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 .
Note: the prior arts of CN 1500284 A to Berrian and CN 112041964 A to Hegde were filed by Applicant in the IDS submitted on 08/17/2026, and machine translations used in this Office Action are attached.
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) 1-3, 8 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Berrian et al. [CN 1500284 A, hereafter Berrian].
As per Claim 1, Berrian teaches an ion implanter 400 (See fig. 6) comprising:
an ion source 402;
a wafer handler 414 configured to hold a wafer 416, the wafer handler being positioned in a path of an ion beam 404 generated by the ion source;
a controller 634 coupled to the wafer handler and the ion source (See fig. 6, Page 8 Para 5), the controller configured to:
activate the ion source to create the ion beam (Page 7 Para 1);
tilt, using the wafer handler, the wafer at a tilt angle 300 with respect to an axis 106 of the ion beam while the wafer is exposed to the ion beam, the tilt angle being measured between the axis of the ion beam 106 and an upper surface of the wafer 304, wherein the tilt angle is greater than 0° (See fig. 3 Para 3-4 and Page 4 Para 2); and
move the wafer, using the wafer handler, with respect to the ion beam along a scan line 500 while exposing the wafer to the ion beam, wherein a scan angle (See angle b in a duplicate figure below) is an angle between the scan line 500 and a line (line B) perpendicular to the axis of the ion beam, wherein the scan angle is greater than 0° (See fig. 3-5, Page 3 Para 3 – Page 4 Para 2).
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As per Claims 2 and 3, Berrian teaches the ion implanter of claim 1, wherein the wafer handler is configured to move the wafer in at least two directions relative to the ion beam; and wherein the wafer handler is configured to move the wafer in at least three directions relative to the ion beam (Page 7 Para 2).
As per Claim 8, Berrian teaches the ion implanter for claim 1, wherein the tilt angle is independent from the scan angle (See fig. 3 and 6).
As per Claim 9, Berrian teaches the ion implanter of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to rotate the wafer to different angles relative to the ion beam to provide desired implantation of the wafer (See fig. 6).
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) 4-7 and 10-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Berrian.
As per Claims 4-7, Berrian teaches the ion implanter of claim 1.
Berrian does not explicitly disclosed wherein the controller is further configured to set the scan angle such that a difference between a maximum distance and a minimum distance that the ion beam travels before impinging the upper surface of the wafer is less than a first threshold.
However, Berrian further disclosed that When the workpiece 414 is in the rotated state, the rotation angle 426 is 90 degrees so that line 420 parallel to the beam axis 406, and the injection surface 418 alignment 416. the workpiece clamp 414 can rotate with any free range in the z-x plane 424, but is preferably -45 degrees to 45 degrees of free rotation so that rotation angle 426 is in the range of 135 centigrade to 45 centigrade is changed. For example, the work piece clamp 414 with free rotation range of 0 degrees to 45 degrees under the condition that the rotating angle can change from 45 degrees to 90 degrees (See fig. 4 Page 7 Para 2, wherein the threshold value can be set by the amount of rotation angle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a desired rotational angle and scanning in order to produce improved uniformity of ion implantation.
As per Claim 10, Berrian teaches an ion implanter 400 (See fig. 4-6) comprising:
an ion source 402 (fig. 6);
a wafer handler 414 configured to hold and move
a wafer 416,
the wafer handler being positioned in a path of an ion beam generated by the ion source (See fig. 5);
a controller coupled to the wafer handler and the ion source, the controller configured to:
activate the ion source to generate the ion beam to expose the wafer to an ion beam, wherein a surface of the wafer is tilted at a tilt angle with respect to the ion beam (See fig. 4); and
move the wafer (See fig. 5, for the wafer movement track of 500), using the wafer handler, along a scan line with respect to the ion beam, wherein a scan angle (See angle b in a duplicate figure below) is defined between the scan line 500 and an axis (line B) perpendicular to an axis of the ion beam 406.
Berrian does not explicitly teach wherein a difference between the tilt angle and the scan angle is less than 50°, wherein the scan angle is less than the tilt angle.
However, Berrian further disclosed by means of these means, the Faraday cup 430 has at least two degrees of translational freedom. the degree of freedom on the X shaft and the Z shaft direction, predetermined position such that the Faraday cup 430 can injection surface 418 along line 428 and line 428 and the implanting operation of the same adjustment plane (See fig. 4 and 5, Page 7 Para 2 – Page 8 Para 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a desired rotational angle and scanning in order to produce improved uniformity of ion implantation.
As per Claims 11 and 12, Berrian teaches the ion implanter of claim 10.
Berrian does not explicitly disclosed wherein the controller is further configured to set the scan angle such that a difference between a maximum distance and a minimum distance that the ion beam travels before impinging the surface of the wafer is less than a first threshold.
