Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s Arguments/Remarks filed 6/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, see Remarks, pgs. 14-21, that: Bullock does not teach or suggest "wherein the charging of the charging region comprises: irradiating the charging electron beam to the charging region without irradiating the non-charging region," and "wherein the scanning of the inspection region comprises: irradiating the scanning electron beam to the charging region and the non-charging region of the inspection region," as recited in claim 1.
In response to item(s) 2 above, the examiner disagrees. The examiner is giving the claims their broadest reasonable interpretation.
BULLOCK (US 20090114817 A1) discloses that the defocused charging beam (fig. 6, 202) and imaging focused beam (201) can overlap (at 201 on 202) and can be non-overlapping (201 separate from 202) [0025] [0097]. See (fig. 6, charging defocused beam areas 202, which are separate from imaging focused beam areas 201),
[0025 Note multiple focused scan lines are positioned between adjacent ones of the multiple de-focused scan lines];
[0096 Note de-focused scan line is transverse to the focused scan line as shown in FIG. 6],
[0097 Note multiple focused scan lines are interspersed between adjacent de-focused scan lines];
(reference’s claims 4 and 14 Note de-focused scan line is transverse to the focused scan line).
(reference’s claim 6 and 16 Note multiple focused scan lines are interspersed between adjacent ones of the multiple de-focused scan lines).
(see reference’s claims 1, 4, 6 and 11, 14 and 16).
From the above, BULLOCK discloses focused scan lines interspersed between/positioned between de focused scan lines. Therefore, imaging focused scan lines can be “interspersed between” and/or “positioned between “ adjacent de-focused scan lines. Therefor gaps between adjacent defocused scan lines that focused scan lines are positioned in. Therefore, some areas can be charged (via defocused 202 beams) and not (area in between defocused scan lines (of 202) ; and that the imaging beam (201) can have scan lines on those non-charged areas/ interspersed between/positioned between the de focused scan lines.
Also, BULLOCK discloses imaging beam (201) can image a portion of the defocused beams charged areas (fig. 6; of 202). Therefore, BULLOCK discloses imaging beams (201) scanning charged areas (of 202) (abstract) and non charged areas (interspersed between/positioned between defocused scan lines of 202).
Allowable Subject Matter
1. Claim(s) 10-16 is/are allowed. Claim 11 is rejoined for depending upon allowable claim 10.
2. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art search failed to disclose a method of inspecting a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
dividing an inspection region of a semiconductor device into a plurality of inspection targets including a plurality of first targets and a plurality of second targets; and
irradiating a charging electron beam to the plurality of first targets, without irradiating the charging electron beam to the plurality of second targets, by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM),
wherein the plurality of first targets are arranged in a plurality of first columns spaced apart from each other in a second direction, each first column of the plurality of first columns extending in a first direction, different from the second direction, and including at least two first targets spaced apart from each other in the first direction,
wherein the plurality of second targets are arranged in a plurality of second columns spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each second column of the plurality of second columns extending in the first direction and including at least two second targets spaced apart from each other in the first direction, and wherein each first column of the plurality of first column and each second column of the plurality of second columns are alternately arranged in the second direction.
4. The prior art search did not disclose or make obvious claim 10, with the elements of (emphasis added): irradiating a charging electron beam to the plurality of first targets, without irradiating the charging electron beam to the plurality of second targets, by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM),
wherein the plurality of first targets are arranged in a plurality of first columns spaced apart from each other in a second direction, each first column of the plurality of first columns extending in a first direction, different from the second direction, and including at least two first targets spaced apart from each other in the first direction,
wherein the plurality of second targets are arranged in a plurality of second columns spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each second column of the plurality of second columns extending in the first direction and including at least two second targets spaced apart from each other in the first direction, and wherein each first column of the plurality of first column and each second column of the plurality of second columns are alternately arranged in the second direction.
#. The dependent claims are allowable due to dependency upon their respective allowable independent claims.
#. The prior art cited, see attached PTO-892, does not disclose the above emphasized claim limitations/elements.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 18 is/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.
Concerning claim 18, the search did not find or make obvious the method of claim 17,
wherein the first inspection targets are arranged in a plurality of first columns spaced apart from each other in a second direction, each first column extending in a first direction, different from the second direction, and including at least two inspection targets, spaced apart from each other in the first direction, of the plurality of inspection targets,
wherein the other inspection targets are arranged in a plurality of second columns spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each second column extending in the first direction and including at least two inspection targets, spaced apart from each other in the first direction, of the plurality of inspection targets,
wherein each first column of the plurality of first column and each second column of the plurality of second columns are alternately arranged in the second direction, and
wherein the irradiating of the first electron beam to the inspection region comprises:
irradiating the first electron beam to inspection targets of the plurality of first columns, without irradiating the first electron beam to inspection targets of the plurality of second columns.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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) 1-2, 4, 7-9, 17 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by BULLOCK (US 20090114817 A1).
Regarding claim 1, BULLOCK discloses a method of inspecting a semiconductor device (abstract) (fig. 1, wafer 100), the method comprising:
charging an inspection region (of 100) of a semiconductor device (abstract) using a charging electron beam (figs. 4-6, defocused beam 202) [0017] [0038]; and
scanning the inspection region using a scanning electron beam (201), wherein the charging (via 202) of the inspection region comprises:
dividing the inspection region into a charging region (202 irradiated) and a non-charging region (non 202 irradiated) [0096-0097]; and
charging the charging region using the charging electron beam (202 irradiated),
wherein the charging (via defocused beam 202) of the charging region (of 100) comprises:
irradiating the charging electron beam (202) to the charging region without irradiating the non-charging region (non 202 irradiated) [0025] [0096-0097], and
wherein the scanning of the inspection region comprises:
irradiating the scanning electron beam (201) to the charging region (fig. 6, 201 on 202 areas) (abstract) and the non- charging region (fig. 6, right side- 201 on non 202 irradiated areas) [0025] [0097] (reference’s claims 6 and 16) of the inspection region (201 irradiated) [0025] [0096-0097]; and
detecting secondary electrons (14) [0008] emitted from the charging region (202 areas) and the non- charging region (201 only areas) [0025] [0097] (reference’s claims 6 and 16) of the inspection region by the scanning electron beam (201).
