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 Objections
Claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities: a claim must be a single sentence fragment ending in a single period. See MPEP 608.01(m) Each of these claims has an improper period before their respective equations. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (2021/0180946).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a thickness measurement device for measuring a thickness of a second layer in a specimen including a first layer and the second layer stacked on the first layer so as to expose an edge of the first layer upwardly (Kim, Figs. 5, 7), the thickness measurement device comprising :a terahertz wave emitter emitting terahertz waves toward an edge of the second layer such that the first layer and the second layer are directly irradiated with the terahertz waves at the same time by single irradiation (Kim, emission unit 130, [0059], [0064], [0086]); a terahertz wave detector detecting, with reference to a reflected location of the terahertz waves, a first terahertz wave (Ri) reflected from a surface of the second layer, a second terahertz wave (R2) reflected from an exposed surface of the first layer, and a third terahertz wave (R3) reflected from an interface between the first layer and the second layer (Kim, [0086], [0087]); and a calculator calculating an index of refraction of the second layer based on a detection time difference (Ati) between a detection time of the first terahertz wave (Ri) and a detection time of the second terahertz wave (R2) and a detection time difference (At2) between the detection time of the first terahertz wave (Ri) and a detection time of the third terahertz wave (R3), and calculating the thickness of the second layer based on the calculated index of refraction of the second layer (Kim, [0098]).
Regarding claim 2, Kim further discloses the thickness measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculator calculates the index of refraction (ns) of the second layer through Equation 6.[Equation 6] where nair is an index of refraction of air. (Kim, equation 3 following [0147]; based on the physical processes occurring and because both equations represent the same physical variables and phenomenon they must be substantially equivalent)
Regarding claim 3, Kim further discloses the detection time difference (Ati) between the detection time of the first terahertz wave (R1) and the detection time of the second terahertz wave (R2) is defined by Equation 1, and the detection 38 time difference (At2) between the detection time of the first terahertz wave (Ri) and the detection time of the third terahertz wave (R3) is defined by Equation 3; wherein EquationI is transformed into Equation 2, Equation 3 is transformed into Equation 4, Equation 2 and Equation 3 are transformed into Equation 5, and Equation 5 is transformed into Equation 6; and wherein the calculator calculates the thickness of the second layer through Equation 2or Equation 4. [Equation1][Equation 2][Equation 3][Equation 4][Equation 5]where C is the speed of light, and di and d2 are the thicknesses of the second layer, respectively. (Kim, numerous equations containing the same variables and physical processes, therefore algebraic identity must be assumed)
Regarding claim 4, Kim further discloses the terahertz wave detector detects the terahertz waves reflected from each of M (positive integer greater than or equal to 1)x N (positive integer greater than or equal to 1) points set on the surface of 39 the second layer and the calculator calculates the thickness of the second layer at each point through Equation 7. [Equation 7] (Kim, [0099], the measurements may be taken repeatedly, and therefore at different positions, the mathematics necessarily following from the physical situation)
Regarding claim 5, Kim further discloses when the terahertz wave emitter emits the terahertz waves at an incidence angle (0) of greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees toward the edge of the second layer, the calculator calculates the thickness of the second layer through Equation 8 converted from Equation1, Equation 9 converted from Equation 2, Equation 10 converted from Equation 3, Equation 11 from Equation 4, and Equation 12 converted from Equation 5.[Equation 8][Equation 9] dc0.