DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/10/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicants’ submission, filed on 12/10/2025, addressing claims 1-5, 7-12 and 20 from the final rejection (09/10/2025), by amending claims 1-4 and 20 is entered and will be addressed below.
Claim Interpretation
The “a controller configured to control the substrate treating apparatus …” of claim 7 is considered as a computer ([0072]) that executes the operation in the rest of claim 7 and dependent claims. Similarly, “the controller determines …” of claim 20 is considered a controller that is capable of being programmed to perform the operation(s) that followed.
The “to be coaxial” or “is coaxial” in various claim, this is considered as laser, vision, or lighting paths are parallel and then merged into same path as shown in Fig. 8. It is not the coaxial as in the sense of a coaxial cable (e.g. for TV).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 7-10 are 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.
Claim 7 recites “a controller … comparing a reference image” which raises antecedent basis with the newly added “a controller … acquire a reference image” of claim 1. Furthermore, it is not clear whether the rest of claim 7 is narrower than amended claim 1.
Claim 7 will be examined inclusive “the controller … acquire the reference image”.
Dependent claims 8-10 are also rejected under USC 112(b) at least due to dependency to rejected claim 7.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh et al. (US 20220113619, hereafter ‘619), in view of Sun et al. (US 20230204969, hereafter ‘969), and Kim et al. (US 20050264710, hereafter ‘710).
‘619 also teaches some limitations of:
Claim 20: preparing a mask blank, the mask blank including a substrate, a reflective layer disposed on the substrate for reflecting extreme ultraviolet light, and a light absorbing layer disposed on the reflective layer; providing a photomask by forming a plurality of pattern elements having a target critical dimension from the light absorbing layer, wherein the plurality of pattern elements include a correction target pattern element to be corrected, and the correction target pattern element has a critical dimension different from the target critical dimension; identifying a correction target area of the photomask in which the correction target pattern element is disposed; applying an etchant to the photomask; and irradiating a laser beam to the correction target area while the etchant is provided on the photomask (abstract, includes the claimed “A substrate treating apparatus comprising”):
Referring to FIG. 10, the apparatus 300 for correcting the photomask in an example embodiment may include a support portion 310 configured to support the photomask 100, a chemical supply unit 340 configured to supply the chemical liquid CL to an upper surface of the photomask 100, a laser irradiation unit 360 configured to irradiate a laser beam LB to a partial area of the upper surface of the photomask 100, and a controller 390 configured to control the chemical supply unit 340 and the laser irradiation unit 360 ([0076], includes the claimed “a housing; a support within the housing and configured to support a substrate; a liquid supply configured to supply a treating liquid to the substrate supported on the support unit; a heater configured to heat the substrate to which the treating liquid is supplied”, note the enclosure of the apparatus 300 is the claimed “a housing”, see also Fig. 3 for a photomask 100, and Fig. 2 for mask substrate 110),
a controller 390 configured to control the chemical supply unit 340 and the laser irradiation unit 360 ([0076], last sentence, includes the claimed “and a controller”, the container or room holding Fig. 1 is the claimed “wherein the heater comprises
a body including a laser at which an irradiation end at one end thereof, the laser configured to irradiate a laser beam to the substrate to heat the substrate”).
‘619 further teaches that normal pattern elements may be detected by measuring a width and distance of the plurality of pattern elements, and a correction target area, having dimensions that deviate from an allowable range of the critical dimension, may be determined ([0067]), Referring back to FIG. 1, in process S16, a chemical liquid CL (e.g., an etchant) may be applied to the photomask 100, and in process S18, a laser beam LB may be irradiated to the correction target area PA1′ while the chemical liquid CL is provided on the photomask 100 ([0055], see also Fig. 7); normal pattern elements may be detected by measuring a width and distance of the plurality of pattern elements, and a correction target area, having dimensions that deviate from an allowable range of the critical dimension, may be determined ([0067], normal pattern is considered as reference image”).
‘619 does not teach the other limitations of:
Claim 20: (a body including a laser), a camera, a light source, (and an irradiation end at one end thereof),
the camera configured to monitor whether a bubble is generated at a region at which the laser beam is irradiated, such that an imaging axis of the camera is coaxial with an irradiation direction of the laser; and
the light source configured to provide a lighting to the region at which the laser beam is irradiated, such that a lighting axis of the light source is coaxial with the imaging axis of the camera, and
wherein the camera is configured to acquire a reference image of the substrate immediately after the laser beam is turned on at the laser, and acquire a substrate image at which the bubble is generated if the bubble is generated, and
the controller is configured to determine whether to continue proceeding with a substrate treatment process by comparing the reference image and the substrate image at which the bubble is generated, and terminate the substrate treatment process if a compare value is 10% or higher.
