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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: The independent claim has been amended to require the lactone to form a fused polycyclic structure with three carbon atoms of the in Ar, however, structure (A1-3) forms a structure with just two carbon atoms of the aromatic ring Ar. It appears as though this structure should have been deleted from claim 9 with the amendment to claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-9, 13, 14, and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizutani (JP 2007-086479 and its machine translation).
Mizutani disclose a resist composition wherein the resin includes a unit having a lactone group and a naphthalene ring (instant claims 7-9). The lactone ring may or may not be directly attached to the naphthyl group, and the polymerizable group, while being preferably a (meth)acryl group, may be a vinyl group as in the instantly claimed monomer ([0010]-[0013]). Examples of the monomer include those (with exemplified monomers including (meth)acryl group, but as noted previously, they can be vinyl groups) having a structure wherein three carbon atoms of the naphthyl group are joined to the fused lactone ring as instantly claimed having a six -membered lactone ring having carbon atoms forming the ring structure and m is 1 (structure would have a pKa falling within the claimed range given the description in the instant specification; instant claims 3-6).
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The reference further teaches those of claim 2 including two carbon atoms bonded the aromatic ring, also having a pKa falling within the claimed range (when the polymerizable group in a vinyl group).
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The polymer further comprises units having acid-labile groups falling within the limitations of the instant claims 13 and 14 (formula (3)):
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The composition forms a resist film wen coated onto a substrate, then exposed an developed to form a patterned device (claim 5; instant claims 16-18).
Given the teachings of the reference, it would have been obvious to one of
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hirano et al (2006/0216635).
Hirano et al disclose a positive resist composition comprising a resin comprising a unit falling within the scope of the instant formula (A1), and a photoacid generator (PAG).
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In the exemplified polymers of the reference, include units wherein the instant Ar is a phenyl group, instant R1-R3 (reference H, Ra, Rb) are hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxy, halogen, cyano, nitro, acyl, acyloxy, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkyloxycarbonyl group, instant and reference Z is alkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxy, halogen, cyano, nitro, acyl, acyloxy, cycloalkyl, aryl, carboxyl, alkyloxycarbonyl, aralkyl, and instant X (Lc1) is a lactone group (as required by the instant (A1-2), (A1-3)) . Exemplified units include 5-7 -membered rings. While the reference exemplifies the rings bonded to the phenyl group such that the -C=O group is adjacent a carbon atom bonded to the ring, the broadest teachings of the reference teaches that the lactone is bonded/ fused to the aromatic ring using any two carbon atoms, and the ring is not limited to the preferred embodiments. When the ring is fused to the ring by the carbon adjacent the -O- group, the pKa would meet the claim limitations.
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Given the teachings of the reference, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the material of Hirano et al, wherein the lactone ring is fused to the aromativ ring in any position, including the carbon adjacent to the -O- , wherein the resutant compositon and monomer would meet the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over any of Mizutani et al in view of Hirano et al (JP 2009-086310 and its machine translation).
Mizutani et al has been discussed above. The reference teaches that various known photoacid generators useful in resist materials may be included, and teach various sulfonium salts comprising sulfonium cations and sulfonate, carboxylate, and other conventional anions.
Hirano ‘032 tach a resist composition having similar monomeric units as the primary reference resist polymers, wherein the reference teaches that PAGs having sulfonium cations and anions also taught by the primary references, and further teaches anions having acid-decomposable groups taught to be equivalent to those known anions. Such anions include:
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Given the teachings of the references, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the material of Mizutani et al, choosing to include the acid generator of Hirano ‘032 taught to be known and equivalent to the PAGs of the primary references, with the resultant material meeting the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over any of Mizutani et al in view of Yokogawa et al (JP2014-199358 and its machine translation).
Mizutani et al, has been discussed above. The reference teaches that various known photoacid generators useful in resist materials may be included, and teach various sulfonium salts comprising sulfonium cations and sulfonate, carboxylate, and other conventional anions.
Yokogawa et al disclose a resist composition comprising units similar to those of the primary references, wherein the anion has a structure comprising an acid-decomposable group. The inclusion of the anion is taught by the reference to increase the sensitivity and resolution of the resist and pattern formed.
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Given the teachings of the references, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the material of Mizutani et al, choosing to include the acid generator of Yokogawa et al taught to be known and equivalent to the PAGs of the primary references and taught to increase sensitivity and pattern resolution, with the resultant material meeting the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizutani et al in view of Hirano et al ‘635.
Mizutani et al is discussed above. The reference teaches that additional units may be includes in the polymer, but fails to specifically disclose units of formulas ((A2) or (6).
Hirano et al teaches units well known in the art and usable in combination with units such as those taught by Mizutani. Those include acid decomposable groups of the instant (6), taught to be equivalent and interchangeable with those taught by Mizutani (see below), as well as phenolic alcohol-containing units of the instant (A2) to achieve improved dry-etch resistance ([0246]).
Given the teachings of the references, it would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the material of Mizutani et al, choosing as the acid-decomposable group, that taught to be known and equivalent to those taught by Mizutani et al by Hirano et al.
Given the teachings of the references, it would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the material of Mizutani et al, choosing as the additional units, the phenolic hydroxyl group-containing monomer as taught by Hirano et al to improved the dry etch resistance of the resist pattern.
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Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has amended the instant claim 1 to require that three carbon atoms must be joined to form the fused structure including the lactone ring instead of the much broader limitation interpreted as “at least one” previously claimed. Previously rejections over the much broader previously presented claim 1 have been withdrawn. In light of the limitation a new rejection has been presented above.
Regarding Hirano and the rejection of claim 2, Hirano is not limited to the preferred embodiments and preferred monomers. The broadest teachings allow for attachment using any two carbon atoms of the lactone ring, including that adjacent to the-O- group, which would have a structure as taught by the specification to possess the claimed pKa, and the rejection of claim 2 is maintained.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Takahashi et al (JP 2012-073398) is cited for its teaching of similar compounds.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMANDA C WALKE whose telephone number is (571)272-1337. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 5:30am to 4pm.
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/AMANDA C. WALKE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722