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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 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.
Claims 1-20 recites “process apparatus”. There may be some confusion for the term “process” as it is unclear if applicant intends to claim a process or apparatus. For purpose of examination examiner interprets the limitation as being an apparatus claim.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bennett (2010/0099334).
Regarding claim 18, Bennett teaches A polishing process apparatus (Fig. 1) comprising:
a platen (Ref. 24, Fig. 1) configured to provide a space (Ref. 26, Fig. 1) in which at least one eddy current sensor (Ref. 44,46,50,&94, Fig. 1,[0021]) is accommodated, wherein the at least one eddy current sensor comprises:
a coil (Ref. 44&46, Fig. 1&3),
a power supply circuit (Ref. 48, Fig. 1-2, [0027]) configured to supply alternating current (AC) power to the coil ([0027] describes the power supply circuit is an oscillator thereby sending AC current signal),
an amplification circuit (Ref. 58&94, Fig. 1) configured to output an analog voltage signal corresponding to a change in impedance of the coil (fig. 2, [0027-0029]), and
an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (Fig. 2, [0031]) configured to convert the analog voltage signal into raw voltage data ([0031]);
a polishing pad (Ref. 30, Fig. 1) on an upper surface of the platen (Fig. 1); and
a controller (Ref. 90, Fig. 1) configured to:
acquire raw voltage data from the at least one eddy current sensor ([0033] describes the controller receiving intensity signals);
determine an end point of a polishing process ([0033&0038] describes an end point detection of a polishing process); and
increase a gain of the amplification circuit over time after the polishing process starts ([0029-0030] describes detecting the current and modifying resistance based upon changing the Q-factor).
Regarding claim 19, Bennett teaches the limitations of claim 18, as described above, and further teaches wherein the controller is further configured to generate an image representing a thickness of a target layer contacting the polishing pad by mapping the raw voltage data with the thickness of the target layer during the polishing process ([0034]).
Regarding claim 20, Bennett teaches the limitations of claim 19, as described above, and further teaches wherein the controller is further configured to acquire first data based on the raw voltage data at each of a plurality of points in time at which the at least one eddy current sensor passes the target layer while the platen rotates ([0034]).
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.
Claims 1, 3-7, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bennett (2010/0099334) in view of Nakamura (2022/0371151).
Regarding Claim 1, Bennett teaches A polishing process apparatus (Fig. 1) comprising:
a carrier (Ref. 70, Fig. 1) configured to support an object ([0024] describes holding a substrate);
a platen (Ref. 24, Fig. 1) provided below the carrier (70) and configured to accommodate at least one eddy current sensor (Ref. 44,46,50,&94, Fig. 1,[0021]), the at least one eddy current sensor comprising:
a coil (Ref. 44&46, Fig. 1&3) configured to output an eddy current ([0029]),
a power supply circuit (Ref. 48, Fig. 1-2, [0027]) configured to supply power to the coil ([0027]), and
a voltage detection circuit (Ref. 58&94, Fig. 1) connected to the coil (46) and configured to detect raw voltage data ([0027-0029]),
a polishing pad (Ref. 30, Fig. 1) on an upper surface of the platen (Fig. 1), and
a controller (Ref. 90, Fig. 1) configured to:
acquire first data by receiving the raw voltage data from the voltage detection circuit a plurality of times while a polishing process is performed on the object ([0033] describes the controller receiving intensity signals);
and measure a thickness of a target layer ([0006,0033&0043]).
Bennett fails to explicitly teach a controller acquire second data by sequentially applying a first filter and a second filter to the first data, the first filter being different from the second filter, and measure a thickness of a target layer. Nakamura teaches a polishing apparatus with an at lest one eddy current sensor and controller and can be considered analogous art because it is within the same field of endeavor. Nakamura further teaches A polishing process apparatus (Fig. 1) comprising:
A carrier (Ref. 120, Fig. 1);
A platan (Ref. 110, Fig. 1) provided below the carrier and configured to accommodate at least one eddy current sensor (Ref. 150, Fig. 1), the at least one eddy current sensor comprising:
A controller configured to:
acquire first data by receiving the raw voltage data from the voltage detection circuit a plurality of times while a polishing process is performed on the object ([0071]);
acquire second data by sequentially applying a first filter and a second filter to the first data, the first filter being different from the second filter ([0073-0075] describes having a first and second filter), and
measure a thickness of a target layer included in the object based on the second data ([0076-0079]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the controller, as taught by Nakamura, to acquire second data by sequentially applying a first filter and a second filter to the first data, as taught by Bennett, to remove any noise and more efficiently and accurately polish a substrate ([0010-0013 & 0081]).
