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 .
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 § 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 1-10, 12, 16, 19, 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.
Claims 1, 12 recite the limitation “magnetic field matching”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recite the limitations “minimum value” , “converges to a target value”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 3, 6, 16 cite numerous “values” including magnetic flux density value and current value. A distinction between the two should result in a suggested claim 3 reciting … determine the value of the magnetic flux density that results in the electronic rotation period matching the electronic oscillation period; determine a thickness of the sheath region; determine at least one current value of the at least one current that causes the value of the magnetic flux density to be present at the boundary of the sheath region along a vertical axis passing through a common midpoint of the at least one coil, and flow the at least one current having the at least one current value into the at least one coil.
A distinction between the two should result in a suggested claim 6 reciting wherein the control unit is configured to determine the at least one current value based on a distance between the at least one coil and the boundary of the sheath region.
A distinction between the two should result in a suggested claim 16 reciting which “minimum value” , “converges to a target value” are either “initial value of the at least one current”, “a measured value of the light intensity”, “reference value”.
Claims 19 recites the limitation “magnetic field matching”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The Examiner suggests “…such that a magnetic flux density on the boundary of the sheath region has a value that results in magnetic [flux density] (Applicant’s [0069]) being equal to (Applicant’s [0070])
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, 13, 15, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kobayashi; Hiroyuki et al. (US 20080223522 A1). Kobayashi teaches a plasma processing device (Figure 1) comprising: a chamber body (1; Figure 1) defining a chamber space (1; Figure 1); an electrostatic chuck (4; Figure 1; [0043]) arranged to support a substrate (2; Figure 1) in the chamber space (1; Figure 1); an upper electrode (3,20; Figure 1; [0039]) located at an upper portion of the chamber body (1; Figure 1); a multiple high-frequency power supply (20,21-2; Figure 1;[0039] [0041]) including: a first power supply (20; Figure 1; [0039]) configured to apply a first high-frequency power to the upper electrode (3,20; Figure 1; [0039]), and a second power supply (21-2; Figure 1; [0041]) configured to apply a second high-frequency power to the electrostatic chuck (4; Figure 1; [0043]), wherein at least one of the first high-frequency power or the second high-frequency power excites a process gas supplied to the chamber space (1; Figure 1) to form a bulk plasma region and a sheath region in the chamber space (1; Figure 1), and wherein the multiple high-frequency power supply (20,21-2; Figure 1;[0039] [0041]) is configured to apply the at least one of the first high-frequency power or the second high-frequency power singly or simultaneously ([0049]); an optical interface (43-1; Figure 1) configured to receive light from the chamber space (1; Figure 1); a spectrometer (41-1; Figure 1; [0044],[0048]-[0049]) configured to monitor a light intensity at a target wavelength ([0047]-[0048],[0051]) of the light; a magnetic field control device (28 Figure 1; [0039]-[0040]) (Figure 1) including at least one coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) located above the upper electrode (3,20; Figure 1; [0039]), wherein the magnetic field control device (28 Figure 1; [0039]-[0040]) (Figure 1) is configured to form a magnetic field in the chamber space (1; Figure 1) using at least one current ([0049]) flowing through the at least one coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]); and a control unit (100 Figure 1; [0049]-[0050], [0052]) configured to: set at least one initial value of the at least one current ([0049]), cause a plasma process to be performed on the substrate (2; Figure 1), and based on a measured value (“measured data holding”; [0050]; claim 8) of the light intensity at the target wavelength ([0047]-[0048],[0051]) being different from a reference value (“spectrum profile data”; throughout; claim 8), adjust ([0050]; claim 8) the at least one current ([0049]) such that a difference between (“compares the measured spectrum profile with a spectrum profile..”; [0052]) the measured value (“measured data holding”; [0050]; claim 8) and the reference value (“spectrum profile data”; throughout; claim 8) decreases, as claimed by claim 11
Kobayashi further teaches:
The plasma processing device (Figure 1) of claim 11, wherein the reference value (“spectrum profile data”; throughout; claim 8) comprises an intensity value (“measured data”; throughout; [0050], claim 8) acquired in an experimental process environment or by simulation (“previously found by calculation”; [0050]), based on the at least one initial value, as claimed by claim 13
The plasma processing device (Figure 1) of claim 11, wherein the target wavelength ([0047]-[0048],[0051]) comprises a light wavelength ([0047]-[0048],[0051]) emitted by a by-product generated by the plasma process, as claimed by claim 15
The plasma processing device (Figure 1) of claim 11, wherein the at least one coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) comprises a plurality of coils (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) having different radii, wherein the plurality of coils (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) have a common midpoint aligned with a center position of the substrate (2; Figure 1), and wherein the control unit (100 Figure 1; [0049]-[0050], [0052]) is configured to: determine the difference (“compares the measured spectrum profile with a spectrum profile..”; [0052]), select a first coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) from the plurality of coils (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]), and repeat an operation of adjusting ([0050]; claim 8) a current ([0049]) flowing in the first coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) until the difference (“compares the measured spectrum profile with a spectrum profile..”; [0052]) converges to a minimum [current] value or converges to a target [current] value or target range, as claimed by claim 16
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection 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: Kobayashi; Hiroyuki et al. (US 20080223522 A1) is cited as the closest prior art. With respect to claim 1, Kobayashi teaches a plasma processing device (Figure 1) comprising: a chamber body (1; Figure 1) defining a chamber space (1; Figure 1); an electrostatic chuck (4; Figure 1; [0043]) arranged to support a substrate (2; Figure 1) in the chamber space (1; Figure 1); an upper electrode (3,20; Figure 1; [0039]) located at an upper portion of the chamber body (1; Figure 1); a multiple high-frequency power supply (20,21-2; Figure 1;[0039] [0041]) including: a first power supply (20; Figure 1; [0039]) configured to apply a first high-frequency power to the upper electrode (3,20; Figure 1; [0039]), and a second power supply (21-2; Figure 1; [0041]) configured to apply a second high-frequency power to the electrostatic chuck (4; Figure 1; [0043]), wherein at least one of the first high-frequency power or the second high-frequency power excites a process gas supplied to the chamber space (1; Figure 1) to form a bulk plasma region and a sheath region in the chamber space (1; Figure 1), and wherein the multiple high-frequency power supply (20,21-2; Figure 1;[0039] [0041]) is configured to apply the at least one of the first high-frequency power or the second high-frequency power singly or simultaneously; a magnetic field control device (28 Figure 1; [0039]-[0040]) (Figure 1) including at least one coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) located above the upper electrode (3,20; Figure 1; [0039]), wherein the magnetic field control device (28 Figure 1; [0039]-[0040]) (Figure 1) is configured to form a magnetic field in the chamber space (1; Figure 1) using at least one current ([0049]) flowing through the at least one coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]).
