Detailed Action
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s Amendment to the claims filed 04/17/2026 has been entered and is considered herein. Claims 21, 7, and 8 have been amended. New claim 23 has been added. No new matter appears to have been added with these claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments and arguments based thereon have placed the scope of the claims outside that of the prior art proffered to make the prior Final Rejections over 35 USC 103, and art used in combination for further rejections made over 35 USC 103. As such, all rejections over art made in the prior office action have been withdrawn.
After further search and consideration, the Examiner makes a new grounds of rejection as set forth in the body of the rejection below. Applicant’s Amendment necessitated the new grounds of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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:
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 4, 6-13, 15-16, 18, and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okade et al (US 20160330845 A1) and Ajioka et al (US 20110081616 A1)
Regarding Claims 4, 6-13, and 21-23 , Okade discloses a photosensitive resin composition including a binder polymer, a photopolymerizable compound, and a photopolymerization initiator (Abstract).
The photopolymerizable compound (B) is described from [0048]-[0076], and may be a bisphenol A derivative having methacrylate terminal groups and oxyalkyl repeating groups disposed between the bisphenol A core and the terminal methacrylate groups - See formula 4a in [0054]-[0055] (claim 10, where the formula represents a bisphenol A methacrylate compound or derivative thereof – the claim uses “bisphenol A-type methacrylic acid compound”. The oxyalkyl groups may or may not be present (m1, m2, n1, and n2 in formula (4a) may each be 0-20) (claim 12, where when at least one of m1, m2, n1,n2 are not 0, the compound comprises a polyoxyalkylene group). The photopolymerizable compound (B) may be present in an amount ranging from 1-60 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of combined amounts of the polymer (A) and the polymerizable compound (B) (claim 11, overlapping the claimed range of “30 parts by mass or more” at “30 to 60 parts by mass”, and overlapping the claimed ”30 to 60 parts by mass” of claim 13) .
The photoinitiator C may be an acridine compound or other compound described from [0077]-[0080]. A photosensitizer (D) may also be present, such as a pyrazoline compound, as described at [0084]-[0085]. The pyrazoline compound may be present in an amount ranging from 0.01 to 10 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the combined components polymer (A) and monomer (B) (claim 4, overlapping the claimed range at 0.1 to 10 parts).
The binder polymer is described from [0029]-[0047], where the binder comprises a methacrylic acid (1), a styrene or alpha-methylstyrene (2), and a hydroxyalkyl methacrylate (3). When styrene is present in the polymer, it is preferably present in between 10-70% by mass of the polymer (overlapping the claimed content of “more than 40% by mass” at 40-70%, and further overlapping the range “45% or more” of claim 8 at 45-70%). The hydroxyalkyl methacrylate component of the polymer may be present between 1% and 50% by mass of the polymer (claim 6, overlapping the claimed range at 1 to 5.0%). Other monomers may be present as discussed at [0037], such as benzyl methacrylate (claim 7, where benzyl methacrylate is an aryl methacrylate).
The molecular weight of the binder polymer is preferably between 10,000 and 200,000 (claim 9, where the claimed range of 20,000 to 50,000 is encompassed by the reference). The polymer may have a dispersity (Mw/Mn) of 3.0 or less, more preferably 2.5 or less (claim 23, where the dispersity is 1.80 or more – the reference overlaps the claimed range at 1.80 to 3.0, more preferably overlapped at 1.80 to 2.5), and ascribes excellent resolution and adhesiveness to the composition when the dispersity is in this range.
The photosensitive resin composition of Okade is used in the production of a photosensitive element as described from [0097]-[0112], where the photosensitive resin composition is deposited onto a support film such as by a coating process, dried to form a composition layer, after which optional intermediate layers may be deposited thereatop. The thickness of the resin composition layer after drying may range from 1-100 microns, overlapping claimed range of “20 microns or less” in claim 21 and 23 at 1-20 microns.
Okade does not teach a catechol compound.
This limitation is met by Ajioka et al.
Ajioka teaches a composition comprising a binder polymer, a photopolymerizable monomer, a photoinitiator, and a polymerization inhibitor.