Regarding Claim 3, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the voltage detection circuit comprises:
a first resistor (See annotated Fig. 2 below) configured to receive a coil voltage corresponding to impedance of the coil (Fig. 2);
an operational amplifier (See annotated Fig. 2 below) comprising a first input terminal (Fig. 2, Ref. "-" on operational amplifier) connected to the first resistor (Fig. 2) and a second input terminal (Fig. 2, Ref. "+"on operational amplifier ) configured to receive a predetermined reference voltage (Fig. 1, [0031]);
a second resistor (See annotated Fig. 2 below) connected between the first input terminal and an output terminal of the operational amplifier (See annotated Fig. 2 below);
an analog-to-digital converter (Fig. 2, [0031]) configured to convert an output voltage of the operational amplifier into the raw voltage data and provide the raw voltage data to the controller ([0031]); and
a resistance regulator (Ref. 50, Fig. 2, [0029-0030]) configured to regulate a resistance value of at least one of the first resistor and the second resistor ([0029-0030] describes the resistance regulator (50) controlling the power through the circuit to manage the resistance of the eddy current).
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Regarding Claim 4, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 3, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the controller is further configured to control the resistance regulator to adjust the resistance value based on the raw voltage data decreasing from an initial intensity to a predetermined reference intensity or less ([0028] describes the controller communicates to help control the electrical union).
Regarding Claim 5, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 3, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the controller is further configured to control the resistance regulator to regulate the resistance value based on a duration of the polishing process exceeding a predetermined reference time ([0029-0030] describes detecting the current and modifying resistance based upon changing the Q-factor).
Regarding Claim 6, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the voltage detection circuit comprises:
a first resistor (See annotated Fig. 2 below) configured to receive a coil voltage (Fig. 2);
a second resistor (See annotated Fig. 2 below) connected in series to the first resistor (Fig. 2), and
an operational amplifier (See annotated Fig. 2 below) comprising a first input terminal (Fig. 2, Ref. "-" on operational amplifier) connected to a node (See annotated Fig. 2 below) between the first resistor and the second resistor (Fig. 2), and
a resistance regulator (Ref. 50, Fig. 2, [0029-0030]) configured to change a resistance value of the second resistor (Fig. 2 [0029-0030] describes the resistance regulator (50) controlling the power through the circuit to manage the resistance of the eddy current)
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Regarding Claim 7, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 6, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the controller is further configured to increase the resistance value of the second resistor based on a duration of the polishing being lapsed ([0030]).
Regarding Claim 11, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the controller is further configured to an end point of the polishing process by monitoring the thickness of the target layer in real time during the polishing process ([0033&0038]).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bennett as modified as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lin (2005/0112997).
Regarding Claim 2, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1, as described above, but fails to explicitly teach herein the first filter comprises a moving average filter, and wherein the second filter comprises a one-dimensional Kalman filter. Lin teaches a polishing process apparatus with a controller and filters and can be considered analogous art because it is within the same field of endeavor. Lin further teaches a controller (Ref. 33&36, Fig. 1) using filters such as moving average and a one-dimensional Kalman filter in the polishing process to improve measurement results ([0047]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first filter and second filter, as taught by Bennett as modified, with a moving average and a one-dimensional Kalman filter, as taught by Lin, to improve measurement results ([0047]).
Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bennett as modified as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lahiri (2009/0263918).
