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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Interpretation
Features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally; and functional claim language that is not limited to a specific structure covers all devices that are capable of performing the recited function. See In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1478, 44 USPQ2d 1429, 1432 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (MPEP 2114 I) and In re Translogic Technology, Inc., 504 F.3d 1249, 1258, 84 USPQ2d 1929, 1935-1936 (Fed. Cir. 2007) (MPEP 2114 IV).
This application includes one or more claim limitations which recite functional features of an apparatus. Such claim limitations are:
Claims 2, 14: “a temperature control device to heat or cool the metal dopant prior to entering the arc chamber” (emphasis added).
Claims 6, 15: “a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the metal dopant prior to entering the arc chamber” (emphasis added).
Because these claims are directed to functional features of an apparatus and are not limited to a specific structure, the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claims includes all devices that are capable of performing the recited function, i.e., heating or cooling the metal dopant prior to entering the arc chamber; and measuring a temperature of the metal dopant prior to entering the arc chamber.
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 6-11, and 13-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Patel et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0375585 A1), hereinafter Patel, in view of Delahoy et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0118406 A1), hereinafter Delahoy.
Regarding claim 1, Patel discloses an indirectly heated cathode ion source (FIG. 1), comprising:
an arc chamber (FIG. 1, element 11), comprising a plurality of electrically conductive (paragraph 0025, lines 4-6) side walls (FIG. 1, element 101) connecting a first end (FIG. 1, element 104) and a second end (FIG. 1, element 105);
an indirectly heated cathode (FIG. 1, element 110) disposed on the first end of the arc chamber (FIG. 1, element 104);
an opening formed on one of the plurality of electrically conductive side walls (paragraph 0033 and FIG. 1; the dopant enters the arc chamber through an opening in the leftmost side wall 101); and
a material delivery device to deliver a metal dopant to the arc chamber (FIG. 1, element 300).
Patel fails to disclose that the metal dopant is in a form of a wire; and a conduit through which the wire passes as the wire travels to an interior of the arc chamber through the opening in the arc chamber.
However, Delahoy discloses that the metal dopant is in a form of a wire (paragraph 0023, line 2); and
a conduit through which the wire passes as the wire travels to an interior of the arc chamber through the opening in the arc chamber (FIG. 2: conduit extending to the right from element 74, which passes through an opening in the leftmost outer wall of chamber 10).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Patel to include that the metal dopant is in a form of a wire; and a conduit through which the wire passes as the wire travels to an interior of the arc chamber through the opening in the arc chamber, based on the teachings of Delahoy that wire dopant sources are convenient and inexpensive (Delahoy, paragraph 0011), and the conduit ensures that a vacuum state of the chamber is maintained while still allowing introduction of fresh dopant material into the chamber (Delahoy, paragraph 0023).
Regarding claim 2, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 1 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 1.
In addition, Patel discloses a temperature control device to heat or cool the metal dopant (FIG. 1, heating element 170, controlled by control device 180) prior to entering the arc chamber (paragraph 0033: the metal dopant in the target holder “can be inserted into and retracted from the arc chamber”; paragraph 0040: the heating element 170 “may be disposed within or on the target holder”, i.e., the heating element moves with the target holder; therefore, the heating element 170 is capable of heating the metal dopant while the metal dopant is outside the arc chamber, i.e., before the metal dopant enters the arc chamber; see Claim Interpretation above).
Regarding claim 4, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 2 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 2.
In addition, Patel discloses that the temperature control device comprises one or more heating elements (paragraph 0040, heating element 170).
Regarding claim 6, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 1 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 1.
In addition, Patel discloses a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the metal dopant (paragraph 0043, temperature sensor 198) prior to entering the arc chamber (paragraph 0033: the metal dopant in the target holder “can be inserted into and retracted from the arc chamber”; paragraph 0037: the thermocouple 198 “may be fixed to the outside of the target holder”, i.e., the thermocouple moves with the target holder; therefore, the thermocouple 198 is capable of measuring a temperature of the metal dopant while the metal dopant is outside the arc chamber, i.e., before the metal dopant enters the arc chamber; see Claim Interpretation above).
Regarding claim 7, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 1 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 1.
In addition, Patel discloses a dopant power supply to apply a voltage to the metal dopant (paragraph 0042).
Regarding claim 8, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 1 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 1.
In addition, Delahoy discloses that a diameter of the wire is between 20 and 70 mils (Merriam-Webster.com defines a “mil” as “a unit of length equal to 1/1000 inch”; therefore, 20-70 mils is equivalent to 0.02-0.07 inches; Table 1 of Delahoy discloses a wire diameter in the range of 0.02-0.04 inches).
When a claimed range “overlap[s] or lie[s] inside ranges disclosed by the prior art”, a prima facie case of obviousness exists. See MPEP 2144.05 I; In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990). In the case at hand, Delahoy teaches a range of 0.02-0.04 inches, which overlaps with the claimed range of 0.02-0.07 inches. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Patel in view of Delahoy to meet the claimed range of wire diameters.
