DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/08/2024 and 08/08/2025 is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of claims 1-12 in the reply filed on 7/27/2026 is acknowledged. Basis of traversal is that claims 31-36 were not grouped to method claims of group II. The examiner acknowledges and confirms that claims 31-36 were excluded in the Requirement for Restriction mailed on 5/27/2026. However, upon review of all pending claims 1-36, Group I drawn to the apparatus remains independent and distinct to claims 13-24 directed to laser irradiation methods and claims 25-36 directed to method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. As such claims 13-36 are withdrawn from examination.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Page 19, lines 19-20, “…the driver stage 20 … does not hold the object to be processed 16 by absorbing it.” It should read “… adsorbing it”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1, 6, last line, “in the semiconductor substrate” should be “on the semiconductor substrate.”
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tanaka (US 20040065643 A1)
Regarding claim 6, Tanaka discloses (Fig. 2) A laser irradiation apparatus (Fig. 2) configured to apply laser light to a semiconductor substrate (210) in which a plurality of chip areas are formed, comprising: a laser light source (201) configured to generate laser light ((¶ [0051], Fig. 2); an optical system unit (204, 205, Fig. 2) configured to guide the laser light to the semiconductor substrate so that a longitudinal size (laser light, Fig. 9) of the laser light in the semiconductor substrate is larger than a size of the chip area (laser light covers the scribe between TFTs on the substrate); and a driving mechanism (204 along Y-direction, and 206 along X-direction, ¶ [0052], Fig. 2) configured to change a relative irradiation place of the laser light in the semiconductor substrate.
Regarding claim 7, Tanaka discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein semiconductor chips are formed in the chip areas (Fig. 9).
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 8-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable by Tanaka (US 20040065643 A1) in view of Imamura (US 20210020443 A1)
Regarding Claim 1, Tanaka discloses (Fig. 2) A laser irradiation apparatus (Fig. 2) configured to activate (annealing, ¶ [0005]) a semiconductor layer (amorphous film on substrate, ¶ [0007]) of a semiconductor device (210, Fig. 2), comprising:
a laser light source (201, Fig. 2) configured to generate laser light (line spot from 205, Fig. 2) having a wavelength (532 nm, ¶ [0054]);
an optical system unit (204, 205, Fig. 2) configured to guide the laser light to a semiconductor substrate (210); and
a driving mechanism (galvanometer 204, stage 206, Fig. 2) configured to change a relative irradiation place of the laser light in the semiconductor substrate.
Tanaka does not disclose the wavelength being no shorter than 250 nm and no longer than 500 nm. Imamura discloses an irradiation device (Fig. 4) where the source light generated the light beam (L1) to irradiate an amorphous silicon film (103); and the light beam has a wavelength (308 nm) between 250 nm to 500 nm (¶ [0047]); Absent unpredictable results, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have substituted the laser beam wavelength of Imamura for the laser light of Tanaka for a diversity of applications.
Regarding claim 2, Tanaka in view of Imamura discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1. Tanaka discloses a plurality of chip areas (Fig. 9) are provided in the semiconductor substrate, the plurality of chip areas being areas in each of which a semiconductor device is formed, and the optical system unit shapes the laser light (laser light) so that a longitudinal size of the laser light becomes larger than a size of the chip area in the semiconductor substrate (¶ [0071], Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 3, Tanaka in view of Imamura discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 2. Tanaka further discloses comprising an adsorbing stage (206, Fig. 2) configured to adsorb and hold the semiconductor substrate, wherein the driving mechanism moves the adsorbing stage (along X-Axis, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5, Tanaka in view of Imamura discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1. Tanaka discloses wherein an optical scanner (204, ¶ [0051], Fig. 2) configured to scan the laser light is provided in the optical system unit.
Regarding claim 8, Tanaka discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 6. Tanaka discloses the wavelength of the laser light to be 532 nm but is silent regarding the laser light source generates laser light having a wavelength no shorter than 250 nm and no longer than 500 nm.
