DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 08/04/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection presented below.
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)12-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a2) as being anticipated by US Publication 2022/0214625 to Gronheid et al.
Regarding claims 12-23, Gronheid discloses and shows in Figures 1-4, a substrate for measuring a focus parameter (par. 2-4, 22-24), the substrate comprising:
at least one focus target (100) comprising at least one pair of sub-targets (102a-b, 104a-b, 106a-b, 108a-b, 110a-b, 112a-b), wherein the pair of sub-targets comprising at least a first sub-target and a second sub- target (par. 32, 37, 40, 43, 46; wherein first and second sets of first, second and third target structures are provided on substrate), wherein the first sub-target and the second sub-target each comprise:
at least a periodic main feature (102a-b) having a main feature pitch, wherein a center-of-mass of the main feature pitch is focus dependent (par. 25-26, 29-30, 32-33; wherein each target structure may be a periodic element, having any various shape or pitch); and
a periodic reference feature (104a-b) having a reference feature pitch different from the main feature pitch (par. 25-26, 29-30, 32-33; wherein each target structure may be a periodic element, having any various shape or pitch),
wherein the main feature and reference feature are arranged such that scattered radiation from the main feature and the reference feature interfere to form a beat signal or Moire signal (par. 51; wherein a plurality of diffraction orders from each periodic target interfere to form Moire patterns);
[claim 13] wherein the main feature pitch and reference feature pitch differ by less than 20% (par. 51; wherein each periodic structure may have a pitch within a range of 300 nm to 700 nm);
[claim 14] wherein the reference feature is comprised in a layer below a layer of interest comprising the main feature of each sub-target (par. 26, 32-33, 36-37, 40);
[claim 15] wherein the reference feature and the main feature are both comprised within a same layer (par. 26, 32-33, 36-37, 40);
[claim 16] the center-of-mass of each sub-target is related to a peak position of a first harmonic of a pattern defined focus target when printed (par. 22, 51, 53-68) (Figures 1a-d);
[claim 17] wherein: each of the main feature is formed with a focus dependent pitch, and the main feature is substantially symmetrical around an axis of symmetry parallel to a direction of periodicity of the main feature (par. 46-49; wherein each periodic target structure is symmetrical) (Figures 1a-d);
[claim 18] wherein the main feature comprises a periodic array of main feature elements (par. 46-49; wherein each periodic target structure is symmetrical) (Figures 1a-d);
[claim 19] wherein the focus target is paired on the substrate with a mirrored or 180 degree rotated version of the focus target (Figures 1b) (par. 46-49);
[claim 20] wherein the focus parameter describes a focus setting of a lithographic exposure process in which the focus target was exposed, wherein the focus target comprises a plurality of sub-targets configured to exhibit different focus-dependent responses, such that a difference between measurement signals obtained from the plurality of sub-targets varies as a function of focus and is indicative of the focus parameter (par. 22, 58-63; wherein a plurality of overlay signals and focus offset values are determined and compared in a calibration function);
[claim 21] a patterning device comprising: target patterning features for forming the focus target on the substrate to obtain the substrate (par. 22; wherein a focus-dependent semiconductor device may be fabricated by any known method of lithography, etching or printing);
[claim 22] a method of determining a focus parameter from a focus target on a substrate, the method comprising:
imaging Moire fringes or beat signals resulting from interference between at least one diffraction order from a main feature of at least one a focus target first sub-target of the focus target (par. 51), the main feature having a main feature pitch, and at least one corresponding diffraction order a reference feature having a reference feature pitch different from the main feature pitch, the reference feature being of at least one focus target or second sub-target of the focus target (par. 25-26, 29-30, 32-33);
obtaining a first measurement signal corresponding to the first sub-target and a second measurement signal corresponding to the second sub-target based on the imaging (par. 58-63; wherein a plurality of overlay signals and focus offset values may be determined from each periodic target structure);
determining a difference signal between the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal (par. 58-63; wherein a plurality of overlay signals and focus offset values are determined and compared in a calibration function); and
determining the focus parameter from the measurement difference signal (par. 58-63; wherein a plurality of overlay signals and focus offset values are determined and compared in a calibration function);
[claim 23] wherein a center of mass of the main feature is dependent on the focus setting of the lithographic exposure process used to print the main feature (par. 22; 58-63) (Figures 1a-d).
Conclusion
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JONATHAN M. HANSEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2877
/JONATHAN M HANSEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877
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