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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/06/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 7 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
“match” should read “match component”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gopalan et al. (US 2017/0176349; “Gopalan” or “G”).
Claim 11: Gopalan discloses (figs. 2, 4, 5): an apparatus, comprising:
a chamber (plasma chamber 110) with an interior surface (inside surface of chamber body 130);
a radio frequency (RF) input (RF source 118) coupled to the interior surface (via coils 109, 111); and
a sensor system (fig. 2, 200) coupled to the interior surface of the chamber (110), wherein the sensor system comprises:
a board (¶27, “The transmitter 201 may comprise a first packaging layer 202 and/or a second packaging layer 204. The first packaging layer 202 and/or the second packaging layer 204 may comprise one of an alumina material, a ceramic material, a quartz material, or combinations and mixtures thereof”);
a sensor antenna (¶29, “1st antenna 214” & 2nd antenna 230) on the board (202, 204); and
a sensor (216) communicatively coupled to the sensor antenna (¶30, "The sensor 216 may be in operative communication with the first antenna 214 such that upon receiving and/or detection of a particular physical property of a chamber component the sensor 216 signals the first antenna 214 to transmit or relay a signal to the receiver device 224").
Claim 12: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 11, wherein the interior surface comprises a chamber wall (inside surface of chamber body 130), chamber lid, or a chamber liner.
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, 4-6, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gopalan et al. (US2017/0176349; “Gopalan” or “G”).
Claim 1: Gopalan discloses (fig. 2 below, figs. 4, 5) An apparatus, comprising:
a chamber (plasma chamber 110) with an interior surface (inside surface of chamber body 130);
a sensor system (¶26, “sensing device 200 for use in the plasma process apparatus 100”; "the sensing device may include a transmitter 201") coupled to the interior surface (see fig. 5), wherein the sensor system comprises:
a board (¶27, “The transmitter 201 may comprise a first packaging layer 202 and/or a second packaging layer 204. The first packaging layer 202 and/or the second packaging layer 204 may comprise one of an alumina material, a ceramic material, a quartz material, or combinations and mixtures thereof”);
a sensor antenna (¶29, “1st antenna 214” & 2nd antenna 230) on the board (202, 204); and
a sensor (216) communicatively coupled to the sensor antenna (¶30, "The sensor 216 may be in operative communication with the first antenna 214 such that upon receiving and/or detection of a particular physical property of a chamber component the sensor 216 signals the first antenna 214 to transmit or relay a signal to the receiver device 224");
a chamber antenna (224) within the chamber (¶35, "the receiver device 224 may be disposed inside and/or outside of the processing volume or the plasma process apparatus 100."), wherein the chamber antenna (224) is configured to communicatively couple with the sensor antenna (214) (¶29, “ The first antenna 214 may transmit and/or receive signals to and from the transmitter 201 such that the transmitter 201 is in operative communication with a device, such as the receiver device 224”)”.
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G does not explicitly disclose “wherein the sensor is configured to be powered by the sensor antenna”. However, G discloses (¶¶47-48) that the sensor is a SAW based device. G also discloses (¶12) “Surface acoustic wave (SAW) based devices and sensors are advantageous for use in semiconductor processing equipment in that they are wireless and passive, requiring no battery”. A person of ordinary skill in the art would therefore recognize that the sensor (216) is configured to be powered by the sensor antenna (214), as the sensor (216) and the sensor antenna (214) are in close proximately (shown in fig. 2) and are in operative communication (¶30) such that upon receiving and/or detection of a particular physical property of a chamber component the sensor 216 signals the first antenna 214 to transmit or relay a signal to the receiver device 224.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to wherein the sensor is configured to be powered by the sensor antenna. Doing so allows for a passive sensor that does not require batteries.
Claim 4: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interior surface is a chamber wall, a chamber liner, a lid, or a process kit (¶26, “sensing device 200 for use in the plasma process apparatus 100”; "the sensing device may include a transmitter 201"), ¶35, "the transmitter 201 may be coupled to the chamber body 130, the chamber lid 120, a chamber component (for example, an upper chamber liner, a lower liner, an ESC, an ESC cooling pad, a plasma screen, among other locations)").
