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 1-12 and 21-28 in the reply filed on 2/19/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2021/0319977.
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses a scanning electron microscope (SEM) (“a scanning electron microscope (SEM)” [0003]), comprising: an electron gun 401 configured to generate an electron beam 400B1 that is directed along an axis through a column of the SEM towards a sample stage (“a sample holder 236 supported by motorized stage 234 to hold a sample 250 to be inspected” [0040]); a first backscattered electron (BSE) detector 406 mounted along the axis (as illustrated in figure 4); a second BSE detector 413 mounted off the axis, wherein the second BSE detector wraps around a bottom portion of the column (as illustrated in figure 4).
Regarding claim 2, Liu discloses that the second BSE detector 413 wraps around the bottom portion of the column adjacent to a bottom portion of an objective lens 407 of the SEM (as illustrated in figure 4).
Regarding claim 3, Liu discloses that the first BSE detector 406 is configured to detect backscattered electrons (“all three signal electron detectors 406, 412, and 413 to improve BSE detection efficiency” [0078]) that enter the column (as illustrated in figure 4), and wherein the second BSE detector 413 is configured to detect backscattered electrons (“all three signal electron detectors 406, 412, and 413 to improve BSE detection efficiency” [0078]) that do not enter the column (as illustrated in figure 4).
Regarding claim 4, Liu illustrates in figure 4 that the second BSE detector includes a 360- degree wraparound BSE detector.
Regarding claim 7, Liu illustrates a segmented electron detector (with respect to figures 11A-D), wherein the second BSE detector has a plurality of blades having either a flat shape or an arc shape in a side view (as illustrated in figure 4); the second BSE detector has a plurality of blades arranged in a circular configuration in a top view (“For example, segmented electron detector 1120 of FIG. 11C may comprise four segments 1100_1C, 1100_2C, 1100_3C, and 1100_4C, arranged circumferentially around a central opening” [0113]); and each blade of the plurality of blades are substantially the same as each other (as illustrated in figure 11C).
Regarding claim 8, Liu illustrates a segmented electron detector (with respect to figures 11A-D), wherein the second BSE detector has a plurality of blades having either a flat shape or an arc shape in a side view (as illustrated in figure 4); the second BSE detector has a plurality of blades arranged in a circular configuration in a top view (“For example, segmented electron detector 1120 of FIG. 11C may comprise four segments 1100_1C, 1100_2C, 1100_3C, and 1100_4C, arranged circumferentially around a central opening” [0113]); and each blade of the plurality of blades are substantially the same as each other (as illustrated in figure 11C).
Regarding claim 10, Liu illustrates a segmented electron detector (with respect to figures 11A-D), wherein the second BSE detector has a plurality of blades having either a flat shape or an arc shape in a side view (as illustrated in figure 4); the second BSE detector has a plurality of blades arranged in a circular configuration in a top view (“For example, segmented electron detector 1120 of FIG. 11C may comprise four segments 1100_1C, 1100_2C, 1100_3C, and 1100_4C, arranged circumferentially around a central opening” [0113]); and each blade of the plurality of blades are substantially the same as each other (as illustrated in figure 11C).
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.
Claim(s) 5, 21, 22, and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2021/0319977 in view of Jiang et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2023/0104558.
Regarding claim 5, Liu discloses the claimed invention except that while Liu discloses first and second backscattered electron detectors 406 and 413, and Liu discloses that a control electrode (414 in figure 4, corresponding to control electrode 314 in figure 3) “may be configured to function as an energy filtering device and may be disposed between sample 315 and signal electron detector 312” [0067], there is no explicit disclosure of a first energy filtering grid disposed in front of the first BSE detector to provide a first energy selective BSE detector; and a second energy filtering grid disposed in front of the second BSE detector to provide a second energy selective BSE detector.
