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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 10/21/2024 fails to comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609 because U.S. Patent Application Publications citation numbers 1 and 2 do not exist, and were not considered. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered as to the merits. Applicant is advised that the date of any re-submission of any item of information contained in this information disclosure statement or the submission of any missing element(s) will be the date of submission for purposes of determining compliance with the requirements based on the time of filing the statement, including all certification requirements for statements under 37 CFR 1.97(e). See MPEP § 609.05(a).
Regarding US 20040198196 B2 listed in the U.S. Patent Application Publication section, this reference is likely a typographical error, as this reference does not exist. The Examiner speculates the listed reference is intended to be US 20040198196 A1 and advises the publication date to be corrected to reflect this change. With respect to this decision, the Examiner has chosen to consider US 20040198196 A1.
Regarding US 20130102227 B2 listed in the U.S. Patent Application Publication section, this reference is likely a typographical error, as this reference does not exist. However, US 20130102227 A1 exists, but has an incorrect publication date. Additionally, US 8968052 B2 exists within the same patent family as US 20130102227 A1, and has a correct publication date with respect to the Information Disclosure Statement form. The Examiner speculates the reference that does not exist was intended to be US 8968052 B2, as the publication date and applicant name are identical to the listed publication date and applicant name in the Information Disclosure Statement. With respect to this decision, the Examiner has chosen to consider US 8968052 B2.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Regarding Claim 11, the recitation of not applying the spindle feedback displacement to the second vertical position of the first chuck when the spindle feedback displacement is greater than a vertical distance from the second vertical position to the third vertical position of the spindle does not specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed with respect to Claim 1, which recites applying the spindle feedback displacement to the second vertical position of the first chuck. The test as to whether a claim is a proper dependent claim is that it shall include every limitation of the claim from which it depends and specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. For example, if claim 1 recites the combination of elements A, B, C, and D, a claim reciting the structure of claim 1 in which D was omitted or replaced by E would not be a proper dependent claim, even though it placed further limitations on the remaining elements or added still other elements. Here, Claim 1 discloses applying the spindle feedback displacement (limitation A) to the second vertical position of the first chuck (limitation B). Claim 11 discloses the applying of the spindle feedback displacement (limitation A) to the second vertical position of the first chuck (limitation B) comprises not applying the spindle feedback displacement (limitation C, replacing limitation A) to the second vertical position of the first chuck (limitation B) when the spindle feedback displacement is greater than a vertical distance from the second vertical position to the third vertical position of the spindle (limitation D). Here, limitation C replaces limitation A of Claim 11, and is thus not a proper dependent claim with respect to Claim 1.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazutaka and Shinji (JP 2022157024 A), herein after referred to as "Kazutaka", in view of Nagaya and Sato (JP 2009099788 A), herein after referred to as "Nagaya", in further view of Zhou et al (CN 114055321 A), herein after referred to as "Zhou", and in further view of Masakazu et al (JP 2019214109 A), herein after referred to as "Masakazu".
Regarding Claim 1, Kazutaka discloses a wafer grinding method (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 17-19, wherein stages for grinding a wafer are disclosed) comprising:
loading a wafer onto a first chuck (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 1, lines 22-23, a wafer is held on the holding surface of a chuck table);
first lowering a spindle having a wheel from a first vertical position to a second vertical position (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 20-21 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Kazutaka), stages T1 to T2);
second lowering the spindle from the second vertical position to a third vertical position (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 21-25, stages T2 to T3, wherein T3-T5 are "all stages in which the grinding wheel 341" contacts the wafer 10);
grinding the wafer by the wheel (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 23-24, grinding the wafer 10 by the grinding wheel 341);
identifying the third vertical position of the spindle by determining whether amounts of change in force of the spindle exceed a reference amount of change in force (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 7, lines 19-20, and Page 11, lines 2-3, 15-20, where stage T3 includes a final finishing stage T30, wherein the measured load value, in force (i.e. Newtons), is compared to the predetermined load value to check for if it matches; see also English Translation, Page 11, lines 24-26, when the measured value is greater than the predetermined load value, the rotation speed of the spindle 30 is slowed);
wherein the third vertical position of the spindle is defined as a vertical position at which the wheel comes into contact with the wafer (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 23-25, stage T3 is where the grinding wheel 341 comes into contact with the wafer 10);
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Kazutaka does not disclose a change in an operation current of the spindle that exceeds a reference amount of change in current;
calculating spindle feedback displacement;
and applying the spindle feedback displacement to the second vertical position of the first chuck, and the spindle feedback displacement is defined as a difference between a reference vertical position of a reference chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle, and the reference vertical position of the reference chuck is defined as the third vertical position of the reference chuck.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Nagaya discloses a change in an operation current of the spindle that exceeds a reference amount of change in current (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 8, lines 3-17 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the position of the spindle where the grinding wheel 30 contacts the wafer 60 is shown as having a sharp increase in the current flowing through the spindle, and wherein when this value exceeds a reference value, the descent of the grinding wheel 30 is stopped).
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Nagaya discloses grinding a wafer using an “electrolytic in-process dressing (ELID)” grinding method, wherein a wafer is grinded in stages (i.e. T1-T4, see Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya)) (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 1, Abstract and lines 23-24, and Page 9, line 22). Notably, Nagaya discloses that during time T2, a wafer is grinded, and during this time, “the spindle current corresponding to the amount of processing load applied by the grinding wheel to the wafer is measured by the spindle current measuring unit”, and wherein the spindle current is monitored to ascertain whether it exceeds the upper limit current.
Similarly, Kazutaka discloses a grinding apparatus that grinds wafers in stages, and monitors the force applied by the grinding wheel to the wafer (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 1, line 19, Page 2, lines 29-30, and Page 10, lines 17-19).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya, such that a grinding method includes identifying the third vertical position of the spindle by determining whether amounts of change in an operation current of the spindle exceed a reference amount of change in current, as seen in Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein stage T2 has an identifiable start indicated on the graph, which coincides with an observable increase in spindle current value. One would be motivated to do this as to provide more consistent tracking of the spindle current, wherein the end of stage T2, disclosed by Nagaya, is indicated as the instant the spindle current value exceeds the upper limit current value, thus prompting the descent of the grinding wheel 30 to cease movement, which is reflective of continuous monitoring throughout the grinding stages (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 11, lines 11-21 in view of Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya)). Kazutaka, by comparison, relies upon measures taken at predetermined stages (i.e. final finishing stage T30) where the descent of the grinding mechanism 3 is ceased, and the load value is measured from the load sensor 25 (Page 11, lines 15-20).
