Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
2. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. KR10-2023-0138998, filed on 10/17/23.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/21/24 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
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.
4. 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.
5. Claims 1, 6-7, 10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Neer et al. (US 2021/0389345) in view of Kwon et al. (US 2021/0354247). (“Van” and “Kwon”).
6. Regarding claim 1, Van teaches A semiconductor substrate inspection device [Figures 1-12, a semiconductor substrate inspection device is shown] comprising: a function generator configured to generate a first signal (and a second signal) [Figures 1-6, a function generator 50 is shown to generate a signal]; an ultrasonic generator configured to receive the first signal generated from the function generator, generate an ultrasonic wave based on the first signal, and generate a surface wave signal on an upper surface of a substrate using the ultrasonic wave [Figures 1-6, an ultrasonic generator 1 receives the first signal and generates an ultrasonic wave, which generates a surface wave signal on an upper surface of a substrate 9]; and an electron beam measurer configured to inspect the surface wave signal, wherein the electron beam measurer comprises: a laser light source (configured to receive the second signal generated from the function generator) and generate a first pulse laser beam based on the second signal [Figures 1-6, a laser light source 120 is shown to generate a first pulse laser beam]; (an electron beam generator configured to receive the first pulse laser beam and generate an electron beam that is emitted onto the upper surface of the substrate); and a backscattered electron detector configured to detect backscattered electrons generated based on the electron beam being incident on the substrate [Figures 1-6, a backscattered electron detector 122 is shown to detect reflected electrons from the substrate 9].
Van does not explicitly teach a second signal; … a laser light source (configured to receive the second signal generated from the function generator; an electron beam generator configured to receive the first pulse laser beam and generate an electron beam that is emitted onto the upper surface of the substrate.
However, Kwon teaches a second signal [Figures 1-12, a second signal WGS is taught, see Figures 1-2]; … a laser light source configured to receive the second signal generated from the function generator [Figures 1-2, a laser light source 120 receives the second signal]; an electron beam generator configured to receive the first pulse laser beam and generate an electron beam that is emitted onto the upper surface of the substrate [Figures 1-2, an electron beam generator 130 is shown to receive the first pulse laser beam and generate an electron beam, emitted to the substrate W].
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Van with Kwon. Doing so would allow Van to comprise an electron beam generator to receive a laser light and emit electron beam to the substrate and help improve testing.
7. Regarding claim 6, Van teaches wherein the electron beam measurer further comprises a secondary electron detector configured to detect secondary electrons generated from the substrate [Figures 1-6, a secondary electron detector 122 is shown to detect reflected electrons from the substrate 9].
8. Regarding claim 7, Van teaches wherein the electron beam measurer further comprises an energy filter located on one side of the backscattered electron detector, and wherein the energy filter is configured to filter the secondary electrons and cancel or reduce signal noise caused by the backscattered electrons [Figures 1-6, an energy filter 144/147 is shown on one side of the backscattered electron detector 122]
9. Regarding claim 10, Van teaches the semiconductor substrate inspection device.
Van and Kwon does not explicitly teach wherein the ultrasonic generator is on a lower surface of the substrate, wherein frequency of the ultrasonic wave generated from the ultrasonic generator is 10 kHz to 10 MHz, and wherein the ultrasonic wave is transmitted from a lower portion of the substrate to an upper portion of the substrate.
However, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Van and Kwon to optimize the value of frequency generated because it has been held that “[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). (MPEP 2144.05).
10. Regarding claim 13, Van teaches the semiconductor substrate inspection device.
Van and Kwon does not explicitly teach wherein a period of the electron beam generated by the electron beam generator is based on a pulse frequency of the first pulse laser beam, and wherein the period of the electron beam is less than or equal to 1 picosecond (ps).
However, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Van and Kwon to optimize the value of period of the electron beam because it has been held that “[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). (MPEP 2144.05).
Allowable Subject Matter
11. Claims 2-5, 8-9, 11 and 12 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.
2. The semiconductor substrate inspection device of claim 1, wherein the electron beam measurer further comprises: a beam splitter configured to extract a second pulse laser beam from the first pulse laser beam; and a mirror located on a path of the second pulse laser beam, the mirror configured to cause the second pulse laser beam to be incident on the upper surface of the substrate.
3. The semiconductor substrate inspection device of claim 2, wherein the second pulse laser beam is incident on the substrate along an axis different from an axis along which the electron beam is incident on the substrate.
4. The semiconductor substrate inspection device of claim 2, wherein the beam splitter comprises a color filter that is configured to adjust a wavelength of the first pulse laser beam or the second pulse laser beam, and wherein the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam have wavelengths different from each other.
5. The semiconductor substrate inspection device of claim 2, wherein the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam have a same pulse frequency.
8. The semiconductor substrate inspection device of claim 1, wherein the first signal and the second signal generated from the function generator comprise a lock-in signal, and wherein the lock-in signal synchronizes the first pulse laser beam and the ultrasonic wave with each other.
9. The semiconductor substrate inspection device of claim 1, wherein the function generator is configured to individually modulate an amplitude and a pulse frequency of the first signal that is input to the ultrasonic generator and an amplitude and a pulse frequency of the second signal that is input to the laser light source.
11. The semiconductor substrate inspection device of claim 2, wherein the second pulse laser beam is emitted onto the upper surface of the substrate and generates an ultrasonic wave by a photoacoustic effect, and wherein the ultrasonic wave generated by the second pulse laser beam is transmitted to a lower portion of the substrate, reflected from the lower portion of the substrate, and transmitted to an upper portion of the substrate, thereby generating a surface wave signal on the upper surface of the substrate.