Jiang discloses “a scanning electron microscope (SEM)” [0005], including a first detector and a second detector for detecting backscattered electrons (“Low-loss BSE having energies between E1 and E2 are detected by detector 1 because these electrons are not repelled by the first repelling mesh, are repelled by the second repelling mesh, and are attracted by the first attracting mesh positioned in front of the first detector. Elastic BSE having energies between E2 and Em are detected by detector 2 because these electrons are not repelled by the first or second repelling mesh and therefore can be detected by the second detector” [0076]). Jiang discloses a first energy filtering grid 1716 disposed in front of the first BSE detector 1718 to provide a first energy selective BSE detector 1718; and a second energy filtering grid 1722 disposed in front of the second BSE detector 1724 to provide a second energy selective BSE detector 1724.
It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liu with the energy filtering of Jiang in order to ensure more complete imaging of backscattered electrons, ensuring that electrons having desired energies are imaged by detectors whose locations are optimized for detection of electrons of a particular energy band.
Regarding claim 21, Liu discloses an electron microscope, comprising: a sample stage (“a sample holder 236 supported by motorized stage 234 to hold a sample 250 to be inspected” [0040]); an electron gun 401 configured to provide an electron beam 400B1 directed through an electron column along an optical axis towards the sample stage (as illustrated in figures 2 and 4); a first backscatter (BSE) detector 406 mounted along the optical axis (as illustrated in figure 4); and a second BSE detector 413 that encircles a bottom portion of the electron column and is mounted off the optical axis (as illustrated in figure 4); wherein the electron microscope is configured to transmit data to a computer from the first BSE detector and the second BSE detector (“the image acquirer may comprise a computer, server, mainframe host, terminals, personal computer, any kind of mobile computing devices, and the like, or a combination thereof. The image acquirer may be communicatively coupled to electron detector 244 of apparatus 40 through a medium such as an electrical conductor, optical fiber cable, portable storage media, IR, Bluetooth, internet, wireless network, wireless radio, among others, or a combination thereof” [0046]). Liu discloses the claimed invention except that while Liu discloses first and second backscattered electron detectors 406 and 413, and Liu discloses that a control electrode (414 in figure 4, corresponding to control electrode 314 in figure 3) “may be configured to function as an energy filtering device and may be disposed between sample 315 and signal electron detector 312” [0067], there is no explicit disclosure that the first and second backscattered electron detectors are energy selective.
Jiang discloses “a scanning electron microscope (SEM)” [0005], including a first detector and a second detector for detecting backscattered electrons (“Low-loss BSE having energies between E1 and E2 are detected by detector 1 because these electrons are not repelled by the first repelling mesh, are repelled by the second repelling mesh, and are attracted by the first attracting mesh positioned in front of the first detector. Elastic BSE having energies between E2 and Em are detected by detector 2 because these electrons are not repelled by the first or second repelling mesh and therefore can be detected by the second detector” [0076]). Jiang discloses a first energy filtering grid 1716 disposed in front of the first BSE detector 1718 to provide a first energy selective BSE detector 1718; and a second energy filtering grid 1722 disposed in front of the second BSE detector 1724 to provide a second energy selective BSE detector 1724.
It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liu with the energy filtering of Jiang in order to ensure more complete imaging of backscattered electrons, ensuring that electrons having desired energies are imaged by detectors whose locations are optimized for detection of electrons of a particular energy band.
Regarding claim 22, Liu illustrates in figure 4 that the first BSE detector 406 is configured to detect backscattered electrons that enter the electron column, and wherein the second BSE detector 413 is configured to detect backscattered electrons that do not enter the electron column.
Regarding claim 24, Liu illustrates a segmented electron detector (with respect to figures 11A-D), wherein the second BSE detector has a plurality of blades having either a flat shape or an arc shape in a side view (as illustrated in figure 4); the second BSE detector has a plurality of blades arranged in a circular configuration in a top view (“For example, segmented electron detector 1120 of FIG. 11C may comprise four segments 1100_1C, 1100_2C, 1100_3C, and 1100_4C, arranged circumferentially around a central opening” [0113]); and each blade of the plurality of blades are substantially the same as each other (as illustrated in figure 11C).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2021/0319977 in view of Danilatos U.S. Patent No. 4,897,545.