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Kazutaka in view of Nagaya does not disclose calculating spindle feedback displacement;
and applying the spindle feedback displacement to the second vertical position of the first chuck, and the spindle feedback displacement is defined as a difference between a reference vertical position of a reference chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle, and the reference vertical position of the reference chuck is defined as the third vertical position of the reference chuck.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Zhou discloses calculating spindle feedback displacement (Zhou: English Translation, Page 7, lines 26-27 and Page 8, lines 2-3, wherein the shaft displacement compensation is calculated);
and applying the spindle feedback displacement to the previous vertical position of the first chuck (Zhou: English Translation, Page 13, lines 6-21, wherein the shaft displacement compensation is applied to the axis movement amount to ensure the grinding wheel and workpiece surface contact pressure remains consistent with real-time compensation adjustments), and the spindle feedback displacement is defined as a difference between a reference vertical position of a first chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle (Zhou: English Translation, Page 13, lines 16-21, wherein "real-time" updates to the shaft displacement by shaft displacement compensation ensure constant pressure between the grinding wheel and the workpiece surface), and the reference vertical position of the first chuck is defined as the previous iteration of the third vertical position of the first chuck (Zhou: English Translation, Page 12, lines 6-7 and 13-14, and Page 13, lines 16-21, “real-time” updates to the displacement shaft are applied, wherein the spindle displacement has a controlled descent with respect to differences between measured and expected current values, wherein there is only one chuck to act as a reference chuck).
Zhou discloses “a real-time pressure compensation method for grinding and polishing based on a CNC system” (Zhou: English Translation, Page 1, lines 6-7), and notably discloses the calculation of the spindle displacement compensation based on load current measurements to ensure consistent pressure is applied by the grinding wheel onto a workpiece surface (Zhou: English Translation, Page 1, lines 9-17).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in further view of Zhou such that the spindle displacement relies upon previous iterative data to account for changes to the spindle displacement, wherein the shaft displacement compensation disclosed by Zhou relies upon previous iterative data collection of the load current to maintain constant pressure between the grinding wheel and the workpiece (Zhou: English Translation, Page 4, lines 11-13 and 26). This is an improvement upon Nagaya, wherein Nagaya discloses that current is monitored for aberrations with respect to a threshold value, and the grinding wheel 30 descent is preselected values (i.e. 30-μm, 35-μm, 40-μm) (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 8, line 13, Page 9, lines 7 and 13 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), fixed descent heights are shown for the grindstone position), and upon this threshold value being exceeded against a measured value, the grinding wheel ceases descending (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 8, lines 3-17). In combining Kazutaka, which records previous iterative load values and the rotation speed required to achieve that load value to apply to the next wafer iteration (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 12, lines 3-8), in view of Nagaya, wherein changes in operation current of the spindle are verified against a reference amount, in view of Zhou, wherein spindle feedback displacement is calculated and applied to the second vertical position, results in a more efficient design, wherein the “processing quality” and “production efficiency” are both improved (Zhou: English Translation, Page 2, lines 17-19, and Page 8, lines 9-10), prompting someone having ordinary skill in the art to do this.
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya, and in further view of Zhou does not disclose a reference chuck.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Masakazu discloses a reference chuck (Masakazu: English Translation, Page 15, lines 20-23, and Page 17, lines 2-5, wherein a reference chuck is disclosed from one of the four chucks 311-314).
Masakazu discloses a method of adjusting a “processing apparatus equipped with multiple chucks for processing a substrate held by the chucks”. Notably, Masakazu discloses a plurality of chucks to be processed, and discloses using a reference chuck, which is described as having the lowest surface height of all the chucks, wherein the remaining plurality of chucks that are not selected as the reference chuck are then grinded until their heights match the reference chuck height (Masakazu: English Translation, Page 1, lines 9-15, and Page 15, lines 20-23).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya, in further view of Zhou, and in further view of Masakazu, such that a plurality of chucks, and more specifically a reference chuck, is provided (Masakazu: English Translation, Page 7, lines 1-6, and Page 15, lines 10-23). The combination of Kazutaka in view of Nagaya, and in further view of Zhou, primarily reference a singular chuck (i.e. a first chuck), wherein a “reference chuck” may be considered a prior wafer processing iteration. By comparison, Masakazu discloses a plurality of chuck bases 321-324, having a plurality of corresponding chucks 311-314 (Masakazu: English Translation, Page 7, lines 1-6, and Page 17, lines 21-22 in view of FIG. 2). One would be motivated to make this combination in support of producing a more efficient design (Masakazu: English Translation, Page 17, lines 25-27, “the adjustment of the processing device 1 can be performed efficiently by continuously adjusting the chuck bases 321 to 324 and the chucks 311 to 314”).
Regarding Claim 2, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the third vertical position of the spindle comprises identifying, as the third vertical position of the spindle, a position of the spindle at the moment when an amount of change in the operation current of the spindle, which first exceeds the reference amount of change in current among the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle, occurs (Nagaya: see Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya) and Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the vertical position of the grindstone is identified at the moment of change in the operation current of the spindle, which exceeds the reference amount; see also Zhou, English Translation, Page 7, lines 6-7, wherein the amount of change in current exceeds the reference amount).
Claim(s) 12-13, and 18, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazutaka and Shinji (JP 2022157024 A), herein after referred to as "Kazutaka", in view of Nagaya and Sato (JP 2009099788 A), herein after referred to as "Nagaya", in further view of Zhou et al (CN 114055321 A), herein after referred to as "Zhou".
