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 .
The response of the applicant has been read and given careful consideration. Reject ion of the previous action no repeated below are withdrawn in view of the amendment and arguments of the applicant. Responses to the arguments are presented after the first rejection they are directed to. US 20170362089 is made of record by the examiner on a PTO-892. The applicant should cite any references, including those used as evidence, on a PTO-1449 in the future.
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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.
Claims 24-26,28-33,35-40 and 43-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gallagher et al. 20180329289, in view of Sekihara 20110189594, Huynh et al. WO 2022243113, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 and Jeon et al. 20180284599.
Gallagher et al. 20180329289 teaches he method may further comprise stretching the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 in a lateral direction prior to arranging the membrane 102, 202 on the pellicle frame 402. By pre-stretching the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202, sagging of the membrane 102, 202 may be counteracted. In other words, may exhibit a reduced sagging if stretched in a lateral direction prior to being arranged on the pellicle frame 402. In an example embodiment, a tensile stress of approximately 100 MPa or more may be introduced in the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202. This may translate to a membrane deflection of less than 0.5 mm for a pellicle of typical dimensions. Pre-stretching the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 may include transferring the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 to an intermediate stretchable support. The CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 may adhere to the stretchable support due to attractive forces at the surface interface between the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 and the stretchable support. Any suitable type of stretchable support may be used, such as a stretchable or elastic membrane. The stretchable support may be arranged in a stretching tool adapted to stretch the stretchable support wherein the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 may be stretched. The CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 may subsequently be transferred to the pellicle frame 402. The stretchable support may thereafter be removed from the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 [0133-0134]. Tensile stress may also be introduced in the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 by other means such as by subjecting the CNT pellicle membrane to a thermal treatment process. The thermal treatment process may include heating the CNT pellicle membrane to an elevated temperature (i.e., above room temperature). Additionally or alternatively the thermal treatment process may include cooling the CNT pellicle membrane to a reduced temperature (i.e., below room temperature). Also, applying a coating to the CNT pellicle membrane may increase the tensile stress in CNT pellicle membrane [0135]. Heating the CNT pellicle membrane and the pellicle frame while applying the pressure, which may be beneficial in that the bonding may be facilitated. Moreover, heat and pressure may in combination allow the amount of stress of the CNT membrane to be controlled. The CNT pellicle membrane and the pellicle frame may for example be heated to a temperature within the range from 100 to 500° C. while applying the pressure. In case a eutectic is to be formed, the CNT pellicle membrane and the pellicle frame may be heated to a temperature within the range from 600 to 900° C. while applying the pressure. However, keeping the temperature below 600° C. may put less stress on the CNT pellicle membrane and coatings [0062]. According to one embodiment, the method may further comprise increasing a tensile stress in the CNT pellicle membrane. The tensile stress may be increased prior to arranging the CNT pellicle membrane on the pellicle frame. However, it is also be possible to increase the tensile stress subsequent to attaching the CNT pellicle membrane to the pellicle frame. The tensile stress may be increased by subjecting the CNT pellicle membrane to a thermal treatment process. The thermal treatment process may include heating the CNT pellicle membrane to an elevated temperature (i.e., above room temperature). Additionally or alternatively the thermal treatment process may include cooling the CNT pellicle membrane to a reduced temperature (i.e., below room temperature) [0064]. Tensile stress may also be introduced in the CNT pellicle membrane 102, 202 by other means such as by subjecting the CNT pellicle membrane to a thermal treatment process. The thermal treatment process may include heating the CNT pellicle membrane to an elevated temperature (i.e., above room temperature). Additionally or alternatively the thermal treatment process may include cooling the CNT pellicle membrane to a reduced temperature (i.e., below room temperature). Also, applying a coating to the CNT pellicle membrane may increase the tensile stress in CNT pellicle membrane [0135]. In semiconductor fabrication, various lithographic processes are extensively used in the course of defining devices and circuit patterns. Depending on the size of the features to be defined, different optical lithographic processes may be used. In general, as the patterns become smaller, shorter wavelengths are utilized. In extreme ultraviolet lithography (“EUVL”) a wavelength of about 13.5 nm is frequently used. In EUVL, a pattern present on a photomask or reticle may be transferred to a layer