Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on May 21, 2026 was received has been entered. Claims 11,16, 18-19, 32, and 34-35 were amended. Claims 1-10, 14, 17, 20-31, and 36 have been cancelled. Claims 38-45 were withdrawn. Claims 11-13, 15-16, 18-19, 32-35, and 37 are in the application and pending examination.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Drawings
The previous objection to the drawings under 37 CFR 1.83(a) based on the following limitation:
“and a centerline along which the first hollow member and the second member are aligned” is withdrawn based on the cancellation of this limitation from the claims 11, 18, and 38.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the
“artificial intelligence controller configured to, in operation, control the respective lengths of the at least two adjustable hollow structures of the plurality of hollow structures to adjust an amount of thin film material deposited at respective locations along the substrate” in claim 18 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The previous objection to the specification as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter:
“and a centerline along which the first hollow member and the second member are aligned” in claims 11, 18, and 38 is withdrawn based on the amendment to the claims.
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required:
“based on at least one of a target profile measurement data, a size of a gap in a pattern on the substrate, or a thin film thickness measurement” in claims 11 and 18; and
“a rotational movement of the second hollow member moves the second hollow member in a linear direction” in claim 15;
“wherein the artificial intelligence controller includes a memory that stores training data and a collimator configuration database, and the training data includes an initial set of data points for training the artificial intelligence controller for controlling the length of at least one of the plurality of hollow structures” in claims 16, 33, and 45.
Claim Objections
Claims 11, 16, 18-19 objected to because of the following informalities:
11. “ A deposition system, comprising:
….
the second hollow member is configured to, in operation, rotate in a first direction relative to the first hollow member to increase the first length the second length of the second adjustable hollow structure of the plurality of hollow structures; and
the second hollow member is configured to, in operation, rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction relative to the first hollow member to decrease the first length of the first adjustable hollow structure or the second length of and
a controller configured to, in operation, control the rotational movement of the second hollow members of the first adjustable hollow structure and the second adjustable hollow structure based on at least one of a target profile measurement data, a size of a gap in a pattern on the substrate, or a thin film thickness measurement, to increase uniformity of a thickness of a thin film being deposited onto [[a]] the substrate on the substrate pedestal …”
16. “ A deposition system, comprising:
….
wherein the controller includes [[is]] an artificial intelligence controller …”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 18-19 and 32-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Paragraph 118 discloses ” artificial intelligence controller configured to control a length of the at least one of the plurality of hollow structures”. The specification does not provide detail how this is done.
In paragraph 60, an artificial intelligence controller 307 is used to determine the respective lengths for each of the hollow structures by employing one or more artificial intelligence techniques. Paragraph 51 (and Fig. 1) shows “ Controller 300 includes the computer processor 306”. This is not described as an artificial intelligence controller.
In addition to the disclosure in paragraph 118 which describes the artificial intelligence controller as a collimator configuration generator with reference numeral 307 in Fig. 1. This structure is shown within processor 306 and part of a larger controller structure 300 in Fig. 1. There is not disclosure provided in the specification or drawings of structure where “the artificial intelligence controller controls the lengths of the hollow structures” without another controller and/or processor.
It is unclear how the artificial controller controls the length of the hollow members on its own or with another (non-artificial intelligence) controller.
Based on the following Wands analysis factors:
The breadth of the claims
The claims are broadly directed an artificial intelligence controller control the respective lengths of the at least two adjustable hollow structures. The specification does not any examples or diagrams. The specification does not include examples of how this takes place across the full claim scope.
The nature of the invention
The nature of the invention is using an artificial intelligence controller to control the lengths of the hollow structures of the collimator. The complexity of the system is high based on the nature of artificial intelligence controllers and the numerous ways it can be connected to a collimator to change the lengths of the hollow structures.
State of the prior art
The state of the prior art does not provide simple directions for this invention to adapt with the artificial intelligence controller.
Level of one of ordinary skill in the field would be high for field of the collimator and high for AI controllers.
Level of predictability
Level of predictability would be high for the collimator and high for AI controllers.
Amount of direction provided by the inventor
The inventor did not provide adequate direction for the broad claim limitations.