Regarding claim 9, Liu illustrates a segmented electron detector (with respect to figures 11A-D), wherein the second BSE detector has a plurality of blades arranged in a circular configuration in a top view (“For example, segmented electron detector 1120 of FIG. 11C may comprise four segments 1100_1C, 1100_2C, 1100_3C, and 1100_4C, arranged circumferentially around a central opening” [0113]). However, there is no explicit disclosure that the circular configuration includes an inner circular portion composed of a first pair of blades of the plurality of blades and an outer circular portion coaxial with the inner circular portion, the outer circular portion composed of a second pair of blades of the plurality of blades.
Danilatos discloses a backscattered electron detector comprising a plurality of blades arranged in a circular configuration wherein the circular configuration includes an inner circular portion composed of a first pair of blades of the plurality of blades and an outer circular portion coaxial with the inner circular portion, the outer circular portion composed of a second pair of blades of the plurality of blades (“Intermediate electron detector 32 of annular electrode assembly 36 is positioned radially outwardly of the inner electron detector 30 and is formed of a first plurality of concentric split generally flat arc segments, such as 38a and 38b (see FIG. 2)… With this design, the intermediate electron detector collects predominantly an amplified mix of higher energy secondary and backscattered electron signals emanating from the surface of the sample” [col. 6; lines 47-60]).
It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liu with the backscattered electron detector of Danilatos in order to provide energy discrimination between different groups of backscattered electrons so as to most accurately detect all of the backscattered electrons from a sample, thereby providing a higher-quality image of the sample from the backscattered electrons.
Claim(s) 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2021/0319977 in view of Jiang et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2023/0104558 in further view of Dean et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2004/0173747 in further view of Potocek et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2022/0102121.
Regarding claim 25, Liu discloses the claimed invention except while Liu discloses that the first BSE detector and the second BSE detector are configured to capture a plurality of BSE images, the plurality of BSE images defining at least part of the data (“The image acquirer may thus acquire images of regions of sample 250” [0046]), there is no explicit disclosure of varying electron high tension (EHT) voltages, and wherein the electron microscope is configured to transmit the data to a machine learning system executing on the computer for generation of a 3D image of a sample disposed on the sample stage.
Dean discloses an electron high tension (EHT) voltage controller; wherein a BSE detector is configured to capture a plurality of BSE images (“detecting secondary and backscattered electrons emitted from the sample “ [0003]) while an EHT voltage of the SEM is adjusted by the EHT voltage controller (“The EHT supply 210 is designed to provide an output potential which can be varied in a range from 500 volts to 30 kV” [0047]). It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liu and Jiang with the EHT voltage varying of Dean in order to control the formation of electrons to generate electrons having an energy level that optimizes the formation of backscattered electrons for imaging backscattered electrons from a sample. Liu, Jiang, and Dean disclose the claimed invention except that there is no explicit disclosure that the electron microscope is configured to transmit the data to a machine learning system executing on the computer for generation of a 3D image of a sample disposed on the sample stage.
Potocek discloses an electron microscope is configured to transmit imaging data to a machine learning system executing on the computer (“the depth blur reducing algorithm may comprise a machine learning algorithm configured to process data in three or more dimensions” [0033]) for generation of a 3D image (“A high-resolution 3D reconstruction of the sample is then generated using the enhanced first data and the enhanced second data” [Abstract]) of a sample disposed on the sample stage (“a sample holder configured to hold a sample” [0006]). It would have been obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liu, Jiang, and Dean with the machine learning system of Potocek in order to provide images having enhanced image quality so as to reveal more information about an analyzed sample.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 11, 12, and 23 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 6; Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2021/0319977 discloses a scanning electron microscope (SEM) (“a scanning electron microscope (SEM)” [0003]), comprising: an electron gun 401 configured to generate an electron beam 400B1 that is directed along an axis through a column of the SEM towards a sample stage (“a sample holder 236 supported by motorized stage 234 to hold a sample 250 to be inspected” [0040]); a first backscattered electron (BSE) detector 406 mounted along the axis (as illustrated in figure 4); a second BSE detector 413 mounted off the axis, wherein the second BSE detector wraps around a bottom portion of the column (as illustrated in figure 4). However, Liu does not disclose one or more photomultiplier tubes coupled to the second BSE detector, wherein the one or more photomultiplier tubes include a GaAs photocathode having GaAs nanowires and microchannel plates composed of GaAs integrated onto a surface of the GaAs photocathode.
