DETAILED ACTION
Notice to Applicant
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-11 are pending.
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
4. Figure 6A should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- or --Related Art--because only that which is old is illustrated (see the Brief Description of the Drawings and page 18, lines 30-32 of the specification). See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
6. Claims 1, 7, and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Saitoh et al. (US 5,644,245 – hereinafter “Saitoh”).
Per claim 1, Saitoh teaches an inspection method executed by an inspection device including:
a mounting table (Fig. 1; wafer chuck 12; col. 4, line 63) on which an object (Fig. 1; wafer W; col. 4, line 62) of inspection is to be placed; and
a probe card (Fig. 1; probe card 14; col. 4, line 65) having a probe (Fig. 1; probe needles 14A; col. 4, line 65) for use in inspecting the object, the inspection method comprising:
bringing the probe into contact with an electrode, formed in the object, based on a first offset value (After a θ correction step is performed to align a chip on a wafer W with a probe card 14, a needle mark is formed on a pad of the chip by bringing a probe needle 14A in contact with the pad (Fig. 4; col. 9, lines 10-31));
setting a second offset value based on a needle mark that is formed when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode based on the first offset value (If the needle mark is not within a predetermined range of the pad, a further correction step is taken wherein at least one of the coordinates of the pad is automatically corrected (Fig. 5; col. 9, lines 44-59)); and
bringing the probe into contact with the electrode based on the second offset value (After the further correction step, the probe needle is brought into contact with the pad based on at least one corrected coordinate (Figs. 4-5; col. 9, lines 44-59)).
Per claim 7, Saitoh teaches the inspection method according to claim 1, further comprising determining whether or not to bring the probe into contact with the electrode based on a deviation between a center position of the electrode and a position of the needle mark that is formed when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode based on the first offset value (After a needle mark is formed on the pad based on a θ correction, a determination is made as to whether the needle mark is located within a predetermined range of the pad. Position correction of the probe needle 14A is based on the center of the pad (Figs. 9A-9B; col. 9, line 60 – col. 1, line 5)).
Per claim 10, Saitoh teaches an inspection device comprising:
a mounting table (Fig. 1; wafer chuck 12; col. 4, line 63) on which an object (Fig. 1; wafer W; col. 4, line 62) of inspection is to be placed;
a probe card (Fig. 1; probe card 14; col. 4, line 65) having a probe (Fig. 1; probe needles 14A; col. 4, line 65) for use in inspecting the object; and
a control device (Fig. 1; decision control processor 26; col. 6, lines 14-18) configured to perform an inspection method including:
bringing the probe into contact with an electrode, formed in the object, based on a first offset value (After a θ correction step is performed to align a chip on a wafer W with a probe card 14, a needle mark is formed on a pad of the chip by bringing a probe needle 14A in contact with the pad (Fig. 4; col. 9, lines 10-31));
setting a second offset value based on a needle mark that is formed when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode based on the first offset value (If the needle mark is not within a predetermined range of the pad, a further correction step is taken wherein at least one of the coordinates of the pad is automatically corrected (Fig. 5; col. 9, lines 44-59)); and
bringing the probe into contact with the electrode based on the second offset value (After the further correction step, the probe needle is brought into contact with the pad based on at least one corrected coordinate (Figs. 4-5; col. 9, lines 44-59)).
Per claim 11, Saitoh teaches a non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program that, when executed by a control device (Fig. 1; decision control processor 26; col. 6, lines 14-18), causes the control device to perform an inspection method, the control device including:
a mounting table (Fig. 1; wafer chuck 12; col. 4, line 63) on which an object (Fig. 1; wafer W; col. 4, line 62) of inspection is to be placed; and
a probe card (Fig. 1; probe card 14; col. 4, line 65) having a probe (Fig. 1; probe needles 14A; col. 4, line 65) for use in inspecting the object, and the inspection method including:
bringing the probe into contact with an electrode, formed in the object, based on a first offset value (After a θ correction step is performed to align a chip on a wafer W with a probe card 14, a needle mark is formed on a pad of the chip by bringing a probe needle 14A in contact with the pad (Fig. 4; col. 9, lines 10-31));
setting a second offset value based on a needle mark that is formed when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode based on the first offset value (If the needle mark is not within a predetermined range of the pad, a further correction step is taken wherein at least one of the coordinates of the pad is automatically corrected (Fig. 5; col. 9, lines 44-59)); and
bringing the probe into contact with the electrode based on the second offset value (After the further correction step, the probe needle is brought into contact with the pad based on at least one corrected coordinate (Figs. 4-5; col. 9, lines 44-59)).
