DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-17, 19, and 20 are pending. Claims 1 and 2 have been amended and claim 18 has been canceled.
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on July 27, 2026 has been entered.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on March 17, 2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the JP 2022-042937 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 1-15, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatakeyama et al. (U.S. 2021/0033970) in view of Ohashi et al. (U.S. 2015/0086926).
Hatakeyama et al. teaches the resist composition of the invention is defined as comprising a base polymer and a quencher in the form of an iodized aromatic ring-containing ammonium salt [0041], preferably the ammonium salt has the formula (A) [0042], and examples of the cation include the following:
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[0057] which is equivalent to the cation of the thermal acid generator represented by formula (2) of instant claims 1 and 2 when R32 and R33 are monovalent organic groups having 2 carbon atoms and R34 is a monovalent organic group having 9 carbon atoms and having heteroatoms; while examples of the anion include the following:
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[page 26] which is equivalent to the anion of the thermal acid generator represented by formula (2) of instant claims 1, 2, and 11-15 when R31 is a monovalent organic group having hetero atoms and an iodine atom. Hatakeyama et al also teaches a specific example of the base polymer includes the following Polymer 2:
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[0168] which is equivalent to (Ia) and (Ib) a polymer of instant claims 1 and 2 in which the middle repeating unit is equivalent to a repeating unit (A) having a hydroxy group represented by formula (a2) of instant claims 6-10 when RA is a hydrogen atom, Ya2 is a single bond, l and m are 0, and k is 1, and the right repeating unit is equivalent to a repeating unit (C) having a structural moiety to be decomposed by irradiation of active ray or radiation to generate an acid of instant claim 2 represented by formula (c) of instant claim 3 when Rc1 is a methyl group, Z1 is an ester bond, Z2 is a divalent organic group having 10 carbon atoms and an ester bond, Rfc1 is a trifluoromethyl group, Rfc2 is a hydrogen atom, Rfc3 and Rfc4 are fluorine atoms, and Rc2 to Rc4 are monovalent hydrocarbon groups having 6 carbon atoms and two of Rc2 to Rc4 are bonded to each other to form a ring together with the sulfur atom to which they are bonded. Hatakeyama et al. further teaches the resist composition may comprise an acid generator capable of generating a strong acid [0098] (claims 1, 4, and 5). Hatakeyama et al. also teaches other components such as a surfactant, dissolution inhibitor, and crosslinker may be blended in any desired combination to formulate a chemically amplified positive or negative resist composition [0141] and suitable crosslinkers include epoxy compounds, melamine compounds, guanamine compounds, glycoluril compounds and urea compounds having substituted thereon at least one group selected from among methylol, alkoxymethyl and acyloxymethyl groups, isocyanate compounds, azide compounds, and compounds having a double bond such as an alkenyl ether group [0145] and a specific example of the alkenyl ether group-containing compound include triethylene glycol divinyl ether [0153] which is equivalent to (II) a crosslinker represented by formula (1) of instant claims 1 and 2 when R is an 2-valent organic group, n is 2, L1 is an ether bond, and R1 is a divalent organic group. Hatakeyama et al. further teaches an organic solvent may be added to the resist composition [0138] (claims 1 and 2). Hatakeyama et al. also teaches the resist composition is first applied onto a substrate. The coating is prebaked on a hot plate at a temperature of 60 to 150°C for 10 seconds to 30 minutes. The resist film is then exposed to a desired pattern of high-energy radiation such as UV, deep-UV, EB, EUV, x-ray, soft x-ray, excimer laser light, γ-ray or synchrotron radiation. After the exposure, the resist film may be baked (PEB) on a hot plate or in an oven at 30 to 150°C for 10 seconds to 30 minutes, preferably at 50 to 120°C for 30 seconds to 20 minutes. After the exposure or PEB, in the case of positive resist, the resist film is developed in a developer [0157-0160] (claims 19 and 20). Hatakeyama et al. further teaches in the resist composition of the invention, a quencher other than the inventive cyclic ammonium salt may be blended [0149] and onium salts such as sulfonium salts, iodonium salts and ammonium salts of sulfonic acids which are not fluorinated at α-position as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,795,942 (JP-A 2008-158339) and similar onium salts of carboxylic acid may also be used as the other quencher [0150].
