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 Species I in the reply filed on May 29, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 17-18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 17-18 recite the limitation “the second single-wafer processing apparatus” and "the second relay" in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 8, 12, 15, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Choi (US 2022/0172966 cited in IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Choi figures 1-16 teach a substrate processing system that continuously performs batch processing of collectively processing a plurality of substrates and single-wafer processing of processing the substrates one by one, the substrate processing system comprising:
a batch processing apparatus (140 batch-type liquid treating chamber) configured to perform batch processing;[0069]
at least one single-wafer processing apparatus (230 single-type liquid treating chamber, 240 drying chamber) configured to perform single-wafer processing on a batch-processed substrate; [0080]and
at least one relay apparatus (150 second transfer chamber) in which two positions are defined, one being a carry-in position for receiving the batch-processed substrate from the batch processing apparatus, and the other being a carry-out position for transferring the substrate received at the carry-in position to the single-wafer processing apparatus,[0078-79]
wherein the batch processing apparatus includes:
a first carrier placement shelf (C storage container)on which a carrier is placed, the carrier accommodating a plurality of substrates in a horizontal attitude at a predetermined interval in a vertical direction; [0073]
a transfer block (120 first index chamber) adjacent to the first carrier placement shelf (C storage container), and a batch processing block (141 first batch-type liquid treating chamber) adjacent to the transfer block,
the transfer block includes:
a substrate handling mechanism (122 first transfer robot) configured to collectively take out the plurality of substrates from the carrier placed on the first carrier placement shelf, [0071] and
a first attitude changing mechanism (124 posture changing unit) configured to collectively change the plurality of substrates taken out from the carrier from the horizontal attitude to a vertical attitude,[0073]
the batch processing block includes:
at least one batch processing bath (Fig. 4 141 first batch-type liquid treating chamber, 142 second batch-type liquid treating chamber, and 143 third batch-type liquid treating chamber) in which the plurality of substrates in the vertical attitude are collectively immersed;[0095] and
a collective conveyance mechanism (132 first transfer unit) configured to collectively convey the plurality of substrates in the vertical attitude among the transfer block, the batch processing bath, and the carry-in position of the relay apparatus, [0074-77]
the single-wafer processing apparatus includes:
a second carrier placement shelf (270 second load port unit) on which the carrier is placed; an indexer block (220 third transfer chamber) adjacent to the second carrier placement shelf, and a single-wafer processing block (230 single-type liquid treating chamber, 240 drying chamber) adjacent to the indexer block, [0082-91]
the single-wafer processing block includes:
a plurality of single-wafer processing chambers (figs. 2-3 240 drying chamber) configured to perform a drying treatment on the substrates in a horizontal attitude one by one; and
a single-wafer conveyance mechanism (222 third transfer unit) configured to receive the batch-processed substrates in the horizontal attitude one by one from the carry-out position of the relay apparatus and convey the substrates to the single-wafer processing chambers,
the indexer block (220 third transfer chamber) includes an indexer robot (262 second transfer robot) configured to allow the single-wafer-processed substrates to be accommodated in the carrier placed on the second carrier placement shelf,[0091] and
the relay apparatus (150 second transfer chamber) includes:
a second attitude changing mechanism (152 transfer hand) configured to change the plurality of substrates received from the batch processing apparatus from the vertical attitude to the horizontal attitude; [0079] and
a relay conveyance mechanism configured to convey the substrates along a substrate conveyance path provided between the carry-in position and the carry-out position (the transfer hand of the second transfer unit 152 may take out the substrate W from the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 included in the batch-type liquid treating chamber 140 and transfer the substrate W to the first buffer unit 210).
