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(s) 1-9, 11, 14, 17-20, 22-33, and 35-36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (PGPUB: 20210305074 A1) in view of Clark (CN 112106182 A).
Regarding claims 1 and 31. Wang teaches a system comprising:
a process chamber (see Fig. 1, item 102), comprising a chamber wall (see Fig. 1, paragraph 32, the walls of the semiconductor process chamber 102 may be transparent), and a plasma source (see Fig. 1, paragraph 21, The semiconductor processing system 100 is configured to detect undesirable plasma discharge within the semiconductor process chamber 102), wherein each station comprises a wafer support (see Fig. 2, items 104, and 112);
a first camera sensor optically coupled to a first optical access port of a first station of the process chamber (see Fig. 2, items 108 and 118);
a second camera sensor is optically coupled to the first optical access port of the process chamber or a second optical access port of the process chamber (see Fig. 3, items 108, 130, and 118); and
logic configured to process signals from the first camera sensor and the second camera sensor to characterize one or more properties of a plasma in at least the first station of the process chamber (see Fig. 1, paragraph 30, The cameras 108 and the control system 110 cooperate together to detect arcing within the semiconductor process chamber 102; the video streams captured by the one or more cameras 108 enable the control system 110 to determine the exact location of arcing and other types of plasma discharge events within the semiconductor process chamber 102).
However, Wang does not expressly teach at least two stations.
Clark teaches that the load interlock vacuum chambers 406a and 406b are also coupled to the front end transfer module 402. The front end module 402 is typically maintained at atmospheric pressure, but can provide a clean environment by purging with an inert gas. The load interlock vacuum chambers 410a and 410b are coupled to the centralized workpiece transfer module 412 and may be used to transfer the substrate from the front end 402 to the workpiece transfer module 412 for processing in the platform (see Fig. 4, page 28, lines 30-35).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination by Clark to obtain The load interlock vacuum chambers 410a and 410b are coupled to the centralized workpiece transfer module 412, in order to provide at least two stations. Therefore, combining the elements from prior arts according to known methods and technique would yield predictable results.
Regarding claim 2. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to account for a feature of at least the second station of the process chamber (see Clark, page 28, lines 30-32, The load interlock vacuum chambers 406a and 406b are also coupled to the front end transfer module 402. The front end module 402 is typically maintained at atmospheric pressure, but can provide a clean environment by purging with an inert gas).
Regarding claim 3. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the process chamber comprises four stations (see Clark, Fig. 4, items 406a, 406b, 410a, and 410b, page 28, lines 30-35, the load interlock vacuum chambers 406a and 406b are also coupled to the front end transfer module 402. The front end module 402 is typically maintained at atmospheric pressure, but can provide a clean environment by purging with an inert gas. The load interlock vacuum chambers 410a and 410b are coupled to the centralized workpiece transfer module 412 and may be used to transfer the substrate from the front end 402 to the workpiece transfer module 412 for processing in the platform).
Regarding claim 4. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, further comprising an optical fiber and/or a light pipe that optically couples the first camera sensor to the first optical access port (see Wang, Fig. 2, items 108 and 118).
Regarding claim 5. The combination teaches the system of claim 4, further comprising a second optical fiber and/or a second light pipe that optically couples the first camera sensor to the second optical access port (see Wang, Fig. 3, items 108, 130, and 118).
Regarding claim 6. The combination teaches the system of claim 4, wherein the first optical access port is an optical lens (see Wang, Fig.3, paragraph 81, the optical systems 130 can include lenses).
Regarding claim 7. The combination teaches the system of claim 4, wherein the first optical access port comprises a window (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 72, the semiconductor process chamber 102 can include a plurality of apertures 118 that allow light to pass from an interior of the semiconductor process chamber 102 to the cameras 108. The apertures can correspond to transparent portions of the semiconductor process chamber 102).
However, the combination does not expressly teach window having a maximum cross-sectional dimension of at most about 5 mm.
The examiner is taking "Official Notice" that the limitation about window having a maximum cross-sectional dimension of at most about 5 mm is well known in the art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified the combination so that window having a maximum cross-sectional dimension of at most about 5 mm would be available.
