DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Responsive to the communication dated 12/11/2025
Claims 1-12 and 14-15 are presented for examination
Finality
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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.
Response to Arguments - 35 USC § 101
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 8-10, filed 12/11/2025, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-13 under 35 USC § 101 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1-12 (note that claim 13 was cancelled) under 35 USC § 101 has been withdrawn.
Additionally, with the new amendments further defining the structure of the physical device, it is clear that what is claimed discloses a particular hardware setup with a particular sensor configuration.
Response to Arguments - 35 USC § 103
Applicant's arguments filed 12/11/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that no prior art teaches the newly amended structural elements, particularly a gas inlet pipe connected to a processing container of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus: a heater disposed in the gas inlet pipe, and configured to heat a gas in the gas inlet pipe; and a temperature sensor disposed in the gas inlet pipe, and configured to measure a temperature of the gas in the gas inlet pipe, wherein the heater heats the gas in the gas inlet pipe based on the temperature of the gas measured by the temperature sensor,
Examiner responds by explaining that these features are taught by the combination of the previously cited references.
In particular,
Gregor makes obvious
a gas inlet pipe connected to a processing container of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; ([Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148 and lines 110 and 112 comprise the piping leading to gas inlet port 128)
PNG
media_image1.png
568
810
media_image1.png
Greyscale
([Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148 and lines 110 and 112 comprise the piping leading to gas inlet port 128)
and a temperature sensor disposed in the gas inlet pipe, and configured to measure a temperature of the gas in the gas inlet pipe, ([Abstract] “A method and apparatus that solve the problem of accurate measurement of gas flow so that the delivery of gases in semiconductor processing may be performed with greater confidence and accuracy by performing real-time characterization of a lead-line for mass flow controller (MFC) flow verification are provided.” [Col 6 line 38- 44] One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.1.1-T.sub.1.n) 204a-d, for example a temperature transducer, configured to measure the temperature of gas flowing through each MFC is coupled to each of the one or more MFC's 142. One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.x) 206 configured to monitor the gas temperature of gases in the lead-line 148 may be coupled with the lead-line 148” [Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148, to which the sensors are attached, is part of the piping that leads to gas inlet 128)
( [Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148 and lines 110 and 112 comprise the piping leading to gas inlet port 128)
Dongsu makes obvious a heater disposed in the gas inlet pipe and configured to heat a gas in the gas inlet pipe; wherein the heater heats the gas in the inlet pipe based on the temperature of the gas measured by the temperature sensor ([Page 2 Par 14] “In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the processing gas is transferred from the source supply apparatus 300 through the transport pipe 200, the gaseous organic material 310 is heated by the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the external heater 220. do. Here, since the source supply device 300 uses the transport pipe inner heater 210 and the outer heater 220 together, no heat loss occurs in which the radiant heat is lowered below the reference temperature. In order to maintain a constant internal temperature of the gas vaporization material transport pipe 200 in the vaporization material transport pipe, the temperature of the vaporization material transport area F between the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the transport pipe external heater 220 is maintained” [Page 2 Par 12] “The temperature of the wafer W is detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) installed in the heating device 146, and the temperature information is input to the heater controller 150. In addition, the heater controller 150 is installed in the heating apparatus 148 to compensate for the amount of heat lost from the wafer W to the clamp unit 116 so that the temperature distribution on the entire surface of the wafer W is uniform. The amount of heat generated by the heating device 148 is adjusted based on the temperature information from the temperature sensor…” [Page 3 Par 5] “The heating areas H, H', and H" are set to several temperature ranges for the gas delivery pipe 200 itself, whereby stable control of the vaporized material is possible. Therefore, independent temperature control is possible for each of the heaters,”)
In response to arguments about the specifics of the configuration, it should be noted that rather than simply lead-line 148 or gas delivery line 112, as argued by the applicants, the entire piping chain from lead-line 148 to gas inlet 128 is considered to be analogous to the claimed “gas inlet pipe.” Nothing in the claims or disclosure requires that the gas inlet pipe be absent of valves or monitoring components, rather the fact that control and monitoring structures are present in the pipeline leading to the injector or gas inlet is one of the defining features of the disclosed invention. In fact, the specification specifically notes the presence of a control valve within this pipeline ([Par 117] “he temperature sensor M4 corresponds to the temperature sensor 80 in FIG. 9, is located near the gas inlet port of the processing container 10, and measures the temperature of the gas in the gas inlet pipe 24. A valve V is provided between the temperature sensor M3 and the temperature sensor M4 to control the gas flow rate.”) Further it is clear due to the presence of a joint that this claimed “gas inlet pipe” is not a single, unbroken piece of pipe. ([Par 49] “In particular, in the present embodiment, the temperature of the gas in a gas inlet pipe 24 may be measured by a temperature sensor 80 that penetrates a joint 82 connected to the gas inlet pipe 24.” [Fig. 9] Note the positions of inlet pipe 24 an d joint 82 in the portion of Fig. 9 below)
PNG
media_image2.png
217
382
media_image2.png
Greyscale
It should be further noted that nothing in the claims require that any of the parts be “connected directly” to any other part. The closest language to requiring this is that claim 14 recites that the external pipe be “coupled between the flow rate controller and the gas inlet pipe.” However, due to the word “between” rather than something along the lines of “coupled to the flow rate controller and gas inlet pipe,” this limitation merely requires that the external pipe is installed somewhere between the positions of the flow rate controller and gas inlet pipe. Therefore this argument is moot.
Similarly, a requirement for a “distinct operational mode,” i.e. a separate mode from normal operation, where the heater heats the gas "based on the temperature of the gas measured by the temperature sensor” is likewise unclaimed; the claims only require that heated based on this measurement is performed, no requirement that this be a separate mode is claimed.
Claims 14 and 15 are taught by the combination of Mitrovic (KR 20060062034 A) in view of Gregor (US 8205629 B2) in further view of Dongsu (KR 100390539 B1) in addition to new reference Derderian (US 20020195710 A1)
As for new claim 14:
Gregor teaches further comprising a flow rate controller configured to control a flow rate of the gas; and an ([Col 4 line 43- 47] “FIG. 1 depicts a simplified schematic of a substrate processing system 100 having one embodiment of a gas delivery system 140 comprising a mass flow verifier 104, a mass flow controller 142, and a lead-line 148 coupled to an exemplary semiconductor processing chamber 120.” [Fig. 1])
Derderian makes obvious an external pipe coupled between the flow rate controller and the gas inlet pipe ([Fig. 1] Shows gas conduit 133a (equivalent to an external pipe) coupled between gas flow control valve 132A (equivalent to the flow rate controller) and combination node 135 which leads to gas conduit 137 (equivalent to the gas inlet pipe) [Par 33] “Gas flow control valves 132A and 132B control the flow of gases from gas sources 130A and 130B, respectively, through gas conduits 133A and 133B, respectively. Gas conduits represent a flow path for the reactant gases 127 between the gas sources 130 and the reaction chamber 112. Gas conduits include such things as piping between elements of the CVD system 100 as well as spaces or channels for gas flow within elements of the CVD system 100. Gas conduits 133A and 133B merge at combination node 135 to become a single gas conduit 137, thus combining the gases from gas sources 130A and 130B. Gas conduits 133A and 133B can be thought of as inputs to combination node 135, while gas conduit 137 can be thought of as an output of combination node 135.”)
