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 § 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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Holtkamp (US 20070274810).
Regarding claim 1. Holtkamp teaches in the drawings a manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device (semiconductor workpiece processing system [2, 38]), comprising: first to fourth clusters (fig. 4, 6, four clusters of transport modules 318/18 w/ attached peripheral interfaces 328, valves SV, transport arm modules 326/26, and process chambers PM [38-42, 45]) and first to third load lock chambers (six intermediate/connecting transport chambers 316u/LL [38-42, 45] when connecting said adjacent clusters, fig. 6, 316u/316LL being load locks LL [38, 39]; 316u/LL is the same as the three 30/LL in fig. 4 also a load lock [34, 45]) but does not teach fifth to eleventh clusters and fourth to tenth loadlock chambers. However, Holtkamp teaches in [38] that additional clusters/modules 318 with respective XM/LL attachments can be duplicated to extend the chain shown in fig. 6. Further, per MPEP 2144.04, it has been held that duplication of parts did not render the claims patentable. Holtkamp further teaches
wherein the first cluster is connected to the second cluster through the first loadlock chamber, wherein the second cluster is connected to the third cluster through the second loadlock chamber, wherein the third cluster is connected to the fourth cluster through the third loadlock chamber, wherein the fourth cluster is connected to the fifth cluster through the fourth load lock chamber, wherein the fifth cluster is connected to the sixth cluster through the fifth loadlock chamber, wherein the sixth cluster is connected to the seventh cluster through the sixth loadlock chamber, wherein the seventh cluster is connected to the eighth cluster through the seventh loadlock chamber, wherein the eighth cluster is connected to the ninth cluster through the eighth load lock chamber, wherein the ninth cluster is connected to the tenth cluster through the ninth loadlock chamber, wherein the tenth cluster is connected to the eleventh cluster through the tenth loadlock chamber (as discussed, each pair of adjacent clusters is connected with a respective LL as shown in fig. 6; hence when the chain shown in fig. 6 is duplicated to any number of clusters and connecting LLs, each pair of connected clusters and intervening LL is consecutively extended in the chain from the previous cluster such as that a next cluster is sequentially attached with an additional LL between it and the previous cluster, resulting in the growing numbered sequence of paired clusters and the intervening LL as claimed, and can be extended/duplicated, as previously discussed),
wherein pressures in the first cluster, the third cluster, the fourth cluster, the sixth cluster, the seventh cluster, the ninth cluster, and the eleventh cluster are controlled to reduced pressures (the atmospheres inside each cluster 318/18 can be vacuumed [34, 38]; 318 is analogous to 18), wherein atmospheres in the second cluster, the fifth cluster, the eighth cluster, and the tenth cluster are controlled to inert gas atmospheres (since the adjacent LLs of the clusters can be filled with inert gas [26 36 39]; when the valve/gate opens between a LL and the adjacent cluster, each cluster can be filled with the inert from the LL; additionally, this is an intended use/operation and does not add further structure/structural limitation to the apparatus, MPEP 2114), wherein the first cluster to the eleventh cluster each comprise a carrying device (fig. 2-6, each cluster 318/18 includes a carrying arm 26/326), wherein the first cluster, the fourth cluster, the seventh cluster, and the eleventh cluster each comprise a face-up deposition apparatus and a face-down deposition apparatus (fig. 4 as a variant of fig. 6 with different attachments for the clusters, shows each cluster w/ pair of PM/processing modules, that can be used for deposition and ion implantation, which also includes depositing ions [48]; it is noted the type of processing does not further add apparatus structure/structurally distinguish it but relates to intended use/process, MPEP 2114; i.e. different process gases/and or different substrate materials and other process conditions may be used;
the process gases/substrates and process parameters are not apparatus structure, and can be changed/exchanged according to user requirements as part of intended use processes; also, face up/down does not add apparatus structure, and the wafer loaded can simply be placed face up/down initially before transferring to PM), wherein the third cluster, the sixth cluster, and the ninth cluster each comprise an etching apparatus (as discussed, the type of processing is an intended use, and each cluster has at least a PM that is capable of etching such as using various gases/substrates and process conditions as previously discussed, and is also one of the intended processes [38 48]), wherein the second cluster, the fifth cluster, and the eighth cluster each comprise a plurality of apparatuses where a lithography step is performed (as discussed, the type of process is an intended use; all the clusters have the two PM, as disc, and the processing modules are capable of lithography [38]), wherein the tenth cluster comprises an etching apparatus (as discussed, each cluster has at least a PM, which is capable of etching), and wherein the face-down deposition apparatus comprises a substrate reversing device (as shown in figs. 4, 6, each PM contains the end effector 32/fig. 2, which holds wafer W and is capable of reversing/eg. Making an opposing movement such as taking out or in and left/right, of the movement direction of the wafer, fig. 2).