Regarding claim 2, Choi teaches the transfer hand of the second transfer unit 152 may take out the substrate W from the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 included in the batch-type liquid treating chamber 140 and transfer the substrate W to the first buffer unit 210. In addition, the transfer hand of the second transfer unit 152 may take out the substrate W in a horizontal posture from the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 and transfer the same to the first buffer unit 210 thereby suggesting the second attitude changing mechanism is provided on the carry-in position side, the relay apparatus further including a single-wafer substrate shift mechanism configured to take out, one by one, the plurality of substrates collectively changed from the vertical attitude to the horizontal attitude by the second attitude changing mechanism, and transfer the substrates to the relay conveyance mechanism.[0079]
Choi further teaches the first buffer unit 210 may store substrates W in a horizontal posture whose position has been changed from a vertical position in a third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143. In addition, a liquid supply line supplying a wetting liquid to the storage space may be connected to the first buffer unit 210 so as to prevent the substrate W brought into the storage space from drying (to maintain wettability of the substrate W). In addition, the substrates W stored in the first buffer unit 210 may be stored in respective storage spaces independently partitioned within the first buffer unit 210. In addition, the first buffer unit 210 may be disposed to be stacked with at least some of the single-type treating chambers thereby reading on the relay conveyance mechanism conveys the substrates in the horizontal attitude transferred from the single-wafer substrate shift mechanism, one by one toward the carry-out position.[0081]
Regarding claim 3, figure 1 teaches the second transfer chamber 150 may be disposed between the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 and a first buffer unit 210 of the second treating part 200 thereby reading on the relay apparatus, the second attitude changing mechanism is provided on the carry-in position side.[0078] Choi teaches the transfer hand of the second transfer unit 152 may take out the substrate W in a horizontal posture from the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 and transfer the same to the first buffer unit 210 thereby suggesting the relay conveyance mechanism collectively conveys the plurality of substrates collectively changed from the vertical attitude to the horizontal attitude by the second attitude changing mechanism, toward the carry-out position.
Regarding claim 4, figure 1 teaches the second transfer chamber 150 may be disposed between the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 and a first buffer unit 210 of the second treating part 200 thereby suggesting the relay apparatus, the second attitude changing mechanism is provided on the carry-out position side.[0078] The second transfer chamber 150 may include a second transfer unit 152 having a transfer hand. The transfer hand of the second transfer unit 152 may be provided to be movable along the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z. In addition, the transfer hand of the second transfer unit 152 may be provided to be rotatable about the third direction Z as an axis. In addition, the transfer hand of the second transfer unit 152 may take out the substrate W from the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 included in the batch-type liquid treating chamber 140 and transfer the substrate W to the first buffer unit 210. In addition, the transfer band of the second transfer unit 152 may take out the substrate W in a horizontal posture from the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 and transfer the same to the first buffer unit 210 thereby suggesting the relay conveyance mechanism collectively conveys the plurality of substrates in the vertical attitude received from the batch processing apparatus, to the second attitude changing mechanism, and the second attitude changing mechanism collectively changes the plurality of substrates received from the relay conveyance mechanism from the vertical attitude to the horizontal attitude.[0079]
Regarding claim 6, Choi teaches second transfer chamber 150 may include a second transfer unit 152 having a transfer hand. The transfer hand of the second transfer unit 152 may take out the substrate W from the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 included in the batch-type liquid treating chamber 140 and transfer the substrate W to the first buffer unit 210 thereby reading on the relay conveyance mechanism includes a robot configured to grip the substrate.[0079]
Regarding claim 8, Choi teaches a liquid supply line supplying a wetting liquid to the storage space may be connected to the first buffer unit 210 so as to prevent the substrate W brought into the storage space from drying (to maintain wettability of the substrate W) thereby suggesting the relay apparatus includes a liquid supply part configured to supply a liquid to the substrate conveyed by the relay conveyance mechanism to wet a surface of the substrate with the liquid.[0081]
Regarding claim 12, Choi teaches third transfer unit 222 may include a transfer hand that takes out the substrate W from the first buffer unit 210 and transfers the substrate W to the drying chamber 240 or the single-type liquid treating chamber 230 thereby suggesting wherein the carry-out position of the relay apparatus and the plurality of single-wafer processing chambers are disposed around the single-wafer conveyance mechanism.[0082]
Regarding claim 15, Choi figures 1-16 teach the batch processing apparatus includes:
a first housing (130 first transfer chamber) configured to accommodate the blocks constituting the batch processing apparatus (140); [0074]and
a first load port (110 first index chamber) protruding from a first wall surface perpendicular to a predetermined direction from the batch processing block toward the transfer block (120), among wall surfaces forming the first housing, and
the single-wafer processing apparatus includes:
a second housing (220 third transfer chamber) configured to accommodate the blocks constituting the single-wafer processing apparatus; [0080-82] and
a second load port (270 second load port unit) protruding from a second wall surface perpendicular to the predetermined direction, among wall surfaces forming the second housing,
the second load port being at a position on a same side as the first load port in the predetermined direction.
