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 .
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/15/2025, 4/8/2025, 12/10/2024 and 9/18/2024 comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the examiner considered the information disclosure statement.
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.
Claims 11 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rogers et al. (US20070133077) in view of Hill et al.(US20200124408, of record, see IDS dated 9/18/2024).
Regarding claim 11, Rogers teaches a method for illuminating a substrate (Rogers, abstract, a method for scanning a surface, consisting of focusing an array of optical beams using optics having an axis, so as to illuminate a region of the surface intercepted by the axis, such that each optical beam illuminates a portion of a respective sub-region within the region; see Rogers, fig. 9, wafer 24 has been referred to as substrate), the method comprises:
illuminating (fig. 9, laser 12 for illuminating) an illuminated region of a surface (see annotated image, Rogers, fig. 9, the illuminated region of surface) of an active region (see annotated image, Rogers, fig. 9, the illuminating region is an active region) of an acousto-optic device (fig. 9, AODs 212 and 214 has been referred to as an acousto-optic device) with a collimated input beam (see paragraph [0103] “source beam from laser 12”; thus, laser 12 is a collimated input beam) while feeding the AOD (paragraph [0103] “the AODs enable processor 36 to adjustably scan the substantially parallel source beam from laser 12) with a control signal (paragraph [0103] “Laser 12 is followed by two acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) 212 and 214, which are driven at respective radio-frequencies RF1 and RF2 by processor 36”; thus, the AODs receive a control signal, RF electrical signal by processor 36) that causes the illuminated region (see annotated image, Rogers, fig. 9, the illuminated region is formed by the laser 12) to output illuminated region output beams (see annotated image, Rogers, fig. 9, the illuminated region output) that are collimated and exhibit deflection angles (see paragraph [0103] “AODs 212 and 214 are configured to deflect the incoming source beam from laser 12 in two orthogonal directions”) that scan (as described in paragraph [0103] “The AODs enable processor 36 to adjustably scan the substantially parallel source beam from laser 12 independently in a local x and y direction, assumed to be orthogonal to the axis of the beam. Thus, processor 36 is able to scan the beam from laser 12 in a raster scan pattern similar to that shown in raster scan 80, (FIG. 2B)”), during a scan period (paragraph [0039] “during one scan, processor 36 moves array 27 from upper portion 32 to a lower portion 33 of region 30”), a deflection angular range (paragraph [0104] “Optics 216 receive the deflected laser beam from the AODs, and act to direct a substantially parallel beam to a Dammann grating 218”, and as described more detail in paragraph [0007] “a small region of overlap between the initial region and the new region”);
wherein the converting comprises outputting, by a Dammann grating (fig. 9, Dammann grating 218; paragraph [0104] “Optics 216 receive the deflected laser beam from the AODs, and act to direct a substantially parallel beam to a Dammann grating 218”), diffraction patterns, each diffraction pattern comprises diffraction orders (paragraph [0104] “Dammann grating 218 is constructed to generate a multiplicity of beams 220, each beam corresponding to a diffraction order”) that cover a continuous angular range (see paragraph [0005] “PCT Application WO 03/040709, to Almogy, et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an optical imaging system which uses a plurality of optical beams 222 from a spot grid array, the beams being focused onto the surface of a wafer. The wafer 24 is moved so that the focused spots 27 continuously and linearly traverse the surface 22. The spots are offset relative to each other so that the traversed lines followed by adjacent spots 27 do not overlap, but do touch each other. One scan of the array thus images a relatively large swathe of the wafer”; thus, Rogers teaches wherein the converting comprises outputting, by a Dammann grating 218, diffraction patterns, each diffraction pattern comprises diffraction orders that cover a continuous angular range).
But Rogers does not explicitly disclose wherein receiving the illuminated region output beams by an etendue expanding optical module; and
converting the illuminated region output beams, by the etendue expanding optical module, to collimated output beams that impinge on an output aperture; wherein a collimated output beam has a width that exceeds a width of an illuminated region beam.