Imamura discloses an irradiation device (Fig. 4) where the source light generated the light beam (L1) to irradiate an amorphous silicon film (103); and the light beam has a wavelength (308 nm) between 250 nm to 500 nm (¶ [0047]); Absent unpredictable results, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have substituted the laser beam wavelength of Imamura for the laser light of Tanaka for a diversity of applications.
Regarding claim 9, Tanaka in view of Imamura discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser light applied to the semiconductor substrate is pulsed laser light (¶ [0008]). Tanaka is silent regarding an irradiation time for each place in the semiconductor substrate is 100 µs or shorter.
Though being silent regarding the irradiation time for each place in the substrate, Tanaka discloses in¶ [0054] the scanning speed is 40 cm/sec and the intensity at certain areas on the substrate (¶ [0059]). Artisans in the art would have appreciated the irradiation time depending on the scanning speed and the light intensity. As such where general conditions (scanning speed, intensity) of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges (irradiation time of 100 µs) by routine optimization. MPEP 2144.05
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to select an irradiation time of 100 µs in accordance with other parameters (intensity, scanning speed) to optimize the application.
Regarding claim 10, Tanak in view of Imamura discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1. Tanaka discloses (Fig. 2) wherein the semiconductor substrate is held in such a manner that the semiconductor substrate is not fixed at the irradiation place of the laser light (210 is attached to movable stage 206, ¶ [0052]).
Regarding claim 11, Tanaka in view of Imamura discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1. Tanaka discloses wherein a distribution of intensity of the laser light is a top-flat distribution in an arbitrary one direction in the semiconductor substrate (Fig. 9, ¶ [0052]).
Regarding claim 12, Tanaka in view of Imamura discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1. Tanaka discloses wherein a distribution of intensity of the laser light is a top-flat distribution in a direction in which the irradiation place of the laser light in the semiconductor substrate is changed and in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the irradiation place is changed (Fig. 9).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable by Tanaka (US 20040065643 A1) in view of Imamura (US 20210020443 A1) and Yokokawa (US 20020121611 A1)
Regarding claim 4, Tanaka in view of Imamura discloses the laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 2. Imamura further discloses comprising: a levitation unit (10, Fig. 3) configured to levitate the semiconductor substrate; a conveyance unit (12+13, Fig. 3) configured to convey the semiconductor substrate, which is being levitated above the levitation unit, in a first direction;
Imamura is silent regarding a drive stage configured to hold the optical system unit, which is disposed above the levitation unit, movably in a second direction different from the longitudinal direction in a plan view.
In short, Imamura discloses a stage apparatus used to hold and move a substrate in a first direction, while a light beam is scanned across the substrate in a perpendicular direction to the first direction to process a line spot across its entire surface.
Yokokawa discloses (Fig. 1) a laser apparatus to read biochips wherein an object to be processed (21) is driven in a first direction (y direction, ¶ [0033]) by stage 3 and optical system 11 attached to driving stage 14 is driven in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (x direction, ¶ [0033]).
Artisans in the art would have appreciated a line spot of the laser annealing needs to be conveyed in both directions in order for the line spot to scan the entire surface of the object to be processed. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to substitute the driving stage for the optical system as taught by Yokokawa for the scanner to move the light spot back and forth for a diversity of applications. Doing so would allow for the light spot to be physically moved in a direction perpendicular with a moving direction of the object be processed, covering the entire surface of the object to be processed. In optical system, scanning and driving mechanisms are two common ways to move a light spot or optical element to interact with a target. Though each method has its pros and cons, substituting one for another is a design choice that depends on the project’s goals, constraints, and context.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yamazaki (US 20040253838 A1) discloses a laser annealing for transistors utilizing a linear light spot and moving stages attached to a substrate in both directions; Nishida (US 20140231812 A1) discloses an laser annealing apparatus for transistors utilizing a linear light spot, a moving stage attached to the substrate moving in one direction, and a light scanner moving the linear spot in another direction.
Conclusion
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/DTH/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/Leonard Chang/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898
