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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of claims 1-10 in the reply filed on 06/22/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the product and process of use have unity of invention by virtue of being a permissible combination per 37 CFR 1.475(b). This is not found persuasive because the permissible combinations must still have a single inventive concept. As described by the examiner in the action dated 05/15/26, the language present in both claim sets is not a single inventive concept since it is already taught in the art. Lacking any novel features that connect the two groups together, the restriction requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The examiner recommends a title such as : Measuring Moire Interference from Multi-pitch Pad Overlay Measurement.
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) 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Van der Schaar U.S. Publication 2022/0035255.
With respect to claim 1, Van der Schaar discloses a target for measuring parameter comprising:
Obtaining an interference pattern for a measurement structure, wherein the measurement structure comprises a first grating at a first pitch in a first layer and a second grating at a second pitch in a second layer (P.0043, P.0070, P.0063)
Identifying a first Moire interference component in the interference pattern (P.0064, Moire pitch component = p1, P.0070)
Identifying a second Moire interference component in the interference pattern (P.0065, Moire pitch component = p2, P.0070)
Determining a measurement of a parameter of interest in a manufacturing process based on the first Moire interference component and the second Moire interference component (P.0072, measurement parameter = overlay)
With respect to claim 2-6, 8, VAN DER SCHAAR discloses all of the limitations as applied to claim 1 above. In addition, VAN DER SCHAAR discloses:
2- illuminating the measurement structure with incident radiation; and detecting the interference pattern at a detector (P.0070)
3- the determining comprises determining the parameter of interest based on a relationship between the first Moire interference component and the second Moire interference component (P.0071, pairs of orders imply a relationship between them)
4- the determining comprises determining the parameter of interest based on a phase shift between the first Moire interference component and the second Moire interference component (P.0070, phase of Moire fringe)
5- wherein the parameter of interest in the manufacturing process comprises at least one selected from: of an overlay offset, an overlay offset error, a measure of focus, a dose, a measure of geometrical variation, a measure of geometric dimension, a measure of symmetry, a measure of asymmetry, or a combination selected therefrom thereof (P.0072, an overlay offset error = overlay measurement)
6- identifying a first Moire interference component along an additional direction in the interference pattern; identifying a second Moire interference component along the additional direction in the interference pattern; and determining a measure of a parameter of interest in the manufacturing process in the additional direction based on the first Moire interference component along the additional direction and the second Moire interference component along the additional direction (Figure 6, 7, wherein the first Moire interference component 632 is in one direction x, second Moire interference component 635 along a second direction y, P.0070)
8- identifying the first Moire interference component comprises identifying the first Moire interference component in a frequency transform of the interference pattern and wherein identifying the second Moire interference component comprises identifying the second Moire interference component in a frequency transform of the interference pattern (P.0072, Fourier analysis = frequency transform, “of the combined signals” = first interference component and second interference component)
With respect to claim 7, VAN DER SCHAAR discloses all of the limitations as applied to claim 1 above. In addition, VAN DER SCHAAR discloses:
The first grating is a composite grating (P.0043) with grating elements at the first pitch and a third pitch (P.0009, first grating = 1st sub-target, wherein first pitch = first pitch, third pitch = second pitch)
The first Moire interference component arising from the first pitch and the second pitch (P.0062, P.0063, wherein the interference is between the top gratings = 1st pitch and 2nd pitch, 2nd pitch = bottom grating, 1st pitch = top grating p1)
The second Moire interference component arising from the second pitch and the third pitch (P.0063, 2nd pitch = bottom grating, 3rd pitch = top grating p2)
3. With respect to claims 9 and 10, VAN DER SCHAAR discloses all of the limitations as applied to claim 1 above. In addition, VAN DER SCHAAR discloses:
• A processor (P.0082, processor)
• At least one non-transitory, machine readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions when executed by a processor system being configured to cause the processor system to perform at least the method of claim 1 (P.0082-83)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REBECCA CAROLE BRYANT whose telephone number is (571)272-9787. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 12-4 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kara Geisel can be reached at 571-272-2416. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/REBECCA C BRYANT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877
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