DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the application filed on 7/28/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority. All of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The references listed on the Information Disclosure Statement submitted on 7/28/2024 has/have been considered by the examiner (see attached PTO-1449).
Claim Mapping Notation
In this office action, following notations are being used to refer to the paragraph numbers or column number and lines of portions of the cited reference.
In this office action, following notations are being used to refer to the paragraph numbers or column number and lines of portions of the cited reference.
[0005] (Paragraph number [0005])
C5 (Column 5)
Pa5 (Page 5)
S5 (Section 5)
Furthermore, unless necessary to distinguish from other references in this action, “et al.” will be omitted when referring to the reference.
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) and (a2) as being anticipated by Nomaru et al. (KR 20200092863 A)
1. A semiconductor structure defect monitoring method comprising:
injecting a laser beam into a semiconductor structure to form excited carriers in the semiconductor structure;
P2 “Moreover, when inspecting the physical properties of a semiconductor wafer, microwaves are irradiated to a predetermined irradiation position of the semiconductor wafer to be inspected, and a laser beam is irradiated to the irradiation position, and carriers generated by light excitation ( Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs),”
irradiating an electromagnetic wave onto the semiconductor structure while the excited carriers in the semiconductor structure are recombining;
P2 “Moreover, when inspecting the physical properties of a semiconductor wafer, microwaves are irradiated to a predetermined irradiation position of the semiconductor wafer to be inspected, and a laser beam is irradiated to the irradiation position, and carriers generated by light excitation ( Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs),”
measuring characteristic information of the electromagnetic wave reacting with the excited carriers in the semiconductor structure; and
P2 “(Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs), measuring the time until the reflectance is attenuated and disappears, the so-called carrier life time It is also known to do this (for example, refer patent document2). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-317846”
determining a defect density or defect distribution of the semiconductor structure by using a parameter comprising the measured characteristic information of the electromagnetic wave.
P2 “Moreover, when inspecting the physical properties of a semiconductor wafer, microwaves are irradiated to a predetermined irradiation position of the semiconductor wafer to be inspected, and a laser beam is irradiated to the irradiation position, and carriers generated by light excitation ( Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs),”
2. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 1, wherein the injecting of the laser beam into the semiconductor structure comprises adjusting a wavelength of the laser beam to control a penetration depth of the laser beam into the semiconductor structure.
P4 “The band pass filters 444a to 444h are optical filters that selectively pass light of different predetermined wavelengths and irradiate as the laser beam L1, for example the band pass filters 444a are light having a wavelength of 300 nm. , The
band pass filter 444b has a wavelength of 400 nm, the band pass filter 444c has a wavelength of500 nm, the band pass filter 444d has a wavelength of 600 nm, and the band pass filter (444e) is light having a wavelength of 700 nm, band pass filter
444f is light having a wavelength of 800 nm, band pass filter 444g is light having a wavelength of 900 nm, and band pass filter 444h is 1000 It has a function of passing light having a wavelength of nm.”
3. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 1, wherein the injecting of the laser beam into the semiconductor structure comprises adjusting an incident angle of the laser beam into the semiconductor structure to control a penetration depth of the laser beam into the semiconductor structure.
P3 “an optical system 40 equipped with a laser beam irradiation unit 41. The optical system 40 includes a laser beam irradiation unit 41and a reflection mirror 48 for changing the optical path of the laser beam L1 emitted from the laser beam irradiation unit 41 toward the chuck table 24, and reflection A condenser 42 for condensing the laser beam L1 guided by the mirror 48 and irradiating a predetermined irradiation position P on the semiconductor wafer 10 held on the chuck table 24 is provided. Moreover, the condenser 42 and the reflection mirror 48 are arranged positioned suitably as needed. The laser beam irradiation unit 41 includes a light source 43 and a
wavelength selector 44. The wavelength selector 44 selects and irradiates a laser beam L1 of a desired wavelength from the light L0 emitted from the light source 43.”
4. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic information of the electromagnetic wave comprises a transmittance or reflectance of the electromagnetic wave.
P2 “Moreover, when inspecting the physical properties of a semiconductor wafer, microwaves are irradiated to a predetermined irradiation position of the semiconductor wafer to be inspected, and a laser beam is irradiated to the irradiation position, and carriers generated by light excitation ( Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs),”
5. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 1, wherein the parameter comprising the measured characteristic information of the electromagnetic wave comprises a transmittance decay change of the electromagnetic wave over time.