‘969 is analogous art in the field of In the present application, the lithography is the use of laser to remove materials at specific locations on the surface of the sample to be processed ([0005]). ’969 teaches that the processing real-time monitoring device 8 comprises: an image acquisition component and a light supplement component, wherein the image acquisition component is used for real-time online observation of the structure of the sample, and may specifically comprise a CCD camera or a CMOS camera, a fourth convex lens L5 and a third reflector M3. The light supplement component is used for supplying light to the surface of the sample to be processed for convenience of observation, and may specifically comprise the illumination source, a fifth convex lens L6 and a fourth reflector M4, wherein the light which is emitted from the illumination source, is reflected by the fourth reflector M4 and then enters the objective lens, the light from the surface of the sample to be processed which passes through the objective lens and then is reflected by the third reflector M3 to the camera, and the light obtained after the femtosecond laser is reflected by the second reflector M2 are coaxial (Fig. 1, [0073]), for the purpose of efficient scanning path ([0064], see also [0002]).
‘710 is analogous art in the field of photolithography ([0018]), A fabricating method and device of a flat panel display according to an embodiment of the present invention spreads an etch-resist on a thin film and forms an etch-resist pattern on a thin film by pressing a soft mold of a permeable structure to the etch-resist (abstract). ’710 teaches that bubbles may be generated within the etch-resist solution 33A by the external air flowing into the etch-resist solution 33A and an out-gassing generated by the volatile solvent within the etch-resist solution 33A in the patterning process of the etch resist. In other words, minute bubbles 41, as illustrated in FIG. 4, exist in the etch-resist solution 33A, and the air in the atmosphere is mixed in the etch-resist solution 33A when the soft mold 34 contacts the etch-resist solution 33A. The bubbles in the etch-resist solution 33A increases in the baking process and by the pressure applied to the soft mold 34, and the bubbles acts as a cause of depression or loss of the etch-resist pattern 33B (Fig. 4, [0050]), The bubbles generated during the etch-resist pattern process remains within the etch-resist solution 33A and the etch-resist pattern 33B because the evaporation speed of a solvent in the etch-resist solution 33A is faster than that of the soft mold 34, which absorbs the solvent in the etch-resist solution 33A to solidify it. Thus, the bubbles cause pattern defects of the etch-resist pattern 33B ([0051]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have added an illumination source and arranged the CCD, laser, and illumination source to a coaxial path, as taught by ‘969, for the purpose of efficient scanning path ([0064], see also [0002]). Furthermore, to have adopted CCD camera of ‘969 as the pattern detector of ‘619, for the purpose of efficient scanning path ([0064], see also [0002]) and required by ‘619 ([0055]). Furthermore, to have applied the imported CCD from ‘969 to ‘619 to check for the growth of the evaporated bubble in the etch-resist solution, as taught by ‘710, for the purpose of avoiding pattern defects, as taught by ‘710 ([0051]).
Note as CCD camera is operating continuously, it is “immediately after the laser beam is turned on at the laser module, and acquire a substrate image at which the bubble is generated if the bubble is generated”.
Claims 1-5, 7-12, and alternatively claim 20, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘619, in view of ‘969, ‘710, Takei et al. (US 20100207212, hereafter ‘212), and Sugiyama et al. (US 5498657, hereafter ‘657).
