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 .
DETAILED ACTION
2. The action is responsive to the communications filed on 12/8/2025. Claims 1-9 are pending in the case. Claims 1, 5, 9 are amended. Claim 10 is cancelled. Claims 1, 9 are independent claims. Claims 1-9 are rejected.
Summary of claims
3. Claims 1-9 are pending,
Claims 1, 5, 9 are amended,
Claim 10 is cancelled,
Claims 1, 9 are independent claims,
Claims 1-9 are rejected.
Remarks
4. Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 12/8/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-9 under 103 have been fully considered and are not persuasive in view of new rejection ground(s).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
3. Claims 1-7, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xianhui Zhou et al (US Publication 20240103359 A1, hereinafter Zhou), and in view of Daniel Nathan Burbank et al (US Publication 20240319618 A1, hereinafter Burbank).
As for independent claim 1, Zhou discloses: A high-speed surface inspection system for a reticle pod (Zhou: Abstract, A reticle inspection method), comprising: a cabinet, an internal space of the cabinet being divided into an automated device area, a first inspection area, and a second inspection area, and the first inspection area and the second inspection area being individually adjacent to the automated device area (Zhou: [0037], the transfer module 210 further includes a robot controller 214 that is configured to trigger the robot arm 212 to move along one of the assigned transportation paths P21-P25, so as to achieve automated operations); a clamping module, disposed in the automated device area, wherein the clamping module includes a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm (Zhou: [0077], the support structure 540 can use mechanical, vacuum, electrostatic or other clamping techniques to hold the reticle 910; [0083], moving the first reticle from the first load port to the reticle inspection tool is performed using a first robot arm, and moving the second reticle from the second load port to the exposure tool is performed using a second robot arm; [0084], moving, by using a first robot arm, a first reticle from a first load port of a lithography tool to a reticle inspection tool; moving, by using a second robot arm, a second reticle from a second load port of the lithography tool to an exposure tool of the lithography tool); a first inspection device, disposed in the first inspection area; a second inspection device, disposed in the second inspection area (Zhou: Fig. 1, Fig. 3); a travel stroke controller, signally connected to the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm, the first inspection device, and the second inspection device (Zhou: [0040], the cooperation of the safety bar 314 and the confining slot 122 aids in confining the X-directional relative position between the robot arm 212 and the load port 120, thus preventing unwanted collision between the robot arm 212 and the load port 120 in X-direction; [0041], the cooperation of the anti-collision bar 330 and the upper portion 124 of the load port 120 aids in confining the Z-directional relative position between the robot arm 212 and the load port 120, thus preventing unwanted collision between the robot arm 212 and the load port 120 in Z-direction); wherein the travel stroke controller controls the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm to operation in collaboration to separate the reticle pod, the travel stroke controller controls the first clamping arm reciprocate between the automated device area and the first inspection area so as to transport a first portion of the reticle pod, and controls the second clamping arm to reciprocate between the automated device area and the second inspection area so as to transport a second portion of the reticle pod within a same period of time (Zhou: [0083], moving the first reticle from the first load port to the reticle inspection tool is performed using a first robot arm, and moving the second reticle from the second load port to the exposure tool is performed using a second robot arm; [0084], moving, by using a first robot arm, a first reticle from a first load port of a lithography tool to a reticle inspection tool; moving, by using a second robot arm, a second reticle from a second load port of the lithography tool to an exposure tool of the lithography tool); and wherein the travel stroke controller controls the first inspection device and the second inspection device to activate so as to respectively inspect the first portion and the second portion (Zhou: [0084], moving, by using a first robot arm, a first reticle from a first load port of a lithography tool to a reticle inspection tool; moving, by using a second robot arm, a second reticle from a second load port of the lithography tool to an exposure tool of the lithography tool).
Zhou does not clearly disclose reciprocate motion, in an analogous art of surface inspection system, Burbank discloses: the travel stroke controller controls the first clamping arm to reciprocate between the automated device area and the first inspection area so as to transport a first portion of the reticle pod (Burbank: [0033], To accomplish reciprocating motions of the reticle 408, which are typically found in lithographic scanning or patterning operations, accelerating and decelerating forces can be provided by linear motors that drive the reticle stage 200);
Zhou and Burbank are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, reticle pod inspection system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Zhou using the teachings of Burbank to include reciprocating motions of the reticle. It would provide Zhou’s system with enhanced capabilities of inspect the reticle surface efficiently.
As for claim 2, Zhou-Burbank discloses: wherein a reticle pod load area is further provided on an outer side of the cabinet, and the cabinet is provided with a load door that separates the automated device area and the reticle pod load area (Zhou: [0039], a reticle pod 920 placed on the load port 120 is opened by a pod opener mechanism in the load port 120, then the robot arm 212 moves along a path P31 toward a load port 120 until the inner fork 320 reaches an uninspected reticle 910 housed in the reticle pod 920, and then the robot arm 212 moves along a path P32 in a direction away from the load port 120 to take the uninspected reticle 910 away from the load port 120. The movement of the robot arm 212 is triggered by the robot controller 214).
As for claim 3, Zhou-Burbank discloses: wherein the travel stroke controller controls the clamping module to reciprocate between the reticle pod load area and the first inspection area so as to transport the first portion, and controls the clamping module to reciprocate between the reticle pod load area and the second inspection area so as to transport the second portion (Zhou: [0083], moving the first reticle from the first load port to the reticle inspection tool is performed using a first robot arm, and moving the second reticle from the second load port to the exposure tool is performed using a second robot arm; [0084], moving, by using a first robot arm, a first reticle from a first load port of a lithography tool to a reticle inspection tool; moving, by using a second robot arm, a second reticle from a second load port of the lithography tool to an exposure tool of the lithography tool).
