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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2, 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites the limitation “gas feeding hole”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. “gas feeding hole” should be “gas feeding holes”
Claim 7 recites the limitation “the other surface”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: “shower head” should be “showerhead”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 9-10, 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dhindsa, Rajinder et al. (US 20030029567 A1). Dhindsa teaches a substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) comprising: a chamber housing (12; Figure 1; 72,74,70; Figure 2) providing a space in which a substrate is treated; a substrate support unit (34; Figure 2) disposed inside the chamber housing (12; Figure 1; 72,74,70; Figure 2) , supporting the substrate; a showerhead unit (above 38; Figure 2) disposed inside the chamber housing (12; Figure 1; 72,74,70; Figure 2) , providing a process gas; and a plasma generating unit (50,52; Figure 1; [0033]) generating plasma for treating the substrate by using the process gas, wherein the showerhead unit (above 38; Figure 2) includes: a showerhead main body (98+96; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 241; Figure 7) that includes a plurality of gas feeding holes (“openings (not shown)”; [0042]) to provide the process gas; and an upper ring assembly (21,86,41-43,46,90,100; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 330; Figure 7-9) surrounding the showerhead main body (98+96; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 241; Figure 7), and the upper ring assembly (21,86,41-43,46,90,100; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 330; Figure 7-9) includes a portion (41-43,46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9) extended in a direction in which the substrate support unit (34; Figure 2) is positioned, as claimed by claim 1
Dhindsa further teaches:
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 1, wherein the showerhead main body (98+96; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 241; Figure 7) includes: an inner showerhead (98; Figure 2-Applicant’s 310; Figure 7); and an outer showerhead (96; Figure 2-Applicant’s 320; Figure 9) surrounding the inner showerhead (98; Figure 2-Applicant’s 310; Figure 7), and the gas feeding holes (“openings (not shown)”; [0042]) is formed in the inner showerhead (98; Figure 2-Applicant’s 310; Figure 7), as claimed by claim 2
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 1, wherein the upper ring assembly (21,86,41-43,46,90,100; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 330; Figure 7-9) includes: a first portion (90; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 410; Figure 8-9); a second portion (46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9) disposed on one side below the first portion (90; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 410; Figure 8-9); and a third portion (21,41-43; Figure 2; [0026]-Applicant’s 430; Figure 8-9) disposed on the other side below the first portion (90; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 410; Figure 8-9), and the third portion (21,41-43; Figure 2; [0026]-Applicant’s 430; Figure 8-9) is grounded ([0026]), as claimed by claim 3
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 3, wherein the third portion (21,41-43; Figure 2; [0026]-Applicant’s 430; Figure 8-9) is disposed to be closer to the showerhead main body (98+96; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 241; Figure 7) than the second portion (46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9), as claimed by claim 4
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 3, wherein the third portion (21,41-43; Figure 2; [0026]-Applicant’s 430; Figure 8-9) includes: a spacer (21; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 431; Figure 8-9) providing a constant spacing between the showerhead main body (98+96; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 241; Figure 7) and the second portion (46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9); and a bulk liner (41-43; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 432; Figure 8-9) coupled to the spacer (21; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 431; Figure 8-9) and extended in a direction in which the substrate support unit (34; Figure 2) is positioned, as claimed by claim 5
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 5, wherein the bulk liner (41-43; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 432; Figure 8-9) includes a first material (SiC; [0026]), and the first material (SiC; [0026]) is a silicon material, as claimed by claim 9
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 9, wherein the bulk liner (41-43; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 432; Figure 8-9) further includes a second material (“.. doped to have a high electrical conductivity...”; [0026]) in addition to the first material (SiC; [0026]), and the second material (“.. doped to have a high electrical conductivity...”; [0026]) is a material that lowers electrical resistance of the first material (SiC; [0026]), as claimed by claim 10
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 1, wherein a length (0.25”; [0027]) of the extended portion (41-43,46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9) is determined depending on the degree of restriction (“..confining the plasma..”; [0027]) for a distribution zone of the process gas or the plasma, or an etch rate for the substrate, as claimed by claim 12
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 1, wherein the extended portion (41-43,46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9) is formed straight in a first direction (vertical axis; Figure 2) or formed to be inclined with respect to the first direction (vertical axis; Figure 2), as claimed by claim 13
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 13, wherein the first direction (vertical axis; Figure 2) is a direction connecting the substrate support unit (34; Figure 2) with the showerhead unit (above 38; Figure 2), as claimed by claim 14
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 1, wherein the extended portion (41-43,46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9) has an entire surface (vertical, horizontal surfaces of 41-43; Figure 2) of a planar shape or one surface (vertical, horizontal surfaces of 41-43; Figure 2) of a non-planar shape, as claimed by claim 15
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 15, wherein the one surface (vertical, horizontal surfaces of 41-43; Figure 2) is disposed in an inward direction inside the chamber housing (12; Figure 1; 72,74,70; Figure 2), as claimed by claim 16
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 1, wherein the extended portion (41-43,46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9) has a length (0.25”; [0027]) varied depending on a plasma environment (20-500mTorr; [0027]) inside the chamber housing (12; Figure 1; 72,74,70; Figure 2), as claimed byclaim 17
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 1, wherein the extended portion (41-43,46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9) has a length shorter than a distance between the showerhead unit (above 38; Figure 2) and the substrate support unit (34; Figure 2), as claimed by claim 18. The claimed distance relationship is required for functionality of the Dhindsa apparatus.
