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 .
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 1, 2, 4, 5, 7-12, 14-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishibashi et al (US 2010/0154711) in view of Furuya et al (US 2013/0209212).
Regarding claim 1. The prior art of Ishibashi et al teaches a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a boat 217 capable of holding a plurality of substrates (wafers 200) taken out from a storage container (cassette 110) in a state arranged in a first direction intersecting surfaces of the plurality of substrates; a reactor (process chamber 201) that houses the boat and is capable of processing the plurality of substrates. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach first and second arms that transfer the plurality of substrates.
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Fig. 1 of Ishibashi et al
The prior art of Furuya et al teaches the first arm 3 is capable of holding both ends of one substrate in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and is capable of transferring the one substrate between the storage container (cassette 2) and the second arm 5, and the second arm includes a first holder that can support two substrates in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and is capable of transferring the two substrates between the first arm and the boat 4. Note that the arms of Furuya et al moves in at least three directions (vertical, horizontal, and rotational). 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 Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al to provide a transport mechanism that ensures the wafers are amply supported while moving the substrates in a variety of directions as need to support and treat the wafer.
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Fig. 1 of Furuya et al
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Fig. 2 of Furuya et al
Regarding claim 2. Recall the teachings of Ishibashi et al. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach first and second arms that transfer the plurality of substrates as claimed. See the prior art of Furuya et al which teaches that when the first and second substrates are transferred from the first arm 3 to the second arm 5, the first arm holds the first substrate from a back surface side, takes out the first substrate from the storage container. Note that the prior art of Ishibashi et al teaches a susceptors 2188 where lower plate 2188a have a supporting plate and support parts 2188b configured to support two wafers 200 see [0178] of Ishibashi et al. See [0180] – [0182] of Ishibashi et al where it is taught to ensure the rear surfaces are in contact with each other to prevent films or contamination of the adjacent wafers. Ishibashi et al offers that the top surfaces of the wafers should face each other to avoid contamination. This teaching of Ishibashi et al would be incorporated into the design of arms 3 and 5 of Furuya et al to enhance the range of motion of the arms and avoid cross contamination of nearby wafers. 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 Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al to provide a transport mechanism that ensures the wafers are amply supported while minimizing cross contamination when processing/supporting a plurality of wafers.
Regarding claim 4. Recall the teachings of Ishibashi et al. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach first and second arms that transfer the plurality of substrates as claimed. See the prior art of Furuya et al when the first and second substrates are transferred from the second arm to the boat 4, the second arm 5 places the first and second substrates superposed in one of the plurality of claws 4a. Furuya et al fails to teach the first and second substrates having back surfaces facing each other. However, note that the prior art of Ishibashi et al teaches a susceptors 2188 where lower plate 2188a have a supporting plate and support parts 2188b configured to support two wafers 200 see [0178] of Ishibashi et al. See [0180] – [0182] of Ishibashi et al where it is taught to ensure the rear surfaces are in contact with each other to prevent films or contamination of the adjacent wafers. See claws 2171a of Ishibashi et al see Fig. 7 of Ishibashi et al. Ishibashi et al offers that the top surfaces of the wafers should face each other to avoid contamination. This teaching of Ishibashi et al would be incorporated into the design of arms 3 and 5 of Furuya et al to enhance the range of motion of the arms and avoid cross contamination of nearby wafers. 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 Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al to provide a transport mechanism that ensures the wafers are amply supported while minimizing cross contamination when processing/supporting a plurality of wafers.
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Fig. 7 of Ishibashi et al
Regarding claim 5. Recall the teachings of Ishibashi et al. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach first and second arms that transfer the plurality of substrates as claimed. The substrate processing apparatus of Furuya et al illustrates in Fig. 2 and 6 that the second and third holders (note arms 3 and 5 both have a plurality of holders (grasping sections) are capable of independently holding and releasing the one substrate, and when the second arm takes out the first and second substrates from the boat, the third holder (grasping sections) is capable of holding the second substrate and then the second holder is capable of holding the first substrate. This teaching of Ishibashi et al would be incorporated into the design of arms 3 and 5 of Furuya et al to enhance the range of motion of the arms and avoid cross contamination of nearby wafers. 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 Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al to provide a transport mechanism that ensures the wafers are amply supported while minimizing cross contamination when processing/supporting a plurality of wafers.
