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
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: the first step is in the infinitive form, ”form” and the rest of the steps are in the gerund form, “determining” and “forming”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 16 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 15. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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 1-22 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.
Regarding claims 1, 14 and 22, it is unclear what a “spatial scale” is. It is disclosed in the discussion of block 560 that the dose map can include a first feature having a first spatial scale, but does not show in the drawings or define what it is on the dose map. From the plain meaning of the words, it is assumed that a “spatial scale” is specific physical dimensions over which variations in the ion beam dose occur
Claim 19 is directed to wherein the first spatial scale is less than 1 micron and is greater than 1 micron, which seems impossible. In order to expedite prosecution, it is assumed that it is less than 1 micron.
The remaining claims, not specifically mentioned, are rejected for incorporating the defects from the base claim by dependency.
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(s) 1, 2, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Subrahmanyan (2023/0367941).
Regarding claim 1, Subrahmanyan discloses a method comprising: form a stress-compensation layer (SCL) on a substrate (“PVD SiN”, Fig. 2C, 2F, para 0023, 0025); determining, using a map of deformation of the substrate (Fig. 4C, 5C, para 0032, 0033), a dose map (Fig. 5D) for a stress-modification beam (para 0034), wherein the dose map comprises a first feature having a first spatial scale along a first direction and a second feature having a second spatial scale along a second direction (Fig. 5D, para 0034, para 0046, “dose map may present a qualitatively similar pattern as the filtered residual curvature map where relative dose is increased in x,y regions of relative higher curvature”, dose map of Fig. 5D shows feature having a first spatial scale along a first direction, X-direction and a second feature having a second spatial scale along a second direction, Y-direction, interpreting “spatial scale” as specific physical dimensions over which variations in the ion beam dose occur); and forming, using a stress-modification beam (308, Fig. 6A), a spatially modulated pattern in the SCL, wherein the spatially modulated pattern causes modification of the deformation of the substrate and comprises: a first modulation associated with the first spatial scale, and a second modulation associated with the second spatial scale (para 0036, 0037, “the substrate 332 may be scanned along the Y-axis, so a given ion treatment may be applied to a given region of the substrate 332 as the ion beam 308 is simultaneously scanned back and forth along the X-axis”, “may deliver a targeted ion dose for any given region of the substrate in the x-y plane”, the stress-modification beam 308 is spatially modulated based on the dose map).
Regarding claim 22, Subrahmanyan discloses a semiconductor manufacturing system (Fig. 6A, 6B, para 0005, 0052, “subsequent lithography steps”) comprising one or more processing chambers (processing takes place different chambers to avoid contamination), the semiconductor manufacturing system to: form a stress-compensation layer (SCL) on a substrate (“PVD SiN”, Fig. 2C, 2F, para 0023, 0025); determine, using a map of deformation of the substrate (Fig. 4C, 5C, para 0032, 0033), a dose map (Fig. 5D) for a stress-modification beam (para 0034), wherein the dose map comprises a first feature having a first spatial scale along a first direction and a second feature having a second spatial scale along a second direction (Fig. 5D, para 0034, para 0046, “dose map may present a qualitatively similar pattern as the filtered residual curvature map where relative dose is increased in x,y regions of relative higher curvature”, dose map of Fig. 5D shows feature having a first spatial scale along a first direction, X-direction and a second feature having a second spatial scale along a second direction, Y-direction, interpreting “spatial scale” as specific physical dimensions over which variations in the ion beam dose occur); and form, using a stress-modification beam (308, Fig. 6A), a spatially modulated pattern in the SCL, wherein the spatially modulated pattern causes modification of the deformation of the substrate and comprises: a first modulation associated with the first spatial scale, and a second modulation associated with the second spatial scale (para 0036, 0037, “the substrate 332 may be scanned along the Y-axis, so a given ion treatment may be applied to a given region of the substrate 332 as the ion beam 308 is simultaneously scanned back and forth along the X-axis”, “may deliver a targeted ion dose for any given region of the substrate in the x-y plane”, the stress-modification beam 308 is spatially modulated based on the dose map).
Regarding claims 2, 15 and 16, Subrahmanyan discloses wherein the stress-modification beam comprises at least one of: a beam of ions, a beam of photons, or a beam of electrons (para 0020, 0035).
