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 .
Priority
Acknowledgement is made that the instant application claims priority from JP2024-023270, filed on 2/19/2024.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “a beam steering device” in lines 3-6 in claim 5; “a beam measuring instrument” in lines 3-6 in claim 6.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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, 2, 5, 8, 9, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Basting et al. (US PGPub 2003/0219094, Basting hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Basting discloses a laser system (Figs. 1-10, abstract, paras. [0019]-[0024], laser modules 1 and 2) comprising:
a first pulse laser apparatus configured to output a first pulse laser beam in a predetermined cycle (Figs. 1-10, abstract, paras. [0019]-[0024], laser module 1 generates first pulses);
a second pulse laser apparatus configured to output a second pulse laser beam in the predetermined cycle (Figs. 1-10, abstract, paras. [0019]-[0024], laser module 2 generates second pulses);
a first polygon mirror configured to reflect the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [0023], [0026], [0029], a beam combiner 7 includes a scanner 21 that comprises a cylinder formed with multiple flat facets that reflect the laser beams from laser modules 1 and 2); and
a processor (Figs. 1a-b, paras. [0022]-[0026], processor 10) configured to control the first pulse laser apparatus, the second pulse laser apparatus, and the first polygon mirror such that the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam are output with a shift of 1/2 of the predetermined cycle between the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam (Figs. 1a-b, paras. [0022]-[0024], [0026]-[0027], [0052], [0084], the processor 10 controls operation of the laser modules 1 and 2 and the scanner 21, and the beam pulses from the modules 1 and 2 are interleaved with one train of pulses delayed by one-half of the pulse period with respect to other train of pulses) and optical paths of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror are oriented in a first direction and at least partially overlapped (Figs. 1a-b, paras. [0019]-[0020], [0022]-[0024], [0026]-[0029], the scanner 21 combines the reflected beams from laser modules 1 and 2 into output beam 12).
Regarding claim 2, Basting discloses wherein the first polygon mirror includes N reflective mirrors for which an angle formed by the mirrors adjacent to each other is fixed (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [0023], [0026]-[0029], scanner 21 comprises multiple flat facets with angles formed by the adjacent reflective facets), and
a rotation number per unit time of the first polygon mirror is X/N [rps], wherein a frequency which is an inverse of the predetermined cycle is X [Hz] (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [0023], [0026]-[0029], the scanner 21 is rotated with a rotational speed of 3750 rpm when the lasers operate at 4 kHz).
Regarding claim 5, Basting discloses further comprising a beam steering device configured to adjust at least one of the optical paths of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam incident on the first polygon mirror (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [0023], [0026], steering mirrors 6a, 6b direct the output beams of modules 1 and 2 to direct the beams to the scanner 21).
Regarding claim 8, Basting discloses wherein the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror are propagated between an optical path of the first pulse laser beam incident on the first polygon mirror and an optical path of the second pulse laser beam incident on the first polygon mirror (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [0023], [0026]-[0029], pulses from laser modules 1 and 2 are directed to scanner 21 and reflected by reflective facets of the scanner).
Regarding claim 9, Basting discloses wherein the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror are propagated between the first pulse laser apparatus and the second pulse laser apparatus (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [paras. [0023], [0026]-[0029], pulses from laser modules 1 and 2 are directed to scanner 21 and reflected by reflective facets of the scanner).
Regarding claim 14, Basting discloses an electronic device manufacturing method (Figs. 1-10, abstract, paras. [0005], [0019]-[0024], [0040], [0044], [0045], [0052]-[0057], [0065], [0074], laser modules 1 and 2 provide beams in a radiation source for lithography to manufacture integrated circuits) comprising:
outputting a first pulse laser beam and a second pulse laser beam generated by a laser system to an exposure apparatus (Figs. 1-10, abstract, paras. [0005], [0019]-[0024], [0029], [0031], [0033], [0040], [0044], [0045], [0052]-[0057], [0065], [0074], laser modules 1 and 2 provide pulsed laser beams to a lithography system), the laser system including
a first pulse laser apparatus configured to output the first pulse laser beam in a predetermined cycle (Figs. 1-10, abstract, paras. [0019]-[0024], laser module 1 generates first pulses),
a second pulse laser apparatus configured to output the second pulse laser beam in the predetermined cycle (Figs. 1-10, abstract, paras. [0019]-[0024], laser module 2 generates second pulses),
a first polygon mirror configured to reflect the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [0023], [0026], [0029], a beam combiner 7 includes a scanner 21 that comprises a cylinder formed with multiple flat facets that reflect the laser beams from laser modules 1 and 2), and
a processor (Figs. 1a-b, paras. [0022]-[0026], processor 10) configured to control the first pulse laser apparatus, the second pulse laser apparatus, and the first polygon mirror such that the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam are output with a shift of 1/2 of the predetermined cycle between the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam (Figs. 1a-b, paras. [0022]-[0024], [0026]-[0027], [0052], [0084], the processor 10 controls operation of the laser modules 1 and 2 and the scanner 21, and the beam pulses from the modules 1 and 2 are interleaved with one train of pulses delayed by one-half of the pulse period with respect to other train of pulses) and optical paths of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror are oriented in a first direction and at least partially overlapped (Figs. 1a-b, paras. [0019]-[0020], [0022]-[0024], [0026]-[0029], the scanner 21 combines the reflected beams from laser modules 1 and 2 into output beam 12); and
exposing a photosensitive substrate to the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam within the exposure apparatus to manufacture an electronic device (Figs. 1-10, abstract, paras. [0005], [0019]-[0024], [0040], [0044], [0045], [0052]-[0057], [0065], [0074], the output beam from laser modules 1 and 2 is used in a lithography system to expose photoresist on a workpiece to manufacture integrated circuits).
