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 § 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.
Claim 2 is 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 "wherein the controller is configured to change the input current to the second coil twice of more during the etching operation" in the claim. It is unclear what is meant by “twice of more.” Examiner interprets broadly. Appropriate clarification is requested.
Claim 16 is 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 16 recites the limitation "wherein the controller is configured to change the input current to the second coil twice of more during the etching operation" in the claim. It is unclear what is meant by “twice of more.” Examiner interprets broadly. Appropriate clarification is requested.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20200286715 to Ikeda.
Claim 1: Ikeda discloses a plasma etching apparatus comprising: an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma generator (106/105/110, Fig. 1-2); and a controller (107/121) for controlling the ECR plasma generator (106/105/110), wherein: the ECR plasma generator includes a first coil (110a [upper coil]) and a second coil (110b [middle coil]), the second coil (110b) is located closer to a wafer stage (113 [sample stage]) than the first coil (110a, Fig. 1), and the controller (107/121) is configured to control a plasma condition of the ECR plasma generator during an etching operation by changing an input current to the second coil (110b, para. [0044], [0098-0105]).
Claim 4: Ikeda discloses wherein the controller is configured to control the plasma condition of the ECR plasma generator (105/106/110, Ikeda) during the etching operation by changing an input current to the first coil (para. [0069-0080]).
Claim 5: Ikeda discloses wherein: the ECR plasma generator further includes a third coil (110c [lower coil], Fig. 1-2, Ikeda), the third coil (110c) is located closer to the stage than the second coil (110b), and the controller (107/121) is configured to change an input current to the third coil (110c) during the etching operation (para. [0069-0080]).
Claim(s) 8-11, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20200286715 to Ikeda.
Claim 8: Ikeda discloses a plasma processing apparatus comprising: an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma generator (106/105/110, Fig. 1-2) for generating ECR plasma comprising an ECR zone (112 [ECR plane]); and a controller (107/121) for controlling the ECR plasma generator (106/105/110), wherein the controller (107/121) is configured to move the ECR zone (112) along a direction normal to a substrate stage (113 [sample stage]) during a plasma processing by controlling one or more ECR plasma parameters (para. [0049-0060]).
Claim 9: Ikeda discloses wherein the controller (107/121, Fig. 1-2, Ikeda) is configured to move the ECR zone upwardly at least once and downwardly at least once (Fig. 9A-9B, para. [0091-0097]).
Claim 10: Ikeda discloses wherein: the ECR plasma generator (106/105/110, Fig. 1-2, Ikeda) includes a first coil (110a [upper coil]) and a second coil (110b [middle coil]), the second coil (110b) is located closer to the substrate stage (113) than the first coil (110a), and the controller (107/121) is configured to move the ECR zone (112) by controlling an input current to the second coil (para. [0091-0097]).
Claim 11: Ikeda discloses wherein: the ECR plasma generator further (106/105/110, Fig. 1-2, Ikeda) includes a third coil (110c [lower coil]) located closer to the substrate stage (113) than the second coil (110b), and the controller (107/121) is configured to move the ECR zone (112) by controlling the input current to the second coil and an input current to the third coil (para. [0091-0097]).
Claim 13: Ikeda discloses further comprising: a chamber (101 [processing chamber], Fig. 1-2, Ikeda); and a plate (103 [quartz top plate]) separating the chamber (101) into a microwave power zone (104 [cavity resonator]) and a plasma generating zone (111 plasma zone]).
Claim(s) 14-15, 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20200286715 to Ikeda.
Claim 14: Ikeda discloses a plasma etching apparatus comprising: an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma generator (106/105/110, Fig. 1-2), comprising: a microwave generator (106/105); and a plurality of coils (110); a controller (107/121) configured to control the ECR plasma generator (106/105/110, Fig. 1-2), wherein: the controller (107/121) is configured to control a plasma condition of the ECR plasma generator during an etching operation by individually controlling input currents to each of the plurality of coils (para. [0099-0100]); and a wafer stage (113 [sample stage]).
