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 .
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-10 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Toru et al, KR20200020839 A.
Turo et al teaches:
Regarding claim 1, a controller 70 for a processing chamber 10 configured to perform a deposition process on a substrate 80, the controller 70 comprising: a temperature monitor 60 configured to obtain a temperature of a showerhead 20 of the processing chamber 10; a deposition time determiner (part of controller 70) configured to determine an optimized deposition time based on the obtained temperature of the showerhead and data that correlates the temperature of the showerhead with at least one of the optimized deposition time, a deposition thickness, and a deposition rate; and a deposition optimizer (part of controller 70) configured to perform a deposition step on the substrate based on the determined optimized deposition time (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6).
Regarding claim 2, the temperature monitor 60 is configured to receive a signal from a sensor 61, 62 indicating the temperature of the showerhead.
Regarding claim 3, the sensor 61, 62 is a temperature probe 61a, 62a arranged within the showerhead 20.
Regarding claim 4, to determine the optimized deposition time, the deposition time determiner is configured to determine the optimized deposition time based on a baseline deposition time and the temperature of the showerhead. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 5, to determine the optimized deposition time, the deposition time determiner is configured to one of (i) decrease the optimized deposition time as the temperature of the showerhead increases and increase the optimized deposition time as the temperature of the showerhead decreases and (ii) increase the optimized deposition time as the temperature of the showerhead increases and decrease the optimized deposition time as the temperature of the showerhead decreases. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 6, to determine the optimized deposition time, the deposition time determiner is configured to determine the optimized deposition time based on a baseline deposition time and a correction factor. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 7, the deposition time determiner is configured to determine the correction factor based on the temperature of the showerhead. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 8, the deposition time determiner is configured to determine the correction factor further based on at least one of accumulation and substrate count. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 9, a system 1 comprising the controller 70 and further comprising: the showerhead 20; and a temperature probe 61a, 62a arranged within the showerhead, wherein the temperature probe is configured to sense the temperature of the showerhead.
Regarding claim 10, the showerhead is not configured for active temperature control.
Regarding claim 12, a method of performing a deposition process on a substrate in a processing chamber, the method comprising: obtaining a temperature of a showerhead of the processing chamber; determining an optimized deposition time based on the obtained temperature of the showerhead and data that correlates the temperature of the showerhead with at least one of the optimized deposition time, a deposition thickness, and a deposition rate; and performing a deposition step on the substrate based on the optimized deposition time. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 13, receiving a signal from a sensor 61, 62 indicating the temperature of the showerhead 20.
Regarding claim 14, receiving a signal from a temperature probe 61a, 62a, arranged within the showerhead 20.
Regarding claim 15, determining the optimized deposition time comprises determining the optimized deposition time based on a baseline deposition time and the temperature of the showerhead. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 16, determining the optimized deposition time comprises at least one of (i) decreasing the optimized deposition time as the temperature of the showerhead increases and increasing the optimized deposition time as the temperature of the showerhead decreases and (ii) increasing the optimized deposition time as the temperature of the showerhead increases and decreasing the optimized deposition time as the temperature of the showerhead decreases. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 17, determining the optimized deposition time comprises determining the optimized deposition time based on a baseline deposition time and a correction factor. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 18, determining the correction factor based on the temperature of the showerhead. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 19, determining the correction factor further based on at least one of accumulation and substrate count. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
Regarding claim 20, a system 1, comprising: a showerhead 20 for a processing chamber 10 configured to perform a deposition process on a substrate 80; and a controller 70 configured to obtain a temperature of the showerhead 20, determine an optimized deposition time based on the obtained temperature of the showerhead and data that correlates the temperature of the showerhead with at least one of the optimized deposition time, a deposition thickness, and a deposition rate, and perform a deposition step on the substrate based on the optimized deposition time. (Paragraphs 0068-0136, Figures 2-6)
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.
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 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toru et al, KR20200020839 A.
Toru et al was discussed above and teaches a single showerhead 20 having a plurality of temperature probes 61, 62.
Toru et al differs from the present invention in that Toru et al does not teach a plurality of the showerheads and temperature probes arranged within the showerheads, wherein the deposition optimizer is configured to independently perform deposition on substrates arranged in different processing stations based on respective determined optimized deposition times.
It was held in In re Harza (124 USPQ 378) that the duplication of parts is obvious. (See MPEP 2144)
The motivation for duplicating the showerhead of Toru et al is to enable the apparatus of Toru et al to have multiple coating chambers to increase throughput or deposit different layers in a single apparatus. The motivation for controlling each showerhead separately with the controller of Toru et al is to provide individual control of each showerhead to optimize the deposition in each deposition chamber.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the invention was effectively filed to duplicate the showerhead of Toru et al and to control individually control each showerhead.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited art teaches the technological background of the invention.
WO 2025184059 A1 teaches multiple chambers controlled by a single controller as claimed in claim 11.
US 20090095219 A1 or US 20090095220 A1 could be used in place of Toru et al.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jeffrie R Lund whose telephone number is (571)272-1437. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am-5 pm (Monday-Friday).
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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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/Jeffrie R Lund/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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