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 3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Basting as applied to claims 2 and 5 above, and further in view of Masuda (JPH09-288243, English translation included with this Office Action).
Regarding claim 3, Basting discloses an incident angle of the first pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror and an incident angle of the second pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [0023], [0026]-[0029], pulses from laser modules 1 and 2 are incident on scanner 21 at an incident angle), but Basting does not appear to explicitly describe wherein the incident angle of the first pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror and an incident angle of the second pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror are 360/4N [°].
Masuda discloses wherein an incident angle of the first pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror and an incident angle of the second pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror are 360/kN (°) (Figs. 1-7, pages 8, 9, 12 of English translation, the beams from laser light sources 13a-13d are incident on the polygon mirror 10 by an angle of 360° divided by a multiple of the number of faces of the polygon mirror 10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included wherein an incident angle of the first pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror and an incident angle of the second pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror are 360/kN as taught by Masuda in the laser system as taught by Basting since including wherein an incident angle of the first pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror and an incident angle of the second pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror are 360/kN is commonly used to efficiently improve the output of the laser beam (Masuda, abstract, page 7). Although Basting as modified by Masuda discloses the general conditions of the incident angle of the first pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror and an incident angle of the second pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror are 360° divided by a multiple of the faces of the polygon mirror (Masuda, Figs. 1-7, pages 8, 9, 12 of English translation), Basting as modified by Masuda does not appear to explicitly describe the incident angle 360/4N [°]. However, absent evidence of criticality, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included optimizing the incident angle of the of the first pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror and an incident angle of the second pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror in the laser system as taught by Basting as modified by Masuda to have obtained the incident angle 360/4N [°] since including wherein the incident angle of the first pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror and an incident angle of the second pulse laser beam on the reflective mirror of the first polygon mirror are 360/4N [°] would have only required routine skill to determine the optimum incident angle on the first polygon mirror to obtain the desired spatial intensity distribution and high light output (Masuda, page 7, page 9). "[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). See MPEP 2144.05, subsection II.
Regarding claim 6, Basting discloses a beam measuring instrument configured to measure a beam parameter of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon (Figs. 1a-b, para. [0022]-[0024], [0026]-[0029], [0056], [0063]-[0064], beam parameter monitor 9 monitors a laser beam parameter of the beam reflected by the scanner 21), but Basting does not appear to explicitly describe measuring at least one of a beam position and a pointing of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam.
Masuda discloses a beam measuring instrument configured to measure at least one of a beam position and a pointing of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror (Figs. 1, 5-7, page 7, page 8, page 12, of English translation, light detection device 25 detects the light reflected from reflecting surfaces of polygon mirror 10, and the detection device 25 detects the directions and positions of the beams output by laser light sources 13a-13d and reflected by mirror 10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included a beam measuring instrument configured to measure at least one of a beam position and a pointing of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror as taught by Masuda in the laser system as taught by Basting since including a beam measuring instrument configured to measure at least one of a beam position and a pointing of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror is commonly used to provide measurements to control the operation of timings of the pulsed light beams and the rotation of the mirror to produce a multiplexed beam as desired (Masuda, abstract, page 7, page 8, paragraph beginning “when the direction 5,” and page 10, first and second paragraphs).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Basting as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Okita (US PGPub 2009/0073407).
