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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of invention I, species Fig. 4, 8 in the reply filed on 6/9/26 is acknowledged. Claim 18 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention/species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/9/26.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Kubota (US 20220122810).
Regarding claim 1. Kubota teaches in the drawings a plasma processing apparatus (fig. 1 A plasma processing apparatus 1 [29]), comprising: a chamber (chamber 10 [30]) a substrate support (substrate support 16 [32] fig. 1) located in the chamber (fig. 1) and including a bias electrode (aluminum lower electrode/electrode plate 18/19 [33]); a radio-frequency power supply (radio-frequency (RF) power supply 61 [46]) configured to generate source radio-frequency power to generate plasma in the chamber ([46], fig. 1 61 generates the processing plasma in 10); and a bias power supply (a bias power supply 62 [46]) configured to periodically provide bias energy having a waveform cycle (fig. 2-4 showing the LF/bias power provided w/ waveform shape and multiple/repeating cycles across multiple periods denoted by the dotted line on the x-axis, MP/CP periods or the cycles themselves which are symmetric/repeating periods) to the bias electrode (fig. 1 [47]), wherein the radio-frequency power supply is configured to set a source frequency of the source radio-frequency power in each of a plurality of phase periods in each of a plurality of waveform cycles of the bias energy (when the HF 62 is on, it always has/sets a frequency, since it is a RF/AC source, the supplied power must have an RF-AC frequency as opposed to DC, the HF is supplied concurrently w/ the LF/bias, hence across all the periods/phases of each waveform cycle/repetition, fig. 2-4),
and provide feedback to adjust the source frequency in an n-th phase period of the plurality of phase periods in an m-th waveform cycle of the plurality of waveform cycles based on a change in a degree of reflection of the source radio-frequency power that occurs under a condition the source frequency is set differently in the n-th phase period in each of two or more waveform cycles of the plurality of waveform cycles preceding the m-th waveform cycle (fig. 4, [57] the HF source, from which the source plasma frequency originates, sets its source plasma freq, in response to controller 80, to different/undulating higher/lower levels above/below the horizontal line in fHF, concurrent to/in every later period of every later LF wave cycles in later state CP, based on/in response to the change/reduction of the higher reflection fPr existing in the previous MP state when the HF freq is constant/flat at the horizontal line of fHF in all the previous periods/sub-periods of each of the previous LF wave cycles in the previous MP state before the wave cycles in the later CP state; furthermore, limitations related to operating of an apparatus that do not add structure or further structurally limit the apparatus are intended use, MPEP 2114).
Regarding claim 2. Kubota teaches The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two or more waveform cycles include an (m - M1)th waveform cycle and an (m - M2)th waveform cycle, and M1 and M2 are natural numbers satisfying M1 > M2 (fig. 2-4, eg assuming m is the CP phase LF cycles, it can be 6-11 or 2-6 for at least two cycles, where M2 is 1 and M1 is any natural number greater than 1), and the radio-frequency power supply employs the feedback to set, in response to the degree of reflection decreasing with the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the (m - M2)th waveform cycle being set to a frequency resulting from a frequency shift in a first direction being one of a decrease or an increase from the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the (m - M1)th waveform cycle (as disc in claim 1, as the reflection eg fPr is decreased in tandem w/ the HF source when CP state begins,
the HF source, based on said control/power feedback, controls the output HF freq to be freq shifted in an undulating direction either increase/up or decrease/down, corresponding in at least multiple phases in all the LF waveform cycles fig. 4), the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the m-th waveform cycle to a frequency resulting from the frequency shift in the first direction from the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the (m - M2)th waveform cycle (the HF freq of the source power corresponding w/ the initial period of the next LF cycle is always set/dependent/resulting from the previous freq shift/changes in said 1st direction in the previous cycle, such m-M2 when m is a third cycle and M2 is 1, for example, since the fHf line is continuously connected/no breaks fig. 4; furthermore, limitations related to operating an apparatus that do not add structure or further structurally limit the apparatus are intended use, MPEP 2114).
Regarding claim 3. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the radio-frequency power supply employs the feedback to further set, in response to the degree of reflection increasing with the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the m-th waveform cycle being set to the frequency resulting from the frequency shift in the first direction from the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the (m - M2)th waveform cycle (when the fPr is increasing in the last cycle in MP, the HF source in response to the first cycle and its periods and associated fHF of CP), the source frequency in the n-th phase period in an (m + M3)th waveform cycle of the plurality of waveform cycles to an intermediate frequency between the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the (m - M2)th waveform cycle and the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the m-th waveform cycle, and M3 is a natural number (HF in the next/successive cycles in CP, in order to maintain/keep the fPr to zero, is set to at least to intermediate frequencies between the max/min of fHF in CP, fig. 4, in all periods of cycles in CP, where M3 can be 1 and above; furthermore, limitations related to operation of an apparatus that do not add structure or further structurally limit the apparatus are intended use, MPEP 2114).