Claim 5: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chamber antenna (224) is configured to (see Examiner’s note below) provide power to the sensor system (200) through wireless coupling with the sensor antenna (214) (¶29, “The first antenna 214 may transmit and/or receive signals to and from the transmitter 201 such that the transmitter 201 is in operative communication with a device, such as the receiver device 224”, ¶30, "The sensor 216 may be in operative communication with the first antenna 214 such that upon receiving and/or detection of a particular physical property of a chamber component the sensor 216 signals the first antenna 214 to transmit or relay a signal to the receiver device 224")”.
Examiner’s note: Regarding the recitation that an element is ‘configured to’ perform a function, it is the position of the Office, that such limitations are not positive structural limitations, and thus only require the ability to so perform. In this case, the prior art applied herein is construed as at least possessing such ability.
Claim 6: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chamber antenna (224) and the sensor antenna (214) are communicatively coupled to provide data transfer between the sensor system (200) and the chamber antenna (224) (¶39, “The receiver device 224 may further include a receiver 236. The receiver 236 may receive information sent by the sensor 216 and/or the first antenna 214”).
Claim 9: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an impedance sensor including one or both of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor or a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) sensor (¶¶47-48, surface acoustic wave sensor).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gopalan et al. (US 2017/0176349; “Gopalan” or “G”) in view of Lu et al. (CN203423249U; “Lu”) and IDS document Chen et al. (CN 112158791A; “Chen”).
Claim 2: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1.
Gopalan does not disclose “wherein the sensor system further comprises:
a housing around the board, the sensor antenna, and the sensor, and wherein the housing comprises an opening”.
Lu teaches (fig. 2 below) a passive wireless surface wave sensor system (abstract) comprising a board (PCB substrate 1), a sensor antenna (microstrip antenna 2), a SAW sensor (wave sensor chip 3) and a housing around the board, sensor antenna, and the sensor (housing 5, and cap 4).
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus of G, wherein the sensor system further comprises: a housing around the board, the sensor antenna, and the sensor, as taught by Lu. The housing provides additional protection for the sensor and sensor antenna in a harsh environment, such as the plasma chamber of G.
Lu does not teach wherein the housing comprises an opening.
Chen teaches (fig. 1 below) a sensor packing structure 100 including first 20 and second 30 sensor assemblies, and a housing (cover plate 60) comprising an opening 70.
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Chen to the apparatus of G in view of Lu, wherein the housing comprises an opening. The motivation to do so is to provide different environmental conditions for different sensor assemblies in the sensor packing structure.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gopalan et al. (US 2017/0176349; “Gopalan” or “G”) in view of IDS document Chen et al. (CN 112158791A; “Chen”).
Claim 3: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1.
Gopalan does not disclose, but Chen teaches “wherein the sensor comprises: a first sensor exposed to an interior environment of the chamber; and a second sensor that is protected from the interior environment of the chamber”. That is, Chen teaches (¶64 & ¶76) the first sensor 30 exposed to the interior environment of the chamber via opening 70 (in fig. 1 above) and the second sensor 20 is protected from the interior environment of the chamber (the second sensor 20 is separated from the first sensor 30 by an anti-interference layer 80 and a compound package structure 40).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Chen to the apparatus of G, wherein the sensor comprises a first sensor exposed to an interior environment of the chamber; and a second sensor that is protected from the interior environment of the chamber, as taught by Chen. The motivation to do so is to provide different environmental conditions for different sensor assemblies in the sensor packing structure.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gopalan et al. (US 2017/0176349; “Gopalan” or “G”) in view of Wang et al. (US 2024/0347317; “Wang”).
Claim 7: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1.
G does not explicitly disclose “further comprising: a match component and a filter connected to the chamber antenna”.
Wang teaches (fig. 4) a match component (matching circuit 200) and a filter (¶52, Any suitable filter circuit or resonant filter circuit (e.g., LC or RLC circuits) with one or more variable components can be used as a current balancing circuit 300) connected to a chamber antenna (resonator antenna 102).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus of Gopalan further comprising: a match component and a filter connected to the chamber antenna, as taught by Wang. Doing so generates a more uniform electromagnetic wave radiated by the antenna into the chamber (¶21).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gopalan et al. (US 2017/0176349; “Gopalan” or “G”) in view of De Chambirier (US 2021/0225614; “De C”).
Claim 8: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1.
G does not explicitly disclose wherein the sensor system (200) is retained within the chamber (100) by the chamber antenna (224).