The binder polymer of Ajioka is discussed from [0034]-[0042] and may comprise monomers such as styrene, benzyl methacrylate, and other methacrylate esters.
The monomer is discussed from [0043]-[0060] and may be a bisphenol A methacrylate or derivative thereof.
The photoinitiator is discussed from [0061]-[0067], and may be an acridine, imidazole derivative, or a pyrazoline based compound.
These components are all mirrored in the disclosure of Okade.
Ajioka teaches a polymerization inhibitor, such as a catechol compound such as t-butyl catechol, wherein the inhibitor is present from 20-100 ppm by weight based on the solid content of the composition – or 0.002 to 0.01% by weight of the total solid content of the composition. The composition comprises combined components A-C – converting to per 100 parts of (A) and (B) results in a percentage of 0.0016 to 0.0099 parts per 100 parts of polymer (A) and monomer (B), which falls within the claimed range of claims 21, 22, and 23 at 0.0016 to 0.0099. Ajioka ascribes improved photosensitivity when the polymerization inhibitor such as t-butylcatechol is present in the described range.
A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to arrive at the claimed invention prior to the effective filing date from the combination of the composition of Okade with the catechol of Ajioka, wherein the incorporation of the catechol would improve the photosensitivity of the resultant composition and improve processability.
Regarding Claims 15, 16, and 18, Okade discloses the limitations of the claims as described above regarding claim 21, but does not disclose a particular experimental embodiment wherein an embodiment meeting the claim limitations as set forth is then used to make a photosensitive element comprising a support and photosensitive layer disposed thereon or a method(s) for making such.
These limitations are met by the general disclosure of the reference.
The photosensitive resin composition of Okade is used in the production of a photosensitive element as described from [0097]-[0112], where the photosensitive resin composition is deposited onto a support film such as by a coating process, dried to form a composition layer, after which optional intermediate layers may be deposited thereatop. A protective film may be disposed thereatop for use in laminating the photosensitive resin composition and support layer onto the substrate.
The photosensitive resin composition may be used in the production of a photoresist pattern as described from [0113]-[0132], where the composition is coated onto a substrate, heated to dry into a composition layer, then exposed to radiation to cure exposed portions. If there is a protective film present, it is removed prior to disposing the photosensitive layer onto the substrate and then pressure bonding under heat so as to create a layered body having the substrate, photosensitive resin composition layer, and support film (in this order) may be obtained for further reprocessing by exposure – the support film may or may not be removed prior to exposure depending on the transparency of the support to the incident radiation. After exposure, the uncured areas are removed using a developer so as to form a cured product pattern.
A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to arrive at the claimed invention from the general disclosure of the reference, which discloses components and inclusion amounts thereof directed to a composition having improved photosensitivity, stability, and photocurablity and methods for using such to arrive at a patterned resist and photosensitive element – the improvements in the processed composition result in an improved product having improved properties.
Claim(s) 2,3, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okade et al (US 20160330845 A1) and Ajioka et al (US 20110081616 A1) as applied to claim 21 above, and further in view of Miyasaka et al (US 20130298398 A1).
Regarding Claim 2,3 and 5, Ajioka does not disclose a particular embodiment of a pyrazoline, only that pyrazoline compounds may be used.
This limitation is met by Miyasaka.
Miyasaka discloses a photosensitive resin composition comprising a binder polymer having a methacrylic acid based structural unit, a photopolymerizable compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a sensitizing dye.
The binder resin of Miyasaka is described from [0038]-[0052], and may be a resin comprising monomers such as styrene and benzyl methacrylate or derivatives thereof, among others as described at [0039].
The photopolymerizable compound of Miyasaka is described from [0053]-[0078], where the polymerizable unit conforms to a compound such as the genus of compounds described by formula (2) at [0059] – these compounds are bisphenol A type compounds having optional polyoxyalkyl groups and terminal methacrylate or acrylate groups.
The photoinitiator of Miyasaka is described from [0079]-[0083], and may be an aromatic ketone compound, a benzoin ether compound, or an acridine, or another compound as described in [0081]. The photoinitiator is present in 0.01 to 10 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of base resin (A) and photopolymerizable compound (B).
