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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-8 and 13-14 are examined.
Claims 9-12 are cancelled.
Claims 13-14 are newly added.
Response to Amendment
The amendments made to claims 7-8 and the cancellation of claims 9-12 overcome the previous 35 U.S.C. 112 rejections; therefore they are withdrawn.
The amendments made to the claims do not overcome the previous 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections. See rejections below.
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(s) 1-8 and 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Donofrio (US 2020/0316724 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Donofrio discloses a fourth subsurface laser damage pattern may be formed after the first through third subsurface laser damage patterns, with the fourth subsurface laser damage pattern serving to further connect cracks emanating from any two or more of the first, second, or third lines (¶ [0217]). Therefore, first, second, and third damage lines 91-93 correspond to the first, second, and third damage lines 71-73, and damage line 94 is formed after the passes of damage lines 71-73 described in ¶ [0223-0226] and depicted in FIG. 11A-11D.
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Annotated Fig. 11D of Donofrio
Donofrio discloses a manufacturing method (¶ [0182] – methods for processing a substrate) of a single-crystal silicon substrate (¶ [0191] – “substrate” refers to a crystalline material; ¶ [0106] – crystalline material comprises silicon carbide material) by which the substrate is manufactured from a workpiece composed of single-crystal silicon (¶ [0191] – a single crystal material) manufactured in such a manner that a crystal plane included in crystal planes {100} (¶ [0007]; FIG. 2-3 – crystal planes of hexagonal crystal) is exposed in each of a front surface and a back surface (¶ [0275] – laser emissions to frontside and backside of the thick wafer), the manufacturing method comprising:
a separation layer forming step of forming separation layers including modified parts (¶ [0214] – laser emissions 61 through a surface of a bar substrate 62 to form subsurface laser damage 63) and cracks (¶ [0223-0225] – cracks 71C, 72C, 73C, propagate laterally outward from the damage lines 71, 72, 73) that extend from the modified parts inside the workpiece (¶ [0219] – subsurface damage patterns separately include first, second, and third pluralities of parallel lines 71, 72, 73); and
a splitting-off step (¶ [0270] – a device wafer splitting process, to form a thin wafer divided from the thick wafer) of splitting off the substrate from the workpiece with use of the separation layers as a point of origin (¶ [0271] – fracturing of the substrate 240 along the subsurface laser damage 243) after the separation layer forming step is executed (as the fracturing is performed on the subsurface laser damage, the fracturing/splitting-off is performed after the laser/separation forming step), wherein
the separation layer forming step has:
a first processing step for forming the separation layers (¶ [0217] - subsurface laser damage patterns are sequentially formed in a crystalline material, with each subsurface laser damage pattern; ¶ [0228], FIG. 13 – laser damage line 93) in a plurality of first regions (light grey region in annotated FIG. 11D and 13) that each extend along a first direction that is parallel to the crystal plane (¶ [0220, 0228] – parallel lines, FIG. 11D and 13 depict 73 and 93 extend in first direction) and in which an angle formed with respect to a crystal orientation included in crystal orientations is equal to or smaller than 5° (FIG. 11B-11D and 13 depict that 73/93/first direction is parallel to the 63/crystal orientation in FIG. 10A and would therefore form an angle that is about 0°) and are separate from each other in a second direction (Fig. 11B-11D depicts the first regions formed at 73 are separate from each other in a direction direction) that is parallel to one of the exposed crystal plane (Fig. 10A depicts the first and second directions are parallel to 63) and is orthogonal to the first direction (Fig. 11B-11D below depict the second direction orthogonal to 73/93/first direction), and
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Annotated 11D and 13 of Donofrio
a second processing step (¶ [0217, 0028] – a fourth subsurface laser damage pattern may be formed after the first through third subsurface laser damage patterns) for forming the separation layers in a plurality of second regions (¶ [0228] – laser damage line 94; dark grey region in annotated FIG. 11D and 13) that each extend along the first direction (¶ [0228] – parallel damage lines 94, FIG. 13 depicts 93 extends in first direction) and are separate from each other in the second direction (¶ [0220] – 94 each include lines having a pitch of 500 nm, FIG. 13 depicts 94 are spaced in the second direction) after the first processing step is executed (¶ [0217] – fourth subsurface laser damage pattern formed after the first through third subsurface laser damage patterns).