Regarding claim 16, Choi teaches the batch processing apparatus includes:
a first housing (130 first transfer chamber) configured to accommodate the blocks (140) constituting the batch processing apparatus; and
a first load port (110 first index chamber) protruding from a first wall surface perpendicular to a predetermined direction from the batch processing block toward the transfer block, among wall surfaces forming the first housing,
the single-wafer processing apparatus includes:
a second housing (220 third transfer chamber) configured to accommodate the blocks (230, 240) constituting the single-wafer processing apparatus; and
a second load port (270 second load port unit) protruding from a second wall surface perpendicular to the predetermined direction, among wall surfaces forming the second housing, and
the relay apparatus (150) includes a relay housing (130 first transfer chamber) configured to connect the first housing and the second housing separated from each other,
the relay housing being provided between a first perpendicular wall surface of the first housing perpendicular to the first wall surface, and a second perpendicular wall surface of the second housing perpendicular to the second wall surface and provided at a position facing the first perpendicular wall surface.
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.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Huber (US 2011/0008145).
Regarding claim 5, Choi is silent to the relay conveyance mechanism includes a belt conveyor mechanism.
Huber is directed towards a method of separating wafers from a wafer stack where the conveying means can also have belts, straps, or the like.[0017]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide a belt conveyor mechanism for conveying the wafers.
Claim(s) 7, 11, and 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 7, Choi teaches first buffer unit 210 may have a storage space for temporarily storing substrates W which have been liquid-treated in the cast treating part 100. The first buffer unit 210 may store substrates W in a horizontal posture whose position has been changed from a vertical position in a third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143.[0081]
Choi is silent to the plurality of substrates in the vertical attitude carried in from the batch processing apparatus.
However, Choi teaches the posture of the substrate W stored in the storage container (C) may be changed from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture thereby suggesting the plurality of substrates in the vertical attitude carried in from the batch processing apparatus to be an obvious modification.[0073]
Regarding claim 11, Choi is silent to the relay apparatus (150), the carry-out position is positioned in a middle layer of a stacked body including the single-wafer processing chambers stacked in the vertical direction in the single-wafer processing apparatus.
However, Choi teaches he storage container C rotates such that open side of the storage container C face upward, the posture of the substrate W stored in the storage container (C) may be changed from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture thereby suggesting in the relay apparatus, the carry-out position is positioned in a middle layer of a stacked body including the single-wafer processing chambers stacked in the vertical direction in the single-wafer processing apparatus to be an obvious modification.[0073]
Regarding claim 13, Choi is silent to the relay apparatus (150) is provided closer to the transfer block than the batch processing bath of the batch processing apparatus.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide the relay apparatus closer to the transfer block than the batch processing bath of the batch processing apparatus as a rearrangement of parts is an obvious modification.(MPEP 2144.04)
Regarding claim 14, Choi teaches substrates W treated with the first treating liquid L1 may be transferred to the second batch-type liquid treating chamber 142 and the third batch-type liquid treating chamber 143 in this order by the first transfer unit 132 thereby reading on a carrier conveyance mechanism configured to convey the carrier to the batch processing apparatus.[0098]
Choi is silent to a carrier conveyance mechanism configured to convey the carrier between the batch processing apparatus and the single-wafer processing apparatus to cause the substrates after substrate processing to return to the same carrier as the carrier that accommodates the substrates before substrate processing.