Regarding claim 4, Basting does not appear to explicitly describe wherein the N is equal to or larger than four and equal to or smaller than eight.
Okita discloses wherein the N is equal to or larger than four and equal to or smaller than eight (Fig. 2, para. [0070], the polygon mirror 2 has eight surfaces).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included wherein the N is equal to or larger than four and equal to or smaller than eight as taught by Okita as the number of reflective mirrors of the first polygon mirror in the laser system as taught by Basting since including wherein the N is equal to or larger than four and equal to or smaller than eight is commonly used to provide a polygon mirror with the desired number of reflecting surfaces for controlling the speed of scanning as required (Okita, paras. [0082], [0104]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Basting as modified by Masuda as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Tamimoto et al. (US Patent No. 6,411,321, Tamimoto hereinafter).
Regarding claim 7, Basting as modified by Masuda does not appear to explicitly describe wherein the processor controls the beam steering device such that the optical paths of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror approach each other based on a measurement result of the beam measuring instrument.
Tamimoto discloses wherein the processor controls the beam steering device such that the optical paths of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror approach each other based on a measurement result of the beam measuring instrument (Fig. 2, 5, 7, col. 5, lines 45-67, col. 6, lines 41-67, col. 7, lines 1-11, col. 8, lines 27-41, col. 9, lines 10-20, col. 11, lines 49-67, col. 12, lines 1-31, beam sensing unit 38 provides sensor output to the main control unit 51, which controls galvanomirrors 33a-33d corresponding to light beams directed to the polygon mirror 35. The galvanomirrors are controlled to adjust the positional relationships of the beams based on the sensed positions).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included wherein the processor controls the beam steering device such that the optical paths of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror approach each other based on a measurement result of the beam measuring instrument as taught by Tamimoto in the laser system as taught by Basting as modified by Masuda since including wherein the processor controls the beam steering device such that the optical paths of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror approach each other based on a measurement result of the beam measuring instrument is commonly used to control light beam power, light beam positioning, and exposure timing accurately to produce high quality images (Tamimoto, col. 2, lines 1-10).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Basting as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tomioka (US PGPub 2005/0094233).
Regarding claim 10, Basting does not appear to explicitly describe wherein an output direction of the first pulse laser beam output from the first pulse laser apparatus and an output direction of the second pulse laser beam output from the second pulse laser apparatus are opposite to an output direction of a pulse laser beam output from the laser system.
Tomioka discloses wherein an output direction of the first pulse laser beam output from the first pulse laser apparatus and an output direction of the second pulse laser beam output from the second pulse laser apparatus are opposite to an output direction of a pulse laser beam output from the laser system (Figs. 2 and 6, paras. [0066], [0069], [0072]-[0073], [0075]-[0077], light emitting points 1a and 1b emit beams along a first direction to optical deflector 6, which reflects the light along an opposite direction).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included wherein an output direction of the first pulse laser beam output from the first pulse laser apparatus and an output direction of the second pulse laser beam output from the second pulse laser apparatus are opposite to an output direction of a pulse laser beam output from the laser system as taught by Tomioka in the laser system as taught by Basting since including wherein an output direction of the first pulse laser beam output from the first pulse laser apparatus and an output direction of the second pulse laser beam output from the second pulse laser apparatus are opposite to an output direction of a pulse laser beam output from the laser system is commonly used to provide a system with the desired compact design to provide high speed scanning (Tomioka, paras. [0005], [0048]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Basting as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lublin et al. (US PGPub 2003/0043876, Lublin hereinafter).
Regarding claim 11, although Basting discloses the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [0023], [0026]-[0029], pulses from laser modules 1 and 2 are directed to scanner 21 and reflected by reflective facets of the scanner), Basting does not appear to explicitly describe further comprising a pulse stretcher configured to widen a pulse width.