However, as both the chamber antenna and the sensor system are disposed within the chamber, and the chamber antenna is configured to communicatively couple with the sensor antenna, the sensor system is retained within the chamber by the chamber antenna so that communication therebetween is possible.
De C teaches (¶34) that sensors may be placed on a passive antenna in a chamber, or on other components. That is, the sensor would be retained within the chamber by the chamber antenna.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus of G, wherein the sensor system is retained within the chamber by the chamber antenna, as taught by De C. The motivation to do so is to pick up signals from different parts of the chamber (¶34 of De C).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gopalan et al. (US 2017/0176349; “Gopalan” or “G”) in view of IDS document Tada et al. (US 2006/0164104; “Tada”).
Claim 10: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1.
Gopalan discloses wherein the sensor system is configured to measure a physical property of a particular component, such as a chamber component or area of the plasma process apparatus 100 (¶30).
Gopalan does not explicitly disclose wherein the sensor system is configured to measure a thickness of a layer deposited on the interior surface, a material composition of the layer deposited on the interior surface, or a change in the material composition of the layer deposited on the interior surface.
Tada teaches a measuring apparatus for measuring a thickness of a thin film formed on a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (abstract). More particularly, Tada teaches the use of RF signals to measure the thickness of a substance by using impedance measurements (¶43).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Tada to the apparatus of G, wherein the sensor system is configured to measure a thickness of a layer deposited on the interior surface. Doing so allows for the condition of the interior walls of the chamber to be continually monitored to ensure a higher quality finished product that is free from contaminants.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gopalan (US 2017/0176349) in view of De Chambirier (US 2021/0225614; “De C”).
Claim 15: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:
a match component (fig. 5, matching network 119) between the interior surface and the RF input (118); and
a reader (236), wherein the reader is configured to collect and/or analyze an RF signal obtained from the sensor system (¶39, “The receiver device 224 may further include a receiver 236. The receiver 236 may receive signals and/or information sent by the sensor 216 and/or the first antenna 214”).
Gopalan does not explicitly disclose a filter between the interior surface and the RF input.
De C teaches (¶128) “In operation, the methods may further include blocking a processing radio frequency between a matching network circuit core and a source that is providing the diagnostic radio frequency signal”. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that an RF filter can be used to block RF signals of a particular frequency. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide a filter in the apparatus of Gopalan, to include a filter between the interior surface and the RF input. Using a filter allows only desired frequencies of RF signals to pass from the RF source into the chamber.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gopalan (US 2017/0176349) in view of Lu et al. (CN 203423249U; “Lu”), and further in view of IDS document Chen et al. (CN 112158791A; “Chen”).
Claim 16: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 11.
G does not disclose wherein the sensor system further comprises: a housing around the board, the sensor antenna, and the sensor, and wherein the housing comprises an opening.
Lu teaches (fig. 2) a passive wireless surface wave sensor system (abstract) comprising a board (PCB substrate 1), a sensor antenna (microstrip antenna 2), a SAW sensor (wave sensor chip 3) and a housing around the board, sensor antenna, and the sensor (housing 5, and cap 4).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus of G, wherein the sensor system further comprises: a housing around the board, the sensor antenna, and the sensor, as taught by Lu. The housing provides additional protection for the sensor and sensor antenna in a harsh environment, such as the plasma chamber of G.
Lu does not teach wherein the housing comprises an opening.
Chen teaches (fig. 1) a sensor packing structure 100 including first 20 and second 30 sensor assemblies, and a housing (cover plate 60) comprising an opening 70.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Chen to the apparatus of G in view of Lu, wherein the housing comprises an opening. The motivation to do so is to provide different environmental conditions for different sensor assemblies in the sensor packing structure.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gopalan et al. (US 2017/0176349; “Gopalan” or “G”) in view of IDS document Tada et al. (US 2006/0164104; “Tada”).
Claim 17: Gopalan discloses the apparatus of claim 11.
Gopalan discloses wherein the sensor system is configured to measure a physical property of a particular component, such as a chamber component or area of the plasma process apparatus 100 (¶30).
Gopalan does not explicitly disclose wherein the sensor system is configured to measure a thickness of a layer deposited on the interior surface, a material composition of the layer deposited on the interior surface, or a change in the material composition of the layer deposited on the interior surface.