Regarding claim 7. Recall the teachings of Ishibashi et al. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach first and second arms that transfer the plurality of substrates as claimed. The substrate processing apparatus of Furuya et al illustrates in Fig. 2 and 6 that the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first arm 3 is capable of holding the one substrate at both ends in a direction along an extending direction of the first arm, the first holder (grasping sections) of the second arm 5 is capable of holding one substrate at both ends in a direction along an extending direction of the second arm, and the extending direction of the first arm intersects the extending direction of the second arm when one substrate is transferred between the first arm and the second arm.
Regarding claim 8. The prior art of Ishibashi et al was discussed below.
The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7 with first and second arms located as claimed.
Recall the prior art of Furuya et al teaches first arm 3 and second arm 5 wherein the second arm 5 is disposed below the first arm 3 when the one substrate is transferred between the first arm and the second arm. See Figs. 1, 2, and 6 of Furuya et al. Note both arms 3 and 5 move in the vertical directions such that the arms can be at the same height or different, see Z direction illustrated in Furuya et al. The motivation to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al is that it enhances the transport of a plurality of wafers from storage containers to the various locations where the substrate(s) require support in various locations/directions as demonstrated by the arms of Furuya et al. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al.
Regarding claim 9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing performed in the reactor is a process of forming a predetermined layer by atomic layer deposition. See Ishibashi et al see [0200]
Regarding claim 10. The teachings of Ishibashi et al were discussed above.
The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: transferring, by a first arm and a second arm. See the prior art of Furuya et al teaches a plurality of substrates stored in a storage container (storage sections 2) to a boat (mounting section 4)/recall Ishibashi et al does teaches a boat 217 in reactor (202) capable of accommodating the plurality of substrates, and holding the plurality of substrates in a first direction intersecting surfaces of the plurality of substrates by the boat; housing the boat holding the plurality of substrates in a reactor (process chamber 201 of Ishibashi et al ); and processing the plurality of substrates inside the reactor, wherein the transferring the plurality of substrates between the storage container and the boat includes. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach first and second arms that transfer the plurality of substrates.
The prior art of Furuya et al teaches the first arm 3 is capable of holding both ends of one substrate in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and is capable of transferring the one substrate between the storage container (cassette 2) and the second arm 5, and the second arm includes a first holder that can support two substrates in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and is capable of transferring the two substrates between the first arm and the boat 4. Note that the arms of Furuya et al moves in at least three directions (vertical, horizontal, and rotational). 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 Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al to provide a transport mechanism that ensures the wafers are amply supported while moving the substrates in a variety of directions as need to support and treat the wafer.
Regarding claim 11. The teachings of Ishibashi et al were discussed above.
The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: transferring, by a first arm and a second arm. See the prior art of Furuya et al teaches a plurality of substrates stored in a storage container (storage sections 2) to a boat (mounting section 4)/recall Ishibashi et al does teaches a boat 217 in reactor (202) capable of accommodating the plurality of substrates, and holding the plurality of substrates in a first direction intersecting surfaces of the plurality of substrates by the boat; housing the boat holding the plurality of substrates in a reactor (process chamber 201 of Ishibashi et al ); and processing the plurality of substrates inside the reactor, wherein the transferring the plurality of substrates between the storage container and the boat includes: transferring, by the first arm, a first substrate among the plurality of substrates between the storage container and the second arm by holding both ends of the first substrate, the both ends being in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and transferring, by the second arm, the first substrate and a second substrate different from the first substrate among the plurality of substrates between the first arm and the boat by holding the first substrate and the second substrate with a first holder, the first holder holding the first substrate and the second substrate in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction. a boat 217 capable of holding a plurality of substrates (wafers 200) taken out from a storage container (cassette 110) in a state arranged in a first direction intersecting surfaces of the plurality of substrates; a reactor (process chamber 201) that houses the boat and is capable of processing the plurality of substrates. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach first and second arms that transfer the plurality of substrates.
The prior art of Furuya et al teaches the first arm 3 is capable of holding both ends of one substrate in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and is capable of transferring the one substrate between the storage container (cassette 2) and the second arm 5, and the second arm includes a first holder that can support two substrates in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and is capable of transferring the two substrates between the first arm and the boat 4. Note that the arms of Furuya et al moves in at least three directions (vertical, horizontal, and rotational). 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 Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al to provide a transport mechanism that ensures the wafers are amply supported while moving the substrates in a variety of directions as need to support and treat the wafer.
