`______________
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`______________
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`
`
`SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD,
`Petitioners,
`
`v.
`
`DSS TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, INC.,
`Patent Owner.
`
`____________
`
`Case: IPR2014-01493
`U.S. Patent No. 5,652,084
`
`____________
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`PATENT OWNER DSS TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, INC.’S
`PRELIMINARY RESPONSE PURSUANT TO 37 C.F.R. §42.107
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`Patent No. 5,652,084
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
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`INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1
`I.
`II. STATEMENT OF RELIEF REQUESTED ........................................................................... 2
`III. RELATED IPR PETITION ................................................................................................... 2
`IV. OVERVIEW OF THE INVENTION CLAIMED IN THE ‘084 PATENT .......................... 3
`V. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION ................................................................................................... 8
`
`
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`A. The Board Should Construe Claims of the ‘084 Patent According to the Legal
`Principles Used by the District Courts .......................................................................... 8
`
`B. Petitioner Failed to Provide its Construction of Several Key Claim Terms ................. 9
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`3.
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`Patterning ....................................................................................................... 10
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`First pattern .................................................................................................... 10
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`First patterned layer ....................................................................................... 11
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`4. Over................................................................................................................. 11
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`5.
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`6.
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`Second pattern ................................................................................................ 12
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`Second patterned layer ................................................................................... 15
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`C. Patent Owner’s Proposed Construction in Response to the Construction Proposed by
`Petitioner ..................................................................................................................... 16
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`1.
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`2.
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`Imaging layer, single patterned layer, disposable post, PRIST ...................... 16
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`Stabilizing ....................................................................................................... 16
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`A second feature distinct from the first feature ............................................... 17
`3.
`VI. PETITIONER HAS FAILED TO PROVE THAT THERE IS A REASONABLE
`LIKELIHOOD THAT AT LEAST ONE CLAIM OF THE ‘084 PATENT IS
`UNPATENTABLE .............................................................................................................. 22
`
`A. Challenge #1: there is no reasonable likelihood that Jinbo could anticipate claims 1-8,
`12, 15, and 16 of the ‘084 Patent ................................................................................ 22
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`1. According to Jinbo, both imaging layers are patterned using the same mask,
`whereas claims 1 and 15 require that each imaging layer is patterned in
`accordance with its own pattern ...................................................................... 23
`
`2.
`
`3.
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`Jinbo does not disclose the second patterned layer having a second feature
`distinct from the first feature of the first patterned layer ................................ 25
`
`Jinbo cannot anticipate dependent claims 2-8, 12, and 16 at least because
`Jinbo does not anticipate independent claims 1 and 15 .................................. 27
`
`B. Challenge #2: Claim 9 cannot be found obvious based on Jinbo in view of McColgin
`because Jinbo does not disclose several material limitations of claim 1 from which
`claim 9 depends........................................................................................................... 28
`
`C. Challenge #3: Claims 10 and 11 cannot be found obvious based on Jinbo in view of
`Matthews because Jinbo does not disclose several material limitations of claim 1 from
`which claims 10 and 11 depend .................................................................................. 28
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`D. Challenge #4: Claims 13 and 14 cannot be found obvious based on Jinbo in view of
`Cooper because Jinbo does not disclose several material limitations of claim 1 from
`which claims 13 and 14 depend .................................................................................. 28
`
`E. Challenge #5: There is no reasonable likelihood that Hsue could anticipate claims 1-
`7, 10, 12, 15, and 16 of the ‘084 Patent ...................................................................... 29
`
`1. Hsue does not disclose “forming a second imaging layer over the first
`patterned layer” ............................................................................................... 31
`
`2. Hsue does not disclose that the first and the second patterned layers are
`formed in accordance with (2) two separate patterns ..................................... 33
`
`3. Hsue does not disclose the second patterned layer having a second feature
`distinct from the first feature of the first patterned layer ................................ 37
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`4. Hsue cannot anticipate dependent claims 2-7, 10, 12, and 16 at least because
`Hsue does not anticipate independent claims 1 and 15 ................................... 37
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`F. Challenge #6: Claim 8 cannot be found obvious based on Hsue in view of Jinbo
`because Hsue does not disclose all limitations of claim 1 .......................................... 37
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`G. Challenge #7: Claim 9 cannot be found obvious based on Hsue in view of McColgin
`because Hsue does not disclose all limitations of claim 1 .......................................... 38
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`H. Challenge #8: Claims 10 and 11 cannot be found obvious based on Hsue in view of
`Matthews because Hsue does not disclose all limitations of claim 1 ......................... 38
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`
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`I.