Regarding claim 2. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising: a twelfth cluster and an eleventh loadlock chamber (as discussed prev, via duplication), wherein the twelfth cluster is connected to the first cluster through the eleventh load lock chamber (as disc prev, extending the chain of clusters/LL, which connects all the clusters and LL in the same chain), wherein an atmosphere in the twelfth cluster is controlled to an inert gas atmosphere (see claim 1, as discussed for all the clusters and the inert gas), and wherein the twelfth cluster comprises a cleaning apparatus and a baking apparatus (as discussed, the two PMs for each cluster, which is capable of etching, a type of removal/cleaning and heating via heating station [34]).
Regarding claim 3. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 2 wherein the twelfth cluster comprises a load chamber (the space inside each 218/18 is both a load/unload chamber since the 326/26 can take in/out the wafers to/from the chamber, fig. 2), and wherein the eleventh cluster comprises an unload chamber (as discussed, each cluster contains both load/unload chamber).
Regarding claim 4. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising: a thirteenth cluster, a fourteenth cluster, a twelfth loadlock chamber, and a thirteenth loadlock chamber (via duplication, as prev discussed), wherein the thirteenth cluster is connected to the third cluster through the third load lock chamber (as disc prev, extending the chain of clusters/LL, which connects all the clusters and LL in the same chain), wherein the thirteenth cluster is connected to the fourth cluster through the twelfth load lock chamber (as disc prev, extending the chain of clusters/LL, which connects all the clusters and LL in the same chain), wherein the fourteenth cluster is connected to the sixth cluster through the sixth loadlock chamber (as disc prev, extending the chain of clusters/LL, which connects all the clusters and LL in the same chain), wherein the fourteenth cluster is connected to the seventh cluster through the thirteenth loadlock chamber (as disc prev, extending the chain of clusters/LL, which connects all the clusters and LL in the same chain), wherein atmospheres in the thirteenth cluster and the fourteenth cluster are controlled to inert gas atmospheres (as disc in claim 1 regarding the inert gas in the clusters), and wherein the thirteenth cluster and the fourteenth cluster each comprise a cleaning apparatus and a baking apparatus (as discussed, the two PMs for each cluster, which is capable of etching, a type of removal/cleaning and heating via heating station [34]).
Regarding claim 5. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the face-down deposition apparatus is one or more selected from an evaporation apparatus and a sputtering apparatus (the deposition process includes PVD/sputtering [26]; as discussed previously, this is related to processing/intended use).
Regarding claim 6. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the face-up deposition apparatus is one or more selected from a CVD apparatus and an ALD apparatus (the deposition process includes CVD [26]).
Regarding claim 7. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the etching apparatus included in each of the third cluster, the sixth cluster, and the ninth cluster is a dry etching apparatus (the deposition includes CVD which is a gas/vapor phase process [26]).
Regarding claim 8. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the etching apparatus included in the tenth cluster is a wet etching apparatus (the processing includes CMP which is a wet removal/etch process [26]).
Regarding claim 9. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising: an application apparatus, a light-exposure apparatus, a developing apparatus, and a baking apparatus as the plurality of apparatuses where the lithography step is performed (as discussed, the multiple apparatuses, such as at least two PM, at least one is capable of photolithographic processing [42], and a heating/baking station as previously discussed, where it would be obvious to one skilled in the art of semiconductor processing that developing and photo/light exposure elements/structures w/mask are basic elements of all photolithographic apparatuses since having the resist to be spun on, developed, masked+light exposed and washed are the core photolithographic steps).
Regarding claim 10. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising: an application apparatus and a nanoimprint apparatus as the plurality of apparatuses where the lithography step is performed (as discussed in claim 9, it would be obvious to one skilled in the art of basic photolithography that the photolithography in the PM must have at least a light application/exposure apparatus and a masking element/apparatus to print the circuits as enabling core photolithographic steps).
