DETAILED ACTION
Table of Contents
I. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 3
II. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 3
A. Claims 1, 2, 11, 12, and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2002/0026894 (“Takamori”). 3
III. Allowable Subject Matter 7
IV. Pertinent Prior Art 10
Conclusion 11
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I. 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 .
II. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
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.
A. Claims 1, 2, 11, 12, and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2002/0026894 (“Takamori”).
With regard to claim 1, Takamori discloses, generally in Figs. 1, 9, and 10,
1. A coating processing apparatus comprising:
[1] a rotary table 52 [¶ 57] that is rotatable while holding a substrate W [¶ 57] on which a coating film [i.e. resist solution R] is to be formed;
[2] a first discharge nozzle 86 [i.e. “resist solution supply nozzle 86” (¶ 59)] that discharges a first coating liquid to a first discharge position that is a central portion of the substrate W held on the rotary table 52 to form a first liquid film R [¶ 86];
[3] a second discharge nozzle 132 [i.e. “thinner discharge nozzle 132” (¶ 93)] that discharges a second coating liquid [i.e. thinner] to a second discharge position outside the first discharge position of the substrate to form a second liquid film [¶ 93: “a thinner supply section 131 for supplying a thinner to the outer regions of the outline of the outer periphery of the resist diffusing on the wafer W.”];
[4] an imaging device 105 [e.g. “CCD camera” (¶¶ 65, 74, 87)] configured to be able to image contours of the first R and second [thinner] liquid films spreading toward an outside of the substrate W by rotation of the substrate W [¶ 87 (infra)]; and
[5] a control device 110 [¶ 93] configured to control at least one of a rotation speed [¶ 87] of the substrate W and the second discharge position [i.e. outside of the resist solution R in scratchpad S based on an imaging result by the imaging device 105 [¶ 93: “…a drive portion 135 for driving the thinner discharge nozzle 132 in the direction of the radius of the wafer W. A signal from the detecting sensor 105 is input to the unit controller 110, and the stepping motor 112, the drive motor 54, the pump 134, and the drive portion 135 are controlled by the unit controller 110 based on the signal.”] so that a distance [portion of d] between the contours falls within a predetermined range [¶¶ 87, 93-94 (infra)].
With regard to features [4] and [5] of claim 1, Takamori states,
[0087] During the above, the spreading state of the outline of the resist solution is detected by the detecting sensor 105 such as a CCD camera or the like, the state is sent to the unit controller 110, and the state at that time is monitored by the display device 113. If the scratchpad S is detected by the detecting sensor 105, the width d of the scratchpad S is measured by the unit controller 110. At this time, as shown in FIG. 8, the whole image of the wafer W is displayed on the display device 113 and the scratchpad S is displayed in a gray ring-shaped belt when the wafer W is rotated, and thus the width d in the direction of the radius of the scratchpad S can be read by the display device 113.
(Takamori: ¶ 87; emphasis added)
Because the “whole image of the wafer W is displayed on the display device 113”, the moving fronts of both the resist solution contour R and the thinner solution 132 are imaged by the CCD camera 105.
Takamori further explains that the controller 110 controls both the rotation speed of the wafer and the position of the thinner discharge nozzle 132 based on the image from the CCD camera 105, as follows:
[0093] As shown in FIG. 9, a control system of the resist coating unit (COT) of this embodiment is the same as in the aforesaid embodiment. A stepping motor 112 for driving a bellows pump 111 of a resist solution supply section 89 and a drive motor 54 are connected to a unit controller 110. A detecting sensor 105 is also connected to the unit controller 110. Addition to the above, this embodiment has a thinner supply section 131 for supplying a thinner to the outer regions of the outline of the outer periphery of the resist diffusing on the wafer W. The thinner supply section 131 includes a thinner discharge nozzle 132 disposed above the wafer W, a thinner storage portion 133 in which a thinner is stored, a pump 134 for sending the thinner stored in the thinner storage portion 133 to the thinner discharge nozzle 132, a drive portion 135 for driving the thinner discharge nozzle 132 in the direction of the radius of the wafer W. A signal from the detecting sensor 105 is input to the unit controller 110, and the stepping motor 112, the drive motor 54, the pump 134, and the drive portion 135 are controlled by the unit controller 110 based on the signal.
