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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/10/2026 has been entered.
Claim Status
Claims 1-14 and 16-19 are pending.
Claims 5-6 are currently withdrawn.
Claims 15 and 20 are cancelled.
Claims 1-2, 10, and 16 are currently amended.
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.
Claims 1-4, 7-14, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20180109300 A, using attached English machine translation) in view of Ishii (US 20030173030 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches an apparatus for processing a substrate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0027], substrate processing apparatus 10), comprising:
a process chamber configured to define an interior space for internally processing a substrate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0028], process chamber 100 defines treatment space 101 for treating a substrate within);
a substrate support unit configured to support the substrate in the interior space (Kim, Fig. 1, [0033], substrate supporting unit 200 supports substrate W in processing space 101);
a dielectric plate disposed above the substrate support unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], dielectric plate 700 is disposed above substrate supporting unit 200);
an antenna unit disposed over or above the dielectric plate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], antenna 500 is disposed above dielectric plate 700), and including a through-hole (Kim, Fig. 1, [0048], hole 502 in center of antenna 500);
a microwave application unit configured to apply microwaves to the antenna unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0039], microwave applying unit 400 applies microwaves to the antenna 500);
a slow-wave plate disposed on the antenna unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0049], wave plate 600 is disposed on antenna 500); and
wherein an entirety of an inner sidewall of the process chamber is directly exposed to plasma generated within the process chamber (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], processing space 101 is open to the inner sidewalls of chamber 100, within which plasma is generated).
Kim fails to teach an antenna unit shaped into a frustum, having a truncated cone or prismoidal shape;
an air gap interposed between the antenna unit and the dielectric plate, and
the air gap is shaped into the frustum, having the truncated cone or prismoidal shape.
However, Ishii teaches an antenna unit shaped into a frustum, having a truncated cone or prismoidal shape (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped);
an air gap interposed between the antenna unit and the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, bottom outside edges of conductive plate 31A are in contact with dielectric plate 13, and there is a gap between the remainder of conductive plate 31A not in contact with dielectric 13), and
the air gap is shaped into the frustum, having the truncated cone or prismoidal shape (Ishii, Fig. 19, bottom outside edges of conductive plate 31A are in contact with dielectric plate 13, and there is a gap between the remainder of conductive plate 31A not in contact with dielectric 13).
Ishii is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. When the antenna 500 having a central through-hole of Kim (Kim, Fig. 1) is modified to be conically shaped in the manner of conductive plate 31A of Ishii (Ishii, Fig. 19), the claim limitations are met. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 2, Kim teaches wherein the antenna unit has a bottom end that is in contact with an edge of the dielectric plate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], bottom end of antenna 500 is in contact with edge of dielectric plate 700).
Regarding claim 3, Kim teaches wherein the slow-wave plate surrounds outer surfaces of the antenna unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0049], wave plate 600 is disposed on antenna 500).
Regarding claim 4, Kim fails to teach wherein the antenna unit is shaped into a truncated cone.
However, Ishii teaches wherein the antenna unit is shaped into a truncated cone (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped).
When the antenna 500 having a central through-hole of Kim (Kim, Fig. 1) is modified to be conically shaped in the manner of conductive plate 31A of Ishii (Ishii, Fig. 19), the claim limitations are met. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 7, Kim fails to teach wherein the antenna unit has side surfaces formed with a plurality of slots.
However, Ishii teaches wherein the antenna unit has side surfaces formed with a plurality of slots (Ishii, Fig. 19, [0054], slots 34 are formed in side surfaces of conductive plate 31A).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 8, Kim fails to teach wherein the antenna unit has a trapezoidal cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to a top surface of the dielectric plate.
However, Ishii teaches wherein the antenna unit has a trapezoidal cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to a top surface of the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped).
