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.
Claims 10, 12 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.
Claims 10, 12 recite the limitation "the computer readable storage medium" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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)(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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by
Liu et al (US 20180364177 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Liu et al discloses a method of automated inspection of a microfabricated feature (defect and/or background surface in response to incident beam and obtaining a defect scattering map and a surface scattering map (clam 1) on a substrate (paragraphs [0003], [0126]) causing a polarization selected to improve fluorescence emission (paragraph [0038]) , the method comprising: loading the substrate into an inspection tool having a laser source (paragraph [0119]); selecting a polarization of laser light emitted by the laser source based on the microfabricated features on the substrate (paragraph [0119]); irradiating the microfabricated feature with the laser light from the laser source; and use collected fluorescence emission emitted by the microfabricated feature in response to being irradiated with the laser light from the laser source to form an image of the microfabricated features (i.e. CCD, PMT, or other sensors) (paragraphs [0073]).
Regarding claim 2, Liu et al discloses wherein selecting the polarization of the laser light comprises adjusting a half-waveplate and a quarter-waveplate between the laser source and the substrate to impart a desired type of polarization to the laser light (i.e. a rotatable ½ waveplate; and a rotatable ¼ waveplate) (claim 3).
Regarding claim 3, Liu et al discloses wherein the desired type of polarization comprises adjusting a polarization manipulator to impart elliptical polarization to the laser light (i.e. rotatable ¼ waveplate for controlling the incident beam’s circular or elliptical polarization) (paragraph [0008]).
Regarding claim 4, Liu et al discloses wherein the desired type of polarization comprises to substantially align the polarization of the laser light with the microfabricated feature (i.e. improv defect sensitivity by modulating illumination polarization between P and S and balancing between a scattering intensity factor and a polarization orthogonality factor) (paragraph [0120]).
Regarding claim 5, Liu et al discloses wherein the microfabricated feature comprises a plurality of substantially parallel lines separated by a spacing of less than approximately 2 microns (i.e. defects sizes are about 80 nm) (paragraph [0041]).
Regarding claim 6, Liu et al discloses wherein further comprising determining a polarization of the laser light based on at least an alignment of the microfabricated feature (i.e. select S or P polarization can be based on wafer type, defect type (e.g. particle) (paragraph [0038]).
Regarding claim 7, Liu et al discloses wherein determining the polarization of the laser light is determined using an image of the microfabricated feature prior to loading the substrate (i.e. select S or P polarization can be based on wafer type, defect type (e.g. particle) (paragraph [0038]).
Regarding claim 8, Liu et al discloses wherein determining the polarization of the laser light is performed during recipe creation (i.e. polarization setting initially selected or adjusted via second ½ waveplate (702d) on illumination side) (paragraph [0093]).
Regarding claim 9, Liu et al discloses an inspection tool for automated inspection of a microfabricated feature (defect and/or background surface in response to incident beam and obtaining a defect scattering map and a surface scattering map (clam 1) on a substrate (paragraphs [0003], [0126]) using a polarization selected to improve fluorescence emission (paragraph [0038]), the inspection tool comprising: means for selecting a polarization of laser light emitted by the laser source (paragraph [0119]) based on the microfabricated features on the substrate (paragraph [0119]); means for irradiating the microfabricated feature with the laser light from the laser source; and means for using collected fluorescence emission emitted by the microfabricated feature in response to being irradiated with the laser light from the laser source to form an image of the microfabricated features (i.e. CCD, PMT, or other sensors) (paragraphs [0073]).
Regarding claim 10, Liu et al discloses wherein selecting the polarization of the laser light comprises adjusting a half-waveplate and a quarter-waveplate between the laser source and the substrate to impart a desired type of polarization to the laser light (a rotatable ½ waveplate; and a rotatable ¼ waveplate) (claim 3).
Regarding claim 11, Liu et al discloses wherein selecting the desired type of polarization is elliptical polarization of the laser light (i.e. a rotatable ¼ waveplate for controlling incident beam’s circular or elliptical polarization) (paragraph [0008]).
Regarding claim 12, Liu et al discloses wherein selecting the polarization of the laser light comprises looking at instructions to determine a type of polarization (i.e. computer subsystem (624) (paragraph [0077]) with programming instructions to provide user interface (computer screen) for displaying resultant images and other inspection characteristics) (paragraph [0077]).
Regarding claim 13, Liu et al discloses wherein an apparatus for automated inspection of a microfabricated feature (defect and/or background surface in response to incident beam and obtaining a defect scattering map and a surface scattering map (clam 1) on a substrate (paragraphs [0003], [0126]) using a polarization selected to improve fluorescence emission (paragraph [0038]), the apparatus comprising: a stage for holding the substrate; a laser source (paragraph [0119]); control circuitry configured to: select a polarization of laser light emitted by the laser source based on the microfabricated features on the substrate (paragraph [0119]); and control irradiation of the microfabricated feature with the laser light from the laser source; and a detector (618) configured to collect fluorescence emission emitted by the microfabricated feature in response to being irradiated with the laser light from the laser source to form an image of the microfabricated features (i.e. CCD, PMT, or other sensors) (paragraphs [0073]).
Regarding claim 14, Liu et al discloses wherein selecting the polarization of the laser light comprises adjusting a half-waveplate and a quarter-waveplate between the laser source and the substrate to impart a desired type of polarization to the laser light (i.e. rotatable ½ waveplate; a rotatable ¼ waveplate) (claim 3).
Regarding claim 15, Liu et al discloses wherein the desired type of polarization for the laser light is elliptically polarized (a rotatable ¼ waveplate for controlling incident beam’s circular or elliptical polarization) (paragraph [0008]).
Regarding claim 16, Liu et al discloses wherein the desired type of polarization for the laser light is to substantially align the polarization of the laser light with the microfabricated feature (defect sensitivity by modulating illumination polarization between P and S and balancing between scattering intensity factor and polarization orthogonality factor (paragraph [0120]).
Regarding claim 17, Liu et al discloses wherein the microfabricated feature comprises a plurality of substantially parallel lines separated by a spacing of less than approximately 2 microns (i.e. defect sizes that are about 80 nm) (paragraph [0041]).
Regarding claim 18, Liu et al discloses wherein the control circuitry is configured to select the polarization of the laser light in dependence on an indication of an alignment of the microfabricated feature (S or P polarization based on wafer type, defect types such as; particle) (paragraph [0038]).
Regarding claim 19, Liu et al discloses wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the indication of the alignment of the microfabricated feature as an image of the microfabricated feature (S or P polarization based on wafer type, defect types such as; particle) (paragraph [0038]).
Regarding claim 20, Liu et al discloses wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the indication of the alignment of the microfabricated feature as a feature description loaded into the apparatus (S or P polarization based on wafer type, defect types such as; particle) (paragraph [0038]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ogawa et al (US 10401299 B2) discloses an imaging capturing apparatus comprising, a light source, a polarizing beam splitter configured to illuminate a target with light from the light source, a sensor configured to capture an image of the inspection target by incidence of light reflected from the target through the polarizing beam splitter, and a Faraday rotator provided between the polarizing beam splitter and the target and disposed away from the polarizing beam splitter such that a Faraday rotation angle in the polarizing beam splitter is within a range of an angle equal to or larger than −0.5 degrees and an angle equal to or smaller than 0.5 degrees.
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/F.P.B./Examiner, Art Unit 2884
/UZMA ALAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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