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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 12/12/2024 is acknowledged by the Examiner.
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, 3-6, 8-15, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yu et al. (WO 2022038080 also published as US 20240014053).
Yu et al. disclose:
1. (Original) A load lock chamber (102, fig. 1b/300 fig. 3), comprising: a gas vent port (312); a first compartment (compartment located between lower side of plate 314 and floor 306) configured to receive a wafer (310) for loading into and unloading from a main vacuum chamber (101; [0039] states “Main chamber 101 is connected to a main chamber vacuum pump system (not shown), which may remove gas molecules in main chamber 101 to reach a second pressure below the first pressure.”); a second compartment (compartment located between ceiling 304 and upper side of plate 314) partitioned from the first compartment, the second compartment configured to receive gas through the gas vent port; and a flow attenuation path (along horizontal arrows seen in fig. 3, which then travels down over the edge of 314) connecting the first compartment and the second compartment, the flow attenuation path configured to route the gas from the second compartment to the first compartment and to attenuate gas flow ([0050] “Plate 314 may be used to restrain, divert, or regulate a gas flow entering chamber 302 through gas vent 312.”).
3. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, wherein the gas vent port is positioned on a side wall of the load lock chamber (the topside having 312, as seen in fig. 3, is still considered a side).
4. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, wherein the flow attenuation path is located above the first compartment (path along the top of 314 is above the compartment below 314).
5. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, further comprising a flow baffle (314) that partitions the flow attenuation path from the first compartment.
6. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 5, wherein the flow baffle covers a section of the first compartment where the wafer is configured to be placed (314 is above wafer 310).
8. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 5, wherein the flow baffle partitions the first compartment from the second compartment (314 partitions the first compartment which is below 314 from the second compartment which is above 314).
9. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 5, further comprising an opening, near the top of the first compartment, configured to allow the gas to flow from the flow attenuation path into the first compartment (the opening around the edge of 314 which would then be above the first compartment that is below 314).
10. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 9, wherein the opening is located near a side of the load lock chamber located opposite to the second compartment (the opening is near the outer side, while the compartment is in the center part; or alternatively, the second compartment is located at the top of the load lock chamber, while the opening extends to a lower side).
11. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 9, wherein the opening is a slit-shape (the opening extends around the gap around the perimeter of 314 which is a slit between the perimeter and the inner wall of 302, which is shown as circular as well in fig. 8a, 8b).
12. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, wherein the flow attenuation path causes a top-to-bottom gas flow within the first compartment (flow goes across the top of 314, around the perimeter of 314, and below to fill chamber 302; [0052] states “the speed of the gas flow may be sufficiently slowed down by plate 314 as configured before reaching wafer 310, and may steadily fill up chamber 302 by travelling over an edge of plate 314.”).
13. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, wherein the height of the flow attenuation path is smaller than the height of the first compartment (the path above 314 has a smaller height than the chamber below 314, as seen in fig. 3).
14. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, wherein the volume of the first compartment is larger than the volume of the second compartment (the space above 314 is smaller than that below 314, as seen in fig. 3).
15. (New) A load lock assembly, comprising: a load lock chamber (102/300), comprising: a gas vent port (312); a first compartment (compartment located between lower side of plate 314 and floor 306) configured to receive a wafer (310) for loading into and unloading from a main vacuum chamber (101; [0039] states “Main chamber 101 is connected to a main chamber vacuum pump system (not shown), which may remove gas molecules in main chamber 101 to reach a second pressure below the first pressure.”); a second compartment (compartment located between ceiling 304 and upper side of plate 314) partitioned from the first compartment, the second compartment configured to receive gas through the gas vent port ([0047] states “Gas vent 312 may be used to vent gas into chamber 302 (e.g., in a pressurization operation) with a high flow rate.”); and a flow attenuation path (along horizontal arrows seen in fig. 3, which then travels down over the edge of 314) connecting the first compartment and the second compartment, the flow attenuation path configured to route the gas from the second compartment to the first compartment and to attenuate gas flow; a vacuum pump connected to the load lock chamber ([0050] “Plate 314 may be used to restrain, divert, or regulate a gas flow entering chamber 302 through gas vent 312.”), and a gas supply connected to the load lock chamber through the gas vent port ([0047] states “load-lock system 300 may further include a gas supply system (e.g., a pump, a gas reservoir, or any system for providing gas, not shown in Fig. 3) that couples to gas vent 312 for extracting, filling, or regulating gas.”).