P2 “(Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs), measuring the time until the reflectance is attenuated and disappears, the so-called carrier life time It is also known to do this (for example, refer patent document2). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-317846”
6. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 1, wherein the parameter comprising the measured characteristic information of the electromagnetic wave comprises a carrier recombination time constant calculated through inverse Laplace transform on a transmittance decay function of the electromagnetic wave over time.
P2 “(Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs), measuring the time until the reflectance is attenuated and disappears, the so-called carrier life time It is also known to do this (for example, refer patent document2). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-317846”
7. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 6, wherein the carrier recombination time constant is dividable by type of defects in the semiconductor structure and is inversely proportional to a defect density in the semiconductor structure.
P4 “The carrier changes the conductivity of the semiconductor, and the resulting carrier recombines over time and dissipates after the carrier life time determined by the physical properties of the semiconductor wafer 10. Since the reflectance of the microwaves at the irradiation position P of the semiconductor wafer 10 changes with the density of the carriers produced, the reflectances decrease as the resulting carriers recombine over time. Therefore, the carrier life time can be measured based on the change of the microwave received by the microwave receiving means 60, and from this carrier life time, the laser beam L1 on the back surface 10b of the semiconductor wafer
10 The physical properties of the deformed layer at the irradiated position P to be irradiated can be inspected.”
8. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 7, wherein the carrier recombination time constant is dividable into a first carrier recombination time constant based on a first type of defects in the semiconductor structure and a second carrier recombination time constant based on a second type of defects in the semiconductor structure.
P4 “The carrier changes the conductivity of the semiconductor, and the resulting carrier recombines over time and dissipates after the carrier life time determined by the physical properties of the semiconductor wafer 10. Since the reflectance of the microwaves at the irradiation position P of the semiconductor wafer 10 changes with the density of the carriers produced, the reflectances decrease as the resulting carriers recombine over time. Therefore, the carrier life time can be measured based on the change of the microwave received by the microwave receiving means 60, and from this carrier life time, the laser beam L1 on the back surface 10b of the semiconductor wafer
10 The physical properties of the deformed layer at the irradiated position P to be irradiated can be inspected.”
9. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 6, wherein the transmittance decay function of the electromagnetic wave over time is simulatable by Equation 1:
[See Eq. 1 In the claim 9.]
(ΔT: a transmittance decay change of the electromagnetic wave, T.sub.0: a transmittance of the electromagnetic wave when the laser beam for forming excited carriers is not injected into the semiconductor structure, n: a number of defect types in the semiconductor structure, a.sub.i: a carrier recombination contribution based on each type of defects in the semiconductor structure, t: time, and τ.sub.i: a carrier recombination time constant based on each type of defects).
P4 “The carrier changes the conductivity of the semiconductor, and the resulting carrier recombines over time and dissipates after the carrier life time determined by the physical properties of the semiconductor wafer 10. Since the reflectance of the microwaves at the irradiation position P of the semiconductor wafer 10 changes with the density of the carriers produced, the reflectances decrease as the resulting carriers recombine over time. Therefore, the carrier life time can be measured based on the change of the microwave received by the microwave receiving means 60, and from this carrier life time, the laser beam L1 on the back surface 10b of the semiconductor wafer
10 The physical properties of the deformed layer at the irradiated position P to be irradiated can be inspected.”
10. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 1, wherein the laser beam comprises a femtosecond laser beam, and the electromagnetic wave comprises a terahertz wave.
P4 “The band pass filters 444a to 444h are optical filters that selectively pass light of different predetermined wavelengths and irradiate as the laser beam L1, for example the band pass filters 444a are light having a wavelength of 300 nm. , The
band pass filter 444b has a wavelength of 400 nm, the band pass filter 444c has a wavelength of500 nm, the band pass filter 444d has a wavelength of 600 nm, and the band pass filter (444e) is light having a wavelength of 700 nm, band pass filter
444f is light having a wavelength of 800 nm, band pass filter 444g is light having a wavelength of 900 nm, and band pass filter 444h is 1000 It has a function of passing light having a wavelength of nm… It is possible to position the pass filter at the passing position of the white light L0, and it is possible to selectively extract light of a desired wavelength from the white light L0 to generate the laser beam L1. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the configurations provided with eight band-pass filters, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any number of band-pass filters of a required type may be provided.”