Regarding claim 4. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the radio-frequency power supply employs the feedback to further set, in response to the degree of reflection exceeding a threshold under a condition the intermediate frequency is set in the n-th phase period in the (m + M3)th waveform cycle (as prev discussed, since the reflection is suppressed, in order to prevent its exceeding the threshold under any condition of the varying fHF, including intermediate levels), the source frequency in the n-th phase period in an (m + M4)th waveform cycle of the plurality of waveform cycles to a frequency resulting from a frequency shift in a second direction being the other of the decrease or the increase from the intermediate frequency, an amount of the frequency shift in the second direction has a greater absolute value than an amount of the frequency shift in the first direction, and M4 is a natural number satisfying M4 > M3 (the HF source sets, in a layer cycle of the LF cycles, either increase or decrease from any intermediate HF frequency level, since the fHF, fig. 4, is an undulating graph, eg up from near the initial dip or down in the later hump, the change is greater than the first direction dip, eg initial dip vs recovery from bottom to top, M4 is 2; irrespective of any particular cycle, they all have the same patterns, fig. 4; furthermore, limitations related to operation of an apparatus that do not add structure or further structurally limit the apparatus are intended use, MPEP 2114).
Regarding claim 5. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an amount of the frequency shift in the first direction has a greater absolute value for the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the m-th waveform cycle than for the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the (m - M2)th waveform cycle (as disc prev, in all the cycles, the fHF has the same behavior fig. 4, hence in a later LF cycle m-th it has at the bottom to top freq change/magnitude, which is greater than the initial freq drop at beginning of every cycle, including previous LF cycles in the CP state; furthermore, limitations related to operation of an apparatus that do not add structure or further structurally limit the apparatus are intended use, MPEP 2114).
Regarding claim 6. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two or more waveform cycles include an (m - M1)th waveform cycle and an (m - M2)th waveform cycle, and M1 and M2 are natural numbers satisfying Mi > M2, and the radio-frequency power supply employs the feedback to further set, in response to the degree of reflection increasing with the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the (m - M2)th waveform cycle being set to a frequency resulting from a frequency shift in a first direction being one of a decrease or an increase from the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the (m - M1)th waveform cycle, the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the m-th waveform cycle to a frequency resulting from a frequency shift in a second direction being the other of the decrease or the increase from the source frequency in the n-th phase period in the (m - M2)th waveform cycle (see claim 2, the second direction being an opposing freq change in the previous cycle m-M2, since as disc previously, all fHF is the same pattern in all the cycles in CP and continuously linked, hence there is always a different freq change in a previous cycle to a current one, as clearly seen in fig. 4; furthermore, limitations related to operation of an apparatus that do not add structure or further structurally limit the apparatus are intended use, MPEP 2114).
Regarding claim 7. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bias energy is bias radio-frequency power (as prev discussed in claim 1, [47]) having a bias frequency (LF) being an inverse of a length of time of the waveform cycle (this is the basic definition of AC/RF wave freq, ie. Inverse of wave period of the cycle) or includes a pulse of a voltage provided to the bias electrode in each of the plurality of waveform cycles ([63] LF bias provided in pulses), and each of the plurality of waveform cycles has a time length being the inverse of the bias frequency (same as discussed, the AC wave cycle period is inverse of freq).
Regarding claim 8. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the bias energy is bias radio-frequency power having a bias frequency being an inverse of a length of time of the waveform cycle or includes a pulse of a voltage provided to the bias electrode in each of the plurality of waveform cycles, and each of the plurality of waveform cycles has a time length being the inverse of the bias frequency (see claim 7).
Regarding claim 9. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radio-frequency power supply is configured to set, in the plurality of phase periods in a first waveform cycle of the plurality of waveform cycles, a plurality of frequencies included in a predefined initial frequency group (as previous discussed, the fHF can be set, throughout the corresponding LF wave cycles and their periods, to different values/varied in a predefined group, range based on the repeating undulating fHF, fig. 4; additionally, limitations related to operation of an apparatus that do not add structure or further structurally limit the apparatus are intended use, MPEP 2114).
Regarding claim 10. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the radio-frequency power supply is configured to set, in the plurality of phase periods in a first waveform cycle of the plurality of waveform cycles, a plurality of frequencies included in a predefined initial frequency group (see claim 9).