Regarding claim 12, Subrahmanyan discloses collecting optical inspection data for the substrate; and determining, using the optical inspection data, the map of deformation of a substrate (702, 704, Fig. 7, para 0040, 0041).
Regarding claim 13, Subrahmanyan discloses determining, using the map of deformation of the substrate, settings for the stress-modification beam (para 0034, “ion dose map, based upon the curvature map”), wherein the settings for the stress-modification beam comprise one or more of: a type of particles of the stress-modification beam, an energy of the particles of the stress-modification beam, or an angle of incidence of the particles of the stress-modification beam (para 0034, “the two parallel linear regions of the dose map, corresponding to the high curvature linear regions of the filtered curvature map are to receive substantially higher dose than the general ‘background’ regions”, Fig. 5D, shows color code for different energy of the particle).
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.
Claim(s) 3-11, 14 and 17-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Subrahmanyan in view of deVilliers (2015/0294917).
Regarding claim 3, Subrahmanyan does not disclose forming a spatially modulated mask on the SCL; and subjecting the spatially modulated mask and the SCL to the stress-modification beam. DeVelliers discloses in Fig. 12, a stress-compensation layer (SCL) (161, Fig. 12, para 0040) on a substrate (105) and a spatially modulated mask (162) on the SCL. DeVelliers discloses subjecting the spatially modulated mask and the SCL to the stress-modification beam (Fig. 12, para 0041). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the steps of forming a spatially modulated mask on the SCL; and subjecting the spatially modulated mask and the SCL to the stress-modification beam as taught by deVelliers in order to provide precise spatially controlled modulation especially for localized corrections.
Regarding claim 4, Subrahmanyan does not disclose wherein at least one of the first modulation or the second modulation is caused by a plurality of raised portions and a plurality of recessed portions of the spatially modulated mask interacting with the stress-modification beam. Develliers discloses wherein at least one of the first modulation or the second modulation is caused by a plurality of raised portions and a plurality of recessed portions of the spatially modulated mask interacting with the stress-modification beam (Fig. 12). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the spatially modulated mask of deVelliers to the invention of Subrahmanyan in order to provide precise spatially controlled modulation especially for localized corrections.
Regarding claim 6, Subrahmanyan does not disclose wherein forming the spatially modulated pattern in the SCL comprises: subjecting the SCL to a spatially-varying dose of the stress-modification beam, wherein the stress-modification beam has a size that is less than the first spatial scale and the second spatial scale, deVelliers discloses directing particles at specific locations causing a lessening of a tensile stress or lessening of a compressive stress, to either pull a substrate inwardly, or to push outwardly (para 0038), and making different concave and convex adjustment by causing particles to strike a lower surface or angles bombardment to sidewalls (para 0042). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the stress-modification beam that has a specific size to make the adjustment as needed in order to obtain reduction in deformation.
Regarding claim 14, Subrahmanyan discloses a system (Fig. 6A, 6B) comprising: a memory (354); and a processing device (352) communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processing device is to cause performance of operations (para 0039) comprising: forming a stress-compensation layer (SCL) on a substrate (“PVD SiN”, Fig. 2C, 2F, para 0023, 0025); determining, using a map of deformation of the substrate (Fig. 4C, 5C, para 0032, 0033), a dose map (Fig. 5D) for a stress-modification beam (para 0034), wherein the dose map comprises a first feature having a first spatial scale along a first direction and a second feature having a second spatial scale along a second direction (Fig. 5D, para 0034, para 0046, “dose map may present a qualitatively similar pattern as the filtered residual curvature map where relative dose is increased in x,y regions of relative higher curvature”, dose map of Fig. 5D shows feature having a first spatial scale along a first direction, X-direction and a second feature having a second spatial scale along a second direction, Y-direction, interpreting “spatial scale” as specific physical dimensions over which variations in the ion beam dose occur), and forming, using a stress-modification beam (308, Fig. 6A), a spatially modulated pattern in the SCL, wherein the spatially modulated pattern causes modification of the deformation of the substrate and comprises: a first modulation associated with the first spatial scale, and a second modulation associated with the second spatial scale (para 0036, 0037, “the substrate 332 may be scanned along the Y-axis, so a given ion treatment may be applied to a given region of the substrate 332 as the ion beam 308 is simultaneously scanned back and forth along the X-axis”, “may deliver a targeted ion dose for any given region of