DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/3/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the prior art of record does not teach or disclose the processor being configured to repeatedly calculate, at a plurality of times, a first corrected angle…and to repeatedly change the angle of the first reflection control mirror to the first corrected angle, during a pause period in which output of the pulse laser light is stopped. Examiner disagrees as Yabu teaches the control of the control pattern for controlling the actuators may include 1) corresponding to the number of repetitive outputs of the EUV light from initiation of a burst operation, 2) corresponding to the number of burst periods from initiation, 3) corresponding to the number of burst periods, or 4) corresponding to the passage of time (see paragraphs [0153-0159). Here it can be seen that the repetitive calculations and changing of angles of the actuators is done during pause periods can be varied in many exemplary patterns.
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.
Claims 1-4, 7-11, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yabu (US PGPub 2018/0199422, hereinafter Yabu).
Regarding claim 1, Yabu discloses an EUV light generation system (EUV light generating system 11a, see paragraph [0114]) configured to generate EUV light (EUV light, see paragraph [0115]) by irradiating a target (target 27) with pulse laser light (pulsed laser beam 31) to turn the target (target 27) into plasma (see paragraph [0116]), the EUV light generation system comprising:
a chamber (chamber 2, see paragraph [0116]);
a target supply device (target supply unit 26) configured to supply the target (target 27) to a plasma generation region (plasma generation region 25) in the chamber (chamber 2) (see paragraph [0116]);
a laser device (laser apparatus 3) configured to output the pulse laser light (pulsed laser beam 31, see paragraph [0116]);
a beam sensor (amount of shift of laser focusing position in y direction, graph B of Fig. 8, see paragraph [0150] inherently requires a sensor to determine amount of shift) configured to measure one of a position and an angle of an optical axis (see Fig. 8) of the pulse laser light as a first optical characteristic (see paragraphs [0147-0153]);
a first reflection control mirror whose angle is controlled so that the first optical characteristic becomes a first target value (start of graph C of Fig. 8); and
a processor (actuator controller 65, see paragraph [0118])) configured to control the laser device so that the target (target 27) is irradiated with the pulse laser light (pulsed laser beam 31) (see paragraph [0116]);
the processor (actuator controller 65) being configured to repeatedly calculate, at a plurality of time points, a first corrected angle based on a first attenuation curve defined by the angle of the first reflection control mirror (inclination of first reflective mirror in θ1 direction, graph C of Fig. 8, see paragraph [0151]; repetition of calculations, see paragraphs [0153-0159]) at an end of an immediately preceding irradiation period (end of first pulse, see Fig. 8, annotated below), the angle of the first reflection control mirror at a cold state (mirror cooling between laser pulses see paragraph [0105], angle of first mirror, see graph C of Fig. 8, annotated below), an elapsed time from a start of the pause period (see Fig. 8, annotated below), and a first time constant (length of laser pulses, see graph A of Fig. 8), and to repeatedly change the angle of the first reflection control mirror to the first corrected angle (feedforward control, see paragraphs [0147-0159]), during a pause period (between laser pulses, see Fig. 8, annotated below) in which output of the pulse laser light is stopped (see paragraphs [0147-0153]). Yabu teaches the mirror temperature decreases between laser pulses (rest period) as an inherent property of the absence of plasma generation (see paragraph [0105]).
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Regarding claims 2-3, Yabu discloses the pulse laser light includes prepulse laser light and a main pulse laser light (target 27 may be irradiated with a plurality of pulses which are included in the pulsed laser beam 33, see paragraph 0061]).
Regarding claim 4, Yabu discloses the processor changes the angle of the first reflection control mirror at regular intervals (compensation for shifts of the pulsed laser beam 33 with respect to the plasma generating region 25 that occur during burst operation, see paragraph [0118]).