17. (New) The load lock assembly of claim 15, wherein the gas vent port is positioned on a side wall of the load lock chamber (the topside having 312, as seen in fig. 3, is still considered a side).
Claims 1-3, 5-6, 8, 13-17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gosen et al. (US 20200027763).
Gosen et al. disclose:
1. (Original) A load lock chamber (310, fig. 3a), comprising: a gas vent port (330, 335); a first compartment (compartment located above plate 315) configured to receive a wafer (320) for loading into and unloading from a main vacuum chamber (390; [0065] states “pressure in the load lock chamber (such as load lock chamber 310 in FIG. 3a) becomes at or near the pressure in the main chamber (such as main chamber 390 in FIG. 3a).”); a second compartment (compartment located below plate 315) partitioned from the first compartment, the second compartment configured to receive gas through the gas vent port (as seen in fig. 3a); and a flow attenuation path (path defined by floor of chamber 310 and plate 315 and then around periphery of 315) connecting the first compartment and the second compartment, the flow attenuation path configured to route the gas from the second compartment to the first compartment and to attenuate gas flow (due to plate 315 being between and separating the second compartment from the first compartment therefore flow has to go around it).
2. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, wherein the gas vent port (330) is positioned on a bottom wall of the load lock chamber (as seen in fig. 3a).
3. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, wherein the gas vent port (335) is positioned on a side wall of the load lock chamber (fig. 3a; also 330 is on a bottom side).
5. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, further comprising a flow baffle (315) that partitions the flow attenuation path from the first compartment.
6. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 5, wherein the flow baffle covers a section of the first compartment where the wafer is configured to be placed (315 covers a bottom section of the first compartment where water 320 is placed).
8. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 5, wherein the flow baffle partitions the first compartment from the second compartment (315 partitions the first compartment which is above 315 from the second compartment which is below 315).
13. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, wherein the height of the flow attenuation path is smaller than the height of the first compartment (the path below 315 has a smaller height than the chamber above 315, as seen in fig. 3a).
14. (Original) The load lock chamber of claim 1, wherein the volume of the first compartment is larger than the volume of the second compartment (the space above 315 is larger than that below 315, as seen in fig. 3a).
15. (New) A load lock assembly, comprising: a load lock chamber (310), comprising: a gas vent port (330, 335); a first compartment (compartment located above 315) configured to receive a wafer (320) for loading into and unloading from a main vacuum chamber (390); a second compartment (compartment located below 315) partitioned from the first compartment, the second compartment configured to receive gas through the gas vent port (as seen in fig. 3a); and a flow attenuation path (defined by floor of chamber 310 and plate 315 and around 315) connecting the first compartment and the second compartment, the flow attenuation path configured to route the gas from the second compartment to the first compartment and to attenuate gas flow (due to plate 315 being between and separating the second compartment from the first compartment); a vacuum pump connected to the load lock chamber ([0054] “A pump, such as a turbo pump (not shown), may be connected to load lock chamber 310 to maintain a vacuum level at an appropriate level for conditioning the temperature of wafer 320.”), and a gas supply (“gas supply” in fig. 3a) connected to the load lock chamber through the gas vent port (330, 335).
16. (New) The load lock assembly of claim 15, wherein the gas vent port (330) is positioned on a bottom wall of the load lock chamber (as seen in fig. 3a).
17. (New) The load lock assembly of claim 15, wherein the gas vent port (335) is positioned on a side wall of the load lock chamber (fig. 3a; also 330 is on a bottom side wall).
20. (New) The load lock assembly of claim 15, wherein the vacuum pump comprises a roughing pump or a turbomolecular pump ([0054] “A pump, such as a turbo pump (not shown), may be connected to load lock chamber 310 to maintain a vacuum level at an appropriate level for conditioning the temperature of wafer 320. It is appreciated that the pump may be a type of pump different from a turbo pump as long as the pump is suitable for establishing a vacuum in load lock chamber 310.” As an alternate embodiment, [0091]-[0092] discloses “the vacuuming of load lock chamber 810 may be performed over two stages via two separate paths. This first path is called a roughing path and may comprise a load lock roughing line 816 and a load lock roughing valve 853…The second path is called a turbo pumping path and may comprise a load lock turbo valve 814, a load lock turbo pump 815, a load lock turbo pumping line 817, and a load lock turbo pump backing valve 851. After the roughing of load lock chamber 810 is completed, load lock turbo pump 815 takes over to pump out load lock chamber 810 to a deeper vacuum level (e.g., lower than 1.5×10.sup.−6 Torr).”).
