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 .
Response to Arguments
1. Applicant's arguments, see page 12, line 10, filed 23 February 2026, with respect to the rejection of Claims 1-8 and 11-14 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2019/187445 A1), hereinafter Yagi; and Claims 9-10 and 15 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2019/187445 A1), hereinafter Yagi; have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Yagi fails to teach the added limitation of “a radiation-sensitive acid generator which is not represented by the formula (1) [of the present application].” This argument is not persuasive. Yagi does not only teach acid generators within the scope of formula (1) of the present application. See the cited section of Yagi (Paragraphs [0294-0301], particularly PAG008 and PAG013). Examiner has provided a second English translation of Yagi provided by Global Dossier. Therein, Paragraph [0253] of Yagi teaches other additives, stating: “a resist composition of the present invention may further contain a photoacid generator other than those described above[.]” Furthermore, the cited section of Yagi (Paragraphs [0294-0301], particularly PAG101-PAG106) teaches photoacid generators other than previously described therein. Thus, Applicant’s argument is not persuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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:
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-8 and 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2019/187445 A1), hereinafter Yagi.
5. Regarding Claims 1-8, 10, and 13-15, Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0294-0301], see particularly PAG001-007 and PAG009-012) an onium salt compound represented by formula (1) of the present application and capable of generating an acid by irradiated with a radioactive ray. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0184, 0253, and 0294-0301], see particularly PAG008, PAG013, and PAG101-106) a radiation-sensitive acid generator which is not represented by the formula (1) of the present application and, by irradiated with the radioactive ray, capable of generating an acid having a pKa smaller than a pKa of the acid generated from the compound represented by the formula (1) of the present application. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0292-0293], see particularly P001-006) a resin comprising a structural unit having an acid-dissociable group. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0292-0293], see particularly P001-002 and P004-005) a resin comprising a structural unit having an acid-dissociable group and a structural unit derived from hydroxystyrene. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0304]) a solvent. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0294-0301], see particularly PAG001-007 and PAG009-012) the cyclic structure of formula (1) of the present application is an aromatic ring structure. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0294-0301], see particularly PAG001-007 and PAG009-012) the aromatic ring structure of formula (1) of the present application is at least one selected from the group consisting of structures of Claim 3 of the present application. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0294-0301], see particularly PAG001-007 and PAG009-012) the (optional) alicyclic ring structure of formula (1) of the present application is at least one selected from the group consisting of structures of Claim 4 of the present application, i.e. this limitation is met by Yagi teaching a non- alicyclic ring structure within the scope of formula (1) of the present application. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0294-0301], see particularly PAG001-007 and PAG009-012) the (optional) heterocyclic ring structure of formula (1) of the present application is at least one selected from the group consisting of structures of Claim 5 of the present application, i.e. this limitation is met by Yagi teaching a non- heterocyclic ring structure within the scope of formula (1) of the present application. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0294-0301], see particularly PAG001-007 and PAG009-012) the onium salt compound comprises a plurality of the cyclic structures, and the plurality of cyclic structures are bonded via a single bond. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0294-0301], see particularly PAG001-007 and PAG009-012) the onium cation of formula (1) of the present application is a sulfonium cation. Yagi teaches (Paragraph [0305]) a content of the onium salt compound is 15 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0294-0301], see particularly PAG001-007 and PAG009-012) wherein R1 of formula (1) of the present application is a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent organic group having a cyclic structure which is an aromatic ring structure. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0294-0301], see particularly PAG001-007 and PAG009-012) wherein the (optional) chain hydrocarbon group having 2 or more carbon atoms represented by R1 of formula (1) of the present application is at least one selected from one of the groups of Claim 14 of the present application, i.e. this limitation is met by Yagi teaching a non- chain hydrocarbon group having 2 or more carbon atoms within the scope of formula (1) of the present application.
6. Regarding Claims 11-12, Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0305-0306, 0314-0315, and 0323-0324]) forming a resist film directly or indirectly on a substrate by applying the radiation-sensitive resin composition. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0307, 0316, and 0325]) exposing the resist film. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0307, 0316, and 0325]) developing the exposed resist film. Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0307, 0316, and 0325]) wherein in the exposing of the resist film, the resist film is exposed to ArF excimer laser light, extreme ultraviolet light, or an electron beam.
7. However, Yagi doesn’t explicitly teach the composition comprising an onium salt compound represented by formula (1) of the present application and capable of generating an acid by irradiated with a radioactive ray and a radiation-sensitive acid generator which is not represented by the formula (1) of the present application and, by irradiated with the radioactive ray, capable of generating an acid having a pKa smaller than a pKa of the acid generated from the compound represented by the formula (1) of the present application in a single working example. Furthermore, Yagi doesn’t explicitly teach wherein a content of said radiation-sensitive acid generator is 0.1 parts by mass or more and 40 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin in a working example. Furthermore, Yagi doesn’t explicitly teach a content of the onium salt compound is 2 parts by mass or more and 10 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin in a working example. Furthermore, Yagi doesn’t explicitly teach wherein a content of said radiation-sensitive acid generator is 5 parts by mass or more and 20 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin in a working example.