the substrate in the x-y plane”, the stress-modification beam 308 is spatially modulated based on the dose map). However, Subrahmanyan does not disclose forming a spatially modulated mask on the SCL, wherein the spatially modulated mask comprises: a first modulation associated with the first spatial scale, and a second modulation associated with the second spatial scale; and subjecting the spatially modulated mask and the SCL to the stress-modification beam to induce a spatial modulation of stress in the SCL, wherein the spatial modulation of stress in the SCL causes modification of the deformation of the substrate. Devellier discloses in Fig. 12, a stress-compensation layer (SCL) (161, Fig. 12, para 0040) on a substrate (105) and a spatially modulated mask (162) on the SCL. Devellier discloses a first modulation associated with the first spatial scale, and a second modulation associated with the second spatial scale; and subjecting the spatially modulated mask and the SCL to the stress-modification beam to induce a spatial modulation of stress in the SCL, wherein the spatial modulation of stress in the SCL causes modification of the deformation of the substrate (para 0045, “by using two or more masks, simultaneous concave and convex adjustments can be made. One of the layers provides a relief pattern of structures oriented in a given direction or directions. These patterned spots then provide an x-y component for changing concavity in any direction”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the spatially modulated mask of deVellier to the invention of Subrahmanyan in order to provide precise spatially controlled modulation especially for localized corrections.
Regarding claims 5 and 17, Subrahmanyan does not disclose wherein forming the spatially modulated mask on the SCL comprises: depositing a mask on the SCL; and forming at least one of the first modulation or the second modulation using at least one of: contact photolithography, proximity photolithography, projection photolithography, imprint lithography, or digital lithography. DeVelliers discloses depositing a mask on the SCL (161); and forming at least one of the first modulation or the second modulation (162, Fig. 12, para 0041). Although DeVelliers does not explicitly disclose forming the modulation using at least one of: contact photolithography, proximity photolithography, projection photolithography, imprint lithography, or digital lithography, any well known technique such as, contact photolithography, proximity photolithography, projection photolithography, imprint lithography, or digital lithography can be used for forming the modulations as shown in Fig. 12, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the conventional technique to form the modulations in order to provide precise spatially controlled modulation especially for localized corrections.
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Subrahmanyan does not disclose wherein the stress-modification beam has a cross-section that is less than 1 mm. DeVelliers discloses in para 0046 that features of hundreds of nanometers or tens of microns can be effective for correcting wafer bow. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the stress-modification beam has a cross-section that is less than 1 mm to form features of specific size necessary to correct the deformation.
Regarding claims 8-11 and 19, Subrahmanyan does not disclose wherein the first spatial scale is less than 1 micron, or less than 100 nanometers and Subrahmanyan does not disclose wherein the second spatial scale is greater than 1 micron, or greater than 10 microns. DeVelliers discloses in para 0046 that features of hundreds of nanometers or tens of microns can be effective for correcting wafer bow. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the first spatial scale and the second spatial scale having the claimed sizes since deVelliers discloses that features of hundreds of nanometers or tens of microns can be effective for correcting wafer bow.
Regarding claim 20, Subrahmanyan discloses collecting optical inspection data for the substrate; and determining, using the optical inspection data, the map of deformation of a substrate (702, 704, Fig. 7, para 0040, 0041).
Regarding claim 21, Subrahmanyan discloses determining, using the map of deformation of the substrate, settings for the stress-modification beam (para 0034, “ion dose map, based upon the curvature map”), wherein the settings for the stress-modification beam comprise one or more of: a type of particles of the stress-modification beam, an energy of the particles of the stress-modification beam, or an angle of incidence of the particles of the stress-modification beam (para 0034, “the two parallel linear regions of the dose map, corresponding to the high curvature linear regions of the filtered curvature map are to receive substantially higher dose than the general ‘background’ regions”, Fig. 5D, shows color code for different energy of the particle).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Subrahmanyan (2023/0369014) discloses in Fig. 5C, substrate with a stress-compensation layer (“PVD SiN”) and stress-modification beam to selectively provide ion does to different locations (para 0038).
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/PETER B KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882 September 30, 2026