PNG
media_image3.png
510
691
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Derderian is analogous art because it is within the field of semiconductor manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine it with Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu before the effective filing date. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination in order to perform the manufacturing process in a way that better avoids unwanted depositions, ultimately improving the quality of the produced product. As noted by Derderian, typical chemical vapor deposition processes tend to result in somewhat imprecise depositions, with unwanted materials ending up in places they shouldn’t be ([Par 8-10] “In a typical CVD process, the substrate on which deposition is to occur is placed in a reaction chamber, and is heated to a temperature sufficient to drive the desired reaction. The reactant gases containing the CVD precursors are introduced into the reaction chamber where the precursors are transported to, and subsequently adsorbed on, the deposition surface. Surface reactions deposit nonvolatile reaction products on the deposition surface. Volatile reaction products are then evacuated or exhausted from the reaction chamber. While it is generally true that the nonvolatile reaction products are deposited on the deposition surface, and that volatile reaction products are removed, the realities of industrial processing recognize that undesirable volatile reaction products, as well as nonvolatile reaction products from secondary or side reactions, may be incorporated into the deposited layer. Integrated circuit fabrication generally includes the deposition of a variety of material layers on a substrate, and CVD may used to deposit one or more of these layers… For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for alternative methods of chemical vapor deposition.”) To this end, Derderian presents a method for more accurate CVD processing with less produced impurities ([Par 11] “The various embodiments of the invention include chemical vapor deposition methods, chemical vapor deposition systems to perform the methods, and apparatus produced by such chemical vapor deposition methods. The methods involve preheating one or more of the reactant gases used to form a deposited layer. The reactant gases contain at least one chemical vapor deposition precursor. Heating one or more of the reactant gases prior to introduction to the reaction chamber may be used to improve physical characteristics of the resulting deposited layer, to improve the physical characteristics of the underlying substrate and/or to improve the thermal budget available for subsequent processing. One example includes the formation of a titanium nitride layer with reactant gases containing the precursors of titanium tetrachloride and ammonia. Preheating the reactant gases containing titanium tetrachloride and ammonia can reduce ammonium chloride impurity levels in the resulting titanium nitride layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for post-processing to remove the ammonium chloride impurity.”) Overall, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that combining Derderian with Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu would result in a system that is capable of more consistently producing higher-quality products.
As for new claim 15:
Dongsu teaches wherein the gas is heated by an external pipe heater ([Page 2 Par 14] “In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the processing gas is transferred from the source supply apparatus 300 through the transport pipe 200, the gaseous organic material 310 is heated by the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the external heater 220. do. Here, since the source supply device 300 uses the transport pipe inner heater 210 and the outer heater 220 together, no heat loss occurs in which the radiant heat is lowered below the reference temperature. In order to maintain a constant internal temperature of the gas vaporization material transport pipe 200 in the vaporization material transport pipe, the temperature of the vaporization material transport area F between the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the transport pipe external heater 220 is maintained”[Fig. 1] Shows the system layout. It can be clearly seen that the gas transport pipe with the internal heater leads to an opening to the main processing chamber, i.e. the gas inlet port)
Derderian makes obvious when wherein the gas is heated while flowing through the external pipe to the gas inlet pipe. ([Fig. 1] Shows gas conduit 133a (equivalent to an external pipe) which passes through heater 134 on its way towards combination node 135 and gas conduit 137 (together equivalent to the gas inlet pipe)
PNG
media_image3.png
510
691
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Applicant argues that nothing in Gregor suggests that the measured temperature accurately represents the temperature of the gas entering the chamber via the inlet.
Examiner responds by explaining that a particular level of accuracy or that the temperature be reflective of the gas precisely as it enters the chamber is not claimed, and thus this argument is moot. The claim only requires that the system “measure a temperature of the gas in the gas inlet pipe.” Where in the inlet pipe this measurement is taken, or to what level of precision, is not claimed.
Applicant argues that no prior art teaches the control loop of controlling the heater temperature based on measured temperature.
Examiner responds by explaining that this feature is taught by Dongsu. Particularly, Dongsu teaches wherein the apparatus controller controls a heater disposed in a pipe leading to the gas inlet port ([Page 2 Par 14] “In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the processing gas is transferred from the source supply apparatus 300 through the transport pipe 200, the gaseous organic material 310 is heated by the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the external heater 220. do. Here, since the source supply device 300 uses the transport pipe inner heater 210 and the outer heater 220 together, no heat loss occurs in which the radiant heat is lowered below the reference temperature. In order to maintain a constant internal temperature of the gas vaporization material transport pipe 200 in the vaporization material transport pipe, the temperature of the vaporization material transport area F between the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the transport pipe external heater 220 is maintained”[Fig. 1] Shows the system layout. It can be clearly seen that the gas transport pipe with the internal heater leads to an opening to the main processing chamber, i.e. the gas inlet port) based on the temperature of the gas. ([Page 2 Par 12] “The temperature of the wafer W is detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) installed in the heating device 146, and the temperature information is input to the heater controller 150. In addition, the heater controller 150 is installed in the heating apparatus 148 to compensate for the amount of heat lost from the wafer W to the clamp unit 116 so that the temperature distribution on the entire surface of the wafer W is uniform. The amount of heat generated by the heating device 148 is adjusted based on the temperature information from the temperature sensor…” [Page 3 Par 5] “The heating areas H, H', and H" are set to several temperature ranges for the gas delivery pipe 200 itself, whereby stable control of the vaporized material is possible. Therefore, independent temperature control is possible for each of the heaters,”)
Claim Objections
Claims and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 10 recites “wherein the information processing system includes: …” It is clear that this is meant to refer to the “information processing apparatus” that was introduced earlier in the claim.