The prior art fails to teach or reasonably suggest, in combination with the other claim limitations, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), comprising: a first backscattered electron (BSE) detector mounted along an axis along which an electron beam is directed; and one or more photomultiplier tubes coupled to a second BSE detector that wraps around a bottom portion of the column, wherein the one or more photomultiplier tubes include a GaAs photocathode having GaAs nanowires and microchannel plates composed of GaAs integrated onto a surface of the GaAs photocathode.
Regarding claim 11; Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2021/0319977 discloses a scanning electron microscope (SEM) (“a scanning electron microscope (SEM)” [0003]), comprising: an electron gun 401 configured to generate an electron beam 400B1 that is directed along an axis through a column of the SEM towards a sample stage (“a sample holder 236 supported by motorized stage 234 to hold a sample 250 to be inspected” [0040]); a first backscattered electron (BSE) detector 406 mounted along the axis (as illustrated in figure 4); a second BSE detector 413 mounted off the axis, wherein the second BSE detector wraps around a bottom portion of the column (as illustrated in figure 4). However, Liu does not disclose an electron high tension (EHT) voltage controller; wherein the first BSE detector and the second BSE detector are configured to capture a plurality of BSE images while an EHT voltage of the SEM is adjusted in real- time by the EHT voltage controller.
Dean et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2004/0173747 discloses an electron high tension (EHT) voltage controller; wherein a BSE detector is configured to capture a plurality of BSE images (“detecting secondary and backscattered electrons emitted from the sample “ [0003]) while an EHT voltage of the SEM is adjusted by the EHT voltage controller (“The EHT supply 210 is designed to provide an output potential which can be varied in a range from 500 volts to 30 kV” [0047]). However, Dean does not disclose that the EHT voltage of the SEM is adjusted in real time.
The prior art fails to teach or reasonably suggest, in combination with the other claim limitations, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), comprising: an electron high tension (EHT) voltage controller; wherein a first BSE detector and a second BSE detector are configured to capture a plurality of BSE images while an EHT voltage of the SEM is adjusted in real-time by the EHT voltage controller.
Regarding claim 12; claim 12 would be allowable at least for its dependence upon claim 11.
Regarding claim 23; Liu et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2021/0319977 discloses a scanning electron microscope (SEM) (“a scanning electron microscope (SEM)” [0003]), comprising: an electron gun 401 configured to generate an electron beam 400B1 that is directed along an axis through a column of the SEM towards a sample stage (“a sample holder 236 supported by motorized stage 234 to hold a sample 250 to be inspected” [0040]); a first backscattered electron (BSE) detector 406 mounted along the axis (as illustrated in figure 4); a second BSE detector 413 mounted off the axis, wherein the second BSE detector wraps around a bottom portion of the column (as illustrated in figure 4). However, Liu does not disclose one or more photomultiplier tubes coupled to the second BSE detector, wherein the one or more photomultiplier tubes include a GaAs photocathode having GaAs nanowires and microchannel plates composed of GaAs integrated onto a surface of the GaAs photocathode.
The prior art fails to teach or reasonably suggest, in combination with the other claim limitations, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), comprising: a first backscattered electron (BSE) detector mounted along an axis along which an electron beam is directed; and one or more photomultiplier tubes coupled to a second BSE detector that wraps around a bottom portion of the column, wherein the one or more photomultiplier tubes include a GaAs photocathode having GaAs nanowires and microchannel plates composed of GaAs integrated onto a surface of the GaAs photocathode.
Claims 26-28 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding independent claim 26; claim 26 includes substantially similar limitations to those of dependent claim 6 and is allowable at least for the reasons articulated with respect to dependent claim 6.
Regarding dependent claims 27 and 28; these claims are allowable at least for their dependence upon independent claim 26.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
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/JASON L MCCORMACK/Examiner, Art Unit 2881