DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-10, in the reply filed on 12/17/2025 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: the status identifier is incorrect because applicant elected Group I which includes claim 10. Claim 10 is not considered as withdrawn for the purposes of this examination. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 9, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by OSHIMA et al. (USPGPUB 2023/0095452).
Regarding claim 1, OSHIMA et al. disclose a device, comprising:
a movable blade (24) configured to receive a semiconductor wafer (W); and
a positional sensor (see “cameras” in paragraphs [0069] and [0071]) configured to detect a position (see “the teaching position” in paragraph [0074]) of the semiconductor wafer on a surface (243-246) of the movable blade (24), relative to a stationary body (11-14 or 31-34);
wherein the movable blade (24) is further configured to move with respect to the stationary body to cause a displacement of the semiconductor wafer relative to the movable blade (see Figures 1-2 and paragraphs [0069]-[0071]); and
the positional sensor is physically coupled to the movable blade (see paragraphs [0069] and [0071]).
Regarding claim 9, OSHIMA et al. disclose the device of claim 1, wherein:
the positional sensor comprises an image sensor (see “cameras” in paragraphs [0069] and [0071]), coupled to the movable blade, to generate positional image data for:
the semiconductor wafer adhered to the movable blade; or
a chamber (243-246) associated with the semiconductor wafer;
a memory device (100) to store the positional image data; and
one or more processors (100), configured to:
compare the positional image data to a threshold to determine whether the position of the semiconductor wafer is within a position range (see paragraphs [0074]-[0078]); and
adjust the position of the semiconductor wafer, based on the determination of whether the position of the semiconductor wafer is within the position range (see paragraphs [0074]-[0078]).
Regarding claim 10, OSHIMA et al. disclose the device of claim 9, further comprising:
a machine learning model to ingest:
the positional image data for a plurality of semiconductor wafers (see paragraphs [0074]-[0078]); and
yield data for the plurality of semiconductor wafers (see paragraphs [0074]-[0078]);
wherein the machine learning model is configured to determine an association between the positional image data and the yield data for the plurality of semiconductor wafers (see paragraphs [0074]-[0078]); and
wherein the threshold is adjusted, based on the determined association (see paragraphs [0074]-[0078]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miu et al. (USPGPUB 2014/0277727) and further in view of OSHIMA et al. (USPGPUB 2023/0095452).
Regarding claim 1, Miu et al. disclose a device, comprising:
a movable blade (300) configured to receive a semiconductor wafer (see paragraph [0023]); and
a positional sensor (see paragraphs [0023]) configured to detect the semiconductor wafer on a surface of the movable blade (300);
wherein the movable blade (300) is further configured to move with respect to the stationary body to cause a displacement of the semiconductor wafer relative to the movable blade (see paragraph [0020]); and
the positional sensor is physically coupled to the movable blade (see paragraph [0023]).
However, they do not disclose a positional sensor configured to detect a position of the semiconductor wafer on a surface of the movable blade, relative to a stationary body. OSHIMA et al. disclose a device, comprising: a positional sensor (see “cameras” in paragraphs [0069] and [0071]) configured to detect a position (see “the teaching position” in paragraph [0074]) of the semiconductor wafer on a surface (243-246) of the movable blade (24), relative to a stationary body (11-14 or 31-34). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device disclosed by Miu et al. by including a positional sensor configured to detect a position of the semiconductor wafer on a surface of the movable blade, relative to a stationary body, as disclosed by OSHIMA et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing wafer-shaped inspection devices having cameras (see paragraph [0069]).
Regarding claim 2, Miu et al. disclose the device of claim 1, wherein:
the device comprises a vacuum interface to adhere the semiconductor wafer to the movable blade (see paragraph [0023]);
a vacuum of the vacuum interface is selectively disengageable (see paragraph [0035]); and
the vacuum interface is configured to disengage the vacuum interface prior to the displacement of the semiconductor wafer relative to the movable blade, and thereupon engage the vacuum interface prior to a coupled movement of the semiconductor wafer and the movable blade (see paragraph [0023]).
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over OSHIMA et al. (USPGPUB 2023/0095452) as applied to claims 1, 9, and 10 above, and further in view of MALIK et al. (USPGPUB 2021/0225687).
Regarding claim 3, OSHIMA et al. disclose the device of claim 1. However, they do not disclose a device further comprising:
a contact sensor coupled to the movable blade to determine a temperature of the semiconductor wafer adhered thereto.
MALIK et al. disclose a device further comprising:
a contact sensor coupled to the movable blade to determine a temperature of the semiconductor wafer adhered thereto (see paragraph [0062]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device disclosed by OSHIMA et al. by including a device further comprising: a contact sensor coupled to the movable blade to determine a temperature of the semiconductor wafer adhered thereto, as disclosed by MALIK et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a sensor on the blade that can monitor the temperature of the substrate (see paragraph [0062]).
Regarding claim 4, OSHIMA et al. disclose the device of claim 1. However, they do not disclose a device further comprising:
a non-contact sensor coupled to the movable blade to determine a temperature of the semiconductor wafer adhered thereto.
MALIK et al. disclose a device further comprising:
a non-contact sensor coupled to the movable blade to determine a temperature of the semiconductor wafer adhered thereto (see “any part” along with the rest of paragraph [0062]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device disclosed by OSHIMA et al. by including a device further comprising: a non-contact sensor coupled to the movable blade to determine a temperature of the semiconductor wafer adhered thereto, as disclosed by MALIK et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a sensor on the blade that can monitor the temperature of the substrate (see paragraph [0062]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: dependent claim 5 discloses, “a plurality of temperature sensors to determine a temperature of a plurality of zones of the semiconductor wafer, the plurality of zones being concentrically spaced from one another” which, in combination with the rest of the claim language of claims 1 and 5, teaches an apparatus that is novel over the prior art of record. Dependent claim 6 discloses, “a second sensor to detect a gap between the semiconductor wafer and an additional semiconductor wafer” which, in combination with the rest of the claim language of claims 1, 2, and 6, teaches an apparatus that is novel over the prior art of record. Dependent claim 7 discloses, “adjust a temperature of the temperature controlled chamber, based on the determination of whether the temperature data is within the temperature range” which, in combination with the rest of the claim language of claims 1 and 7, teaches an apparatus that is novel over the prior art of record.
Claims 21-24 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: independent claim 21 discloses, “a plurality of temperature sensors to determine temperatures of a plurality of zones of the semiconductor wafer” which, in combination with the rest of the claim language, teaches an apparatus that is novel over the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL COLLINS whose telephone number is (571)272-8970. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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M.K.C.
1/7/2026
/MICHAEL COLLINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655