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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kojima (US Pub 2001/0019410 A1) in view of Nishi et al. (US Pub 2005/0024610 A1)(hereinafter, “Nishi”).
Regarding claim 1, Kojima teaches an apparatus (figure 1) comprising:
a first slit (12) configured to pass a portion of incident light from a light source (“when the light beam is emitted from the light source 11, the emitted light beam enters into a incident slit 12”, [0039]);
a first condensing mirror (13) configured to focus the portion of the incident light that passes through the first slit (“the light passed through the incident slit 12 is converted into the parallel light beam by a concave mirror 13” , [0039]);
a diffraction grating (14) configured to diffract the portion of the incident light and spectrally divide the portion of the incident light into monochromatic beams (“the diffraction grating 14 spatially separates the incident parallel light beam for each wavelength”, [0040]);
a second condensing mirror (16) configured to focus the monochromatic beams (“the concave mirror 16 image-forms only the light beam having the incident wavelength on an emitting slit 17”, [0041]); and
a second slit (17) configured to pass a first monochromatic beam (“the light passed through the emitting slit is detected by a light detector 18”, [0041]), among the monochromatic beams for inspecting a wafer, wherein a first grating rotation angle of the diffraction grating for outputting the first monochromatic beam is set based on a grating equation (discloses rotation unit 15 and grating diffraction equation, [0028] and [0039-0040]), and
wherein one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation is based on:
detecting an i-th wavelength with a peak intensity in an i-th monochromatic beam based on an i-th rotation of the diffraction grating, where i is a natural number of 2 or greater(uses of higher-order diffraction of reference light, [0045]),
obtaining an i-th wavelength deviation based on a difference between a measured value for the i-th wavelength and a reference value for the i-th wavelength, the reference value for the i-th wavelength being a unique value of the light source (discloses comparing measured higher-order wavelength to known reference, [0045]).
However, Kojima fails to disclose a wafer inspection and calculating one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation using a least squares method such that a sum of squares of deviations of the i-th wavelength from k=1 to n is minimized, where n is a natural number.
Nishi teaches a wafer inspection ([0177]) and calculating one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation using a least squares method such that a sum of squares of deviations of the i-th wavelength from k=1 to n is minimized, where n is a natural number (use least squares to compute calibration or correction parameters that minimize error, [0324]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate the least squares method of Nishi to Kojima to improve overall exposure accuracy and throughput [(0324]).
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Regarding claim 2, Kojima teaches the grating equation is as follows: where θ represents the first grating rotation angle, θz represents a zeroth diffraction angle, α represents a slope of an angle increment, d represents a reciprocal of grating groove density, K represents deviation angle, and λ, represents wavelength, and the one or more calibration parameters comprise α and θz (discloses uses a grating equation to control the diffraction angle and output wavelength”, [0028-0029] and [0039-0040]).
Regarding claim 3, Kojima teaches wherein the one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation is further based on:
detecting measured values for first through n-th grating rotation angles for a first wavelength with a peak intensity in each of first through n-th monochromatic beams (discloses measure rotation angles for main and higher-order diffracted light, [0030-0032]), and
obtaining an i-th grating rotation angle deviation based on a difference between a measured value for i-th grating rotation angle and a reference value for i-th grating rotation angle (discloses compare detected absorption wavelength vs. reference wavelength, [0045]),
wherein the reference value for the i-th grating rotation angle is a unique value of the light source (discloses correct grating rotation by angle corresponding to deviation wavelength, [0045]), and
wherein the i-th grating rotation angle deviation is converted into the i-th wavelength deviation(discloses perform wavelength calibration of monochromator, [0032] and [0045]).
Regarding claim 4, Kojima teaches further comprises an intensity detector (18) configured to measure luminous intensity within a range including the measured value for the i-th wavelength(discloses light detector 18, amplifier 20 and A/D 21 measures the light passing the emitting slit, [0041-0043]).
Regarding claim 5, Kojima teaches wherein the light source comprises a broadband light source for calculating (discloses LED/SLD reference light source, [0035]) the one or more calibration parameters, the light source configured to emit light comprising the monochromatic beams (discloses emitted light used to produce different diffraction orders in monochromator, [0045]), and the monochromatic beams have quantized energies (discloses each diffraction order corresponds to a discrete wavelength, [0031]).