[0017]
[0025]
[0038]
[0096-0097].
[0025 Note multiple focused scan lines are positioned between adjacent ones of the multiple de-focused scan lines];
[0097 Note multiple focused scan lines are interspersed between adjacent de-focused scan lines];
(reference’s claim 6 and 16 Note multiple focused scan lines are interspersed between adjacent ones of the multiple de-focused scan lines).
(see reference’s claims 1, 4, 6 and 11, 14 and 16).
Regarding claim 17, BULLOCK discloses a method of inspecting a semiconductor device (abstract) (fig. 1, wafer 100), the method comprising:
irradiating a first electron beam (figs. 4-6; defocused beam 202) [0017] [0038] to first inspection targets (202 irradiated areas of 100) of a plurality of inspection targets corresponding to an inspection region (of 100) of a semiconductor device (100) without irradiating second inspection targets (non 202 irradiated areas of 100) [0025] [0096-0097] of the plurality of inspection targets [0025] [0096-0097];
irradiating a second electron beam (focused beam 201) to the first inspection targets (fig. 6; 201 on/overlapping 202 irradiated areas of 100) (abstract) and the second inspection targets (201 only irradiated areas) [0025] [0096-0097] of the inspection region [0096-0097];
detecting (14) secondary electrons [0008] emitted from the first inspection targets (201 on/at 202 areas) and the second inspection targets (201 only areas) of the inspection region by the second electron beam (201) [0096-0097]; and
analyzing the inspection region using information on the detected secondary electrons,
wherein the plurality of inspection targets (on 100) include a conductive material (abstract Note semiconductor wafer) (fig. 1, wafer 100),
(fig. 6, some areas (right side of figure 6) are shown 202 irradiated or 201 irradiated) [0025] [0096-0097].
[0017]
[0025]
[0038]
[0096-0097].
[0025 Note multiple focused scan lines are positioned between adjacent ones of the multiple de-focused scan lines];
[0097 Note multiple focused scan lines are interspersed between adjacent de-focused scan lines];
(reference’s claim 6 and 16 Note multiple focused scan lines are interspersed between adjacent ones of the multiple de-focused scan lines).
(see reference’s claims 1, 4, 6 and 11, 14 and 16).
Regarding claim 2, BULLOCK discloses that wherein the charging of the charging region (of 100) [0017] [0038] comprises: irradiating the charging electron beam (figs. 4-6, defocused beam 202) to the charging region (of 100) [0017] [0038 [0096-0097].
Regarding claim 4, BULLOCK discloses that the charging region comprises a plurality of charging targets (where 202 is irradiated) (sections of 100), and wherein the non-charging region (where only 201 or no beam is irradiated) comprises a plurality of non-charging targets [0077] [0086 Note previously acquired images, implies focused beam 201 images the target previous to charging via beam 202 and then 201 again for voltage contrast imaging] [0017] [0038] [0096-0097] [0005-0008] .
Regarding claim 7, BULLOCK discloses that analyzing the inspection region (of 100) using information on the detected secondary electrons (via 14) [0004-0006] [0067] [0086], wherein the analyzing of the inspection region comprises:
determining whether each charging target (202 charged areas of 100) of the plurality of charging targets and each non-charging target (non 202 irradiated 100 areas) of the plurality of non-charging targets is failed or not [0004-0006] [0067] [0086].
Regarding claim 8, BULLOCK discloses that the analyzing of the inspection region (of 100) comprises: forming at least one of a voltage contrast (VC) image [0086] of the inspection region and numerical data (from 14) [0067] on an amount of a current (at 14) [0067] of the detected secondary electrons (at 14)
[0067 Note amplitude data corresponds to current/number of detected secondary electrons at 14].
Regarding claim 9, BULLOCK discloses that the plurality of charging targets (of 100) (fig. 6, where 202 irradiates) are arranged in a first direction, wherein the plurality of non-charging targets (fig. 6; where 201 irradiates without 202) are arranged in the first direction, and wherein the plurality of charging targets are spaced apart (see 202 and 201 right side of fig. 6) from the plurality of non-charging targets in a second direction intersecting the first direction (see scan arrows of 202 and 201) [0055] [0084-0086].
Regarding claim 19, BULLOCK discloses that the analyzing of the inspection region (of 100) comprises: determining whether each of the inspection targets is failed or not [0004-0006] [0067] [0086].
Regarding claim 20, BULLOCK discloses that determining whether each of the inspection targets is failed or not [0004-0006] comprises: determining each of the plurality of inspection targets as failure when a current [0006] of an electrical signal by secondary electrons detected (via 14) from each inspection target (of 100) of the plurality of inspection targets is between a first value and a second value [0006 Note failure can be detected due to charging differences between the defective structure and non-defective structures; Note charging differences between implies between first and second charging values].
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Andrew Smyth whose telephone number is 571-270-1746. The examiner can normally be reached between 9:00AM - 6:00PM; Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Georgia Epps can be reached on (571) 272-2328. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW SMYTH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878
Prosecution Insights