each of the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11D and 13 - second region formed by 94) is positioned between a pair of first regions adjacent in the plurality of first regions (FIG. 11D and 13 below - each of the second regions, i.e. dark grey regions, are positioned between a pair of first regions adjacent in the plurality of first regions, i.e., light grey regions),
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Annotated Fig. 11D of Donofrio
each of the plurality of first regions, except for two of said first regions (FIG. 11D and 13 - far left and right first region formed by 73/93), is positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11D - each of the first regions, i.e. light grey regions, are positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions, i.e. dark grey regions, except the far left and right first region),
the first processing step is executed by alternatively repeating:
a first laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0217] - subsurface laser damage patterns are sequentially formed in a crystalline material, with each subsurface laser damage pattern; ¶ [0225, 0228] – third plurality of subsurface laser damage lines 73, 93) of relatively moving the workpiece and a focal point of a laser beam (FIG. 11D depicts the formation of 73A, where the path moves along parallel lines) with such a wavelength (¶ [0196] – wavelength below the bandgap of the crystalline material 30) as to be transmitted through the single-crystal silicon along the first direction (¶ [0196] – to permit the laser emissions 36 to be focused at a targeted depth below a surface thereof) in a state in which the focal point is positioned to one of the plurality of first regions (FIG. 11D depicts formation of 73 on one of the first regions, i.e. light grey area, along the parallel line), and
a first indexing feed step of relatively moving a position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223] – 72 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 72B; FIG. 11C depicts after forming a damage line 72, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 72B to form the subsequent damage line 72), and
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Annotated Fig. 11D of Donofrio
wherein the splitting-off step is performed upon the workpiece in which the separation layers of the plurality of first regions are adjacent to the separation layers of the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11D and 13 - each of the plurality of first regions, i.e., light grey regions are adjacent to the second regions, i.e. dark grey regions), and further wherein at least some of the cracks included in the separation layers of the plurality of first regions are connected to the cracks included in the adjacent separation layers of the plurality of second regions (¶ [0223-0225] – cracks 71C, 72C, 73C, propagate laterally outward from the damage lines 71, 72, 73, cracks being sufficient to connect cracks; ¶ [0270-0271] – a device wafer splitting process, to form a thin wafer divided from the thick wafer; fracturing of the substrate 240 along the subsurface laser damage 243; therefore some of the cracks 71C formed from 73/93 would connect to the cracks formed from 94).
Donofrio discloses formation of damage line 71-73, which is implied to be performed when forming the damage lines 91-94. Therefore Donofrio further discloses:
a second laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0217] - subsurface laser damage patterns are sequentially formed in a crystalline material, with each subsurface laser damage pattern; ¶ [0228] – laser damage line 94) of relatively moving the focal point and the workpiece (FIG. 11A-11D depicts the formation of 71A-73A, where the path moves along parallel lines) along the first direction in a state in which the focal point is positioned to one of the plurality of second regions (Annotated FIG. 11D above depict first and second regions), and
a second indexing feed step of relatively moving the position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223-0225] – 71-73 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B-73B; FIG. 11A-11D depicts after forming a damage line 71-73, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B-73B to form the subsequent damage line 71-73).
wherein, during the second laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0228] – subsurface laser damage lines 94), the focal point of the laser beam moved along the first direction in the second region (FIG. 13 depicts 94 is in dark grey region) is positioned to be centered between the focal points of the laser beam moved along the first direction in adjacent first regions during the first laser beam irradiation step (FIG. 13 depicts 94 is positioned in the center between the lines formed by 93 forming the light grey regions).
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FIG. 13 of Donofrio
In arguendo, the steps of indexing and forming damage patterns is not implied for the formation of damage lines 94, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the three damage lines 71-73 by using the irradiation steps and indexing steps recited in the embodiment in ¶ [0223-0226], depicted in FIG. 11A-11D, and analyzed above to form the embodiment with four parallel subsurface laser damage lines 91-94 to form the fourth subsurface laser damage pattern serving to further connect cracks emanating from any two or more of the first, second, or third lines (¶ [0217]).
Regarding claim 1, the claims recite identical limitations as claim 4 and thus the rejections of claims 4-6 and 8 applied above, apply here. The difference between claim 1 and 4 is that claim 1 recites “each of the plurality of second regions, except for one of said second regions, is positioned between a pair of first regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions” and “each of the plurality of first regions, except for one of said first regions, is positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions” whereas claim 4 recites “each of the plurality of first regions, except for two of said first regions, is positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions”. This difference relates to the size of the substrate and the number of alternating first and second regions that can fit on the substrate. If the substrate size in Donofrio was smaller, then “each of the plurality of first regions, except for two of said first regions, is positioned between a pair of second regions adjacent in the plurality of second regions”. See Annotated FIG. 11D and 13 of Donofrio below.