Regarding claim 6, Kojima teaches the monochromatic beams are distinguished based on magnitudes of the quantized energies (discloses each beam corresponds to a specific discrete wavelength, theses wavelengths are multiples, and beams are distinguished by wavelength, [0031]) of the monochromatic beams (discloses more than one monochromatic beams exists simultaneously, [0030]), and
n represents a number of monochromatic beams included in the incident light (discloses that a diffraction grating produces multiple wavelength components, including multiple diffraction orders (m = ±1, ±2, ±3, ±4…), and these resulting beams are inherently countable, [0029-0030]).
Regarding claim 7, Kojima teaches the light source comprises a broadband light source (LED/SLD emitting wavelength band, [0037]) for inspecting the wafer, the broadband light source configured to emit light comprising the monochromatic beams(discloses diffraction grating separates by wavelength, [0040]), and
wherein the monochromatic beams have continuous energies (discloses wavelength band, implies a continuous spectrum of wavelengths, [0037]).
Regarding claim 8, Kojima teaches an apparatus comprising:
a light source (11), the light source configured to generate incident light([0039]);
a first slit (12), the first slit configured to pass a portion of incident light from a light source (“when the light beam is emitted from the light source 11, the emitted light beam enters into a incident slit 12”, [0039]);
a first condensing mirror (13) , the first condensing mirror configured to focus the portion of the incident light that passes through the first slit (“the light passed through the incident slit 12 is converted into the parallel light beam by a concave mirror 13” , [0039]);
a diffraction grating (14), the diffraction grating configured to diffract the portion of the incident light (“the diffraction grating 14 spatially separates the incident parallel light beam for each wavelength”, [0040]);
a second condensing mirror (16), the second condensing mirror configured to focus monochromatic beams spectrally divided from the incident light (“the concave mirror 16 image-forms only the light beam having the incident wavelength on an emitting slit 17”, [0041]);
a second slit (17), the second slit configured to pass a portion of a first monochromatic beam (“the light passed through the emitting slit is detected by a light detector 18”, [0041]), among the monochromatic beams for inspecting a wafer; and a processor configured to set a first grating rotation angle of the diffraction grating for outputting the first monochromatic beam based on a grating equation (discloses rotation unit 15 and grating diffraction equation, [0028] and [0039-0040]) by:
detecting an i-th wavelength with a peak intensity in an i-th monochromatic beam based on an i-th rotation of the diffraction grating, where i is a natural number of 2 or greater (uses of higher-order diffraction of reference light, [0045]),
obtaining an i-th wavelength deviation based on a difference between a measured value for the i-th wavelength and a reference value for the i-th wavelength, the reference value for the i-th wavelength being a unique value of the light source (discloses comparing measured higher-order wavelength to known reference, [0045]), and
wherein the incident light reaches the diffraction grating, sequentially passing through the light source, the first slit, and the first condensing mirror (discloses pass through light source, slit, first condensing mirror, diffraction grating , [0039]),
wherein the incident light is spectrally divided into the monochromatic beams by being diffracted by the diffraction grating (discloses spectral separation of incident light into monochromatic components, [0040]) , and
wherein the monochromatic beams are output, sequentially passing through the second condensing mirror and the second slit (discloses the second condensing mirror 16 and the second slit 17, [0041]).
However, Kojima fails to disclose a wafer inspection, a housing and calculating one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation using a least squares method such that a sum of squares of deviations of the i-th wavelength from k=1 to n is minimized, where n is a natural number.
Nishi teaches a wafer inspection ([0177]), a housing (10) and calculating one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation using a least squares method such that a sum of squares of deviations of the i-th wavelength from k=1 ton is minimized, where n is a natural number (use least squares to compute calibration or correction parameters that minimize error, [0324]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate the least squares method of Nishi to Kojima to improve overall exposure accuracy and throughput [(0324]).