A showerhead unit (above 38; Figure 2) installed in an apparatus (Figure 1-3) for treating a substrate by using plasma, the showerhead unit (above 38; Figure 2) comprising; an inner showerhead (98; Figure 2-Applicant’s 310; Figure 7) including a plurality of gas feeding holes (“openings (not shown)”; [0042]) providing a process gas for generating the plasma; an outer showerhead (96; Figure 2-Applicant’s 320; Figure 9) surrounding the inner showerhead (98; Figure 2-Applicant’s 310; Figure 7); and an upper ring assembly (21,86,41-43,46,90,100; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 330; Figure 7-9) surrounding the outer showerhead (96; Figure 2-Applicant’s 320; Figure 9), wherein the upper ring assembly (21,86,41-43,46,90,100; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 330; Figure 7-9) includes a portion (41-43,46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9) extended in a direction in which the substrate support unit (34; Figure 2) is positioned, as claimed by claim 19
A substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) comprising: a chamber housing (12; Figure 1; 72,74,70; Figure 2) providing a space in which a substrate is treated; a substrate support unit (34; Figure 2) disposed inside the chamber housing (12; Figure 1; 72,74,70; Figure 2) , supporting the substrate; a showerhead unit (above 38; Figure 2) disposed inside the chamber housing (12; Figure 1; 72,74,70; Figure 2) , providing a process gas; and a plasma generating unit (50,52; Figure 1; [0033]) generating plasma for treating the substrate by using the process gas, wherein the showerhead unit (above 38; Figure 2) includes: an inner showerhead (98; Figure 2-Applicant’s 310; Figure 7) including a plurality of gas feeding holes (“openings (not shown)”; [0042]) for providing the process gas; an outer showerhead (96; Figure 2-Applicant’s 320; Figure 9) surrounding the inner showerhead (98; Figure 2-Applicant’s 310; Figure 7); and an upper ring assembly (21,86,41-43,46,90,100; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 330; Figure 7-9) surrounding the outer showerhead (96; Figure 2-Applicant’s 320; Figure 9), the upper ring assembly (21,86,41-43,46,90,100; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 330; Figure 7-9) includes: a first portion (90; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 410; Figure 8-9); a second portion (46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9) disposed on one side below the first portion (90; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 410; Figure 8-9); and a third portion (21,41-43; Figure 2; [0026]-Applicant’s 430; Figure 8-9) disposed on the other side below the first portion (90; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 410; Figure 8-9), grounded ([0026]) and disposed to be closer to the outer showerhead (96; Figure 2-Applicant’s 320; Figure 9) than the second portion (46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9), and the third portion (21,41-43; Figure 2; [0026]-Applicant’s 430; Figure 8-9) includes: a spacer (21; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 431; Figure 8-9) providing a constant spacing between the outer showerhead (96; Figure 2-Applicant’s 320; Figure 9) and the second portion (46; Figure 2; [0041]-Applicant’s 420; Figure 8-9); and a bulk liner (41-43; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 432; Figure 8-9) coupled to the spacer (21; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 431; Figure 8-9) and extended in a direction in which the substrate support unit (34; Figure 2) is positioned, as claimed by claim 20
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dhindsa, Rajinder et al. (US 20030029567 A1) in view of Sun; Jennifer Y. et al. (US 20150311044 A1). Dhindsa is discussed above. Dhindsa does not teach:
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 5, wherein the spacer (21; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 431; Figure 8-9) is provided with an oxide layer formed on a surface (vertical, horizontal surfaces of 41-43; Figure 2), as claimed by claim 6
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 6, wherein the spacer (21; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 431; Figure 8-9) is provided with an oxide layer formed on the other surface (vertical, horizontal surfaces of 41-43; Figure 2) except a ground surface (vertical, horizontal surfaces of 41-43; Figure 2), as claimed by claim 7
The substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 5, wherein the spacer (21; Figure 2; SiC; [0026]-Applicant’s 431; Figure 8-9) is formed of a metal material, as claimed by claim 8
Sun also teaches a plasma processing apparatus (Figure 1) including silicon carbide parts ([0064]) and metallic parts ([0055]) with oxide coatings ([0011], [0014]…) to improve durability as taught by Sun (abstract, [0014]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Dhindsa to use metallic parts with film protective layers as taught by Sun.
Motivation for Dhindsa to use metallic parts with film protective layers as taught by Sun is to improve durability as taught by Sun (abstract, [0014], [0055]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dhindsa, Rajinder et al. (US 20030029567 A1) in view of Kawaguchi, Mark N. et al. (US 20030075524 A1). Dhindsa does not teach Dhindsa’s substrate treating apparatus (Figure 1-3) of claim 10, wherein Dhindsa’s second material (“.. doped to have a high electrical conductivity...”; [0026]) is a carbon material, as claimed by claim 11
Kawaguchi also teaches altering a materials k-value with carbon doping as taught by Kawaguchi ([0034]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Dhindsa to use carbon doping as taught by Kawaguchi.
Motivation for Dhindsa to use carbon doping as taught by Kawaguchi is for controlling a materials k-value as taught by Kawaguchi ([0034]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Gas distribution apparatus with structural components similar in function to the claimed invention includes US 4612077 A; US 5643394 A; US 5746875 A; US 9873941 B2; US 5884009 A
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/Rudy Zervigon/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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