Notice of Non-Final Rejection
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 .
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.
Claims 8, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by US20210384009 A1 by Kawakami et al (Kawakami).
Referring to claim 8 Kawakami teaches a plasma processing apparatus (Fig 1 item 10 main body11 paragraph [0025]) comprising:
a control unit (item 12) including a user interface (item 12 includes interface see paragraph [0042]); and
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a process unit (item 11) including a process chamber (item 1) , wherein the control unit (item 12) is configured to: receive an input of a recipe in which values of a plurality of parameters for performing a film forming processing in the process unit (item 11) are set for each processing step (abstract),
determine a value of a variable parameter based on a progress state of the film forming processing when the plurality of parameters of the recipe include the variable parameter (See paragraph [0061] where Kawakami teaches Fig 1 item 12 control unit controls the RF power to electrodes from processing recipe stored in the memory), and perform the film forming processing in the process unit based on the values of the plurality of parameters set in the recipe and the determined value of the variable parameter (See paragraph [0022] claim 5).
Referring to claim 9 Matsumoto reference teaches a plasma processing system (Fig 1 item 10 main body11 paragraph [0025])comprising:
a control unit (item 12) including a user interface (item 12 includes interface see paragraph [0042]); and
a process unit (item 11) including a process chamber (item 1) , wherein the control unit (item 12) is configured to: receive an input of a recipe in which values of a plurality of parameters for performing a film forming processing in the process unit (item 11) are set for each processing step (abstract),
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a determination circuitry (See Fig 2 item 20 allocation setting unit paragraph [0044]) configured to determine a value of a variable parameter based on a progress state of the film forming processing when the plurality of parameters of the recipe include the variable parameter (See Fig 3 and paragraphs [0057]-[0066] where Kawakami teaches a film process cycle), and
a process control circuitry (item 123 drive circuit) configured to control a film forming processing in the process unit based on the values of the plurality of parameters set in the recipe and the determined value of the variable parameter (See paragraph [0061] where Kawakami teaches Fig 1 item 12 control unit controls the RF power to electrodes from processing recipe stored in the memory)
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 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US20229372624 A1 by Mastsumoto et al (Matsumoto) in view of US20210384009 A1 by Kawakami et al (Kawakami).
Referring to claim 1 Mastsumoto Fig 1-15 teaches a plasma control method (See Fig 1, abstract and claim 9) comprising: providing a plasma processing apparatus (Fig 1 item 1) including:
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a control unit (Fig 1 item 100 abstract and paragraph [0045], [0054]) including a user interface (item 104 touch screen unit paragraph [0056]); and a process unit (item 105 process execution unit [0053] and [0059]) including a process chamber (Fig 1 item 11 paragraph [0026]), receiving an input of a recipe (item 108 A recipe from storage unit 101 is sent to the execution unit) in which values of a plurality of parameters are set for each processing step (See paragraphs [0049])
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But Matsumoto do not explicitly teaches on determining a value of a variable parameter based on a progress state of the film forming processing when the plurality of parameters of the recipe include the variable parameter; and performing a film forming processing in the process unit, based on the values of the plurality of parameters set in the recipe and the value of the variable parameter determined in the determining.
However, Kawakami reference teaches determining a value of a variable parameter based on a progress state of the film forming processing when the plurality of parameters of the recipe include the variable parameter (See paragraph [0061] where Kawakami teaches Fig 1 item 12 control unit controls the RF power to electrodes from processing recipe stored in the memory) ; and performing a film forming processing in the process unit, based on the values of the plurality of parameters set in the recipe and the value of the variable parameter determined in the determining (See paragraph [0022] claim 5).
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Hence, it would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date of instant application to incorporate Kawakami teachings of recipe steps and determine the film processing as per recipe in to the Matsumoto control unit and monitor the film processing step and plasma distribution as desired by the user (See paragraph [0022] of Kawakami).
Referring to claim 2 Matsumoto reference as modified by Kawakami reference teaches the plasma control method according to claim 1, Kawakami further teaches wherein the variable parameter includes a setting item regarding a pulse of a plasma power supply that supplies a pulse of radio-frequency (RF) power to a plasma generator within the process chamber of the process unit. (See Fig 1 and the RF power from item 7 is allocated to the film forming unit 10 control unit 12 process chamber 1 to the electrode top electrode using a allocation setting unit 20 a variable parameter includes a variable capacitor changed or set to during a short period of time or a pulse).
Referring to claim 3 Matsumoto reference as modified by Kawakami reference teaches the plasma control method according to claim 2, Kawakami further teaches wherein the determining the value of the variable parameter includes: determining a value of the setting item regarding the pulse to improve uniformity of an in-plane estimated cumulative film thickness of a wafer. (See Fig 3 and paragraphs [0059], [0063] step S12 in adsorption process teaches the processing a film of predetermined thickness by following the method steps as determined by user). Hence, it would be obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kawakami teachings in to Matsumoto processing apparatus and modify the recipe as required by user.
Referring to claim 4 Matsumoto reference as modified by Kawakami reference teaches the plasma control method according to claim 3, Kawakami teaches wherein the setting item regarding the pulse includes a duty ratio or frequency of the pulse. (see paragraphs [0049], [0050] where frequency power ratio allocation has been taught)
Referring to claim 5 Matsumoto reference as modified by Kawakami reference teaches the plasma control method according to claim 2, Kawakami further teaches wherein the variable parameter includes a setting item regarding a time of each of the processing steps. (See paragraph [0021] and [0101], [0102]).
Referring to claim 6 Matsumoto reference as modified by Kawakami reference teaches the plasma control method according to claim 1, Kawakami further teaches wherein the progress state of the film forming processing includes an estimated cumulative film thickness of a wafer (see paragraph [0063]) calculated from a flow rate of a gas supplied to the process unit and a type of the film forming processing, or an order of the processing steps of the recipe being executed. ( see paragraphs [0061] –[0063] and [0112]).
Referring to claim 7 Matsumoto reference as modified by Kawakami reference teaches the plasma control method according to claim 1, Matsumotp further teaches wherein the receiving the input of the recipe includes: displaying a screen serving as the user interface for receiving the input of the recipe from an operator, receiving a setting of the values of the plurality of parameters displayed on the screen and a selection of the variable parameter from the operator, and receiving a selection of a type of the film forming processing from the operator. (See Fig 1, 6-10 and abstract).
Conclusion
Claims 1-9 are rejected over prior art.
The prior of art made of record and not relied upon is considered to pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Applicants are directed to consider additional pertinent prior art included on the notice of references cited PTOL 892 attached here with. The examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicants. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim other passages and figures may apply. Applicant, in preparing the response should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SRINIVAS SATHIRAJU whose telephone number is (571)272-4250. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-5.30 PM.
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SRINIVAS . SATHIRAJU
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2844