Regarding Claim 12, Kazutaka discloses a wafer grinding method (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 17-19, stages for grinding a wafer) comprising: loading a wafer onto a first chuck (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 1, lines 22-23, a wafer is held on the holding surface of a chuck table);
first lowering a spindle having a wheel from a first vertical position to a second vertical position (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 20-21, stages T1 to T2);
second lowering the spindle from the second vertical position to a third vertical position (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 21-25, stages T2 to T3, wherein T3-T5 are "all stages in which the grinding wheel 341" contacts the wafer 10);
grinding the wafer by the wheel (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 23-24, grinding the wafer 10 by the grinding wheel 341);
identifying the third vertical position of the spindle by determining whether amounts of change in force of the spindle exceed a reference amount of change in force (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 7, lines 19-20, and Page 11, lines 2-3, 15-20, where stage T3 includes a final finishing stage T30, wherein the measured load value, in force (i.e. Newtons), is compared to the predetermined load value to verify the values match; see also English Translation, Page 11, lines 24-26, when the measured value is greater than the predetermined load value, the rotation speed of the spindle 30 is slowed);
wherein the third vertical position of the spindle is defined as a vertical position at which the wheel comes into contact with the wafer (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 23-25, stage T3 is where the grinding wheel 341 comes into contact with the wafer 10), and the reference rotation speed of the first chuck is defined as the rotation speed of the first chuck during a previous grinding process (Kazutaka, English Translation, Page 9, lines 12-17, and Page 10, lines 21-25, a predetermined rotation speed of the spindle is saved from one wafer grinding iteration and applied to the next wafer grinding iteration for a stage T3 where the grinding wheel 341 contacts the wafer 10).
Kazutaka does not disclose a change in an operation current of the spindle that exceeds a reference amount of change in current;
calculating spindle feedback displacement;
and applying the spindle feedback displacement to the second vertical position of the first chuck, the spindle feedback displacement is defined as a difference between a reference vertical position of the first chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle, and the reference vertical position of the first chuck is defined as the third vertical position of the first chuck during a previous grinding process.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Nagaya discloses a change in an operation current of the spindle that exceeds a reference amount of change in current (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 8, lines 3-17 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the position of the spindle where the grinding wheel 30 contacts the wafer 60 is shown as having a sharp increase in the current flowing through the spindle, and wherein when this value exceeds a reference value, the descent of the grinding wheel 30 is stopped).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya, such that a grinding method includes identifying the third vertical position of the spindle by determining whether amounts of change in an operation current of the spindle exceed a reference amount of change in current, as seen in Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein stage T2 has an identifiable start indicated on the graph, which coincides with an observable increase in spindle current value. One would be motivated to do this as to provide more consistent tracking of the spindle current, wherein the end of stage T2, disclosed by Nagaya, is indicated as the instant the spindle current value exceeds the upper limit current value, thus prompting the descent of the grinding wheel 30 to cease movement, which is reflective of continuous monitoring throughout the grinding stages (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 11, lines 11-21 in view of Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya)). Kazutaka, by comparison, relies upon measures taken at predetermined stages (i.e. final finishing stage T30) where the descent of the grinding mechanism 3 is ceased, and the load value is measured from the load sensor 25 (Page 11, lines 15-20).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya does not disclose calculating spindle feedback displacement;
and applying the spindle feedback displacement to the second vertical position of the first chuck, the spindle feedback displacement is defined as a difference between a reference vertical position of the first chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle, and the reference vertical position of the first chuck is defined as the third vertical position of the first chuck during a previous grinding process.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Zhou discloses calculating spindle feedback displacement (Zhou: English Translation, Page 7, lines 26-27 and Page 8, lines 2-3, wherein the shaft displacement compensation is calculated);
and applying the spindle feedback displacement to the previous vertical position of the first chuck (Zhou: English Translation, Page 13, lines 6-21, wherein the shaft displacement compensation is applied to the axis movement amount to ensure the grinding wheel and workpiece surface contact pressure remains consistent with real-time compensation adjustments), the spindle feedback displacement is defined as a difference between a reference vertical position of the first chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle (Zhou: English Translation, Page 13, lines 16-21, wherein "real-time" updates to the shaft displacement by shaft displacement compensation ensure constant pressure between the grinding wheel and the workpiece surface), and the reference vertical position of the first chuck is defined as the position of the first chuck during a previous grinding process (Zhou: English Translation, Page 13, lines 6-7 and 19-21, wherein previous grinding processes may have a shaft displacement compensation applied to maintain pressure applied onto a workpiece surface).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in further view of Zhou such that the spindle displacement relies upon previous iterative data to account for changes to the spindle displacement, wherein the shaft displacement compensation disclosed by Zhou relies upon previous iterative data collection of the load current to maintain constant pressure between the grinding wheel and the workpiece (Zhou: English Translation, Page 4, lines 11-13 and 26). This is an improvement upon Nagaya, wherein Nagaya discloses that current is monitored for aberrations with respect to a threshold value, and the grinding wheel 30 descent is preselected values (i.e. 30-μm, 35-μm, 40-μm) (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 8, line 13, Page 9, lines 7 and 13 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), fixed descent heights are shown for the grindstone position), and upon this threshold value being exceeded against a measured value, the grinding wheel ceases descending (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 8, lines 3-17). In combining Kazutaka, which records previous iterative load values and the rotation speed required to achieve that load value to apply to the next wafer iteration (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 12, lines 3-8), in view of Nagaya, wherein changes in operation current of the spindle are verified against a reference amount, in view of Zhou, wherein spindle feedback displacement is calculated and applied to the second vertical position, results in a more efficient design, wherein the “processing quality” and “production efficiency” are both improved (Zhou: English Translation, Page 2, lines 17-19, and Page 8, lines 9-10), prompting someone having ordinary skill in the art to do this.
Regarding Claim 13, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 12, wherein the identifying of the third vertical position of the spindle comprises identifying, as the third vertical position of the spindle (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 23-25, stage T3 is where the grinding wheel 341 comes into contact with the wafer 10), a position of the spindle at the moment when an amount of change in the operation current of the spindle which first exceeds the reference amount of change in current among the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle, occurs (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 8, lines 3-17 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya) and Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the vertical position of the grindstone is identified at the moment of change in the operation current of the spindle, which exceeds the reference amount; see also Zhou, English Translation, Page 7, lines 6-7, wherein the amount of change in current exceeds the reference amount).
