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 .
Remarks
Applicants elect Species I, Claims 1-9, 13-21 without traverse on 11/20/2025.
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. 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 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)1 as being anticipated by.Hahn et al. (2023/0160062).
Regarding 1, Hahn et al. (2023/0160062) discloses a method comprising:
measuring a first temperature (by temperature sensor 18, paragraph [0025]) at a first location (at the susceptor, paragraph [0025]) associated with a process chamber (process chamber, fig. 1 and abstract) during a plasma-based process (etching, abstract); and
determining a value (a heat flux that apply to the susceptor) representative of a first radical species flux (heat flux) associated with the plasma-based process (etching, abstract; plasma, paragraphs [0006], [0008]) based on the first temperature (the heat flux generated by the heating device is varied in order to keep the temperature constant based on the measured temperature at susceptor) (paragraph [0025]).
Claims 13 and 21 are rejected similarly as discussed above.
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. 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) 1, 2, 4, 5, 13, 14, 16, 17, 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hilkene et al. (2023/0187169).
Regarding Claim 1, Hilkene et al. (2023/0187169) discloses a method comprising:
measuring a first temperature (either sensor 600A or 600B) (“600B includes a first catalytic wire and a second catalytic wire”, paragraph [0048]; “changes to the temperature of the catalytic wire”, paragraph [0024]) at a first location (location either 600a or 600b) (Fig. 6A) associated with a process chamber (664) (Fig. 6A) during a plasma-based process (plasma processes, paragraph [0039]); and
detecting a first radical species flux (sensor for detecting radical flux, see claim 21; “a wire for sensing the radical ion flux, and a wire for serving as a temperature reference, paragraph [0028]) associated with the plasma-based process based on the first temperature (temperature sensed by the first temperature sensor, Claim 21).
As discussed above, Hilkene essentially discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly disclose determining a value representative of a first radical species flux.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have recognized that Hilkene would have determined a value representative of the radical species flux such as measured flux, voltage, or a digital value in order to record or indicate the detected radical ion flux.
Claims 13 and 21 are rejected similarly as discussed above.
Regarding Claim 2, Hilkene discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first location comprises an inlet (pipe 674) (fig. 6B) to the process chamber through which a plasma (plasma 673) flows (paragraph [0044]) during the plasma-based process (fig. 6B).
Claim 14 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Regarding Claim 4, Hilkene discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising:
measuring a second temperature (“600B includes a first catalytic wire and a second catalytic wire”, paragraph [0048]; “changes to the temperature of the catalytic wire”, paragraph [0024]) at a second location (600B location) associated with the process chamber (664, fig. 6A) during the plasma-based process (plasma processes, paragraph [0039]); and
detecting a second value representative of a second radical species flux (sensor for detecting radical flux, see claim 21; “a wire for sensing the radical ion flux, and a wire for serving as a temperature reference, paragraph [0028]) associated with the plasma-based process based on the second temperature (temperature sensed by the first temperature sensor, see claim 21).
As discussed above, Hilkene essentially discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly disclose determining a value representative of a first radical species flux.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have recognized that Hilkene would have determined a value representative of the radical species flux in order to record or indicate the detected radical ion flux.
Further, it has been held that duplication of parts has no patentable significance without a new and unexpected result which involves routine skill in the art. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided another sensor for detecting the radical ion flux in order to achieve more accurate detected parameters. In reHarza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960).
Claim 16 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Regarding Claim 5, Hilkene discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the second location comprises an exhaust line (location 600b is at the exhaust line 666) of the process chamber (664) (Fig. 6A).
Claim 17 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Claim(s) 3, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hilkene et al. (2023/0187169) in view of Panda et al. (2022/0214662).
Regarding Claim 3, as discussed above, Hilkene essentially discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, wherein determining the value representative of the radical species flux comprises inputting the temperature into a trained machine learning model that outputs the value representative of the radical species flux.
However, Panda et al. (2022/0214662) discloses maintenance manager 123 includes one or more trained machine learning models that have been trained to detect when maintenance should be performed on a process chamber. The measurements may include optical measurements of a substrate (e.g., reflectometry measurements and/or optical emission spectroscopy measurements), pressure measurements, power measurements (e.g., bias power, source power, plasma power, etc.), voltage measurements, current measurements, other electrical measurements, temperature measurements (paragraph [0058]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a trained machine learning model to detect temperature in Hilkene in order to enhance the operation and analysis by using trained machine as a taught by Panda.
Claim 15 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Claim(s) 3, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hahn et al. (2023/0160062) in view of Panda et al. (2022/0214662).
Regarding Claim 3, as discussed above, Hahn essentially discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, wherein determining the value representative of the radical species flux comprises inputting the temperature into a trained machine learning model that outputs the value representative of the radical species flux.
However, Panda et al. (2022/0214662) discloses maintenance manager 123 includes one or more trained machine learning models that have been trained to detect when maintenance should be performed on a process chamber. The measurements may include optical measurements of a substrate (e.g., reflectometry measurements and/or optical emission spectroscopy measurements), pressure measurements, power measurements (e.g., bias power, source power, plasma power, etc.), voltage measurements, current measurements, other electrical measurements, temperature measurements (paragraph [0058]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a trained machine learning model to detect temperature in Hahn in order to enhance the operation and analysis by using trained machine as a taught by Panda.
Claim 15 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Claim(s) 6, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hilkene et al. (2023/0187169) in view of Gupta et al. (2009/0104719).
Regarding Claim 6, as discussed above, Hilkene essentially discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether the determined value representative of the radical species flux satisfies a criterion; and scheduling maintenance responsive to determining that the value representative of the radical species flux satisfies the criterion.
However, Gupta et al. (2009/0104719) discloses a Faraday dosimeter for measuring the flux in the chamber and analyze the monitored data and determine whether the trigger a maintenance event in response to the monitoring (paragraph [0047]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a sensor for measuring the flux and determine whether the maintenance is triggered in response to the monitoring in Hilkene in order to determine whether the maintenance is needed as taught by Gupta.
Claim 18 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Claim(s) 6, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hahn et al. (2023/0160062) in view of Gupta et al. (2009/0104719).
Regarding Claim 6, as discussed above, Hahn essentially discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether the determined value representative of the radical species flux satisfies a criterion; and scheduling maintenance responsive to determining that the value representative of the radical species flux satisfies the criterion.
However, Gupta et al. (2009/0104719) discloses a Faraday dosimeter for measuring the flux in the chamber and analyze the monitored data and determine whether the trigger a maintenance event in response to the monitoring (paragraph [0047]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a sensor for measuring the flux and determine whether the maintenance is triggered in response to the monitoring in Hahn in order to determine whether the maintenance is needed as taught by Gupta.
Claim 18 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Allowable subject matter
Claims 7-9, 19 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Examiner Wilson Lee whose telephone number is (571) 272-1824. Proposed amendment and interview agenda can be submitted to Examiner’s direct fax at (571) 273-1824.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, examiner’s supervisor, Alexander Taningco can be reached at (571) 272-8048. Papers related to the application may be submitted by facsimile transmission. Any transmission not to be considered an official response must be clearly marked "DRAFT". The official fax number is (571) 273-8300.
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/WILSON LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844