However, Berrian further disclosed that When the workpiece 414 is in the rotated state, the rotation angle 426 is 90 degrees so that line 420 parallel to the beam axis 406, and the injection surface 418 alignment 416. the workpiece clamp 414 can rotate with any free range in the z-x plane 424, but is preferably -45 degrees to 45 degrees of free rotation so that rotation angle 426 is in the range of 135 centigrade to 45 centigrade is changed. For example, the work piece clamp 414 with free rotation range of 0 degrees to 45 degrees under the condition that the rotating angle can change from 45 degrees to 90 degrees (See fig. 4 Page 7 Para 2, wherein the threshold value can be set by the amount of rotation angle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a desired rotational angle and scanning in order to produce improved uniformity of ion implantation.
As per Claims 13 and 14, Berrian teaches the ion implanter of claim 10, wherein the wafer handler is configured to move the wafer in at least two directions relative to the ion beam (Para 7 Para 2).
As per Claim 15, Berrian teaches the ion implanter of claim 10, wherein the scan angle (angle b) is greater than 0° (See duplicated figure above).
Claim(s) 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Berrian in view of Hegde et al. [CN 112041964 A, hereafter Hegde].
As per Claim 16, Berrian teaches an ion implantation apparatus 400 (See fig. 4-6) comprising:
an ion source 402 (See fig. 6);
a beam line assembly comprising:
a mass analyzer (Controller 634), and
a scanning system (See fig. 4-6);
an end station comprising a wafer manipulation system configured to hold and move a wafer (Page 8, Para 2); and
a controller 634 configured to: operate the ion source to generate an ion beam;
operate the wafer manipulation system to position the wafer at a tilt angle relative to an axis of the ion beam, wherein the tilt angle is between 40° and 89.9°; and operate the wafer manipulation system to move the wafer along a scan path that forms a scan angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to the axis of the ion beam (See fig. 4 and 5, Page 7 Para 2).
Berrian does not explicitly teach wherein the scan angle is selected to be less than the tilt angle and such that a difference between the scan angle and the tilt angle is less than 50° to maintain implantation uniformity across the wafer.
However, Berrian further disclosed the workpiece clamp 414 can selectively rotate in any z-x axis plane 424, such that the workpiece holder 414 the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction of rotation generates rotation angle 426. When the workpiece 414 is in the rotated state, the rotation angle 426 is 90 degrees so that line 420 parallel to the beam axis 406, and the injection surface 418 alignment 416. the workpiece clamp 414 can rotate with any free range in the z-x plane 424, but is preferably -45 degrees to 45 degrees of free rotation so that rotation angle 426 is in the range of 135 centigrade to 45 centigrade is changed. For example, the work piece clamp 414 with free rotation range of 0 degrees to 45 degrees under the condition that the rotating angle can change from 45 degrees to 90 degrees (Page 7, Para 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a desired rotational angle and scanning in order to produce improved uniformity of ion implantation.
The system of Berrian does not explicitly teach an accelerator.
Hegde teaches the scanning acceleration can be changed during scanning. The scanning acceleration curve can be asymmetric. The scanning acceleration can be the same between at least two scans. The scan acceleration curve is a graph of the wafer acceleration versus the position of the wafer 180 along the scan path (Page 12 Para 6 – Page 13 Para 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate an accelerator as claimed in order to maintain a constant dose of ions across all exposed areas of the wafer during scanning.
As per Claims 17 and 18, Berrian in view of Hegde teaches the ion implantation apparatus of claim 16.
Berrian further disclosed wherein the wafer manipulation system is configured to move the wafer in at least two directions relative to the ion beam; and wherein the wafer manipulation system is configured to move the wafer in at least three directions relative to the ion beam (Page 7 Para 2).
As per Claim 19, Berrian in view of Hegde teaches the ion implantation apparatus of claim 16.
Berrian further disclosed wherein the scan angle is greater than 0° (See fig. 3, Page 3 Para 3 – Page 4 Para 2).
As per Claim 20, Berrian in view of Hegde teaches the ion implantation apparatus of claim 16.
Berrian in view of Hegde does not explicitly teach wherein the controller is further configured to set the scan angle such that a difference between a maximum distance and a minimum distance that the ion beam travels before impinging a surface of the wafer is less than a first threshold.
However, Berrian further disclosed that When the workpiece 414 is in the rotated state, the rotation angle 426 is 90 degrees so that line 420 parallel to the beam axis 406, and the injection surface 418 alignment 416. the workpiece clamp 414 can rotate with any free range in the z-x plane 424, but is preferably -45 degrees to 45 degrees of free rotation so that rotation angle 426 is in the range of 135 centigrade to 45 centigrade is changed. For example, the work piece clamp 414 with free rotation range of 0 degrees to 45 degrees under the condition that the rotating angle can change from 45 degrees to 90 degrees (See fig. 4 Page 7 Para 2, wherein the threshold value can be set by the amount of rotation angle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a desired rotational angle and scanning in order to produce improved uniformity of ion implantation.
Conclusion
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/MESFIN T ASFAW/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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