DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US PGPub 2022/0189736, hereinafter Wang).
Regarding claim 1, Fig. 1 of Wang discloses a dual scan type ion implant system (ion implantation apparatus IM1, see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0032]), comprising:
a process chamber in which scanning is performed with an ion beam (processing chamber 6 receives ion beam IB from ion source 1, see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0032-0033]);
first and second scan robots placed inside the process chamber (transfer arms Va, Vb located within process chamber 6 transfer wafer W between platen P and vacuum spare chambers 7a, 7b, see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0037-0039]); and
an EFEM provided on one side of the process chamber, and equipped with a plurality of wafer cassettes (atmospheric robots Aa, Ab located to one side of the process chamber 6 transfers wafer W between vacuum spare chambers 7a, 7b to cassettes 10a to 10d, see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0041-0042]),
wherein the first and second scan robots inside the process chamber receive wafers from the EFEM along different non-overlapping wafer scan transfer paths, respectively, and then the first and second scan robots alternately perform ion beam scanning (transfer robots Va, Vb path to their respective vacuum spare chambers 7a, 7b inside process chamber 6 for ion implantation at the platen P, see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0037-0039]; for the purpose of increased throughput (i.e. alternately), see paragraph [0126]).
Regarding claim 2, Wang discloses a first loadlock chamber assembly connected to a first end of the EFEM (vacuum spare chamber 7a positioned at one end of the process chamber 6, see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0041]);
a first vacuum transfer module provided between the first loadlock chamber and the process chamber (holding claw Ca of vacuum robot Va transfers wafer W from vacuum spare chamber 7a to process chamber 6, see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0037-0039];
a second loadlock chamber assembly connected to a second end of the EFEM (vacuum spare chamber 7b positioned at the other end of the process chamber 6, see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0041]); and
a second vacuum transfer module provided between the second loadlock chamber assembly and the process chamber (holding claw Cb of vacuum robot Vb transfers wafer W from vacuum spare chamber 7b to process chamber 6, see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0037-0039]).
Regarding claim 3, Wang discloses a first wafer scan transfer path among the wafer scan transfer paths is configured for going and returning from one of the plurality of wafer cassettes, to the EFEM, to the first loadlock chamber assembly, to the first vacuum transfer module, to the process chamber, to the first scan robot (wafer scan transfer path includes transferring wafer W from one of a plurality of cassettes 10a to 10d (wafer cassette) using atmospheric robot Aa (EFEM) to first vacuum spare chamber 7a (loadlock chamber assembly), see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0041]; to transferring wafer W from the vacuum spare chamber 7a to the holding claw Ca of transfer robot Va (vacuum transfer module) to the platen (in process chamber 6) by the transfer robot Va (scan robot), see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0037-0039]), and
a second wafer scan transfer path among the wafer scan transfer paths is configured for going and returning from one of the plurality of wafer cassettes, to the EFEM, to the second loadlock chamber, to the second vacuum transfer module, to the process chamber, to the second scan robot (wafer scan transfer path includes transferring wafer W from one of a plurality of cassettes 10a to 10d (wafer cassette) using atmospheric robot Ab (EFEM) to first vacuum spare chamber 7b (loadlock chamber assembly), see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0041]; to transferring wafer W from the vacuum spare chamber 7b to the holding claw Cb of transfer robot Vb (vacuum transfer module) to the platen (in process chamber 6) by the transfer robot Vb (scan robot), see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0037-0039]).
Regarding claim 4, Wang discloses an ion beam irradiation region between the first and second scan robots inside the process chamber is irradiated with the ion beam (ion beam IB from the ion source 1 is introduced into the processing chamber 6, see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0033-0034]), and the first and second scan robots placed on opposite sides of the ion beam irradiation region alternately expose the wafers to the ion beam irradiation region and perform scanning continuously (transfer robots Va, Vb path to their respective vacuum spare chambers 7a, 7b inside process chamber 6 for ion implantation at the platen P, see Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0037-0039]; for the purpose of increased throughput (i.e. alternately), see paragraph [0126]).
Regarding claim 5, Wang discloses one side of each of the first and second vacuum transfer modules is provided with an aligner for aligning a notch direction of the wafer (aligner 8 is disposed on one side of each of the first and second vacuum transfer modules to align the circumferential position of the wafer W with reference to a notch of the wafer W, see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0042]).
Regarding claim 6, Wang discloses each of the first and second loadlock chamber assemblies is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber for carrying the wafer into or out of the first or second vacuum transfer module (vacuum spare chambers 7a, 7b are designated for transferring the wafer W between the atmospheric robots Aa, Ab and the processing chamber 6, see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Wang discloses each of the first and second vacuum transfer modules maintains a high vacuum state corresponding to the process chamber, and is internally provided with a vacuum robot for transferring the wafer between the first or second loadlock chamber assembly, an aligner, and the process chamber (vacuum spare chambers 7a, 7b transfer the wafer W between a vacuum atmosphere (e.g. high vacuum state) and an atmospheric atmosphere, see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0037]; provided with a transfer arm Va, Vb, aligner 8, and the process chamber 6, see Fig. 1).
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Relleen et al. (US PGPub 2008/0142726, hereinafter Relleen).
Regarding claim 8, Wang depicts first and second scan robots (exemplified in atmospheric robots Aa, Ab, and transfer arms Va, Vb) having links to rotate about to transfer the wafer to and from the platen and the cassettes (see Fig. 1).
Wang is silent on the specific number of links and the drive parts to operate the scan robots.
Relleen teaches a scanning arm (described as prior art from WO2004/001789) positioning a wafer 10 with respect to an ion beam for implantation (see abstract and paragraph [0002]) where a variety of links (arms, elbows, and shoulders) and motors driven in specified directions to position the wafer in a desired location and orientation (both translational and a tilt angle relative to the ion beam 50, see paragraphs [0006-0008]). Furthermore, it would have been obvious at the time of invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have multiple arms, elbows, and shoulders to the scanning arm, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Since both inventions are drawn to ion implantation systems, it would have been obvious to the ordinary artisan before the effective filing date to modify Wang by providing a plurality of links with respective drive parts of the transfer arms for the purpose of having greater control over the positioning and angle of the wafer as taught by Relleen.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANWAY CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5766. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM EST.
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Hanway Chang
/HC/ Examiner, Art Unit 2878
/GEORGIA Y EPPS/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2878
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