CTFR 18/214,200 CTFR 68314 DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE This Office action is in response to the amendment filed February 12, 2026. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co. , 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over ENOMOTO et al (2012/0003591) and ENOMOTO et al (2016/0195814) in view of YAMANAKA et al (2015/0227049), KAMIMURA et al (2012/0028196), AMARITI et al (4,576,899), SHU et al (2009/0075195), LIANG et al (4,970,193) and XANTHOS et al (NPL), XU et al (NPL) and BHUNIA et al (NPL) (NPL articles references from HAHLADAKIS et al) and KANNOS et al (6,155,058), HAHLADAKIS et al (NPL) and BAE et al (2016/0122471). The claimed invention now to recites the following: PNG media_image1.png 670 668 media_image1.png Greyscale PNG media_image2.png 826 698 media_image2.png Greyscale PNG media_image3.png 196 674 media_image3.png Greyscale PNG media_image4.png 624 722 media_image4.png Greyscale PNG media_image5.png 326 696 media_image5.png Greyscale ENOMOTO et al report a developer as seen in D1-A to D5-A, D1-B to D5-B and D5-C of Table 4 wherein the purification of the developer is reported in paragraph [0612] to [0623] shown below wherein the developer is passed through a polyethylene filter to give the following developers: PNG media_image6.png 429 542 media_image6.png Greyscale The disclosed developer report organic impurities which fall within the claimed range of 0.01 ppb to 1000 mass ppm as recited in claim 1. ENOMOTO et al report copolymers having the resin reported in claims 1-5, see pages 65 and 95 for the monomeric units. AMARITI et al disclose a developer kit in column 2, lines 29-33 shown below: PNG media_image7.png 100 446 media_image7.png Greyscale ENOMOTO et al ‘814 report in paragraph [0134] wherein the rinsing liquids used have few metal impurities with respect to Fe, and Ni among a list of other metal fine particles or metal elements. The chemical liquid is produced in a clean room and moreover, impurity reduction is preferably performed by filtration to give an amount of 10 ppm or less, see below: PNG media_image8.png 243 422 media_image8.png Greyscale Applicants are also directed of paragraph [0112] of ENOMOTO et al “814 wherein the purified developer can be used as a rinsing agent as shown below: PNG media_image9.png 432 414 media_image9.png Greyscale This disclosure meets claims wherein there is a rinsing step of cleaning the substrate using a rinsing liquid after the developing step, wherein the chemical liquid being used as the rinsing liquid. Further ENOMOTO et al disclose on page 6 and 7, para. [0135] that the storage container for the developer and rinsing liquids/chemical liquid can be polyethylene resin and other vinyl resins, see below: PNG media_image10.png 64 438 media_image10.png Greyscale PNG media_image11.png 246 422 media_image11.png Greyscale vinyl binder containers are known to contain plasticizers such as dibutyl phthalate which can leach in the chemical liquid stored in those containers. Thus, any chemical liquid stored in vinyl containers above would inherently possess plasticizer impurities such as dibutyl phthalates meeting the claimed kit which would require storage of the developer in a container taught by ENOMOTO et al. SHU et al (2009/0075195) report that developers are known to be stored in polyethylene containers as seen on page 10, para. [0160] to [0163], see below: PNG media_image12.png 400 424 media_image12.png Greyscale SUGIYAMA et al disclose the method of pre-wetting a substrate as reported in paragraph [0139 ] which is can be added as a step in ENOMOTO et al for providing a clean coating surface which meets claims 23 and 24 , see below: PNG media_image13.png 136 421 media_image13.png Greyscale YAMANAKA et al and KAMIMURA et al report an organic processing liquid which is purified containing 5 ppm or less of metal impurities such as Na, K, Ca, Fe, Du, Mg, Mn, Li, Al, Cr, Ni, and Zn, see paragraph [0013] and claim 1, which address the claimed amounts of the metal impurities in claims 23 and 24. OHTA et al (2008/0035491) report a disclosing that TMAH require rigid contents of impurities as seen in paragraph [0002] wherein the impurities include Na, K, Ca, Cu, Zn, Fe, Cr, Ni, Pb, Ti, and Sn wherein the content of metal impurities including Pb is kept below 1 ppb. