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 .
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claims 1, 4, 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Wang (CN 103904011 A).
Claim 1 is rejected under two mutually independent interpretations. Under the first interpretation support ring is interpreted to be combination of three suction head assemblies 200. Under the second interpretation the support ring is interpreted to be one of the three suction head assemblies 200.
Regarding claim 1, Under the first interpretation, Wang teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. below) a method comprising: placing a substrate (warped substrate 110) on a chuck (silicon wafer 300 seats on chuck 100), wherein a first O-ring (suction nozzle 210) is disposed on a first support ring (combination of three suction head assemblies 200 create a first support ring around central axis of the chuck), wherein the first support ring extends through the chuck, and wherein the first O-ring is in contact with the substrate (see Fig. 5); adjusting a first height (H) of the first O-ring relative to a top surface of the chuck by independently adjusting heights of segments of the first support ring (the first support ring has three adjustable segments) relative to the top surface of the chuck; forming a seal between the substrate and the chuck with a vacuum system; and performing a fabrication process(par. 0004: “ lithographic process”) on the substrate.
Regarding claim 7, Under the first interpretation, Wang teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) the first support ring surrounds a central axis (C) of the chuck in a top-down view.
Regarding claim 1, Under the second interpretation, Wang teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) a method comprising: placing a substrate (warped substrate 110) on a chuck (silicon wafer 300 seats on chuck 100), wherein a first O-ring (suction nozzle 210) is disposed on a first support ring (one of the three suction head assemblies 200), wherein the first support ring extends through the chuck, and wherein the first O-ring is in contact with the substrate (see Fig. 5); adjusting a first height of the first O-ring relative to a top surface of the chuck by independently adjusting heights of segments of the first support ring (support ring has multiple segments which are at least spring 234, guide column 233, piston 232 and ball 220) relative to the top surface of the chuck; forming a seal between the substrate and the chuck with a vacuum system; and performing a fabrication process(par. 0004: “ lithographic process”) on the substrate.
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Regarding claim 4, Under the second interpretation, Wang teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) a second O-ring is disposed on a second support ring (another of the three suction head assemblies 200), wherein the second support ring extends through the chuck, wherein the second O-ring is in contact with the substrate (see Fig. 5), and wherein the first height of the first O-ring relative to the top surface of the chuck is larger than a second height of the second O-ring relative to the top surface of the chuck (depending on warpage of the substrate height of each one of the O-rings is adjusted and one can be higher than the other one).
Regarding claim 5, Under the second interpretation, Wang teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) adjusting the second height by independently adjusting heights of segments of the second support ring relative to the top surface of the chuck (support ring has multiple segments which are at least spring 234, guide column 233, piston 232 and ball 220).
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 1, 4-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM ZIN SIG (KR 20130068453 A) hereinafter Sig in view of Balan et al. (US 20180108559 A1) hereinafter Balan.
Regarding claim 1, Sig teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. below) a method comprising: placing a substrate (107) on a chuck (Fig. 2), wherein a first O-ring is disposed on a first support ring (104b),
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wherein the first support ring (104b) extends through the chuck (see Fig. 3), and wherein the first O-ring is in contact with the substrate; adjusting a first height of the first O-ring relative to a top surface of the chuck by independently adjusting heights of segments of the first support ring relative to the top surface of the chuck; forming a seal between the substrate and the chuck with a vacuum system; and performing a fabrication process on the substrate.
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However Sig is silent regarding a two piece (O-ring and support ring).
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Balan teaches flexible O-ring 102 on lifting pins 104 for sealing purposes.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to ass flexible first O-ring on the first support ring (104b) of Sig. Doing so would improve sealing function.
Regarding claim 4, combined device of Sig and Balan teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) a second O-ring is disposed on a second support ring (104c), wherein the second support ring extends through the chuck (100), wherein the second O-ring is in contact with the substrate, and wherein the first height of the first O-ring relative to the top surface of the chuck is larger than a second height of the second O-ring relative to the top surface of the chuck (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, Sig teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) adjusting the second height by independently adjusting heights of segments of the second support ring relative to the top surface of the chuck (compare Figs. 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 7, Sig teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) the first support ring surrounds a central axis (CA) of the chuck in a top-down view.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sig in view of Balan as applied in rejection of claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim (US 20200168442 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Sig teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) the first support ring (104b) is attached to one or more fine adjustment device 42 (fine adjustment device appears to be electric motor, but Sig. is silent regarding that).