The photosensitizer (D) is described from [0084]-[0103], where pyrazoline compounds are specifically described from [0089]-[0095], where the pyrazolines conform to formula (6) and/or (7):
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Where R11-R13 each independent represent a C1-C12 straight/branched chain alkyl group, C1-C10 straight/branched chain alkoxy group, or a halogen atom. Subscripts a-c independently represent an integer of 0-5, where the sum of the three subscripts is 1-6. Which the sum is greater than 2, the R groups may all be the same or may each be different. Specific examples of the pyrazoline compound (6) are described in [0092].
The above formula (and derivative compounds therefrom) read upon the instantly claimed claims 2 and 3 for where:
The pyrazoline has two aryl groups bonded to the pyrazoline ring
Claimed Rd11-Rd13 each independent represent a C1-C10 alkoxy group or C1-C12 alkyl group
Claimed subscripts d11-d13 each independently represent an integer of 0-5.
The pyrazoline is present in the composition at an amount of 0.05-5 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of base resin (A) and polymerizable compound (B) (claim 4), and is ascribed to improve the sensitivity of the resist and improve resist shape from patterning.
The pyrazoline is present in 0.05-5 parts by weight in tandem with 0.01 to 10 parts by weight of photoinitiator (C). Relative to the sum of initiator and sensitizer, the pyrazoline (D) may be present in 0.5 parts by weight to 99 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of photoinitiator (C) and sensitizer (D) (claim 5).
The components of Ajioka, Okade, and Miyasaka are substantially similar- all three references’ compositions comprise photoinitiators, base resins that may comprise styrene, hydroxyalkyl methacrylate, and benzyl methacrylate, and a photopolymerizable compound that may be a methacrylate derivative of a bisphenol A compound that has polyoxyalkyl chain groups thereupon.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to arrive at the claimed invention by incorporating the specific pyrazoline compound(s) of Miyasaka into the composition of Ajioka and Okade as to improve the sensitivity of the resist and improve resultant pattern shape.
Claim(s) 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okade et al (US 20160330845 A1) and Ajioka et al (US 20110081616 A1) as applied to claim 21, 16, and 18 above, and further in view of Kume et al (KR 20180027541 A).
Regarding Claims 17 and 19, Okade and Ajioka teach the limitations of the claims as discussed regarding claims 16 and 18 above, teaching a photosensitive element comprising a photosensitive resin layer and a support thereupon.
Ajioka and Okade do not teach a support or base material having recesses (single or plural) thereupon.
This limitation is met by Kume.
Kume teaches a printed wiring board, photosensitive element, laminate, and method for forming a resist pattern ([0001]). The element of Kume comprises a substrate, a photosensitive layer, and an intermediate layer on a support film (base material) wherein the intermediate layer has a number of recesses having a diameter of 3 microns or greater (overlapping claim 19’s “500 microns or less” at 3-500 microns – claim 19) ([0020]), ascribing a reduction in defects to patterns formed using the intermediate layer having these recesses.
The photosensitive layer of Kume is described from [0057]-[0119] and comprises a binder polymer, a photopolymerizable compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and an optional sensitizer and/or polymerization inhibitor. The binder polymer may comprise monomers such as styrene and methacrylic acid esters. These methacrylic acid esters may be substituted with hydroxyl or ester groups upon their ester side groups. The monomers of Kume are ethylenically unsaturated and include bisphenol A type monomers, where oxyalkyl groups may be present in the monomer. Preferred initiators include ketones such as benzophenone.
The lamination process of Kume includes a film forming step, wherein for example, a photosensitive layer is pressed into a heated substrate with an intermediate layer atop the other surface – the heat of the substrate will make the photosensitive layer malleable and fill recesses of the intermediate layer. A coating process using a liquid composition photosensitive layer would likewise fill these recesses.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to arrive at the claimed invention from the teachings of Okade, Ajioka, and Kume, using the recessed support layer of Kume to arrive at a laminate having reduced defects during patterning.
Conclusion
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).
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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/A.P.T./Examiner, Art Unit 1737
/SALLY A MERKLING/SPE, Art Unit 1738
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