Existence of working examples
The inventor did not provide a working example.
Quantity of experimentation
A high quantity of experimentation would be required to between artificial intelligence controller and the connections to the collimator to control the lengths of the collimator.
As a result, Examiner considers independent 18 claim was not enabled from the specification at the time the application was filed. Claims 19 and 32-35 are rejected for their dependence on an indefinite claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The previous rejection to claims 11-13 and 15 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 6,592,728 to Paranjpe et al (hereinafter Paranjpe) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20030175023 A1 to Suh et al (hereinafter Suh) is withdrawn based on the amendment to claim 11.
The previous rejection of claim 16 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 6,592,728 to Paranjpe et al (hereinafter Paranjpe) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20030175023 A1 to Suh et al (hereinafter Suh) as applied to claim 15 and further in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220186357 A1 to Park, Assignee: Ark Power Tech. Corp (hereinafter Ark) is withdrawn based on the amendment to claim 11.
The previous rejection of claim 18 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 6,592,728 to Paranjpe et al (hereinafter Paranjpe) in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220081758 A1 to Wang, Assignee: Applied Materials (hereinafter Wang) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20200185194 A1 to Albarede, Assignee: Lam Research Corporation (hereinafter Lam) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20030175023 A1 to Suh et al (hereinafter Suh) is withdrawn based on the amendment to claim 18.
The previous rejection of claims 19 and 32-33 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 6,592,728 to Paranjpe et al (hereinafter Paranjpe) in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220081758 A1 to Wang, Assignee: Applied Materials (hereinafter Wang) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20200185194 A1 to Albarede, Assignee: Lam Research Corporation (hereinafter Lam) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20030175023 A1 to Suh et al (hereinafter Suh) as applied to claim 18 and further in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220186357 A1 to Park, Assignee: Ark Power Tech. Corp (hereinafter Ark) is withdrawn based on the amendment to claim 18.
The previous rejection of claim 18 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 3,627,569 to David Beecham (hereinafter Beecham) in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220081758 A1 to Wang, Assignee: Applied Materials (hereinafter Wang) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20200185194 A1 to Albarede, Assignee: Lam Research Corporation (hereinafter Lam) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20030175023 A1 to Suh et al (hereinafter Suh) is withdrawn based on the amendment to claim 18.
The previous rejection of claims 19 and 32-33 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 3,627,569 to David Beecham (hereinafter Beecham) in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220081758 A1 to Wang, Assignee: Applied Materials (hereinafter Wang) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20200185194 A1 to Albarede, Assignee: Lam Research Corporation (hereinafter Lam) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20130294583 A1 to Tanabe et al (hereinafter Tanabe) as applied to claim 18 and further in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220186357 A1 to Park, Assignee: Ark Power Tech. Corp (hereinafter Ark) is withdrawn based on the amendment to claim 18.
The previous rejection of claims 19 and 32-36 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 3,627,569 to David Beecham (hereinafter Beecham) in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220081758 A1 to Wang, Assignee: Applied Materials (hereinafter Wang) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20200185194 A1 to Albarede, Assignee: Lam Research Corporation (hereinafter Lam) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20030175023 A1 to Suh et al (hereinafter Suh) as applied to claim 18 and further in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220186357 A1 to Park, Assignee: Ark Power Tech. Corp (hereinafter Ark) is withdrawn based on the amendment to claim 18.
The previous rejection of claim 37 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 6,592,728 to Paranjpe et al (hereinafter Paranjpe) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20030175023 A1 to Suh et al (hereinafter Suh) as applied to claim 11 and further in view of US Pat. Num. 6,161,054 to Rosenthal et al (hereinafter Rosenthal) is withdrawn based on the amendment to claim 11.
Double Patenting
The previous rejection of claim 11 on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 20 of copending US Pat. Num. 11,823,964 to Cheng et al (hereinafter Cheng) in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 3,627,569 to David Beecham (hereinafter Beecham) and US Pat. Num. 3,627,569 to David Beecham (hereinafter Beecham) in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20030175023 A1 to Suh et al (hereinafter Suh) is withdrawn based on the submission of a terminal disclaimer.