However, Hill teaches the analogous illumination system (see Hill, abstract, a multipole illumination system may include an illumination source to generate a source beam, one or more acousto-optic deflectors to diffract the source beam along at least two directions; one or more collection lenses to collect at least some of the diffracted light from the one or more acousto-optic deflectors, and a controller to generate one or more drive signals for the one or more acousto-optic deflectors), and further teaches wherein
receiving the illuminated region output beams (see annotated image, Hill of fig. 1B, the illuminated region output beams) by an etendue expanding optical module (see annotated image, Hill of FIG. 1B, from optical elements 116 to illumination poles 108 has been referred to as an etendue expanding optical module); and
converting (Hill, paragraph [0065] “a source beam 104 generated by many illumination sources 102”) the illuminated region output beams (see annotated image, Hill of fig. 1B, the illuminated region output beams), by the etendue expanding optical module (see annotated image, Hill of FIG. 1B, the etendue expanding optical module), to collimated output beams (see annotated image, Hill of FIG. 1B, the collimated output beams) that impinge on an output aperture (paragraph [0055] “integrated into one or more apertures 122”); wherein a collimated output beam has a width that exceeds a width of an illuminated region beam (see annotated image, Hill of FIG. 1B, the collimated output beam has the width that exceeds the width of illuminated region beam).
Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Rogers to have the specific etendue expanding optical module as taught by Hill for the purpose of providing high-brightness illumination with a rapidly-configurable illumination profile (Hill, paragraph [0026]).
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Regarding claim 15, combination Rogers-Hill discloses the invention as described in Claim 11 and Rogers further teaches wherein comprising converting (Rogers, paragraph [0104] “Optics 216 typically comprise two converging lenses”), by an output module (Rogers, fig. 9, an output module has been referred to form the optics 216 to objective optics 226), the collimated output beams (fig. 9, the plurality of optical beams 222) to spaced apart spots on the substrate (see paragraph [0005], and as described in paragraph [0105] “One or more lenses 224 receive beams 220 and form the beams into a corresponding multiplicity of beams 222 which are approximately parallel to each other. Lenses 224, together with optics 226, direct beams 222 to form array of focused spots 27 on surface 22 of wafer 24”; thus, a plurality of optical beams 222 from a spot grid array, the beams being focused onto the surface of a wafer 24).
Regarding claim 16, combination Rogers-Hill discloses the invention as described in Claim 15 and Rogers further teaches wherein different linear array of spots scan a linear region of the substrate during the scan period (see Rogers, as described in paragraph [0006] “the array of spots illuminate a swathe of the surface, parallel to the linear motion of the surface, while continuing to be focused onto the surface within the optimal focusing region. The motions are also set so that substantially every point within the swathe is illuminated by at least one of the spots”).
Regarding claim 17, combination Rogers-Hill discloses the invention as described in Claim 15 and Rogers further teaches wherein converting comprises:
illuminating an output Dammann grating (Rogers, fig. 9, the Dammann grating 216) with the collimated output beams (Rogers, fig. 9, the beams 222);
outputting, by the output Dammann grating (the Dammann grating 218 is the output Dammann grating), output diffraction patterns (see paragraph [0005] describes an optical imaging system which uses a plurality of optical beams 222 from a spot grid array, the beams being focused onto the surface of a wafer 24. The wafer 24 is moved so that the focused spots 27 continuously and linearly traverse the surface 22; paragraph [0104] “Dammann grating 218 is constructed to generate a multiplicity of beams 220, each beam corresponding to a diffraction order”; since beams 220 corresponding to a diffraction order, Rogers teaches wherein the converting comprises outputting, by the Dammann grating 218, and have the output diffraction patterns); and
converting the output diffraction patterns, by an objective lens (fig. 9, paragraph [0103] “objective optics 226”), to form the spaced apart spots (paragraph [0105] “Lenses 224, together with optics 226, direct beams 222 to form array of focused spots 27”).