sensitive to extreme ultraviolet (“EUV”) radiation by illuminating the reticle with EUV radiation. The EUV light is modulated by the reticle pattern and imaged onto a photoresist-coated wafer. When it comes to EUVL it has been challenging to find suitable pellicle candidates. Conventional deep ultraviolet (“DUV”) pellicles typically provide excessive absorption of extreme ultraviolet light even for very thin material thicknesses. Further, the high energy of the extreme ultraviolet light combined with the scanner environment is prone to damaging the material of the pellicle membrane. Thus, it has proved troublesome to identify pellicle designs that are compatible with EUVL. The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a carbon nanotube pellicle membrane for an extreme ultraviolet lithography reticle, to a method for forming a pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography and to a method for forming a reticle system for extreme ultraviolet lithography [0002-0005] Gallagher et al. 20180329289 clearly describes heating the frame and pellicle during the bonding process while the carbon nanotube membrane is held under tension at [0062]. The position of the examiner is that this heating deforms the frame according to its thermal expansion coefficient and then upon cooling, the tension on the carbon nanotube film is reduced and anticipates the limitation of the claims
Sekihara 20110189594 in working example 1 teaches a fluoride polymer pellicle membrane transferred from a quartz substrate to a provisional aluminum frame (21) where it is stretched using load applying means (25) provided at the center of each side of the provisional frame (21). While tension is applied to the pellicle film it is bonded to an aluminum frame (11) which has been washed, dried and coated with a silicone adhesive/agglutinant and the excess of the membrane trimmed away. The amount of deflection and deviation was then evaluated [0068-0080]. Comparative example 1 was similar to the process of example 1, but the aluminum frame used was rectangular in shape [0081-0084].
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The pellicle frame 10 was first washed and dried. Then, one of the surfaces of the pellicle frame 10 was coated with a silicone agglutinant agent as a pellicle membrane adhesive agent and the other surface of the pellicle frame 10 was coated with a silicone agglutinant agent (Product Name "KR3700") manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. as an agglutinant agent for adhering a photomask to the pellicle frame 10. Then, the pellicle frame 10 was heated to cure the silicone agglutinant agents [0072]., The CNTs may typically be joined by van der Waals forces [0086].
Huynh et al. WO 2022243113 teaches that the filtered film can be processed into the adhesion layer 904 by exposing the film on the frame 804 to a steam (i.e., vapor droplets at a temperature above boiling) of water, IPA, or a combination thereof. Exposure to the steam will cause the filtered film to adhere tightly to the frame 804, thus forming the adhesion layer 904. In some examples, a bottom layer of the pellicle can be formulated so as to include a greater percentage (e.g., greater than 50%, greater than 60%, greater than 70%) of few wall and/or single wall carbon nanotubes to further improve adhesion when in direct contact with the adhesion layer 904 [0056].
Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 (machine translation attached) specifically teaches the bonding of a frame with a CNT pellicle film via van der Waals forces (static electricity) [0148]
Jeon et al. 20180284599 teaches that CNT pellicle membranes can be bonded to the frame by a van der Waals force or by an adhesive [0113].
Gallagher does not describe the means for stretching the CNT film or the application of mist/steam to the frame prior to attaching the CNT pellicle to the frame.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the process of Gallagher et al. 20180329289 by using the provisional frame of Sekihara et al. 20110189594 to mechanically stretch/tension the carbon nanotube membrane where the frame is exposed to steam to promote van der Waals bonding as taught in Huynh et al. WO 2022243113 at [0056], noting that van der Waals bonding is known to be a useful bonding force for CNTs as evidenced by the teachings of Gallagher et al. 20180329289, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 and Jeon et al. 20180284599 prior to mounting the CNT frame on a final frame while heating as described in Gallagher et al. 20180329289. Further, the CNT pellicle can be bonded to the finals frame after treatment with steam as taught by Huynh et al. WO 2022243113 at [0056], noting that van der Waals bonding is known to be a useful bonding force for CNTs as evidenced by the teachings of Gallagher et al. 20180329289, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 and Jeon et al. 20180284599
The examiner notes that both Sekihara 20110189594 and Gallagher et al. 20180329289 describe stretching of the pellicle film before bonding to the frame, so it isa not clear what point the applicant is making as they are certainly combinable. In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show non-obviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). As the rejection is based upon multiple references, no one of the references needs to each and every feature of the claims.
The claims do not specify that the pellicle is for an EUV exposure process or that the mist is used in place of an adhesive, so these arguments are not commensurate in scope with the coverage sought. Additionally, the claims do not recite or exclude drying the mist. Rather the claims merely recite applying the mast before bonding the nanofiber film.