‘619 teaches some limitations of:
Claim 1: preparing a mask blank, the mask blank including a substrate, a reflective layer disposed on the substrate for reflecting extreme ultraviolet light, and a light absorbing layer disposed on the reflective layer; providing a photomask by forming a plurality of pattern elements having a target critical dimension from the light absorbing layer, wherein the plurality of pattern elements include a correction target pattern element to be corrected, and the correction target pattern element has a critical dimension different from the target critical dimension; identifying a correction target area of the photomask in which the correction target pattern element is disposed; applying an etchant to the photomask; and irradiating a laser beam to the correction target area while the etchant is provided on the photomask (abstract, includes the claimed “A substrate treating apparatus comprising”):
Referring to FIG. 10, the apparatus 300 for correcting the photomask in an example embodiment may include a support portion 310 configured to support the photomask 100, a chemical supply unit 340 configured to supply the chemical liquid CL to an upper surface of the photomask 100, a laser irradiation unit 360 configured to irradiate a laser beam LB to a partial area of the upper surface of the photomask 100, and a controller 390 configured to control the chemical supply unit 340 and the laser irradiation unit 360 ([0076], includes the claimed “a housing; a chuck positioned within the housing and configured to support a substrate”); The chemical supply unit 340 may include a chemical supply line 341 and a chemical nozzle 345 ([0080], includes the claimed “a nozzle configured to supply a treating liquid to the substrate supported on the chuck; and a laser configured to irradiate a laser beam to the substrate to which the treating liquid is supplied”, note the enclosure of the apparatus 300 is the claimed “a housing”, see also Fig. 3 for a photomask 100, and Fig. 2 for mask substrate 110),
a controller 390 configured to control the chemical supply unit 340 and the laser irradiation unit 360 ([0076], last sentence, includes the claimed “a controller“).
‘619 further teaches that normal pattern elements may be detected by measuring a width and distance of the plurality of pattern elements, and a correction target area, having dimensions that deviate from an allowable range of the critical dimension, may be determined ([0067], normal pattern is considered as reference image), the supply of the chemical liquid from the nozzle may be stopped, and the local etching process may be performed by irradiating a laser beam using a chemical liquid statically remaining on the surface of the photomask (see FIG. 10) ([0073], 2nd sentence), Referring back to FIG. 1, in process S16, a chemical liquid CL (e.g., an etchant) may be applied to the photomask 100, and in process S18, a laser beam LB may be irradiated to the correction target area PA1′ while the chemical liquid CL is provided on the photomask 100 ([0055], see also Fig. 7).
‘619 does not teach the other limitations of:
Claim 1: (1A) a camera configured to monitor a specific region at which the laser beam is irradiated among a plurality of regions of the substrate; and
(a controller)
(1B) wherein the controller is configured to control the camera to
acquire a reference image of the specific region immediately after the laser beam is turned on at the laser, and
acquire a substrate image of the specific region while irradiating the laser beam to substrate, and
determine, based on the reference image and the substrate image,
whether a bubble has been generated and whether a size of the bubble grows during a process of heating the treating liquid applied on the substrate by the laser beam, and
whether to terminate or continue a substrate treating process.
‘969 is analogous art in the field of In the present application, the lithography is the use of laser to remove materials at specific locations on the surface of the sample to be processed ([0005]). ’969 teaches that the processing real-time monitoring device 8 comprises: an image acquisition component and a light supplement component, wherein the image acquisition component is used for real-time online observation of the structure of the sample, and may specifically comprise a CCD camera or a CMOS camera, a fourth convex lens L5 and a third reflector M3. The light supplement component is used for supplying light to the surface of the sample to be processed for convenience of observation, and may specifically comprise the illumination source, a fifth convex lens L6 and a fourth reflector M4, wherein the light which is emitted from the illumination source, is reflected by the fourth reflector M4 and then enters the objective lens, the light from the surface of the sample to be processed which passes through the objective lens and then is reflected by the third reflector M3 to the camera, and the light obtained after the femtosecond laser is reflected by the second reflector M2 are coaxial (Fig. 1, [0073]), for the purpose of efficient scanning path ([0064], see also [0002]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have replacing the irradiation unit 360 of ‘619 with an illumination source with the CCD, the laser, and illumination source to a coaxial path, as taught by ‘969 (the limitation of 1A), for the purpose of efficient scanning path ([0064], see also [0002]).
