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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/06/2026 has been entered.
Claim Status
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claims 1, 8-9, and 11 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 1-12 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada (US 20200402778 A1), further in view of Nguyen (US 20200152423 A1) and Wickramanayaka (US 6462482 B1).
Regarding claim 1, Yamada teaches a substrate treatment apparatus (Fig. 1, [0028], plasma processing apparatus 1) comprising:
a lower electrode formed of a dielectric (Fig. 2, [0035], electrostatic chuck 20 of substrate support 16 is made of a dielectric);
a first AC power supply that is connected to a first internal electrode included in the lower electrode and supplies AC power with a first frequency (Fig. 2, [0044], RF power supply 61 is connected to electrode plate 21 of substrate support 16 and supplies an RF power with a frequency of 60 MHz);
a heater included in the lower electrode to heat the lower electrode (Fig. 2, [0053], heater 19 is included in substrate support 16);
a first filter circuit connected to the heater and comprising a first node (Fig. 2, [0055], filter groups FTG1 and FTG2 are connected to heater 19, and to power supply 74 via line ML); and
a second AC power supply connected to the heater via the filter circuit and used for the heater (Fig. 2, [0054], power is supplied from a heater power supply 74 to the heaters 19).
Yamada fails to teach wherein the filter circuit further comprises a parallel circuit on a first pathway between the heater and the first node, a first inductor and a first capacitor in series on a second pathway between the first node and ground, wherein the first inductor and the first capacitor connect the parallel circuit to ground, wherein the first node connects to the first AC power supply in a third pathway, and wherein the second pathway and the third pathway are connected only at the first node; and
wherein the parallel circuit connects a first low-pass filter with a cut-off frequency that is lower than the first frequency and a high-pass filter with a cut-off frequency that is higher than the first frequency in parallel.
However, Nguyen teaches the filter circuit further comprises a parallel circuit on a first pathway between the heater and the first node, and wherein the parallel circuit connects a first low-pass filter with a cut-off frequency that is lower than the first frequency and a high-pass filter with a cut-off frequency that is higher than the first frequency in parallel (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024], RF filter system 135 is coupled between heater power supply 133 and heating element 214, where multistage RF filters 252 and 254 are in parallel, and each multistage RF filter has stages 252/254a-252/254c which are configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, [0027]).
Nguyen is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Modified Yamada fails to teach a first inductor and a first capacitor in series on a second pathway between the first node and ground, wherein the first inductor and the first capacitor connect the parallel circuit to ground, wherein the first node connects to the first AC power supply in a third pathway, and wherein the second pathway and the third pathway are connected only at the first node.
However, Wickramanayaka teaches a first inductor and a first capacitor in series on a second pathway between the first node and ground, wherein the first inductor and the first capacitor connect the parallel circuit to ground, wherein the first node connects to the first AC power supply in a third pathway, and wherein the second pathway and the third pathway are connected only at the first node (Wickramanayaka, Fig. 2, C7 L10-27, filter 33 comprised of inductor 34 and capacitor connected in series to ground is connected at point of transmission line where one end leads to electrode 14 and the other end leads to AC power source 31.
Wickramanayaka is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the filter of inductor and capacitor in series with ground placed before the AC power supply as taught by Wickramanayaka into the apparatus of modified Yamada as doing so would make a ground path for HF or VHF current coming into the lower electrode, thereby protecting the AC power supply (Wickramanayaka, C7 L10-27).
Regarding claim 2, Yamada teaches wherein the first filter circuit includes a second low-pass filter with a cut-off frequency that is lower than the first frequency between the heater and the parallel circuit (Fig. 3, [0055], filter group FTG1 is located between heater 19 and filter group FTG2, where FTG1 contains one or more filters FT11 that blocks or attenuates a radio frequency power from a corresponding heater 19 to the heater power supply 74).
Regarding claim 3, Yamada teaches wherein the first frequency is 60 MHz (Fig. 2, [0044], RF power supply 61 is connected to electrode plate 21 of substrate support 16 and supplies an RF power with a frequency of 60 MHz).
Regarding claim 4, Yamada teaches a third AC power supply that supplies AC power with a second frequency that is lower than the first frequency (Fig. 2, [0045], RF power supply 62 provides RF power at a frequency within a range of 400 kHz to 13.56 MHz, which is lower than the first frequency provided by RF power supply 61 of 60 MHz).
Yamada fails to teach a second filter circuit that attenuates the AC power with the second frequency.
However, Nguyen teaches a second filter circuit that attenuates the AC power with the second frequency (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024], RF filter system 135 is coupled between heater power supply 133 and heating element 214, where multistage RF filters 252 and 254 are in parallel, and each multistage RF filter has stages 252/254a-252/254c which are configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 5, Yamada teaches wherein the second frequency is 430 kHz (Fig. 2, [0045], RF power supply 62 provides RF power at a frequency within a range of 400 kHz to 13.56 MHz, e.g., 400 kHz). In the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists. See MPEP 2144.05(I).