The previous rejection of claim 18 on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 20 of copending US Pat. Num. 11,823,964 to Cheng et al (hereinafter Cheng) in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20190287771 A1 to Park et al (hereinafter Park) and US Pat. Num. 3,627,569 to David Beecham (hereinafter Beecham) in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20220081758 A1 to Wang, Assignee: Applied Materials (hereinafter Wang) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20200185194 A1 to Albarede, Assignee: Lam Research Corporation (hereinafter Lam) as applied to claim 18 and further in view of US Pat. Pub. No. 20140270075 A1 to Bender (hereinafter Bender) and US Pat. Pub. No. 20030175023 A1 to Suh et al (hereinafter Suh) is withdrawn based on the submission of a terminal disclaimer.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-13, 15-16, and 37 include allowable subject and would be allowed once revised to correct objections.
The following claim 18 drafted by the examiner and considered to address the 112(a) rejection in this application, presented to applicant for consideration:
18. A deposition system, comprising:
…
a controller configured to, in operation, control the rotational movement of the second hollow members of the first adjustable hollow structure and the second adjustable hollow structure to adjust the respective lengths of the at least two adjustable hollow structures;
a shutter disk including an aspect ratio measurement device that includes at least one image analysis device, the aspect ratio measurement device is configured to, in operation, measure an aspect ratio of one or more gap structures along the substrate; and
an artificial intelligence controller configured to, in operation, determine the respective lengths of the at least two adjustable hollow structures of the plurality of hollow structures to adjust an amount of thin film material deposited at respective locations along the substrate within the substrate process chamber when forming a thin film on the substrate by passing the thin film material through the at least two adjustable hollow structures to increase a uniformity of a thickness of the thin film material deposited across a surface of the substrate, wherein the at least two adjustable hollow structures are extendable individually relative to each other.
19. (Currently Amended) The deposition system according to claim 18, wherein the at least two adjustable hollow structures based on at least one of a target profile measurement data, a size of a gap in a pattern on the substrate, or a thin film thickness measurement.
38. (Currently Amended) A deposition system, comprising:
.. adjustable hollow structure or the second adjustable hollow structure of [[of]] the plurality of hollow structures; and the second hollow member is configured to, in operation, rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction relative to the first hollow member to decrease the first length or the second length of the first adjustable hollow structure or the second adjustable hollow structure of the plurality of hollow structures and a controller configured to, in operation, control the rotational movement of the second hollow members of the first adjustable hollow structure and the second adjustable hollow structure based on at least one of a target profile measurement data, a size of a gap in a pattern on the substrate, or a thin film thickness measurement, to increase uniformity of a thickness of a thin film being deposited onto a substrate on the substrate pedestal by passing a thin film material through the adjustable collimator, and wherein the first adjustable hollow structure and the second adjustable hollow structure are extendable individually relative to each other, and wherein the at least one sensor is configured to, in operation, measure a thickness of a target.
a controller configured to, in operation, control the rotational movement of each of the second hollow members of the first adjustable hollow structure and the second adjustable hollow structure to adjust the respective lengths of the first adjustable hollow structure and the second adjustable hollow structure.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 11-13, 15-16, 18-19, 32-35, and 37 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Pat. Pub. No. 2020/0105511 A1 to Wang and Ho et al (hereinafter Ho) teaches a sensor at the upper end of the process chamber.
US Pat. Pub. No. 2020/0081423 to Clark et al (hereinafter Clark) is directed to a semiconductor manufacturing sequence with all data integrated used by active interdiction control system where artificial intelligence, autonomous learning, or machine learning component is implemented on process parameter data 1138 on process sequence. (See Clark, Abstract, Figs. 1-5, 7, 11, and 34-37 paragraphs 76-77, 110, 143, 208, 212, 219, 321, 409, and 412.)
US Pat. Pub. No. 20220101526 to Lerch et al (hereinafter Lerch). Lerch teaches the use of a controller with AI in the area of collimators. (See Lerch, Abstract, Figs. 1-3, paragraphs 3, 10-17, 38, 81, 132, 179.)
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to whose telephone number is (571)270-3477. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8 AM-5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dah-Wei Yuan can be reached on (571) 272-1295. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KARL KURPLE/Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717
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