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
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 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 1-5 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye et al (US Publication No. 20170162417) in view of Imafuku (US Publication No. 20010013504) and in view of Ziemba et (US Publication No. 20190393791) and further in view of Mett et al (US Patent No. 6005376).
Regarding claim 1, Ye discloses a substrate processing apparatus (i.e., 200; see for example fig. 2 as shown below, para. [0046]- [0091]) including an electrostatic chuck (220), comprising: a lower electrode (202) formed of a dielectric material (i.e., such as the dielectric body 202 may be formed from a ceramic material or other suitable insulating material. For example, the dielectric body 202 may be formed from aluminum nitride (AIN); see para. [0056]); an upper electrode (240) provided to face the lower electrode (202); a first AC power supply (268) electrically connected to the upper electrode (240) and supplying an AC power (i.e., such as the RF generator 268 supplies RF voltage and current; see para. [0054]) with a first frequency (i.e., such as the RF generator 268 supplies RF voltage and current at about 27 MHz to the top electrode 240; see para. [0054]); a heater (204) provided in the lower electrode (202) and configured to heat (i.e., such as the heaters 204 of the ESC 220 are configured to provide an operating temperature of about 650 degrees Celsius; see para. [0103]) the lower electrode (202); an isolation transformer (206) connected to the heater (204); a second AC power supply (i.e., AC lines L1; see for example fig. SB, para. [0103]) connected to the isolation transformer (206); an internal electrode (106) provided in the lower electrode (202); a second filter circuit (i.e., 310; a DC filter circuit 310; see for example fig. 4, para. [0060]) connected to the internal electrode (106); and a DC power supply (i.e., 312; a DC source 312; see for example fig. 4, para. [0060]) connected to the internal electrode (106) through the second filter circuit (i.e., 310; a DC filter circuit 310; see for example fig. 4, para. [0060]) and provided for the electrostatic chuck (220), wherein the DC power supply (i.e., 312; a DC source 312; see for example fig. 4, para. [0060]) is driven under constant current control (i.e., such as the RF drive system circuitry 300 may include, a first RF drive 362, and one or more voltage and current sensors (VI sensors) 304, 360; see for example fig. 4, para. [0060]) to provide constant current (Note: of course any DC source provides a constant/direct current and any AC source provides an alternating current) to the internal electrode (106), and a secondary coil (Sec) of the isolation transformer (206) is electrically floating (i.e., transformer 206 has no direct electrical connection to earth ground; such as the transformer provides a method of isolation and is designed to withstand the maximum ESC voltage without breaking down, but allowing for no DC current across its primary and secondary transformer coil windings; see for example fig. SB, para. [0105]).
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Ye does not explicitly disclose a first filter circuit connected to the heater and the heater is connected to the isolation transformer through the first filter circuit.
Imafuku discloses a plasma treatment method and apparatus (i.e., 100; see for example fig. 6 as shown below, para. [0096]- [0110]); wherein a first filter circuit (145) connected to the heater (105) and the heater (105) is connected to the isolation transformer (142) through the first filter circuit (145).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the filter device in Ye, as taught by Imafuku, as it provides the advantage of optimizing the circuit design towards improving signal quality, blocking interference, and matching impedances.
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Neither Ye nor Imafuku explicitly discloses wherein the isolation transformer is grounded in a DC-insulated state.
Ziemba discloses a high voltage power system (i.e., such as system 300; see for example fig. 3, para. [0058]- [0099]); wherein the isolation transformer (i.e., such as isolation transformer T2; see for example fig. 3, para. [0058]- [0099]) is grounded in a DC-insulated state (i.e., such as DC-insulated state/galvanic isolation as the ground of the primary side of T2 is separated from the another ground of the secondary side of T2; for instance, the isolation may be galvanic, such that no conductor on the primary side of the isolation transformer passes through or makes contact with any conductor on the secondary side of the isolation transformer; see for example fig. 3, para. [0058]- [0099]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the ground DC isolation scheme in Ye, as taught by Ziemba, as it provides the advantage of optimizing the circuit design towards providing safety, eliminating ground loops, and reducing electrical noise.
Neither Ye nor Imafuku nor Ziemba explicitly discloses a fixed current to the internal electrode.
