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 Objections
Claims 1-11 are objected to because of the following informalities: claim 1 recites the phrases “the wafer exposure layout method comprising following steps”, “moving the photomask one by one along”, “correspondingly moves”, and “moved one by one along”; claims 1, 2, and 11 recite the phrase “edges form for each side”; claim 8 recites the phrase “each of the polygonal subunit”; claim 11 recites the phrase “to form a”. Each of these phrases are grammatically awkward and should be rewritten. Appropriate correction is required. Claims 2-10 depend from claim 1.
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 1-11 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.
For claim 1, the phrase “when the photomask moves to a second exposure position in another adjacent rectangular exposure field area, at least one side of the photomask partially embed with a corresponding side of the adjacent rectangular exposure field area” is unclear because the second exposure position is in the another adjacent rectangular exposure field area and cannot be partially embedded within itself. The Examiner suggests using ordinal numbers to identify the exposure field areas, such as: wherein when the photomask corresponding to a first rectangular exposure field areafirst rectangular exposure field area, and wherein when the photomask moves to a second exposure position corresponding to an adjacent second rectangular exposure field area, at least one side of the photomask partially embeds within a corresponding side of the first rectangular exposure field area.
Similar corrections should be made for the exposure fields in Claims 2-5.
Claims 2-9 depend therefrom.
For claim 2, the phrase “the plurality of convex portions of at least one side of the photomask, as being moved to the first exposure position in any of the rectangular exposure field areas, are partially embedded with the plurality of concave portions of a correspondingly side of the photomask, being relatively moved to the second exposure position in another adjacent rectangular exposure field area, and the plurality of concave portions of the at least one side of the photomask are partially embedded with the plurality of convex portions of the correspondingly side of the photomask, being relatively moved to the second exposure position in another adjacent rectangular exposure field area” is unclear because the “being moved to” and “being relatively moved to” implies that the “embedded” state occurs during movement. Further convex portions are not embedded with concave portions. The Examiner suggest rewriting the phrase as: the plurality of convex portions of at least one side of the photomask, at the first exposure position corresponding to the first rectangular exposure field areain the plurality of concave portions of a correspondingwhen the photomask is located at the second exposure position corresponding to the adjacent second rectangular exposure field area, and the plurality of concave portions of the at least one side of the photomask are partially filled with the plurality of convex portions of the correspondingwhen the photomask is located at the second exposure position corresponding to the adjacent second rectangular exposure field area.
For claims 1, 7, and 11, the transitional phrases “composed of “ and “composed by” are unclear whether the phase is open or closed, see discussion in MPEP 2111.03.
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. The photomask of claim 11 may be used in a materially different method that does not include method of claim 1. See the examples of methods taught in the references used in the prior art rejection of claim 11 and identified in the indication of allowable subject matter. See also MPEP 608.01(n)(III). 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 § 102
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 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.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xie et al. [US 2018/0203358].
For claim 11, Xie teaches a photomask (see Fig. 6) utilized in the wafer exposure layout method as claimed in claim 1, composed by a plurality of completely regular hexagonal units (120) to form a honeycomb structure, so that concave and convex edges form for each side of the photomask (see Fig. 6), and wherein each of the completely regular hexagonal unit corresponds to at least one of a plurality of polygonal dies (holes or pillars, see [0045]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ren et al. [CN 111381437 A].