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of photosensitive composition to form a developer kit from the developer in ENOMOTO et al as taught by AMARITI et al and reasonably expect same or similar results with respect to having a developer that contains reduced particles and reduced impurities are in the solvent at an amount of 10 ppm or less. BHUNIA et al (NPL) report chemical compounds from packaging polymers during storage which can migrate into foods being stored in plastic packaging. Applicants are directed to Table 3 on page 526 wherein DEHA (di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate is found in polyethylene packaging, and on page 528, under the sub-title “Plasticizers ” BHUNIA et al disclose di (2-ethylhexyl) adipate is listed as a plasticizer that can migrate from packaging into the fatty foods see below: PNG media_image14.png 592 908 media_image14.png Greyscale PNG media_image15.png 522 440 media_image15.png Greyscale XANTHOS et al [85] report compatibilizers which can be blended with polymers wherein ethylene-propylene diene rubber is used in PP (polypropylene) and PE (polyethylene), which are typical materials for bottles and is available as Keltan 5170P from Lanxess Gmbh. XU et al report in the migration of 8 PAE (phthalate esters) compounds which include the claimed plasticizer DINP (diisononyl phthalate), see below: PNG media_image16.png 216 398 media_image16.png Greyscale from packaging into in developer compositions, a problem with storage in a vinyl binder is the migration of plasticizers such as dibutyl phthalate and dioctyl phthalate, see column 1, line 66 – column 2, line 11 , shown below: PNG media_image17.png 64 428 media_image17.png Greyscale PNG media_image18.png 242 448 media_image18.png Greyscale KANNOS et al disclose disposable containers wherein the addition of the refrigerant in the container may unintentionally mix impurities when the liquids are filled in the disposable containers, such as dioctyl phthalate, see column 8, line 66 – column 9, line 26 below: PNG media_image19.png 54 436 media_image19.png Greyscale PNG media_image20.png 432 392 media_image20.png Greyscale HAHLADAKIS et al report impurities that can leach from plastics as disclosed on Table 1, page 185, like benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) see below: PNG media_image21.png 228 914 media_image21.png Greyscale BAE et al disclose polymeric plasticizer compositions, wherein para. [0064] disclose functionally equivalent plasticizers to bis(2-ethylhexyl )phthalate as reported in HAHLADAKIS et al such plasticizers that include dimethyl adipate, epoxidized vegetable oils, monomethyl adipate and others, see below: PNG media_image22.png 366 364 media_image22.png Greyscale Thus, any of the known plasticizers for polymeric composition are suitable for formulating plastic materials such as storage containers and can leach out of the plastic containers into the stored composition, e.g. developers, liquids, food items, etc. BAE et al report that these plasticizers can be used in applications such as bottles and a myriad of materials which can soften and make more flexible/malleable as reported in para. [0004]. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to include an organic liquid having high purity as reported in ENOMOTO et al (2012/0003591) and ENOMOTO et al (2016/0195814), YAMANAKA et al, OHTA et al and KAMIMURA et al, SHU et al, XANTHOS et al, and BHUNIA et al, and to be stored in a vinyl resin container such as a polyethylene resin container wherein the equivalent plasticizers to bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate s uch as dimethyl adipate and other listed above may be introduced into the liquid as reported in HAHLADAKI et al and BAE et al into the developer composition as impurities and be placed in a kit with a resist composition as report in AMARITI et al for a developer kit and reasonably expect a composition which can form finer patterns with low development defects and possessing plasticizer impurities leached from the polyethylene resin container. 07-40 AIA 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 JOHN S. CHU whose telephone number is (571)272-1329. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, IFP-Flex. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Hendricks, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-1401. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center to authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to the USPTO patent electronic filing system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). Examiner interviews are available via a variety of formats. See MPEP § 713.01. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/InterviewPractice. /John S. Chu/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737 J. Chu May 30, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/214,200 Page 2 Art Unit: 1737 Application/Control Number: 18/214,200 Page 3 Art Unit: 1737 Application/Control Number: 18/214,200 Page 4 Art Unit: 1737 Application/Control Number: 18/214,200 Page 5 Art Unit: 1737 Application/Control Number: 18/214,200 Page 6 Art Unit: 1737 Application/Control Number: 18/214,200 Page 7 Art Unit: 1737 Application/Control Number: 18/214,200 Page 8 Art Unit: 1737 Application/Control Number: 18/214,200 Page 9 Art Unit: 1737 Application/Control Number: 18/214,200 Page 10 Art Unit: 1737
Prosecution Insights