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 .
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-5, 7, & 10-15 are pending on the application, of which claims 1-2, 4-5 & 7 are amended, claims 6 & 8-9 are cancelled, and claims 10-15 are withdrawn from consideration.
In light of the amendments the previous rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) is withdrawn.
In light of the amendments, the previous art rejection is withdrawn, in favor of the new ground of rejection presented below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot in light of the new references utilized to meet the new limitations.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, & 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carcasi (US20210134637A1) in view of Eriguchi (US5897378A) and Zhao (US20220380896A1).
As to claim 1, Carcasi discloses a substrate apparatus (abstract), comprising a chamber (see chamber walls ref 62); a substrate holder (ref 64) that rotates a substrate while holding the substrate in the chamber [0041]; a processing liquid supply including a pipe and nozzle (refs 68, 70, 74, and liquid supply unit), that supplies a processing liquid onto an upper surface of the substrate [0042]; a near infrared [0056-0057] light source (ref 92) that illuminates an inside of the chamber with near0infrared light; a near infrared [0056-0057] imager (ref 90) that generates a captured image by capturing an image of the processing liquid in the chamber illuminated with the near infrared light from the light source [0046, 0048, & 0052-0053]; a controller (ref 94) that specifies an outer edge of the processing liquid in the chamber based on the captured image [0061, 0067, 0070, & 0073-0075]. Although Carcasi does not explicitly disclose the light source and the imager being outside the chamber, Carcasi does indicate that both elements can be located elsewhere [0046]. Further, a configuration of a chamber having an imager and a light source placed outside the chamber and transmitting light through the window is known in the art, as seen by Eriguchi and Zhao.
Eriguchi showcases that light sources and light collection device may be provided outside of a chamber and utilize windows of the chamber in order to pass such light source into and out of the chamber (Figs.1, 4, 6, & 8)
Zhao discloses an art related substrate surface monitoring process (abstract), wherein it is shown that an infrared light source (ref 110) and an optical element (ref 160/170) can be provided outside of a chamber (ref 15) and windows (refs 123/125) allow for the IR light and optical element to monitor an image of the substrate surface (Figs.1A-2B).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Carcasi to locate the imager and light source outside of the chamber, and provide windows to allow for optical transmission, as such is a known alternative configuration in the art. As Carcasi indicates that other locations for the imager and light source are known, it is in the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize one known configuration in place of another with a reasonable expectation of success.
As to claims 3-4, Modified Carcasi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the imager captures the image of the processing liquid during a state in which the upper surface of the substrate is supplied with the processing liquid (Carcasi [0061, 0066-0068, 0070-0071 & 0073]). Further such a limitation is intended use. The controller is also programmed to determine the coverage of the upper surface of the wafer via the captured image (see Carcasi Fig.6 & [0061, 0066-0068, 0070-0071 & 0073]).
As to claim 7, Modified Carcasi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source and the imager are placed opposite each other (see Carcasi Fig.3D & [0053], also see figures of Eriguchi and Zhao).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carcasi (US20210134637A1), Eriguchi (US5897378A) and Zhao (US20220380896A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Carcasi (US20220388022A1, hereafter C1).
As to claim 2, Modified Carcasi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, but does not disclose identifying the fluid type based on the captured image. However, determining fluid composition based on infrared imaging is known in the art, as seen by C1.
C1 discloses an art related substrate treating system (abstract), wherein it is known that short infrared (i.e., near-infrared) radiation is used to determine composition of liquid mixtures [0063] via their absorption at different wavelengths [0070-0071]. C1 further discloses that such determination of mixtures is made utilizing a camera [0094 & 0097] uses camera as well. In determining a composition of a fluid mixture, a type of fluid can be identified (i.e., identifying the components within a fluid naturally identifies the fluid). Further, such identification can allow for determining if the fluid meets specification and/or the process needs to be adjusted or terminated [0066 & 0069].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Carcasi to utilize the infrared imager to identify the type of fluid (i.e., composition) in order to determine if the fluid meets specification and/or the process needs to be adjusted or terminated (C1 [0066 & 0069]).
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carcasi (US20210134637A1), Eriguchi (US5897378A) and Zhao (US20220380896A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yoshihara (US20090291198A1).
As to claim 5, Modified Carcasi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, but does not disclose a second liquid supply which is starting after the stopping of a first liquid supply. However, the usage of two different liquid supplies for the surface treatment of a substrate is known in the art, as seen by Yoshihara.
Yoshihara discloses an art related substrate treating apparatus (abstract), wherein the process of supplying a resist coating to an upper surface of the substrate includes providing a pure water supply step and a solvent supply step prior to the resist supply (Figs.3-6). Each supply is provided via a nozzle associated with each fluid (see refs 34, 40, & 47). Such a procedure allows for a prewetting of the substrate to facilitate the diffusion of a resist coating without producing defects [0006-0008].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Carcasi to implement a first and second liquid supplies to supply first and second processing liquids to the substrate in order to allow for coating of the substrate with a resist coating without introducing defects (Yoshihara [0006-0008]). A skilled artisan would also find it obvious to utilize the controller to determine whether the second liquid (e.g., resist coating or solvent supply) entirely covers the substrate to ensure operation proceeds as desired (see Carcasi [0061, 0067-0068, & 0070] indicating determination of puddle coverage via imaging & Yoshihara Fig.6 indicating desired coverage amounts of each liquid).
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 OMAIR CHAUDHRI whose telephone number is (571)272-4773. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7:00am to 5:00pm EST.
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/OMAIR CHAUDHRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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