Regarding Claim 18, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou discloses the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 13, wherein the spindle feedback displacement is calculated by adding an amount of wear of the wheel to the difference between the reference vertical position of the first chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle (Zhou: English Translation, Page 1, lines 6 and 14-15, the spindle is displaced for maintain contact with the wafer, which adds onto the previous displacement distance of the spindle; see also Nagaya, English Translation, Page 9, lines 3-7, wherein the wheel is worn, and is responsively moved closer to the wafer to maintain current flowing through the grinding wheel shaft at acceptable parameters; see also Kazutaka, English Translation, Page 9, lines 12-17, and Page 10, lines 21-25, wherein operational characteristics, such as spindle rotation speed, are applied from a previous grinding process to a new grinding process).
Claim(s) 3-6, 8-10, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazutaka and Shinji (JP 2022157024 A), herein after referred to as "Kazutaka", in view of Nagaya and Sato (JP 2009099788 A), herein after referred to as "Nagaya", in further view of Zhou et al (CN 114055321 A), herein after referred to as "Zhou", in view of Masakazu et al (JP 2019214109 A), herein after referred to as "Masakazu", in view of Hirasawa et al (KR 20120088499 A), herein after referred to as “Hirasawa”, in view of Paik et al (US 20100311311 A1), herein after referred to as “Paik”.
Regarding Claim 3, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 2, the reference amount of change in current, and amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 11, lines 15-20, the measured load value is compared to the predetermined load value; see also Kazutaka, English Translation, Page 11, lines 24-26, when the measured value is greater than the predetermined load value, the rotation speed of the spindle 30 is slowed; see also Nagaya, English Translation, Page 8, lines 3-17 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), changes in operation current exceeding a reference current).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu does not disclose three times a current change standard deviation, which is a standard deviation of the amounts of change in the operation current.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Hirasawa discloses a current change standard deviation, which is a standard deviation of the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 6, line 14, standard deviation of the upper surface load current).
Hirasawa discloses a method of polishing a semiconductor wafer (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 1, line 21) wherein a wafer W is held by a carrier 6a and is located between an upper surface plate 2 and a lower surface plate 3 for polishing both sides of the wafer with a polishing liquid (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 10, lines 1-6). Notably, Hirasawa estimates polishing progress of the wafer through monitoring the upper surface load current value with respect to a standard deviation of the upper surface load current value (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 6, lines 9-20).
It would have been obvious to combine Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu, and in further view of Hirasawa, such that the threshold for ascertaining when grinding begins is indicated based upon the standard deviation of the spindle current (see Nagaya, Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the grinding stage start can be ascertained based upon a significant change in the spindle current value). One would be motivated to do this in support of accurate identification of grinding stages, wherein thresholds values are already contemplated by Nagaya regarding current (Nagaya, English Translation, Page 10, lines 24-25 and Page 11, lines 1-3 and 15-19 in view of Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya)), and Hirasawa remarks that polishing progress tracking may also easily be performed by other methods such as referencing the maximum and minimum current values based on an available index (i.e. predetermined value) (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 13, lines 4-9), representing little effort to someone having ordinary skill in the art to try. Additionally, the use of standard deviation is regarded as optimal for instances where sampling of current is performed at intervals of “10 to 300 seconds”, and wherein Nagaya already discloses a grinding process occurring over the course of more than 10 minutes (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 12, lines 30-32; see also Nagaya, Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the horizontal axis discloses a processing time observed up to 33 minutes).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa does not disclose three times a standard deviation.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Paik discloses three times a standard deviation (Paik: Page 3, Paragraph [0036], “three standard deviations away from target”).
Paik discloses a carrier head flexible membrane pertaining to chemical polishing of substrates (Paik: Page 1, Paragraphs [0002-0004]). Notably, a diameter of a thick rim portion 550 is intended to fit into a recess as to “not allow fluid to lead between the membrane and the support component 565”, and achieves this by having a range of acceptable diameters from “x to y with a median target diameter z”, wherein the “ends of the range, x and y, are about three standard deviations away from target diameter z” (Paik: Paragraph [0036] in view of FIGS. 4-5). Here, it is disclosed that due to imperfections with manufacturing, the manufacture of a thick rim portion 550 should ideally have a diameter matching the target diameter z, and anything beyond the elected range ends, x and y, which are three standard deviations away from the target diameter z, are insufficient to permit component functionality.
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa, and in further view of Paik, such that the threshold for ascertaining when grinding begins is indicated based upon three times the standard deviation of the spindle current (see Nagaya, Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya); see also Hirasawa, English Translation, Page 13, lines 4-9; see also Paik, Paragraph [0036]). One would be motivated to do this to provide sufficient threshold values, as already disclosed by Nagaya (see Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya)) to indicate when grinding begins, or when grinding should end, with the intention of mitigating data sampling inconsistencies with a test environment (i.e. current fluctuations due to environmental factors can present a false-positive indicator of a grinding stage beginning).
Regarding Claim 4, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 3, wherein the reference amount of change in current is a positive number (Nagaya: Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), based upon previous sampling iterations, current change is a positive number).
Regarding Claim 5, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 4, wherein the current change standard deviation is calculated based on the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle from a time the spindle reaches the second vertical position to a time the grinding of the wafer is completed (Hirasawa, English Translation, Page 1, lines 9-11, and Page 4, lines 3-10, standard deviation is calculated based on sampled plate current values at time intervals; see also Nagaya, English Translation, Page 1, lines 6-7 and Page 11, line 2 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the operation current of the spindle is sampled from a time the spindle starts descending towards the wafer, and makes contact roughly around minute 4, wherein sampling continues until wafer grinding completion; see also Masakazu, English Translation, Page 15, lines 20-23, reference chuck).
