DETAILED ACTION
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 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)(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.
Claims 10-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Dictus et al. [US 2023/0416606 A1].
Regarding claims 10 and 18, Dictus et al. discloses a substrate processing system (as shown in Figs. 8 and 10) / a substrate processing method (Figs. 1, 2, 5) comprising:
a first process chamber configured to perform a deposition process of coating a photoresist layer on a substrate (paragraph [0038], see also 102, 202, 502);
a second process chamber configured to perform a process of forming a photoresist pattern from the photoresist layer by supplying a developer onto the substrate on which the deposition process and an exposure process have been performed, and perform a development process on the substrate (paragraphs [0032] and [0034], see also 204, 504);
a third process chamber configured to perform a cleaning process of removing residue on the substrate on which the development process has been performed (paragraph [0010], see also 506); and
a fourth process chamber configured to perform a hardening process of hardening the substrate on which the cleaning process has been performed (paragraphs [0106] and [0109]),
wherein the photoresist pattern comprises a metal oxide and an organic material (paragraph [0034], and
wherein the hardening process comprises removing the organic material in the photoresist pattern by using at least one of ultraviolet (UV) light or plasma (paragraphs [0034] teaches wherein the dry development techniques may be done while using a gentle plasma (high pressure, low power),
Regarding claims 11 and 19, Dictus et al. discloses wherein the fourth process chamber comprises a light source configured to emit ultraviolet light on the substrate on which the cleaning process has been performed, wherein the hardening process is performed using ultraviolet (UV) light or plasma (paragraphs [0106] and [0109]).
Regarding claims 12-14 and 17, Dictus et al. discloses wherein the fourth process chamber is further configured to form plasma in the fourth process chamber and remove the organic material in the photoresist pattern using the plasma (paragraphs [0084]-[0087]), wherein the fourth process chamber is further configured to form the plasma by one of a capacitively coupled plasma type configuration and an inductively coupled plasma type configuration (paragraphs [0094]-[0099]), wherein the fourth process chamber (Fig. 9) further comprises a filter part (950) dividing the fourth process chamber into a first space in which the plasma is formed and a second space in which the substrate is provided (as shown in Fig. 9), and wherein the filter part is configured to filter the plasma by allowing radicals of the plasma to pass from the first space, through the filter part, and then to the second space (paragraph [0180]), further comprising a transportation robot configured to load the substrate to or unload the substrate from at least one of the first process chamber, the second process chamber, the third process chamber, and the fourth process chamber (as shown in Figs. 8 and 10).
Regarding claim 15, Dictus et al. discloses further comprising a plasma generator spaced apart from the fourth process chamber and configured to generate plasma, wherein the photoresist pattern on the substrate is hardened by the plasma generated by the plasma generator (as shown in Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 16, Dictus et al. discloses further comprising a fifth process chamber configured to perform one of: the deposition process, the exposure process, the development process, or the hardening process is performed (as shown in Figs. 8 and 10).
Regarding claim 20, Dictus et al. discloses wherein the hardening process is performed in a state in which a temperature of the substrate at 400° C. or less (paragraphs [0091]-[0131]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 09/29/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the applied reference does not teach “wherein the hardening process comprises removing the organic material in the photoresist pattern by using at least one of ultraviolet (UV) light or plasma”, see pages 9-10 of the remarks.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Dictus et al. teaches wherein the dry development techniques may be done while using a gentle plasma (high pressure, low power) (paragraphs [0034]).
As such Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive and the rejection under 35 USC § 102 is maintained.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/DEORAM PERSAUD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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