Regarding claim 8. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the logic is configured to process the signals from the first camera sensor and from the second camera sensor (see, Wang, Fig. 2-6, paragraph 89-92, The communication system 150 receives images from the cameras 108; the communication system 150 provides the images to the filter 152; the signal processor 154 receives the images from the filter 152. The signal processor 154 processes the images. The signal processor 154 can place the images into a format that can be utilized by the analysis model 156).
However, the combination does not expressly teach processing signal in a multi-threaded process.
The examiner is taking "Official Notice" that the limitation about processing signal in a multi-threaded process is well known in the art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified the combination so that processing signal in a multi-threaded process would be available.
Regarding claim 9. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, further comprising an edge computer for the process chamber, wherein the logic comprises instructions for executing on the edge computer (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 38, the control system 110 receives the images, or image data from the cameras 108 or from intermediate signal processors or transmitters. The control system 110 processes the images and determines whether plasma discharge has occurred within the semiconductor process chamber 102 based on the images).
Regarding claim 11. The combination teaches the system of claim 10, wherein the location comprises at least one of:
a centroid of the plasma within the process chamber and/or within the first station;
a point or boundary having defined spectral characteristics of the plasma (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 82, electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum is often highly indicative of thermal characteristics. Accordingly, a camera 108 is configured to capture infrared images. The captured images are representative of both optical and thermal properties of plasma discharge events); or
an integrated or summed optical intensity over a bounded region of interest within a field of view of the first camera sensor.
Regarding claim 14. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the one or more properties of the plasma comprise at least one of:
a pulse characteristic of the plasma an identification of parasitic plasma;
an identification of hollow cathode discharge; or
a location of the plasma within the process chamber and/or within at least the first station (see Wang, Fig. 2, paragraph 69, The plasma generation process also results in a cathode glow region 124 adjacent to the bottom electrode cathode. In this example, the bottom electrode 112 is the cathode. The main plasma region 120 is positioned between the anode glow region 122 and the cathode glow region 124).
Regarding claim 17. The combination teaches the system of claim 1,
wherein the logic is configured to characterize the one or more properties of the plasma in the first station of the process chamber (see Wang, paragraph 82, Electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum is often highly indicative of thermal characteristics. Accordingly, a camera 108 is configured to capture infrared images. The captured images are representative of both optical and thermal properties of plasma discharge events) and
wherein the logic is configured to account for a structural feature located in the second station of the process chamber (see Clark, Fig. 4, page 31, lines 12-15, the substrate processing system of the platform 400 includes one or more controllers or control systems 422, the one or more controllers or control systems may be coupled to control the respective processing modules depicted in FIG. 4 and associated processing chambers/tools during the integrated processing and measurement/metering processes).
Regarding claim 18. The combination teaches the system of claim 17, wherein the structural feature located in the second station of the process chamber is on a line of sight from the optical access port of the first station that passes through at least a portion of the first station and at least a portion of the second station (see Clark, page 70, lines 1-19, the measurement data can be captured in the processing module and used for detecting the inconsistency of the work piece. For example, various sensors may be located in the chamber of the processing module, such as an etching chamber, a film forming chamber or a deposition chamber, or an inspection system may enter the interior space of the processing chamber).
Regarding claim 19. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, further comprising a non-camera sensor, and wherein the logic is configured to employ signals from the non-camera sensor to characterize the one or more properties of a plasma in the process chamber (see Clark, page 35, lines 30-34, the inspection system or tool for measuring data in the measuring module can use various different technologies, comprising a signal source and a signal capture sensor, a contact sensor and other measuring tool, to implement one or more of the following technologies or devices: optical film measurement, such as reflection measuring; see Clark, page 68, lines 4-8, the etching module is provided with multiple processing parameters capable of predicting product result, can be monitored during the processing, these parameters include plasma light emission (e.g., optical emission spectroscopy, OES), RF power (forward and reflection) and impedance matching network set for monitoring the plasma condition).
Regarding claim 20. The combination teaches the system of claim 1,
wherein the first camera sensor is located and/or oriented to capture first images from a first location or a first angle within the process chamber (see Wang, Fig. 3), and
wherein the second camera sensor is located and/or oriented to capture second images from a second location or a second angle within the process chamber (see Clark, Fig. 9, item 950).
