DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to the Amendment filed on 03 December 2025. Claims 1-13 are pending in the application.
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, on which claims 1-9 are readable, in the reply filed on 05 September 2025 is acknowledged.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 2, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Ito et al., US 2005/0272228, of record.
With respect to claim 1, Ito et al. disclose an optical annealing apparatus, shown in Fig. 1, comprising:
a platform 31 for carrying a wafer 1;
a light source for emitting an annealing light to the wafer 1; and
a mask layer 10 disposed between the platform 31 and the light source 40, wherein the mask layer 10 has a pattern opening for allowing the annealing light to pass through, and the annealing light passing through the pattern opening is used for annealing a partial area of the wafer 1,
wherein a pattern of the pattern opening of the mask layer 10 corresponds to a pattern of an ion doped region in the wafer 1 on the platform 31, see Fig. 1, the Abstract, and paragraphs [0037]-[0042].
With respect to claim 2, in the optical annealing apparatus of Ito et al., the annealing light emitted by the light source comprises laser, see paragraph [0087].
With respect to claim 7, the optical annealing apparatus of Ito et al. further comprises an optical system 39 for adjusting and controlling parameters of the light source 40, see paragraph [0042].
With respect to claim 9, the optical annealing apparatus of Ito et al. further comprises a mask carrying component 33 for adjusting a relative position between the mask layer 10 and the wafer 1, see paragraphs [0038] and [0040].
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 and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buh et al., US 2007/0117250, in view of Son, KR 2000-0031194.
With respect to claim 1, Buh et al. disclose an optical annealing apparatus, shown in Fig. 4, comprising:
a wafer 40;
a light source 45 for emitting an annealing light to the wafer 40; and
a mask layer 43 disposed between the wafer 40 and the light source 43, as shown in Fig. 4,
wherein the mask layer 43 has a pattern opening 43a for allowing the annealing light to pass through, and
the annealing light passing through the pattern opening 43a is used for annealing a partial area of the wafer;
wherein a pattern of the pattern opening 43a of the mask layer 43 corresponds to a pattern of a doped region 41 (see paragraph [0029]) in the wafer 40, see the Abstract and paragraphs [0014], [0028], and [0050]), as shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 10a, a mask 1030 has an opening corresponding to a doped region 1010, see paragraphs [0066]-[0067]. In light of this embodiment of Buh et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the pattern opening 43a could correspond to a doped region 41 to thereby electively activate the implanted region 41.
Buh et al. lack anticipation only of a platform for carrying the wafer 40. Son discloses an optical annealing apparatus, shown in Fig. 3, comprising a platform 301 for carrying a wafer 101, a light source 302, and a mask layer 303 disposed between the platform 301 and the light source 302. In light of the known apparatus of Son, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the wafer40 in the apparatus of Buh et al. could have been supported on a platform, as taught by Son, in order to stabilize the wafer during the annealing process.
With respect to claim 4, Buh et al. disclose the mask layer 43 having a pattern opening 43a, the pattern opening 43a is formed between the plurality of mask pattern structures 43, as shown in Fig. 5 of Buh et al. However, Buh et al. do not disclose the mask layer can comprise comprises a mask substrate and a plurality of mask pattern structures disposed on the mask substrate, wherein the mask substrate is made of a light transmitting material, and the plurality of mask pattern structures are made of an opaque material. However, the mask used in the optical annealing apparatus of Son includes a mask substrate 400’ of quartz and a plurality of mask pattern structures 400a’ and 400b’ comprising a refractory metal, wherein the mask substrate is made of a light transmitting material, and the plurality of mask pattern structures are made of an opaque material, see Fig. 4b of Son (“That is, by forming mask patterns 400a’ and 400b' having a predetermined thickness on the thin quartz substrate 400 ', the heat resistance mask 303' may be formed. The thickness of the mask patterns 400a' and 400b' may be adjusted in accordance with a desired temperature in consideration of the thermal resistance coefficient of the material. The material of the mask pattern 400a' may be, for example, an insulating material such as oxide or nitride, or a refractory metal such as tungsten.”). In order to heat various portions of the wafer to different temperatures, it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan to implement the mask of Son in the known optical annealing apparatus of Buh et al. to form the plurality of mask pattern structures 43.
With respect to claim 5, as noted above in the rejection of claim 4, the mask substrate 400’ is made of quartz.
With respect to claim 6, as noted above in the rejection of claim 4, Son discloses that the plurality of mask pattern structures 400a’ and 400b’ can be a refractory metal. Therefore, it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan that the plurality of mask pattern structures 400a’ and 400b’ could be made of one or more selected from a group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, aluminum and copper, since chromium and molybdenum are refractory metals.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito et al., US 2005/0272228, as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of De Naurois et al. EP 2 856 588,
Ito et al. is applied as above. Although Ito et al. disclose that a laser including an excimer laser, a YAG laser, a carbon monoxide (CO) gas laser, a carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) gas laser, and the like, can be used as the light source 40 in the apparatus of Fig. 1, Ito et al. do not disclose the laser has a wavelength ranging from 300 microns to 600 microns. However, lasers having a wavelength in the claimed range are known in the art, see Field of the invention section of De Naurois et al. (“The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor lasers, and more particularly to spatially coherent arrayed semiconductor laser devices emitting a near infrared power beam (wavelengths between 0.8 μm and 3 μm), average ( 3 μm to 10 μm) or far (10 μm to 300 μm).”). Furthermore De Naurois et al. disclose a Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) which emit an optical beam of wavelength between 3 microns and 300 microns It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan to use the laser of De Naurois et al. in the known optical annealing apparatus of Ito et al., since the laser of De Naurois et al. has good thermal conductivity.