The treatment of frames with steam (see prepub of the instant specification at [0065]) to facilitate bonding the CNTs to the frame is known in the art as established in Huynh et al. WO 2022243113 at [0056]
In the response of 3/30/2026, the applicant has submitted the declaration of Marcio Dias Lima, who states that the frame is contacted with a mist, contacted with the nanofiber film and then allowed to dry. The droplets from the mist used last longer than those produced by steam and are able to facilitate proper attachment of the nanofiber film to the frame. The mist allows the attachment to microscopically uneven frame surfaces and prevents peeling. Steam which has an elevated temperature may introduce amorphous carbon or traces (trace contaminants ?) from the environment. The presence of amorphous carbon or other traces can reduce the transmittance of the nanofiber (pellicle) film. Avoiding these reduces the need for post production treatment, which could damage the pellicle. Also applying the mist only to the frame and not to the nanofiber film avoids modification of the nanofiber film by the mist, such as the formation of bundles.
The current claim language “where the surface of the deformed first frame is covered by a mist prior to securing the nanofiber film on the deformed frame” is interpreted to include providing the mist prior to bonding of the frame and nanofiber film/membrane. If “securing” was replaced with - - contacting- - in claim 24 at line 10 and in claim 31, at line 10 this rejection would be overcome. This would make the claims congruent with the argued position.
The declaration includes two aspects, which the application points to as different from the process of Huynh et al. WO 2022243113, specifically the mist is applied to the frame, but not the nanofiber film and the source of the mist is not steam. The examiner does not believe that the claim language requires these limitations as discussed above.
The specification (see prepub at [0065]) states ” In some embodiments, the filtered film may be processed into an adhesion layer by exposing the film on the first frame 610 to a steam (i.e., vapor droplets at a temperature above boiling) of water, IPA, or a combination thereof. Exposure to the steam will cause the filtered film to adhere tightly to the first frame 610, thus forming an adhesion layer. (emphasis added). The specification clearly supports steam as a source of droplets which are used to adhere the nanofiber film to the frame which undercuts the statements made by the applicant regarding the ability of droplets from steam to facilitate the adhesion of the nanofiber to the frame. There is a basis for excluding the use of steam as the source for the mist and perhaps excluding exposure of the nanofiber film to droplets.
Also the specification (see prepub at [0044]) states : “Thus, in accordance with some examples of the present disclosure, multilayer carbon nanofiber structures (e.g., multilayer structures comprising multiple stacked films and/or sheets) are described that are composites of multiwall carbon nanotubes and one or more of single wall and/or few walled carbon nanotubes. In some cases, the composites are stacks of one or more filtered nanofiber films and one or more drawn nanofiber sheets. In some cases, the drawn nanofiber sheet elements can be partially densified and joined to a filtered film by brief exposure (1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds) to solvent steam.” and in the subsequent section describes “Nanofiber forests”. On this basis it is not clear that the current language of the claims excludes the formation of nanofiber bundles, as the specification clearly envisions them as desirable in some instances.
Claims 24-26,28-33,35-40 and 43-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gallagher et al. 20180329289, in view of Sekihara 20110189594, Huynh et al. WO 2022243113, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 , Jeon et al. 20180284599, Hirokoshi 20160062229 and Malakhovsky et al. NL 2024985.
Hirokoshi 20160062229 teaches the application of a solvent to the pellicle frame, contacting the pellicle film with the frame and air drying the solvent to bond the pellicle film to the frame. An alternative is to provide an adhesive on the frame [0007]. The application of an adhesive including a solvent on the upper surface of the pellicle frame by brush application, spraying, automatic dispensing or the like is disclosed [0056,0086].