Regarding claim 7, Yabu discloses the beam sensor (detected shift of laser pulse, see Fig. 5) is configured to measure the other of the position and the angle of the optical axis (see Fig. 5) as a second characteristic in addition to the first optical characteristic (successive laser pulses, see paragraphs [0101-0102]),
a second reflection control mirror is configured to have an angle thereof controlled so that the second optical characteristic becomes a second target value (concave mirror 222, see paragraph [0101]) is comprised on a downstream side in a propagation direction of the pulse laser light with respect to the first reflection control mirror (second laser pulse, see Fig. 5), and
the processor (laser beam focusing system 70a) is configured to calculate a second corrected angle based on a second attenuation curve defined by the angle of the second reflection control mirror at the end of the immediately preceding irradiation period (see paragraph [0118]), the angle of the second reflection control mirror at the cold state (see paragraph [0105]), the elapsed time (see paragraph [0104]), and a second time constant, and to change the angle of the second reflection control mirror to the second corrected angle (feedforward control), during the pause period (between laser pulses, see Fig. 5 and paragraph [0118]).
Regarding claim 8, Yabu discloses the first optical characteristic is the position of the optical axis and the second optical characteristic is the angle of the optical axis (see paragraph [0102]).
Regarding claims 9-10, Yabu discloses the pulse laser light includes prepulse laser light and a main pulse laser light (target 27 may be irradiated with a plurality of pulses which are included in the pulsed laser beam 33, see paragraph 0061]).
Regarding claim 11, Yabu discloses the processor changes the angle of the second reflection control mirror at regular intervals (compensation for shifts of the pulsed laser beam 33 with respect to the plasma generating region 25 that occur during burst operation, see paragraph [0118]).
Regarding claim 13, Yabu discloses the beam sensor measures the first optical characteristic of the pulse laser light immediately before entering the chamber (feedforward control to compensate for shifts of the focusing position of the pulsed laser beam 33 with respect to the plasma generating region 25 that occur during burst operations, see paragraph [0118]).
Regarding claim 14, Yabu discloses the beam sensor measures the first optical characteristic (first pulse first shift, see Fig. 5) and the second characteristic (second pulse second shift, see Fig. 5) of the laser light immediately before entering the chamber (feedforward control to compensate for shifts of the focusing position of the pulsed laser beam 33 with respect to the plasma generating region 25 that occur during burst operations, see paragraph [0118]).
Regarding claim 15, Yabu discloses an electronic device manufacturing method comprising:
generating EUV light (EUV light, see paragraph [0115]) using an EUV light generation system (EUV light generating system 11a, see paragraph [0114]);
outputting the EUV light to an exposure apparatus (exposure apparatus 6, see paragraph [0061]); and
exposing a photosensitive substrate (not shown in exposure apparatus 6) to the EUV light in the exposure apparatus to manufacture an electronic device (photolithography of semiconductors, see paragraph [0003]),
the EUV light generation system (EUV light generating system 11a) including:
a chamber (chamber 2, see paragraph [0116]);
a target supply device (target supply unit 26) to supply a target (target 27) to a plasma generation region in the chamber (plasma generation region 25) in the chamber (chamber 2) (see paragraph [0116]);
a laser device (laser apparatus 3) configured to emit pulse laser light (pulsed laser beam 31, see paragraph [0116]);
a beam sensor (amount of shift of laser focusing position in y direction, graph B of Fig. 8, see paragraph [0150]) configured to measure one of a position and an angle of an optical axis (see Fig. 8) of the pulse laser light as a first optical characteristic (see paragraphs [0147-0153]);
a first reflection control mirror whose angle is controlled so that the first optical characteristic becomes a first target value (start of graph C of Fig. 8); and a processor (actuator controller 65) configured to control the laser device so that the target (target 27) is irradiated with the pulse laser light (pulsed laser beam 31, see paragraph [0116]),
the processor (actuator controller 65) being configured to repeatedly calculate, at a plurality of time points, a first corrected angle based on a first attenuation curve defined by the angle of the first reflection control mirror at an end of an immediately preceding irradiation period (inclination of first reflective mirror in θ1 direction, graph C of Fig. 8, see paragraph [0151]; repetition of calculations, see paragraphs [0153-0159]), the angle of the first reflection control mirror at a cold state (mirror cooling between laser pulses see paragraph [0105], angle of first mirror, see graph C of Fig. 8, annotated above), an elapsed time from a start of the pause period (see Fig. 8, annotated above), and a first time constant (length of laser pulses, see graph A of Fig. 8), and to repeatedly change the angle of the first reflection control mirror to the first corrected angle (feedforward control, see paragraphs [0147-0159]), during a pause period (between laser pulses, see Fig. 8, annotated above) in which output of the pulse laser light is stopped (see paragraphs [0147-0153]). Yabu teaches the mirror temperature decreases between laser pulses (rest period) as an inherent property of the absence of plasma generation (see paragraph [0105]).