Regarding claim 11. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a controller (as prev disc, controller 80 and MC [58, 50-57]) configured to set a plurality of frequencies different from each other as source frequencies in identical phase periods in a plurality of reference cycles each being the waveform cycle (if we assume each LF wave cycle includes a single period, the corresponding fHF varies across multiple freq, as set by 80 as prev discussed, among the plural cycles in state CP) ,select, from the plurality of frequencies, a specific frequency minimizing the degree of reflection in each of the plurality of phase periods (as prev disc, each of the different freq along the undulating fHF in each period/moment of each of the cycles, is used to reduce reflection) to determine a plurality of specific frequencies for the respective plurality of phase periods (all the freq are determined to form the repeating undulating fHF to reduce reflection, in said periods/cycles), and store the plurality of specific frequencies into a storage in the plasma processing apparatus as the plurality of frequencies in the initial frequency group ([58] since the said operation of 80, which controls fig. 4, can also be applied via stored recipe in apparatus storage via MC; those fHF undulation cycle/set of freq are part of the stored recipe used to control the entire process).
Regarding claim 12. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: a controller configured to set a plurality of frequencies different from each other as source frequencies in identical phase periods in a plurality of reference cycles each being the waveform cycle, select, from the plurality of frequencies, a specific frequency minimizing the degree of reflection in each of the plurality of phase periods to determine a plurality of specific frequencies for the respective plurality of phase periods, and store the plurality of specific frequencies into a storage in the plasma processing apparatus as the plurality of frequencies in the initial frequency group (see claim 11).
Regarding claim 13. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a controller configured to cause the radio-frequency power supply to generate source radio- frequency power (as prev disc, the 80/MC controlling all the plasma power supply/RF/HF LF sources) having a plurality of frequency components (the HF power supply can supply multiple freq, as prev disc) to generate plasma in the chamber (as prev disc) in a reference cycle being the waveform cycle (as prev disc, fig. 4, all the varied fHF is in correspondence/reference to LF cycles), determine a lowest ratio of a plurality of ratios of power levels of reflected waves of the plurality of frequency components to power levels of traveling waves of the plurality of frequency components in each of the plurality of phase periods in the reference cycle (this is the basic concept of reducing reflected power from the load to the power supply; as prev disc, the fig. 4 is used to reduce reflected power levels, which is always relative to delivered power to the load/chamber; hence the fig. 4 basis is maximum reduction of power/AC wave reflection to output power AC waves/power, i.e. reflection/fPr ~ 0 fig. 4), identify a frequency of a frequency component of the plurality of frequency components corresponding to the lowest ratio in each of the plurality of phase periods to determine a plurality of specific frequencies for the respective plurality of phase periods (as prev disc, the operation of fig. 4 is based on a specific determined, set of HF freq, shown as undulating fHF, corresponding to lowest/zero ratio/amount of reflected waves/power in periods/cycles of CP), and store the plurality of specific frequencies into a storage in the plasma processing apparatus as the plurality of frequencies in the initial frequency group (as prev discussed, it is stored as part of a recipe in apparatus storage of MC).
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.
Claim(s) 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kubota (US 20220122810) in view of Koshimizu (US 20090255800).
Regarding claim 14. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a matching circuitry ([46] eg 61m, 62m) but does not teach including a first variable capacitor coupled between a ground and a node on a feed line coupling the radio-frequency power supply and a radio-frequency electrode to receive the source radio- frequency power, and a second variable capacitor coupled between the node and the radio-frequency electrode, however, Koshimizu teaches in fig. 4 a first variable capacitor C2 coupled between a ground and a node on a feed line coupling the radio-frequency power supply (fig. 4 C2 between ground and an intersection 28/102 further upstream on feed from HF source 28) and a radio-frequency electrode (to the counter/RF bias electrode 12 fig. 4) to receive the source radio- frequency power (fig. 4), and a second variable capacitor (C1) coupled between the node and the radio-frequency electrode (fig. 4, between C1 between 102/28 node and 102). It would be obvious to those skilled in the art at invention time to modify Kubota to be able to be able to accurately control impedance via feedback [87-91],
wherein in a first waveform cycle of the plurality of waveform cycles, the matching circuitry is configured to use, selectively from a plurality of predefined optimal matching circuitry settings for the first variable capacitor and for the second variable capacitor, an optimal matching circuitry setting corresponding to a process to be performed in the plasma processing apparatus (throughout the entire processing of delivering HF/LF to the chamber, it must pass 61m 62m which selectively optimizes the impedance/reduce reflection using the impedance setters/elements, eg said capacitors, based on the power between load/chamber apparatus and source/power supply, as is well known in the art of impedance matching), and in the plurality of phase periods in the first waveform cycle, the radio-frequency power supply sets, selectively from a plurality of predefined initial frequency groups, a plurality of frequencies included in an initial frequency group corresponding to the process to be performed in the plasma processing apparatus (as disc prev, eg claims 11-13, the HF source, based on stored recipe, uses a specific undulating range/set of fHF to output the HF freq, during all the periods/cycles as prev disc in fig. 4, corresponding to the recipe/process to reduce reflection for the plasma process set by 80/MC).