Claim 12 has several simple antecedent basis issues, such as the fact that now that amended claim 11 recites “a gas inlet pipe,” it is at a glance unclear whether the recitation of “a gas inlet pipe” in claim 12 refers to the pipe from claim 11 or a new pipe. However, since claim 12 was a parallel claim to claim 2, and the changes to claim 11 are virtually identical to those made to claim 1, it is clear that the changes made to claim 2 were intended to be made to claim 12 as well. As such the changes of certain elements from the article “a” to “the” in claim 2 should be appropriately applied to claim 12 as well.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-1 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1, 10, and 11 recite the limitation "a gas introduced into the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. With the addition of the newly amended language, it is not entirely clear if this gas is the same gas discussed earlier as being heated in the gas inlet pipe, or another, new gas. With this in mind, the is insufficient antecedent basis for this term. For the purposes of this examination, the gas introduced into the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is interpreted as being the same gas as the one in the gas inlet pipe.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
(1) Claims 1-4, and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mitrovic (KR 20060062034 A) in view of Gregor (US 8205629 B2) in further view of Dongsu (KR 100390539 B1)
Claim 1. Mitrovic teaches An information processing apparatus comprising: a physical sensor data acquisition circuitry configured to acquire physical sensor data measured at a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that executes a process according to a process parameter; ([Abstract] “A method, system and computer readable medium for facilitating a process performed by a semiconductor processing tool. The method includes inputting data relating to a process performed by the semiconductor processing tool and inputting a first principles physical model relating to the semiconductor processing tool. First principles simulation is then performed using the input data and the physical model to provide a first principles simulation result, and the first principles simulation result is used to facilitate the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool.” [Page 2 Par 13] “In one embodiment, the data input device 104 may be implemented as a physical sensor for collecting data about the semiconductor processing tool 102 itself and / or the environment contained within the chamber of the tool. Such data may include fluid mechanical data such as gas velocity and pressure at various locations within the process chamber, electrical data such as voltage, current and impedance at various locations within the electrical system of the process chamber, species concentration at various locations within the process chamber, and Chemical data such as reactive chemistry, thermal data such as gas temperature, surface temperature and surface heat flux at various locations within the process chamber, plasma density (eg obtained from Langmuir probes), ion energy (ion energy spectra) Plasma processing data (such as obtained from an analyzer) (when plasma is used), and mechanical data such as pressure, deflection, stress, and deformation at various locations within the process chamber.”) and a simulation execution circuitry configured to execute a simulation of a process state being executed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus by a simulation model of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the process parameter including the physical sensor data, ([Page 6 Par 10-11] “The simulation module 606 is another processing device capable of executing a first principles simulation technique to control a process performed by a computer, a workstation, or the tool 602, and thus the simulation module described with reference to FIG. 3. And may be implemented as 302. Thus, the simulation module 606 may assist in executing the first principles simulation to control the process as well as the first principles physical model 106 and the first principles simulation processor 108 described with reference to FIG. 1. Other hardware and / or software. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the simulation module 606 is configured to receive tool data from one or more diagnostics of the tool 602 for processing and subsequently use it while executing the simulation model. The tool data may include the fluid mechanical data, electrical data, chemical data, thermal data and mechanical data described above or any input data described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the tool data may be used to determine boundary conditions and initial conditions for a model executed in the simulation module 606. The model may include ANSYS, FLUENT, CFD-ACE + as described above, for example, to calculate the flow field, electromagnetic field, temperature field, chemistry, surface chemistry (ie etch surface chemistry or deposition surface chemistry). The model developed from the first principle can interpret the details within the processing system to provide input for process control of the tool. The APC controller 608 receives the simulation results from the simulation module 606 and is coupled to the simulation module 606 to use the simulation results to implement a control method for process adjustment / calibration of the processes performed on the tool 602”) and
calculate virtual sensor data and virtual process result data; ([Page 5 Par 3] “In addition to entering the input data, the first principle simulation processor 108 also inputs a first principle physical model to emulate a physical sensor as shown by step 403. Said step 403 is the model as well as the first principle basic equations needed to perform a first principle simulation to obtain a reading of a virtual sensor that can replace a physical sensor reading associated with a process performed by semiconductor processing tool 102.” [Page 6 Par 4] “Once the simulation is run in step 505, the simulation results are used as part of the data set to characterize the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool as shown in step 507.” [Page 6 Par 11] “The model may include ANSYS, FLUENT, CFD-ACE + as described above, for example, to calculate the flow field, electromagnetic field, temperature field, chemistry, surface chemistry (ie etch surface chemistry or deposition surface chemistry). The model developed from the first principle can interpret the details within the processing system to provide input for process control of the tool. The APC controller 608 receives the simulation results from the simulation module 606 and is coupled to the simulation module 606 to use the simulation results to implement a control method for process adjustment / calibration of the processes performed on the tool 602” [Page 9 par 3-4] “The diagnostic controller 1324 can be coupled to each of the sensors described above and can be configured to provide measurements from these sensors to the simulation module. In the example system of FIG. 13, the model executed on the simulation module includes, for example, three components: thermal components, gas dynamic components, and chemical components. In the first part, the gas-gap pressure field can be determined prior to calculating the gas-gap thermal conductivity. The spatially resulting temperature field for the substrate (and substrate holder) is then the boundary temperature, boundary heat flux, resistive heating element accumulated power, power removed to the cooling element, heat flux at the substrate surface due to the presence of plasma It can be determined by appropriately setting boundary conditions (and initial conditions). In one embodiment of the present invention, ANSYS is used to calculate the temperature field. By using a second part of the process model (ie a gas dynamic part), the gas pressure field and velocity fields can be determined using the surface temperature calculated in the thermal part and the various measurements described above. For example, mass flow rate and temperature P1 can be used to determine inlet conditions, pressure P3 can be used to determine outlet conditions, and CFD-ACE + can be used to calculate gas pressure and velocity fields” [Page 7 Par 9] “At step 908, the first principle physical model is executed to provide a first principle simulation result, which is an output for analysis and a configuration of the experimental model, as shown at step 910.”) ([Page 2 Par 13] “In one embodiment, the data input device 104 may be implemented as a physical sensor for collecting data about the semiconductor processing tool 102 itself and / or the environment contained within the chamber of the tool. Such data may include fluid mechanical data such as gas velocity and pressure at various locations within the process chamber, electrical data such as voltage, current and impedance at various locations within the electrical system of the process chamber, species concentration at various locations within the process chamber, and Chemical data such as reactive chemistry, thermal data such as gas temperature, surface temperature and surface heat flux at various locations within the process chamber, “ [Page 9 Par 2] “Additionally, the substrate holder may include a temperature sensor 1314 for measuring the substrate holder temperature T1 or the substrate temperature, and a temperature sensor 1316 for measuring the coolant temperature T3”) ([Page 2 Par 13] “In one embodiment, the data input device 104 may be implemented as a physical sensor for collecting data about the semiconductor processing tool 102 itself and / or the environment contained within the chamber of the tool. Such data may include fluid mechanical data such as gas velocity and pressure at various locations within the process chamber, electrical data such as voltage, current and impedance at various locations within the electrical system of the process chamber, species concentration at various locations within the process chamber, and Chemical data such as reactive chemistry, thermal data such as gas temperature, surface temperature and surface heat flux at various locations within the process chamber, “ [Page 9 Par 2] “Additionally, the substrate holder may include a temperature sensor 1314 for measuring the substrate holder temperature T1 or the substrate temperature, and a temperature sensor 1316 for measuring the coolant temperature T3”)
Mitrovic does not explicitly teach a gas inlet pipe connected to a processing container of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus: a heater disposed in the gas inlet pipe, and configured to heat a gas in the gas inlet pipe; and a temperature sensor in the gas inlet pipe, configured to measure a temperature of the gas in the gas inlet pipe, wherein the heater heats the gas in the gas inlet pipe based on the temperature of the gas measured by the temperature sensor, and wherein the physical sensor data acquired by the physical sensor data acquisition circuitry includes a temperature of a gas introduced into the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that executes the process.