Mett discloses a DC power supply (i.e., see for example fig. 1, Col. 5 lines 6+); wherein the DC power supply (i.e., such as the DC power supply 104; see for example fig. 1, Col. 5 lines 6+) is driven (i.e., such as is driven via 106 and 108; see for example fig. 1, Col. 5 lines 6+) under constant current control (i.e., such as under constant current control command option 3 at the pin terminal MODE; for instance, and 3) a current tracking mode wherein the power supply produces an output current that is constant while varying the output voltage to maintain a constant chuck leakage current magnitude. Any one mode can be selected depending upon the type of wafer being processed or the type of process being performed in the chamber; see for example fig. 1, Col. 5 lines 6+) to provide a fixed current (i.e., such as fixed current as fixing the current by varying the voltage; see for example fig. 1, Col. 5 lines 6+) to the internal electrode (i.e., such as the internal electrode 118; see for example fig. 1, Col. 5 lines 6+).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the fixed current scheme to the internal electrode in Ye, as taught by Mett, as it provides the advantage of optimizing the circuit design towards stabilizing clamping force, preventing electrical arcing, and protecting delicate semiconductor wafers from damage.
Regarding claim 2, Ye in view of Imafuku and in view of Ziemba and further in view of Mett and the teachings of Ye as modified by Imafuku have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Ye as modified by Ziemba and the teachings of Ye as modified by Mett have been discussed above as well.
Ye further discloses the substrate processing apparatus (i.e., 200; see for example fig. 2 as shown above, para. [0046]- [0091]); wherein the first AC power supply (268) supplies the AC power (i.e., such as the RF generator 268 supplies RF voltage and current; see para. [0054]) with a frequency in a range of 1 MHz to 30 MHz (i.e., about 27 MHz; such as the RF generator 268 supplies RF voltage and current at about 27 MHz to the top electrode 240; see para. [0054]) to the upper electrode (240).
Regarding claim 3, Ye in view of Imafuku and in view of Ziemba and further in view of Mett and the teachings of Ye as modified by Imafuku have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Ye as modified by Ziemba and the teachings of Ye as modified by Mett have been discussed above as well.
Ye further discloses the substrate processing apparatus (i.e., 200; see for example fig. 2 as shown above, para. [0046]- [0091]); wherein an AC power (258) with a frequency in a range of 100 kHz to 1000 kHz (i.e., about 400 KHz; see para. [0054]) is further supplied (i.e., such as the RF generator 258 supplies RF voltage and current at about 400 KHz to the top electrode 240; see para. [0054]) to the upper electrode (240).
Regarding claim 4, Ye in view of Imafuku and in view of Ziemba and further in view of Mett and the teachings of Ye as modified by Imafuku have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Ye as modified by Ziemba and the teachings of Ye as modified by Mett have been discussed above as well.
Ye further discloses the substrate processing apparatus (i.e., 200; see for example fig. 2 as shown above, para. [0046]- [0091]); wherein the second AC power supply (i.e., AC lines L1; see for example fig. SB, para. [0103]) supplies an AC power of 50 Hz or 60 Hz (i.e., such as the heaters 204 are powered by AC lines of 50 Hz or 60 Hz, through the isolation transformer 206 inserted in between the heater 204 and the AC lines L1; see para. [0103]) to the heater (204).
Regarding claim 5, Ye in view of Imafuku and in view of Ziemba and further in view of Mett and the teachings of Ye as modified by Imafuku have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Ye as modified by Ziemba and the teachings of Ye as modified by Mett have been discussed above as well.
Ye further discloses the substrate processing apparatus (i.e., 200; see for example fig. 2 as shown above, para. [0046]- [0091]); wherein the internal electrode (i.e., 106; chucking electrode 106; see for example fig. SB, para. [0102]) is connected to a ground (i.e., GND; on the ground path; see for example fig. SB, para. [0102]) through a capacitor (i.e., 622; such as the ESC may have a bipolar power supply 620 along with a capacitor 622 on the ground path of the chucking electrode 106; see for example fig. SB, para. [0102]).
Regarding claim 11, Ye in view of Imafuku and in view of Ziemba and further in view of Mett and the teachings of Ye as modified by Imafuku have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Ye as modified by Ziemba and the teachings of Ye as modified by Mett have been discussed above as well.
Ye further discloses the substrate processing apparatus (i.e., 200; see for example fig. 2 as shown above, para. [0046]- [0091]); further comprising a matching unit (260) electrically coupled between the upper electrode (240) and the first AC power supply (268).
Regarding claim 12, Ye in view of Imafuku and in view of Ziemba and further in view of Mett and the teachings of Ye as modified by Imafuku have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Ye as modified by Ziemba and the teachings of Ye as modified by Mett have been discussed above as well.
Ye further discloses the substrate processing apparatus (i.e., 200; see for example fig. 2 as shown above, para. [0046]- [0091]); wherein the matching unit (260) comprises a variable capacitor (264) that is coupled to ground (265).
Claims 6-10 and 13-14 are cancelled.
Conclusion
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/MUAAMAR QAHTAN AL-TAWEEL/ Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/THIENVU V TRAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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