Claim(s) 11-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Holtkamp (US 20070274810) in view of Mimura (US 20200189054).
Regarding claim 11. Holtkamp teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 1, but does not teach wherein the substrate reversing device comprises a rotation mechanism and a stage where an electrostatic adsorption unit, an electromagnet unit, and a cylinder unit are stacked in this order, wherein the electrostatic adsorption unit holds a substrate, and wherein the rotation mechanism reverses the stage. However, Mimura teaches the substrate reversing device/flip chamber 102 [40 4] comprises a rotation mechanism (rotation supporting mechanism R [120] fig. 1, 3) and a stage (transport module 301+transport carrier 302) where an electrostatic adsorption unit (308 ES chuck [151]), an electromagnet unit (mag chuck 307 [151]), and a cylinder unit (rotating shaft/cylinder 311f) are stacked in this order (fig. 3a, going from down up since it is shown in flipped), wherein the electrostatic adsorption unit holds a substrate (fig. 3, the substrate G held on said ES chuck fig. 3), and wherein the rotation mechanism reverses the stage (as discussed R of 102 reverses entire 301, 302). It would be obvious to those skilled in the art at invention time to modify Holtkamp to reduce load/improve transport [121] and controllably hold the substrate [91].
Regarding claim 12. Holtkamp in view of Mimura teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 11 wherein the cylinder unit is configured to move up and down a plurality of pusher pins (as discussed, fig. 3a, Mimura the cylinders 311m 307m move the lift rods), and wherein the pusher pins are provided in through holes formed in the electrostatic adsorption unit and the electromagnet unit (fig. 3a rods and its extended 311 elements go thru holes corresponding to the vertical positions of the 307 308).
Regarding claim 13. Holtkamp in view of Mimura teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 11, but does not teach wherein the face-down deposition apparatus comprises a mask jig and an alignment mechanism, wherein the alignment mechanism is connected to a lifting mechanism, and wherein after the stage is reversed, the mask jig is aligned to touch the substrate and then is closely attached to the substrate with the electromagnet unit. However, Mimura teaches in fig. 3-5 a mask jig (mask chuck 311 [130] which jigs/holds the mask) and an alignment mechanism (using elements shown in fig. 6ab [123-135] such as alignment mainframe 200) as part of a face down deposition apparatus (fig. 3a, in the deposition apparatus 302 facing down, 10-12 [97]), wherein the alignment mechanism is connected to a lifting mechanism (fig. 6 the alignment mainframe 200 connected to lifter 202/204), and wherein after the stage is reversed (fig. 6ab the 302 is flipped face down), the mask jig is aligned to touch the substrate (311 clamps down to touch/hold both mask and substrate) and then is closely attached to the substrate with the electromagnet unit (fig. 6a, 311 clamps down on G with M sandwiching with 308/307). It would be obvious to those skilled in the art at time of invention to modify Holtkamp to reduce load/improve transport [121] and controllably hold the substrate [91], and align the mask and substrate [129].
Regarding claim 14. Holtkamp in view of Mimura teaches the manufacturing equipment for a light-emitting device according to claim 12 but does not teach wherein the face-down deposition apparatus comprises a mask jig and an alignment mechanism, wherein the alignment mechanism is connected to a lifting mechanism, and wherein after the stage is reversed, the mask jig is aligned to touch the substrate and then is closely attached to the substrate with the electromagnet unit. However, Mimura teaches in fig. 3-5 a mask jig (mask chuck 311 [130] which jigs/holds the mask) and an alignment mechanism (using elements shown in fig. 6ab [123-135] such as alignment mainframe 200) as part of a face down deposition apparatus (fig. 3a, in the deposition apparatus 302 facing down, 10-12 [97]), wherein the alignment mechanism is connected to a lifting mechanism (fig. 6 the alignment mainframe 200 connected to lifter 202/204), and wherein after the stage is reversed (fig. 6ab the 302 is flipped face down), the mask jig is aligned to touch the substrate (311 clamps down to touch/hold both mask and substrate) and then is closely attached to the substrate with the electromagnet unit (fig. 6a, 311 clamps down on G with M sandwiching with 308/307). It would be obvious to those skilled in the art at time of invention to modify Holtkamp to reduce load/improve transport [121] and controllably hold the substrate [91], and align the mask and substrate [129].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YUECHUAN YU whose telephone number is (571)272-7190. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/YUECHUAN YU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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