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`Challenge #9: Claims 13 and 14 cannot be found obvious based on Hsue in view of
`Cooper because Hsue does not disclose all limitations of claim 1 ............................. 38
`VII. CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 39
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` TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
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`
`Federal Cases
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`Becton, Dickenson and Co. v. Tyco Healthcare Group, LP,
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`616 F.3d 1249, 1254 (Fed. Cir. 2010)............................................................................... 12
`
`Breville Pty Ltd. v. Storebound LLC,
`
`2013 WL 3153383 (N.D. Cal. 2013) ................................................................................ 37
`
`CAE Screenplates, Inc. v. Heinrich Fiedler GmbH & Co.,
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`224 F.3d 1308, 1317 (Fed. Cir. 2000)............................................................................... 12
`
`Engel Indus., Inc. v. Lockformer Co., 96 F.3d 1398, 1404–05 (Fed. Cir. 1996)
`
`96 F.3d 1398, 1404–05 (Fed. Cir. 1996) .......................................................................... 12
`
`Gaus v. Conair Corp.,
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`363 F.3d 1284, 1288 (Fed. Cir. 2004)............................................................................... 12
`
`In re Rambus, Inc.,
`
`694 F.3d 42, 46 (Fed. Cir. 2012)......................................................................................... 8
`
`In re Robertson,
`
`7169 F.3d 743, 745 (Fed. Cir. 1999)................................................................................. 32
`
`Liebel–Flarsheim Co. v. Medrad, Inc.,
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`358 F.3d 898, 910 (Fed.Cir. 2004)...................................................................................... 9
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`Phillips v. AWH Corp.,
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`415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005)......................................................................... 9, 18, 20, 26
`
`Subotincic v. 1274274 Ontario Inc.,
`
`2012 WL 3112005 (C.D. Cal. 2012) ................................................................................. 36
`
`Decisions of the Patent Trail and Appeal Board
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`Innolux Corp. v. Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., LTD.,
`
`IPR2013-00065, Decision at pg. 10 (Apr. 30, 2013) .......................................................... 8
`
`Toyota Motor Corp. v. Leroy G. Hagenbuch,
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`IPR2013-00483, Order at pg. 2 (Apr. 16, 2014) ................................................................. 9
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`Federal Statutes
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`35 U.S.C. § 102 ..................................................................................................................... 1, 2, 29
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`35 U.S.C. § 103 ........................................................................................................................... 1, 2
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`35 U.S.C. § 314(a) .......................................................................................................................... 2
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`Federal Regulations
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.207(a)...................................................................................................................... 1
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.108(c)...................................................................................................................... 1
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) ..................................................................................................................... 8
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`37 C.F.R. §1.84(p)(4) .................................................................................................................... 12
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`PATENT OWNER’S LIST OF EXHIBITS
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`DSS-2001
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`Pan, U.S. Patent No. 5,533,634
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`DSS-2002 Brand, U.S. Patent No. 5,853,959
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`DSS-2003 Hudek, U.S. Patent No. 7,241,542
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`DSS-2004 Apex Translations Inc., Translation Certification, Statement concerning certain
`characteristic of the Japanese language, executed 10/07/2014
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`I. INTRODUCTION
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`
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`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.207(a), the patent owner, DSS Technology Management, Inc.,
`
`(“Patent Owner”), hereby submits the following Preliminary Response in response to the Petition
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`for Inter Partes Review (“IPR”) of U.S. Patent No. 5,652,084 (“the ‘084 Patent”) (Samsung-1001).
`
`The ‘084 Patent, entitled “Method for Reduced Pitch Lithography,” issued on July 29,
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`1997, has a priority date of December 22, 1994, and has expired on December 22, 2014. The ‘084
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`Patent contains sixteen (16) claims, of which claims 1, 13, and 15 are independent. Petitioner
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`challenges validity of all claims. Petitioner advances the following invalidity challenges:
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`(1) anticipation of claims 1-8, 12, 15- 16 under 35 U.S.C. §102(b) based on Japanese Patent
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`Application No. HEI 4[1992]-71222 (“Jinbo”) (SAMSUNG-1005);
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`(2) obviousness of claim 9 under 35 U.S.C. §103(a) based on Jinbo in view of U.S. Patent
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`No. 4,931,351 (“McColgin”) (SAMSUNG-1007);
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`(3) obviousness of claims 10 and 11 under 35 U.S.C. §103(a) based on Jinbo in view of
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`U.S. Patent No. 4,548,688 (“Matthews”) (SAMSUNG-1008); and
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`(4) obviousness of claims 13 and 14 under 35 U.S.C. §103(a) based on Jinbo in view of
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`Brownell and further in view of U.S. Patent No. 5,158,910 (“Cooper”) (SAMSUNG-
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`1009).