Tada teaches a measuring apparatus for measuring a thickness of a thin film formed on a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (abstract). More particularly, Tada teaches the use of RF signals to measure the thickness of a substance by using impedance measurements (¶43).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Tada to the apparatus of G, wherein the sensor system is configured to measure a thickness of a layer deposited on the interior surface. Doing so allows for the condition of the interior walls of the chamber to be continually monitored to ensure a higher quality finished product that is free from contaminants.
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu et al. (CN203423249U; “Lu”) in view of IDS document Chen et al. (CN 112158791A; “Chen”).
Claim 18: Lu discloses (fig. 2) An apparatus, comprising:
a housing (housing 5, and cap 4);
a board (PCB substrate 1) within the housing;
a first sensor (wave sensor chip 3) on the board; and
an antenna (microstrip antenna 2) on the board (1), wherein the antenna (2) is configured to wirelessly couple to an RF power source and provide power to the first sensor (¶6, “passive wireless surface acoustic wave sensor”; one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the wave sensor chip 3 is connected to an antenna 2, and is therefore configured to wirelessly couple to an RF power source which provides power to the SAW sensor).
Lu does not disclose “a housing with an opening; wherein the first sensor is positioned at least partially within a footprint of the opening; a second sensor on the board, wherein the second sensor is entirely outside of the footprint of the opening”.
Chen teaches (fig. 1) a sensor packing structure 100 including first 20 and second 30 sensor assemblies, and a housing (cover plate 60) comprising an opening 70. Chen teaches (¶64 & ¶76) the first sensor 30 exposed to the interior environment of the chamber via opening 70 (in fig. 1 above) and the second sensor 20 is protected from the interior environment of the chamber (the second sensor 20 is separated from the first sensor 30 by an anti-interference layer 80 and a compound package structure 40).
Chen therefore teaches a housing with an opening; wherein the first sensor is positioned at least partially within a footprint of the opening; a second sensor on the board, wherein the second sensor is entirely outside of the footprint of the opening.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus of Lu, to include a housing with an opening; wherein the first sensor is positioned at least partially within a footprint of the opening; a second sensor on the board, wherein the second sensor is entirely outside of the footprint of the opening, as taught by Chen. The motivation to do so is to provide different environmental conditions for different sensor assemblies in the sensor packing structure.
Claim 19: the modified Lu teaches the apparatus of claim 18, and wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are impedance sensors (Li teaches a SAW sensor chip, which is an impedance sensor, and Chen teaches first and second sensors).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu et al. (CN203423249U; “Lu”) in view of IDS document Chen et al. (CN 112158791A; “Chen”), and further in view of IDS document Tada et al. (US 2006/0164104; “Tada”).
Claim 20: the modified Li teaches the apparatus of claim 19, and wherein the impedance sensors are surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors.
The modified Li does not teach wherein the impedance sensors are configured to measure a thickness of a layer deposited on one or both of the impedance sensors, a material composition of the layer deposited on one or both of the impedance sensors, or a change in the material composition of the layer deposited on one or both of the impedance sensors.
Tada teaches a measuring apparatus for measuring a thickness of a thin film formed on a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (abstract). More particularly, Tada teaches the use of RF signals to measure the thickness of a substance by using impedance measurements (¶43).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Tada to the apparatus of Li in view of Chan, wherein the impedance sensors are configured to measure a thickness of a layer deposited on one or both of the impedance sensors, a material composition of the layer deposited on one or both of the impedance sensors, or a change in the material composition of the layer deposited on one or both of the impedance sensors. Doing so allows for the condition of the interior walls of the chamber, and sensors mounted thereon, to be continually monitored to ensure a higher quality finished product that is free from contaminants.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The pertinent prior art, as a whole, or in combination, cannot be reasonably construed as adequately teaching or suggesting the elements and features of the claimed invention(s) as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
None of the cited prior art teaches, or suggests, wherein the sensor antenna is wirelessly coupled to the interior surface so that the interior surface is configured to provide RF power to the sensor system.
Claim 14 is dependent on claim 13.
Conclusion
The International Search Report and Written Opinion disclosed by the Applicant’s IDS also discuss additional references and analysis that are considered highly relevant to the current Application. The Examiner specifically refers to TW I839236B (Wistron Neweb Corp) as a reference that is indicated as highly relevant to the current Application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANNA N HAMADYK whose telephone number is (703)756-1672. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/ANNA N HAMADYK/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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