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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
1. A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 25 November 2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant’s arguments, see page 25, line 18, filed 25 November 2025, with respect to the rejection of Claims 1-6 and 19-20 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakamura et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication no. WO 2020/054449 A1; utilizing United States Patent Publication No. US 2021/0397086 A1), hereinafter Nakamura, utilizing Innocenzi et al. (Chemosphere, Vol. 307, Part 2, November 2022, doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135913, hereinafter Innocenzi as a teaching reference and Ashenhurst (Master Organic Chemistry, Carboxylic Acid Derivatives, Basic Hydrolysis of Esters – Saponification, www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2022/10/27/saponification-of-esters/), hereinafter Ashenhurst, as a teaching reference; Claims 1, 6, 12, 19, and 26 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Nakamura et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication no. WO 2020/054449 A1; utilizing United States Patent Publication No. US 2021/0397086 A1), hereinafter Nakamura, utilizing Innocenzi et al. (Chemosphere, Vol. 307, Part 2, November 2022, doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135913, hereinafter Innocenzi as a teaching reference and Ashenhurst (Master Organic Chemistry, Carboxylic Acid Derivatives, Basic Hydrolysis of Esters – Saponification, www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2022/10/27/saponification-of-esters/), hereinafter Ashenhurst, as a teaching reference; Claims 7-11, 13, 16-19, 21-25, and 27 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Nakamura et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication no. WO 2020/054449 A1; in view of Lai et al. (United States Patent Publication no. US 2016/0238934 A1), hereinafter Lai; utilizing United States Patent Publication No. US 2021/0397086 A1), hereinafter Nakamura, utilizing Innocenzi et al. (Chemosphere, Vol. 307, Part 2, November 2022, doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135913, hereinafter Innocenzi as a teaching reference and Ashenhurst (Master Organic Chemistry, Carboxylic Acid Derivatives, Basic Hydrolysis of Esters – Saponification, www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2022/10/27/saponification-of-esters/), hereinafter Ashenhurst, as a teaching reference; have been fully considered and, in light of the amendments made, are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Itou et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication no. WO 2013/172466 A1), hereinafter Itou.
Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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:
4. 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.
5. Claims 1, 6, 8-10, 13, 17-19, 21, 23, and 26-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itou et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication no. WO 2013/172466 A1), hereinafter Itou.
6. Regarding Claims 1, 6, 8-10, 13, 17-19, 21, 23, and 26-27, Itou teaches (Paragraph [0576]) forming a layer over a substrate. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0550]) coating a photoresist over the layer. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0030-0206]) the photoresist contains an additive. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0335-0341]) the photoresist contains a solvent. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0030-0206]) the additive includes a polymer backbone and a plurality of pendant groups bonded to the polymer backbone. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0169]) the plurality of pendant groups including a floating control group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0169]) the floating control group is an alkyl group that includes fluorine and a hydroxyl group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0159]) the plurality of pendant groups including a developer solubility group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0159]) the developer solubility group having one of the chemical formulas of Claim 1 of the present application. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0550 and 0557]) performing an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography exposure process to the photoresist. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0019, 0033, and 0550]) developing the photoresist after the performing of the exposure process. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0019, 0033, and 0550]) the developing including altering the developer solubility group of the photoresist in the developer. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0580]) the developing the photoresist includes exposing the photoresist to a developing solution having a pH of 10 to 15. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0177]) the additive further comprises a volume control group including a C5-C20 alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, a hydroxylalkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxyl alkyl group, an acetyl group, an acetylalkyl group, a carboxyl group, an alky carboxyl group, a cycloalkyl carboxyl group, a C5-C20 saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon ring, or a C5-C20 heterocyclic group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0177]) the additive further comprises a radiation-absorption control group, wherein the radiation-absorption control group absorbs radiation having a wavelength in a range from about 130 nanometers to about 400 nanometers during the exposure process. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0177]) the radiation-absorption control group comprises C6 benzene. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0576]) forming a patternable layer over a substrate. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0550]) forming a photo-sensitive layer over the patternable layer. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0030-0206]) the photo-sensitive layer contains an additive. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0335-0341]) the photo-sensitive layer contains a solvent. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0169]) the additive includes a floating control group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0169]) the floating control group is an alkyl group that includes fluorine and a hydroxyl group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0159]) the additive includes a developer solubility group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0159]) the developer solubility group having one of the chemical formulas of Claim 13 of the present application. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0177]) the additive includes a volume control group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0177]) the additive includes a radiation-absorption control group. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0550]) spin drying the photo-sensitive layer. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0551]) baking the photo-sensitive layer after the spin drying. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0550 and 0557]) exposing, after the baking and as a part of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process, the photo-sensitive layer to EUV radiation. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0019, 0033, and 0550]) developing the photo-sensitive layer after the exposing. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0019, 0033, and 0550]) developing the photo-sensitive layer after the exposing, the developing including altering the developer solubility group to include a terminal hydroxyl group and a terminal carboxylic acid group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0177]) the additive further comprises a volume control group including a C5-C20 alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, a hydroxylalkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxyl alkyl group, an acetyl group, an acetylalkyl group, a carboxyl group, an alky carboxyl group, a cycloalkyl carboxyl group, a C5-C20 saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon ring, or a C5-C20 heterocyclic group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0177]) the radiation-absorption control group comprises C6 benzene. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0335-0341]) the photoresist contains a solvent. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0030-0206]) the photoresist contains an additive. Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0030-0206]) the additive includes a polymer backbone and a plurality of pendant groups bonded to the polymer backbone. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0169]) the plurality of pendant groups including a floating control group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0169]) the floating control group is an alkyl group that includes fluorine and a hydroxyl group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0159]) the plurality of pendant groups including a developer solubility group. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0159]) the developer solubility group having one of the chemical formulas of Claim 19 of the present application. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0339]) the solvent comprises propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PGME) or propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA). Itou teaches (Paragraphs [0030-0206]) the additive has the chemical formula of the chemical formula of Claim 23 of the present application. Itou teaches (Paragraph [0577]) a developer solution comprises trimethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). Itou teaches (Paragraph [0551]) baking the photoresist after the spin drying.
8. A person having ordinary skill in the art would understand that each element of the additive claimed herein, although not necessarily in a single experimental example. One of ordinary skill in the art could simply substitute an additive within the scope of the present application for one of the experimental examples of Itou by known methods and the result of this simple substitution were predictable.
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claims 7, 11, 12, 16, 22, and 24-25 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Regarding Claims 7, 12, 16, and 24-25, the prior art fails to teach the specific polymer moieties limited therein. Regarding Claims 11 and 22, the prior art fails to teach the floating of the additive to the surface of the photoresist.
Conclusion
10. 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.
11. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KEITH D HENDRICKS can be reached at (571) 272-1401. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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13. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
/Keith D. Hendricks/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1733
/R.D.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1737
Prosecution Insights