Appeal No. 2002-1642
Application 09/300,563
THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for
processing semiconductor wafers. Representative claims 1 and 10
read as follows:
1. A method for processing a workpiece in a chamber having a
plurality of gas nozzles, comprising the steps of:
selectively opening a first number of the plurality of gas
nozzles while selectively blocking a second number of the
plurality of gas nozzles;
introducing an asymmetric flow of process gas to the chamber
through said selectively opened first number of gas nozzles; and
processing the workpiece with said process gas.
10. Apparatus for processing a workpiece, comprising:
a processing chamber having a wall;
a pump port, communicating through said wall;
one or more gas nozzles selectively opened and one or more
gas nozzles selectively blocked, said gas nozzles communicating
through said wall, and said gas nozzles being located mostly
proximate said pump port.
THE REJECTION
Claims 1 through 6, 10 and 11 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103(a) as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. 5,449,411 to
Fukuda et al. (Fukuda).
Attention is directed to the appellants’ main and reply
briefs (Paper Nos. 10 and 12) and to the examiner’s answer (Paper
No. 11) for the respective positions of the appellants and the
examiner with regard to the merits of this rejection.
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