Gregor makes obvious a gas inlet pipe connected to a processing container of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus: ([Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148 and lines 110 and 112 comprise the piping leading to gas inlet port 128)
PNG
media_image1.png
568
810
media_image1.png
Greyscale
([Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148 and lines 110 and 112 comprise the piping leading to gas inlet port 128 [Col 2 line 5-16] “In yet another embodiment, a method for controlling gas flow in a semiconductor processing system is provided. The method comprises … determining a gas mass correction factor based on real-time temperature and pressure measurements of gas flowing through the lead-line, determining a mass flow of gas flowing through the lead-line using the gas mass correction factor and the rate of rise in pressure data, and adjusting the gas flow in the semiconductor processing system.”) ([Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148 and lines 110 and 112 comprise the piping leading to gas inlet port 128) and a temperature sensor in the gas inlet pipe, configured to measure a temperature of the gas in the gas inlet pipe, ([Col 6 line 38- 44] One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.1.1-T.sub.1.n) 204a-d, for example a temperature transducer, configured to measure the temperature of gas flowing through each MFC is coupled to each of the one or more MFC's 142. One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.x) 206 configured to monitor the gas temperature of gases in the lead-line 148 may be coupled with the lead-line 148” [Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148, to which the sensors are attached, is part of the piping that leads to gas inlet 128) ([Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148 and lines 110 and 112 comprise the piping leading to gas inlet port 128)([Col 6 line 38- 44] One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.1.1-T.sub.1.n) 204a-d, for example a temperature transducer, configured to measure the temperature of gas flowing through each MFC is coupled to each of the one or more MFC's 142. One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.x) 206 configured to monitor the gas temperature of gases in the lead-line 148 may be coupled with the lead-line 148”) and wherein the physical sensor data acquired by the physical sensor data acquisition circuitry includes a temperature of a gas introduced into the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that executes the process. ([Abstract] “A method and apparatus that solve the problem of accurate measurement of gas flow so that the delivery of gases in semiconductor processing may be performed with greater confidence and accuracy by performing real-time characterization of a lead-line for mass flow controller (MFC) flow verification are provided.” [Col 6 line 38- 44] One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.1.1-T.sub.1.n) 204a-d, for example a temperature transducer, configured to measure the temperature of gas flowing through each MFC is coupled to each of the one or more MFC's 142. One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.x) 206 configured to monitor the gas temperature of gases in the lead-line 148 may be coupled with the lead-line 148”)
Gregor is analogous art because it is within the field of semiconductor manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine it with Mitrovic before the effective filing date. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination in order to more accurately introduce gas into the semiconductor processing system. As noted by Gregor, accurate control of gas flows is essential to the effective use of many semiconductor manufacturing techniques, but the inaccuracy of current techniques can compromise manufacturing capabilities ([Col 1 line 22-27] “Accurate control of gas flows is an important process control attribute critical to many microelectronic device fabrication processes. Precise control of process gas flows into the processing chamber is required in order to obtain desired processing results, particularly as critical dimensions and film thicknesses shrink.” [Col 1 line 40-50] “…field experience with the existing technology has increased the demand for more accurate measurement of flow. For example, poor control of gas flows used in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD) applications may result in poor film deposition or etching results, which cannot be tolerated in next generation circuit designs. Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for measuring gas flows so that the delivery of gases in a semiconductor processing system may be performed with greater confidence and accuracy.”) To this end, Gregor presents a method for measuring gas input to a semiconductor processing system with increased accuracy ([Abstract] “A method and apparatus that solve the problem of accurate measurement of gas flow so that the delivery of gases in semiconductor processing may be performed with greater confidence and accuracy by performing real-time characterization of a lead-line for mass flow controller (MFC) flow verification are provided. In one embodiment a mass flow verifier (MFV) provides rate of rise information to a controller via a digital interface without correcting for lead-line influences. After receiving the rate of rise data, the tool host computer computes a gas mass correction factor in real-time based on at least one of the following: MFC temperature sensor data, lead-line temperature sensor data, lead-line pressure transducer data, and lead-line volume. The rate of rise data and gas mass correction factor are used to compute accurate mass flow. The accurate mass flow information may be used to calibrate the MFC.”) Overall, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that combining Gregor with Mitrovic would result in a more accurate system capable of more consistently successfully processing semiconductor components.
The combination of Mitrovic and Gregor does not explicitly teach a heater disposed in the gas inlet pipe and configured to heat a gas in the gas inlet pipe; wherein the heater heats the gas in the inlet pipe based on the temperature of the gas measured by the temperature sensor
Dongsu makes obvious a heater disposed in the gas inlet pipe and configured to heat a gas in the gas inlet pipe; wherein the heater heats the gas in the inlet pipe based on the temperature of the gas measured by the temperature sensor ([Page 2 Par 14] “In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the processing gas is transferred from the source supply apparatus 300 through the transport pipe 200, the gaseous organic material 310 is heated by the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the external heater 220. do. Here, since the source supply device 300 uses the transport pipe inner heater 210 and the outer heater 220 together, no heat loss occurs in which the radiant heat is lowered below the reference temperature. In order to maintain a constant internal temperature of the gas vaporization material transport pipe 200 in the vaporization material transport pipe, the temperature of the vaporization material transport area F between the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the transport pipe external heater 220 is maintained” [Page 2 Par 12] “The temperature of the wafer W is detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) installed in the heating device 146, and the temperature information is input to the heater controller 150. In addition, the heater controller 150 is installed in the heating apparatus 148 to compensate for the amount of heat lost from the wafer W to the clamp unit 116 so that the temperature distribution on the entire surface of the wafer W is uniform. The amount of heat generated by the heating device 148 is adjusted based on the temperature information from the temperature sensor…” [Page 3 Par 5] “The heating areas H, H', and H" are set to several temperature ranges for the gas delivery pipe 200 itself, whereby stable control of the vaporized material is possible. Therefore, independent temperature control is possible for each of the heaters,”)
Dongsu is analogous art because it is within the field of semiconductor manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine it with Mitrovic and Gregor before the effective filing date. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination in order to provide a more stable processing system. As noted by Dongsu, if the temperature of gases used in semiconductor manufacturing processes are not precisely maintained, they can cause slowdowns, damage, and overall a decrease in yield. ([Page 1 Par 4] “r, the processing gas for forming this vapor deposition film has a high temperature dependency on the film formation speed. In other words, when the processing gas is transferred through the transfer conduit in the thermal CVD apparatus forming the deposited film, the heat supply line itself connected to the transfer conduit is in contact with the outside, and thus heat loss is involved. That is, since the endothermic process is carried out to the transfer conduit, the heating supply line, and the chamber support frame or the clamp in contact with the transfer conduit, it is difficult to secure a predetermined conductance in the gas flow path, thereby making it difficult to form a nonuniform temperature distribution. Furthermore, in the thermal CVD apparatus, since the wafer W is only placed on the mounting target, if a constant temperature is not maintained, it causes contamination in the deposition processing chamber which performs post-processing, and damages each device in the wafer. There was a problem that causes a decrease in yield.”) To this end, Dongsu presents a system for maintaining precise heating including the use of an internal heater in the gas supply line ([Page 1 Par 7 - Page 2 Par 2] “Accordingly, an object of the present invention is that, in view of the above problems, when the organic material gas is transferred from the source supply apparatus through the transfer conduit, the heat loss of the organic gas flows below the reference temperature beyond the radiant heat from the heating source or the processing gas. A vaporizing material heating apparatus and method are provided in an organic semiconductor device which is not generated and is heated to maintain a uniform temperature distribution of a heating source with respect to a gas flow path in a vaporizing material conveying tube. … This object is achieved by a vaporization material heating apparatus and method in the following organic semiconductor device. That is, the present invention provides an apparatus for heating a vaporized material in an organic semiconductor device, comprising: a container for forming a processing chamber in which an object is processed; a first heating device for heating an object installed in the processing chamber and mounted on a mounting table; A shower head heater for heating a processing gas for forming a high melting point metal film layer on a target object, a first gas supply unit for supplying a process chamber, and a heat conducting medium for transferring heat from the first gas supply unit to the process chamber. And an external heater used together with a transport pipe internal heater to maintain a constant internal temperature, and a vaporized material transport pipe having a thermal insulation region for forming a gas flow path between the transport pipe internal heater and the transport pipe external heater.”) Overall, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that combining Dongsu with Mitrovic and Gregor would result in a more stable processing system, allowing for a greater yield.
