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.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iida Yoshihiro (JP 2008141146 using the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith) in view of McDiarmid et al (US 5,493,987) and Sho Jusen et al (JP 2002-176002 using the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith).
Regarding claim 1. The apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro teaches the substrate processing apparatus comprising: an irradiator (heaters 82, 31, and 32 see Fig. 6 ) configured to radiate an etching energy beam toward a peripheral edge of a substrate; a gas supply (gas supply part 60 see abstract and Figs. 1 and 5) configured to supply an oxygen-containing gas or ozone gas (note air is mentioned in Iida Yoshihiro and gas sources are mentioned where oxygen is mentioned in the description of Fig. 6) to the peripheral edge of the substrate; a peripheral edge heater arranged to be located above (burners 33 and 34 see Fig. 6) the substrate, extending in a substantially circular arc shape or a substantially annular shape along the peripheral edge of the substrate, and configured to heat the peripheral edge of the substrate by radiating light to the peripheral edge of the substrate.
The prior art of Iida Yoshihiro fails to teach a light shield disposed between the substrate and the peripheral edge heater and configured to block at least a portion of the light radiated from the peripheral edge heater toward the peripheral edge of the substrate.
PNG
media_image1.png
294
331
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
388
476
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
347
338
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Figs. 1, 5, and 6 of Iida Yoshihiro
The prior art of McDiarmid et al provides heat shields 56, 58, 60. According to col. 4 lines 40-65 where an annulus 50 is provided with shields 56, 58, 60. Heat shield 54 is formed of lower annulus 56. Additionally a radiation shield in the form of annulus 64 and is also supported beneath the outer lower annulus 56 and inner lower annulus 58 to inhibit radiant heat loss to the cool walls of the reactor chamber. According to the prior art of McDiarmid et al col. 4 lines 17-20 radiation shields to provide enhance temperature control and promote a control temperature profile of the substrate. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro with the light shield of McDiarmid et al.
PNG
media_image4.png
572
574
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Fig. 2 of McDiarmid et al
Once the shield of McDiarmid et al is provided to the apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro driver (motor 85b that provided vertical movement) will also provide a separation distance between the substrate and the light shield.
The apparatus of resulting from the combined teachings of Iida Yoshihiro and McDiarmid et al fails to teach that the energy beam has a wavelength of 185 nm or less. Note Iida Yoshihiro teaches a flame 40 is provided as an energy beam this flame is visible light which has a light range of 400-700nm. IR laser provided on the bottom of the exhaust hood 70, IR radiation has a range of 700 nm to 1 mm.
The prior art of Sho Jusen et al teaches a method and apparatus for treatment where high surface temperature uniformity is executed by using a UV lamp see [0008] of Sho Jusen et al. According to [0009] of Sho Jusen et al are known alternative heat sources in semiconductor manufacturing. According to [0040] of original specification of the present invention a UV lamp has a wavelength of 172nm or less. Halogen lamps 81 are also recited as preferred light sources. The motivation to substitute (at least one of) the heat sources of Iida Yoshihiro with a UV lamp is that it is known light source is an optimal range. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro with the light shield of McDiarmid et al with substituting at least one of the heat/energy/light sources of Iida Yoshiro with a UV lamp or halogen lamp as suggested by the prior art of Sho Jusen et al.
PNG
media_image5.png
564
755
media_image5.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image6.png
328
472
media_image6.png
Greyscale
Figs. 1 and 7 of Sho Jusen et al
Regarding claim 2. The substrate processing of in Ida Yoshihiro wherein the peripheral edge heater includes: a light source (31-34 and 82) extending in a substantially circular arc shape or a substantially annular shape along the peripheral edge of the substrate; and a housing configured to cover a periphery of the light source, and wherein the housing includes an opening that is open toward the peripheral edge of the substrate. See the Figures esp. Figs. 5 and 6 where the guide 76 (cover) allows the opening to open obliquely downward in Ida Yoshihiro.
Regarding claim 3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the opening is open obliquely downward. See the Figures esp. Fig. 5 where the guide 76 allows the opening to open obliquely downward in Ida Yoshihiro.
Regarding claim 4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the opening is open obliquely downward and radially outward of the substrate, and the light shield has a circular or annular shape with a diameter smaller than a diameter of the substrate. See the Figures esp. Fig. 5 where the guide 76 allows the opening to open obliquely downward in Ida Yoshihiro. See the rejection of claim 1 where light shields are provided as suggested by McDiarmid et al. See Figs. 2 and 6 of McDiarmid et al. Note the substrate is not structurally part of the apparatus and the dimensions of the substate and light shield are matters of process design and optimization that would have been determined without undue routine experimentation. The dimensions of the substrate and shield would be determined to provide ample blocking/shielding of the heat/light to the substrate to enhance temperature control. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro with the light shield of McDiarmid et al and with substituting at least one of the heat/energy/light sources of Iida Yoshiro with a UV lamp or halogen lamp as suggested by the prior art of Sho Jusen et al designed with optimal dimensions to ensure the desired temperature control.