8. Yagi teaches (Paragraph [0184]) two or more different compounds, therein the specific compound, which are both within the scope of formula (1) of the present application and not within the scope of formula (1) of the present application being comprised in the same composition. Furthermore, Yagi teaches (Paragraph [0253]) “a resist composition of the present invention may further contain a photoacid generator other than [the specific compound taught by Yagi.]” Yagi teaches (Paragraph [0184]) a content of said specific compounds is, in total, 5 parts by mass or more and 60 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the solids of the composition. Yagi teaches (Paragraph [0110]) that the resin of the composition comprises 50 parts by mass to 99.9 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the solids of the composition. Thus, Yagi teaches (Paragraphs [0110 and 0184]) a content of said specific compounds is, in total, 5 parts by mass or more and 50 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin, considering that the specific compound of Yagi and the resin of Yagi both comprise the solids of the composition and Yagi teaches at least half of the solids is the resin and thus no more than the other half of the solids is the specific compound, i.e. the resin + specific compound of Yagi may not comprise more than 100% of the mass of the solids of the composition. Thus, given that Yagi teaches at least equal amounts of the specific compound therein, which is within the scope of formula (1) of the present application, a second specific compound of Yagi, which is not within the scope of formula (1) of the present application, that generates an acid having a pKa smaller than a pKa of an acid generated from the compound represented by the formula (1) of the present application, comprises 2.5 parts by mass or more and 25 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin.
9. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yagi to further comprise both an onium salt compound represented by formula (1) of the present application and capable of generating an acid by irradiated with a radioactive ray and a radiation-sensitive acid generator which is not represented by the formula (1) of the present application and, by irradiated with the radioactive ray, capable of generating an acid having a pKa smaller than a pKa of the acid generated from the compound represented by the formula (1) of the present application; wherein a content of said radiation-sensitive acid generator is 0.1 parts by mass or more and 40 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin; a content of the onium salt compound is 2 parts by mass or more and 10 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin; and a content of said radiation-sensitive acid generator is 5 parts by mass or more and 20 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin. Said modification would be a simple substitution of one known element, one compound within the scope of formula (1) of the present application, with two compounds within the scope of formula (1) of the present application, one which generates an acid having a pKa smaller than the other. Yagi teaches both one and two or more compounds within the scope of formula (1) of the present application. Yagi teaches that he use of two or more compounds within the scope of formula (1) of the present application is functional and predictable.
10. Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2019/187445 A1), hereinafter Yagi; in view of Hatakeyama et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2013/0108960 A1), hereinafter Hatakeyama.
11. Regarding Claims 16-17, Yagi teaches all limitations of Claims 1 and 15 above. However, Yagi fails to explicitly teach wherein, with respect to formula (1) of the present application, R1 is a chain hydrocarbon group having 2 or more carbon atoms in which no heteroatom is interposed between carbon atoms forming a skeleton of a chain structure thereof, all hydrogen atoms of the chain hydrocarbon group having 2 or more carbon atoms being unsubstituted or substituted with a halogen atom.
12. Hatakeyama teaches (Paragraphs [0111-0115]) an onium salt of formula (1) of the present application, wherein R1 of formula (1) of the present application is a chain hydrocarbon group having 2 or more carbon atoms in which no heteroatom is interposed between carbon atoms forming a skeleton of a chain structure thereof, all hydrogen atoms of the chain hydrocarbon group having 2 or more carbon atoms being unsubstituted or substituted with a halogen atom. Hatakeyama teaches (Paragraphs [0073-0075]) an onium salt of formula (1) of the present application, therein a quencher, when used in tandem with a radiation-sensitive acid generator which is not represented by the formula (1) of the present application results in improved contrast between exposed and unexposed regions resulting in an improvement in the rectangularity of pattern formed.
13. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yagi in view of Hatakeyama to further comprise both an onium salt of formula (1) of the present application, wherein R1 of formula (1) of the present application is a chain hydrocarbon group having 2 or more carbon atoms in which no heteroatom is interposed between carbon atoms forming a skeleton of a chain structure thereof, all hydrogen atoms of the chain hydrocarbon group having 2 or more carbon atoms being unsubstituted or substituted with a halogen atom. Doing so would result in an improvement in the rectangularity of pattern formed, as recognized by Hatakeyama.
Conclusion
14. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
15. A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
16. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to RICHARD D CHAMPION at telephone number (571) 272-0750. The examiner can normally be reached on 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon-Fri EST.
17. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MARK F HUFF can be reached at (571) 272-1385. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/R.D.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1737
/MARK F. HUFF/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1737