P4 “The microwave irradiation means 50 and the microwave receiving means 60 are arranged on the horizontal wall portion 4b of the frame 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the microwave W1 irradiated from the microwave irradiation means 50 has a predetermined incident angle and is irradiated onto the back surface 10b of the semiconductor wafer
10, and the irradiation position of the microwave W1 is The laser beam L1 is set to the irradiation position P to be irradiated. The microwave W2 reflected at the predetermined irradiation position P is reflected at a reflection angle corresponding to the incident angle, and is received by the microwave receiving means 60. As described above, since the laser beam L1 is irradiated with respect to the irradiation position P on the
semiconductor wafer 10, the carrier (optical electrons and electrons) by light excitation at the irradiation position P of the semiconductor wafer 10 is irradiated. Hole pairs). The carrier changes the conductivity of the semiconductor, and the resulting carrier recombines over time and dissipates after the carrier life time determined by the physical properties of the semiconductor wafer 10. Since the reflectance of the microwaves at the irradiation position P of the semiconductor wafer 10 changes with the density of the carriers produced, the reflectances decrease as the resulting carriers recombine over time. Therefore, the carrier life time can be measured based on the change of the microwave received by the microwave receiving means 60, and from this carrier life time, the laser beam L1 on the back surface 10b of the semiconductor wafer
10 The physical properties of the deformed layer at the irradiated position P to be irradiated can be inspected”
11. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring method of claim 1, wherein the excited carriers in the semiconductor structure comprise excited free electrons or holes in the semiconductor structure.
P2 “(Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs), measuring the time until the reflectance is attenuated and disappears, the so-called carrier life time It is also known to do this (for example, refer patent document2). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-317846”
Regarding the claims 12-14, they recite elements that are at least included in the claims 1-3 above but in a different claim form. Therefore, the same rationale for the rejection of the claims 1-3 applies.
Regarding the processor, memory and storage medium in the claims, see [00].
15. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring apparatus of claim 12, wherein the beam emitter comprises a wavelength control unit for adjusting a wavelength of the laser beam and an incident angle control unit for adjusting an incident angle of the laser beam into the semiconductor structure, to control a penetration depth of the laser beam into the semiconductor structure.
P3 “an optical system 40 equipped with a laser beam irradiation unit 41. The optical system 40 includes a laser beam irradiation unit 41and a reflection mirror 48 for changing the optical path of the laser beam L1 emitted from the laser beam irradiation unit 41 toward the chuck table 24, and reflection A condenser 42 for condensing the laser beam L1 guided by the mirror 48 and irradiating a predetermined irradiation position P on the semiconductor wafer 10 held on the chuck table 24 is provided. Moreover, the condenser 42 and the reflection mirror 48 are arranged positioned suitably as needed. The laser beam irradiation unit 41 includes a light source 43 and a
wavelength selector 44. The wavelength selector 44 selects and irradiates a laser beam L1 of a desired wavelength from the light L0 emitted from the light source 43.”
P2 “Moreover, when inspecting the physical properties of a semiconductor wafer, microwaves are irradiated to a predetermined irradiation position of the semiconductor wafer to be inspected, and a laser beam is irradiated to the irradiation position, and carriers generated by light excitation ( Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs),”
16. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring apparatus of claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic wave irradiator is located above a substrate, and the electromagnetic wave receiver is located below the substrate to receive the electromagnetic wave transmitted through the semiconductor structure.
P3 “an optical system 40 equipped with a laser beam irradiation unit 41. The optical system 40 includes a laser beam irradiation unit 41and a reflection mirror 48 for changing the optical path of the laser beam L1 emitted from the laser beam irradiation unit 41 toward the chuck table 24, and reflection A condenser 42 for condensing the laser beam L1 guided by the mirror 48 and irradiating a predetermined irradiation position P on the semiconductor wafer 10 held on the chuck table 24 is provided. Moreover, the condenser 42 and the reflection mirror 48 are arranged positioned suitably as needed. The laser beam irradiation unit 41 includes a light source 43 and a
wavelength selector 44. The wavelength selector 44 selects and irradiates a laser beam L1 of a desired wavelength from the light L0 emitted from the light source 43.”
17. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring apparatus of claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic wave irradiator is located above a substrate, and the electromagnetic wave receiver is located above the substrate to receive the electromagnetic wave reflected from the semiconductor structure.