[0094] Concretely, in the same way as in the aforesaid embodiment, when a scratchpad S is detected by the detecting sensor 105, the unit controller 110 measures a width d in the direction of the radius of the scratchpad S based on the detected information, and the rotation speed of the wafer W, or the amount or the speed of the resist solution discharged from the resist solution supply nozzle 86 is controlled so that the width of the scratchpad S becomes not so large as to exert influence upon application of the resist solution as described later. In addition to the above in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, for instance when the width of the scratchpad S becomes not less than a predetermined width, the thinner is supplied from the thinner discharge nozzle 132 onto the wafer W, to the outer regions of the outline of the outer periphery of the resist solution diffusing on the wafer W, so that the width of the scratchpad S becomes not so large as to exert influence upon application of the resist solution.
(Takamori: ¶¶ 93-94; emphasis added)
Thus, the position of the thinner of the thinner discharge nozzle 132 is controlled by the controller 110 based on the signal from the CCD camera 105 so that the “predetermined width” (¶ 94) of the scratchpad S outside the contour formed by the resist solution R is not exceeded. Therefore, the controller controls the contour of the thinner discharged from the thinner discharge nozzle 132 within the “predetermined width” (¶ 94) of the scratchpad S away from the contour of the resist solution R, as shown in Figs. 9-10.
This is all of the limitations of claim 1.
With regard to claim 2, Takamori further discloses,
2. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device 110 includes a controller configured to calculate the distance between the contours of the first R and second [thinner] liquid films based on the imaging result [from the CCD camera 105] to control at least one of the rotation speed of the substrate W and the second discharge position [of the thinner discharge nozzle 132] so that the distance between the contours is maintained within the predetermined range [i.e. within the “predetermined width” (¶ 94) of the scratchpad S away from the contour of the resist solution R, as shown in Figs. 9-10 (supra)] when the distance between the contours is within the predetermined range.
The distance between the contours of the resist solution R and the thinner is maintained at least as long as the width d of the scratchpad S is unacceptable, i.e. outside the predetermined width.
With regard to claims 11, 12, and 14, Takamori further discloses,
11. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device 105 includes one imaging device [as shown in Fig. 9] provided to be able to image the contours of the first R and second [thinner] liquid films [because the whole wafer is imaged (¶ 87, supra)].
12. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contour of the second liquid film [i.e. thinner] includes an edge inside the second liquid film formed in a substantially annular shape on the substrate W [because the wafer W is being rotated].
14. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first coating liquid includes photoresist, and the second coating liquid includes thinner capable of dissolving the photoresist.
With regard to claim 15, Takamori discloses,
15. A method for forming a coating film, the method comprising:
[1] holding a substrate W on which a coating film [i.e. resist solution R] is to be formed to hold the substrate W on a rotary table 52 that is rotatable;
[2] discharging a first coating liquid R to a first discharge position that is a central portion of the substrate W to form a first liquid film R/S [as shown in Fig. 9];
[3] discharging a second coating liquid [i.e. thinner from thinner discharge nozzle 132] to a second discharge position outside the first discharge position [i.e. center of W] of the substrate W to form a second liquid film [i.e. thinner film] [as explained under claim 1, above];
[4] imaging contours of the first R and second [thinner] liquid films spreading toward an outside of the substrate W by rotation of the substrate W by an imaging device 105 [e.g. “CCD camera” (¶¶ 65, 74, 87)]; and
[5] controlling at least one of a rotation speed of the substrate W and the second discharge position based on an imaging result by the imaging device 105 so that a distance between the contours falls within a predetermined range [as explained under claim 1, above].
With regard to claim 16, Takamori further discloses,
16. The method for forming the coating film according to claim 15, further comprising: calculating the distance between the contours of the first and second liquid films based on the imaging result by the imaging device to control at least one of the rotation speed of the substrate and the second discharge position so that the distance between the contours is maintained within the predetermined range when the distance between the contours is within the predetermined range.
See discussion under claim 2, which is incorporated here.
III. Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10, 13, and 17-20 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 prior art does not reasonably teach or suggest—in the context of each of the following claims—the limitations recited therein:
3. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to control, based on a transition of the distance between the contours from a first time after starting to discharge the first coating liquid to a second time after the first time, the rotation speed of the substrate after the second time and until the discharge of the first coating liquid is ended.
4. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to control, based on a transition of the distance between the contours from a first time after starting to discharge the first coating liquid in the substrate held on the rotary table to a second time after the first time, the second discharge position on a substrate to be held on the rotary table after the substrate.
5. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured not to control the rotation speed of the substrate when the distance between the contours exceeds the predetermined range.
6. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control device further includes a storage unit configured to store reference information in which the rotation speed of the substrate, the second discharge position, the distance between the contours, a speed at which the first and second liquid films spread on the substrate, and an inspection result obtained by inspecting a formation state of the coating film are associated with each other for the substrate on which the coating film is formed, and the controller is configured to control at least one of the rotation speed of the substrate and the second discharge position so that the distance between the contours falls within the predetermined range, based on the reference information and the imaging result.
Claims 7-9 would be allowable at least for including the same allowable limitation by depending from claim 6 either directly or indirectly.
10. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes first and second imaging devices respectively provided in the first discharge nozzle and the second discharge nozzle, and the first imaging device included in the first discharge nozzle and the second imaging device included in the second discharge nozzle image the respective contours of the first and second liquid films.
13. The coating processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined range is equal to or more than a distance at which the contours of the first and second liquid films do not contact with each other and equal to or less than 4 cm.
17. The method for forming the coating film according to claim 16, further comprising: calculating the distance between the contours based on the imaging result from a first time after starting to discharge the first coating liquid to a second time after the first time to control the rotation speed of the substrate after the second time and until the discharge of the first coating liquid is ended based on a transition of the distance between the contours.
18. The method for forming the coating film according to claim 16, further comprising: calculating the distance between the contours based on the imaging result from a first time after starting to discharge the first coating liquid in the substrate held on the rotary table to a second time after the first time to control the second discharge position on a substrate to be held on the rotary table after the substrate based on a transition of the distance between the contours.
19. The method for forming the coating film according to claim 16, further comprising: not controlling the rotation speed of the substrate when the distance between the contours exceeds the predetermined range.
20. The method for forming the coating film according to claim 16, the method being executed by a coating processing apparatus controlled by a control device including a storage unit, the method further comprising: causing the storage unit to store reference information in which the rotation speed of the substrate, the second discharge position, the distance between the contours, a speed at which the first and second liquid films spread on the substrate, and an inspection result obtained by inspecting a formation state of the coating film are associated with each other for the substrate on which the coating film is formed; and controlling at least one of the rotation speed of the substrate and the second discharge position so that the distance between the contours falls within the predetermined range based on the reference information and the imaging result.
IV. Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2002/0176928 (“Minami”) is cited for disclosing a spin coating apparatus including two separate nozzles, 31 and 41, for dispensing a coating fluid onto the substrate W (¶¶ 29-30; Figs. 1, 2), as well as a sensor 7 for providing the “state of the surface of the wafer W … to the control part 5” (¶ 33).
US 2016/0167079 (“Hashimoto”) is cited for disclosing a spin coating apparatus including two separate nozzles, 154 and 158, for dispensing a coating fluid, i.e. a resist R, and a solvent Q, respectively, onto the substrate W, each having separate contours, as shown in Fig. 10 (¶ 75). See also Figs. 7-13 and the associated text. No imaging device is disclosed.
US 2018/0021804 (“Hashimoto”) is cited for disclosing a spin coating apparatus including similar elements as those in the ‘079 publication. See Figs. 18-20 and the associated text.
US 6,371,667 (“Kitano”) is cited for disclosing a spin coating apparatus including two separate nozzles, N11 and N12, for dispensing a coating fluid onto the substrate W, wherein the first nozzle N11 coats only from the center C of the wafer W to the position X, while the second nozzle N12 coats only from the position X to the peripheral edge of the wafer W. (See Fig. 8 and associated text.)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIK KIELIN whose telephone number is (571)272-1693. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 10:00 AM-7:00 PM.
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Signed,
/ERIK KIELIN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2814
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