Regarding claim 12. The prior art of Ishibashi et al was discussed above. The prior art of Ishibashi fails to teach the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein when the first and second substrates are transferred from the first arm to the second arm, the first arm transfers the first substrate held at both ends in the second direction to the second arm while a front surface of the first substrate facing the second arm, and the first arm transfers the second substrate held at both ends in the second direction to the second arm while a back surface of the second substrate facing the second arm.
See the prior art of Furuya et al which teaches that when the first and second substrates are transferred from the first arm 3 to the second arm 5, the first arm holds the first substrate from a back surface side, takes out the first substrate from the storage container. The prior art of Furuya et al fails to teach the arm reverses the front surface and a back surface of the first substrate, and transfers the first substrate to the second arm, and the first arm holds the second substrate from a front surface side, takes out the second substrate from the storage container, and transfers the second substrate to the second arm without reversing a front surface and the back surface of the second substrate. However, note that the prior art of Ishibashi et al teaches a susceptors 2188 where lower plate 2188a have a supporting plate and support parts 2188b configured to support two wafers 200 see [0178] of Ishibashi et al. See [0180] – [0182] of Ishibashi et al where it is taught to ensure the rear surfaces are in contact with each other to prevent films or contamination of the adjacent wafers. Ishibashi et al offers that the top surfaces of the wafers should face each other to avoid contamination. This teaching of Ishibashi et al would be incorporated into the design of arms 3 and 5 of Furuya et al to enhance the range of motion of the arms and avoid cross contamination of nearby wafers. 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 Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al to provide a transport mechanism that ensures the wafers are amply supported while minimizing cross contamination when processing/supporting a plurality of wafers.
Regarding claim 14. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 12, wherein the boat 217 of Ishibashi et al includes a plurality of claws 2171a at a predetermined interval in the first direction and capable of holding the plurality of substrates. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 11 Namely, the prior art of Ishibashi et fails to first and second arms as claimed.
See the prior art of Furuya et al when the first and second substrates are transferred from the second arm to the boat 4, the second arm 5 places the first and second substrates superposed in one of the plurality of claws 4a. Furuya et al fails to teach the first and second substrates having back surfaces facing each other. However, note that the prior art of Ishibashi et al teaches a susceptors 2188 where lower plate 2188a have a supporting plate and support parts 2188b configured to support two wafers 200 see [0178] of Ishibashi et al. See [0180] – [0182] of Ishibashi et al where it is taught to ensure the rear surfaces are in contact with each other to prevent films or contamination of the adjacent wafers. Ishibashi et al offers that the top surfaces of the wafers should face each other to avoid contamination. This teaching of Ishibashi et al would be incorporated into the design of arms 3 and 5 of Furuya et al to enhance the range of motion of the arms and avoid cross contamination of nearby wafers. 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 Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al to provide a transport mechanism that ensures the wafers are amply supported while minimizing cross contamination when processing/supporting a plurality of wafers.
Regarding claim 15. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the boat 217 of Ishibashi et al includes a plurality of claws 2171a arranged at a predetermined interval in the first direction and capable of holding the plurality of substrates. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 11 Namely, the prior art of Ishibashi et fails to first and second arms as claimed.
The prior art of Furuya et al teaches the second arm 5b includes: a second holder capable of holding one substrate at both ends in a direction along an extending direction of the second arm; and a third holder capable of holding one substrate at both ends in the direction along the extending direction of the second arm, the third holder 5a2 being positioned above the second holder, and among the first and second substrates placed on one of the plurality of claws, the third holder holds the second substrate and the second holder 5a holds the first substrate to take out the first and second substrates from the boat (mounting section 4). See [0070] states that arm 5b is configured or designed like 3b of Furuya et al. Note that the holders of 5b can be at the same height or different see direction Z. Note both arms 3 and 5 move in the vertical directions such that the arms can be at the same height or different, see Z direction illustrated in Furuya et al. The motivation to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al is that it enhances the transport of a plurality of wafers from storage containers to the various locations where the substrate(s) require support in various locations/directions as demonstrated by the arms of Furuya et al. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al.
Regarding claim 16. The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 15. Namely, the prior art of Ishibashi et fails to first and second arms as claimed.
See the prior art of Furuya et al wherein when the first and second substrates are taken out from the boat 4, the third holder holds the second substrate and then the second holder holds the first substrate. See Fig. 2 of Furuya et al. The motivation to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al is that it enhances the transport of a plurality of wafers from storage containers to the various locations where the substrate(s) require support in various locations/directions as demonstrated by the arms of Furuya et al. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al.