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`(5) anticipation of claims 1-7, 10, 12, and 15-16 under 35 U.S.C. §102(e) based on U.S.
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`Patent No. (“Hsue”) (Samsung-1006).
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`(6) obviousness of claim 8 under 35 U.S.C. §103(a) based on Hsue in view of Jinbo.
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`(7) obviousness of claim 9 under 35 U.S.C. §103(a) based on Hsue in view of McColgin.
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`(8) obviousness of claim 8 under 35 U.S.C. §103(a) based on Hsue in view of Matthews.
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`(9) obviousness of claims 13 and 14 under 35 U.S.C. §103(a) based on Hsue in view of
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`Cooper.
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`To institute an IPR review, Petitioner must satisfy its burden of establishing that there is a
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`reasonable likelihood that at least one of the challenged claims of the ‘084 Patent is unpatentable.
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`See 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(c). “The Director may not authorize an inter partes review to be instituted
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`unless the Director determines that the information presented in the petition filed under section
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`311 and any response filed under section 313 shows that there is a reasonable likelihood that the
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`petitioner would prevail with respect to at least 1 of the claims challenged in the petition.” 35
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`U.S.C. § 314(a). Here, Petitioner failed to meet its burden, and therefore, the Patent Trial and
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`Appeal Board (“the Board”) should deny the Petition in its entirety and decline to institute an IPR
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`proceeding against the ‘084 Patent.
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`II. STATEMENT OF RELIEF REQUESTED
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`Patent Owner respectfully requests the Board to deny the Petition for IPR of claims 1-16
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`
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`of the ‘084 Patent because Petitioner has failed to prove that there is a reasonable likelihood that
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`the challenged claims are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 102 or § 103 based on the nine challenges
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`Petitioner advanced.
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`III. RELATED IPR PETITION
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`
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`Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. (“TSMC”) filed a petition seeking
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`institution of an IPR proceeding of the ‘084 Patent in case IPR2014-01030. As of the date of this
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`Response, the Board has not reached a decision on whether to institute an IPR in that case. The
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`Board’s decision in IPR2014-01030 may be pertinent to several invalidity challenges advanced by
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`Petitioner in the present case.
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`IV. OVERVIEW OF THE INVENTION CLAIMED IN THE ‘084 PATENT
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`In its summary of the ‘084 Patent, Petitioner omitted several material elements of the
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`claimed invention. The following overview provides a brief description of the photolithography
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`method disclosed and claimed in the ‘084 Patent, focusing on the elements the Petitioner failed to
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`discuss.
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`The ‘084 Patent discloses several photolithography methods that enable formation of
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`distinct features of a patterned photoresist layer closer to one another than is possible through
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`conventional lithography methods, which are limited by resolution constraints of the lithography
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`equipment. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) found that the original
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`patent application disclosed and claimed two “distinct and patentably different” inventions
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`requiring Applicant to make an election. See Samsung-1002 at p.76. Applicant elected to pursue
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`the invention that involves formation and patterning of two separate imaging layers. This
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`embodiment is primarily described in the ‘084 Patent at 1:6-56, 2:7-22, 3:1-7:47, and 12:20-63
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`and illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, although other portions of the specification may also be relevant to
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`some features of the claimed invention. The following overview is focused exclusively on this
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`embodiment.
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`A. Summary of the ‘084 Patent
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`Several limitations of claim 1 are schematically illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 1, which
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`is reproduced below.
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`In step 100, a first imaging layer 220 is formed over a semiconductor wafer 200. In step
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`110, the invention requires that the first imaging layer 220 is patterned in accordance with a first
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`pattern. The specification discloses that this step involves exposing imaging layer 220 to radiation
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`through “a first mask having opaque feature 222 and clear features 221 and 223 as illustrated in
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`FIG. 2.” See SAMSUNG-1001, ‘084 Patent at 3:57-59. Accordingly, the three features (221, 222,
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`and 223) of the first mask make up the first pattern. The step of patterning the first imaging layer
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`in accordance with the first pattern is illustrated in FIG. 2 reproduced below.