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Annotated Fig. 11D and 13 of Donofrio
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to design the separation forming step to have the suitable number of alternating first and second regions based on the size of the regions and size of the substrate to include spaced-apart lines distributed over substantially an entire width of the substrate and to perform sequential formation of interspersed subsurface laser damage patterns to facilitate lateral propagation of cracks emanating from subsurface laser damage lines (¶ [0215]). “A person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense.” KSR int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 127 S.Ct. 1727,82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claim 5, Donofrio discloses the method according to claim 4.
Donofrio discloses the first plurality of parallel lines 71 is formed in a first pass, 72 is formed in a second pass, and 73 is formed in a third pass (¶ [0219]). Line 71, 72, and 73 corresponds to line 91, 92, and 93 in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 13 as described above. Therefore, Donofrio further discloses:
the separation layer forming step has a third processing step for forming the separation layers (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) sequentially from a region located at one end in the second direction toward a region located at another end in the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B depicts 71 is formed from one end to another in the second direction) before the first processing step is executed (¶ [0219] - 71 is formed in a first pass, 72 is formed in a second pass, and 73 is formed in a third pass) and
the third processing step is executed by alternatively repeating:
a third laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) of relatively moving the focal point and the workpiece (FIG. 11B depicts the formation of 71A, where the path moves along parallel lines; FIG. 13 depicts parallel subsurface laser damage lines) along the first direction in a state in which the focal point is positioned to any of the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B and 13 depicts formation of 71 on the first regions, i.e. light grey regions, and second regions, i.e. dark grey area, along the parallel lines), and
a third indexing feed step of relatively moving the position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223] – 71 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B; FIG. 11B depicts after forming a damage line 71, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B to form the subsequent damage line 71)
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Annotated Fig. 11B and 13 of Donofrio
Regarding claim 2, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 1. The claim recite identical limitations as claim 5 respectively, and thus the rejections of claim 5 applied above, apply here.
Regarding claim 6, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 4. Donofrio further discloses wherein: in the first processing step, the separation layers are formed in all of the plurality of first regions (¶ [0225] – second plurality of subsurface laser damage lines 73 formed; FIG. 11D depicts the laser damage lines 73 are formed in all first regions; ¶ [0228] – parallel subsurface laser damage lines 93, four passes of laser subsurface damage formation), and in the second processing step, the separation layers are formed in all of the plurality of second regions (¶ [0228] – fourth plurality of parallel lines 94 formed; FIG. 13 depicts the laser damage lines 94 are formed in all second regions).
Regarding claim 3, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 1. The claims recite identical limitations as claim 6, and thus the rejections of claim 6 applied above, apply here.
Regarding claim 8, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 4. Donofrio discloses the first plurality of parallel lines 71 is formed in a first pass, 72 is formed in a second pass, and 73 is formed in a third pass (¶ [0219]). Line 71, 72, and 73 corresponds to line 91, 92, and 93 in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 13 as described above. Donofrio further discloses wherein:
the first processing steps results in a plurality of first separation layers extending along the first direction (¶ [0219] – subsurface damage patterns separately include third pluralities of parallel lines 73; ¶ [0228] - third plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 93 to form third subsurface laser damage patterns);
the second processing steps results in a plurality of second separation layers extending along the first direction (¶ [0228] - fourth plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 94 to form fourth subsurface laser damage patterns);
the separation layer forming step has a third processing step for forming the separation layers (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) sequentially from a region located at one end in the second direction toward a region located at another end in the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B depicts 71 is formed from one end to another in the second direction) before the first processing step is executed (¶ [0219] - 71 is formed in a first pass, 72 is formed in a second pass, and 73 is formed in a third pass) and
the third processing step is executed by alternatively repeating:
a third laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) of relatively moving the focal point and the workpiece (FIG. 11B depicts the formation of 71A, where the path moves along parallel lines; FIG. 13 depicts parallel subsurface laser damage lines) along the first direction in a state in which the focal point is positioned to any of the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B and 13 depicts formation of 71 on the first regions, i.e. light grey regions, and second regions, i.e. dark grey area, along the parallel lines), and
a third indexing feed step of relatively moving the position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223] – 71 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B; FIG. 11B depicts after forming a damage line 71, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B to form the subsequent damage line 71).