Regarding claim 15. Kubota teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, and further in view of Koshimizu, teaches further comprising: a matching circuitry including a first variable capacitor coupled between a ground and a node on a feed line coupling the radio-frequency power supply and a radio-frequency electrode to receive the source radio- frequency power, and a second variable capacitor coupled between the node and the radio-frequency electrode, wherein in a first waveform cycle of the plurality of waveform cycles, the matching circuitry is configured to use, selectively from a plurality of predefined optimal matching circuitry settings for the first variable capacitor and for the second variable capacitor, an optimal matching circuitry setting corresponding to a process to be performed in the plasma processing apparatus, andin the plurality of phase periods in the first waveform cycle, the radio-frequency power supply sets, selectively from a plurality of predefined initial frequency groups, a plurality of frequencies included in an initial frequency group corresponding to the process to be performed in the plasma processing apparatus (see claim 14).
Regarding claim 16. Kubota in view of Koshimizu teaches, the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: a controller configured to set (see claim 13, eg 80/MC), while sequentially switching a setting for the matching circuitry for the first variable capacitor and for the second variable capacitor among a plurality of settings under a condition for the process, a plurality of frequencies different from each other as source frequencies in identical phase periods in a plurality of reference cycles each being the waveform cycle (the action, i.e. switching/tuning the C1,C2, which are done in sequence since C1 encounters the current first as upstream relative to C2, Koshimizu fig. 4, must be done concurrently w/ fHF settings, since the HF with specified freq/fHF, must be set and delivered simultaneous w/ the impedance matching action using the two capacitors, to both deliver/set/hold the correct freq while the power flows into the matcher/being matched since current flow is instantaneous, during each of the same/identical/reference LF cycles, fig. 4),
and select, from the plurality of frequencies, a provisional frequency minimizing the degree of reflection in each of the plurality of phase periods (as prev disc, each freq selected/used in fHF is to reduce the reflection in all the periods in CP state), the controller being configured to generate a plurality of provisional settings each including a provisional frequency group and a corresponding setting of the plurality of settings (as prev disc, the MC/80 controls the entire apparatus or the RF power system, which includes the matcher and its operation/impedance matching settings), the provisional frequency group including a plurality of provisional frequencies for the respective plurality of phase periods (as prev disc, as part of the stored recipe containing the freq fHF to be used to reduce reflection in all the periods of CP),the controller being configured to store, into a storage in the plasma processing apparatus, the setting and the provisional frequency group included in a provisional setting of the plurality of provisional settings minimizing the degree of reflection (as prev disc, all the settings/fHF are stored as part of the recipe in apparatus memory/storage), the setting and the provisional frequency group being stored as the optimal matching circuitry setting and the initial frequency group corresponding to the process (all of these are recipe/process settings, and both of the setting and fHF must be associated w/ matching since they are instantaneously/interlinked as prev disc; it is noted the recipe/process does not limit apparatus structure and is intended use, MPEP 2114).
Regarding claim 17. Kubota, in view of Koshimizu, teaches the plasma processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: a controller configured to cause (see claim 16), while sequentially switching a setting for the matching circuitry for the first variable capacitor and for the second variable capacitor among a plurality of settings under a condition for the process (claim 16), the radio-frequency power supply to generate source radio-frequency power having a plurality of frequency components to generate plasma in the chamber (claim 13) in a reference cycle being the waveform cycle (claim 13), determine a lowest ratio of a plurality of ratios of power levels of reflected waves of the plurality of frequency components to power levels of traveling waves of the plurality of frequency components in each of the plurality of phase periods in the reference cycle (claim 13),
and identify a frequency of a frequency component of the plurality of frequency components corresponding to the lowest ratio in each of the plurality of phase periods to determine a plurality of provisional frequencies for the respective plurality of phase periods (claim 13), the controller being configured to generate a plurality of provisional settings each including a provisional frequency group and a corresponding setting of the plurality of settings, the provisional frequency group including a plurality of provisional frequencies for the respective plurality of phase periods, the controller being configured to store, into a storage in the plasma processing apparatus, the setting and the provisional frequency group included in a provisional setting of the plurality of provisional settings minimizing the degree of reflection, the setting and the provisional frequency group being stored as the optimal matching circuitry setting and the initial frequency group corresponding to the process (see claim 16).
Conclusion
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/YUECHUAN YU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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