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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claims 1, 5-8, 12, 14, 15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. [US 2020/0033717 A1] in view of Koike [US 2011/0007297 A1].
Regarding claims 1, 12 and 17, Lee et al. discloses an extreme ultraviolet exposure apparatus (Fig. 1) comprising:
a light source (41) configured to emit light (paragraph [0055]);
an optical system configured to control the emitted light (as shown in Fig. 1), the optical system comprising:
a main base (Fig. 9 item 438);
an electrostatic chuck (430) connected to the main base (438), a first surface of the electrostatic chuck being configured to detachably support a reticle (paragraph [0054]);
a safety bar (439) on the main base (438) or electrostatic chuck (430); and
a support member (as shown in Fig. 9) on the safety bar (439), an end of the support member overlapping with an edge of the reticle in a vertical direction (paragraph [0054], as indicated by the arrow), the support member comprising:
a plate portion (portion between the edge and the vertical bar) on a first surface of the safety bar (439); and
a support portion (paragraph [0054] teaches edge portion to being clamped) extending from the plate portion (as shown in Fig. 9) and configured to surface contact the reticle based on the reticle falling from the electrostatic chuck (430); and a wafer stage (43”).
Lee et al. does not teach wherein the safety bar rotatably on the main base or electrostatic chuck.
However, Koike discloses a surface clamp for a reticle comprising a driving unit configured to rotating the clamp, the clamp comprising a plate portion (18) and a support portion (18a, as shown in Fig. 5, see also paragraph [0025]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the safety bar rotatably on the base or chuck, as taught by Koike in the system of Lee et al. because such a modification provides additional functionality of the surface clamp for strongly holding a plate member such as a reticle (paragraph [0007] of Koike).
Regarding claims 5 and 6, Lee et al. in view of Koike discloses wherein, based on the reticle being adsorbed to the first surface of the electrostatic chuck, the support portion does not overlap with the reticle in the vertical direction, and based on the reticle remaining adsorbed to the first surface of the electrostatic chuck, the support portion overlaps with the reticle in the vertical direction, wherein a hinge is between the safety bar and the main base, the hinge being configured to rotate the safety bar (in the combination of Lee et al. and Koike, as shown in Fig. 9 of Lee et al. and Fig. 5 of Koike).
Regarding claims 7 and 14, Koike discloses wherein a width of the plate portion (18) is greater than a width of the support portion (18a) in a horizontal direction (as shown in Fig. 5).
Regarding claims 8 and 15, Koike discloses wherein the support member is formed of a material having elasticity withstanding a hydrogen atmosphere and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) environment (as shown in Fig. 1, see also paragraph [0055]).
Claims 2-4, 10, 11, 13, 16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. in view of Koike and further in view of Ohlig [US 6,157,441 A].
Regarding claims 2-4, 10, 11, 13, 16 and 18-20, Lee et al. in view of Koike discloses the extreme ultraviolet exposure apparatus comprising a reticle stage, as applied above.
Lee et al. in view of Koike does not teach wherein the support portion has a curved surface, wherein the support portion is convex toward the electrostatic chuck, wherein a thickness of the support member in the vertical direction ranges from 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm, wherein a portion of the support portion connected to the plate portion is rounded, wherein the end of the support portion is rounded.
However, Ohlig discloses a clamping mechanism comprising a support member comprising a plate portion and a support portion wherein the support portion has a curved surface, is rounded (as shown in Fig. 16 item 37). Further, Ohlig also discloses wherein the clamping mechanism may be contained within thickness dimensions not substantially greater than the thickness of the panel (Col. 5 lines 13-25). The thickness of the support member is therefore an art recognized result affecting parameter.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a support member wherein the support portion has a curved surface and rounded, as taught by Ohlig in the system of Lee et al. in view of Koike because such a modification provides a suitable alternative design for a support member wherein the optimum thickness of the support member in the vertical direction ranges from 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm and the support portion has a curved surface and rounded so as to conveniently accommodate the panels (Col. 5 lines 13-25 of Ohlig).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. in view of Koike and further in view of Phillips [US 2008/0291411 A1].
Regarding claim 9, Lee et al. in view of Koike discloses the reticle stage, as applied above.
Lee et al. in view of Koike does not teach wherein the support portion comprises a first support portion extending in the vertical direction from the plate portion and a second support portion extending from the first support portion in a horizontal direction parallel to the plate portion.
However, Phillips a support member wherein the support portion comprises a first support portion extending in the vertical direction from the plate portion and a second support portion extending from the first support portion in a horizontal direction parallel to the plate portion (as shown in Figs. 1-4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a first support portion extending in the vertical direction from the plate portion and a second support portion extending from the first support portion in a horizontal direction parallel to the plate portion, as taught by Phillips in the system of Lee et al. in view of Koike because such a modification provides a suitable alternative design for a support member wherein a reduction in area of contact of the object-mounting surface with the portion of the object, serving to reduce the holding force (paragraph [0013] of Phillips).
Conclusion
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/DEORAM PERSAUD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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