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`After exposure to radiation, first imaging layer 220 is developed to form a first patterned
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`layer 232. As shown in FIG. 3, the first feature of first patterned layer 232 corresponds to feature
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`222 of the first pattern of the first mask.
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`First patterned layer 232 is then stabilized in step 120 to withstand subsequent lithographic
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`processing steps.
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`In step 130, a second imaging layer 240 is formed over first patterned layer 232.
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`Independent claims 1, 13, and 15 require that the second patterned layer 240 is patterned in
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`accordance with a second pattern. The ‘084 patent discloses that in step 140, second imaging layer
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`240 is “exposed to radiation through a second mask having opaque features 242 and 244 and clear
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`
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`features 241, 243, and 245 as illustrated in FIG. 4.” See SAMSUNG-1001, ‘084 Patent at 6:20-23
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`(emphasis added). Accordingly, the five features (241, 242, 243, 244, and 245) of the second mask
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`make up the second pattern. The step of patterning the second imaging layer in accordance with
`
`the second pattern is illustrated in FIG. 4 reproduced below.
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`
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`Second imaging layer 240 is subsequently developed yielding a final single pattern
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`comprising features 251, 232, and 253 of the first and the second patterned layers. The final pattern
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`is depicted in FIG. 5, which is reproduced below.
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`B. Petition Omits Disclosure of the ‘084 Patent Related to the Second Pattern
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`An important point of the above overview is that the ‘084 patent discloses a lithography
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`method that uses two different masks—each having its own pattern—to form the first and second
`
`patterned layers. This process leads to each layer having its own distinct features corresponding
`
`to the differences in the geometric shapes of the first and second patterns. The first and second
`
`patterns may be patterned onto the first and second imaging layers using the first and second masks
`
`or other suitable lithographic techniques. See SAMSUNG-1001, ‘084 Patent at 12:21-26.
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`The ‘084 Patent consistently differentiates the second pattern from the first pattern as
`
`evidenced by the following: in the specification, features of the first pattern are referenced as 221-
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`225, while features of the second pattern are referenced as 241-242; in the drawings the first and
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`second masks are visibly different; and in the claims, the ordinal numbers—i.e. first and second—
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`are used to differentiate the first and the second patterns. The illustrative drawings of the first and
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`second masks are reproduced below for comparison—the two patterns have visibly distinct
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`features referenced by different element numbers.
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`First pattern
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`Second pattern
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`The first pattern is
`distinct from the second
`pattern
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`SAMSUNG-1001, ‘084 Patent, FIGS. 2 and 4, annotated
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`The Petition lacks a single mention of the fact that the ‘084 Patent discloses using a first
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`
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`mask to pattern first imaging layer in accordance with the first pattern, but using a second mask to
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`pattern the second imaging layer in accordance with the second pattern. Petitioner merely states
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`that “a second resist (second imaging layer 240) is formed over the patterned layer (232) and
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`exposed in a lithographic process.” Petitioner, thereby, completely ignores that the ‘084 Patent
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`teaches using a second mask having a second pattern to accomplish this step of the lithographic
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`process. See Petition at pg. 5.
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`This element is critical because each independent claim of the ‘084 Patent require the steps
`
`of “patterning the first imaging layer in accordance with a first pattern to form a first patterned
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`layer” and “patterning the second imaging layer in accordance with a second pattern to form a
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`second patterned layer.” See Samsung-1001, ‘084 Patent claims 1, 13, and 15. This disclosure of
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`the ‘084 Patent, which was omitted in the Petition, is crucial for accurate claim interpretation and
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`understanding of the claimed invention.
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`V. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
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`
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`A. The Board Should Construe Claims of the ‘084 Patent According to the
`Legal Principles Used by the District Courts
`The Board generally interprets the claims of an unexpired patent according to the broadest
`
`reasonable interpretation (“BRI”) standard. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b). It is well established,
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`however, that application of BRI standard hinges on a patent owner’s ability to amend the
`
`challenged claims. When a patent owner does not have an opportunity to make amendments, the
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`Board’s review of the claims mirrors that of a district court. See Innolux Corp. v. Semiconductor
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`Energy Laboratory Co., LTD., IPR2013-00065, Decision at pg. 10 (Apr. 30, 2013) (citing In re
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`Rambus, Inc., 694 F.3d 42, 46 (Fed. Cir. 2012)). The ‘084 Patent has expired on December 22,
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`
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`2014 and, therefore, the Board should interpret its claims according to the principles set forth in
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`Phillips v. AWH Corp. See Toyota Motor Corp. v. Leroy G. Hagenbuch, IPR2013-00483, Order at
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`pg. 2 (Apr. 16, 2014) (applying the district court standard of claim construction to a patent that
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`expired 11 days after the Board instituted the IPR proceeding).