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito et al., US 2005/0272228, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Son, KR 2000-0031194.
With respect to claim 4, Ito et al. disclose the mask layer 10 having a pattern opening, the pattern opening is formed between the plurality of mask pattern structures 10, as shown in Fig. 1 of Ito et al., see also paragraph [0048]. However, Ito et al. do not disclose the mask layer can comprise comprises a mask substrate and a plurality of mask pattern structures disposed on the mask substrate, wherein the mask substrate is made of a light transmitting material, and the plurality of mask pattern structures are made of an opaque material. However, the mask used in the optical annealing apparatus of Son includes a mask substrate 400’ of quartz and a plurality of mask pattern structures 400a’ and 400b’ comprising a refractory metal, wherein the mask substrate is made of a light transmitting material, and the plurality of mask pattern structures are made of an opaque material, see Fig. 4b of Son (“That is, by forming mask patterns 400a’ and 400b' having a predetermined thickness on the thin quartz substrate 400 ', the heat resistance mask 303' may be formed. The thickness of the mask patterns 400a' and 400b' may be adjusted in accordance with a desired temperature in consideration of the thermal resistance coefficient of the material. The material of the mask pattern 400a' may be, for example, an insulating material such as oxide or nitride, or a refractory metal such as tungsten.”). In order to heat various portions of a wafer to different temperatures, it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan to implement the mask of Son in the known optical annealing apparatus of Ito et al. to form the plurality of mask pattern structures 10.
With respect to claim 5, as noted above in the rejection of claim 4, the mask substrate 400’ is made of quartz.
With respect to claim 6, as noted above in the rejection of claim 4, Son discloses that the plurality of mask pattern structures 400a’ and 400b’ can be a refractory metal. Therefore, it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan that the plurality of mask pattern structures 400a’ and 400b’ could be made of one or more selected from a group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, aluminum and copper, since chromium and molybdenum are refractory metals.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito et al., US 2005/0272228, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wang et al., US 2014/0262038.
Although Ito et al. discloses an optical annealing apparatus, shown in Fig. 1, the apparatus of Ito et al. does not include a transporting system for transporting the wafer to the platform or transporting the wafer from the platform. However, Wang et al. teach a processing apparatus that comprises a transporting system 104/110 for transporting a wafer to and from a processing chamber, as shown in Fig. 1B of Wang et al.. The transporting system of Wang et al. controls processing defects caused by moisture contamination, se the Abstract. Therefore, it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan to include a transporting system as taught by Wang et al. to transport the wafer 1 to the platform 31 or to transport the wafer 1 from the platform.31 in the known apparatus of Ito et al., thereby preventing contamination of the wafer during processing.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03 December 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has argued that Ito et al. do not disclose that a pattern of the pattern opening of the mask layer corresponds to a pattern of an ion doped region in the wafer on the platform, as required in amended claim 1. Applicant has further argued that Buh et al. do not disclose the technical feature "wherein a pattern of the pattern opening of the mask layer corresponds to a pattern of an ion doped region in the wafer on the platform"
Ito et al. clearly teach that the an ion doped region can be formed in wafer 1 and annealed in the apparatus of Fig. 1. Since the opening in mask layer 10, exposes a surface region of wafer 1. Hence, the pattern of the pattern opening of the mask layer 10 corresponds to a pattern of an ion doped region in the wafer 1 on the platform 31.
Buh et al. also teaches a pattern of the pattern opening 43a of the mask layer 43 corresponds to a pattern of a doped region 41 in the wafer 40, see paragraph [0029] of Buh et al. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 10a of Buh et al., a mask 1030 has an opening corresponding to a doped region 1010, see paragraphs [0066]-[0067]. In light of this embodiment of Buh et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the pattern opening 43a could correspond to a doped region 41 to thereby electively activate the implanted region 41.
Claim 1 is drawn to an optical anneal apparatus. It has been well established that the manner of operating an apparatus does not differentiate a claimed apparatus from a known apparatus, "[A]pparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does." Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1469, 15 USPQ2d 1525, 1528 (Fed. Cir. 1990). Therefore, amending independent claim 1 to require “wherein a pattern of the pattern opening of the mask layer corresponds to a pattern of an ion doped region in the wafer on the platform” does not patentably distinguish Applicant’s claimed apparatus from that of the applied prior art, including Ito et al. and Buh et al., since this limitation is drawn to the manner in which Applicant’s claimed apparatus is operated.
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.
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MARY A. WILCZEWSKI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2898
/MARY A WILCZEWSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898