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 with traverse of Species B in the reply filed on 07/16/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 relate to the same embodiment and are not patentably distinct, and therefore, Species B and C should be grouped together for examination (applicant cited paragraphs 0036-0047 of the specification of the present application as evidence for the traversal). This is found persuasive, and therefore, the Species B and C (directed to Figs. 6 and 7, respectively) are hereby group together. The requirement for restriction between all other Species is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Applicant identified claims 1-20 as reading on the elected embodiment. However, the examiner respectfully disagrees and contends that claim 19 is directed to the non-elected embodiment of Fig. 9 (Species E). Therefore, claim 19 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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 1-6 are 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.
The limitation “a shield disposed on an exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber and comprising: a plurality of conductive slices separately arranged aside one another and oriented along a circumference of the shield” in independent claim 1, lines 3-5, is confusing. It appears that the shield is made by the plurality of conductive slices. However, the claim limitation requires that the plurality of conductive slices be separately arranged aside one another and oriented along a circumference of the shield. Therefore, it is not clear how the plurality of conductive slices are oriented along a circumference of the shield when the plurality of conductive slices themselves are the shield. Clarification and/or correction are/is required.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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) 1-2, 4-8, and 10-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Johnson, US 6,530,342.
Regarding independent claim 1, Johnson shows the invention as claimed including a semiconductor processing apparatus, comprising: a plasma-generating chamber 2/72 adapted to generate plasma therein; a shield disposed on an exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber and comprising: a plurality of conductive slices 86 separately arranged aside one another and oriented along a circumference of the shield; and a spacer 82 interposed between adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices; and a coil 8 wound around the circumference of the shield; (see, for example, figs. 1-2 and 6A, and their description, modified Fig. 6A is shown below).
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With respect to claims 2 and 10, it should be noted that the adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices 86 are electrically isolated from one another through the spacer 82 (see, modified Fig. 6A below showing spacers 82 highlighted in green).
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Concerning claims 4 and 13, it should be noted that each of the plurality of conductive slices 86 comprises a facet facing the coil 8 (bottom part of the highlighted T-shaped conductive slice labeled as Facet A in modified Fig. 6A above), and a facet width of the facet is defined by two side edges of each of the plurality of conductive slices extending along a height direction of the shield (see modified Fig. 6A above).
Regarding claims 5-6, it should be noted that semiconductor processing apparatus further comprises a casing 76 provided with a window opening 74, the plurality of conductive slices and the spacer being disposed within the window opening of the casing; wherein the window of the casing is at a middle portion of the casing, and the coil overlaps the window.
Regarding claim 7, it should be noted that the coil 8 wounds around an exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber and is coupled to a power source; and the shield is interposed between the coil and the plasma-generating chamber; and the plurality of conductive slices are discontinuously arranged along a winding direction of the coil in the window opening.
Concerning claim 8, it should be noted that the spacer 82 is disposed between any adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices 86 to spaced apart any adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices from one another along the winding direction of the coil.
With respect to claim 11, it should be noted that the spacer 82 fills a first gap spacing apart the casing and one of the plurality of conductive slices adjacent to the casing, and a second gap spacing apart adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices.
Regarding claim 12, it should be noted that a dimension of the first gap (the gap between the casing 76 and the first end spacer 82 on the left) is different from a dimension of the second gap (the gap between the middle spacers 82); see, for example, modified Fig. 6A below.
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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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 3 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Johnson, US 6,530,342 in view of Godyak et al., US 2012/0160806.
Regarding claims 3 and 9, Johnson is applied as above and further discloses that a layer of an elastic material is preferably disposed between each member 86 (see col. 5, lines 57-60), and that the Faraday shield can be deposited to the window (embodiment of Fig. 6B). This notwithstanding, Godyak et al. discloses that a Faraday shield 720 can be glue or deposited to the window, or in another embodiment it can be adhere to the dielectric window using a thick film deposition or self-adhesive copper or aluminum foil (see, for example, paragraph 0109). It should be noted that any of these configurations would provide for a spacer comprising an adhesive material to adhere the adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices. Therefore, in view of this disclosure, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention modify the apparatus of Johnson as to use an adhesive material as claimed because such configuration is known and used in the art as a suitable configuration for effectively and efficiently adhering a conductive shield.
Claim(s) 14-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Johnson, US 6,530,342 in view of Donohoe, US 5,449,433.
Regarding independent claim 14, Johnson shows the invention substantially as claimed including an etching apparatus, comprising: a plasma-generating chamber 2/72 adapted to generate plasma therein; a shield disposed on an exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber and comprising: a plurality of conductive slices 86 arranged parallel to one another along the exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber; a casing 76 provided with a window opening 74, the plurality of conductive slices 86 separately disposed within the window opening 74; and an insulating spacer 82 provided with the window opening, wherein the plurality of conductive slices 86 are separated from one another through the insulating spacer 82; and a coil 8 surrounding the plurality of conductive slices of the shield and coupled to a power source to supply a plasma-creating power; (see, for example, figs. 1-2 and 6A, and their description, modified Fig. 6A is shown below).
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Johnson does not expressly disclose that the apparatus comprises a plasma-generating chamber adapted to generate plasma therein and a processing chamber disposed below the plasma-generating chamber and adapted to process a semiconductor workpiece. Donohoe shows an apparatus comprising: a plasma generating chamber 10A adapted to generate plasma therein; a processing chamber 10B disposed below the plasma-generating chamber and adapted to process a semiconductor workpiece; a shield 17 disposed on an exterior wall of the plasma generating chamber and comprising a plurality of conductive slices 17C arranged parallel to one another along the exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber; and a coil 11 wound around the plurality of conductive slices of the shield and coupled to a power source to supply a plasma-creating power (see, for example, figs. 3-5, and their descriptions, Fig. 3 is shown below).
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Therefore, in view of this disclosure, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus of Johnson as to comprise a plasma generating chamber and a processing chamber as claimed, because such configuration is well known and used in the plasma apparatus art as a suitable configuration for effectively and efficiently generate high density plasma remotely from the substrate processing area and avoid/reduce contamination of the substrate being processed within the apparatus.
With respect to claim 15, it should be noted that the adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices 86 are electrically isolated from one another through the spacer 82 (see, modified Fig. 6A below showing spacers 82 highlighted in green).
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Concerning claim 16, it should be noted that each of the plurality of conductive slices 86 is surrounded by the insulating spacer 82 (see, for example, modified Fig. 6A above).
Regarding claims 17-18, it should be noted that each of the plurality of conductive slices 86 comprises a length extending along the exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber and a width extending along a circumference of the plasma-generating chamber; and each of the plurality of conductive slices 86 of the shield comprises a facet exposed by the insulating spacer 82 and facing an inner peripheral surface of the coil; (see, for example, modified Fig. 6A above).
Concerning claim 20, the plurality of conductive slices 86 is made of the same conductive material (aluminum) as the casing 76; (see, for example, col. 4, lines 35-38, col. 5, lines 34-38 and lines 45-47).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Young et al. (US 5,903,106) and Savas et al. (US 5,811,022) are cited for their teachings of an inductive plasma processing apparatus comprising a Faraday shield.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUZ L ALEJANDRO whose telephone number is (571)272-1430. The examiner can normally be reached Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m..
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, Parviz Hassanzadeh can be reached at 571-272-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LUZ L ALEJANDRO MULERO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
August 22, 2026
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