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Annotated Fig. 11B and 13 of Donofrio
wherein, the third processing steps results in a plurality of third separation layers extending along the first direction (¶ [0219] – subsurface damage patterns separately include first pluralities of parallel lines 71; ¶ [0228] - first plurality of substantially parallel subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form third subsurface laser damage patterns);
Donofrio does not explicitly disclose further wherein the third separation layers are formed at locations of the first separation layers and the second separation layers.
However, Donofrio discloses in another embodiment wherein the separation layers are formed at locations of the first separation layers and second separation layers (¶ [0246] – a first subsurface laser damage pattern 173; a second subsurface laser damage pattern 175, wherein a vertical extent 176 of the second damage pattern overlaps with a vertical extent 174).
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FIG. 23B of Donofrio
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first 73/93, second 94, and third processing steps 71/91 to have overlap damage patterns so subsequent fracturing of the crystalline material may be performed along or through the damage overlap region (¶ [0246]).
Regarding claim 7, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 1. The claims recite identical limitations as claim 8, and thus the rejections of claim 8 applied above, apply here.
Regarding claim 14, Donofrio discloses the method according to claim 4.
Donofrio further discloses:
the separation layer forming step has a third processing step for forming the separation layers (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) sequentially from a region located at one end in the second direction toward a region located at another end in the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B depicts 71 is formed from one end to another in the second direction) and
the third processing step is executed by alternatively repeating:
a third laser beam irradiation step (¶ [0220] – first plurality of parallel lines 71 formed; ¶ [0228] - subsurface laser damage lines 91 to form first subsurface laser damage patterns) of relatively moving the focal point and the workpiece (FIG. 11B depicts the formation of 71A, where the path moves along parallel lines; FIG. 13 depicts parallel subsurface laser damage lines) along the first direction in a state in which the focal point is positioned to any of the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions (FIG. 11B and 13 depicts formation of 71 on the first regions, i.e. light grey regions, and second regions, i.e. dark grey area, along the parallel lines), and
a third indexing feed step of relatively moving the position at which the focal point is formed and the workpiece along the second direction (¶ [0223] – 71 having a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B; FIG. 11B depicts after forming a damage line 71, the path moves by a pitch/inter-line spacing 71B to form the subsequent damage line 71).
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Annotated Fig. 11B and 13 of Donofrio
Regarding claim 13, Donofrio discloses the manufacturing method of a single-crystal silicon substrate according to claim 1. The claims recite identical limitations as claim 14, and thus the rejections of claim 13 applied above, apply here.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because they pertain to new limitations and have been rejected as stated above..
Applicant argues Donofrio does not recited the amended limitation of claim 1 and 4.
See updated 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1 and 4 over Donofrio above.
Applicant argues Donofrio in Fig. 13 includes solid lines 91 and dashed lines 92, which each represent additional regions of separation layers, clearly shows how the separation layers of dashed lines 92 are clearly located between the separation layers of densely dashed liens 93 and the separation layers of loosely dashed lines 94, and makes it unclear how cracks could be connected between the separation layers of lines 93 and 94.
The rejection identified a region where line 93 is formed, e.g., the light grey regions, as the “first regions” and a region where line 94 is formed, e.g., the dark grey regions, as the “second regions”. Although line 92 is located between line 93 and 94, the line 92 was not recited for forming another region of separation layers as argued by the applicant and line 92 as discussed in the disclosure forms a damage line (separation layer) that is also located in the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions depicted in the annotated figures. The claim requires forming of separation layers in a plurality of first regions and forming of separation layers in a plurality of second regions where the separation layers in the first and second regions are adjacent, but does not necessarily exclude separation layers from another step to be formed on the first and second regions and only requires separation layers formed in the first and second regions to be adjacent. This interpretation is further evidenced in claim 2, 5, 7-8, and 13-14, which recite a third processing step for forming separation layers sequentially from a region … in the plurality of first regions and the plurality of second regions, rather than in “additional region of separation layers”; therefore showing that separation layers can be formed in the established plurality of first regions and plurality of second regions.
Donofrio further discloses cracks 71C, 72C, 73C, propagate laterally outward from the damage lines 71, 72, 73 and cracks being sufficient to connect cracks (¶ [0223-0225]). A device wafer splitting process, to form a thin wafer divided from the thick wafer; fracturing of the substrate 240 along the subsurface laser damage 243 (¶ [0270-0271]). Therefore, Donofrio discusses how cracks are connected between the separation layers of lines 93 and 94.
Therefore, the argument is not persuasive.
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN B WOO whose telephone number is (571)272-5191. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Susan Leong can be reached on (571) 270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JONATHAN B WOO/Examiner, Art Unit 1754
/SEYED MASOUD MALEKZADEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1754
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