Claim 15: Ikeda discloses wherein the plurality of coils (110, Fig. 1-2, Ikeda) includes: a first coil (110a [upper coil]); a second coil (110b [middle coil]) disposed closer to the wafer stage (113) than the first coil (110a); and a third coil (110c [lower coil]) disposed closer to the wafer stage (113) than the second coil (110b, Fig. 1-2).
Claim 18: Ikeda discloses wherein the controller (107/121, Fig. 1-2, Ikeda) is configured to control the plasma condition of the ECR plasma generator (106/105/110) during the etching operation by changing an input current to the first coil (para. [0069-0080]).
Claim 19: Ikeda discloses wherein the controller (107/121, Fig. 1-2, Ikeda) is configured to change an input current to the third coil (110c) during the etching operation (para. [0069-0080]).
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) 2-3, 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20200286715 to Ikeda as applied to claims 1, 4-5 above.
Claim 2: Ikeda does not explicitly disclose wherein the controller is configured to change the input current to the second coil twice of more during the etching operation.
Yet Ikeda teaches wherein the controller (107/121, Fig. 1-2, Ikeda) is configured to change the input current to the second coil to multiple ranges during the etching operation (interpreted as twice or more, para. [0069-0073] where multiple ranges are considered) for the purpose of having the ECR height be accurately and quickly changed (para. [0057], para. [0081]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the optimization of changing of each of the coils as taught by Ikeda with motivation to have the ECR height be accurately and quickly changed.
Claim 3: Ikeda discloses wherein the controller is configured to decrease the input current to the second coil (110b, Ikeda) during the etching operation (para. [0078-0080] where all three coils conditions are changed, which includes increase or decrease in current).
Claims 6-7: Ikeda does not explicitly disclose (claim 6) wherein the controller is configured to set an input current to the first coil greater than the input current to the second coil, and to set the input current to the second coil greater than the input current to the third coil during the etching operation; (claim 7) wherein the controller is configured to set the input current to the first coil constant during the etching operation;
Yet Ikeda teaches changing the current of each of the coils and switching them accordingly for the purpose of having the ECR height be accurately and quickly changed (para. [0057], para. [0081]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the optimization of changing of each of the coils as taught by Ikeda with motivation to have the ECR height be accurately and quickly changed.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ikeda as applied to claims 8-11, 13 above.
Claim 12: Ikeda does not explicitly disclose wherein the controller is configured to move the ECR zone downwardly by increasing at least one of the input current to the second coil or the input current to the third coil.
Yet Ikeda teaches changing the current of each of the coils and switching them accordingly for the purpose of having the ECR height be accurately and quickly changed (para. [0057], para. [0081]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the optimization of changing of each of the coils as taught by Ikeda with motivation to have the ECR height be accurately and quickly changed.
Claim(s) 16-17, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20200286715 to Ikeda as applied to claims 14-15, 18-19 above.
Claims 16-17, 20: Ikeda does not explicitly disclose (claim 16) wherein the controller is configured to change the input current to the second coil twice of more during the etching operation; (claim 17) wherein the controller is configured to decrease the input current to the second coil during the etching operation; (claim 20) wherein the controller is configured to set an input current to the first coil greater than the input current to the second coil, and to set the input current to the second coil greater than the input current to the third coil during the etching operation.
Yet Ikeda teaches changing the current of each of the coils and switching them accordingly for the purpose of having the ECR height be accurately and quickly changed (para. [0057], para. [0081]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the optimization of changing of each of the coils as taught by Ikeda with motivation to have the ECR height be accurately and quickly changed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20190006153 discloses three annular solenoid coils (206a, 206b, and 206c, Fig. 2a) are disposed to cover the outer periphery of the side wall of the processing container (215) for ECR (para. [0127]), each having DC current changes (para. [0127]). US 20030062129 discloses three sets of magnets (121, 123, 123, Fig. 1) to control uniformity of plasma as an ECR apparatus (para. [0020]). US 4894510 discloses a first solenoid coil (5, Fig. 4), and four second solenoid coils (14a-14d), which are driven by a power source (15).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Charlee J. C. Bennett whose telephone number is (571)270-7972. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at 5712725166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Charlee J. C. Bennett/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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