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
Status of the Claims
Claims 1, 3-18, 20 are pending in the current application.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment of 12/17/25 does not render the application allowable.
Status of the Rejections
All rejections from the previous office action are withdrawn.
New grounds of rejection under 35 USC 103(a) are necessitated by the amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 4-18, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hausmann (US 20160035542) in view of Nguyen (US 6572706).
As to claim 1, Hausman discloses a system comprising:
A chemical supply cabinet (figure 1: vacuum chamber [cabinet] 201 with reactant gas supply 203);
A module configured to modify a surface (figure 1: showerhead module 211; paragraph 14: deposition, and etching processes for substrate surface);
A control unit connected to the module configured to direct the modifying of the surface (figure 1: system controller 228; paragraphs 18-19: control over all processes including module 211 operational powers, gas feeds, etc.).
Hausmann, while disclosing a processing chamber with a remote precursor supply, which may be deemed as ‘capable’ of containing additional structure, including an ampoule, within the chamber, is silent as to an ampoule within the chamber/cabinet.
Nguyen discloses a processing system in which an alternative to a remote precursor supply system is provided in which both the precursor tank/ampoule and processing chamber are provided within a common enclosure/cabinet (figure 11: embodiment with precursor supply container [ampoule] 352 is provided in enclosure/cabinet 380 with processing chamber containing showerhead 320 – as opposed to fig. 6 with precursor storage 142 separate/remote from process chamber with showerhead 120). Nguyen discloses the ‘integrated’ precursor storage and delivery system with the processing chamber prevents contamination during equipment replacement or cleaning operations (abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use an enclosure with both the process chamber and precursor supply storage [ampoule] as disclosed by Nguyen, with the system of Hausmann, because this prevents contamination during replacement or cleaning operations.
As to claim 4, Hausmann discloses modifying the surface by altering a composition (paragraph 14: deposition or etching processes for changing surface by forming or removing layers).
As to claims 5-6, Hausmann discloses modifying the surface by forming a coating by ALD (paragraph 14: deposition processes including ALD).
As to claim 7, Hausmann discloses the module is configured to be connected to the cabinet [chamber] from an exterior of the cabinet (figure 2: connection of showerhead module 211 from exterior of chamber 201 through chamber wall 300).
As to claim 8, Hausmann discloses the control unit is configured to automatically direct the module to modify the surface of the system (paragraphs 18-19: software execution of control processes).
As to claim 9, Hausmann discloses a method comprising:
Connecting a module to a chemical supply cabinet (figure 1: showerhead module 211 connected to cabinet [chamber] 201);
After connecting the module to the chemical supply cabinet, controlling the module to modify a surface (paragraphs 18-19: controller 228 for controlling the system including the gas supplies and powers to module 211);
Modifying the surface via the module (paragraph 14: surface modification [deposition/etching] processes).
Hausmann, while disclosing a processing chamber with a remote precursor supply, which may be deemed as ‘capable’ of containing additional structure, including an ampoule, within the chamber, is silent as to an ampoule within the chamber/cabinet.
Nguyen discloses a processing system in which an alternative to a remote precursor supply system is provided in which both the precursor tank/ampoule and processing chamber are provided within a common enclosure/cabinet (figure 11: embodiment with precursor supply container [ampoule] 352 is provided in enclosure/cabinet 380 with processing chamber containing showerhead 320 – as opposed to fig. 6 with precursor storage 142 separate/remote from process chamber with showerhead 120). Nguyen discloses the ‘integrated’ precursor storage and delivery system with the processing chamber prevents contamination during equipment replacement or cleaning operations (abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use an enclosure with both the process chamber and precursor supply storage [ampoule] as disclosed by Nguyen, with the system of Hausmann, because this prevents contamination during replacement or cleaning operations.
As to claims 10-12, Hausmann discloses modifying the surface by forming a coating by ALD (paragraph 14: deposition processes including ALD).
As to claim 13, Hausmann discloses connecting a supply line to the cabinet (figure 1: gas supply 203).
As to claim 14, Hausmann discloses the module is connected to the cabinet [chamber] with a portion of the module on the exterior of the cabinet (figure 2: connection of showerhead module 211 from exterior of chamber 201 through chamber wall 300, with supply 203, flow control 302, power supplies 202/204 etc. outside cabinet/chamber 201).
As to claim 15, Hausmann discloses the control unit automatically directs the module to modify the surface of the system (paragraphs 18-19: software execution of control processes).
As to claim 16, Hausmann discloses a system comprising:
A chemical supply cabinet with a structure defining an interior volume (figure 1: cabinet [chamber] 201);
A module connected to the interior volume of the chemical supply cabinet (figure 1: showerhead module 211);
A tool connected to the module (figure 1: mass flow controller 302 connected to showerhead 211);
A supply line connecting the cabinet to the tool (figure 1: supply 203 between tool/MFC 302 and cabinet/chamber 201);
The module is configured to modify a surface (paragraph 14: surface modification by deposition or etching).
Hausmann, while disclosing a processing chamber with a remote precursor supply, which may be deemed as ‘capable’ of containing additional structure, including an ampoule, within the chamber, is silent as to an ampoule within the chamber/cabinet.
Nguyen discloses a processing system in which an alternative to a remote precursor supply system is provided in which both the precursor tank/ampoule and processing chamber are provided within a common enclosure/cabinet (figure 11: embodiment with precursor supply container [ampoule] 352 is provided in enclosure/cabinet 380 with processing chamber containing showerhead 320 – as opposed to fig. 6 with precursor storage 142 separate/remote from process chamber with showerhead 120). Nguyen discloses the ‘integrated’ precursor storage and delivery system with the processing chamber prevents contamination during equipment replacement or cleaning operations (abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use an enclosure with both the process chamber and precursor supply storage [ampoule] as disclosed by Nguyen, with the system of Hausmann, because this prevents contamination during replacement or cleaning operations.
As to claim 17, Hausmann discloses a control unit connected to the module to direct the module (paragraphs 18-19: controller 228 for controlling the system including the gas supplies and powers to module 211).
As to claim 18, Hausmann discloses the module is for ALD coating (paragraph 14).
As to claim 20, Hausmann discloses the surface is an interior surface of the cabinet (figure 1: surface of substrate 13 within chamber 201).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hausmann in view of Nguyen as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Singhal (US 20210340670).
As to claim 3, Hausmann discloses a semiconductor processing system with a vacuum chamber with a showerhead module for ALD or other coating processes, as discussed above, but is silent as to coating or modifying the surface of an interior surface of semiconductor processing tool.
Singhal discloses a semiconductor processing tool (title; paragraphs 23-24) in which a vacuum chamber is proved a showerhead module (figure 1: chamber 102 with showerhead 106) and formation of coatings within the chamber components including interior wall surfaces (abstract; paragraph 4; figure 3b) to protect the chamber walls from degradation and prevent contamination of wafers (paragraph 22, 26-27).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a coating on interior surfaces, as disclosed by Singhal, in the system of Hausmann, because this prevents chamber degradation and wafer contamination during processing.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the newly added claim limitations are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection as required by the instant amendments to the claims. As discussed above, Nguyen discloses knowledge in the art of providing a common enclosure [cabinet] for a precursor ampoule and a processing chamber.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON BERMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5265. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Lin can be reached at (571) 272-8902. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON BERMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1794
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