Regarding Claim 8, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the platen (24) is configured to provide a space (Ref. 26, Fig. 1), and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor (Fig. 1) accommodated in the plurality of spaces (fig. 1, [0027]). Bennett as modified fails to explicitly teach the platen is configured to provide a plurality of spaces and a plurality of eddy current sensors respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces. Lahiri teaches a polishing process apparatus with a platan, carrier, and eddy current sensors and can be considered analogous art because it is within the same field of endeavor. Lahiri further teaches wherein a platen (Ref. 208, Fig. 2A) is configured to provide a plurality of spaces (Ref. 212a-c, Fig. 2A) separated from each other and arranged in a lattice form (Fig. 2A, examiner interprets a lattice form as having at least 1 row and 1 column), and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor comprises a plurality of eddy current sensors (Ref. 214, Fig. 2A, [0044] describes a plurality of eddy current sensors) respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces (fig. 2A, [0044]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the platan, space, and eddy current, as taught by Bennett as modified with a plurality of spaces separated from each other and arranged in a lattice form and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor comprises a plurality of eddy current sensors respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces, as taught by Lahiri, by duplication of parts and to provide the further function and benefit of measuring different zones at one time ([0044]).
Regarding Claim 9, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the platen is configured to provide a space, and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor accommodated in the plurality of spaces. Bennett as modified fails to explicitly teach the platen is configured to provide a plurality of spaces and a plurality of eddy current sensors respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces. Lahiri teaches a polishing process apparatus with a platan, carrier, and eddy current sensors and can be considered analogous art because it is within the same field of endeavor. Lahiri further teaches wherein a platen (Ref. 208, Fig. 2A) is configured to provide a plurality of spaces (Ref. 212a-c, Fig. 2A) arranged in a radial direction (fig. 2A), and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor comprises a plurality of eddy current sensors (Ref. 214, Fig. 2A, [0044] describes a plurality of eddy current sensors) respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces (fig. 2A, [0044]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the platan, space, and eddy current, as taught by Bennett as modified with a plurality of spaces separated from each other and arranged in a radial direction and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor comprises a plurality of eddy current sensors respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces, as taught by Lahiri, by duplication of parts and to provide the further function and benefit of measuring different zones at one time ([0044]).
Regarding Claim 10, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the platen is configured to provide a space, and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor accommodated in the plurality of spaces. Bennett as modified fails to explicitly teach the platen is configured to provide a plurality of spaces and a plurality of eddy current sensors respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces. Lahiri teaches a polishing process apparatus with a platan, carrier, and eddy current sensors and can be considered analogous art because it is within the same field of endeavor. Lahiri further teaches wherein a platen (Ref. 208, Fig. 2A) is configured to provide a plurality of spaces (Ref. 212a-c, Fig. 2A) arranged in a sector shape (Fig. 2A, examiner interprets a sector shape as some shape in one sector of the platen), and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor comprises a plurality of eddy current sensors (Ref. 214, Fig. 2A, [0044] describes a plurality of eddy current sensors) respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces (fig. 2A, [0044]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the platan, space, and eddy current, as taught by Bennett as modified with a plurality of spaces separated from each other and arranged in a sector shape and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor comprises a plurality of eddy current sensors respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces, as taught by Lahiri, by duplication of parts and to provide the further function and benefit of measuring different zones at one time ([0044]).
Claims 12-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bennett (2010/0099334) in view of Lahiri (2009/0263918).
Regarding Claim 12, Bennett teaches a polishing process apparatus (Fig. 1) comprising:
a carrier (Ref. 70, Fig. 1) configured to support an object ([0024] describes holding a substrate);
a platen (Ref. 24, Fig. 1) provided below the carrier (70) and comprising wherein the platen (24) is configured to provide a space (Ref. 26, Fig. 1) configured to accommodate at least one eddy current sensor (Ref. 44,46,50,&94, Fig. 1,[0021]), and wherein the at least one eddy current sensor (Fig. 1) accommodated in the space (fig. 1, [0027]), wherein each of the plurality of eddy current sensors comprises:
a coil (Ref. 44&46, Fig. 1&3), a power supply circuit (Ref. 48, Fig. 1-2, [0027]) configured to supply alternating current (AC) power to the coil ([0027] describes the power supply circuit is an oscillator thereby sending AC current signal), and
a voltage detection circuit (Ref. 58&94, Fig. 1) configured to detect raw voltage data corresponding to impedance of the coil ([0027-0029]); and
a polishing pad (Ref. 30, Fig. 1) on an upper surface of the platen (Fig. 1) and configured to polish a target layer in the object ([0006&0029] describes a conductive layer to polish);
wherein the voltage detection circuit comprises:
an input resistor (See annotated Fig. 2 below) configured to receive a coil voltage corresponding to an inductance of the coil ([0033], Fig. 2),
a feedback resistor (See annotated Fig. 2 below) connected to the input resistor (fig. 2),
an operational amplifier (See annotated Fig. 2 below) comprising:
a first input terminal (Fig. 2, Ref. "-" on operational amplifier) connected to a node (See annotated Fig. 2 below) between the input resistor and the feedback resistor (Fig. 2), and
a second input terminal (Fig. 2, Ref. "+"on operational amplifier ) connected to a reference node (See annotated Fig. 2 below); and
a resistance regulator (Ref. 50, Fig. 2, [0029-0030]) configured to regulate a resistance value of the feedback resistor ([0029-0030] describes the resistance regulator (50) controlling the power through the circuit to manage the resistance of the eddy current).