7. Claims 1 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sano et al. (US 2009/0184729 – hereinafter “Sano”).
Per claim 1, Sano teaches an inspection method executed by an inspection device including:
a mounting table (Fig. 1; mounting table 11; ¶37) on which an object (Fig. 1; wafer W; ¶37) of inspection is to be placed; and
a probe card (Fig. 1; probe card 12; ¶37) having a probe (Fig. 1; probes 12A; ¶37) for use in inspecting the object, the inspection method comprising:
bringing the probe into contact with an electrode, formed in the object, based on a first offset value (After obtaining a correction amount, new needle traces are formed on pads P of the wafer W based on the correction amount (Figs. 2, 4A, and 4B; ¶46 and 55));
setting a second offset value based on a needle mark that is formed when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode based on the first offset value (The new needle traces are imaged and a correction amount required for a next high-temperature inspection is obtained based on the coordinates of the new needle traces and centers of the pads P (Fig. 2; ¶56-57)); and
bringing the probe into contact with the electrode based on the second offset value (The probes 12A are brought into contact with the pads P during the next high-temperature inspection (¶10, 46, and 58)).
Per claim 10, Sano teaches an inspection device comprising:
a mounting table (Fig. 1; mounting table 11; ¶37) on which an object (Fig. 1; wafer W; ¶37) of inspection is to be placed;
a probe card (Fig. 1; probe card 12; ¶37) having a probe (Fig. 1; probes 12A; ¶37) for use in inspecting the object; and
a control device (Fig. 1; control device 15; ¶37) configured to perform an inspection method including:
bringing the probe into contact with an electrode, formed in the object, based on a first offset value (After obtaining a correction amount, new needle traces are formed on pads P of the wafer W based on the correction amount (Figs. 2, 4A, and 4B; ¶46 and 55));
setting a second offset value based on a needle mark that is formed when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode based on the first offset value (The new needle traces are imaged and a correction amount required for a next high-temperature inspection is obtained based on the coordinates of the new needle traces and centers of the pads P (Fig. 2; ¶56-57)); and
bringing the probe into contact with the electrode based on the second offset value (The probes 12A are brought into contact with the pads P during the next high-temperature inspection (¶10, 46 and 58)).
Per claim 11, Sano teaches a non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program that, when executed by a control device (Fig. 1; control device 15; ¶37), causes the control device to perform an inspection method, the control device including:
a mounting table (Fig. 1; mounting table 11; ¶37) on which an object (Fig. 1; wafer W; col. 4, line 62) of inspection is to be placed; and
a probe card (Fig. 1; probe card 12; ¶37) having a probe (Fig. 1; probes 12A; ¶37) for use in inspecting the object, and the inspection method including:
bringing the probe into contact with an electrode, formed in the object, based on a first offset value (After obtaining a correction amount, new needle traces are formed on pads P of the wafer W based on the correction amount (Figs. 2, 4A, and 4B; ¶46 and 55));
setting a second offset value based on a needle mark that is formed when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode based on the first offset value (The new needle traces are imaged and a correction amount required for a next high-temperature inspection is obtained based on the coordinates of the new needle traces and centers of the pads P (Fig. 2; ¶56-57)); and
bringing the probe into contact with the electrode based on the second offset value (The probes 12A are brought into contact with the pads P during the next high-temperature inspection (¶10, 46 and 58)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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.
9. Claims 2-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Saitoh in view of Chaya et al. (US 2004/0081349 – hereinafter “Chaya”).
Per claim 2, Saitoh does not teach the inspection method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the second offset value in association with at least one of: a type of the object; a type of the probe card; or a temperature of the object or the mounting table.
In contrast, Chaya teaches a probe mark reading method wherein a probe mark determination unit 170 is configured to create a classification header that is stored in a prescribed folder of a large capacity storage unit 160. The classification header may include a test date, a probe model number, a wafer product number, and prescribed probe mark determination parameters (¶156).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Saitoh such that it further comprises storing the second offset value in association with at least one of: a type of the object; a type of the probe card; or a temperature of the object or the mounting table. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of storing information related to a testing environment and testing results (Chaya; ¶156).