P3 “an optical system 40 equipped with a laser beam irradiation unit 41. The optical system 40 includes a laser beam irradiation unit 41and a reflection mirror 48 for changing the optical path of the laser beam L1 emitted from the laser beam irradiation unit 41 toward the chuck table 24, and reflection A condenser 42 for condensing the laser beam L1 guided by the mirror 48 and irradiating a predetermined irradiation position P on the semiconductor wafer 10 held on the chuck table 24 is provided. Moreover, the condenser 42 and the reflection mirror 48 are arranged positioned suitably as needed. The laser beam irradiation unit 41 includes a light source 43 and a
wavelength selector 44. The wavelength selector 44 selects and irradiates a laser beam L1 of a desired wavelength from the light L0 emitted from the light source 43.”
18. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring apparatus of claim 12, wherein the measurer measures a transmittance or reflectance of the electromagnetic wave as the characteristic information of the electromagnetic wave.
P2 “Moreover, when inspecting the physical properties of a semiconductor wafer, microwaves are irradiated to a predetermined irradiation position of the semiconductor wafer to be inspected, and a laser beam is irradiated to the irradiation position, and carriers generated by light excitation ( Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs),”
19. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operation controller calculates a carrier recombination time constant through inverse Laplace transform on a transmittance decay function of the electromagnetic wave over time, as a result using the measured characteristic information of the electromagnetic wave, and the carrier recombination time constant is dividable by type of defects in the semiconductor structure and is inversely proportional to a defect density in the semiconductor structure.
P2 “(Evaluate the physical properties of semiconductor wafers by receiving the microwave reflected at the irradiation position where the reflectance is increased according to the density of photoelectrons, hole pairs), measuring the time until the reflectance is attenuated and disappears, the so-called carrier life time It is also known to do this (for example, refer patent document2). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-317846”
20. The semiconductor structure defect monitoring apparatus of claim 12, wherein the beam emitter generates a femtosecond laser beam, and the electromagnetic wave irradiator irradiates a terahertz wave.
P4 “The band pass filters 444a to 444h are optical filters that selectively pass light of different predetermined wavelengths and irradiate as the laser beam L1, for example the band pass filters 444a are light having a wavelength of 300 nm. , The
band pass filter 444b has a wavelength of 400 nm, the band pass filter 444c has a wavelength of500 nm, the band pass filter 444d has a wavelength of 600 nm, and the band pass filter (444e) is light having a wavelength of 700 nm, band pass filter
444f is light having a wavelength of 800 nm, band pass filter 444g is light having a wavelength of 900 nm, and band pass filter 444h is 1000 It has a function of passing light having a wavelength of nm… It is possible to position the pass filter at the passing position of the white light L0, and it is possible to selectively extract light of a desired wavelength from the white light L0 to generate the laser beam L1. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the configurations provided with eight band-pass filters, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any number of band-pass filters of a required type may be provided.”
P4 “The microwave irradiation means 50 and the microwave receiving means 60 are arranged on the horizontal wall portion 4b of the frame 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the microwave W1 irradiated from the microwave irradiation means 50 has a predetermined incident angle and is irradiated onto the back surface 10b of the semiconductor wafer
10, and the irradiation position of the microwave W1 is The laser beam L1 is set to the irradiation position P to be irradiated. The microwave W2 reflected at the predetermined irradiation position P is reflected at a reflection angle corresponding to the incident angle, and is received by the microwave receiving means 60. As described above, since the laser beam L1 is irradiated with respect to the irradiation position P on the
semiconductor wafer 10, the carrier (optical electrons and electrons) by light excitation at the irradiation position P of the semiconductor wafer 10 is irradiated. Hole pairs). The carrier changes the conductivity of the semiconductor, and the resulting carrier recombines over time and dissipates after the carrier life time determined by the physical properties of the semiconductor wafer 10. Since the reflectance of the microwaves at the irradiation position P of the semiconductor wafer 10 changes with the density of the carriers produced, the reflectances decrease as the resulting carriers recombine over time. Therefore, the carrier life time can be measured based on the change of the microwave received by the microwave receiving means 60, and from this carrier life time, the laser beam L1 on the back surface 10b of the semiconductor wafer
10 The physical properties of the deformed layer at the irradiated position P to be irradiated can be inspected”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lee (KR 20250018574 A) and Zhu et al. (CN 110444997 A) disclose relevant art related to the subject matter of the present invention.
A shortened statutory period for reply to this action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. An extension of time may be obtained under 37 CFR 1.136(a). However, in no event, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
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/JAE N NOH/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2481
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