Regarding claim 18, combination Rogers-Hill discloses the invention as described in Claim 15 and Rogers further teaches wherein obtaining detection signals indicative of radiation from the substrate that resulted from a formation of the spaced apart spots on the substrate (see Rogers, fig. 9, paragraph [0028] “the imaging optics forming images of respective spots 27 onto a detector array 34. Signals from array 34 are processed by processor 36; paragraph [0103] “the elements of optics 20 are also replaced as necessary to form objective optics 226, which have the same function as optics 20”; thus, Rogers teaches wherein obtaining detection signals from detector array 34 indicative of radiation from the substrate 24 that resulted from a formation of the spaced apart spots 27 on the substrate 24).
Regarding claim 19, combination Rogers-Hill discloses the invention as described in Claim 11 and Rogers further teaches wherein repeating the illuminating, receiving and converting for each one of multiple scan periods (as described in paragraphs [0080]-[0081], after each sub-jump, processor 36 sets array 27 to scan a different cell, from 1 to Ncell, of rectangles 82, and repeats the scanning sequence this is an integral multiple of Ncell, so that each period begins on the same cell as the previous period).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rogers et al. (US20070133077) in view of Hill et al.(US20200124408, of record, see IDS dated 9/18/2024), and further in view of Popinciuc (US20220308468).
Regarding claim 20, combination Rogers-Hill discloses the invention as described in Claim 11 and Rogers further teaches wherein an area of the illuminated region is a fraction of an area of the surface (see annotated image, Rogers, fig. 9, the laser 12 illuminate region is a fraction of an area of the surface), but Rogers does not explicitly disclose wherein the method comprises avoiding from illuminating the surface outside the illuminated region.
However, Popinciuc teaches the analogous radiation source (Popinciuc, abstract, a method for determining a center of a radiation spot irradiated on a surface by a sensor, the sensor including a radiation source and a detector; paragraph [0065] “The radiation source 202 may be, for example, a narrowband or broadband radiation source, such as a supercontinuum light source, polarized or non-polarized, pulsed or continuous, such as a polarized or non-polarized laser beam”), and further teaches wherein the method comprises avoiding from illuminating the surface outside the illuminated region (see Popinciuc, fig. 5a, paragraph [0073] “the correct area of the surface 130 is irradiated by the radiation spot 101, for example, to avoid that a part of the radiation spot 101 is irradiated outside of the substrate”; thus, avoiding from illuminating radiation the surface outside the illuminated region.).
Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Rogers to have the specific function as taught by Popinciu for the purpose to provide a way to determine or at to least estimate a center of a radiation spot irradiated on a surface by an apparatus (Popinciu, paragraph [0006]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-14 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: with respect to the allowable subject matter, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Specifically, with respect to claim 12, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach an apparatus including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein the converting comprises focusing, by a cylindrical lens, the illuminated region output beams onto the Dammann grating to provide focused beams; wherein focused beams of different deflection angles impinge on different locations of the Dammann grating, during the scan period.
Claims 13-14 are also would be allowable due to their dependence on claim 12.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US20150226677 of Sullivan et al. (Fig. 2A-2B, Fig. 3A, Fig. 5A, Fig.9A-9F), US20150054937 of Lippert et al. (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) teach similar method and system for illuminating a substrate to the claimed invention, but none of them teaches the limitation of claim 12, wherein the converting comprises focusing, by a cylindrical lens, the illuminated region output beams onto the Dammann grating to provide focused beams; wherein focused beams of different deflection angles impinge on different locations of the Dammann grating, during the scan period.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KUEI-JEN LEE EDENFIELD whose telephone number is (571)272-3005. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. -Thurs 8:00 am - 5:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached on (571) 270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273- 8300.
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/KUEI-JEN L EDENFIELD/
Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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