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 of this title, 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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (WO 2022038080 also published as US 20240014053) in view of Klomp et al. (US 20050054217).
Yu et al. disclose the invention as essentially claimed, except for wherein the flow baffle is a cantilevered structure.
Klomp et al teach a related load lock chamber having a plate (141) that serves as a baffle that protects the substrate against direct glass flow across its upper surface (similar to the plate 314 of Yu et al.), wherein the flow baffle is a cantilevered structure, for the purpose of providing an alternate shape of the baffle plate that facilitates use with a single suspending attachment point that is secure.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Yu et al., such that the flow baffle is a cantilevered structure, as taught by Klomp et al., for the purpose of providing an alternate shape of the baffle plate that facilitates use with a single suspending attachment point that is secure.
Claims 18-19 are is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (WO 2022038080 also published as US 20240014053) in view of Abarra et al. (US 20140105709).
Yu et al. disclose the invention as essentially claimed, except for wherein the load lock chamber further comprises a vacuum port positioned on a top wall of the load lock chamber; and wherein the vacuum pump is located above the load lock chamber.
Abarra et al. teach a related process chamber (30) in which a wafer (22) is processed and which includes a gas inlet (32) to introduce gas into the chamber ([0045]), wherein the chamber further comprises a vacuum port (36c) positioned on a top wall (31b) of the chamber (as seen in fig. 2); and wherein the vacuum pump (33) is located above the load lock chamber ([0046] states “A high vacuum pump 33 is attached through the opening 36c to the top wall 31b. A roughing vacuum pipe 33a that is connected to a roughing vacuum pump (not illustrated in the drawings) is connected to the high vacuum pump 33.”), for the purpose of providing an alternate placement of the pump that provides a vertical arrangement and would therefore not occupy more floor space [0005].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Yu et al., such that the load lock chamber further comprises a vacuum port positioned on a top wall of the load lock chamber; and wherein the vacuum pump is located above the load lock chamber, as taught by Abarra et al., for the purpose of providing an alternate placement of the pump that provides a vertical arrangement and would therefore not occupy more floor space.
Claims 18-19 are is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gosen et al. (US 20200027763) in view of Abarra et al. (US 20140105709).
Gosen et al. disclose the invention as essentially claimed, except for wherein the load lock chamber further comprises a vacuum port positioned on a top wall of the load lock chamber; and wherein the vacuum pump is located above the load lock chamber.
Abarra et al. teach a related process chamber (30) in which a wafer (22) is processed and which includes a gas inlet (32) to introduce gas into the chamber ([0045]), wherein the chamber further comprises a vacuum port (36c) positioned on a top wall (31b) of the chamber (as seen in fig. 2); and wherein the vacuum pump (33) is located above the load lock chamber ([0046] states “A high vacuum pump 33 is attached through the opening 36c to the top wall 31b. A roughing vacuum pipe 33a that is connected to a roughing vacuum pump (not illustrated in the drawings) is connected to the high vacuum pump 33.”), for the purpose of providing an alternate placement of the pump that provides a vertical arrangement and would therefore not occupy more floor space [0005].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Yu et al., such that the load lock chamber further comprises a vacuum port positioned on a top wall of the load lock chamber; and wherein the vacuum pump is located above the load lock chamber, as taught by Gosen et al., for the purpose of providing an alternate placement of the pump that provides a vertical arrangement and would therefore not occupy more floor space.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 8404603 and JP 5036290 disclose related process chambers with a flow guiding plate separating the chamber in which the wafer is located from the chamber into which the gas first enters. US 20110049393 discloses a related process chamber with a vertical arrangement placing the vacuum pumps 430 on a top wall.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARINA TIETJEN, whose telephone number is 571-270-5422. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (10:30AM-7:00PM CST).
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/MARINA A TIETJEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753