DETAILED ACTION
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 claims 1-8 in the reply filed on December 1, 2025 is acknowledged.
Claim Interpretation
The term controller (as recited in claims 1-8) for controlling the electromagnets in a variable manner is interpreted in the specification as element 20. The controller is recited in [0006], [0021], and [0025] of the original specification and for the purposes of examination “controller” is interpreted as switches, circuitry, a program controller, power source, or any equivalent structure that can vary the magnetic interaction/intensity level of the electromagnets in the floor with the permanent magnet of the platform such as varying the current to/from or power source of the electromagnets. This interpretation is informed by the prior art of Bonora et al (US 2003/0129045) which teaches the magnetic interaction is controlled by levitation coils in [0080] or alternating current electromagnets which act as linear motors see [0081]. In the prior art of Aust et al (WO 2020/057739 using the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith) which teaches magnetic bearings are used as controllers see the abstract and [0035] and an electromagnetic actuator is discussed in [0049]-[0051].
Claim 5 recites that at least one floor assembly is arranged at a different level than the floor assembly. For the purposes of examination the term “different level” is taken to mean different vertical level as supported by [0029] of the original specification and as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the present invention.
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 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over de Ridder et al (US 2020/0365433 which includes Applicant’s Admitted prior art see [0003] – [0018] and Fig. 1 in the present invention) in view of Aust et al (WO 2020/057739 using the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith) and Bonora et al (US 2003/0129045),
Regarding claim 1. The prior art of deRidder et al (is interpreted as the combination of applicant admitted prior art Fig. 1 and [0003] – [0018] and the entire publication of deRidder et al) teaches a system for processing semiconductor wafer storage cassettes (see references of cassettes 4 (in Fig. 1 of admitted prior art of the present) in [0050], [0051] and Fig. 3 and claim 14 of the publication of deRidder et al) comprising: a vertical batch furnace assembly 54 configured to process a semiconductor wafer storage cassette, the vertical batch furnace assembly comprising a vertical batch furnace (process chamber 56) configured to process wafers from the cassette. The system of deRidder et al further comprises a door opener device 70.
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Fig. 3 of de Ridder et al (US 2020/0365433)
The prior art of deRidder et al fails to teach the use of magnetic levitation (maglev) to transport the cassettes nor does deRidder et al teach the specific structure to provide such magnetic levitation to transport cassette(s) with the cassette processing system. Such that the prior art of deRidder et al fails to teach the floor assembly comprising a two-dimensional array of electromagnets arranged below a top surface of the floor assembly, the array extending along the top surface; at least one platform assembly comprising a magnet and configured to support at least one of the cassettes thereon; and a controller operatively connected to the electromagnets of the floor assembly, wherein the system is configured for levitating the at least one platform assembly above the top surface of the floor assembly using magnetic interaction between the array of electromagnets and the magnet of the platform assembly, wherein the controller is configured for controlling the electromagnets in a variable manner so as to vary the magnetic interaction for thereby moving the levitated at least one platform assembly with the at least one cassette supported thereon with respect to the floor assembly so as to transport the at least one cassette with respect to the vertical batch furnace for processing of wafers from the cassette by the vertical batch furnace, wherein, for the processing of the wafers, a floor assembly arranged at the vertical batch furnace assembly.
See Figs. 1-5 of Aust et al where magnetic levitation is used to transport a wafer where magnets are provided in the platform (carrier 103) and magnets are provided in the floor (base 101). According to Aust et al the carrier 103 carries a substrate 1001. In [0022] of Aust et al it is taught that the base 101 may be a track (floor). According to [0044] of Aust et al the stabilization magnet unit 106 (in the base/floor) may include arrangement (array) of electromagnets see [0048]. In the prior art of Aust et al magnetic bearings are used as controllers see the abstract and [0035] and an electromagnetic actuator is discussed in [0049]-[0051]. See Fig. 2 of Aust et al below.
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Fig. 2 of Aust et al
Although Aust et al alludes to a plurality of wafers being processed simultaneously processed in processing chamber, in [0003] and [0082] Aust et al does not specifically teach the transport of a cassette which would support the plurality of substrates for transport and/or such processing.