Regarding Claim 6, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 4, wherein the current change standard deviation is calculated based on the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle within 60 seconds from a time when the spindle reaches the second vertical position (Hirasawa, English Translation, Page 1, lines 9-11, and Page 4, lines 3-10, standard deviation is calculated based on sampled plate current values at 60-second time intervals; see also Nagaya, Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya)).
Regarding Claim 8, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 4, wherein the spindle feedback displacement is calculated by adding an amount of wear of the wheel to the difference between the reference vertical position of the reference chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle (Zhou: English Translation, Page 1, lines 6 and 14-15, the spindle is displaced for maintain contact with the wafer, which adds onto the previous displacement distance of the spindle; see also Nagaya, English Translation, Page 9, lines 3-14, wherein the wheel is worn, and is responsively moved closer to the wafer to maintain current flowing through the grinding wheel shaft at acceptable parameters).
Regarding Claim 9, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 4, wherein the reference vertical position of the reference chuck is at a distance of 8 μm to 20 μm downward from the second vertical position of the reference chuck (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 21-23 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Kazutaka), step T2 occurs just before the grinding wheel contacts the wafer; see also Nagaya, Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the wafer is not contacted until approximately minute 4 of the grinding process, at which point the third vertical position is approximately 20 μm at the instant of contact, which is a 20 μm distance from the second vertical position at minute 0; see also Masakazu: English Translation, Page 15, lines 20-23, “reference chuck” selected from four chucks).
Regarding Claim 10, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 4, wherein a number of rotations per unit time of the wheel is maintained constant after reaching the second vertical position of the spindle (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 10, lines 20-25 in view of Figure 3(a) and Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the spindle is rotating prior to contact with the wafer, and the current flowing through the grinding wheel spindle is shown as unchanging while idle; see also Kazutaka, English Translation, Page 10, lines 22, and Page 12, lines 5-8, stage T2 is an air cut section, and wherein the prior spindle rotation speed is maintained).
Regarding Claim 20, Kazutaka discloses a wafer grinding method (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 17-19, wherein stages for grinding a wafer are disclosed) comprising:
loading a wafer onto a first chuck (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 1, lines 22-23, a wafer is held on the holding surface of a chuck table);
first lowering a spindle having a wheel from a first vertical position to a second vertical position (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 20-21, stages T1 to T2);
second lowering the spindle from the second vertical position to a third vertical position (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 21-25, stages T2 to T3, wherein T3-T5 are "all stages in which the grinding wheel 341" contacts the wafer 10);
grinding the wafer by the wheel (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 23-24, grinding the wafer 10 by the grinding wheel 341);
identifying the third vertical position of the spindle by determining whether amounts of change in force of the spindle exceed a reference amount of change in force (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 7, lines 19-20, and Page 11, lines 2-3, 15-20, where stage T3 includes a final finishing stage T30, wherein the measured load value is compared to the predetermined load value to check for if it matches; see also English Translation, Page 11, lines 24-26, when the measured value is greater than the predetermined load value, the rotation speed of the spindle 30 is slowed);
wherein the third vertical position of the spindle is defined as a vertical position at which the wheel comes into contact with the wafer (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 23-25, stage T3 is where the grinding wheel 341 comes into contact with the wafer 10), and a number of rotations per unit time of the wheel is maintained constant is disclosed (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 22, and Page 12, lines 5-8, stage T2 is an air cut section, and wherein the prior spindle rotation speed is maintained).
Kazutaka does not disclose a change in an operation current of the spindle that exceeds a reference amount of change in current;
calculating spindle feedback displacement;
and applying the spindle feedback displacement to the second vertical position of the first chuck, the spindle feedback displacement is calculated by adding an amount of wear of the wheel to a difference between a reference vertical position of a reference chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle, and the reference vertical position of the reference chuck is defined as the third vertical position of the reference chuck, identifying, as the third vertical position of the spindle, a position of the spindle at the moment when an amount of change in the operation current of the spindle, which first exceeds the reference amount of change in current among the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle, occurs, the reference amount of change in current is a positive number and three times a current change standard deviation, which is a standard deviation of the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle, the current change standard deviation is calculated based on the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle from a time the spindle reaches the second vertical position to a time the grinding of the wafer is completed, and a number of rotations per unit time of the wheel is maintained constant after reaching the second vertical position of the spindle.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Nagaya discloses a change in an operation current of the spindle that exceeds a reference amount of change in current (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 8, lines 3-17 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the position of the spindle where the grinding wheel 30 contacts the wafer 60 is shown as having a sharp increase in the current flowing through the spindle, and wherein when this value exceeds a reference value, the descent of the grinding wheel 30 is stopped), an amount of wear of the wheel, which is added to a difference between a previous vertical position of the first chuck and the current vertical position of the spindle (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 9, lines 3-14, wherein the grinding surface of the grinding wheel is worn down, the grinding wheel must descend further towards the wafer to continue grinding, which inherently is adding an amount of wear of the wheel onto the distance the grinding wheel must descend), identifying, as the third vertical position of the spindle, a position of the spindle at the moment when an amount of change in the operation current of the spindle, which first exceeds the reference amount of change in current among the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle, occurs (Nagaya: see Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya) and Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the vertical position of the grindstone is identified at the moment of change in the operation current of the spindle, which exceeds the reference amount), the reference amount of change in current is a positive number (Nagaya: Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), based upon previous sampling iterations, current change is a positive number), the wheel rotating after reaching the second vertical position of the spindle is disclosed (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 10, lines 20-25 in view of Figure 3(a) and Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the spindle is rotating prior to contact with the wafer, and the current flowing through the grinding wheel spindle is shown as unchanging while idle), and a time the spindle reaches the second vertical position to a time the grinding of the wafer is completed is disclosed (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 1, lines 6-7 and Page 11, line 2 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the operation current of the spindle is sampled from a time the spindle starts descending towards the wafer, and makes contact roughly around minute 4, wherein sampling continues until wafer grinding completion).