‘710 is analogous art in the field of photolithography ([0018]), A fabricating method and device of a flat panel display according to an embodiment of the present invention spreads an etch-resist on a thin film and forms an etch-resist pattern on a thin film by pressing a soft mold of a permeable structure to the etch-resist (abstract). ’710 teaches that bubbles may be generated within the etch-resist solution 33A by the external air flowing into the etch-resist solution 33A and an out-gassing generated by the volatile solvent within the etch-resist solution 33A in the patterning process of the etch resist. In other words, minute bubbles 41, as illustrated in FIG. 4, exist in the etch-resist solution 33A, and the air in the atmosphere is mixed in the etch-resist solution 33A when the soft mold 34 contacts the etch-resist solution 33A. The bubbles in the etch-resist solution 33A increases in the baking process and by the pressure applied to the soft mold 34, and the bubbles acts as a cause of depression or loss of the etch-resist pattern 33B (Fig. 4, [0050]), The bubbles generated during the etch-resist pattern process remains within the etch-resist solution 33A and the etch-resist pattern 33B because the evaporation speed of a solvent in the etch-resist solution 33A is faster than that of the soft mold 34, which absorbs the solvent in the etch-resist solution 33A to solidify it. Thus, the bubbles cause pattern defects of the etch-resist pattern 33B ([0051]).
‘212 is analogous art in the field of METHOD FOR PRODUCING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE (title). ’212 teaches that to reduce a bubble density to not more than five bubbles/cm2. The bubbles are each not smaller than 10 µm in diameter. The bubble density and the diameters of the bubbles can be measured with a measuring instrument such as a microscope ([0176]), the inventors of the present invention conducted a study on whether or not the number of generated bubbles increased in a case where the heat treatment was continued after the peeled layer was peeled. … The result is shown in FIG. 6 ([0183], last three sentences, Fig. 6 shows an example of thermal treatment at 20 min the number of bubbles exceeds 5 bubbles/cm2).
‘657 is analogous art in the field of a photomask in the lithography process for the production of semiconductors (col. 16, lines 22-23). ’657 teaches that in the case of resin composition J, some coating films had irregularities on the surface, and some contained large bubbles (col. 21, line 67 to col. 22, line 2).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have applied the imported CCD from ‘969 to ‘619 to check for the growth of the evaporated bubble in the etch-resist solution, as taught by ‘710 and ‘212, particularly detecting large bubbles as indication of irregularities, as taught by’657 (the limitation of 1B), for the purpose of avoiding pattern defects, as taught by ‘710 ([0051]). As a result, it would have been obvious to compare of initial reference image vs. a later photo resist image until the bubble size reaches certain size as indication of irregularities.
Claim 20 is alternatively rejected for substantially the same reason as claim 1 rejection above.
‘619 further teaches the limitations of:
Claim 11: In process S24, correction target pattern elements may be detected, and an correction target area in which the correction target pattern elements are disposed may be determined (Fig. 9, [0066]), In process S28, the CD correction may be performed through local etching by irradiating a laser beam to the correction target area while the chemical liquid is provided on the photomask ([0071], includes the claimed “wherein the substrate includes a first pattern and a second pattern formed at a different position from the first pattern, and wherein the laser is configured to irradiate the laser beam to any one pattern among the first pattern and the second pattern”).
Claim 12: the main pattern elements P1 for a unit element included in the integrated circuit may require high uniformity ([0046], last sentence), The plurality of pattern elements PE may include pattern elements having a critical dimension different from the target critical dimension depending on distribution of a process set. A portion of the pattern elements having different critical dimensions may include “pattern elements to be corrected”, and theses pattern elements are called correction target pattern elements ([0047], includes the claimed “wherein the substrate includes a first pattern having a first critical dimension and a second pattern formed at a different position from the first pattern and which has a second critical dimension which is smaller than the first critical dimension, and wherein the laser is configured to irradiate the laser beam to the second pattern so the first critical dimension and the second critical dimension become the identical”, to produce high uniform CDU is to the critical dimension to be the same).
‘969 further teaches the limitations of:
Claims 2-3: the processing real-time monitoring device 8 comprises: an image acquisition component and a light supplement component, wherein the image acquisition component is used for real-time online observation of the structure of the sample, and may specifically comprise a CCD camera or a CMOS camera, a fourth convex lens L5 and a third reflector M3. The light supplement component is used for supplying light to the surface of the sample to be processed for convenience of observation, and may specifically comprise the illumination source, a fifth convex lens L6 and a fourth reflector M4, wherein the light which is emitted from the illumination source, is reflected by the fourth reflector M4 and then enters the objective lens, the light from the surface of the sample to be processed which passes through the objective lens and then is reflected by the third reflector M3 to the camera, and the light obtained after the femtosecond laser is reflected by the second reflector M2 are coaxial (Fig. 1, [0073], includes the claimed “wherein the laser beam irradiated from the laser and an imaging axis of the camera are provided to be coaxial” of claim 2 and “further comprising a light source providing a lighting to a region at which the laser beam is irradiated among the substrate, and wherein a lighting axis of the light source and an imaging axis of the camera are provided to be coaxial” of claim 3).