Regarding claim 9, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 1 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 1.
In addition, Delahoy discloses that the material delivery device comprises a spool on which the wire is wound (paragraph 0023, lines 5-6, supply reel 62) and a motor for advancing the wire (paragraph 0023, lines 7-9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Patel in view of Delahoy to include that the material delivery device comprises a spool on which the wire is wound and a motor for advancing the wire, based on the additional teachings of Delahoy that this configuration is beneficial for long-term operations (Delahoy, paragraph 0023).
Regarding claim 10, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 1 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 1.
In addition, Patel discloses an ion implanter (paragraph 0083, lines 17-18), comprising:
the indirectly heated cathode ion source to generate an ion beam (paragraph 0083, lines 17-20); and
one or more beamline components (paragraph 0083, lines 17-18) to direct the ion beam toward a workpiece (paragraph 0005).
Regarding claim 11, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 10 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 10, including that the metal dopant is in a form of a wire.
In addition, Patel discloses a controller, wherein the controller controls at least one metal dopant related parameter (paragraph 0043, controller 180), wherein the metal dopant related parameters include a delivery rate of the metal dopant (paragraph 0043, lines 10-12), a temperature of the metal dopant (paragraph 0043, lines 5-7) and a voltage applied to the metal dopant (paragraph 0042).
Regarding claim 13, Patel discloses an indirectly heated cathode ion source (FIG. 1), comprising:
an arc chamber(FIG. 1, element 11), comprising a plurality of electrically conductive (paragraph 0025, lines 4-6) side walls (FIG. 1, element 101) connecting a first end (FIG. 1, element 104) and a second end (FIG. 1, element 105);
an indirectly heated cathode (FIG. 1, element 110) disposed on the first end of the arc chamber (FIG. 1, element 104); and
a material delivery device to deliver a metal dopant to the arc chamber (FIG. 1, element 300).
Patel fails to disclose an opening formed on the second end; the metal dopant is in a form of a wire; and a conduit through which the wire passes as the wire travels to an interior of the arc chamber through the opening in the arc chamber.
However, Delahoy discloses an opening formed on the second end (FIG. 2, opening in the leftmost end of chamber 10 through which wire 64 passes from left to right);
the metal dopant is in a form of a wire (paragraph 0023, line 2); and
a conduit through which the wire passes as the wire travels to an interior of the arc chamber through the opening in the arc chamber (FIG. 2: conduit extending to the right from element 74, which passes through an opening in the leftmost outer wall of chamber 10).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Patel to include an opening formed on the second end; the metal dopant is in a form of a wire; and a conduit through which the wire passes as the wire travels to an interior of the arc chamber through the opening in the arc chamber, based on the teachings of Delahoy that wire dopant sources are convenient and inexpensive (Delahoy, paragraph 0011), and the conduit ensures that a vacuum state of the chamber is maintained while still allowing introduction of fresh dopant material into the chamber (Delahoy, paragraph 0023).
Regarding claim 14, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 13 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 13.
In addition, Patel discloses a temperature control device to heat or cool the metal dopant (FIG. 1, heating element 170, controlled by control device 180) prior to entering the arc chamber (paragraph 0033: the metal dopant in the target holder “can be inserted into and retracted from the arc chamber”; paragraph 0040: the heating element 170 “may be disposed within or on the target holder”, i.e., the heating element moves with the target holder; therefore, the heating element 170 is capable of heating the metal dopant while the metal dopant is outside the arc chamber, i.e., before the metal dopant enters the arc chamber; see Claim Interpretation above).
Regarding claim 15, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 13 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 13.
In addition, Patel discloses a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the metal dopant (paragraph 0043, temperature sensor 198) prior to entering the arc chamber (paragraph 0033: the metal dopant in the target holder “can be inserted into and retracted from the arc chamber”; paragraph 0037: the thermocouple 198 “may be fixed to the outside of the target holder”, i.e., the thermocouple moves with the target holder; therefore, the thermocouple 198 is capable of measuring a temperature of the metal dopant while the metal dopant is outside the arc chamber, i.e., before the metal dopant enters the arc chamber; see Claim Interpretation above).
Regarding claim 16, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 13 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 13.
In addition, Patel discloses a dopant power supply to apply a voltage to the metal dopant (paragraph 0042).
Regarding claim 17, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 13 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 13.
In addition, Delahoy discloses that a diameter of the wire is between 20 and 70 mils (Merriam-Webster.com defines a “mil” as “a unit of length equal to 1/1000 inch”; therefore, 20-70 mils is equivalent to 0.02-0.07 inches; Table 1 of Delahoy discloses a wire diameter in the range of 0.02-0.04 inches).