Regarding claim 22. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the logic is configured to characterize pulses of the plasma (see Clark, page 67, lines 32-36, Such processing parameters may include chemical components of the gas phase environment, flow rate of processing gas entering the module, pressure, source for plasma generation and maintenance and/or bias radio frequency (RF) power, substrate temperature, substrate back gas pressure, (multiple) chamber temperature, direct current (DC) voltage; The parameter associated with the time and spatial modulation of the gas flow and/or power (e.g., pulse amplitude, pulse width, pulse period, pulse duty ratio and so on)).
Regarding claim 23. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, further comprising a light source configured to provide lighting in the process chamber while the one or more camera sensors acquire images of the process chamber (see Clark, Fig. 9, item 932, light source, item 940, image capture device).
Regarding claim 24. The combination teaches the system of claim 23, further comprising logic to synchronize the light source and the one or more camera sensors so that the one or more camera sensors acquire the images of the process chamber while the light source illuminates an interior region of the process chamber (see Clark, page 52, lines 15-19, shows an inspection system 930 which directs inspection signals 934 from the signal source 932 through the orifice 950 and then into the transfer chamber to engage a workpiece that moves horizontally from the transfer chamber 913 through the transfer port 919 and into the processing module. Then, the appropriate detector 940 detects or measures the scatter signal 935 to obtain measurement data).
Regarding claim 25. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the first camera sensor is configured to capture indirect optical information from within the process chamber (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 31, The one or more cameras 108 are configured to continuously capture a video stream of an interior of the semiconductor process chamber 102 during a semiconductor process. The images, in the form of the video stream, are utilized to detect plasma discharge within the semiconductor process chamber 102).
Regarding claim 26. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to locate an edge of a process chamber component and/or an edge of the plasma from one or more images provided by the first camera sensor (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 35, the one or more cameras 108 are configured to enable identification of the locations of plasma discharge within the semiconductor process chamber 102. The video streams captured by the one or more cameras 108 enable the control system 110 to determine the exact location of arcing and other types of plasma discharge events within the semiconductor process chamber 102).
Regarding claim 27. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to use the one or more properties of the plasma to diagnose an actual or potential failure or fault with a component of the process chamber (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 57, the control system 110 can determine whether or not the plasma discharge is at a level that is dangerous to the semiconductor wafer 104. If the plasma discharge is at a level that is not yet dangerous to the semiconductor wafer 104, the control system 110 may refrain from taking any corrective action. Alternatively, or additionally, the control system 110 may output a notification indicating non-dangerous levels of arcing within the semiconductor process chamber 102).
Regarding claim 28. The combination teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to use the one or more properties of the plasma to characterize a process condition within the process chamber (see Wang, paragraph 58, the control system 110 can determine that the level of plasma discharge is dangerous. In this case, the control system 110 can take steps to reduce or avoid further plasma discharge within the semiconductor process chamber 102. The control system 110 can be communicatively coupled to the semiconductor processing equipment 106 or to equipment associated with the semiconductor processing equipment 106. The control system 110 can control the semiconductor processing equipment 106 to adjust parameters associated with the semiconductor process in order to reduce or avoid further arcing within the semiconductor process chamber 102).
Regarding claim 29. The combination teaches the system of claim 28, wherein the logic is further configured to modify an operation in the process chamber based on the process condition within the process chamber (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 59, plasma-based processes often apply high voltages within the semiconductor process chamber 102 or to gases that enter into the clean environment 102. The control system 110 can cause a reduction in these voltages in order to reduce or eliminate dangerous arcing within the semiconductor process chamber 102. Alternatively, the control system 110 can adjust other parameters of the plasma-based semiconductor process in order to reduce or eliminate dangerous arcing within the semiconductor process chamber 102).
Regarding claim 30. The combination teaches the system of claim 28,
wherein the process condition is
a process gas composition,
a process gas flow characteristic,
a pressure within the process chamber,
a temperature of one or more components of the process chamber,
a plasma power (see Wang, Fig.1, paragraph 57, the control system 110 can determine whether or not the plasma discharge is at a level that is dangerous to the semiconductor wafer 104. If the plasma discharge is at a level that is not yet dangerous to the semiconductor wafer 104, the control system 110 may refrain from taking any corrective action),
a plasma frequency,
a geometric characteristic of any of the one or more components of the process chamber, or
any combination thereof.
