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
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on 02/19/2025 has been entered and considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 01/172024, has been accepted for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shih et al. (2022/0373890 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Shih discloses a pellicle deep ultraviolet (DUV) reflectivity mapping method/apparatus (figs. 1-8B) comprising:
a base is included in a base floor BF located under the main floor [par. 0016];
a pellicle stage a stage 12 configured to support an associated extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicle [pars. 0002, 0014, 0029];
a DUV reflectance measurement assembly is included in an EUV lithography system [par. 0040] acquiring a two-dimensional DUV reflectivity map of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicle using the DUV reflectance measurement assembly including
(i) a DUV light source EUV radiation source 100 arranged to emit DUV light onto the associated EUV pellicle supported by the pellicle stage to generate reflected DUV light that is reflected by the EUV pellicle [pars. 0017], and
(ii) a DUV spectrophotometer instrument/system that measures the amount of light a sample absorbs, transmits, or reflects at different wavelengths/ computer system 800/an analyzer module 630 arranged to measure/detect/determine intensity (based on EUV intensity) [pars. 0017-18, 0027, 0033] of the reflected DUV light as a function of wavelength or photon energy amount of energy [pars. 0038-39, 0046-54]; and
a motorized assembly a stage controller (not shown)/a stage controller 612/ scanner, step and scan system [par. 0028] secured to the base and configured to scan/to examine the DUV light over the associated EUV pellicle in two mutually orthogonal directions by moving the pellicle stage rotate the semiconductor substrate on the stage and/or the DUV reflectance measurement assembly respective to the base [pars. 0029, 0038, 0053]; and a monitor 804 displaying a representation of the two-dimensional DUV reflectivity map.
For the purposes of clarity, a step-and-scan lithography system operates in a two-dimensional motion to expose a full field on a wafer/EUV pellicle. Map/Mapping considering BRI is considered as visual drawing or graphic representation of a specific signal(s)/data.
In addition. the method claim 1 is taught/suggested by the functions shown/stated/set forth with regards to the apparatus claim 12 as rejected above as being anticipated by Shih. Also, the method claim 1 also anticipates/provide the means for apparatus claim 12 as rejected above as being anticipated by Shih.
As to claim 2, Shih also discloses wherein the two- dimensional DUV reflectivity map of the EUV pellicle is acquired by scanner, step and scan system [par. 0028] scanning the DUV light emitted onto the EUV pellicle reflective mask includes a pellicle (not shown) [par. 0034] over a two-dimensional surface of the EUV pellicle using inherently a combination of moving the EUV pellicle in a first direction respective to the DUV reflectance measurement assembly and inherently moving the EUV pellicle in a second direction respective to the DUV reflectance measurement assembly, wherein inherently the first direction and the second direction are mutually orthogonal .
For the purposes of clarity, a step-and-scan lithography system operates in a two-dimensional motion to expose a full field on a wafer/EUV pellicle.
As to claims 3-9, Shih also discloses a structure that is use in a method/system/apparatus (figs. 1-8B) that is implementing limitations such as, wherein the DUV reflectance measurement assembly that is included in an EUV lithography system [par. 0040] is implicitly at a fixed position respective to a base that is included in a base floor BF located under the main floor [par. 0016], and wherein: the moving of the EUV pellicle in the first direction respective to the DUV reflectance measurement assembly that is included in an EUV lithography system is performed using a first mechanism that is implicitly secured to the base that is included in a base floor BF located under the main floor [par. 0016]; and the moving of the EUV pellicle in the second direction respective to the DUV reflectance measurement assembly that is included in an EUV lithography system is performed using a second mechanism that is secured to the first mechanism that is included in the scanner, step and scan system [par. 0028](claim 3);
wherein the two- dimensional DUV reflectivity map of the EUV pellicle is acquired by the scanner, step and scan system [par. 0028] scanning the EUV light emitted onto the EUV pellicle over a two-dimensional surface of the EUV pellicle using a combination of:
moving the DUV reflectance measurement assembly respective to the EUV pellicle in a first direction (i.e. x-axis); and
moving the EUV pellicle in a second direction (i.e. y-axis) respective to the DUV reflectance measurement assembly; implicitly wherein the first direction and the second direction are mutually orthogonal (claim 4); wherein:
moving of the DUV reflectance measurement assembly that is included in an EUV lithography system respective to the EUV pellicle reflective mask includes a pellicle (not shown) [par. 0034] in the first direction of the step-and-scan lithography system that operates in a two-dimensional motion to expose a full field on a wafer/EUV pellicle is performed using a first linear translation mechanism that is secured to a base; and the moving of the EUV pellicle in the second direction respective to the DUV reflectance measurement assembly is performed using a second linear translation mechanism that is secured to the base that is included in a base floor BF located under the main floor [par. 0016] (claim 5); further comprising: adjusting the DUV reflectance measurement assembly that is included in an EUV lithography system to select an angle of incidence [pars. 0034] at which the DUV light source emits the DUV light onto the EUV pellicle and an angle of reflectance at which the DUV spectrophotometer instrument/system that measures the amount of light a sample absorbs, transmits, or reflects at different wavelengths/ computer system 800/an analyzer module 630 measures the intensity of the reflected DUV light [pars. 0038-39, 0046-54] (claim 6); operating a photomultiplier tube of the DUV light source to emit the DUV light onto the EUV pellicle (see abstract) [pars. 0032-36] (claim 7); wherein the DUV spectrophotometer measures the intensity amount of energy of the reflected DUV light as a function of wavelength or photon energy over a spectral range of at least 190nm to 250 nm [pars. 0035-36] (claim 8); and wherein the displayed representation of the two-dimensional DUV reflectivity map is a heat map [pars. 0024-26] (claim 9).