Regarding claim 5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the opening is open obliquely downward and radially inward of the substrate, and the light shield has a circular or annular shape with a diameter larger than a diameter of the substrate. See the rejection of claim 1 where light shields are provided as suggested by McDiarmid et al. See Figs. 2 and 6 of McDiarmid et al. Note the substrate is not structurally part of the apparatus and the dimensions of the substate and light shield are matters of process design and optimization that would have been determined without undue routine experimentation. The dimensions of the substrate and shield would be determined to provide ample blocking/shielding of the heat/light to the substrate to enhance temperature control. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro with the light shield of McDiarmid et al with substituting at least one of the heat/energy/light sources of Iida Yoshiro with a UV lamp or halogen lamp as suggested by the prior art of Sho Jusen et al designed with optimal dimensions to ensure the desired temperature control.
Regarding claim 6. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to move at least one of the substrate and the light shield up and down between a first position where the light shield blocks the light from the peripheral edge heater such that the light from the peripheral edge heater does not reach the peripheral edge of the substrate and a second position where the light shield partially blocks the light from the peripheral edge heater such that the light from the peripheral edge heater reaches the peripheral edge of the substrate. See the rejection of claim 1 where light shields are provided as suggested by McDiarmid et al. See Figs. 2 and 6 of McDiarmid et al. Once the shield of McDiarmid et al is provided to the apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro driver (motor 85b that provided vertical movement) will also provide a separation distance between the substrate and the light shield. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro with the light shield of McDiarmid et al designed with optimal dimensions (ton include allowing the substrate to move to provide optimal separation distance) to ensure the desired temperature control with substituting at least one of the heat/energy/light sources of Iida Yoshiro with a UV lamp or halogen lamp as suggested by the prior art of Sho Jusen et al.
Regarding claim 7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a rotary holder configured to hold and rotate the substrate. See Figs. 1 and 5 of Iida Yoshihiro where rotary stage is illustrated to rotate the substrate and see also the abstract of Ida Yoshihiro where rotary stage is recited.
Regarding claim 8. The prior art of Iida Yoshihiro teaches that the substrate is heated to 100 deg C or more (this reads on the peripheral heater heats the substrate to 400 deg C or more) and see the burners 31-34 and IR laser 82 providing preheat to the wafer are all provided to the peripheral edge of the wafer. The prior art of Iida Yoshihiro fails to teach a center heater configured to heat a central portion of the substrate, and thus fails to teach that the center heater is configured to heat the central portion of the substrate to 400 ℃ or lower.
The prior art of McDiarmid et al teaches high intensity lamps 49 that are provided above the quartz window 46 and are able to heat the center of the wafer.
See also in the prior art of Sho Jusen et al where the wafer is heated at the center by heat radiation lamps 81 in Fig. 1, UV lamp 92 and heating unit 97 in Fig. 7. Sho Jusen et al mentions that the temperatures can be raised to 1000 deg C in Sho Jusen et al.
The teachings from the apparatus resulting from the combined teachings of Iida Yoshihiro and McDiarmid et al (known as the modified apparatus) were discussed above.
The motivation to modify the prior art of Ida Yoshihiro with the heat lamps of McDiarmid et al and/or those of Sho Jusen et al is that they enhance temperature control of the chamber walls and the substrate. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro with the heat lamps suggested by McDiarmid et al and/or those of Sho Jusen et al in order to enhance temperature control of the chamber walls and the substrate.
The apparatus resulting from combined teachings of Ida Yoshihiro and McDiarmid et al fails to teach:
Regarding claim 9. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a reflector arranged to be located below the substrate, and configured to reflect, out of the light radiated from the peripheral edge heater, light that has passed outside the peripheral edge of the substrate toward the peripheral edge of the substrate.
Regarding claim 10. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: an additional driver configured to change a separation distance between the substrate and the reflector.
The prior art of Sho Jusen et al teaches a method and apparatus of treatment with a mounting table 4 and an inner ring portion 31 that rotates, a reflector (reflection plate 51). See the mounting table 4 is moved vertically. Lift pins 71 are moved vertically as they are supported by support member 73 and is connected to an elevating unit 72 (driver). The lift pins and vertical movement of the mounting table created separation distance between the substrate and the reflector. The motivation to modify the modified apparatus with the heat radiation lamps 14 which are a unit combining lamps and reflectors and/or reflection plate 51 (reflector) for temperature control. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to further the apparatus resulting from the combined teachings of Iida Yoshihiro and McDiarmid et al with the reflectors of Sho Jusen et al to provide better temperature control.