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya, such that a grinding method includes identifying the third vertical position of the spindle by determining whether amounts of change in an operation current of the spindle exceed a reference amount of change in current, as seen in Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein stage T2 has an identifiable start indicated on the graph, which coincides with an observable increase in spindle current value. Additionally, it would have been obvious to continuously move the grinding wheel closer to the wafer to address loss of grinding material between grinding stages (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 9, lines 3-7), and to maintain the wheel rotations per unit of time as to apply the most optimal settings for grinding a wafer (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 11, lines 10-12). One would be motivated to do this as to provide more consistent tracking of the spindle current, wherein factors such as the decrease in grinding wheel effectiveness due to material loss result in spindle current aberrations, and wherein the end of stage T2, disclosed by Nagaya, is indicated as the instant the spindle current value exceeds the upper limit current value, thus prompting the descent of the grinding wheel 30 to cease movement, which is reflective of continuous monitoring throughout the grinding stages (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 11, lines 11-21 in view of Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya)). Kazutaka, by comparison, relies upon measures taken at predetermined stages (i.e. final finishing stage T30) where the descent of the grinding mechanism 3 is ceased, and the load value is measured from the load sensor 25 (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 11, lines 15-20).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya does not disclose calculating spindle feedback displacement;
the spindle feedback displacement is calculated by adding an amount of wear of the wheel to a difference between a reference vertical position of a reference chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle, and applying the spindle feedback displacement to the second vertical position of the first chuck, and the reference vertical position of the reference chuck is defined as the third vertical position of the reference chuck, the reference amount of change in current is three times a current change standard deviation, which is a standard deviation of the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle, the current change standard deviation is calculated based on the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle from a time the spindle reaches the second vertical position to a time the grinding of the wafer is completed.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Zhou discloses calculating spindle feedback displacement (Zhou: English Translation, Page 7, lines 26-27 and Page 8, lines 2-3, wherein the shaft displacement compensation is calculated);
the spindle feedback displacement is calculated by adding an amount of wear of the wheel to a difference between a reference vertical position of a first chuck and the third vertical position of the spindle (Zhou: English Translation, Page 1, lines 6 and 14-15, Page 7, lines 26-27, and Page 8, lines 2-3), the spindle is displaced for maintain contact with the wafer by inherently adding the amount of wear of the wheel to a difference between a reference vertical position (i.e. previous grinding position) and the third vertical position where the grinding wheel contacts the wafer), and applying the spindle feedback displacement to the previous vertical position of the first chuck (Zhou: English Translation, Page 13, lines 6-21, wherein the shaft displacement compensation is applied to the axis movement amount to ensure the grinding wheel and workpiece surface contact pressure remains consistent with real-time compensation adjustments), and the reference vertical position of the first chuck is defined as the previous iteration of the third vertical position of the first chuck (Zhou: English Translation, Page 12, lines 6-7 and 13-14, and Page 13, lines 16-21, “real-time” updates to the displacement shaft are applied, wherein the spindle displacement has a controlled descent with respect to differences between measured and expected current values, wherein there is only one chuck to act as a reference chuck).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in further view of Zhou such that the spindle displacement relies upon previous iterative data to account for changes to the spindle displacement, wherein the shaft displacement compensation disclosed by Zhou relies upon previous iterative data collection of the load current to maintain constant pressure between the grinding wheel and the workpiece (Zhou: English Translation, Page 4, lines 11-13 and 26). This is an improvement upon Nagaya, wherein Nagaya discloses that current is monitored for aberrations with respect to a threshold value, and the grinding wheel 30 descent is controlled at fixed rates (Nagaya: Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), fixed descent rates are shown for the grindstone position), and upon this threshold value being exceeded against a measured value, the grinding wheel to ceases descending (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 8, lines 3-17). In combining Kazutaka, which records previous iterative load values and the rotation speed required to achieve that load value to apply to the next wafer iteration (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 12, lines 3-8), in view of Nagaya, wherein changes in operation current of the spindle are verified against a reference amount, in view of Zhou, wherein spindle feedback displacement is calculated and applied to the second vertical position, results in a more efficient design which may apply previous shaft displacement data sampled from prior grinding experiences, wherein the “processing quality” and “production efficiency” are both improved (Zhou: English Translation, Page 2, lines 17-19, and Page 8, lines 9-10), prompting someone having ordinary skill in the art to do this.
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya, and in further view of Zhou does not disclose a reference chuck, the reference amount of change in current is three times a current change standard deviation, which is a standard deviation of the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle, the current change standard deviation is calculated based on the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle from a time the spindle reaches the second vertical position to a time the grinding of the wafer is completed.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Masakazu discloses a reference chuck (Masakazu: English Translation, Page 15, lines 20-23, and Page 17, lines 2-5, wherein a reference chuck is disclosed from one of the four chucks 311-314).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya, in further view of Zhou, and in further view of Masakazu, such that a plurality of chucks, and more specifically a reference chuck, is provided (Masakazu: English Translation, Page 7, lines 1-6, and Page 15, lines 10-23). The combination of Kazutaka in view of Nagaya, and in further view of Zhou, primarily reference a singular chuck (i.e. a first chuck), wherein a “reference chuck” may be considered a prior wafer processing iteration. By comparison, Masakazu discloses a plurality of chuck bases 321-324, having a plurality of corresponding chucks 311-314 (Masakazu: English Translation, Page 7, lines 1-6, and Page 17, lines 21-22 in view of FIG. 2). One would be motivated to make this combination in support of producing a more efficient design (Masakazu: English Translation, Page 17, lines 25-27, “the adjustment of the processing device 1 can be performed efficiently by continuously adjusting the chuck bases 321 to 324 and the chucks 311 to 314”).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu does not disclose the reference amount of change in current is three times a current change standard deviation, which is a standard deviation of the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle, the current change standard deviation is calculated based on the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle from a time the spindle reaches the second vertical position to a time the grinding of the wafer is completed.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Hirasawa discloses a current change standard deviation, which is a standard deviation of the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 6, line 14, standard deviation of the upper surface load current), and the current change standard deviation is calculated based on the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle (Hirasawa, English Translation, Page 1, lines 9-11, and Page 4, lines 3-10, standard deviation is calculated based on sampled plate current values at time intervals).