Regarding claim 6, Yamada teaches a second internal electrode included in the lower electrode (Fig. 2, [0035], electrode 20e is provided in electrostatic chuck 20 of substrate support 16); and a DC power supply connected to the second internal electrode via the third filter circuit and used for an electrostatic chuck (Fig. 2, [0035], DC power supply 20p is connected to electrode 20e and is used for attracting substrate W onto electrostatic chuck 20).
Yamada fails to teach a third filter circuit connected to the second internal electrode.
However, Nguyen teaches a third filter circuit connected to the second internal electrode (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024], RF filter 250 is connected between DC power supply 132 and electrode 212).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the RF filter of Nguyen between the DC chucking power supply and electrode of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the ESC chucking connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 7, Yamada fails to teach wherein the first low pass filter comprises a second inductor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply.
However, Nguyen teaches wherein the first low pass filter comprises a second inductor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage and configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has an inductor 262/264).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 8, Yamada fails to teach wherein the first low pass filter comprises a second capacitor and a second node, wherein the second capacitor is disposed between the second node and ground.
However, Nguyen teaches wherein the first low pass filter comprises a second capacitor and a second node, wherein the second capacitor is disposed between the second node and ground (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage and configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has a capacitor 272/274, where the circuits are connected to ground between the capacitors/inductors and the heater, and the power supply 133).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 9, Yamada fails to teach wherein the first low pass filter comprises a second inductor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply, a second node, and a second capacitor provided between the second node and ground.
However, Nguyen teaches wherein the first low pass filter comprises a second inductor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply, a second node, and a second capacitor provided between the second node and ground (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage and configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has a capacitor 272/274 and inductor 262/264, where the circuits are connected to ground between the capacitors/inductors and the heater, and the power supply 133).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 10, Yamada fails to teach wherein the high pass filter comprises a third capacitor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply.
However, Nguyen teaches wherein the high pass filter comprises a third capacitor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage and configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has a capacitor 272/274).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 11, Yamada fails to teach wherein the high pass filter comprises a third inductor provided between a third node and ground.
However, Nguyen teaches wherein the high pass filter comprises a third inductor provided between a third node and ground (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage and configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has an inductor 262/264, where the circuits are connected to ground between the capacitors/inductors and the heater, and the power supply 133).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 12, Yamada fails to teach wherein the high pass filter comprises a third capacitor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply, and a third inductor provided between the heater and ground.
However, Nguyen teaches wherein the high pass filter comprises a third capacitor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply, and a third inductor provided between the heater and ground (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage and configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has a capacitor 272/274 and inductor 262/264).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 18, Yamada teaches a second filter circuit provided between the second AC power supply and the first filter circuit (Yamada, Fig. 3, [0055]-[0056], filter group FTG2 is provided between filter group FTG1 and power supply 74) comprising an eighth inductor and a sixth capacitor (Yamada, Fig. 3, [0055]-[0056], filter group FTG2 has filter FT21 comprised of an inductor and capacitor).
Yamada fails to teach a second filter circuit provided between the second AC power supply and the first filter circuit comprising a seventh inductor and a fifth capacitor, wherein the seventh inductor and the fifth capacitor are connected in parallel and are provided between the parallel circuit and the second AC power supply.
However, Nguyen teaches a second filter circuit provided between the second AC power supply and the first filter circuit comprising a seventh inductor and a fifth capacitor (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has a capacitor 272/274 and inductor 262/264), wherein the seventh inductor and the fifth capacitor are connected in parallel and are provided between the parallel circuit and the second AC power supply (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has a capacitor 272/274 and inductor 262/264, where the capacitor and inductor are provided in parallel).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 19, Yamada teaches wherein the eighth inductor and the sixth capacitor are provided between the second AC power supply and ground (Yamada, Fig. 3, [0055]-[0056], inductor and capacitor of filter FT21 are provided between power supply 74 and ground).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentableover Yamada (US 20200402778 A1) in view of Nguyen (US 20200152423 A1) and Wickramanayaka (US 6462482 B1), as applied in claims 1-12 and 18-19 above, and further in view of Cheng (US 20190245505 A1).
The limitations of claims 1-12 and 18-19 are set forth above.
Regarding claim 13, modified Yamada fails to teach wherein the high pass filter comprises a first resistor provided between the heater and the third capacitor.
However, Cheng teaches wherein the high pass filter comprises a first resistor provided between the heater and the third capacitor (Cheng, Fig. 2, [0053], capacitor branch 4 may include a resistor connected in series with the capacitor C, where the capacitor C is located between the power source 11 and load 2).
Cheng is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the series resistor as taught by Cheng into the apparatus of modified Yamada as doing so would allow for filtering a specific frequency of a high frequency signal by choosing/altering the resistance value of the resistor (Cheng, [0053]).
Claims 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentableover Yamada (US 20200402778 A1) in view of Nguyen (US 20200152423 A1) and Wickramanayaka (US 6462482 B1), as applied in claims 1-12 and 18-19 above, and further in view of Chawla (US 20020149445 A1).
The limitations of claims 1-12 and 18-19 are set forth above.