Regarding claim 11. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an additional peripheral edge heater arranged to be located below the substrate, extending in a substantially circular arc shape or a substantially annular shape along the peripheral edge of the substrate, and configured to heat the peripheral edge of the substrate by radiating light to the peripheral edge of the substrate. Note the prior art of Iida Yoshihiro provides several heaters (burners 30-34 and IR laser 82) all of which provide heat to the peripheral edge of the substrate10 see Figs. 5 and 6 of Iida Yoshihiro where the heaters are arranged to be located below the substrate, extending in a substantially circular arc shape or a substantially annular shape along the peripheral edge of the substrate
Regarding claim 12. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the irradiator extends in a substantially circular arc shape or a substantially annular shape along the peripheral edge of the substrate to surround the peripheral edge of the substrate from an outside. Note the prior art of Iida Yoshihiro provides several heaters (burners 30-34 and IR laser 82) all of which provide heat to the peripheral edge of the substrate10 see Figs. 5 and 6 of Iida Yoshihiro where the heaters are arranged to be located above and below the substrate, extending in a substantially circular arc shape or a substantially annular shape along the peripheral edge of the substrate.
Regarding claim 13. The apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro fails to teach a cooler configured to cool the peripheral edge heater and/or the light shield by heat exchange with a coolant.
The prior art of McDiarmid et al teaches a CVD reactor and method. McDiarmid et al teaches a reaction chamber 13 that is lined with inner liner 26 of quartz and provided a cool-wall. According to the paragraph that joins columns 2 and 3 external passages 25 (with coolant) distributed about the chamber for cooling the entire structure. According to col. 4 lines 60-65 the cool wall with restrict contamination. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the apparatus of Iida Yoshihiro with the cooling wall suggested by McDiarmid et al in order to provide temperature control of the process chamber and substrate to yield desired process results and with substituting at least one of the heat/energy/light sources of Iida Yoshiro with a UV lamp or halogen lamp as suggested by the prior art of Sho Jusen et al.
The teachings from the apparatus resulting from the combined teachings of Iida Yoshihiro and McDiarmid et al (known as the modified apparatus) were discussed above.
The modified apparatus fails to teach:
Regarding claim 9. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a reflector arranged to be located below the substrate, and configured to reflect, out of the light radiated from the peripheral edge heater, light that has passed outside the peripheral edge of the substrate toward the peripheral edge of the substrate.
Regarding claim 10. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: an additional driver configured to change a separation distance between the substrate and the reflector.
The prior art of Sho Jusen et al teaches a method and apparatus of treatment with a mounting table 4 and an inner ring portion 31 that rotates, a reflector (reflection plate 51). See the mounting table 4 is moved vertically. Lift pins 71 are moved vertically as they are supported by support member 73 and is connected to an elevating unit 72 (driver). The lift pins and vertical movement of the mounting table created separation distance between the substrate and the reflector. The motivation to modify the modified apparatus with the heat radiation lamps 14 which are a unit combining lamps and reflectors and/or reflection plate 51 (reflector) for temperature control. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to further the apparatus resulting from the combined teachings of Iida Yoshihiro and McDiarmid et al with the reflectors of Sho Jusen et al with substituting at least one of the heat/energy/light sources of Iida Yoshiro with a UV lamp or halogen lamp as suggested by the prior art of Sho Jusen et al to provide better temperature control.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iida Yoshihiro (JP 2008-141146 using the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith) in view of McDiarmid et al (US 5,493,987) and Sho Jusen et al (JP 2002-176002 using the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith) as applied to claims 1-13 above, and further in view of Ohmine et al (US 5,991,508).
The teachings from the apparatus resulting from the combined teachings of Iida Yoshihiro, McDiarmid et al, and Sho Jusen et al (known as the modified apparatus) were discussed above.
The modified apparatus fails to teach:
Regarding claim 14. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to move the light shield up and down alone, or to move the peripheral edge heater and the light shield up and down together.
Ohmine et al teaches a thermal processing apparatus with a light/heat shield 6 and heaters 4 where the shield and heater each have drivers (shield driver 8) and (substrate holder 2 with driver 5) to that provided vertical movement can provide a separation distance between the shield, substrate, and heaters 4. See Figures 3 and 4 of Ohmine et al. below Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to further the apparatus resulting from the combined teachings of Iida Yoshihiro, McDiarmid et al, and Sho Jusen et al with light shield driver to ensure that the distance between the shield and light/heater is controlled as suggested by Ohmine et al.
PNG
media_image7.png
892
696
media_image7.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image8.png
862
554
media_image8.png
Greyscale
Figs. 3 and 4 of Ohmine et al
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nemoto et al US 2024/0071793 teaches a substrate processing apparatus with a FFU 13 (blower), spin chuck 21, ribbon heater 48 (above wafer W), shielding plate 41, heater 47 with elevating mechanism 71, light source 91.
Matsumoto et al (US 2012/0012556) teaches a center heater18a, edge heater 18b, gas supply 13 with an injector. Gas is supplied to the edge via gas supply unit 215.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SYLVIA MACARTHUR whose telephone number is (571)272-1438. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5 pm.
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.
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.
/SYLVIA MACARTHUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
Prosecution Insights