Kim teaches ring 240 lift pin controllers with stepping motors (see par. 0015 and 0034). Kim teaches pulses of the stepping motors may be adjusted to control moving distances of the first lift pin and the second lift pin (par. 0015).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to use stepping motors for lifting and lowering support rings of Sig for movement control.
Claims 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sig in view of in view of Balan and Kim.
Regarding claim 8, Sig teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) a method comprising: placing a substrate (107) on a chuck (Fig. 2), wherein a first O-ring is disposed on a first support ring (104b), wherein the first support ring extends through the chuck, wherein the first support ring is attached to fine adjustment device 42 (fine adjustment device appears to be electric motor, but Sig. is silent regarding that), wherein the first O-ring surrounds a central axis (CA) of the chuck in a top-down view, wherein the first O-ring is spaced apart from a top surface of the chuck by a first distance, and wherein the first O-ring is in contact with the substrate; adjusting the first distance by moving the first support ring using the fine adjustment device 42; forming a seal between the substrate and the chuck with a vacuum system; and performing a fabrication process on the substrate.
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However Sig is silent regarding a two piece (O-ring and support ring).
Balan teaches flexible O-ring 102 on lifting pins 104 for sealing purposes.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to ass flexible first O-ring on the first support ring (104b) of Sig. Doing so would improve sealing function.
Kim teaches ring 240 lift pin controllers with stepping motors (see par. 0015 and 0034). Kim teaches pulses of the stepping motors may be adjusted to control moving distances of the first lift pin and the second lift pin (par. 0015).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to use stepping motors for lifting and lowering support rings of Sig for movement control.
Regarding claim 9, combined device of Sig and Kim teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) the first support ring comprises discrete segments, and wherein the discrete segments of the first support ring are moved independently.
Regarding claim 10, combined device of Sig, Balan and Kim teaches (reproduced and annotated Figs. above) a second O-ring is disposed on a second support ring (104c), wherein the second support ring extends through the chuck, wherein the second O-ring surrounds the central axis (CA) of the chuck in the top-down view, wherein the second O-ring is in contact with the substrate, wherein the second support ring is attached to a second electric motor, wherein the second support ring comprises discrete segments, and wherein the discrete segments of the second support ring are moved independently.
Regarding claim 11, depending on curvature direction of the wafer (convex or concave shape) this first and second distances will be different.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Balan.
Regarding claim 2, Wang does not teach first electric motors attached to the first support ring.
Balan teaches lifting and lowering by a piezoelectric actuator (par. 0032-0033).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to use electric motor for lifting and lowering of the first ring of Wang for controlled automated actuation.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nasman et al. (US 20190035646 A1) hereinafter Nasman in view of Balan in view of Holt et al. (US 20190366635 A1) hereinafter Holt.
Regarding claim 14, Nasman teaches a method comprising: placing a substrate (106) on a chuck (120), wherein a first O-ring (inflatable bladder 161) is disposed on the chuck, wherein the first O-ring is a pneumatic O-ring inflated (par. 0028), and wherein the first O-ring surrounds a central axis of the chuck in a top-down view; adjusting a pressure level in the first O-ring using (by vacuum through 134), wherein the pressure level in the first O-ring is maintained after forming the seal between the substrate and the chuck; and performing a fabrication process on the substrate (deposition process).
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Holt teaches an inflatable sealing O-ring 474 inflated by an inflation pump (see par. 0071).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to use inflation pump to automatically inflate the inflatable O-ring of Nasman.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6, 12, 13 and 15-20 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li (CN 113571458 A) teaches an adjustable height O-ring 220A to create a seal between a substrate 302 and a chuck 200 for vacuum application via vacuum holes.
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHDI H NEJAD whose telephone number is (571)270-0464. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-4pm EST.
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MAHDI H. NEJAD
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
/MAHDI H NEJAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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