Claim 10. The elements of claim 10 are substantially the same as those of claim 1. Therefore, the elements of claim 10 are rejected due to the same reasons as outlined above for claim 1. Further, Mitrovic makes obvious the additional elements of an information processing apparatus that executes a simulation of a process state being executed in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus by using a simulation model of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus … wherein the information processing system includes: ([Abstract] “A method, system and computer readable medium for facilitating a process performed by a semiconductor processing tool. The method includes inputting data relating to a process performed by the semiconductor processing tool and inputting a first principles physical model relating to the semiconductor processing tool. First principles simulation is then performed using the input data and the physical model to provide a first principles simulation result, and the first principles simulation result is used to facilitate the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool.”)
Claim 11. The elements of claim 11 are substantially the same as those of claim 1. Therefore, the elements of claim 11 are rejected due to the same reasons as outlined above for claim 1. Further, Mitrovic makes obvious the additional elements of An information processing system comprising: an apparatus controller that controls a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and an information processing apparatus that executes a simulation of a process state being executed in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus by using a simulation model of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, wherein the apparatus controller controls a process executed in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, wherein the information processing apparatus includes: ([Abstract] “A method, system and computer readable medium for facilitating a process performed by a semiconductor processing tool. The method includes inputting data relating to a process performed by the semiconductor processing tool and inputting a first principles physical model relating to the semiconductor processing tool. First principles simulation is then performed using the input data and the physical model to provide a first principles simulation result, and the first principles simulation result is used to facilitate the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool.”)
Claim 2. Mitrovic teaches wherein the physical sensor data acquisition circuitry acquires the temperature of the gas measured by the temperature sensor ([Page 2 Par 13] “In one embodiment, the data input device 104 may be implemented as a physical sensor for collecting data about the semiconductor processing tool 102 itself and / or the environment contained within the chamber of the tool. Such data may include fluid mechanical data such as gas velocity and pressure at various locations within the process chamber, electrical data such as voltage, current and impedance at various locations within the electrical system of the process chamber, species concentration at various locations within the process chamber, and Chemical data such as reactive chemistry, thermal data such as gas temperature, surface temperature and surface heat flux at various locations within the process chamber, “ [Page 9 Par 2] “Additionally, the substrate holder may include a temperature sensor 1314 for measuring the substrate holder temperature T1 or the substrate temperature, and a temperature sensor 1316 for measuring the coolant temperature T3”)
Gregor makes obvious a temperature sensor disposed in the gas inlet pipe for introducing the gas into a gas inlet port of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. ([Col 6 line 38- 44] One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.1.1-T.sub.1.n) 204a-d, for example a temperature transducer, configured to measure the temperature of gas flowing through each MFC is coupled to each of the one or more MFC's 142. One or more temperature sensors (T.sub.x) 206 configured to monitor the gas temperature of gases in the lead-line 148 may be coupled with the lead-line 148” [Fig. 1] As can be seen from the figure, lead-line 148, to which the sensors are attached, is part of the piping that leads to gas inlet 128)
PNG
media_image1.png
568
810
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Claim 12. The elements of claim 12 are substantially the same as those of claim 2. Therefore, the elements of claim 12 are rejected due to the same reasons as outlined above for claim 2.
Claim 3. Mitrovic teaches further comprising: a process parameter adjustor configured to adjust the process parameter so that the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data are approximated. ([Page 5 Par 6] “In yet another embodiment of the process of FIG. 4, the first principle simulation can be performed in a self calibration mode by comparing virtual sensor measurements with corresponding physical sensor measurements. For example, during a first run according to a given process recipe / tool condition, the tool operator uses the "best known input parameter at the time" for the model. During and after each simulation run, the simulation module (s) may compare the actual measurement with the expected “measurement” at the location where the actual measurement is made from the physical sensor. If significant differences are detected, optimization and statistical methods can be used to change the input data and / or the first principle physical model itself until a better match of the prediction and actual measurement data is obtained.”)
Claim 4. Mitrovic teaches wherein the process parameter adjustor determines the process parameter to be the virtual process result data close to physical process result data so as to be the physical process result data designated by the user ([Page 8 Par 11] “. Once the matrix is formulated, matrix X is determined for each simulation result. Any difference between the simulated and actual results can be determined and estimated with specific (independent) process parameters using PLS analysis and VIP results. For example, the output of the maximum VIP value from the PLS model is consistent with the process parameters that may be the most likely cause of the difference.” [Page 8 Par 12 – Page 9 Par 1] “12 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for using a first principles simulation technique to control a process and detect a fault performed by a semiconductor processing tool in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. This flow chart is shown starting at step 1202 of processing a substrate or batch of substrates within a process tool such as process tool 1002. In step 1204, tool data is measured and provided as input to a simulation module, such as simulation module 1006. The boundary condition and initial condition are then added to the physical model of the simulation module to set up the model as shown in step 1206. In step 1208, a first principle physical model is executed to provide a first principle simulation result that is output to a controller such as APC controller 1008 of FIG. For example, at any time from run-to-run or batch-to-batch, the operator has the opportunity to select a control model to be used within the APC controller. For example, the APC controller can use either the process model perturbation results or the PCA model results. In either run-to-run or batch-to-batch, the process can be adjusted / calibrated by the controller using the model output. In step 1010, the process model output is utilized as input to the PLS model in the fault detection apparatus 1040 to cause the fault to be detected and classified in step 1012. For example, as described above, the difference between the actual process performance Y .sub.real and the simulated (or estimated) process performance Y .sub.sim for a given process condition (ie, input control variable set) may be used to determine the presence of a process fault. Where Y .sub.real is measured using either a physical sensor or a weighing tool, and Y .sub.sim is determined by running a simulation provided inputs to the current process conditions.”) designated by a user. ([Page 3 Par 5] “Alternatively, the data may be set by the simulation operator as the "best known input parameter")
(2) Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mitrovic (KR 20060062034 A) in view of Gregor (US 8205629 B2) in further view of Dongsu (KR 100390539 B1) as well as Lin (US 20060252348 A1)
Claim 5. Mitrovic teaches further comprising: a simulation model editing circuitry configured to generate or update the simulation model ([Page 5 Par 6] “In yet another embodiment of the process of FIG. 4, the first principle simulation can be performed in a self calibration mode by comparing virtual sensor measurements with corresponding physical sensor measurements. For example, during a first run according to a given process recipe / tool condition, the tool operator uses the "best known input parameter at the time" for the model. During and after each simulation run, the simulation module (s) may compare the actual measurement with the expected “measurement” at the location where the actual measurement is made from the physical sensor. If significant differences are detected, optimization and statistical methods can be used to change the input data and / or the first principle physical model itself until a better match of the prediction and actual measurement data is obtained.”) parameter and the virtual process result data calculated by the simulation execution circuitry ([Page 8 Par 11] “Any difference between the simulated and actual results can be determined and estimated with specific (independent) process parameters using PLS analysis and VIP results.”) ([Page 5 Par 6] “In yet another embodiment of the process of FIG. 4, the first principle simulation can be performed in a self calibration mode by comparing virtual sensor measurements with corresponding physical sensor measurements. For example, during a first run according to a given process recipe / tool condition, the tool operator uses the "best known input parameter at the time" for the model. During and after each simulation run, the simulation module (s) may compare the actual measurement with the expected “measurement” at the location where the actual measurement is made from the physical sensor. If significant differences are detected, optimization and statistical methods can be used to change the input data and / or the first principle physical model itself until a better match of the prediction and actual measurement data is obtained.”)