When the antenna 500 having a central through-hole of Kim (Kim, Fig. 1) is modified to be conically shaped in the manner of conductive plate 31A of Ishii (Ishii, Fig. 19), the resulting truncated cone shape of the antenna has a cross section that is a trapezoid, wherein the top and bottom are flat, connected by sloping sides on each end. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 9, Kim fails to teach wherein the antenna unit has varying cross-sections cut in a direction parallel to a top surface of the dielectric plate to provide gradually increasing cross- sections from top to bottom ends of the antenna unit.
However, Ishii teaches wherein the antenna unit has varying cross-sections cut in a direction parallel to a top surface of the dielectric plate to provide gradually increasing cross- sections from top to bottom ends of the antenna unit (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped, where the diameter of conductive plate 31A increases moving from top to bottom).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 10, Kim teaches an apparatus for processing a substrate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0027], substrate processing apparatus 10), comprising:
a process chamber configured to define an interior space for internally processing a substrate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0028], process chamber 100 defines treatment space 101 for treating a substrate within);
a substrate support unit configured to support the substrate in the interior space (Kim, Fig. 1, [0033], substrate supporting unit 200 supports substrate W in processing space 101);
a dielectric plate disposed above the substrate support unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], dielectric plate 700 is disposed above substrate supporting unit 200);
an antenna unit disposed over or above the dielectric plate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], antenna 500 is disposed above dielectric plate 700);
a microwave application unit configured to apply microwaves to the antenna unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0039], microwave applying unit 400 applies microwaves to the antenna 500); and
wherein the antenna unit has a top end that is connected to a bottom end of the microwave application unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0048], lower end of inner conductor 434 of microwave unit 400 passes through hole 502 and is coupled to antenna 500),
the side surfaces of the antenna unit have a bottom end that is in contact with an edge of the dielectric plate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], bottom end of antenna 500 is in contact with edge of dielectric plate 700), and
an entirety of an inner sidewall of the process chamber is directly exposed to plasma generated within the process chamber (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], processing space 101 is open to the inner sidewalls of chamber 100, within which plasma is generated).
Kim fails to teach an antenna unit including side surfaces inclined with respect to a top surface of the dielectric plate, the antenna unit being shaped into a frustum;
an air gap interposed between the antenna unit and the dielectric plate,
the bottom end of the antenna unit is larger than the top end of the antenna unit in cross- section as taken in a direction parallel to the top surface of the dielectric plate, and
the air gap includes side surfaces inclined with respect to a top surface of the dielectric plate, the air gap being shaped into the frustum, and the bottom end of the air gap is larger than the top end of the air gap in cross-section as taken in a direction parallel to the top surface of the dielectric plate.
However, Ishii teaches an antenna unit including side surfaces inclined with respect to a top surface of the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped, where sides are sloped/inclined with respect to parallel dielectric plate 13 surface);
an air gap interposed between the antenna unit and the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, bottom outside edges of conductive plate 31A are in contact with dielectric plate 13, and there is a gap between the remainder of conductive plate 31A not in contact with dielectric 13),
the bottom end of the antenna unit is larger than the top end of the antenna unit in cross- section as taken in a direction parallel to the top surface of the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped, where the diameter of conductive plate 31A increases moving from top to bottom, where the cross-section plane is taken parallel with dielectric plate), and
the air gap includes side surfaces inclined with respect to a top surface of the dielectric plate, the air gap being shaped into the frustum, and the bottom end of the air gap is larger than the top end of the air gap in cross-section as taken in a direction parallel to the top surface of the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, bottom outside edges of conductive plate 31A are in contact with dielectric plate 13, and there is a gap between the remainder of conductive plate 31A not in contact with dielectric 13, where the area of the gap decreases when moving from the bottom to the top of the plate 31A in a vertical direction).
When the antenna 500 having a central through-hole of Kim (Kim, Fig. 1) is modified to be conically shaped in the manner of conductive plate 31A of Ishii (Ishii, Fig. 19), the claim limitations are met. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 11, Kim fails to teach wherein the side surfaces of the antenna unit are inclined and connected to the top surface of the dielectric plate at an inclination angle of less than 90 degrees.