The prior art of Bonora et al teaches a universal modular wafer transport system where a wafer is transported by a wafer shuttle 112 (Figs. 1 and 5), shuttle 212 (Fig. 9) and shuttle 412 in (Fig. 12A) to various processing stations 16 (see Figs. 1 and 12A). In [0062] of Bonora et al [0062] it is recited that the shuttle 112 may either transfer a single wafer 13 or a wafer cassette/pod 12 (see Fig. 6A of Bonora et al) which simultaneously transports a plurality of wafers. See in Fig. 9 of Bonora et al permanent magnets 216 are magnetic coupled with magnets 228.
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Fig. 5 of Bonora et al
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Fig. 6A of Bonora et al
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Fig. 9 of Bonora et al
Bonora et al offers that it is obvious to transport either a single wafer or a cassette that can support any number of wafers to from zero to an optimal number that can be processed/transported simultaneously to improve throughput and efficiency of magnetic levitation transport in a semiconductor processing system. The motivation to combined the teachings of Aust et al and Bonora et al in the prior art of deRidder et al is to provide a structure for magnetic levitation to transport a plurality of wafer simultaneously in the semiconductor manufacturing system. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the combined teachings of Aust et al and Bonora et al to provide magnetic levitation to transport the cassette(s) in the semiconductor manufacturing system (which features a vertical batch furnace) of deRidder et al
The prior art of deRidder et al teaches a door opener device 70, but fails to teach how the door opener device would be located when arranged in conjunction with a magnetic levitation support. The location of the load port and door opening device would have been determined as a matter of design choice and optimization to ensure that the cassette/wafer(s) can be transported with ease along the wafer processing system. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the door opener device in the maglev transport device resulting from the combined teachings of Aust et al and Bonora et al such that the door opener device taught by deRidder et al is arranged at an outer edge of the floor assembly and configured to engage a door of a cassette supported on at least one of the at least one platform assembly while the floor assembly positions the at least one platform assembly at the door opener device as the location is the optimal location.
Regarding claim 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the number of platform assemblies of the at least one platform assembly is at least two. See [0057] and Fig. 7 of Aust et al where a plurality of transportation paths are discussed. The motivation to provide at least two platform assemblies to enhance the distance and versality of magnetic levitation so the wafers can be transported along an entire transportation path (comprises several tracks with at least two platform assemblies). Thus it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of de Ridder et al with the prior art of Aust et al and Bonora et al to provide at least two platform assemblies enhance the distance and versality of magnetic levitation so the wafers can be transported along an entire track.
Regarding claim 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the floor assembly comprises an array of interconnected floor assembly modules, each module comprising a respective sub-array of the array of electromagnets. See Figs. 1-5 of Aust et al where an array/sub-array of electromagnets are illustrated. See [0023] of Aust et al where the base (a first transportation track) may also be a plurality of bases or transportation tracks that are interconnected. See Fig. 9 of Bonora et al where shuttle 212 comprises permanent magnets 216 and magnets 228 are illustrated. According to [0075] of Bonora et al permanent magnets 216 and magnets 228 for a magnetic coupling. In [0077] of Bonora et al a control feedback and active electromagnets may be used in conjunction with the magnets to improve the rigidity of the shuttle levitation and to improve the control of the shuttle levitation. [0081] of Bonora et al suggests an array of interconnected floor assembly modules along the linear transport system 200 with the discussion of multiple rows of electromagnets. The motivation to provide an array of interconnected floor assembly modules, each module comprising a respective sub-array of the array of electromagnets as suggested by Aust et al is that the array allows for magnet interaction to be optimized. Thus it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of de Ridder et al with the prior art of Aust et al and Bonora et al to provide array of interconnected floor assembly modules, each module comprising a respective sub-array of the array of electromagnets as suggested by Aust et al
Regarding claim 4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an elevator configured to move at least one cassette of the at least one cassette vertically with respect to the top surface. In [0003] of de Ridder et al it is recited that the wafer boat handling device may be configured to vertically transport a wafer boat to a process chamber. See also [0011], [0026], [0036], [0044]. Cassette handler 62 is also recited in [0050] of de Ridder et al which may be configured to transfer substrate cassettes between the cassette in-out port 58, cassette storage 60 and the door opener device. The discussion of vertical transport and/or transferring cassettes including in the vertical direction insinuate an elevator, but does not specifically recite an elevator.