Per claim 3, Saitoh in view of Chaya teaches the inspection method according to claim 2, further comprising acquiring the second offset value based on: the type of the object; the type of the probe card; or the temperature of the object or the mounting table (In the inspection method of Saitoh in view of Chaya, the second offset value would be acquired in relation to, for example, the probe model number and the wafer product number, during checks (Chaya; ¶156)).
Per claim 4, Saitoh in view of Chaya teaches the inspection method according to claim 3, wherein the second offset value is calculated based on different rules depending on a deviation between a position of the needle mark and a center position of the electrode (In the method of Saitoh in view of Chaya, the further correction step may be performed by correcting an X coordinate of the pad based on a deviation between the needle mark and the center of the pad (Saitoh; col. 9, line 60 – col. 1, line 5)).
Per claim 5, Saitoh in view of Chaya teaches the inspection method according to claim 4, wherein the different rules include rules among which a target position where the probe is brought into contact with the electrode varies (In the method of Saitoh in view of Chaya, the further correction step may involve an X coordinate correction whereas the θ correction step may involve a rotation correction to align a chip on a wafer W with the probe card (Saitoh; col. 9, lines 24-59)).
Per claim 6, Saitoh in view of Chaya teaches the inspection method according to claim 5, wherein the target position is determined based on a positional relationship between a position of a needle mark used to calculate the first offset value and a position of the needle mark formed when the probe is brought into contact with the electrode based on the first offset value (In the method of Saitoh in view of Chaya, the decision to perform the further correction step to correct at least one coordinate is based on whether the needle mark, which was created based on the θ correction step, is within a predetermined range of the pad (Saitoh; col. 9, lines 24-59)) .
10. Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Saitoh in view of Kiyokawa (US 2011/0128024).
Per claim 8, Saitoh does not teach the inspection method according to claim 7, wherein whether or not to bring the probe into contact with the electrode is determined by comparing a cumulative value of deviations between positions of needle marks and the center position of the electrode against a predetermined threshold.
In contrast, Kiyokawa teaches a method for aligning a wafer 810 and a probe card 820 by determining relative positions of the wafer 810 and the probe card 820. An amount of displacement is determined based on centers of pads of the wafer 810 and centers of bumps of the probe card 829. It is desired that the sum of the absolute values of the maximum displacement amount values is less than a predetermined value (¶105 and 136-141)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Saitoh such that whether or not to bring the probe into contact with the electrode is determined by comparing a cumulative value of deviations between positions of needle marks and the center position of the electrode against a predetermined threshold. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of ensuring proper alignment between a wafer and a probe card (Kiyokawa; ¶136-141).
Per claim 9, Saitoh in view of Kiyokawa teaches the inspection method according to claim 8, further comprising issuing a warning upon a determination that the probe is not to be brought into contact with the electrode (In the inspection method of Saitoh in view of Kiyokawa, an alarm operation is performed if the result that the probe needle is not located within the predetermined range is obtained not for the first time (Saitoh; col. 10, lines 6-12)).
11. Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Sano in view of Chaya.
Per claim 2, Sano does not teach the inspection method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the second offset value in association with at least one of: a type of the object; a type of the probe card; or a temperature of the object or the mounting table.
In contrast, Chaya teaches a probe mark reading method wherein a probe mark determination unit 170 is configured to create a classification header that is stored in a prescribed folder of a large capacity storage unit 160. The classification header may include a test date, a probe model number, a wafer product number, and prescribed probe mark determination parameters (¶156).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Sano such that it further comprises storing the second offset value in association with at least one of: a type of the object; a type of the probe card; or a temperature of the object or the mounting table. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of storing information related to a testing environment and testing results (Chaya; ¶156).
Per claim 3, Sano in view of Chaya teaches the inspection method according to claim 2, further comprising acquiring the second offset value based on: the type of the object; the type of the probe card; or the temperature of the object or the mounting table (In the inspection method of Sano in view of Chaya, the second offset value would be acquired in relation to, for example, the probe model number and the wafer product number, during checks (Chaya; ¶156)).
Conclusion
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAS A. SANGHERA whose telephone number is (571)272-4787. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, alt. Fri, 8-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, WALTER LINDSAY can be reached at (571) 272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAS A SANGHERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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