Regarding claim 32. The combination teaches the method of claim 31, wherein characterizing the one or more properties of the plasma in at least the first station comprises identifying one or more contours of elements associated with the first station in the first image and/or the second image (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 68, etching processes, implantation processes, deposition processes, and other types of plasma-assisted semiconductor processes result in the plasma and in particular optical and thermal characteristics. The glow discharge can also depend on various process parameters such as DC voltage, radiofrequency power, pressure, temperature, etc. Abnormal discharge can be located by two or more spatial location comparison of images. Glow discharge video characteristics depend on processing wafer materials to pattern structure, to pattern density, and other factors).
Regarding claim 33. The combination teaches the method of claim 32, wherein the one or more elements comprise:
a showerhead in the first station,
a pedestal in the first station,
chamber walls of the first station (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 83, the cameras 108 can be directly coupled to the wall of the semiconductor process chamber 102. In this case, the cameras 108 may be positioned in or on the apertures 108. In one embodiment, the cameras 108 may be positioned partially or entirely within the semiconductor process chamber), or
any combination thereof.
Regarding claim 35. The combination teaches the method of claim 31, wherein characterizing the one or more properties of the plasma comprises providing the first image and/or the second image to a trained machine learning model configured to perform segmentation on the first image and/or the second image (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 93, the analysis model 156 analyzes the images and determines whether the images indicate that arcing has occurred within the semiconductor process chamber 102. The analysis model 126 can be trained with a machine learning process as described previously in relation to FIG. 1. The machine learning process can train the analysis model 126 to identify various types of plasma discharge within the semiconductor process chamber 102 based on the images).
Regarding claim 36. The combination teaches the method of claim 35, wherein the trained machine learning model (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 46, generating the training set data can include gathering images or streams of images from known plasma discharge events. Generating the training set data can include gathering images known to not include plasma discharge events. The training set data can be labeled to identify images that represent arcing, and images that do not represent plasma discharge events).
However, the combination does not expressly teach learning model is a U-Net architecture.
The examiner is taking "Official Notice" that the limitation about learning model is a U-Net architecture is well known in the art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified the combination so that to train the learning model is a U-Net architecture would be available.
Claim(s) 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (PGPUB: 20210305074 A1) in view of Clark (CN 112106182 A), and in view of (KR 20110122664 A Hosch).
Regarding claim 34. The combination teaches the method of claim 32,
wherein the method further comprises clustering pixels of the first image and/or the second image into a plurality of categories (see Wang, Fig. 1, paragraph 69, the plasma generation process results in an anode glow region 122 adjacent to the top electrode 114. In this example, the top electrode 114 is the anode. The plasma generation process also results in a cathode glow region 124 adjacent to the bottom electrode cathode. In this example, the bottom electrode 112 is the cathode. The main plasma region 120 is positioned between the anode glow region 122 and the cathode glow region 124).
The combination does not expressly teach wherein the one or more properties comprise identification of hollow cathode discharge (HCD) occurrences, and at least one category of the plurality of categories corresponding to HCD occurrences.
Hosch teaches that Inside the electron source 510 is contained an electron emitting material that, when excited, generates a gas of free electrons. The composition of the electron (e .sup.− ) emitting material varies depending on the type of electron source being employed, but may be a solid or gas or even an effluent gas that diffuses from the exhaust line 504 into the source chamber. The electron excitation method varies with the type of source. There are electron generators using plasma and non-plasma, for example glow discharge, hollow cathode discharge, high frequency inductively coupled plasma (RF ICP), RF capacitive coupling (CCP, parallel plates). ) Plasma, microwave cavity discharge, heated electron emission materials (LaB .sub.6, toridium tungsten, etc.), and forced electron emission techniques (such as surface x-ray imaging) (see page 23, lines 8-18).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination by Hosch to obtain The electron excitation method varies with the type of source. There are electron generators using plasma and non-plasma, for example glow discharge, hollow cathode discharge, high frequency inductively coupled plasma (RF ICP), RF capacitive coupling (CCP, parallel plates). ) Plasma, microwave cavity discharge, in order to provide wherein the one or more properties comprise identification of hollow cathode discharge (HCD) occurrences, and at least one category of the plurality of categories corresponding to HCD occurrences. Therefore, combining the elements from prior arts according to known methods and technique would yield predictable results.
Conclusion
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/XIN JIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2663