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`Under Phillips v. AWH Corp., claim terms are “generally given their ordinary and
`
`customary meaning as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.” See Phillips v. AWH
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`Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1313-14 (Fed. Cir. 2005). The claims are foremost interpreted in light of
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`the specification. See id. at 1315. The Board should also consider the extrinsic evidence when that
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`evidence “can help educate the [Board] regarding the field of the invention and can help the
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`[Board] determine what a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand claim terms to
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`mean.” See id. at 1315, 1319. Non-testimonial evidence may be especially helpful to ascertaining
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`a meaning of a claim term. See id. at 1318. Furthermore, “the presence of a dependent claim that
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`adds a particular limitation gives rise to a presumption that the limitation in question is not present
`
`in the independent claim.” Id. at 1315 (citing Liebel–Flarsheim Co. v. Medrad, Inc., 358 F.3d 898,
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`910 (Fed.Cir. 2004)). Finally, in case of ambiguity, claim terms should be construed according to
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`a meaning that preserves validity of the claims. See id. at 1327.
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`B. Petitioner Failed to Provide its Construction of Several Key Claim
`Terms
`Petitioner provided its proposed construction for only six claim terms, thereby leaving a
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`number of material limitations of the claimed invention unaddressed. Claim construction provided
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`below is believed to satisfy both the BRI standard and the standard applied by the Board in IPR
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`proceedings of expired patents. The following terms of art are construed according to a meaning
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`
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`that would be given to these terms by a person of ordinary skill in the art (“POSITA”). Since
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`Petitioner did not define the ordinary level of skill in the art, Patent Owner proposes that a POSITA
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`is someone who has a B.S. degree in engineering or a similar field and several years of experience
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`using photolithography methods for semiconductor fabrication.
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`1. Patterning
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`Patterning step is a two-stage process: (1) an imaging layer is exposed to radiation in
`
`accordance with a specific geometric pattern, and (2) the imaging layer is developed so that
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`portions of the imaging layer laying outside of the geometric pattern are dissolved in the developer,
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`thereby forming a patterned layer having a shape corresponding to the geometric pattern. See, e.g.,
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`SAMSUNG-1001, ‘084 Patent at 3:65-4:12. The invention requires two patterning steps: one to
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`form a first patterned layer and another one to form a second patterned layer. See id. at FIG. 1
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`(steps 110 and 140).
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`2. First pattern
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`The term “first pattern” refers to a first geometric pattern according with which the first
`
`imaging layer is selectively irradiated. The specification of the ‘084 Patent discloses that the first
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`pattern may be embodied in a first mask. See id. at 3:57-59. In alternative embodiments, selective
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`irradiation in accordance with the first pattern may be accomplished through a direct-write
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`exposure technique or other suitable lithography techniques. See id. at 12:20-27. The first pattern
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`may be “any suitable pattern of opaque and clear features that may depend, for example, on the
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`desired pattern to be formed in [first] imaging layer 220.” See id. at 3:59-62.
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`3. First patterned layer
`The term “first patterned layer” refers to a layer containing the pattern defined by the
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`portion of the first imaging layer that remains intact after the patterning step. See id. at 4:9-12.
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`The first patterned layer mirrors the first pattern in accordance with which the first imaging layer
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`was exposed to radiation and subsequently developed.
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`4. Over
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`The term “over” as used in the limitation “forming a second imaging layer over the first
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`patterned layer” means that the second imaging layer covers the first patterned layer by being
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`formed on top of the features of the first patterned layer and underlying dielectric layer or substrate.
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`The proposed construction of the term over is consistent with the plain meaning of the term and
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`specification of the ‘084 Patent as illustrated in FIG. 4 reproduced and annotated below:
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`The second imaging layer is formed
`on top of the first patterned layer 232
`and exposed underlying layer 210.
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`Samsung-1001, ‘084 Patent, FIG. 4, annotated
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`5. Second pattern
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`The term “second pattern” refers to a second geometric pattern—separate from the first
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`pattern—in accordance with which, the second imaging layer is selectively irradiated.