It would have been obvious to combine Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa such that the threshold for ascertaining when grinding begins is indicated based upon the standard deviation of the spindle current (see Nagaya, Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the grinding stage start can be ascertained based upon a significant change in the spindle current value). One would be motivated to do this in support of accurate identification of grinding stages, wherein thresholds values are already contemplated by Nagaya regarding current (Nagaya, English Translation, Page 10, lines 24-25 and Page 11, lines 1-3 and 15-19 in view of Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya)), and Hirasawa remarks that polishing progress tracking may also easily be performed by other methods such as referencing the maximum and minimum current values based on an available index (i.e. predetermined value) (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 13, lines 4-9), representing little effort to someone having ordinary skill in the art to try. Additionally, the use of standard deviation is regarded as optimal for instances where sampling of current is performed at intervals of “10 to 300 seconds”, and wherein Nagaya already discloses a grinding process occurring over the course of more than 10 minutes (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 12, lines 30-32; see also Nagaya, Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the horizontal axis discloses a processing time observed up to 33 minutes).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa does not disclose a reference amount of change in current is three times a current change standard deviation.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Paik discloses three times a standard deviation (Paik: Page 3, Paragraph [0036], “three standard deviations away from target”).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Hirasawa, and in further view of Paik, such that the threshold for ascertaining when grinding begins is indicated based upon three times the standard deviation of the spindle current change (see Nagaya, Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya); see also Hirasawa, English Translation, Page 13, lines 4-9; see also Paik, Paragraph [0036]). One would be motivated to do this to provide sufficient threshold values to indicate when grinding begins, with the intention of mitigating data sampling inconsistencies with a test environment (i.e. current fluctuations due to environmental factors not pertaining to a grinding wheel contacting a wafer).
Claim(s) 14-16, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazutaka and Shinji (JP 2022157024 A), herein after referred to as "Kazutaka", in view of Nagaya and Sato (JP 2009099788 A), herein after referred to as "Nagaya", in further view of Zhou et al (CN 114055321 A), herein after referred to as "Zhou", in view of Hirasawa et al (KR 20120088499 A), herein after referred to as “Hirasawa”, in view of Paik et al (US 20100311311 A1), herein after referred to as “Paik”.
Regarding Claim 14, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 13, wherein the reference amount of change in current and amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle are disclosed (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 11, lines 15-20, the measured load value is compared to the predetermined load value; see also Nagaya, English Translation, Page 8, lines 3-17 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), a change in current between sampling instances is shown), and the reference amount of change in current is a positive number (Nagaya: Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), current change is shown as a positive number (i.e. increasing as processing time increases).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou does not disclose three times a current change standard deviation, which is a standard deviation of the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Hirasawa discloses a current change standard deviation (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 6, line 14, standard deviation of the upper surface load current), which is a standard deviation of the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 6, line 14, standard deviation of the upper surface load current).
It would have been obvious to combine Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou, and in further view of Hirasawa, such that the threshold for ascertaining when grinding begins is indicated based upon the standard deviation of the spindle current (see Nagaya, Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the grinding stage start can be ascertained based upon a significant change in the spindle current value). One would be motivated to do this in support of accurate identification of grinding stages, wherein thresholds values are already contemplated by Nagaya regarding current (Nagaya, English Translation, Page 10, lines 24-25 and Page 11, lines 1-3 and 15-19 in view of Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya)), and Hirasawa remarks that polishing progress tracking may also easily be performed by other methods such as referencing the maximum and minimum current values based on an available index (i.e. predetermined value) (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 13, lines 4-9), representing little effort to someone having ordinary skill in the art to try. Additionally, the use of standard deviation is regarded as optimal for instances where sampling of current is performed at intervals of “10 to 300 seconds”, and wherein Nagaya already discloses a grinding process occurring over the course of more than 10 minutes (Hirasawa: English Translation, Page 12, lines 30-32; see also Nagaya, Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the horizontal axis discloses a processing time observed up to 33 minutes).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Hirasawa does not disclose three times a current change standard deviation.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Paik discloses three times a standard deviation (Paik: Page 3, Paragraph [0036], “three standard deviations away from target”).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Hirasawa, and in further view of Paik, such that the threshold for ascertaining when grinding begins is indicated based upon three times the standard deviation of the spindle current (see Nagaya, Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya); see also Hirasawa, English Translation, Page 13, lines 4-9; see also Paik, Paragraph [0036]). One would be motivated to do this to provide sufficient threshold values, as already disclosed by Nagaya (see Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya)) to indicate when grinding begins, or when grinding should end, with the intention of mitigating data sampling inconsistencies with a test environment (i.e. current fluctuations due to environmental factors can present a false-positive indicator of a grinding stage beginning).
Regarding Claim 15, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 14, wherein the current change standard deviation is calculated based on the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle from a time the spindle reaches the second vertical position to a time the grinding of the wafer is completed (Hirasawa, English Translation, Page 1, lines 9-11, and Page 4, lines 3-10, standard deviation is calculated based on sampled plate current values at time intervals; see also Nagaya, English Translation, Page 1, lines 6-7 and Page 11, line 2 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya), wherein the operation current of the spindle is sampled from a time the spindle starts descending towards the wafer, and makes contact roughly around minute 4, wherein sampling continues until wafer grinding completion).
Regarding Claim 16, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik discloses the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 14, wherein the current change standard deviation is calculated based on the amounts of change in the operation current of the spindle within 60 seconds from a time when the spindle reaches the second vertical position (Hirasawa, English Translation, Page 1, lines 9-11, and Page 4, lines 3-10, standard deviation is calculated based on sampled plate current values at 60-second time intervals; see also Nagaya, Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya) regarding current change sampling during an instance where the grinding wheel is still descending).