Regarding claim 18. The prior art of Ishibashi et al was discussed below.
The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 11. Namely, the prior art of Ishibashi et fails to first and second arms as claimed.
Furuya et al teaches an apparatus and method wherein the first arm 3 is capable of holding one substrate at both ends in a direction along an extending direction of the first arm, the first holder (holding device 5a see [0077] of Furuya et al) the second arm 5 is capable of holding one substrate at both ends in a direction along an extending direction of the second arm, and the extending direction of the first arm intersects the extending direction of the second arm when one substrate is transferred between the first arm and the second arm. See Figs. 1, 2, and 6 of Furuya et al. The motivation to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al is that it enhances the transport of a plurality of wafers from storage containers to the various locations where the substrate(s) require support in various locations/directions as demonstrated by the arms of Furuya et al. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al.
Regarding claim 19. The prior art of Ishibashi et al was discussed below.
The prior art of Ishibashi et al fails to teach the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 18 with first and second arms located as claimed.
Recall the prior art of Furuya et al teaches first arm 3 and second arm 5 wherein the second arm 5 is disposed below the first arm 3 when the one substrate is transferred between the first arm and the second arm. See Figs. 1, 2, and 6 of Furuya et al. Note both arms 3 and 5 move in the vertical directions such that the arms can be at the same height or different, see Z direction illustrated in Furuya et al. The motivation to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al is that it enhances the transport of a plurality of wafers from storage containers to the various locations where the substrate(s) require support in various locations/directions as demonstrated by the arms of Furuya et al. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Ishibashi et al with the first and second arms as claimed by Furuya et al.
Regarding claim 20. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the processing performed in the reactor is a process of forming a predetermined layer by atomic layer deposition (ALD) see Ishibashi et al see [0200]
Claim 3, 6, 13, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishibashi et al (US 2010/0154711) in view of Furuya et al (US 2013/0209212), as applied to claims 1,2, 4, 5, 7-12, 14-16, and 18-20 above, and in further view of Wakabayashi et al (US 7,850,817).
The combined teaches of Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al were discussed above.
The apparatus and method resulting from those combined teachings fails to specify the reversing of the front and back surface of the wafer.
Recall the prior art of Ishibashi et al teaches a susceptors 2188 where lower plate 2188a have a supporting plate and support parts 2188b configured to support two wafers 200 see [0178] of Ishibashi et al. See [0180] – [0182] of Ishibashi et al where it is taught to ensure the rear surfaces are in contact with each other to prevent films or contamination of the adjacent wafers. Ishibashi et al offers that the top surfaces of the wafers should face each other to avoid contamination. This teaching of Ishibashi et al would be incorporated into the design of arms 3 and 5 of Furuya et al to enhance the range of motion of the arms and avoid cross contamination of nearby wafers. The combination of Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al teaches why the back or rear surfaces would be facing each other, but fails to actually teach the reversal step or the apparatus used to perform the step.
The prior art of Wakabayashi et al teaches a reversing machine 31 where the wafer can be flipped or reversed to the desired surface (upper or rear as desired) see Figs. 1, 14A, and 14B-16. The motivation to further modify the apparatus and method of Ishibashi et al as modified by Furuya et al is that the prior art of Wakabayashi et al suggests introducing a reversing machine to ensure the wafer is supported and/or treated of the desired side be it upper or rear surface. 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 Ishibashi et al and Furuya et al to provide a transport mechanism that ensures the wafers are amply supported while minimizing cross contamination when processing/supporting a plurality of wafers to further modify the apparatus and method of Ishibashi et al as modified by Furuya et al is that the prior art of Wakabayashi et al.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hayashi (US 2019/0093219) teaches storage containers (cassettes 2) see [0028], a wafer transfer device 19, boat 25 [0031], and a reactor see [0033].
Hosaka et al (US 2007/0031222) teaches a substrate transfer apparatus see storage containers (adaptor unit 25, 100, 101), see arms 241, 341, see [0092].
Yamaguchi et al (US 2007/007646) teaches a boat 217 with claws 16, reactor (vertical furnace), and transfer arm 2.
Hasegawa et al (US 2012/0180727) teaches a boat with a claw 53 see Fig. 4.
Tsutsumi et al (US 8,366,872) teaches a turning mechanism 363 that reverses the wafer between the upper and rear surfaces as needed.
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/SYLVIA MACARTHUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716