Lublin discloses further comprising a pulse stretcher configured to widen a pulse width of the pulse laser beam (Figs. 1-2, 3E-3F, 9, paras. [0031]-[0037], [0039]-[0041], [0095], a pulse stretching unit 12 stretches the pulses of the laser beam).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included a pulse stretcher configured to widen a pulse width of the pulse laser beam as taught by Lubin with the first laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror in the laser system as taught by Basting since including a pulse stretcher configured to widen a pulse width of the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror is commonly used to improve the pulse length to reduce pulse power and enable constant throughput during the operating life of the lithography tool (Lublin, para. [0015]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
Regarding claim 12, the prior art of record, either alone or in combination, fails to teach or render obvious a third pulse laser apparatus configured to output a third pulse laser beam in the predetermined cycle; a fourth pulse laser apparatus configured to output a fourth pulse laser beam in the predetermined cycle; a second polygon mirror configured to reflect the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam; and a third polygon mirror configured to reflect the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror, and the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the second polygon mirror, wherein the processor controls the first pulse laser apparatus, the second pulse laser apparatus, the third pulse laser apparatus, the fourth pulse laser apparatus, the first polygon mirror, the second polygon mirror, and the third polygon mirror such that the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam are output with a shift of 1/2 of the predetermined cycle between the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam and also with a shift of 1/4 of the predetermined cycle from the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam, optical paths of the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the second polygon mirror are oriented in a second direction and at least partially overlapped, and optical paths of the first pulse laser beam, the second pulse laser beam, the third pulse laser beam, and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the third polygon mirror are oriented in a third direction and at least partially overlapped. These limitations in combination with all of the other limitations of the parent claim would render the claim non-obvious over the prior art of record if rewritten.
The dependent claim would likewise be allowable by virtue of its dependency.
Basting discloses three or more laser modules are combined (para. [0022]) and discloses a first polygon mirror configured to reflect the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam (Figs. 1a-1b, paras. [0023], [0026], [0029], a beam combiner 7 includes a scanner 21 that comprises a cylinder formed with multiple flat facets that reflect the laser beams from laser modules 1 and 2). Basting does not describe or render obvious a second polygon mirror configured to reflect the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam; and a third polygon mirror configured to reflect the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror, and the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the second polygon mirror, wherein the processor controls the first pulse laser apparatus, the second pulse laser apparatus, the third pulse laser apparatus, the fourth pulse laser apparatus, the first polygon mirror, the second polygon mirror, and the third polygon mirror such that the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam are output with a shift of 1/2 of the predetermined cycle between the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam and also with a shift of 1/4 of the predetermined cycle from the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam, optical paths of the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the second polygon mirror are oriented in a second direction and at least partially overlapped, and optical paths of the first pulse laser beam, the second pulse laser beam, the third pulse laser beam, and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the third polygon mirror are oriented in a third direction and at least partially overlapped.
Okita (US PGPub 2009/0073407) discloses multiple polygon mirrors to which exposure light is directed in an exposure apparatus (Figs. 19 and 21, paras. [0175]-[0176], [0190]-[0202], polygon mirrors 122), but Okita fails to describe or render obvious a third pulse laser apparatus configured to output a third pulse laser beam in the predetermined cycle; a fourth pulse laser apparatus configured to output a fourth pulse laser beam in the predetermined cycle; a second polygon mirror configured to reflect the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam; and a third polygon mirror configured to reflect the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror, and the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the second polygon mirror, wherein the processor controls the first pulse laser apparatus, the second pulse laser apparatus, the third pulse laser apparatus, the fourth pulse laser apparatus, the first polygon mirror, the second polygon mirror, and the third polygon mirror such that the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam are output with a shift of 1/2 of the predetermined cycle between the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam and also with a shift of 1/4 of the predetermined cycle from the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam, optical paths of the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the second polygon mirror are oriented in a second direction and at least partially overlapped, and optical paths of the first pulse laser beam, the second pulse laser beam, the third pulse laser beam, and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the third polygon mirror are oriented in a third direction and at least partially overlapped.
Mizuno et al. (US PGPub 2023/0004094) discloses a light source that directs light to a plurality of polygon mirrors (Figs. 33-34, paras. [0113]-[0114] polygon mirrors 51A-51F), but Mizuno does not describe or render obvious a third pulse laser apparatus configured to output a third pulse laser beam in the predetermined cycle; a fourth pulse laser apparatus configured to output a fourth pulse laser beam in the predetermined cycle; a second polygon mirror configured to reflect the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam; and a third polygon mirror configured to reflect the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam reflected by the first polygon mirror, and the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the second polygon mirror, wherein the processor controls the first pulse laser apparatus, the second pulse laser apparatus, the third pulse laser apparatus, the fourth pulse laser apparatus, the first polygon mirror, the second polygon mirror, and the third polygon mirror such that the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam are output with a shift of 1/2 of the predetermined cycle between the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam and also with a shift of 1/4 of the predetermined cycle from the first pulse laser beam and the second pulse laser beam, optical paths of the third pulse laser beam and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the second polygon mirror are oriented in a second direction and at least partially overlapped, and optical paths of the first pulse laser beam, the second pulse laser beam, the third pulse laser beam, and the fourth pulse laser beam reflected by the third polygon mirror are oriented in a third direction and at least partially overlapped.
Conclusion
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/CHRISTINA A RIDDLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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