Regarding claim 14, Yamada teaches wherein the second low-pass filter comprises a fifth inductor, wherein the fifth inductor is provided between the heater and ground (Yamada, Fig. 3, [0055], the inductor of FT11 is provided between heater 19 and ground).
Yamada fails to teach wherein the second low-pass filter comprises a fourth inductor, and a sixth inductor, wherein the fourth inductor is provided between the heater and the fifth and sixth inductors, wherein the fifth inductor is provided between the fourth inductor and ground, and wherein the sixth inductor is provided between the fourth inductor and the parallel circuit.
However, Chawla teaches wherein the second low-pass filter comprises a fourth inductor (Chawla, Fig. 4, [0032], inductance input L2), a fifth inductor (Chawla, Fig. 4, [0032], inductance input L4), and a sixth inductor (Chawla, Fig. 4, [0032], inductance input L1), wherein the fourth inductor is provided between the heater and the fifth and sixth inductors (Chawla, Fig. 4, [0032], L2 is provided between RF out and L1/L4), wherein the fifth inductor is provided between the fourth inductor and ground (Chawla, Fig. 4, [0032], L4 is provided between L1/L2 and ground), and wherein the sixth inductor is provided between the fourth inductor and the parallel circuit (Chawla, Fig. 4, [0032], L1 is provided between RF in and L2/L4).
Chawla is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the inductors on either side of the second low pass filter of modified Yamada as doing so would allow for an inductance effect due to the parallel high pass filter circuits to be offset and absorbed (Chawla, [0032]).
Regarding claim 15, Yamada teaches wherein the second low-pass filter further comprises a fourth capacitor provided between the fifth inductor and ground (Yamada, Fig. 3, [0055], a capacitor is provided between the inductor of FT11 and ground).
Regarding claim 16, Yamada fails to teach wherein the first low pass filter comprises a second inductor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply, and a second capacitor provided between the heater and ground, and wherein the high pass filter comprises a third capacitor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply, and a third inductor provided between the heater and ground.
However, Nguyen teaches wherein the first low pass filter comprises a second inductor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply, and a second capacitor provided between the heater and ground (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage and configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has a capacitor 272/274 and inductor 262/264), and wherein the high pass filter comprises a third capacitor provided between the heater and the second AC power supply, and a third inductor provided between the heater and ground (Nguyen, Fig. 2, [0024]-[0031], each RF filter 252/254, which are multistage and configured to attenuate electromagnetic interferences having frequencies that are greater than or less than 13.56 MHz and/or greater than or less than 60 MHz, is provided between the heating element 214 and power supply 133, and has a capacitor 272/274 and inductor 262/264).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have incorporated the parallel circuit multistage RF filter system of Nguyen between the filter group FTG1 and filter FT21 of Yamada as doing so would allow the apparatus to reject two different configurable frequencies of RF power from harming the heater connection lines (Nguyen, [0003], [0027]).
Regarding claim 17, Yamada teaches wherein the first frequency is 60 MHz (Yamada, Fig. 2, [0044], RF power supply 61 is connected to electrode plate 21 of substrate support 16 and supplies an RF power with a frequency of 60 MHz), and wherein the second frequency is 430 kHz (Yamada, Fig. 2, [0045], RF power supply 62 provides RF power at a frequency within a range of 400 kHz to 13.56 MHz).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentableover Yamada (US 20200402778 A1) in view of Nguyen (US 20200152423 A1) and Wickramanayaka (US 6462482 B1), as applied in claims 1-12 and 18-19 above, and further in view of Mishra (US 20200243303 A1).
The limitations of claims 1-12 and 18-19 are set forth above.
Regarding claim 20, while Yamada teaches that the electrostatic chuck is made from a dielectric material (Yamada, Fig. 2, [0035], main body 20m is a dielectric), Yamada fails to explicitly teach wherein the material comprises AlN.
However, Mishra teaches wherein the lower electrode comprises AlN (Misha, Fig. 1, [0019], substrate support 111A is formed of a dielectric material such as AlN).
Mishra is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of semiconductor processing. It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing to have used AlN as the dielectric material for the electrostatic chuck body of Yamada as doing so would help impart corrosion resistance to the chuck (Mishra, [0019]).
Response to Arguments
In the Applicant’s response filed 2/6/2026, the Applicant asserts that none of the cited prior art teach the claim limitation “a first filter circuit connected to the heater and comprising a first node, wherein the filter circuit further comprises a parallel circuit on a first pathway between the heater and the first node, a first inductor and a first capacitor in series on a second pathway between the first node and ground, wherein the first inductor and the first capacitor connect the parallel circuit to ground, wherein the first node connects to the first AC power supply in a third pathway, and wherein the second pathway and the third pathway are connected only at the first node” of independent claim 1 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Howald (US 10020168 B1) teaches a shunt circuit comprised of a series inductor and capacitor connected to ground located between a series circuit and RF generator.
Todorov (US 20070284344 A1) teaches parallel circuits on heater lines with inductors and capacitors.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at 571-272-5166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TODD M SEOANE/Examiner, Art Unit 1718 /GORDON BALDWIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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