Choi teaches the container F placed on the second load port unit 270 may store substrates W that have been treated in the first treating part 100 and the second treating part 200.[0090]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide a carrier conveyance mechanism configured to convey the carrier between the batch processing apparatus and the single-wafer processing apparatus to cause the substrates after substrate processing to return to the same carrier as the carrier that accommodates the substrates before substrate processing as Choi teaches container F placed on the second load port unit 270 may store substrates W that have been treated in the first treating part 100 and the second treating part 200.[0090]
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of Shiomi (JP 2008258570 machine translation).
Regarding claim 9, Choi is silent to the relay apparatus includes a batch processing apparatus-side shutter configured to block circulation of an atmosphere through the substrate conveyance path and provided on the carry-in position side.
Shiomi is directed towards a substrate processor where shutter 15 is provided on the transfer mechanism 5 side of the first substrate delivery position P1, and a shutter 16 is provided on the carry-in / out mechanism 4 side of the second substrate delivery position P2. The shutter 15 is opened when the first horizontal transport mechanism 6 accesses the first substrate transfer position P1, and is kept closed during other periods. The shutter 16 is opened when the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 accesses the second substrate transfer position P2, and is kept closed during other periods. Thereby, leakage of the chemical atmosphere on the substrate processing unit 2 side is suppressed or prevented.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide shutters as taught in Shiomi so that leakage of the chemical atmosphere on the substrate processing unit 2 side is suppressed or prevented.[page 16]
Regarding claim 10, Shiomi teaches shutter 15 is provided on the transfer mechanism 5 side of the first substrate delivery position P1, and a shutter 16 is provided on the carry-in / out mechanism 4 side of the second substrate delivery position P2. The shutter 15 is opened when the first horizontal transport mechanism 6 accesses the first substrate transfer position P1, and is kept closed during other periods. The shutter 16 is opened when the second horizontal transport mechanism 7 accesses the second substrate transfer position P2, and is kept closed during other periods thereby suggesting the relay apparatus includes a single-wafer processing apparatus-side shutter configured to block circulation of an atmosphere through the substrate conveyance path and provided on the carry-out position side to be an obvious modification.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of KR 20080059490 (machine translation cited in IDS).
Regarding claim 19, Shiomi is silent to an airflow generator configured to cause an atmosphere of the relay apparatus to flow into the batch processing apparatus.
KR 20080059490 is directed towards substrate processing equipment where figure 4 teaches when the shutter device 14 is completely opened, the shutter device 24 of the wet processing unit 2 is switched to the open state, and discharge of air from the air nozzles 19a and 19b is started.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide air nozzles so that an intrusion of mist into the processing chamber 10 through the opening 11a and the flow of mist to the upstream side through the passage opening 12a are prevented. Therefore, the mist does not invade the upstream side from the preliminary chamber 12, whereby substantial mist intrusion into the pretreatment unit 1 is prevented
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of Kanagawa (US 2021/0111038 cited in IDS).
Regarding claim 20, the single-wafer processing block (230, 240) includes a single-wafer processing chamber configured to perform a chemical treatment (230) on the substrates one by one, and control related to a batch processing mode in which substrate processing is completed only by the batch processing apparatus, control related to a single-wafer processing mode in which substrate processing is completed only by the single-wafer processing apparatus, and control related to a hybrid processing mode in which substrate processing is completed using the batch processing apparatus and the single-wafer processing apparatus are selectively configured.
Choi is silent to the batch processing block includes a collective drying chamber configured to collectively dry the plurality of substrates.
Kanagawa is directed towards a substrate processing system where drying apparatus 35 may dry the plurality of substrates W collectively.[0029]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide a drying apparatus as taught in Kanagawa to increase the number of substrates being processed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CRISTI J TATE-SIMS whose telephone number is (571)272-1722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Barr can be reached at 571-272-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
CRISTI J. TATE-SIMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/CRISTI J TATE-SIMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
Prosecution Insights