Claim 4: Fig. 1 shows the claimed “further comprising: a light source providing a lighting to a region at which the laser beam is irradiated among the substrate, and wherein the laser and the camera are provided on a same plane, and the light source is provided below the camera“.
Claim 5: the container or room holding Fig. 1 is the claimed “further comprising: a body providing the laser, the camera and the light source therein, and wherein an irradiation end is provided at the body, and the laser beam of the laser is irradiated to the substrate to be coaxial with an imaging axis of the camera, and a lighting axis of the lighting of the light source is configured parallel to the imaging axis of the camera”.
Note even if Applicants argue that claim 4 should be the light source is provided below the plane of vision module and the laser module, with various reflectors M1-M4, it is merely a re-arrangement of parts of place the light module below the plane of vision module and the laser module. And it further provides a box with smaller footprint.
The combination of ‘619, ‘969, ‘710, ‘212, and ‘657 further teaches the limitations of:
Claim 7: a controller 390 configured to control the chemical supply unit 340 and the laser irradiation unit 360 (‘619, [0076], last sentence, includes the claimed “further comprising a controller configured to control the substrate treating apparatus”),
normal pattern elements may be detected by measuring a width and distance of the plurality of pattern elements, and a correction target area, having dimensions that deviate from an allowable range of the critical dimension, may be determined (‘619, [0067], normal pattern is considered as reference image), the supply of the chemical liquid from the nozzle may be stopped, and the local etching process may be performed by irradiating a laser beam using a chemical liquid statically remaining on the surface of the photomask (see FIG. 10) ([0073], 2nd sentence, the bubble generated from the laser evaporation of the etchant, as taught by ‘710, reads into the claimed “and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether to terminate a process which is being performed with respect to the substrate by comparing a reference image of the substrate acquired from the camera and a substrate image of the substrate at which the bubble is generated which is acquired from the camera”).
In regarding to the limitations of claims 8 and 9, the set point of stop or continuing processing is an engineer choice, depending desired quality level. Therefore, it is an engineer choice to have 10% as quality cut-off setting for the limitations of:
Claim 8: wherein the controller is configured to continue the process which is being performed on the substrate, if a change amount of the reference image and the substrate image is determined to be 10% or lower.
Claim 9: wherein the controller is configured to terminate a process which is proceeding on the substrate, if a change amount between the reference image and the substrate image is determined to be 10% or higher.
Claim 10: the controller 390 may determine the area in which the correction target pattern elements having a critical dimension different from a target critical dimension among the plurality of pattern elements PE are arranged as the correction target area PA′, and may drive the laser irradiation unit 360 to irradiate the laser beam LB to the correction target area PA′ while the chemical liquid CL is supplied. Also, the controller 390 may be configured to stop the supply of the chemical liquid CL of the chemical supply unit 340 and to irradiate the laser beam LB to the correction target area PA′ (‘619, [0079], as the bubble is generation pattern defects, the subsequent irradiation of laser reads into the claimed “wherein the controller is configured to change a process condition with respect to a substrate at which a process will be proceeded on afterward, if the process which is proceeding on the substrate is terminated, and the controller is configured to control the laser so an output condition of the laser beam is changed or an irradiation range of the laser beam is changed”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not convincing in light of the new ground of rejection above.
In regarding to 35 USC 112(b) rejection of claim 2, Applicants’ amendment overcomes the rejection. However, Applicants amendment also introduce new 112(b) issue of claim 7.
Applicants assert that claim 20 commensurate with claim 1. While claim 1 specifically requires controller to control the camera to acquire images of bubble growth, however, claim 20 is substantially the same as the previous submission minor wording change but no such controller operation. Measuring bubble is taught by the new reference ‘212.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20140377709 is cited for bubble defect in manufacturing a semiconductor device ([0012]) in photoresist (abstract).
US 7224456 is cited for detecting bubble in immersion medium in lithography (col. 6, lines 36-40).
US 20190354022 is cited for critical dimension uniformity (CDU) ([0011]), and co-optimizing lithographic and etching processes using localized heating by laser annealing ([0012]) and CD measuring device(s) 122 (Fig. 1).
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/KEATH T CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716