As for claim 4, Zhou-Burbank discloses: wherein a reticle pod unload area is further provided on the outer side of the cabinet, the cabinet is provided with an unload door that separates the automated device area and the reticle pod unload area, and the travel stroke controller controls the clamping module to reciprocate among the reticle pod load area, the first inspection area and the reticle pod unload area so as to transport the first portion, and controls the clamping module to reciprocate among the reticle pod load area, the second inspection area and the reticle unload area so as to transport the second portion (Zhou: [0030], A reticle is loaded into or unloaded from the exposure tool 110 through one of the load ports).
As for claim 5, Zhou-Burbank discloses: wherein the travel stroke controller controls the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm to operation in collaboration to combine the reticle pod (Zhou: [0083], moving the first reticle from the first load port to the reticle inspection tool is performed using a first robot arm, and moving the second reticle from the second load port to the exposure tool is performed using a second robot arm; [0084], moving, by using a first robot arm, a first reticle from a first load port of a lithography tool to a reticle inspection tool; moving, by using a second robot arm, a second reticle from a second load port of the lithography tool to an exposure tool of the lithography tool).
As for claim 6, Zhou-Burbank discloses: wherein each of the first inspection device and the second inspection device is an optical inspection device (Zhou: [0030], the exposure tool includes an ultraviolet (UV) light source or an extreme UV (EUV) light source).
As for claim 7, Zhou-Burbank discloses: wherein each of the first inspection device and the second inspection device comprises: a carrier platform, having a carrier surface; a light source, comprising a first light source and a second light source, the first light source irradiating the carrier surface in a first direction, the second light source irradiates the carrier surface in a second direction, and an angle of an included angle between the first direction and the carrier surface being greater than an angle of an included angle between the second direction and the carrier surface (Zhou: [0030], the exposure tool includes an ultraviolet (UV) light source or an extreme UV (EUV) light source); a camera module, having a lens facing the carrier surface (Zhou: [0044], the reticle inspection tool 220 includes a top camera 222 above the movable reticle stage 221, a bottom camera 223 below the movable reticle stage 221, a top illuminator 224 between the top camera 222 and the movable reticle stage 221, and a bottom illuminator 225 between the bottom camera 223 and the movable reticle stage 221); and a control module, signally connected to the camera module, the first light source, the second light source and the travel stroke controller, the control module controlling one of the first light source and the second light source to be turned on and the other to be turned off (Zhou: [0030], the exposure tool includes an ultraviolet (UV) light source or an extreme UV (EUV) light source).
As for independent claim 9, Zhou discloses: A high-speed surface inspection method for a reticle pod (Zhou: Abstract, A reticle inspection method), comprising: clamping the reticle pod by a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm, and dividing the reticle pod into a first portion and a second portion by the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm; clamping the first portion by the first clamping arm to a first inspection area for surface inspection and clamping the second portion by the second clamping arm to a second inspection area for surface inspection within a same period of time; and combining the reticle pod by the clamping module (Zhou: [0077], the support structure 540 can use mechanical, vacuum, electrostatic or other clamping techniques to hold the reticle 910; [0083], moving the first reticle from the first load port to the reticle inspection tool is performed using a first robot arm, and moving the second reticle from the second load port to the exposure tool is performed using a second robot arm; [0084], moving, by using a first robot arm, a first reticle from a first load port of a lithography tool to a reticle inspection tool; moving, by using a second robot arm, a second reticle from a second load port of the lithography tool to an exposure tool of the lithography tool).
In addition, Burbank discloses: clamping the first portion by the first clamping arm to a first inspection area for surface inspection and clamping the second portion by the second clamping arm to a second inspection area for surface inspection within a same period of time; combining the reticle pod by the clamping module (Burbank: [0043], reticle handler arms 404 can be arranged symmetrically about reticle handler 402. For example, reticle handler arms 404 can be spaced from each other by about 90 degrees, 120 degrees, or 180 degrees. In some embodiments, reticle handler arms 404 can be arranged asymmetrically about reticle handler 402. For example, two reticle handler arms 404 can be spaced from each other by about 135 degrees, while another two reticle handler arms 404 can be spaced from each other by about 90 degrees);
Zhou and Burbank are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, surface inspection system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Zhou using the teachings of Burbank to include reciprocating motions of the reticle.
claim 10, canceled
6. Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou and Burbank as applied on claim 1, and further in view of Nagaraja Rao et al (US Publication 20020088952 A1, hereinafter Rao).
As for claim 8, Zhou-Burbank does not expressly disclose relay, in another analogous art of surface inspection system, Rao discloses: wherein each of the first inspection device and the second inspection device further comprises a first relay and a second relay, the first relay is disposed on a signal path between the control module and the first light source, and the second relay is disposed on a signal path between the control module and the second light source (Rao: [0074], Projector lens 160 is a "relay" lens that projects an image at the output face of mixer rod 158 onto substrate 33. Projector lens 160 can include a commercially available camera lens, such as an f/2 100 millimeter focal length lens designed for 35 mm format cameras, with an added plano-convex element preceding the lens to provide telecentric light collection. A suitable camera lens can include a six-element double Gauss relay lens, for example).
Zhou and Rao are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, reticle inspection system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Zhou using the teachings of Rao to include relay lens. It would provide Zhou’s system with enhanced capabilities of inspect the surface efficiently.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hua Lu whose telephone number is 571-270-1410 and fax number is 571-270-2410. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9:00 am to 6:00 pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Scott Baderman can be reached on 571-272-3644. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-273-8300.
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/Hua Lu/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118