12. The semiconductor substrate inspection device of claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic wave generated by the second pulse laser beam interferes with the ultrasonic wave generated by the ultrasonic generator and is thus amplified or cancelled.
Allowable Subject Matter
11. Claims 14-20 are allowed.
12. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
13. Regarding claim 14, Van teaches A semiconductor substrate inspection device [Figures 1-12, a semiconductor substrate inspection device is shown] comprising: an ultrasonic generator configured to generate an ultrasonic wave that is modulated, wherein the ultrasonic wave generates a surface wave signal on an upper surface of a substrate [Figures 1-6, an ultrasonic generator 1 to generate an ultrasonic wave to a substrate 9 is shown]; a backscattered electron detector configured to detect backscattered electrons that are generated based on the electron beam being incident on the substrate [Figures 1-6, a backscattered electron detector 122 is shown to detect reflected electrons from the substrate 9]; a secondary electron detector configured to detect secondary electrons generated from the substrate [Figures 1-6, a secondary electron detector 122 is shown to detect reflected electrons from the substrate 9]; a laser light source configured to generate a first pulse laser beam, wherein a period of the electron beam, generated by the electron beam generator, is based on a pulse frequency of the first pulse laser beam [Figures 1-6, a laser light source 120 is shown to generate a first pulse laser beam]; … and a function generator configured to generate a first function signal and a second function signal, and transmit the first function signal and the second function signal to the ultrasonic generator and the laser light source, respectively [Figures 1-6, a function generator 50 is shown].
However, Kwon teaches an electron beam generator configured to scan the upper surface of the substrate and generate an electron beam that is scattered by interference with the surface wave signal [Figures 1-2, an electron beam generator 130 is shown to generate an electron beam, emitted to the substrate W].
The prior art of record taken alone or in combination fails teach or suggest the limitation of “a beam splitter configured to extract a second pulse laser beam from the first pulse laser beam; a mirror on a path of the second pulse laser beam, the mirror configured to cause the second pulse laser beam to be incident on the upper surface of the substrate; …
and a function generator configured to generate a first function signal and a second function signal, and transmit the first function signal and the second function signal to the ultrasonic generator and the laser light source, respectively” in combination with other limitations of the claim.
14. Claims 15-19 are also allowed as they further limit claim 14.
15. Regarding claim 20, Van teaches A semiconductor substrate inspection device [Figures 1-12, a semiconductor substrate inspection device is shown] comprising: an ultrasonic generator configured to generate a first ultrasonic wave that is modulated, wherein the first ultrasonic wave generates a surface wave signal on an upper surface of a substrate [Figures 1-6, an ultrasonic generator 1 to generate an ultrasonic wave to a substrate 9 is shown]; a backscattered electron detector configured to detect backscattered electrons that are generated based on the electron beam being incident on the substrate [Figures 1-6, a backscattered electron detector 122 is shown to detect reflected electrons from the substrate 9]; a secondary electron detector configured to detect secondary electrons generated from the substrate [Figures 1-6, a secondary electron detector 122 is shown to detect reflected electrons from the substrate 9]; an energy filter on one side of the backscattered electron detector and configured to filter the secondary electrons to cancel or reduce signal noise caused by the backscattered electrons; a laser light source configured to generate a first pulse laser beam, wherein a period of the electron beam, generated by the electron beam generator, is based on a pulse frequency of the first pulse laser beam [Figures 1-6, an energy filter 144/147 is shown on one side of the backscattered electron detector 122]; and a function generator configured to generate a first function signal and a second function signal, and transmit the first function signal and the second function signal to the ultrasonic generator and the laser light source, respectively [Figures 1-6, a function generator 50 is shown], wherein the second pulse laser beam is emitted onto the upper surface of the substrate and generates a second ultrasonic wave by a photoacoustic effect, wherein the second pulse laser beam is incident on the substrate along an axis different from an axis along which the electron beam is incident on the substrate [Figures 1-6, the arrangement and function is shown].
Kwon teaches an electron beam generator configured to scan the upper surface of the substrate and generate an electron beam that is scattered by interference with the surface wave signal [Figures 1-2, an electron beam generator 130 is shown to generate an electron beam, emitted to the substrate W].
Optimizing the value of frequency generated is considered obvious in the field of art because it has been held that “[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). (MPEP 2144.05).
The prior art of record taken alone or in combination fails teach or suggest the limitation of “a beam splitter configured to extract a second pulse laser beam from the first pulse laser beam; a mirror on a path of the second pulse laser beam, the mirror configured to cause the second pulse laser beam to be incident on the upper surface of the substrate; … wherein the beam splitter comprises a color filter that is configured to adjust a wavelength of the first pulse laser beam or the second pulse laser beam, wherein the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam have wavelengths different from each other, wherein the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam have a same pulse frequency, wherein the second ultrasonic wave generated by the second pulse laser beam is transmitted to the lower portion of the substrate, reflected from the lower portion of the substrate, and transmitted to the upper portion of the substrate, wherein the second ultrasonic wave generated by the second pulse laser beam interferes with the first ultrasonic wave generated by the ultrasonic generator and is thus amplified or cancelled, and wherein the surface wave signal generated by the ultrasonic generator interferes with the electron beam and is sensed by the backscattered electron detector and the secondary electron detector” in combination with other limitations of the claim.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim et al. (US 2007/0022815), Figures 1-11 teaches method of inspecting a substrate using ultrasonic waves and apparatus for performing the same, substrate, function generator, ultrasonic wave generator, detector is shown.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NEEL D SHAH whose telephone number is (571)270-3766. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9AM-5:30PM.
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/NEEL D SHAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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