The combination of Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu does not explicitly teach generate or update the simulation model so that the physical process result data and the virtual process result data are close to each other
Lin makes obvious generate or update the simulation model so that the physical process result data and the virtual process result data are close to each other ([Par 25] “At step 306, a comparison process may be performed between the new wafer data from the metrology tools 424 and predicted wafer result from the adaptive model 402. If the discrepancy there-between is worse and is beyond a predefined criteria, then the method 300 will proceed to step 310 to adjust the adaptive model. Otherwise, the method may conclude at step 308 for resuming wafer result prediction without adjustment to the adaptive model 402. A parameter to represent a confidence level of the adaptive model 402 may be assigned to the adaptive model according to the above processing. The confidence level may be used to determine if the adaptive model needs to be adjusted.”)
Lin is analogous art because it is within the field of semiconductor manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine it with Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu before the effective filing date. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination in order to decrease the costs required for operating a semiconductor manufacturing facility. In particular, Lin notes how increasing complexity in the manufacturing process throughout the industry is requiring more and more monitoring and control, which increases costs. ([Par 1] “Semiconductor integrated circuits wafers are produced by a plurality of processes in a wafer fabrication facility (fab). These processes, and associated fabrication tools, may include thermal oxidation, diffusion, ion implantation, RTP (rapid thermal processing), CVD (chemical vapor deposition), PVD (physical vapor deposition), epitaxy, etch, and photolithography. During the fabrication stages, products (e.g., semiconductor wafers) are monitored and controlled for quality and yield using metrology tools. As integrated circuits feature sizes are reduced, the amount of monitoring and controlling may need to be increased. This, however, increases costs by the increased quantity of metrology tools required, the increased manpower to perform the monitoring and controlling, and the associated delay in manufacturing cycle time. Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for increasing the monitoring, controlling, and/or otherwise predicting a quality and/or yield of products with as little increased cost as possible.”) To this end, Lin presents a system for monitoring, controlling, and predicting the yield of semiconductor production as inexpensively as possible ([Par 32] “…the wafer results can be alternatively predicted by the system 400 using the method 100. Combined with direct test and measurement from the metrology tools, with limited metrology tools and measurement cost, effectively 100% of the wafer result can be monitored for enhanced process performance and enhanced wafer yield. The disclosed method and system provide a new approach for wafer fabrication monitor and control with enhanced efficiency and reduced cost (including measurement and metrology cost).”) Overall, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that combining Lin with Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu would result in a system that is significantly more inexpensive to operate.
Claim 6. Mitrovic teaches wherein the simulation model editing circuitry generates or updates the simulation model ([Page 5 Par 6] “In yet another embodiment of the process of FIG. 4, the first principle simulation can be performed in a self calibration mode by comparing virtual sensor measurements with corresponding physical sensor measurements. For example, during a first run according to a given process recipe / tool condition, the tool operator uses the "best known input parameter at the time" for the model. During and after each simulation run, the simulation module (s) may compare the actual measurement with the expected “measurement” at the location where the actual measurement is made from the physical sensor. If significant differences are detected, optimization and statistical methods can be used to change the input data and / or the first principle physical model itself until a better match of the prediction and actual measurement data is obtained.”) of a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses. ([Page 3 Par 9] “3 is a block diagram of a network structure that may be used to provide a first principles simulation technique to facilitate the process performed by a semiconductor processing tool in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the network structure includes a device fabrication fab connected to a remote resource via the Internet 314. The device fabrication fab includes a plurality of semiconductor processing tools 102 each connected to a simulation module 302. As described with reference to FIG. 1, each semiconductor processing tool 102 is a tool for performing processes associated with manufacturing semiconductor devices, such as integrated circuits.”)
Lin makes obvious wherein the simulation model editing circuitry generates or updates the simulation model using the physical process result data and the virtual process result data ([Par 25] “At step 306, a comparison process may be performed between the new wafer data from the metrology tools 424 and predicted wafer result from the adaptive model 402. If the discrepancy there-between is worse and is beyond a predefined criteria, then the method 300 will proceed to step 310 to adjust the adaptive model. Otherwise, the method may conclude at step 308 for resuming wafer result prediction without adjustment to the adaptive model 402. A parameter to represent a confidence level of the adaptive model 402 may be assigned to the adaptive model according to the above processing. The confidence level may be used to determine if the adaptive model needs to be adjusted.”)
(3) Claims 7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mitrovic (KR 20060062034 A) in view of Gregor (US 8205629 B2) in further view of Dongsu (KR 100390539 B1) as well as Kosugi (JP 2004356510 A)
Claim 7. Mitrovic teaches further comprising: a display control circuitry ([Page 9 Par 9] “The computer system 1401 may also include a display controller 1409 coupled to the bus 1402 to control a display 1410, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user.”) configured to visualize the process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and display the process state on a display during an execution of the process ([Page 5 Par 4-5] “Step 405 may be performed simultaneously with or at a time difference from the process performed by the semiconductor process tool. Simulations not run concurrently with the wafer process use the initial and boundary conditions stored from previous processes run with the same or similar processor conditions. As described above with reference to FIG. 2, this is suitable when the simulation runs slower than the wafer process, where time is spent between the wafer cassettes and even, for example, so that the simulation module can solve the required measurements. This can be done during tool downtime for preventive maintenance. These “measurements” can be displayed during subsequent wafer processes as if the measurements were solved simultaneously with the wafer processor and the process was run under the same process conditions as when the simulation was running…. However, since the simulation is preferably capable of running at high speed, the virtual measurements can be updated at an appropriate rate (eg, "sampling rate"). The first principle simulation can also be run simultaneously without using physical sensor input data. In this embodiment, the initial and boundary conditions for the simulation are set based on the tool initial setup before the tool process and the physical sensor readings prior to the simulation run, followed by a full time-dependent simulation of the tool. It is executed during the process but independent of the process. The obtained virtual measurements can be displayed to the operator and analyzed by the operator like any other actual measured tool parameters” [Page 7 Par 8] “As shown in FIG. 8, the remote controller 814 is coupled to the experimental model library 842 to monitor the development of the experimental model and to make decisions for simulation module controller input overriding and experimental model controller input selection. Can be. In addition, the metering tool 814 can similarly be coupled to an experimental model database (not shown in the connection) to provide input to an experimental model database for calibration.” [Page 7 Par 9-10] “At step 908, the first principle physical model is executed to provide a first principle simulation result, which is an output for analysis and a configuration of the experimental model, as shown at step 910. For example, at any time from run-to-run or batch-to-batch, the operator has the opportunity to select process control based on first principles simulation or experimental model.”)
The combination of Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu does not explicitly teach visualize the process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus by using the physical sensor data.
