DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1, 3, 4, and 13 have been amended.
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
Claims 9 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 9 and 17 recite “wherein the exposure…”. However, claims 1 and 10 are directed to a photoacid generator copolymer and a photoresist composition respectively, not a method. Thus, no exposure has been performed and therefore the subject matter holds no patentable weight. The Examiner suggests canceling claims 9 and 17. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-11 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gu et al. (WO2022056700). Translation attached.
Gu et al. teaches a photosensitive resin (photoacid generator) having the following structural formula:
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[0056] where specific examples of the sulfonium salt cation include the following structures (3-10) to (3-12):
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[0073] and specific examples of the anion include the following structure (4-5) [0079]:
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[0080] where n is an integer between 2 and 200 [0060] and R3 may be the following structure (5-6) [0082]:
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[0083] which is equivalent to a photoacid generator copolymer represented by Formula 1 of instant claims 1-6, specifically Formula 5 of instant claim 7 having a molar ratio of 1:1 when B+ is a triphenylsulfonium cation substituted with at least one halogen atom, specifically Formulae 3-1 to 3-3 of instant claim 5 respectively when X is a halogen atom. Gu et al. also teaches the photosensitive resin has strong hydrophobicity [0153] (claims 8 and 16). The photosensitive resin of Gu et al. is the same as the instant claims, therefore it is expected to have a number average molecular weight within the claimed range of 500 g/mol to 5,000 g/mol and a polydispersity index of 1.0 to 3.0, absent any evidence to the contrary (claims 1 and 2). Gu et al. further teaches a photoresist composition comprising the photosensitive resin (photoacid generator), a film-forming resin, an acid inhibitor (photo-decomposable quencher), and an organic solvent [0105] (claim 10). Gu et al. also teaches the mass percentage of the photosensitive resin (photoacid generator) ranges from 0.01% to 10%, a mass percentage of the film-forming resin is 1% to 20%, a mass percentage of the acid inhibitor ranges from 0.01% to 10%, and a mass percentage of the organic solvent ranges from 60% to 99.98% [0109] which overlaps the instantly claimed amount of the copolymer of the photoacid generator (claim 11). Gu et al. further teaches the photoresist composition was rotated onto a silicon wafer, baked, exposed with ArF, baked, and developed in TMAH [0152-0153] (claims 9, 17, 19, and 20). The photoresist composition of Gu et al. is the same as instantly claimed, therefore it is a chemically amplified photoresist composition and a diffusion length of the acid generated by the photoacid generator in controllable to be in a range of 0.01 nm to 10 nm, absent any evidence to the contrary (claims 15 and 18). Gu et al. also teaches [the above are] only preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure, and any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure [0154] and the photosensitive resin of the present invention can effectively improve the acid distribution problem in the photoresist composition and can improve the film-forming ability of the photoresist, thereby improving the photolithography pattern, improving the photoresist resolution, and reducing the line width roughness [0054].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the specific teachings of Gu et al. to include additional photosensitive resins having the above fluorinated sulfonium cation and arrive at the instant claims through routine experimentation of substituting equally suitable components for the sought invention in order to achieve optimum acid distribution, film-forming ability, resolution, and line width roughness.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gu et al. (WO2022056700) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Ichikawa et al. (U.S. 2012/0258405).
With regard to claim 14, Gu et al. teaches the above photoresist composition comprising an acid inhibitor (photo-decomposable quencher) but does not teach a quencher represented by Formula 7.
However, Ichikawa et al. teaches a resist composition having; (A) a resin being insoluble or poorly soluble in alkali aqueous solution, but becoming soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid, (B) an acid generator having an acid-labile group; and (D) a compound represented by the formula (I) [0008-0011] specifically, the following compound:
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[0300] which is equivalent to Formula 7 of instant claim 14. Ichikawa et al. also teaches according to the resist composition of the present invention, it is possible to achieve satisfactory excellent line edge roughness (LER) and resolution and less defects in the obtained resist pattern [0504].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the acid inhibitor of Gu et al. with the compound represented by formula (I) of Ichikawa et al. and arrive at the instant claims through routine experimentation of substituting equally suitable components for the sought invention in order to achieve optimum LER.