Hatakeyama et al. does not explicitly teach a quencher which is a weak-acid salt having a structure represented by formula (4) composed of a carboxylate anion and a sulfonium cation.
However, Ohashi et al. teaches a carboxylic acid sulfonium salt having formula (1) is provided. The sulfonium salt functions as a quencher in a resist composition, enabling to form a pattern of good profile with minimal LWR, rectangularity, and high resolution [abstract] and a specific example of formula (1) includes the following compound (Q-1):
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[0153] which is equivalent to formula (4) of instant claim 1 when R41 is a monovalent organic group and R42-R44 are monovalent hydrocarbon groups having 6 carbon atoms.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the specific teachings of Hatakeyama et al. to include the specific quencher of Ohashi et al. and arrive at the instant claims through routine experimentation of combining equally suitable components for the sought invention in order to achieve a pattern of good profile with minimal LWR, rectangularity, and high resolution.
Claims 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatakeyama et al. (U.S. 2021/0033970) in view of Ohashi et al. (U.S. 2015/0086926) as applied to claims 1 and 2 above, and further in view of Kondo et al. (JP06148889). Translation attached.
With regard to claims 16 and 17, Hatakeyama et al. teaches examples of the alkenyl ether group-containing compound include ethylene glycol divinyl ether, triethylene glycol divinyl ether, 1,2-propanediol divinyl ether, 1,4-butanediol divinyl ether, tetramethylene glycol divinyl ether, neopentyl glycol divinyl ether, trimethylol propane trivinyl ether, hexanediol divinyl ether, 1,4-cyclohexanediol divinyl ether, pentaerythritol trivinyl ether, pentaerythritol tetravinyl ether, sorbitol tetravinyl ether, sorbitol pentavinyl ether, and trimethylol propane trivinyl ether [0153] which are equivalent to formula (1) of instant claims 1 and 2 when R is an n-valent organic group.
Hatakeyama et al. in view of Ohashi et al. do not teach (II) a crosslinker represented by formula (1) when R has an aromatic hydrocarbon group.
However, Kondo et al. teaches a positive photosensitive composition comprising (a) a compound having at least two enol ether groups represented by general formula (I), (b) a linear polymer having an acid component and a hydroxyl group, and (c) a compound capable of decomposing upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation to generate an acid [0006], specifically vinyl ether compounds represented by general formula (II) or (III) [0009], more specifically triethylene glycol divinyl ether [0011] and the following formula (II-1):
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[0012] which is equivalent to (II) a crosslinker represented by formula (1) of instant claims 1, 2, 16, and 17 when R is a 2-valent organic group having an aromatic hydrocarbon group, n is 2, L1 is an ether bond, and R1 is a divalent organic group. Kondo et al. also teaches the present invention relates to a positive photosensitive composition capable of forming a fine resist pattern in the production of an integrated circuit of a semiconductor device [0001] and the photosensitive composition exhibiting high photosensitivity to ultraviolet rays, visible rays, electron beams or X-rays and being capable of forming a clear positive image under a wide range of development conditions [0006]. Further, It should be noted that the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supported a prima facie obviousness determination in Sinclair & Carroll Co. v. Interchemical Corp., 65 USPQ 297 (1945). See MPEP 2144.07. In the instant case, both Hatakeyama and Kondo are directed to resist compositions comprising alkenyl ether crosslinkers while Kondo teaches additional known alkenyl ether-based crosslinkers.
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 Hatakeyama in view of Ohashi to include other known alkenyl ether crosslinkers such as those taught by Kondo et al. and arrive at the instant claims through routine experimentation of substituting and/or combining equally suitable components for the sought invention in order to achieve high photosensitivity.
Response to Arguments
Due to the amendment filed June 23, 2026 of instant claims 1 and 2, the 103 rejection over Hatakeyama, and further in view of Kondo, has been withdrawn. Applicant’s arguments with regard to these rejections have been considered but are moot due to the amendment of instant claims 1 and 2. However, Hatakeyama and Kondo are still being used as prior art because they continue to teach the claimed components sans formula (4). Ohashi et al. cures this deficiency by teaching known sulfonium carboxylic acid quenchers having beneficial properties [abstract].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. 2021/0033969, U.S. 2020/0073237, U.S. 2020/0004142, and U.S. 2018/0335696.
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