When a claimed range “overlap[s] or lie[s] inside ranges disclosed by the prior art”, a prima facie case of obviousness exists. See MPEP 2144.05 I; In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990). In the case at hand, Delahoy teaches a range of 0.02-0.04 inches, which overlaps with the claimed range of 0.02-0.07 inches. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Patel in view of Delahoy to meet the claimed range of wire diameters.
Regarding claim 18, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 13 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 13.
In addition, Patel discloses an ion implanter (paragraph 0083, lines 17-18), comprising:
the indirectly heated cathode ion source to generate an ion beam (paragraph 0083, lines 17-20); and
one or more beamline components (paragraph 0083, lines 17-18) to direct the ion beam toward a workpiece (paragraph 0005).
Regarding claim 19, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 18 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 18, including that the metal dopant is in a form of a wire.
In addition, Patel discloses a controller, wherein the controller controls at least one metal dopant related parameter (paragraph 0043, controller 180), wherein the metal dopant related parameters include a delivery rate of the metal dopant (paragraph 0043, lines 10-12), a temperature of the metal dopant (paragraph 0043, lines 5-7) and a voltage applied to the metal dopant (paragraph 0042).
Claims 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Hahto et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0320395 A1), hereinafter Hahto.
Regarding claim 3, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 2 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 2.
Patel in view of Delahoy fails to disclose that the temperature control device contacts the conduit.
However, Hahto discloses that the temperature control device (FIG. 3E, heat sink 5a) contacts the conduit (FIG. 3E, conduit 15).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Patel in view of Delahoy to include that the temperature control device contacts the conduit, based on the teachings of Hahto that this enables effective temperature control between system components to avoid undesirable heating of the ionization chamber (Hahto, paragraph 0111).
Regarding claim 5, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 2 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 2.
Patel in view of Delahoy fails to disclose that the temperature control device comprises one or more cooling elements.
However, Hahto discloses that the temperature control device comprises one or more cooling elements (FIG. 3E, heat sink 5a).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Patel in view of Delahoy to include that the temperature control device comprises one or more cooling elements, based on the teachings of Hahto that this enables effective temperature control between system components to avoid undesirable heating of the ionization chamber (Hahto, paragraph 0111).
Claims 12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Patel in view of Delahoy as respectively applied to claims 11 and 19 above, and further in view of Sasaki et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0138353 A1), hereinafter Sasaki.
Regarding claim 12, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 11 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 11.
Patel in view of Delahoy fails to disclose a beam profiler to detect a beam current at a location near the workpiece, wherein the controller uses information from the beam profiler to control at least one of the metal dopant related parameters.
However, Sasaki discloses a beam profiler (FIG. 8, element 8) to detect a beam current at a location near the workpiece (FIG. 8, element 7), wherein the controller uses information from the beam profiler to control at least one of the metal dopant related parameters (paragraph 0009).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Patel in view of Delahoy to include a beam profiler to detect a beam current at a location near the workpiece, wherein the controller uses information from the beam profiler to control at least one of the metal dopant related parameters, based on the teachings of Sasaki that this beneficially enables real-time adjustments to avoid undesirable changes in ion source conditions during operation (Sasaki, paragraphs 0023, 0027).
Regarding claim 20, Patel in view of Delahoy as applied to claim 19 discloses the indirectly heated cathode ion source of claim 19.
Patel in view of Delahoy fails to disclose a beam profiler to detect a beam current at a location near the workpiece, wherein the controller uses information from the beam profiler to control at least one of the metal dopant related parameters.
However, Sasaki discloses a beam profiler (FIG. 8, element 8) to detect a beam current at a location near the workpiece (FIG. 8, element 7), wherein the controller uses information from the beam profiler to control at least one of the metal dopant related parameters (paragraph 0009).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Patel in view of Delahoy to include a beam profiler to detect a beam current at a location near the workpiece, wherein the controller uses information from the beam profiler to control at least one of the metal dopant related parameters, based on the teachings of Sasaki that this beneficially enables real-time adjustments to avoid undesirable changes in ion source conditions during operation (Sasaki, paragraphs 0023, 0027).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Colvin et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0118524 A1), hereinafter Colvin, teaches a temperature control device to heat the metal dopant prior to entering the arc chamber.
Bassom et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0343558 A1), hereinafter Bassom, teaches an ion source, comprising: an arc chamber, comprising a plurality of side walls connecting a first end and a second end; a cathode disposed on the first end and a repeller disposed on the second end; an extraction aperture disposed in one of the side walls; an opening formed on the second end; a material delivery device to deliver a metal dopant to the arc chamber; and a conduit through which the metal dopant passes as the metal dopant travels to an interior of the arc chamber through the opening in the arc chamber.
Jones et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0252195 A1), hereinafter Jones, teaches an ion implanter comprising an indirectly heated cathode ion source to generate an ion beam; one or more beamline components to direct the ion beam toward a workpiece; and a controller, wherein the controller controls at least one dopant related parameter, wherein the dopant related parameters include a temperature of the dopant.
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/A.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2881
/ROBERT H KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2881