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 .
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the application filed on 08/15/2024. Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1 and 15, the limitation “a platen facing the head with the substrate in between” is indefinite because it is unclear what the substrate is between. Is the substrate between the head and the platen or is the substrate between other structure. For purposes of examination the Office will interpret the limitation to read as “a platen facing the head with the substrate in between the platen and the head”.
Claims 2-14 are rejected as being dependent on claim 1.
Claims 16-20 are rejected as being dependent on claim 15.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Cai et al (CN116587158) discloses a polishing control device, comprising:
a head configured to mount a substrate [Cai, fig 2, 106 which holds wafer 108];
a platen facing the head with the substrate in between [Cai, fig 2, 102/104 face 108 with 108 between 102/104 and 106];
a source in at least one of the head or the platen configured to generate a signal [Cai, fig 2, 110 or 114 or 118 are all sensors that generate a signal that is sent to controller 112]; and
a controller configured to analyze the signal detected by the sensor and control the polishing of the substrate [Cai, fig 2, 112 is a controller and page 29, pp 0056 teaching 112 receives a thickness difference signal and controls the polishing and the gap D1 between the head and the polishing pad/platen].
Cai does not explicitly disclose a sensor configured to detect the signal transmitted through the substrate, the sensor being opposite the source and in at least one of the platen or the head and facing the source.
Jiang et al (CN112894609) teaches in figure 1 a polishing control device, comprising:
a head configured to mount a substrate [Jiang, fig 1, 10 which holds wafer 14];
a platen facing the head with the substrate in between [Jiang, fig 1, 20 which has ]; and
a source in at least one of the head or the platen configured to generate a signal [Jiang, fig 1, 12 and 21 and page 24, pp 0046 are distance sensors that use reflectivity and the difference in measurements between the two sensors].
Jaing does not explicitly disclose a sensor configured to detect the signal transmitted through the substrate, the sensor being opposite the source and in at least one of the platen or the head and facing the source.
Kitade et al (US PGPUB No. 2008/0156773) teaches a polishing control device, comprising:
a head configured to mount a substrate [Kitade, figs 3a and 4, 3 which holds W];
a platen facing the head with the substrate in between [Kitade, figs 3a and 4, 2/6 is a platen with W between 2/6 and 3];
a source in at least one of the head or the platen configured to generate a signal [Kitade, figs 3a or 4, teaching that 37 is a sensor that generates a signal and is either within the head 3 or within the platen 2/6]; and
a controller configured to analyze the signal detected by the sensor and control the polishing of the substrate [Kitade, page 7, pp 0080, control unit].
Kitade does not explicitly disclose a sensor configured to detect the signal transmitted through the substrate, the sensor being opposite the source and in at least one of the platen or the head and facing the source.
Carcasi et al (US PGPUB No. 2024/0421009) teaches a device, comprising:
a platen supporting a substrate [Carcasi, fig 4, 310];
a source behind at least one of the head or the platen [Carcasi, fig 4, 330] configured to generate a signal [Carcasi, fig 4, 330 emits I0];
a sensor configured to detect the signal transmitted through the substrate [Carcasi, fig 4, 340 receives the emitted light through W], the sensor being opposite the source [Carcasi, fig 4, 340 is opposite 330]; and
a controller configured to analyze the signal detected by the sensor [Carcasi, fig 4, 350].
Carcasi does not teach a polishing control device, comprising: a head configured to mount a substrate; a platen facing the head with the substrate in between; the source in at least one of the head or the platen; the sensor in at least one of the platen or the head; and the controller configured to control the polishing of the substrate.
Baek et al (US PGPUB No. 2022/0037215) teaches a device, comprising:
a platen supporting a substrate [Baek, fig 1, 100 supports W and page 3, pp 0043];
a source behind at least one of the head or the platen [Baek, fig 1, 200] configured to generate a signal [Baek, page 2, pp 0040, where 200 emits EW1];
a sensor configured to detect the signal transmitted through the substrate [Baek, fig 1, and page 3, pp 0042, 400 receives the signal EW1 through EW2 and EW3], the sensor being opposite the source [Baek, fig 1, 400 is opposite 200]; and
a controller configured to analyze the signal detected by the sensor [Baek, page 3, pp 0042, 400 includes a signal processor in order to signal process the electromagnetic waves received by 400].
Baek does not teach a polishing control device, comprising: a head configured to mount a substrate; a platen facing the head with the substrate in between; the source in at least one of the head or the platen; the sensor in at least one of the platen or the head; and the controller configured to control the polishing of the substrate.
Regarding claims 1 and 15, the prior art considered as a whole, alone or in combination, neither anticipates nor renders obvious “a sensor configured to detect the signal transmitted through the substrate, the sensor being … in at least one of the platen or the head and facing the source” together in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claim and in the independent claim. Where the combination of one of Cai, Kitade, and Jiang with either Carcasi or Baek would not still not produce the claimed invention because the source and sensors of Carcasi and Baek are not within a structure and so the combination would not place the source or sensors within either the head or the platen as required by the claim(s) and still being able to transmit through the substrate. Further, while Cai, Kitade, and Jiang teach possible sensors and sources in each of the head and platen, each sensor and/or source uses reflectivity and only uses the signal to be received again by the sensor and then to be transmitted to the controller and does not transmit or emit through the substrate to a sensor on the opposite side as required by the claim(s).
Claim(s) 2-14 would be allowed as being dependent on claim 1.
Claim(s) 16-20 would be allowed as being dependent on claim 15.
Conclusion
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/ROBERT F NEIBAUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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