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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12 November 2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant’s arguments, see page 11, line 22, filed 12 November 2025, with respect to the rejection of Claims 1, 3-10, 115, and 18-20 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kashiwagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2014/002861 A1), hereinafter Kashiwagi; in view of Li et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2021/185155 A1), hereinafter Li; Claims 1, 3-12, and 15-20 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kashiwagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2014/002861 A1), hereinafter Kashiwagi; in view of Mori et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2020/0299578 A1), hereinafter Mori; have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the amendments to Claim 1 wherein R2 and R3 of Formula (1) of the present application are further limited overcomes the rejections of record. This is not persuasive. While R2 and R3 of Formula (1) of the present application are further limited by amendments to Claim 1, the integers “m” and “n” of Formula (1) of the present application, which indicates the number of R2 and R3 moieties, respectively, still has a minimum of zero for both. Thus, a compound could have zero moieties within the scope of R2 and R3 of Formula (1) of the present application and still be within the scope of Claim 1 of the present application. Thus, said rejections are maintained.
3. Applicant’s arguments, see page 11, line 22, filed 12 November 2025, with respect to the rejection of Claims 2 and 13-14 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kashiwagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2014/002861 A1), hereinafter Kashiwagi; in view of Li et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2021/185155 A1), hereinafter Li; Claims 2 and 13-14 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kashiwagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2014/002861 A1), hereinafter Kashiwagi; in view of Mori et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2020/0299578 A1), hereinafter Mori; Applicant’s arguments, have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of Claims 2 and 13-14 has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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:
5. 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.
6. Claims 1, 3, 6, 8, and 21-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kashiwagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2014/002861 A1), hereinafter Kashiwagi; in view of Li et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2021/185155 A1), hereinafter Li.
7. Regarding Claims 1, 3, 6, 8, and 21-26, Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraphs [0007-0008]) a polymer, wherein the solubility of which in a developer solution is capable of being altered by an action of an acid. Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraphs [0007-0008]) a radiation-sensitive acid generating agent, therein a photoacid generator. Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraph [0190]) applying the radiation-sensitive resin composition directly or indirectly on a substrate. Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraph [0192]) exposing a resist film formed by the applying. Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraph [0193]) developing the resist film exposed.
8. However, Kashiwagi fails to explicitly teach a polymer structural unit represented by formula (1) of the present application. Furthermore, Kashiwagi fails to explicitly teach wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein each aromatic ring that gives Ar1 or Ar2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring. Furthermore, Kashiwagi fails to explicitly teach wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein R2, R3 or both represents a fluorine atom or an iodine atom. Furthermore, Kashiwagi fails to explicitly teach wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein L represents a single bond or -COO-.
9. Li teaches (Paragraphs [0095-0157], see particularly Formulae I-V, therein) a polymer structural unit represented by formula (1) of the present application. Li teaches (Paragraphs [0095-0157], see particularly Formulae I-V, therein) wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein each aromatic ring that gives Ar1 or Ar2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring. Li teaches (Paragraphs [0095-0157], see particularly Formulae I-V, therein) wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein R2, R3 or both represents a fluorine atom or an iodine atom. Li teaches (0095-0157], see particularly Formulae I-V, therein) wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein L represents a single bond or -COO-. Li teaches (Paragraph [0091]) polymer comprising said structure exhibits greater transmittance.
10. 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 Kashiwagi the polymer to incorporate the teachings of Li to further comprise a polymer structural unit represented by formula (1) of the present application; with regards to formula (1) of the present application, each aromatic ring that gives Ar1 or Ar2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring; with regards to formula (1) of the present application, R2, R3 or both represents a fluorine atom or an iodine atom; and wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein L represents a single bond or -COO-. Doing so would result in improved transmittance, as recognized by Li.
11. Claims 1, 3, 6, 8, 11-12, 16-17 and 21-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kashiwagi et al. (World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO 2014/002861 A1), hereinafter Kashiwagi; in view of Mori et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2020/0299578 A1), hereinafter Mori.
12. Regarding Claims 1, 3, 6, 8, 11-12, 16-17 and 21-26, Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraphs [0007-0008]) a polymer, wherein the solubility of which in a developer solution is capable of being altered by an action of an acid. Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraphs [0007-0008]) a radiation-sensitive acid generating agent, therein a photoacid generator. Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraph [0190]) applying the radiation-sensitive resin composition directly or indirectly on a substrate. Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraph [0192]) exposing a resist film formed by the applying. Kashiwagi teaches (Paragraph [0193]) developing the resist film exposed.
13. However, Kashiwagi fails to explicitly teach a polymer structural unit represented by formula (1) of the present application. Furthermore, Kashiwagi fails to explicitly teach wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein each aromatic ring that gives Ar1 or Ar2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring. Furthermore, Kashiwagi fails to explicitly teach wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, X represents -0-. Furthermore, Kashiwagi fails to explicitly teach wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, Ar1 represents a group obtained by removing (m + 2) hydrogen atoms from a naphthalene ring. Furthermore, Kashiwagi fails to explicitly teach wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein L represents a single bond or -COO-.
14. Mori teaches (Paragraphs [0012-0021]) a polymer structural unit represented by formula (1) of the present application. Mori teaches (Paragraphs [0012-0021]) wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein each aromatic ring that gives Ar1 or Ar2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring. Mori teaches (Paragraphs [0012-0021]) wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, X represents -0-. Mori teaches (Paragraphs [0012-0021]) wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, Ar1 represents a group obtained by removing (m + 2) hydrogen atoms from a naphthalene ring. Mori teaches (Paragraphs [0012-0021]) wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein L represents a single bond or -COO-. Mori teaches (Paragraph [0022]) polymer comprising said structure exhibits greater high polymerization reactivity, a high conversion ratio, low polymerization starting temperature, and a high solubility.
15. 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 Kashiwagi the polymer to incorporate the teachings of Mori to further comprise a polymer structural unit represented by formula (1) of the present application; with regards to formula (1) of the present application, each aromatic ring that gives Ar1 or Ar2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring; with regards to formula (1) of the present application, R2, R3 or both represents a fluorine atom or an iodine atom; wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, X represents -0-; wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, Ar1 represents a group obtained by removing (m + 2) hydrogen atoms from a naphthalene ring; and wherein with regards to formula (1) of the present application, wherein L represents a single bond or -COO-. Doing so would result in greater high polymerization reactivity, a high conversion ratio, low polymerization starting temperature, and a high solubility, as recognized by Mori.
Allowable Subject Matter
16 Claims 2, 7, 13-14, and 18-19 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. Prior art teaches all limitations therein, save for the further limited R2 and R3 of Formula (1) of the present application, wherein m+n ≥ 1 wherein “m” and “n” of Formula (1) of the present application are the number of R2 and R3 moieties, respectively.
Conclusion
17. 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.
18. 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