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 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yabu in view of Nikipelov et al. (US Pat. 9,823,572, hereinafter Nikipelov).
Regarding claim 16, Yabu discloses an electronic device manufacturing method (photolithography of semiconductor processes, see paragraph [0003]) comprising:
selecting a mask and exposing and transferring a pattern formed on the selected mask onto a photosensitive substrate (transfer patterns for use in photolithography of semiconductor processes, see paragraph [0003]);
the EUV light generation system (EUV light generating system 11a) including:
a chamber (chamber 2, see paragraph [0116]);
a target supply device (target supply unit 26) to supply a target (target 27) to a plasma generation region (plasma generation region 25) in the chamber (chamber 2) (see paragraph [0116]);
a laser device (laser apparatus 3) configured to emit pulse laser light (pulsed laser beam 31, see paragraph [0116]);
a beam sensor (amount of shift of laser focusing position in y direction, graph B of Fig. 8, see paragraph [0150]) configured to measure one of a position and an angle of an optical axis (see Fig. 8) of the pulse laser light as a first optical characteristic (see paragraphs [0147-0153]);
a first reflection control mirror whose angle is controlled so that the first optical characteristic becomes a first target value (start of graph C of Fig. 8); and
a processor (actuator controller 65, see paragraph [0118]) configured to control the laser device so that the target (target 27) is irradiated with the pulse laser light (pulse laser beam 31) (see paragraph [0116]),
the processor (actuator controller 65) being configured to repeatedly calculate, at a plurality of time points, a first corrected angle based on a first attenuation curve defined by the angle of the first reflection control mirror (inclination of first reflective mirror in θ1 direction, graph C of Fig. 8, see paragraph [0151]; repetition of calculations, see paragraphs [0153-0159]) at an end of an immediately preceding irradiation period (end of first pulse, see Fig. 8, annotated above), the angle of the first reflection control mirror at a cold state (mirror cooling between laser pulses see paragraph [0105], angle of first mirror, see graph C of Fig. 8, annotated above), an elapsed time from a start of the pause period (see Fig. 8, annotated above), and a first time constant (length of laser pulses, see graph A of Fig. 8), and to repeatedly change the angle of the first reflection control mirror to the first corrected angle (feedforward control, see paragraphs[ 0147-0159]), during a pause period (between laser pulses, see Fig. 8, annotated above) in which output of the pulse laser light is stopped (see paragraphs [0147-0153]). Yabu teaches the mirror temperature decreases between laser pulses (rest period) as an inherent property of the absence of plasma generation (see paragraph [0105]).
Yabu discloses the EUV light generated by the EUV light generating system 11 is sent to the exposure apparatus 6 (see paragraph [0057]). Yabu fails to disclose inspecting a defect of a mask by irradiating the mask with EUV light generated by the EUV light generation system, and selecting a mask using a result of the inspection.
Nikipelov discloses a lithographic system may include one or more mask inspection apparatus which may use a lower power radiation beam than the lithographic apparatus (see col. 87, lines 39-53).
Nikipelov modifies Yabu by suggesting a step of mask inspection before transferring a pattern onto a substrate.
Since both inventions are drawn to photolithography, it would have been obvious to the ordinary artisan before the effective filing date to have the exposure apparatus 6 of Yabu be the mask inspection apparatus of Nikipelov for the purpose of ensuring the mask pattern is capable of transferring the desired pattern to the photosensitive substrate with high accuracy as taught by Nikipelov.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 and 12 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.
Claim 17 is allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 17, the claim is commensurate in scope with claim 1 above. However, Yabu fails to disclose, either singularly or in combination, the first attenuation curve is expressed by the claimed expression (1).
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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 HANWAY CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5766. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Georgia Epps can be reached on (571) 272-2328. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Hanway Chang
/HC/Examiner, Art Unit 2878
/GEORGIA Y EPPS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2878