Claims 1-13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamazaki et al. (U.S. 2016/0376233).
Yamazaki et al. teaches a positive-type resist composition includes a base material component (A) whose solubility in a developing solution increases under the action of an acid, in which the base material component (A) includes a resin component (A2), and the resin component (A2) has a structural unit (a6) derived from a compound represented by the following general formula (a6-1) [0670] (claims 8 and 16):
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[0670] wherein the description for Z01 to Z04, Rb21, Rb22, Rb1, and n1 and n2 of general formula (a6-1) is the same as the description for general formula (m0) [0682] and a specific example of formula (m0) includes the following:
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[0150] which is equivalent to a substituted triphenylsulfonium cation of instant claims 1-4, specifically Formula 3-4 of instant claim 5 when X is a halogen atom; and a specific example of (a6-1-1) includes the following:
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[0688] wherein Rα can be a methyl group [0688] which, when polymerized, is equivalent to the left repeating unit of the photoacid generator copolymer represented by Formula 1 of instant claim 1, specifically Formula 5 of instant claim 7. Yamazaki et al. also teaches as the component (A2), a polymeric compound having the aforementioned structural unit (a1) is further preferably used, in addition to the structural unit (a6) [0719] and the ratio of the structural unit derived from the compound represented by general formula (a6-1) is preferably 0.5 mol % to 30 mol %, more preferably 1 mol % to 20 mol %, and particularly preferably 1.5 mol % to 15 mol % with respect to all of the structural units configuring the component (A2) [0695] (claim 1) wherein structural unit (a1) is a structural unit containing an acid decomposable group that exhibits increased polarity by the action of an acid [0246] and a specific example includes the following:
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[page 26] wherein Rα can be a methyl group [0299] which is equivalent to the right repeating unit of the photoacid generator copolymer represented by Formula 1 of instant claims 1 and 6, specifically Formula 5 of instant claim 7. Yamazaki et al. further teaches the mass average molecular weight (Mw) (in terms of polystyrene by means of Gel Permeation Chromatography) of the component (A2) is not particularly limited, and the mass average molecular weight is preferably 1,000 to 50,000, more preferably 1,500 to 30,000, and most preferably 2,000 to 20,000. If the mass average molecular weight is equal to or less than the upper limit of the aforementioned range, solubility in a resist solvent enough to be used as a resist is obtained, and if the mass average molecular weight is equal to or more than the lower limit of the aforementioned range, dry etching resistance or a resist pattern cross-sectional shape is satisfactory. In addition, the molecular weight dispersivity (Mw/Mn) of the component (A2) is not particularly limited, and preferably 1.0 to 5.0, more preferably 1.0 to 3.0, and most preferably 1.2 to 2.5 [0727-0728] such that the calculated number average molecular weight of the copolymer overlaps with the claimed range of 500 g/mol to 5,000 g/mol and the preferred polydispersity index is within the claimed range (claims 1 and 2). Yamazaki et al. also teaches while preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as being limited by the foregoing description, and is only limited by the scope of the appended claims [0826].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the specific teachings of Yamazaki et al. to include additional resin components comprising the above structural units and arrive at the instant claims through routine experimentation of combining equally suitable components for the sought invention in order to achieve excellent lithography properties.