For the purposes of clarity, map is considered as visual drawing or graphic representation of a specific signal(s)/data.
As to claims 10-11, Shih further discloses a structure that is use in a method/system/apparatus (figs. 1-8B) that is implementing limitations such as, determining whether the EUV pellicle the reflective mask includes a pellicle (not shown) [pars. 0035] is usable for EUV lithography without a dynamic gas lock DUV light-reflective membrane by analyzing the two-dimensional DUV reflectivity map; and outputting an indication of the determination of whether the EUV pellicle is usable for the out-of-band DUV radiation that is mostly reflected by the pellicle EUV lithography without a dynamic gas lock DUV light-reflective membrane [pars. 0002, 0014-15, 0034] (claim 10); and wherein the determining of whether the out-of-band DUV radiation that is mostly reflected by the pellicle the EUV pellicle is usable includes: determining the EUV pellicle is usable if a DUV reflectivity metric derived from the two- dimensional DUV reflectivity map is at or below a maximum threshold [pars. 0002, 0014-15, 0034] (claim 11).
As to claims 13-15, Shih also discloses a structure that is use in a method/system/apparatus (figs. 1-8B) that is implementing limitations such as, wherein the DUV reflectance measurement assembly that is included in an EUV lithography system [par. 0040] is fixed respective to the base that is included in a base floor BF located under the main floor [par. 0016], and the motorized assembly the stage controller (not shown)/a stage controller 612/ scanner, step and scan system [par. 0028] includes: a first mechanism secured to the base and configured to move the pellicle stage respective to the base in a first direction (i.e. x-axis/direction); and a second mechanism secured to the first mechanism and configured to move the pellicle stage respective to the base in a second direction (i.e. y-axis/direction) that is orthogonal to the first direction (claim 13);
wherein the motorized assembly the stage controller (not shown)/a stage controller 612/ scanner, step and scan system [par. 0028] includes:
a first mechanism secured to the base and configured to move the DUV reflectance measurement assembly respective to the base in a first direction (i.e. x-axis/direction); and a second mechanism secured to the base and configured to move the pellicle stage respective to the base in a second direction (i.e. y-axis/direction) that is orthogonal to the first direction (i.e. x-axis/direction) (claim 14); and
wherein the DUV reflectance measurement assembly that is included in an EUV lithography system [par. 0040] further includes a rotation motor configured to adjust an angle of incidence [pars. 0034] of the DUV light emitted by the DUV light source onto the associated EUV pellicle supported by the pellicle stage rotate the semiconductor substrate on the stage [pars. 0029, 0038, 0053] (claim 15).
As to claims 16 and 17, Shih further discloses an electronic controller (fig. 8A)/ computer system 800 including a display a monitor 804, the electronic controller configured to control the DUV reflectivity mapping apparatus to acquire a two-dimensional DUV reflectivity map of the associated EUV pellicle supported by the pellicle stage and to display a representation of the two-dimensional DUV reflectivity map on the display monitor 804 (claim 16); and
an electronic controller (fig. 8A)/ computer system 800 including a display a monitor 804, the electronic controller configured to:
control the DUV reflectivity mapping apparatus that is included in an EUV lithography system [par. 0040] to acquire a two- dimensional DUV reflectivity map of the associated EUV pellicle supported by the pellicle stage the reflective mask includes a pellicle (not shown) [pars. 0035]/stage 12, and
determine whether the associated EUV pellicle pellicle the reflective mask includes a pellicle (not shown) [pars. 0035] is usable for EUV lithography without a dynamic gas lock DUV light-reflective membrane by analyzing the two-dimensional DUV reflectivity map, and
output, on the display, an indication of the determination of whether the associated EUV pellicle is usable for the out-of-band DUV radiation that is mostly reflected by the pellicle EUV lithography without a dynamic gas lock DUV light-reflective membrane [pars. 0002, 0014-15, 0034] (claim 17).
As claim 18, Shih discloses a photolithography exposure method is included in an EUV lithography system (figs. 1-*B) designed to expose a resist layer by EUV light (also interchangeably referred to herein as EUV radiation) comprising:
the EUV lithography system [par. 0040] acquiring a two-dimensional deep ultraviolet (DUV) reflectivity map of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicle [pars. 0002, 0014, 0029];
computer system 800/an analyzer module 630 determining DUV reflectivity of the EUV pellicle is less than a maximum DUV reflectivity threshold by analyzing the two-dimensional DUV reflectivity map; and in response to the determination that the DUV reflectivity of the EUV pellicle is less than the maximum DUV reflectivity threshold, performing EUV photolithography using an EUV mask assembly comprising an EUV mask and the EUV pellicle mounted on the EUV mask to form a latent image of a pattern of EUV reflective and absorbing regions of the photomask on and/or in an EUV light-sensitive photoresist layer disposed on a surface of a semiconductor wafer [pars. 0017-21, 0027 and 0033].
As to claims 19 and 20, Shih also discloses a structure (figs. 1-8B) that is use in a method/system that is implementing limitations such as, wherein the EUV light-sensitive photoresist layer is also DUV light-sensitive [pars. 0002, 0014, 0029] (claim 19); and wherein the EUV photolithography is performed without using a dynamic gas lock DUV light-reflective membrane [pars. 0034, 0043, 0045] (claim20)
Additional Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references listed in the attached form PTO-892 teach of other prior art pellicle deep ultraviolet (DUV) reflectivity mapping method/apparatus.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Isiaka Akanbi whose telephone number is (571) 272-8658. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tarifur R. Chowdhury can be reached on (571) 272-2287. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
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/ISIAKA O AKANBI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877
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