Malakhovsky et al. NL 2024985 describes the use of glue dispensers used to dispense glue for pellicle attachment where the glue disperser includes a nozzle, a brush, a sprayer such as an aerosol spray, or the like. Glue may be used to attach the pellicle to the frame, but bonding without using glue is disclosed [00098]
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the process of Gallagher et al. 20180329289 by using the provisional frame of Sekihara et al. 20110189594 to mechanically stretch/tension the carbon nanotube membrane where the frame is coated with water/isopropanol of to promote van der Waals bonding as taught in Huynh et al. WO 2022243113 at [0056] by applying the solvent to the frame using known methods such as spraying, then contacting the CNTY pellicle membrane and allowing drying as taught by Hirokoshi 20160062229, noting that spraying generates an aerosol as taught in Malakhovsky et al. NL 2024985 and that van der Waals bonding is known to be a useful bonding force for CNTs as evidenced by the teachings of Gallagher et al. 20180329289, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 and Jeon et al. 20180284599 prior to mounting the CNT frame on a final frame while heating as described in Gallagher et al. 20180329289. Further, the CNT pellicle can be bonded to the final frame after applying the water/isopropanol solvent of taught by Huynh et al. WO 2022243113 at [0056] to the frame using known methods such as spraying as taught by Hirokoshi 20160062229 as this composition is known generate van der Waals bonding which is useful for bonding CNTs as evidenced by the teachings of Gallagher et al. 20180329289, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 and Jeon et al. 20180284599
Claims 24-26,28-33,35-40 and 43-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gallagher et al. 20180329289, in view of Sekihara 20110189594, Huynh et al. WO 2022243113, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 and Jeon et al. 20180284599, further in view of Sakrai et al. et al. JP 10-339944 and Shirasaki JP 2001-290259.
Sakrai et al. et al. JP 10-339944 (machine translation attached) in embodiment 1 bonds a Cytop fluororesin pellicle membrane to a stainless steel support frame using an epoxy adhesive. Then only the support is heated to expand the support frame to increase the tension and the film was then placed (transferred) onto a square pellicle frame with 150 mm sides. forming a fluororesin film (CYTOP manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.) on a square quartz glass substrate 200 mm on a side by spin coating, division for peeling off the film from the substrate was carried out. A possible stainless steel support frame was bonded to the membrane via an epoxy adhesive. Then, after the film was peeled off from the substrate in water, the support frame was mechanically spread outward by 1 mm in each side direction, and the film was stretched to have a high tension. The film was adhered to a square pellicle frame of No. 1 to complete a pellicle as a final product. When 100 pellicles were manufactured by this method, there was no wrinkled film, and there was no problem that the film surface was vibrated by the influence of the outside air. [0009]. In embodiment 2, after forming a fluororesin film (CYTOP manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.) on a square quartz glass substrate 200 mm on a side by spin coating, division for peeling off the film from the substrate was carried out. A possible stainless steel support frame was bonded to the membrane via an epoxy adhesive. Then, after the film was peeled off from the substrate in water, the support frame was mechanically spread outward by 1 mm in each side direction, and the film was stretched to have a high tension. The film was adhered to a square pellicle frame of No. 1 to complete a pellicle as a final product. forming a fluororesin film (CYTOP manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.) on a square quartz glass substrate 200 mm on a side by spin coating, division for peeling off the film from the substrate was carried out. A possible stainless steel support frame was bonded to the membrane via an epoxy adhesive. Then, after the film was peeled off from the substrate in water, the support frame was mechanically spread outward by 1 mm in each side direction, and the film was stretched to have a high tension. The film was adhered to a square pellicle frame of No. 1 to complete a pellicle as a final product. When 100 pellicles were manufactured by this method, there was no wrinkled film, and there was no problem that the film surface was vibrated by the influence of the outside air. [0010]. A method of stretching the pellicle film by heating and expanding only the support frame after bonding the support frame for peeling the film through an adhesive layer and peeling the film, A method in which the pellicle film is stretched by uniformly spreading outward, or a polygonal support frame for peeling the film is adhered to the surface of the pellicle film formed on the substrate surface via an adhesive, and the film is peeled. Thereafter, the support frame may be mechanically and evenly spread in the vertical direction of each side of the polygon to stretch the film. The present invention is characterized in that the pellicle film is stretched in this way, and is adhered to the pellicle frame while keeping the film at a high tension. This will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. As a method of stretching the pellicle film by heating and expanding only the support frame of the pellicle film, the support frame may be heated using a heat source from the outside, or a heater may be attached to the support frame itself and heated. . FIG. 1 schematically shows a state in which only the support frame 1 is thermally expanded by heating and the pellicle film 2 is stretched, but in this case, the support frame 1 is not limited to a square. Further, as a method of extending the pellicle film by uniformly spreading the support frame outward, the support frame 3 divided as shown in FIG. 2 may be mechanically and uniformly spread outward. The shape of the support frame in this case is not limited to a circle. As a method of using a polygonal support frame, as shown in FIG. 3, a pellicle formed by using an octagonal support frame 5 including eight support frame pieces 6 and forming the same on a substrate surface via an adhesive layer 7 is used. By adhering to the surface of the film 2 and peeling off from the substrate surface, the mandrel 9 is pushed up by the slider 8 to extend each support frame piece 6 in the direction of the arrow [0006-0007].
