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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Status of the Claims
Claims 1-20 are pending in the current application.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-12, 16 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Endoh (US 20040261946).
As to claim 1, Endoh discloses a plasma processing apparatus comprising:
A chamber including a plasma processing space (figure 1: chamber 10 with plasma processing space between showerhead electrode 37 and wafer ‘W’);
A power source configured to supply RF power for generating plasma (figure 1: RF supply 21; paragraph 104: generation of plasma from RF power);
A silicon member of silicon material having a surface facing the plasma processing space (figure 1: ring 30 with top surface facing plasma processing space; figure 5, paragraph 125: main/top portion 30e of ring 30 comprising SiO2);
A conductive film made of a conductive material formed on a second surface of the silicon member, the second surface does not face the plasma processing space (figure 5: underlying ‘film’ 30d on bottom surface of ring 30e; paragraph 123/125: conductive material portion 30d).
As to claim 2-3, Endoh discloses the conductive film is formed on the entire bottom surface of the silicon member (figure 5: illustration ‘film’ 30d on entire bottom surface of main SiO2 ring portion 30e).
As to claim 4, Endoh discloses the second surface is opposite the first surface (figure 5: top/plasma facing surface opposite bottom/conductive film containing surface of portion 30e).
As to claim 5, Endoh discloses the silicon member is in contact with a conductive target member on the second surface in the region adjacent where the second surface contains the conductive film (figure 5: showing silicon member 30e with conductive film 30d both contacting electrostatic chucking member 25 at a common corner).
As to claim 7, Endoh discloses the conductive material may be aluminum (paragraph 131: exemplary materials for conductive portion adjacent focus ring 30, including aluminum).
As to claim 8, Endoh discloses the conductive has an oxide film formed on its surface by oxidation (figure 5: conductive film 30d with dielectric material 30c cover; paragraph 23: dielectric material portion is oxide of conductive portion formed by oxidation [paragraph 24]). As to the specific limitation of anodic oxidation as the process, the method of forming the device is not germane to the issue of patentability of the device itself. Therefore, this limitation has not been given patentable weight beyond an oxidized oxide layer, as taught by Endo.
As to claim 9, Endoh discloses the silicon member faces an electrode supplied RF power from the power source (figure 1: ring 30 facing showerhead electrode 24; paragraph 98/104: providing high frequency RF power to showerhead) and is at a relative floating potential (figure 5: ring 30e not connected to electrodes and isolated by dielectric 30c – thus relatively anodic to any powered cathode from the power source).
As to claim 10, Endoh discloses the silicon containing material includes SiO2 (paragraph 125: main/top portion 30e of ring 30 comprising SiO2).
As to claim 11, Endoh discloses the silicon member is a deposition shield is disposed along an inner wall surface of the chamber (figure 5: focus ring 30 designed to shield the side and backside of wafer W and chuck 25 during processing, therefore effectively a shield; figure 1: showing ring 30 along with cylinder 12 forming an inner wall surface within the chamber).
As to claim 12, Endoh discloses the silicon member is a deposition shield and there is a gap between the shield and a sidewall of the chamber (figure 5: focus ring 30 designed to shield the side and backside of wafer W and chuck 25 during processing, therefore effectively a shield; figure 1: showing gap between ring 30 and sidewalls of chamber).
As to claim 16, Endoh discloses a plasma processing apparatus comprising:
A chamber including a plasma processing space (figure 1: chamber 10 with plasma processing space between showerhead electrode 37 and wafer ‘W’);
A power source configured to supply RF power for generating plasma (figure 1: RF supply 21; paragraph 104: generation of plasma from RF power);
A silicon member of silicon material having a surface facing the plasma processing space (figure 1: ring 30 with top surface facing plasma processing space; figure 5, paragraph 125: main/top portion 30e of ring 30 comprising SiO2);
A conductive film made of a conductive material formed on a second surface of the silicon member, the second surface does not face the plasma processing space (figure 5: underlying ‘film’ 30d on bottom surface of ring 30e; paragraph 123/125: conductive material portion 30d);
An oxide film formed on a surface of the conductive film and protecting the silicon member (figure 5: conductive film 30d with dielectric material 30c cover; paragraph 23: dielectric material portion is oxide of conductive portion formed by oxidation [paragraph 24]).
As to the specific limitation of anodic oxidation as the process, the method of forming the device is not germane to the issue of patentability of the device itself. Therefore, this limitation has not been given patentable weight beyond an oxidized oxide layer, as taught by Endo.
As to claim 19, Endoh discloses the silicon member is a deposition shield and there is a gap between the shield and a sidewall of the chamber (figure 5: focus ring 30 designed to shield the side and backside of wafer W and chuck 25 during processing, therefore effectively a shield; figure 1: showing gap between ring 30 and sidewalls of chamber).
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.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Endoh as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Uchida (US 9209060).
As to claim 6, Endoh discloses a plasma processing apparatus with showerhead electrode and focus ring with conductive film adjacent a substrate and support, as discussed above, and providing RF power at 60 Mhz (paragraph 98), but is silent as to the thickness of the conductive film.
Uchida discloses a plasma processing apparatus with a showerhead electrode facing a substrate and support with a surrounding focus ring (abstract; figure 1: showerhead electrode 30 facing wafer/substrate ‘W’ with focus ring FR), the ring having an underlying conductive sheet having a thickness of about 1mm for effective heat transfer properties (abstact; col 12 line 5-16).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a thickness value above the skin depth of the 60Mhz source of Endoh [on the order of 10 micron], as disclosed by Uchida, in the system of Endoh, because this allows for a functional conductive layer.
Claim(s) 13-14 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Endoh as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Koshiishi (US 20060037703).
As to claim 13 and 20, Endoh discloses a showerhead for discharging processing gas into the processing space and an L-shaped silicon member focusing ring (figure 1: focus ring 30; showerhead 24), but is silent as to an insulating shield and grounded conductive member between the silicon member and shield.
Koshiishi discloses a showerhead for discharging processing gas into a processing space and a silicon focus ring adjacent a substrate on an electrostatic support chuck (figure 2: showerhead electrode 34, silicon focus ring 24 [paragraph 74]). Koshiishi also discloses use of a chamber shield comprising conductive material with a grounded conductive member between the shield and focus ring to prevent abnormal discharge during plasma processing operations (figure 2: shield 11 with conductive ground block 91; paragraph 86: grounding block 91; paragraph 133: polymer and/or yttrium oxide covering of shield 11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a shield and intervening grounding member, as disclosed by Koshiishi, because his allows for protecting of the chamber walls and prevention of abnormal discharge during plasma processing.
As to claim 14, Endo discloses the silicon member forms an L-shape with two surfaces of the plasma processing space (figure 5: ‘L’ shaped focus ring 30e, with at least two top and side surfaces facing the plasma processing region).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15, 17-18 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 15 and 17-18 require a showerhead and silicon member containing a conductive film with required orientations not taught nor suggested by the prior art.
Correspondence Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON BERMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5265. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday 8-4.
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/JASON BERMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1794
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