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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3 – 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the measuring unit" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear whether the applicant is referring to the limitation “a conductive measuring unit” as claimed in claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As to claims 1 – 2 and 7 - 11, the prior art fails to show a probe structure which includes a protective layer that has a first face configured to be exposed to a plasma established within the process chamber during a plasma process, a second face opposite to the first face, and an outer wall connecting the first face and the second face inside the process chamber, and a conductive measuring unit spaced part from the first face of the protective layer and configured to measure a status of the plasma; and a wafer on a periphery of the probe structure and in contact with the outer wall of the protective layer, wherein the wafer and the protective layer include materials different from each other. These features taken together with the other limitations of the claim renders the claims allowable over prior art.
Claims 4 - 6 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As to claims 12 – 17, the prior art fails to show a probe structure which includes a silicon oxide layer inside the process chamber and has a first face configured to be exposed to a plasma established within the process chamber during a plasma process and a second face opposite to the first face, and a measuring unit spaced apart from the first face of the probe structure in a first direction parallel to the first face of the probe structure and configured to measure a status of the plasma; an alternating current power supply unit configured to a signal to the probe structure; and a silicon (Si) wafer on a periphery of the probe structure and in contact with side walls of the silicon oxide layer, wherein the measuring unit of the probe structure includes a first measuring unit to which a first signal is applied from the alternating current power supply unit, and a second measuring unit to which a second signal different from the first signal is applied from the alternating current power supply unit. These features taken together with the other limitations of the claim renders the claims allowable over prior art.
As to claims 18 – 20, the prior art fails to show a probe structure including a protective layer including a first face configured to be exposed to plasma established during a plasma process and a second face opposite the first face, and a measuring unit on the second face of the protective layer and configured to transmit the electrical signal supplied from the alternating current power supply unit to the plasma; a silicon (Si) wafer bonded to side walls of the protective layer, and having a same cross-sectional thickness as a cross-sectional thickness of the protective layer; a current measuring unit configured to measure a current flowing through the measuring unit of the probe structure as a function of a potential difference between the plasma and the measuring unit of the probe structure; and a plasma analysis unit configured to analyze one or more parameters relating to a status of the plasma as a function of the current measured by the current measuring unit. These features taken together with the other limitations of the claim renders the claims allowable over prior art.
Prior Art of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant s disclosure.
Blalock (6,952,108) is cited for its disclosure of methods for fabricating plasma probes.
Renken et al. (7,135,852) is cited for its disclosure of integrated process condition sensing wafer and data analysis system.
Tatsumi et al. (2009/0058424) is cited for its disclosure of plasma monitoring method and plasma monitoring system.
Gosselin (9,017,513) is cited for its disclosure of plasma monitoring probe assembly and processing chamber incorporating the same.
Jensen et al. (2018/0114681) is cited for its disclosure of a process condition sensing device and method for plasma chamber.
Kwon et al. (12,315,710) is cited for its disclosure of a plasma diagnosis system and plasma diagnosis method.
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/REENA AURORA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858