However, in claim 1, Kobayashi’s control unit (100 Figure 1; [0049]-[0050], [0052]) is not taught or suggested, alone or in combination, configured to control Kobayashi’s at least one current ([0049]) flowing through Kobayashi’s at least one coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) such that a magnetic flux density at a target position on a boundary of Kobayashi’s sheath region to have a value has a value that results in flux density th interview, attached.
Claims 3, 6 would be allowable if rewritten 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.
Claim 12 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
With respect to claim 12, as stated above similar to claim 1, Kobayashi’s control unit (100 Figure 1; [0049]-[0050], [0052]) is not taught or suggested, alone or in combination, configured to control Kobayashi’s control unit (100 Figure 1; [0049]-[0050], [0052]) is configured to determine the at least one initial value such that a magnetic flux density on a boundary of the sheath region has a value that results in (i) an electronic rotation period at a target position due to the magnetic [flux density] th interview, attached.
Claim 14, 16 is 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: Kobayashi does not teach or suggest Kobayashi’s plasma processing device (Figure 1) of claim 11, wherein Kobayashi’s reference value (“spectrum profile data”; throughout; claim 8) is an intensity value (“measured data”; throughout; [0050], claim 8) at which magnetic resonance occurs on a boundary of the sheath region, as claimed by claim 14
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Kobayashi does not teach or suggest Kobayashi’s control unit (100 Figure 1; [0049]-[0050], [0052]) is configured to select at least one of the plurality of coils (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) in order of decreasing coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) radius, and repeat the operation for the at least one of the plurality of coils (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]), as claimed by claim 16
Claim 18 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Kobayashi; Hiroyuki et al. (US 20080223522 A1) is cited as the closest prior art. With respect to claim 18, Kobayashi teaches a plasma processing device (Figure 1) comprising: a chamber body (1; Figure 1) defining a chamber space (1; Figure 1); an electrostatic chuck (4; Figure 1; [0043]) arranged to support a substrate (2; Figure 1) in the chamber space (1; Figure 1); an upper electrode (3,20; Figure 1; [0039]) located at an upper portion of the chamber body (1; Figure 1); a multiple high-frequency power supply (20,21-2; Figure 1;[0039] [0041]) including: a first power supply (20; Figure 1; [0039]) configured to apply a first high-frequency power to the upper electrode (3,20; Figure 1; [0039]), and a second power supply (21-2; Figure 1; [0041]) configured to apply a second high-frequency power to the electrostatic chuck (4; Figure 1; [0043]), wherein at least one of the first high-frequency power or the second high-frequency power excites a process gas supplied to the chamber space (1; Figure 1) to form a bulk plasma region and a sheath region in the chamber space (1; Figure 1), and wherein the multiple high-frequency power supply (20,21-2; Figure 1;[0039] [0041]) is configured to apply the at least one of the first high-frequency power or the second high-frequency power singly or simultaneously; a magnetic field control device (28 Figure 1; [0039]-[0040]) (Figure 1) including at least one coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) located above the upper electrode (3,20; Figure 1; [0039]), wherein the magnetic field control device (28 Figure 1; [0039]-[0040]) (Figure 1) is configured to form a magnetic field in the chamber space (1; Figure 1) using at least one current ([0049]) flowing through the at least one coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]).
However, Kobayashi does not teach, alone or in combination, Kobayashi’s control unit (100 Figure 1; [0049]-[0050], [0052]) configured to: acquire a distribution map indicating a process value as a function of a distance from a center of Kobayashi’s substrate (2; Figure 1), and based on when the process value decreasing toward the center of Kobayashi’s substrate (2; Figure 1) in the distribution map, determining at least one value of Kobayashi’s at least one current ([0049]) flowing through Kobayashi’s at least one coil (26 Figure 1,11; [0039]) such that magnetic resonance occurs at a target position at which a boundary of the sheath region and a central axis of Kobayashi’s chamber space (1; Figure 1) meet, as claimed by claim 18.
Claims 19-20 would be allowable if rewritten 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references teach process control with both capacitve and inductive plasma eneergy sources - US 6503364 B1, US 7658815 B2, US 20250218743 A1; US 20040056602 A1; US 20050167051 A1; US 20250218744 A1
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/Rudy Zervigon/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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