However, Ishii teaches wherein the side surfaces of the antenna unit are inclined and connected to the top surface of the dielectric plate at an inclination angle of less than 90 degrees (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped, where sides are sloped/inclined at an angle less than 90 degrees with respect to parallel dielectric plate 13 surface).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 12, Kim teaches a through-hole formed between the top end of the antenna unit and the bottom end of the antenna unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0048], hole 502 in center of antenna 500) shaped into the frustum.
As mentioned previously in the rejection of claim 10 above, from which this claim depends, when the antenna 500 having a central through-hole of Kim (Kim, Fig. 1) is modified to be conically shaped in the manner of conductive plate 31A of Ishii (Ishii, Fig. 19), the claim limitations are met. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 13, Kim fails to teach a slow-wave plate disposed on the antenna unit and surrounding the side surfaces of the antenna unit, which are inclined.
However, Ishii teaches a slow-wave plate disposed on the antenna unit and surrounding the side surfaces of the antenna unit, which are inclined (Ishii, Fig. 19, [0063], delay member 39 accommodates side surfaces of conically sloped conductive member 31A).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 14, Kim fails to teach a slow-wave plate disposed on the antenna unit and surrounding the side surfaces of the antenna unit, which are inclined.
However, Ishii teaches a slow-wave plate disposed on the antenna unit and surrounding the side surfaces of the antenna unit, which are inclined (Ishii, Fig. 19, [0063], delay member 39 accommodates side surfaces of conically sloped conductive member 31A).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 16, Kim teaches an apparatus for processing a substrate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0027], substrate processing apparatus 10), comprising:
a process chamber configured to define an interior space for internally processing a substrate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0028], process chamber 100 defines treatment space 101 for treating a substrate within);
a substrate support unit configured to support the substrate in the interior space (Kim, Fig. 1, [0033], substrate supporting unit 200 supports substrate W in processing space 101);
a dielectric plate disposed above the substrate support unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], dielectric plate 700 is disposed above substrate supporting unit 200);
an antenna unit disposed over or above the dielectric plate (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], antenna 500 is disposed above dielectric plate 700);
a microwave application unit configured to apply microwaves to the antenna unit (Kim, Fig. 1, [0039], microwave applying unit 400 applies microwaves to the antenna 500); and
an entirety of an inner sidewall of the process chamber is directly exposed to plasma generated within the process chamber (Kim, Fig. 1, [0050], processing space 101 is open to the inner sidewalls of chamber 100, within which plasma is generated).
Kim fails to teach an antenna unit including side surfaces inclined with respect to a top surface of the dielectric plate, the antenna unit being shaped into a frustum;
an air gap between the antenna unit and the dielectric plate,
wherein the antenna unit has a trapezoidal cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the dielectric plate,
the air gap includes side surfaces inclined with respect to a top surface of the dielectric plate, the air gap being shaped into the frustum, and the air gap has a trapezoidal cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the dielectric plate.
However, Ishii teaches an antenna unit including side surfaces inclined with respect to a top surface of the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped, where sides are sloped/inclined at an angle less than 90 degrees with respect to parallel dielectric plate 13 surface), the antenna unit being shaped into a frustum;
an air gap between the antenna unit and the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, bottom outside edges of conductive plate 31A are in contact with dielectric plate 13, and there is a gap between the remainder of conductive plate 31A not in contact with dielectric 13),
wherein the antenna unit has a trapezoidal cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped),
the air gap includes side surfaces inclined with respect to a top surface of the dielectric plate, the air gap being shaped into the frustum, and the air gap has a trapezoidal cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the dielectric plate (Ishii, Fig. 19, bottom outside edges of conductive plate 31A are in contact with dielectric plate 13, and there is a gap between the remainder of conductive plate 31A not in contact with dielectric 13, where the area of the gap decreases when moving from the bottom to the top of the plate 31A in a vertical direction).