Kosugi makes obvious visualize the process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus by using the physical sensor data. ([Page 1 Par 3] “The FDC system obtains real-time signal data from a plurality of sensors that detect the device state (pressure, temperature, flow rate, voltage, etc.) of the semiconductor manufacturing device during wafer processing…” [Page 5 Par 47-49] “ In the figure, for a plurality of wafers (for example, several lots) in the same manufacturing step in the same process, signal data from the sensors are superimposed and displayed in a graph. The user looks at this data and sets a part to be cut and a filtering method suitable for the cut… The user confirms by looking at the filtering result as shown in FIG. 10 If necessary, the screen returns to the setting screen of FIG. 8, changes the filtering setting value, and performs filtering again.”)
Kosugi is analogous art because it is within the field of semiconductor manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine it with Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu before the effective filing date. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination in order to provide better reliability when dealing with real time data. Kosugi notes the difficulty imposed by processing such manufacturing data in real-time ([Page 1 Par 4-5] “…in such an FDC system, data from a large number of sensors is acquired in real time, so that the data capacity becomes extremely large. Therefore, when the signal data obtained by the FDC system is used in another system as described above, the signal data is converted into a maximum value, a minimum value, an average value, and a standard deviation for each manufacturing step such as a wafer unit or a process recipe step. It was necessary to summarize (hereinafter called "summary") data and pass it… However, in this case, there was a problem in the reliability of data at the time of summarization.”) To this end, Kosugi presents a method for accurately processing semiconductor manufacturing device data ([Page 2 Par 9-11] “However, in the above-described related art, there are many cases where only filtering can be performed only on the start portion of the manufacturing step, or only one of the number of samples and time can be performed. Further, when it is determined that the signal is in the transient state, all the signals sampled are simply invalidated. That is, meaningful data indicating the state of the apparatus cannot be accurately selected and extracted. For this reason, conventionally, there is a problem in that the data subjected to the filtering process does not always accurately represent the state of the apparatus, and therefore, the correlation with the processing result or the like cannot be obtained in many cases. … The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and a signal processing apparatus and a signal processing method for accurately extracting and summarizing signal data indicating a device state and making it available in various systems in a semiconductor manufacturing process. … According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-described problems, in a signal processing apparatus for processing signal data from a plurality of sensors for detecting an apparatus state of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, as shown in FIG. A sensor information acquisition unit 11 for acquiring the signal data at predetermined time intervals, and among the signal data in each manufacturing step, the signal data immediately after the switching of the manufacturing step and the signal data immediately before the switching to the next manufacturing step There is provided a signal processing device 10 having a filtering unit 12 for filtering at least one of them and a summarizing unit 13 for summarizing the filtered signal data.”) Overall, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that combining Kosugi with Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu would result in a system capable of more accurately characterizing manufacturing system state data.
Claim 9. Mitrovic teaches wherein when visualizing the process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and displaying the process state on the display, ([Page 5 Par 4-5] “Step 405 may be performed simultaneously with or at a time difference from the process performed by the semiconductor process tool. Simulations not run concurrently with the wafer process use the initial and boundary conditions stored from previous processes run with the same or similar processor conditions. As described above with reference to FIG. 2, this is suitable when the simulation runs slower than the wafer process, where time is spent between the wafer cassettes and even, for example, so that the simulation module can solve the required measurements. This can be done during tool downtime for preventive maintenance. These “measurements” can be displayed during subsequent wafer processes as if the measurements were solved simultaneously with the wafer processor and the process was run under the same process conditions as when the simulation was running…. However, since the simulation is preferably capable of running at high speed, the virtual measurements can be updated at an appropriate rate (eg, "sampling rate"). The first principle simulation can also be run simultaneously without using physical sensor input data. In this embodiment, the initial and boundary conditions for the simulation are set based on the tool initial setup before the tool process and the physical sensor readings prior to the simulation run, followed by a full time-dependent simulation of the tool. It is executed during the process but independent of the process. The obtained virtual measurements can be displayed to the operator and analyzed by the operator like any other actual measured tool parameters” [Page 7 Par 8] “As shown in FIG. 8, the remote controller 814 is coupled to the experimental model library 842 to monitor the development of the experimental model and to make decisions for simulation module controller input overriding and experimental model controller input selection. Can be. In addition, the metering tool 814 can similarly be coupled to an experimental model database (not shown in the connection) to provide input to an experimental model database for calibration.”) the display control circuit ([Page 9 Par 9] “The computer system 1401 may also include a display controller 1409 coupled to the bus 1402 to control a display 1410, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user.”) visualizes ([Page 5 Par 4-5] “Step 405 may be performed simultaneously with or at a time difference from the process performed by the semiconductor process tool. Simulations not run concurrently with the wafer process use the initial and boundary conditions stored from previous processes run with the same or similar processor conditions. As described above with reference to FIG. 2, this is suitable when the simulation runs slower than the wafer process, where time is spent between the wafer cassettes and even, for example, so that the simulation module can solve the required measurements. This can be done during tool downtime for preventive maintenance. These “measurements” can be displayed during subsequent wafer processes as if the measurements were solved simultaneously with the wafer processor and the process was run under the same process conditions as when the simulation was running.)
Kosugi teaches wherein the system visualizes a measurement point of the physical sensor data. ([Page 1 Par 3] “The FDC system obtains real-time signal data from a plurality of sensors that detect the device state (pressure, temperature, flow rate, voltage, etc.) of the semiconductor manufacturing device during wafer processing…” [Page 5 Par 47-49] “ In the figure, for a plurality of wafers (for example, several lots) in the same manufacturing step in the same process, signal data from the sensors are superimposed and displayed in a graph. The user looks at this data and sets a part to be cut and a filtering method suitable for the cut… The user confirms by looking at the filtering result as shown in FIG. 10 If necessary, the screen returns to the setting screen of FIG. 8, changes the filtering setting value, and performs filtering again.”)
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mitrovic (KR 20060062034 A) in view of Gregor (US 8205629 B2) in further view of Dongsu (KR 100390539 B1) as well as Kosugi (JP 2004356510 A) and Tsuji (US 20080028342 A1)
Claim 8. Mitrovic teaches wherein the display control circuitry ([Page 9 Par 9] “The computer system 1401 may also include a display controller 1409 coupled to the bus 1402 to control a display 1410, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user.”) ([Page 8 Par 11] “Any difference between the simulated and actual results can be determined and estimated with specific (independent) process parameters using PLS analysis and VIP results.”)
The combination of Mitrovic, Gregor, Dongsu, and Kosugi does not explicitly teach wherein the system displays a form of comparing the physical process result data with the virtual process result data.
Tsuji makes obvious wherein the system displays a form of comparing the physical process result data with the virtual process result data. ([Par 118] “Finally, the central processing unit 14 outputs the obtained V-I characteristics to the output unit 17 such as a monitor or printer. In addition, the central processing unit 14 outputs the extracted device parameters from the output unit 17. If necessary, the central processing unit 14 can also compare simulation results with the measured V-I characteristics on the same display screen, thereby displaying a color graph as shown in FIG. 7 on the monitor.”)
