DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-26, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U. S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0349564 (hereinafter referred to as Toida).
Toida, in the abstract, in [0019]-[0039], discloses an underlayer film composition for lithography that includes a compound wherein the compound includes the claimed protecting group as disclosed in [0073] of Toida (claim 1). Toida, in [0019]-[0024], [0032], and [0033], discloses that the compound or resin i.e., polyphenol based (claim 2), and includes the claimed structure recited as (1), see below,
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568
376
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and is the same as the formula recited in claim 3. Toida, in [0036], discloses the resin having the structure recited as the claimed formula (2), see below,
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330
359
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(claim 4).
Toida, in [0083], discloses that the compound in the underlayer composition includes the claimed structure recited in claim 5 as formula (3), see below,
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245
364
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wherein R1 is the claimed X in the formula 3, and can be a single bond (includes oxygen), and R5 is an aromatic hydrocarbon group and can have the same repeats as disclosed in [0059], and is the same claimed structure, and Toida, discloses in [0061], that the repeat R2 group is an aryloxy and is the same as -OR5 group (illustrated above) that includes a hydroxyl group (substituent, claimed P0) , wherein the aryloxy groups are disclosed in [0066], and includes the claimed protection group, and is the same structure recited in claim 5 and claim 8 (claimed structure 3-10A).
Toida, in [0071], discloses that the compound in the composition can include the claimed structure recited as (3-1A) in claim 6, see below,
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254
356
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wherein R1 is an alkylene, and R2 can be an alkyl group (at least 1 carbon atom) bonded to an aromatic ring ([0061]) and is the same claimed structure recited as (3-2A) in claim 7, and Toida, in [0061], also discloses that R2 can also be a branched alkyl group (includes the claimed C(Me)2) that is attached to an aromatic group and is the same as the structure recited as (3-11A) in claim 9. Toida, in [0136], [0152], discloses that the compound in the underlayer composition includes a protecting group that includes sulfonyl groups and Toida, in [0152], discloses aryl sulfonyl groups, and is the same claimed group recited in claims 10-11 and will inherently perform the function of the protecting group as recited. Toida, in [0136], and [0139], discloses that the compound in the composition includes a triflate group (claim 12). Toida, in [0131], and [0132], discloses that the underlayer film material includes a compound that comprises a glycidyl group and is the same claimed protecting group and will inherently perform the claimed function recited (claims 13-15). Toida, in [0106], discloses that the Mw is greater than 400 and does not suggest the presence of any low molecular weight component that is less than the claimed compound and includes the claimed less than 1% (claims 16-17). Toida, in [0038]-[0042], discloses that the material forming the underlayer film for lithography and underlayer material comprising the compound and/or resin (underlayer composition) includes an acid generating agent, and a crosslinking agent and the material for (claims 18-21). Toida, in [0047]-[0052], discloses forming an underlayer film on a substrate by using the underlayer material for lithography, followed by forming an intermediate layer film on the underlayer film, and forming a photoresist layer on the intermediate layer, and irradiating a predetermined region of the photoresist layer with radiation, and then developing the photoresist to form the resist pattern, and using the resist pattern as a mask to etch the intermediate film resulting in the intermediate film pattern, using the intermediate film pattern as the etching mask to etch the underlying underlayer film and thereby obtaining the underlayer film pattern which is then used as a mask to etch the substrate to form the pattern on the substrate (claims 22-23). Toida, in [0068], discloses that the underlayer component (compound) possess planarizing properties i.e., the underlayer composition forms a film to smooth the unevenness of the substrate (claim 24). Toida, as discussed in the preceding sentences, and in [0019]-[0039], discloses the same claimed compound and/or resin for an underlayer composition for lithography, and includes the same claimed compositional components for forming an underlayer material for lithography, and discloses in [0068] that the viscosity of the underlayer material is low, and will inherently and necessarily possess the claimed viscosity value and the claimed softening point (claims 25-26).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daborah Chacko-Davis whose telephone number is (571) 272-1380. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:30AM-6:00PM EST Mon-Fri. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark F. Huff can be reached on (571) 272-1385. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-272-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DABORAH CHACKO-DAVIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737 September 30, 2025.