[Equation10][Equation l]su[Equation 12][Claim 6] A thickness measurement device for measuring a thickness of a second layer in a specimen including a first layer and the second layer stacked on the first layer,a terahertz wave emitter emitting two terahertz waves (Ii,I2) towards the second layer at different incidence angles on the second layer; a terahertz wave detector detecting, with reference to reflected locations of the two terahertz waves (It,12), two first terahertz waves (Ris, R2s) reflected from a surface of the second layer and two second terahertz waves (RIT, R2T) reflected from an interface between the first layer and the second layer; and a calculator calculating an index of refraction of the second layer based on a detection time difference (Ati) between a detection time of any one first terahertz wave (Ris) of the two first terahertz waves (Ris, R2s) reflected from the surface of the second layer and a detection time of any one second terahertz wave (RIT) of the two second terahertz waves (RIT,R2T) reflected from the interface between the first layer and the second layer, a detection time difference (At2) between a detection time of the other first terahertz wave (R2s) of the two first terahertz waves (Ris, R2s) reflected from the surface of the second layer and a detection time of the other second terahertz wave (R2T) of the two second terahertz waves (RrT, R2T) reflected from the interface between the first layer and the second layer, and the incidence angles (O1,02) of the two terahertz waves (I1,I2), and calculating the thickness of the second layer based on the calculated index of refraction of the second layer. (Kim, Fig. 10 showing intermediate angle excitation, [0113] indicating that the emission unit may be diagonal from the tray; the claimed mathematics appear to be similar to those above with trigonometric terms introduced to account for the angle, and are therefore necessarily part of the calculation when performing measurement with light at an angle)
Regarding claim 7, Kim further discloses the calculator calculates the index of refraction (ns) of the second layer through Equation 17.[Equation 17]where nair is an index of refraction of air, C is the speed of light, Ot is an incidence angle of one terahertz wave (It) of the two terahertz waves (I I2)on the second layer, 62 is an incidence angle of the other terahertz wave (12) of the two terahertz waves (It,I2) on the second layer, and di and d2 are the thicknesses of the second layer, respectively. (Kim, equations 2-6 with trigonometric terms implied by angle of incidence, which would be understood to one of ordinary skill in the art)
Regarding claim 8, Kim further discloses Equation 17 is derived through Equation 13 to Equation 16.[Equation 13][Equation 14] 722[Equation 15][Equation 16]where lI is a distance by which one terahertz wave (Ii) of the two terahertz waves (Ii,12) propagates into the second layer, la is a distance by which the other terahertz wave (12) of the two terahertz waves (Ii,12) propagates into the second layer, and ni and n2 are the indexes of refraction of the second layer, respectively. (Kim, equations containing equivalent variables and functionality, algebraic equivalence assumed)
Regarding claim 9, Kim discloses thickness measurement device for measuring a thickness of a second layer in a specimen including a first layer and the second layer stacked on the first layer, the thickness measurement device comprising: a terahertz wave emitter emitting terahertz waves toward the second layer; a terahertz wave detector detecting, with reference to a reflected location of the 42 terahertz waves, a first terahertz wave (Ri) reflected from a surface of the second layer, a second terahertz wave (R2) reflected from an interface between the first layer and the second layer, and a third terahertz wave (R3) reflected from the interface through internal reflection within the second layer; and a calculator calculating an index of refraction of the second layer based on a detection time difference (Ati) between a detection time of the first terahertz wave (Ri) and a detection time of the second terahertz wave (R2), and signal intensities (Ii, I2,I3) of the first terahertz wave (Ri), the second terahertz wave (R2), and the third terahertz wave (R3), and calculating the thickness of the second layer based on the calculated index of refraction of the second layer. (Kim, figs. 5, 7, [0086]-[0090])
Regarding claim 10, Kim further discloses calculator calculates the index of refraction (ns) of the second layer through Equation 32 and the thickness (d) of the second layer through Equation 33.[Equation 32]1+ n-s=Xnair =-d [Equation 33] (Kim, equation 3; equations containing equivalent variables and functionality, algebraic equivalence assumed)
Regarding claim 11, Kim further discloses when the terahertz wave emitter emits the terahertz wave at an incidence angle (0) of greater than 0 and less than 90 toward the second layer, the calculator calculates the thickness (d) of the second layer through Equation 37 converted from Equation 33.[Equation 37] (Kim, Fig. 11 showing intermediate angle excitation, [0113] indicating that the emission unit may be diagonal from the tray; the claimed mathematics appear to be similar to those above with trigonometric terms introduced to account for the angle, and are therefore necessarily part of the calculation when performing measurement with light at an angle)
Regarding claims 12 through 14, claims 12-14 are rejected on the same grounds as their above corresponding apparatus claims as they have the same substantive limitations.
Conclusion
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/EDWIN C GUNBERG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884