Tsuji is analogous art because it is within the field of semiconductor manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine it with Mitrovic, Gregor, Dongsu, and Kosugi before the effective filing date. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination in order to better simulate the production of certain semiconductor products. In particular, Tsuji notes the difficulty and lack of existing accurate models for dealing with TFTs formed in a polysilicon layer on an insulating substrate or for a transistor formed on an SOI substrate. ([Par 16-19] “When the localized states or interface states as described above exist, the physical mechanisms of device operations complicate. The present circuit analyzing models for insulated-gate transistors using polysilicon or amorphous silicon are not models of these physical mechanisms, but models that merely introduce fitting parameters for simply fitting the physical properties of devices. Accordingly, these models have low accuracy and are not necessarily satisfactory. This is so because the operation model of an insulated-gate transistor containing localized states is not necessarily based on a physical model, but uses simple fitting parameters for simulating measured device characteristics. Since the operation model is not based on a physical model, if the channel length or the like has changed, prototype devices having the same channel length are fabricated, and the device parameters are extracted. Following this procedure prolongs the time necessary to obtain an accurate circuit analyzing device model. Also, for an insulated-gate transistor using polysilicon or amorphous silicon having a physical mechanism more complicated than that of single-crystal silicon, the number of parameters of a device model often increases, so there is no convenient device model. As described above, for a TFT formed in a polysilicon layer on an insulating substrate or for a transistor formed on an SOI substrate, there is no circuit model based on a physical model including defect states, and many fitting parameters are necessary. Accordingly, it takes a long time to obtain an accurate circuit analyzing device model. For a transistor formed in polysilicon or amorphous silicon, therefore, the number of parameters of a device model increases, and this makes the device model inconvenient.”) To this end, Tsuji presents a method for accurately simulating the production of such semiconductor devices ([Par 20-22] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simulation apparatus and simulation method capable of performing accurate circuit analysis within a relatively short time on the basis of a physical model including defect states. It is another object of the present invention to provide a simulation apparatus and simulation method capable of simulating measured transistor characteristics with a relatively small number of fitting parameters, thereby improving the convenience. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device fabrication method capable of obtaining the optimum performance of a transistor formed in a polysilicon layer on an insulating substrate and the optimum performance of a circuit including this transistor, by performing circuit design simulation by using the above simulation method.”) Overall, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that combining Mitrovic, Gregor, Dongsu, and Kosugi with Tsuji would result in a significantly more accurate simulation system particularly when dealing with unique semiconductor devices that traditional modelling does not accurately reflect the production of.
Claims 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mitrovic (KR 20060062034 A) in view of Gregor (US 8205629 B2) in further view of Dongsu (KR 100390539 B1) as well as Derderian (US 20020195710 A1)
Claim 14. Gregor teaches further comprising a flow rate controller configured to control a flow rate of the gas; and an ([Col 4 line 43- 47] “FIG. 1 depicts a simplified schematic of a substrate processing system 100 having one embodiment of a gas delivery system 140 comprising a mass flow verifier 104, a mass flow controller 142, and a lead-line 148 coupled to an exemplary semiconductor processing chamber 120.” [Fig. 1])
The combination of Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu does not explicitly teach an external pipe coupled between the flow rate controller and the gas inlet pipe
Derderian makes obvious an external pipe coupled between the flow rate controller and the gas inlet pipe ([Fig. 1] Shows gas conduit 133a (equivalent to an external pipe) coupled between gas flow control valve 132A (equivalent to the flow rate controller) and combination node 135 which leads to gas conduit 137 (equivalent to the gas inlet pipe) [Par 33] “Gas flow control valves 132A and 132B control the flow of gases from gas sources 130A and 130B, respectively, through gas conduits 133A and 133B, respectively. Gas conduits represent a flow path for the reactant gases 127 between the gas sources 130 and the reaction chamber 112. Gas conduits include such things as piping between elements of the CVD system 100 as well as spaces or channels for gas flow within elements of the CVD system 100. Gas conduits 133A and 133B merge at combination node 135 to become a single gas conduit 137, thus combining the gases from gas sources 130A and 130B. Gas conduits 133A and 133B can be thought of as inputs to combination node 135, while gas conduit 137 can be thought of as an output of combination node 135.”)
PNG
media_image3.png
510
691
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Derderian is analogous art because it is within the field of semiconductor manufacturing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine it with Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu before the effective filing date. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination in order to perform the manufacturing process in a way that better avoids unwanted depositions, ultimately improving the quality of the produced product. As noted by Derderian, typical chemical vapor deposition processes tend to result in somewhat imprecise depositions, with unwanted materials ending up in places they shouldn’t be ([Par 8-10] “In a typical CVD process, the substrate on which deposition is to occur is placed in a reaction chamber, and is heated to a temperature sufficient to drive the desired reaction. The reactant gases containing the CVD precursors are introduced into the reaction chamber where the precursors are transported to, and subsequently adsorbed on, the deposition surface. Surface reactions deposit nonvolatile reaction products on the deposition surface. Volatile reaction products are then evacuated or exhausted from the reaction chamber. While it is generally true that the nonvolatile reaction products are deposited on the deposition surface, and that volatile reaction products are removed, the realities of industrial processing recognize that undesirable volatile reaction products, as well as nonvolatile reaction products from secondary or side reactions, may be incorporated into the deposited layer. Integrated circuit fabrication generally includes the deposition of a variety of material layers on a substrate, and CVD may used to deposit one or more of these layers… For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for alternative methods of chemical vapor deposition.”) To this end, Derderian presents a method for more accurate CVD processing with less produced impurities ([Par 11] “The various embodiments of the invention include chemical vapor deposition methods, chemical vapor deposition systems to perform the methods, and apparatus produced by such chemical vapor deposition methods. The methods involve preheating one or more of the reactant gases used to form a deposited layer. The reactant gases contain at least one chemical vapor deposition precursor. Heating one or more of the reactant gases prior to introduction to the reaction chamber may be used to improve physical characteristics of the resulting deposited layer, to improve the physical characteristics of the underlying substrate and/or to improve the thermal budget available for subsequent processing. One example includes the formation of a titanium nitride layer with reactant gases containing the precursors of titanium tetrachloride and ammonia. Preheating the reactant gases containing titanium tetrachloride and ammonia can reduce ammonium chloride impurity levels in the resulting titanium nitride layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for post-processing to remove the ammonium chloride impurity.”) Overall, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that combining Derderian with Mitrovic, Gregor, and Dongsu would result in a system that is capable of more consistently producing higher-quality products.
Claim 15. Dongsu teaches wherein the gas is heated by an external pipe heater ([Page 2 Par 14] “In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the processing gas is transferred from the source supply apparatus 300 through the transport pipe 200, the gaseous organic material 310 is heated by the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the external heater 220. do. Here, since the source supply device 300 uses the transport pipe inner heater 210 and the outer heater 220 together, no heat loss occurs in which the radiant heat is lowered below the reference temperature. In order to maintain a constant internal temperature of the gas vaporization material transport pipe 200 in the vaporization material transport pipe, the temperature of the vaporization material transport area F between the transport pipe internal heater 210 and the transport pipe external heater 220 is maintained”[Fig. 1] Shows the system layout. It can be clearly seen that the gas transport pipe with the internal heater leads to an opening to the main processing chamber, i.e. the gas inlet port)
Derderian makes obvious when wherein the gas is heated while flowing through the external pipe to the gas inlet pipe. ([Fig. 1] Shows gas conduit 133a (equivalent to an external pipe) which passes through heater 134 on its way towards combination node 135 and gas conduit 137 (together equivalent to the gas inlet pipe)
PNG
media_image3.png
510
691
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael P Mirabito whose telephone number is (703)756-1494. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:30 am - 6:30 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Emerson Puente can be reached at (571) 272-3652. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/M.P.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2187
/EMERSON C PUENTE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2187