With regard to claims 10-13 and 15-20, Yamazaki et al. also teaches other resin components such as the following component (A)-1:
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[0809] (claim 13) which is equivalent to a base polymer comprising a hydroxystyrene monomer and a monomer comprising an acid degradable protective group represented by Formula 4-2 of instant claims 10 and 12 when R14 is a C3 alkyl group and R15 is a hydrogen atom. Yamazaki et al. further teaches while preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as being limited by the foregoing description, and is only limited by the scope of the appended claims [0826]. Further, it is prima facie obvious to combine two compositions each of which is taught by the prior art to be useful for the same purpose, in order to form a third composition to be used for the very same purpose…[T]he idea of combining them flows logically from their having been individually taught in the prior art. In re Kerkhoven, 205 USPQ 1069 1072. In the instant case, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include two resin components such as those described above and arrive at the instant claims through routine experimentation of combining equally suitable components for the sought invention with a reasonable expectation of success. Additionally, the amount of the copolymer of the photoacid generator with respect to the base polymer is well within one of ordinary skill in the arts’ technical grasp to modify through routine experimentation and arrive at the instant claims with a reasonable expectation of success (claim 11). Yamazaki et al. further teaches the positive-type resist composition of the present invention may be a positive-type resist composition which further includes, for example, a nitrogen-containing compound component as the photo-reactive quencher (photo-decomposable quencher), in addition to the first and second embodiments of the first aspect and the second aspect [0729] and the resist composition according to the present embodiment can be prepared by dissolving the materials for the resist composition in an organic solvent [0593] (claim 10). Yamazaki et al. also teaches the method for forming a resist pattern can be carried out, for example, as follows. First, the aforementioned resist composition is applied to the support by a spinner and subjected to a baking treatment (post applied bake (PAB)), for example, at a temperature condition of 80° C. to 150° C. for 40 seconds to 120 seconds, and preferably 60 seconds to 90 seconds to form a resist film. Next, after selective exposure of the resist film is carried out, either by exposure through a mask having a predetermined pattern formed thereon (mask pattern) using an exposure apparatus such as an ArF exposure apparatus, an electron beam lithography apparatus or an EUV exposure apparatus, or by patterning via direct irradiation with an electron beam without using a mask pattern, baking treatment (post exposure baking (PEB)) is carried out under a temperature condition of 80° C to 150° C for 40 seconds to 120 seconds, and preferably 60 seconds to 90 seconds. Next, the resist film is subjected to a developing treatment [0747-0750] (claims 9, 17, 19, and 20). The photoresist composition of Yamazaki et al. is the same as instantly claimed, therefore it is a chemically amplified photoresist composition and a diffusion length of the acid generated by the photoacid generator in controllable to be in a range of 0.01 nm to 10 nm, absent any evidence to the contrary (claims 15 and 18).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamazaki et al. (U.S. 2016/0376233) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Ichikawa et al. (U.S. 2012/0258405).
With regard to claim 14, Yamazaki et al. teaches the above photoresist composition comprising a nitrogen-containing compound component as the photo-reactive quencher (photo-decomposable quencher), in addition to the first and second embodiments of the first aspect and the second aspect [0729] but does not teach a quencher represented by Formula 7.
However, Ichikawa et al. teaches a resist composition having; (A) a resin being insoluble or poorly soluble in alkali aqueous solution, but becoming soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid, (B) an acid generator having an acid-labile group; and (D) a compound represented by the formula (I) [0008-0011] specifically, the following compound:
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[0300] which is equivalent to Formula 7 of instant claim 14. Ichikawa et al. also teaches according to the resist composition of the present invention, it is possible to achieve satisfactory excellent line edge roughness (LER) and resolution and less defects in the obtained resist pattern [0504].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yamazaki et al. to additionally include the compound represented by formula (I) of Ichikawa et al. and arrive at the instant claims through routine experimentation of substituting equally suitable components for the sought invention in order to achieve optimum LER.
Response to Arguments
Due to the amendment filed August 18, 2025 of instant claim 1, the 102(a)(1) rejection over Cho and the 103 rejection over Cho further in view of Fujiwara have been withdrawn. Applicant’s arguments with regard to these rejections have been considered but are moot due to the amendment of instant claim 1.
Due to the amendment of instant claim 13, the objection has been withdrawn.
Upon further consideration, the indication of allowable subject matter regarding claim 18 has been withdrawn. The claimed diffusion length is an inherent property of the resultant film. Thus, the prior art teaching the claimed photoacid generator copolymer (i.e. Gu and Yamazaki) will inherently have an acid diffusion length to be in a range of 0.01 nm to 10 nm, absent any evidence to the contrary.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. 2012/0135350 and U.S. 2021/0294211.
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 ANNA E MALLOY whose telephone number is (571)270-5849. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30-3:00 EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at 571-272-3458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Anna Malloy/ Examiner, Art Unit 1737
/KEITH WALKER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1735
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