Appeal No. 2002-0453
Serial No. 08/686,229
Takeshi Shiga et al. (Shiga), “An On-Line Differential Converter,
for Obtaining the First Derivative of Absorption Spectra”,
44 Anal. Biochem. 291-97 (1971).
Abdel-Aziz M. Wahbi et al. (Wahbi), “Ratios of First-derivative
Maxima and Compensated Derivative Absorption Curves”, 111 Analyst
777-80 (1986).
THE REJECTION
Claims 1, 3, 4 and 6-8 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103
as being unpatentable over Schoenborn in view of Sherwood, Shiga
and Wahbi.
OPINION
We reverse the aforementioned rejection. We need to address
only the sole independent claim, i.e., claim 1.
The appellants’ claim 1 claims a method for measuring
uniformity of a surface of a wafer as a result of an etching
process, and requires that a uniformity value representing the
uniformity of the surface of the wafer is generated.
Schoenborn discloses a “method for determining the
uniformity of etch rate during plasma processing of production or
test wafers in single wafer etchers” (col. 13, lines 9-12), and
teaches (col. 3, lines 22-32):
According to the invention, plasma emission
intensity is monitored during etching, at a particular
wavelength, and is correlated to remaining thickness of
a film being etched. In this manner, it can be
determined when one or more known film thicknesses
remain over a substrate.
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