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Regarding claim 9, Kojima teaches the grating equation is as follows: where θ represents the first grating rotation angle, θz represents a zeroth diffraction angle, α represents a slope of an angle increment, d represents a reciprocal of grating groove density, K represents deviation angle, and λ, represents wavelength, and the one or more calibration parameters comprise α and θz (discloses uses a grating equation to control the diffraction angle and output wavelength”, [0028-0029] and [0039-0040]).
Regarding claim 10, Kojima teaches wherein the processor is further configured to calculate one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation by:
detecting measured values for first through n-th grating rotation angles for a first wavelength with a peak intensity in each of first through n-th monochromatic beams (discloses measure rotation angles for main and higher-order diffracted light, [0030-0032]), and
obtaining an i-th grating rotation angle deviation based on a difference between a measured value for i-th grating rotation angle and a reference value for i-th grating rotation angle (discloses compare detected absorption wavelength vs. reference wavelength, [0045]),
wherein the reference value for the i-th grating rotation angle is a unique value of the light source (discloses correct grating rotation by angle corresponding to deviation wavelength, [0045]), and
wherein the i-th grating rotation angle deviation is converted into the i-th wavelength deviation(discloses perform wavelength calibration of monochromator, [0032] and [0045]).
Regarding claim 11, Kojima teaches further comprises an intensity detector (18) configured to measure luminous intensity within a range including the measured value for the i-th wavelength(discloses light detector 18, amplifier 20 and A/D 21 measures the light passing the emitting slit, [0041-0043]).
Regarding claim 12, Kojima teaches wherein the light source comprises a broadband light source for calculating (discloses LED/SLD reference light source, [0035]) the one or more calibration parameters, the light source configured to emit light comprising the monochromatic beams (discloses emitted light used to produce different diffraction orders in monochromator, [0045]), and the monochromatic beams have quantized energies (discloses each diffraction order corresponds to a discrete wavelength, [0031]).
Regarding claim 13, Kojima teaches the monochromatic beams are distinguished based on magnitudes of the quantized energies (discloses each beam corresponds to a specific discrete wavelength, theses wavelengths are multiples, and beams are distinguished by wavelength, [0031]) of the monochromatic beams (discloses more than one monochromatic beams exists simultaneously, [0030]), and
n represents a number of monochromatic beams included in the incident light (discloses that a diffraction grating produces multiple wavelength components, including multiple diffraction orders (m = ±1, ±2, ±3, ±4…), and these resulting beams are inherently countable, [0029-0030]).
Regarding claim 14, Kojima teaches the light source comprises a broadband light source (LED/SLD emitting wavelength band, [0037]) for inspecting the wafer, the broadband light source configured to emit light comprising the monochromatic beams(discloses diffraction grating separates by wavelength, [0040]), and
wherein the monochromatic beams have continuous energies (discloses wavelength band, implies a continuous spectrum of wavelengths, [0037]).
Regarding claim 15, Kojima teaches a first slit (12) configured to pass a portion of incident light from a light source (“when the light beam is emitted from the light source 11, the emitted light beam enters into a incident slit 12”, [0039]);
a first condensing mirror (13) configured to focus the portion of the incident light that passes through the first slit (“the light passed through the incident slit 12 is converted into the parallel light beam by a concave mirror 13” , [0039]);
a diffraction grating (14) configured to diffract the portion of the incident light and spectrally divide the portion of the incident light into monochromatic beams (“the diffraction grating 14 spatially separates the incident parallel light beam for each wavelength”, [0040]);
a second condensing mirror (16) configured to focus the monochromatic beams (“the concave mirror 16 image-forms only the light beam having the incident wavelength on an emitting slit 17”, [0041]); and
a second slit (17) configured to pass a first monochromatic beam (“the light passed through the emitting slit is detected by a light detector 18”, [0041]), among the monochromatic beams for inspecting a wafer, wherein a first grating rotation angle of the diffraction grating for outputting the first monochromatic beam is set based on a grating equation (discloses rotation unit 15 and grating diffraction equation, [0028] and [0039-0040]),
wherein one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation is based on:
detecting an i-th wavelength with a peak intensity in an i-th monochromatic beam based on an i-th rotation of the diffraction grating, where i is a natural number of 2 or greater(uses of higher-order diffraction of reference light, [0045]),
obtaining an i-th wavelength deviation based on a difference between a measured value for the i-th wavelength and a reference value for the i-th wavelength, the reference value for the i-th wavelength being a unique value of the light source (discloses comparing measured higher-order wavelength to known reference, [0045]).