In the prior art of Bonora et al Fig. 6A and [0064] where a vertical lift mechanism 250 (elevator) is illustrated/recited.
The motivation to further modify the system of deRidder et al with the elevator suggested by Bonora et al is to ensure that the wafer cassettes can be transported in the vertical direction as desired. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an elevator as suggested by Bonora et al to enhance transport of the cassettes in the system of deRidder et al.
Regarding claim 5. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one further floor assembly arranged at a different vertical level than the floor assembly. In de Ridder et al [0050] offers that the vertical furnace assembly 54 is provided with a rectangular footprint. Bonora et al offers vertically stacked shuttle rails see [0082] and illustrates them in Figs. 11A-11C. Bonora et al suggests that vertically stacking the floor assemblies will offer floor space savings and versatile routing capabilities over the conventional rectangular footprint. Bonora et al offers further that such vertical stacking allows for the shuttles (transport using maglev) avoid pile up and allows dynamic routing of the wafers. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to vertically stack or located the floor assemblies at different vertical levels.
Regarding claim 6. A combination of the system according to claim 1 and at least one semiconductor wafer storage cassette, wherein at least one cassette of the at least one cassette is supported on at least one platform assembly of the at least one platform assembly. See Fig. 3 of de Ridder et al where the different positions of the cassettes are illustrated. See also different platform positions (load ports 10/22) in Fig. 1 of Bonora et al, see Fig. 2 (see [0005] load port 22 which is interpreted as a platform assembly in Bonora et al.
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Regarding claim 7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the at least one cassette contains at least one wafer processed or to be processed by the vertical batch furnace. The cassettes 4, vertical batch assembly 54 with process chamber 56 (vertical batch furnace) of de Ridder et al, is structurally capable of transporting wafers to/from the wafer boat handling device see [0003]. Note that the whether the wafer has been processed or is to be processed is interpreted as a matter of an intended use as the processing status of the wafer does not structurally limit the cassette and its capacity to support the wafer whether or not the wafer has been processed. See also [0045] and [0062] of Bonora et al where wafer cassette is also mentioned and are also structurally capable of transporting at least one wafer processed or to be processed by the vertical batch furnace.
Regarding claim 8. A combination of the system according to claim 1 and a plurality of cassette processing stations arranged at mutually different positions along an outer edge of the top surface of the floor assembly, at least one of the cassette processing stations being comprised by or comprising the vertical batch furnace assembly. See deRidder et al where in [0050] and [0051] and as illustrated in Fig 5 there are a multiple of vertical batch furnaces 54 (cassette processing stations). Note that the cassette in-out port 58 of deRidder et al which is located at one of the short sides 66 of the vertical batch furnace assembly 54 or can be arranged adjacent each other. The combined teachings of Bonora et al and Aust et al would provide a cassette transport system using magnetic levitation where the wafer cassettes can be shuttled to desired cassette processing stations. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the system resulting from the combined teachings of deRidder et al, Bonora et al, and Aust et al to locate a plurality of cassette processing stations arranged at mutually different positions along an outer edge of the top surface of the floor assembly as designing them at mutually different positions is a matter of design choice at would have been determined without undue routine experimentation to ensure the processing stations are located for ease of independent transport for the cassette while using the magnetic levitation transport suggested by Bonora et al and Aust et al.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Williams US 6,777,833 teaches magnetic levitation stage apparatus see platen 20 and magnetic arrays 36a-36e in Fig. 4. See col. 1 lines 58-60 and the controller of maglev stage being actuators and motor coils.
Berger et al US 11,527,424 teaches a transfer chamber with magnetic levitation see substrate carrier 110 with upper and lower magnetic tracks 112, 114.
De Ridder US 2021/0111053 with a vertical batch furnace assembly 10, an elevator 36, and a cassette door opener device 54 see [0039].
Hudgens et al US 12,106,991 teaches substrate transfer systems with a magnetic levitation platform having a magnetic levitation tracks 152A-F.
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/SYLVIA MACARTHUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716