategic Value of Filing an Appeal

Total Appeal Filings
47
Allowed After Appeal Filing
21
(44.7%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
26
(55.3%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
73.5%
Higher than average

Understanding Appeal Filing Strategy

Filing a Notice of Appeal can sometimes lead to allowance even before the appeal is fully briefed or decided by the PTAB. This occurs when the examiner or their supervisor reconsiders the rejection during the mandatory appeal conference (MPEP § 1207.01) after the appeal is filed.

In this dataset, 44.7% of applications that filed an appeal were subsequently allowed. This appeal filing benefit rate is above the USPTO average, suggesting that filing an appeal can be an effective strategy for prompting reconsideration.

Strategic Recommendations

Appeals to PTAB show good success rates. If you have a strong case on the merits, consider fully prosecuting the appeal to a Board decision.

Filing a Notice of Appeal is strategically valuable. The act of filing often prompts favorable reconsideration during the mandatory appeal conference.

Examiner ASFAW, MESFIN T - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner ASFAW, MESFIN T works in Art Unit 2882 and has examined 884 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 84.8%, this examiner has an above-average tendency to allow applications. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 29 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner ASFAW, MESFIN T's allowance rate of 84.8% places them in the 61% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner has an above-average tendency to allow applications.

Office Action Patterns

On average, applications examined by ASFAW, MESFIN T receive 1.77 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 39% percentile for office actions issued. This examiner issues fewer office actions than average, which may indicate efficient prosecution or a more lenient examination style.

Prosecution Timeline

The median time to disposition (half-life) for applications examined by ASFAW, MESFIN T is 29 months. This places the examiner in the 66% percentile for prosecution speed. Prosecution timelines are slightly faster than average with this examiner.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +12.1% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by ASFAW, MESFIN T. This interview benefit is in the 48% percentile among all examiners. Recommendation: Interviews provide a below-average benefit with this examiner.

Request for Continued Examination (RCE) Effectiveness

When applicants file an RCE with this examiner, 34.2% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 75% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: RCEs are highly effective with this examiner compared to others. If you receive a final rejection, filing an RCE with substantive amendments or arguments has a strong likelihood of success.

After-Final Amendment Practice

This examiner enters after-final amendments leading to allowance in 42.8% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 65% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: This examiner shows above-average receptiveness to after-final amendments. If your amendments clearly overcome the rejections and do not raise new issues, consider filing after-final amendments before resorting to an RCE.

Pre-Appeal Conference Effectiveness

When applicants request a pre-appeal conference (PAC) with this examiner, 77.8% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 62% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: Pre-appeal conferences show above-average effectiveness with this examiner. If you have strong arguments, a PAC request may result in favorable reconsideration.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 76.5% of appeals filed. This is in the 68% percentile among all examiners. Of these withdrawals, 59.0% occur early in the appeal process (after Notice of Appeal but before Appeal Brief). Strategic Insight: This examiner shows above-average willingness to reconsider rejections during appeals. The mandatory appeal conference (MPEP § 1207.01) provides an opportunity for reconsideration.

Petition Practice

When applicants file petitions regarding this examiner's actions, 26.7% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 14% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions are rarely granted regarding this examiner's actions compared to other examiners. Ensure you have a strong procedural basis before filing a petition, as the Technology Center Director typically upholds this examiner's decisions.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 1.7% of allowed cases (in the 73% percentile). This examiner makes examiner's amendments more often than average to place applications in condition for allowance (MPEP § 1302.04).

Quayle Actions: This examiner issues Ex Parte Quayle actions in 1.3% of allowed cases (in the 64% percentile). This examiner issues Quayle actions more often than average when claims are allowable but formal matters remain (MPEP § 714.14).

Prosecution Strategy Recommendations

Based on the statistical analysis of this examiner's prosecution patterns, here are tailored strategic recommendations:

  • RCEs are effective: This examiner has a high allowance rate after RCE compared to others. If you receive a final rejection and have substantive amendments or arguments, an RCE is likely to be successful.

Relevant MPEP Sections for Prosecution Strategy

  • MPEP § 713.10: Examiner interviews - available before Notice of Allowance or transfer to PTAB
  • MPEP § 714.12: After-final amendments - may be entered "under justifiable circumstances"
  • MPEP § 1002.02(c): Petitionable matters to Technology Center Director
  • MPEP § 1004: Actions requiring primary examiner signature (allowances, final rejections, examiner's answers)
  • MPEP § 1207.01: Appeal conferences - mandatory for all appeals
  • MPEP § 1214.07: Reopening prosecution after appeal

Important Disclaimer

Not Legal Advice: The information provided in this report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with a qualified patent attorney or agent for advice specific to your situation.

No Guarantees: We do not provide any guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the statistics presented above. Patent prosecution statistics are derived from publicly available USPTO data and are subject to data quality limitations, processing errors, and changes in USPTO practices over time.

Limitation of Liability: Under no circumstances will IronCrow AI be liable for any outcome, decision, or action resulting from your reliance on the statistics, analysis, or recommendations presented in this report. Past prosecution patterns do not guarantee future results.

Use at Your Own Risk: While we strive to provide accurate and useful prosecution statistics, you should independently verify any information that is material to your prosecution strategy and use your professional judgment in all patent prosecution matters.