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Shirasaki JP 2001-290259 (machine translation attached) in example 3 teaches a quartz glass doped with fluorine was used as an inorganic compound for a pellicle film. This was polished to a glass plate having a length of 140 mm × 120 mm and a thickness of 1 mm. In this polishing step, the amount of warpage at the center of the glass plate was set to 0.1 μm. The aluminum pellicle frame was cooled to −80 ° C. and contracted and deformed. In this state, it was attached to the above-mentioned fluorine-doped quartz glass plate. After that, the temperature of the pellicle frame is returned to room temperature (25 ° C.) [0035-0036]. As a second method for alleviating deflection due to its own weight, a glass plate and a frame are attached in a state where the pellicle frame is deformed in advance, and a tension is applied to the pellicle film by a stress due to a restoring force of the pellicle frame to thereby reduce its own weight. To alleviate the warpage caused by the above. That is, the pellicle is composed of a pellicle film and a pellicle frame holding the pellicle film, and is attached to a pellicle film made of an inorganic compound in a state where the pellicle frame is bent in advance. After the attachment, the distortion of the pellicle frame is released, whereby tension is generated in the pellicle film and warpage due to its own weight can be reduced. As a method of deforming the pellicle frame, it is possible to mechanically deform the pellicle frame. It is also possible to deform by a temperature difference, in particular, to contract by cooling. In order to apply tension to the pellicle film to pull the outer peripheral portion, the pellicle frame is distorted inward in advance and attached to the pellicle film. Thereafter, tension is applied to the pellicle film by the pellicle frame by releasing the distortion of the frame. At this time, the adhesive for bonding the pellicle frame and the pellicle film preferably has a high hardness so that the absorption of stress is as small as possible [0026-0027].
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the processes of mounting a CNT pellicle film onto a final frame rendered obvious by the combination of Gallagher et al. 20180329289, Sekihara 20110189594, Huynh et al. WO 2022243113, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 and Jeon et al. 20180284599 using heating and/or cooling to control the size/dimension of the provisional frame as taught by Sakrai et al. et al. JP 10-339944 and Shirasaki JP 2001-290259, noting that the equivalence of thermal and mechanical means to control the dimensions of a pellicle frame is clearly taught in Sakrai et al. et al. JP 10-339944.
Claims 24-26,28-33,35-40 and 43-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gallagher et al. 20180329289, in view of Sekihara 20110189594, Huynh et al. WO 2022243113, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 , Jeon et al. 20180284599, Hirokoshi 20160062229 and Malakhovsky et al. NL 2024985.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the processes of mounting a CNT pellicle film onto a final frame rendered obvious by the combination of Gallagher et al. 20180329289, Sekihara 20110189594, Huynh et al. WO 2022243113, Okubo et al. JP 2019168502 , Jeon et al. 20180284599, Hirokoshi 20160062229 and Malakhovsky et al. NL 2024985 using heating and/or cooling to control the size/dimension of the provisional frame as taught by Sakrai et al. et al. JP 10-339944 and Shirasaki JP 2001-290259, noting that the equivalence of thermal and mechanical means to control the dimensions of a pellicle frame is clearly taught in Sakrai et al. et al. JP 10-339944.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nakayama 6149992 teaches the application of an adhesive containing a solvent to the inside of the pellicle frame by any known coating means, such as spray coating method, dipping coating method, brush coating method, knife coating method, roller coating method or spread coating method. In the case of the spread coating method, for example, liquid droplets placed on the frame are spread by using a jig so as to be uniformly applied thereon. Finally, the coating solution applied onto the frame is dried to form a tacky layer (6/11-47).
Yanase et al. 20180011397 teaches the application of a solvent to the pellicle frame, contacting the pellicle film with the frame and air drying the solvent to bond the pellicle film to the frame. An alternative is to provide an adhesive on the frame [0004,0043]
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Martin J Angebranndt whose telephone number is (571)272-1378. The examiner can normally be reached 7-3:30 pm EST.
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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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MARTIN J. ANGEBRANNDT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1737
/MARTIN J ANGEBRANNDT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737
April 14, 2026
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