Regarding Claim 19, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik discloses the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 14, wherein a number of rotations per unit time of the wheel is maintained constant after reaching the second vertical position of the spindle (Nagaya: English Translation, Page 10, lines 20-25 in view of Figure 3(a) and Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the spindle is rotating prior to contact with the wafer, and the current flowing through the grinding wheel spindle is shown as unchanging while idle; see also Kazutaka, English Translation, Page 10, lines 22, and Page 12, lines 5-8, stage T2 is an air cut section, and wherein the prior spindle rotation speed is maintained).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazutaka and Shinji (JP 2022157024 A), herein after referred to as "Kazutaka", in view of Nagaya and Sato (JP 2009099788 A), herein after referred to as "Nagaya", in further view of Zhou et al (CN 114055321 A), herein after referred to as "Zhou", in view of Masakazu et al (JP 2019214109 A), herein after referred to as "Masakazu", in view of Hirasawa et al (KR 20120088499 A), herein after referred to as “Hirasawa”, in view of Paik et al (US 20100311311 A1), herein after referred to as “Paik”, in view of Shimano et al (US 9108292 B2), herein after referred to as “Shimano”.
Regarding Claim 7, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 4, wherein a spindle feedback time is defined as a difference between a reference time when the spindle reaches the reference vertical position and a reference time when the spindle reaches the third vertical position (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 11, lines 28-31, Page 12, lines 2-8 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Kazutaka), a spindle feedback time and rotation at the moment a stage is concluded is recorded and applied to the next iterative wafer to be processed (i.e. stage T2 to T3); see also Nagaya, English Translation, Page 14, lines 3-4 in view of Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the time between grinding stages, spindle feed rate, and spindle current is recorded, and the feed rate and cutting amount of the grinding wheel may be adjusted), the spindle feedback displacement is calculated (Zhou: English Translation, Page 7, lines 26-27, Page 8, lines 2-3, shaft displacement compensation, “Zfeed”), the spindle feedback time (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 11, lines 28-31, Page 12, lines 2-8 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Kazutaka), a spindle feedback time elapsed during a stage is recorded and applied to the next iterative wafer to be processed), and an average descending speed during the second lowering of the spindle (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 21-25, Page 12, line 25 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Kazutaka), the “ideal grinding feed rate known from experience” is utilized during stages T2 to T3, which may be interpreted as an average grinding feed rate based upon previous successful iterations).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik does not disclose calculating the spindle feedback displacement by multiplying the spindle feedback time and an average descending speed during the second lowering of the spindle.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Shimano discloses calculating the spindle displacement by multiplying (Shimano: Paragraph [0023] in view of FIG. 1, “calculate an increment of a sliding distance of the dresser at the sliding-distance calculation point by multiplying the relative speed by a contact time during which the dresser contacts the polishing member at the sliding-distance calculation point”; see also Shimano, Paragraph [0099], the structure of the calculation is shown).
Shimano discloses a method of obtaining a profile of a polishing member used in a polishing apparatus to polish a wafer, and discloses calculating a sliding distance of a dresser by multiplying a relative speed by a contact time (Shimano: see Abstract and Paragraph [0003]).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Masakazu in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik in view of Shimano such that the shaft displacement compensation, which currently multiplies the difference between spindle currents by a current compensation ratio (Zhou: English Translation, Page 8, lines 2-3), is replaced instead by the method disclosed by Shimano (Shimano: Paragraph [0023]), wherein a spindle feedback displacement between wafer iterations is instead calculated with the recorded parameters of time elapsed during a grinding stage by an average, ideal grinding feed rate. One would be motivated to try this as data sampled from processing of a wafer is already recorded and readily available (Nagaya, Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya)), wherein Shimano regards their method, in summation, as providing a “more highly accurate profile of the polishing member”.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazutaka and Shinji (JP 2022157024 A), herein after referred to as "Kazutaka", in view of Nagaya and Sato (JP 2009099788 A), herein after referred to as "Nagaya", in further view of Zhou et al (CN 114055321 A), herein after referred to as "Zhou", in view of Hirasawa et al (KR 20120088499 A), herein after referred to as “Hirasawa”, in view of Paik et al (US 20100311311 A1), herein after referred to as “Paik”, in view of Shimano et al (US 9108292 B2), herein after referred to as “Shimano”.
Regarding Claim 17, Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik disclose the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Kazutaka further discloses the wafer grinding method of claim 14, wherein a spindle feedback time is defined as a difference between a reference time when the spindle reaches the reference vertical position and a reference time when the spindle reaches the third vertical position (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 11, lines 28-31, Page 12, lines 2-8 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Kazutaka), a spindle feedback time is recorded and applied to the next iterative wafer; see also Nagaya, English Translation, Page 14, lines 3-4 in view of Annotated Figure 4 (Nagaya), wherein the time between grinding stages, spindle feed rate, and spindle current is recorded, and the feed rate and cutting amount of the grinding wheel may be adjusted), and the spindle feedback displacement is calculated (Zhou: English Translation, Page 7, lines 26-27, Page 8, lines 2-3, shaft displacement compensation, “Zfeed”), the spindle feedback time (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 11, lines 28-31, Page 12, lines 2-8 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Kazutaka), a spindle feedback time elapsed during a stage is recorded and applied to the next iterative wafer to be processed) and an average descending speed during the second lowering of the spindle (Kazutaka: English Translation, Page 10, lines 21-25, Page 12, line 25 in view of Annotated Figure 2 (Kazutaka), the “ideal grinding feed rate known from experience”).
Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik does not disclose calculating the spindle feedback displacement by multiplying.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Shimano discloses calculating the spindle displacement by multiplying (Shimano: Paragraph [0023], dresser spindle radial displacement is calculated by multiplying a relative speed with a time taken to contact a wafer).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined Kazutaka in view of Nagaya in view of Zhou in view of Hirasawa in view of Paik in view of Shimano such that the shaft displacement compensation, which currently multiplies the difference between spindle currents by a current compensation ratio (Zhou: English Translation, Page 8, lines 2-3), is replaced instead by the method disclosed by Shimano (Shimano: Paragraph [0023]), wherein a spindle feedback displacement between wafer iterations is instead calculated with the recorded parameters of time elapsed during a grinding stage by an average ideal grinding feed rate. One would be motivated to try this as data sampled from processing of a wafer is already recorded and readily available (Nagaya, Annotated Figure 2 (Nagaya)), wherein Shimano regards their method, in summation, as providing a “more highly accurate profile of the polishing member”.
Conclusion
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/JON M HEGEMIER/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/DAVID S POSIGIAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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