Bennett fails to explicitly teach the platen is configured to provide a plurality of spaces and a plurality of eddy current sensors respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces. Lahiri teaches a polishing process apparatus with a platan, carrier, and eddy current sensors and can be considered analogous art because it is within the same field of endeavor. Lahiri further teaches a platen (Ref. 208, Fig. 2A) is configured to provide a plurality of spaces (Ref. 212a-c, F8ig. 2A) configured to accommodate a plurality of eddy current sensors (Ref. 214, Fig. 2A, [0044] describes a plurality of eddy current sensors). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the platan, space, and eddy current, as taught by Bennett, with a plurality of spaces wherein the at least one eddy current sensor comprises a plurality of eddy current sensors respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces, as taught by Lahiri, by duplication of parts and to provide the further function and benefit of measuring different zones at one time ([0044]).
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Regarding Claim 13, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 12, as described above, and Lahiri further teaches wherein the plurality of eddy current sensors are arranged in a lattice form (Fig. 2A, examiner interprets a lattice form as having at least 1 row and 1 column) in a first direction and a second direction that are parallel to the upper surface of the platen (Fig. 2A&3A shows the lattice form in the radial and circumferential direction). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the arrangement of the eddy current sensors, as taught by Bennett as modified, to be a lattice form in a first direction and a second direction that are parallel to the upper surface of the platen, as taught by Lahiri, to provide the further function and benefit of measuring different zones at one time ([0044]).
Regarding Claim 14, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 12, as described above, and Lahiri further teaches wherein the plurality of eddy current sensors are arranged in a radial direction of the platen (Fig. 2A). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the arrangement of the eddy current sensors, as taught by Bennett as modified, to be in a radial direction of the platen, as taught by Lahiri, to provide the further function and benefit of measuring different zones at one time ([0044]).
Regarding Claim 15, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 12, as described above, and Lahiri further teaches wherein the plurality of eddy current sensors are arranged in a sector shape (Fig. 2A, examiner interprets a sector shape as some shape in one sector of the platen). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the arrangement of the eddy current sensors, as taught by Bennett as modified, to be in a sector shape, as taught by Lahiri, to provide the further function and benefit of measuring different zones at one time ([0044]).
Regarding Claim 16, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 12, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the resistance regulator is further configured to maintain the resistance value of the feedback resistor at an initial resistance value until an intensity of the raw voltage data decreases to a predetermined reference intensity or less after a polishing process of polishing the target layer starts ([0029-0030] describes detecting the current and modifying resistance based upon changing the Q-factor).
Regarding Claim 17, Bennett as modified teaches the limitations of claim 12, as described above, and Bennett further teaches wherein the target layer comprises a conductive material ([Abstract, 0006, & 0029] describes the target layer having a conductive film).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Miller (2005/0136800), Xu (2015/0118765), and Benvegnu (2007/0087662) teach polishing apparatuses with eddy current sensors and can be considered analogous art because it is within the same field of endeavor.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANA L POON whose telephone number is (571)272-6164. The examiner can normally be reached on General: 6:30AM-3:30PM.
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/DANA LEE POON/Examiner, Art Unit 3723