However Kojima fails to disclose a wafer inspection apparatus configured to emit first monochromatic light; a collimator configured to collimate the first monochromatic light into parallel light; an imaging optical system configured to generate an image corresponding to second monochromatic light reflected from a wafer based on the parallel light; and an image sensor configured to analyze data from the image, and calculating one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation using a least squares method such that a sum of squares of deviations of the i-th wavelength from k=1 to n is minimized, where n is a natural number.
Nishi teaches a wafer inspection system comprising: a wafer inspection apparatus configured to emit first monochromatic light(discloses a system that emits controlled monochromatic light onto a wafer, [0177]); a collimator configured to collimate the first monochromatic light into parallel light (discloses illumination optical system 18 collimates and directs the light in a controlled manner for uniform exposure, [0177]); an imaging optical system configured to generate an image corresponding to second monochromatic light reflected from a wafer based on the parallel light (uses alignment detection system (FIA, interferometers) to measure reflected light from the wafer for positioning and stage control, [0324]); and an image sensor configured to analyze data from the image (discloses the alignment sensors plus processing by the main controller, which analyze wafer data, [0324]), and calculating one or more calibration parameters of the grating equation using a least squares method such that a sum of squares of deviations of the i-th wavelength from k=1 ton is minimized, where n is a natural number (use least squares to compute calibration or correction parameters that minimize error, [0324]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to integrate collimated monochromatic light source, reflected-light detection using sensors, and least squares method of Nishi to Kojima to improve overall exposure accuracy and throughput [(0324]).
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Regarding claim 16, Kojima teaches the grating equation is as follows: where θ represents the first grating rotation angle, θz represents a zeroth diffraction angle, α represents a slope of an angle increment, d represents a reciprocal of grating groove density, K represents deviation angle, and λ, represents wavelength, and the one or more calibration parameters comprise α and θz (discloses uses a grating equation to control the diffraction angle and output wavelength”, [0028-0029] and [0039-0040]).
Regarding claim 17, Kojima teaches further comprises an intensity detector (18) configured to measure luminous intensity within a range including the measured value for the i-th wavelength(discloses light detector 18, amplifier 20 and A/D 21 measures the light passing the emitting slit, [0041-0043]).
Regarding claim 18, Kojima teaches wherein the light source comprises a broadband light source for calculating (discloses LED/SLD reference light source, [0035]) the one or more calibration parameters, the light source configured to emit light comprising the monochromatic beams (discloses emitted light used to produce different diffraction orders in monochromator, [0045]), and the monochromatic beams have quantized energies (discloses each diffraction order corresponds to a discrete wavelength, [0031]).
Regarding claim 19, Kojima teaches the monochromatic beams are distinguished based on magnitudes of the quantized energies (discloses each beam corresponds to a specific discrete wavelength, theses wavelengths are multiples, and beams are distinguished by wavelength, [0031]) of the monochromatic beams (discloses more than one monochromatic beams exists simultaneously, [0030]), and
n represents a number of monochromatic beams included in the incident light (discloses that a diffraction grating produces multiple wavelength components, including multiple diffraction orders (m = ±1, ±2, ±3, ±4…), and these resulting beams are inherently countable, [0029-0030]).
Regarding claim 20, Kojima teaches the light source comprises a broadband light source (LED/SLD emitting wavelength band, [0037]) for inspecting the wafer, the broadband light source configured to emit light comprising the monochromatic beams(discloses diffraction grating separates by wavelength, [0040]), and
wherein the monochromatic beams have continuous energies (discloses wavelength band, implies a continuous spectrum of wavelengths, [0037]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTINA XING whose telephone number is (571)270-7743. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9AM - 5 PM.
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/CHRISTINA I XING/ Examiner, Art Unit 2877
/Kara E. Geisel/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2877