DETAILED ACTION
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
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.
Claim(s) 7, 11 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhao et al (US 20180073993).
Regarding claim 7, Zhao et al teach (Figs. 1-8) A method of pre-bonding inspection, comprising: illuminating a surface ([0043] – wafer) of a sample by a first light source (108a) at a first oblique angle to the surface of the sample and by a second light source (108b) at a second oblique angle to the surface of the sample, the surface of the sample having a two dimensional (2D) periodic pattern (claim 19, patterned wafer) and defects; acquiring a first optical image, of the surface of the sample, generated by the first light source and a second optical image, of the surface of the sample, generated by the second light source; and combining ([0044]) the first optical image and the second optical image, wherein a combined optical image generated from the first optical image and the second optical image specifies locations of the point defects ([0044]) on the surface of the sample.
Regarding claim 11, Zhao et al teach ([0046]) the first light source and the second light source each comprise a uni-directional or nearly uni-directional laser or light emitting diode.
Regarding claim 12, Zhao et al teach ([0033]) the acquiring the first optical image and the second optical image comprises a time delay integration (TDI) scanning of the surface of the sample.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-6 and 13-21 are allowed.
Claims 8-10 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:
Regarding claim 8, prior art of record does not teach the sample comprises metallic bond pads in a two dimensional (2D) periodic pattern formed on the surface of the sample.
Regarding claim 10, prior art of record does not teach the first oblique angle and the second oblique angle have azimuthal directions that are orthogonal to each other in a plane parallel to the surface of the sample.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 7 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TONY KO whose telephone number is (571)272-1926. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Georgia Epps can be reached at 571-272-2328. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TONY KO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878
TK
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