When the antenna 500 having a central through-hole of Kim (Kim, Fig. 1) is modified to be conically shaped in the manner of conductive plate 31A of Ishii (Ishii, Fig. 19), the claim limitations are met. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 17, Kim fails to teach wherein the antenna unit has the side surfaces inclined and formed with a plurality of slots.
However, Ishii teaches wherein the antenna unit has the side surfaces inclined (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped, where sides are sloped/inclined at an angle less than 90 degrees with respect to parallel dielectric plate 13 surface) and formed with a plurality of slots (Ishii, Fig. 19, [0054], slots 34 are formed in side surfaces of conductive plate 31A).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 18, Kim fails to teach a slow-wave plate disposed on the antenna unit and surrounding the side surfaces of the antenna unit, which are inclined.
However, Ishii teaches a slow-wave plate disposed on the antenna unit and surrounding the side surfaces of the antenna unit, which are inclined (Ishii, Fig. 19, [0063], delay member 39 accommodates side surfaces of conically sloped conductive member 31A).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Regarding claim 19, Kim fails to teach wherein the antenna unit has varying cross-sections cut in a direction parallel to the top surface of the dielectric plate to provide gradually increasing cross-sections from top to bottom ends of the antenna unit.
However, Ishii teaches wherein the antenna unit has varying cross-sections cut in a direction parallel to the top surface of the dielectric plate to provide gradually increasing cross-sections from top to bottom ends of the antenna unit (Ishii, Fig. 19, conductive plate 31A is conically shaped, where the diameter of conductive plate 31A increases moving from top to bottom, where the cross-section plane is taken parallel with dielectric plate).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have altered the slow-wave plate and antenna of Kim from a flat shape to a conical shape as taught by Ishii as doing so produces a more uniform plasma distribution when using a conical shape, avoiding a high plasma density generation at the center when the conventional flat parallel plates are used (Ishii, Figs. 5A-5B, [0074]).
Response to Arguments
In the Applicant’s response filed 04/10/2026, the Applicant asserts that none of the cited prior art, particularly Jang, teach the claim limitations “wherein an entirety of an inner sidewall of the process chamber is directly exposed to plasma generated within the process chamber" of independent claim 1 (and similarly claims 10 and 16) as newly amended. In response to the amendments, the Examiner has newly rejected the claims in the “Claims Rejections” sections above, thereby rendering the arguments moot.
In the Applicant’s response, the Applicant asserts that reference Ishii does not teach the air gap and wherein "the air gap is shaped into the frustrum, having the truncated cone or prismoidal shape [of the antenna unit]". The Applicant points to Figures 1, 12, 17, and 18 of Ishii in support of the argument. The Examiner has carefully considered the arguments but does not find them persuasive. Figs. 1, 12, 17, and 18 of Ishii show an additional rectangular gap between the area defined under the cone-shaped antenna and the dielectric. However, the Examiner relies upon the embodiment of Fig. 19 of Ishii, where the only gap area is defined by the cone shaped antenna and flat surface of the dielectric (Ishii, Fig. 19, bottom outside edges of conductive plate 31A are in contact with dielectric plate 13, and there is a gap between the remainder of conductive plate 31A not in contact with dielectric 13).When the antenna 500 having a central through-hole of Kim (Kim, Fig. 1) is modified to be conically shaped in the manner of conductive plate 31A of Ishii (Ishii, Fig. 19), the claim limitations are met wherein the air gap space is defined by the sloped sides of the antenna and top surface of the dielectric.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Kim (KR 20170046997 A) teaches similar apparatus with air gap defined by shape of upper surface of dielectric.
Kim (KR 20170046999 A) teaches similar apparatus with air gap defined by altering upper surface of dielectric.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TODD M SEOANE whose telephone number is (703)756-4612. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/TODD M SEOANE/Examiner, Art Unit 1718
/GORDON BALDWIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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