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`It is well-established that “where a claim provides for two separate elements, . . . these two
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`elements logically cannot be one and the same.” Becton, Dickenson and Co. v. Tyco Healthcare
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`Group, LP, 616 F.3d 1249, 1254 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (citing Engel Indus., Inc. v. Lockformer Co., 96
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`F.3d 1398, 1404–05 (Fed. Cir. 1996). “Where a claim lists elements separately, the clear
`
`implication of the claim language is that those elements are distinct components of the patented
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`invention.” Becton, Dickenson and Co., 616 F.3d at 1254 (citing Gaus v. Conair Corp., 363 F.3d
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`1284, 1288 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (emphasis added) (internal quotations omitted). "In the absence of any
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`evidence to the contrary, [the Board] must presume that the use of . . . different terms in the claims
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`connotes different meanings." CAE Screenplates, Inc. v. Heinrich Fiedler GmbH & Co., 224 F.3d
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`1308, 1317 (Fed. Cir. 2000). Accordingly, the claim terms “a first pattern” and “a second pattern”
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`must be interpreted as two separate individual elements.
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`a. Different Reference Characters Point to Different Patterns
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`The ‘084 Patent discloses that the second pattern and the first pattern are different from
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`one another—the first pattern comprises “opaque feature 222 and clear features 221 and 223,”
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`while the second pattern comprises “opaque features 242 and 244 and clear features 241, 243, and
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`245.” See id. at 3:58-59, 6:21-22. The Federal Regulations require that “[t]he same part of an
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`invention appearing in more than one view of the drawing must always be designated by the same
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`reference character, and the same reference character must never be used to designate different
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`parts.” See 37 C.F.R. §1.84(p)(4). This requirement further emphasizes that the first and second
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`patterns must be construed as two separate elements because their features are designated by
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`different reference characters.
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`b. First and Second Patterns are Embodied in Different Masks
`The specification of the ‘084 Patent discloses that the second pattern is embodied in a
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`second mask, while the first pattern is embodied in the first mask. See id. at 3:57-59, 6:26-31.1 The
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`second pattern may be “any suitable pattern of opaque and clear features that may depend, for
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`example, on the desired pattern to be formed in [second] imaging layer 240.” See id. at 6:23-25
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`(emphasis added). Consequentially, since the first and second patterns are embodied in two
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`different masks, and since the second pattern may be any desired pattern, the claimed method
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`requires that the first and second imaging layers are patterned in accordance with two separate
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`patterns. The fact that the second pattern and the first pattern are different from one another is
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`evident in the cross-sectional views, each of which is reproduced below.
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`First patterned layer
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`Second patterned layer
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`Two different masks with two different
`patterns are used to pattern the first
`imaging and the second imaging layers.
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`SAMSUNG-1001, ‘084 Patent, FIGS. 2 and 4, annotated
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`1 It should be noted that in alternative embodiments, selective irradiation of the second imaging
`layer in accordance with the second pattern may be accomplished using a direct-write exposure
`technique or other suitable lithography techniques. See Samsung-1001, ‘084 Patent at 12:20-27.
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`c. Proposed Construction is Consistent with Understanding of POSITA
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`To accurately discern individual features of a pattern, a cross-section view may be
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`insufficient and a top view of that pattern may be necessary. Because the ‘084 Patent does not
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`provide top views of two exemplary lithography patterns in accordance with which the two
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`imaging layers are patterned, it may be useful for the Board to review some examples of top views
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`of lithography patterns from other patents in the same field. The examples below are provided with
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`a purpose of helping the Board to determine how a POSITA would understand the terms “in
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`accordance with a first pattern” and “in accordance with a second pattern.”
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,533,634 (“Pan”) (DSS-2001), which was filed the same year as the ‘084
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`Patent, illustrates a top view of the mask having a checkerboard pattern (FIG. 1) and also illustrates
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`a cross-sectional view the same mask (FIG. 2), in which the geometric shape of the pattern can no
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`longer be discerned.
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`U.S. Patent 5,853,959 (“Brand”) (DSS-2002), which was filed within two years of the
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`priority date of the ‘084 Patent, also provides top views of three different masks, all having unique
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`patterns referenced by different reference characters: 74, 80, and 82.
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`Fig. 4A
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`Fig. 4B
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`Fig. 4C
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`As evident from the drawings of Pan and Brand, geometric shapes of lithographic patterns
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`can vary greatly from one another. Accordingly, a P