For claim 11, Ren teaches a photomask (see Fig. 5) utilized in the wafer exposure layout method as claimed in claim 1, composed by a plurality of completely regular hexagonal units (hexagonal units, see Fig. 4) to form a honeycomb structure, so that concave and convex edges form for each side of the photomask (see Fig. 5), and wherein each of the completely regular hexagonal unit corresponds to at least one of a plurality of polygonal dies (exposed portion of patterned substrate for active area of LED device, see the background section).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
For claim 1, Brown [US 2004/0121246] teaches a wafer exposure layout method, for performing step-and-repeat exposing of polygonal dies pre-formed on a wafer (see Figs. 1, 4, and 5), the wafer exposure layout method comprising following steps: planning a plurality of linear exposure paths that are parallel and equidistant from each other (sweep movement for providing exposure of each sub array exposure region), wherein each linear exposure path includes a plurality of rectangular exposure field areas arranged side by side along a straight line (sub pattern image), any of the rectangular exposure field areas partially overlaps an adjacent rectangular exposure field area (overlapping exposure areas with at meandering shaped edge), and each of the rectangular exposure field areas covers a portion of the wafer; providing a photomask (see Fig. 4), so that concave and convex edges form for each side of the photomask pattern (meandering shaped edges); and moving the photomask one by one along a plurality of linear exposure paths relative to the wafer, wherein when the photomask moves along any of linear exposure paths (see [0009]), it is moved one by one along the plurality of rectangular exposure field areas which are side by side, to expose the wafer; wherein when the photomask correspondingly moves to a first exposure position of any of the rectangular exposure field areas, each side of the photomask partially contacts each side of the rectangular exposure field area (see Fig. 5), and wherein when the photomask moves to a second exposure position in another adjacent rectangular exposure field area, at least one side of the photomask partially embed with a corresponding side of the adjacent rectangular exposure field area (the meandering shape at the seam, see Fig. 5). Brown fails to teach a photomask, composed of a plurality of completely regular hexagonal units to form a honeycomb structure, so that concave and convex edges form for each side of the photomask, wherein each completely regular hexagonal unit corresponds to at least one of the plurality of polygonal dies.
Ren teaches a wafer exposure layout method, for performing step-and-repeat exposing of polygonal dies pre-formed on a wafer, the wafer exposure layout method (exposure of the LED substrate, see Figs. 6 and 11) comprising following steps: planning a plurality of exposure paths (paths for exposure of b1-b5 or c1-c7), wherein each linear exposure path includes a plurality of hexagonal exposure field areas arranged side by side (see Figs. 6 and 11), any of the hexagonal exposure field areas partially overlaps an adjacent hexagonal exposure field area, and each of the hexagonal exposure field areas covers a portion of the wafer (edge region have hexagonal shape); providing a photomask (see Figs. 5 and 10), composed of a plurality of completely regular hexagonal units (hexagonal units, see Fig. 4) to form a honeycomb structure, so that concave and convex edges form for each side of the photomask, wherein each completely regular hexagonal unit corresponds to at least one of the plurality of polygonal dies; and moving the photomask one by one along a plurality of linear exposure paths relative to the wafer (stepping exposure method, see pages 5 and 6), wherein when the photomask moves along any of linear exposure paths, it is moved one by one along the plurality of hexagonal exposure field areas which are side by side, to expose the wafer (see Figs. 5 and 10); wherein when the photomask correspondingly moves to a first exposure position of any of the hexagonal exposure field areas, each side of the photomask partially contacts each side of the hexagonal exposure field area, and wherein when the photomask moves to a second exposure position in another adjacent hexagonal exposure field area, at least one side of the photomask partially embed with a corresponding side of the adjacent hexagonal exposure field area (adjacent edges of exposure areas overlap along a straight light dividing a larger hexagonal structure, see Fig. 6 and 11).
Xie also teaches exposure method of exposing a photomask (see Fig. 6) utilized in the wafer exposure layout method as claimed in claim 1, composed by a plurality of completely regular hexagonal units (120) to form a honeycomb structure, so that concave and convex edges form for each side of the photomask (see Fig. 6), and wherein each of the completely regular hexagonal unit corresponds to at least one of a plurality of polygonal dies (holes or pillars, see [0045]).
However, both Ren (in the background and Figs. 1-3) and Xie (see Figs. 1 and 2 and [0024] and [0045]) teach that the use of a quadrilateral exposure field when performing a step exposure introduce inconsistent imaging characteristics at the edge of the exposure area, and instead using a hexagonal exposure field to solve the problem; thereby, teaching away from the claimed use of rectangular exposure fields when imaging hexagonal mask pattern areas.
Claims 2-10 depend therefrom.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Steven H Whitesell whose telephone number is (571)270-3942. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM (MST).
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/Steven H Whitesell/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759
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