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 .
Election/Restriction
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I, Claims 1-7, and species wherein Ar1 is a pyrene ring, Ro is formula (1-3), functional group on the Ar1 is a hydroxyl group, and second compound is formula (4-1) in the reply filed on 5/22/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the claims appear to be overlapping and thus, there would not be a serious burden. This is not found persuasive because, as cited in the last action, the “overlapping” search area entails a polymer with many different species encompass numerous different embodiments and the sheer number of different combinations produced from the above species would be overwhelming and would entail a long and burdensome search of each and every different possible embodiment. Furthermore, even merely one species would require an additional search in Groups I to IV leading to an exponential searches in different methods of polymerization, semiconductor substrates, and composition classes, leading to a very burdensome and time consuming search.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 8-19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 05/22/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 7, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2002-241455 A to Araki (hereinafter Araki).
Regarding claims 1-3 and 7, Araki teaches the polymer having the formula
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175
343
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,
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144
284
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,
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162
321
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(para 25-38), which meets the aromatic Ar1 and formula (1-3) for Ro. The above is used as layer/coating in a semiconductor device, (para 1), and applied as a coating solution dissolved in dichloroethane. (para 84), which meets the composition and solvent.
Claim(s) 1-3, and 7, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2012/0077345 A1 to Saito et al. (hereinafter Saito).
Regarding claims 1-3, and 7, Saito teaches a polymer having the fomrula
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159
268
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(para 82), which meets the aromatic Ar1 and formula (1-3) for Ro, used in a film composition comprising a solvent, (para 111) and used to form a resist underlayer film (See abstract).
Claim(s) 1-5, and 7, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2012/0220112 A1 to Hatakeyama et al. (hereinafter Hatakeyama’112)
Regarding claims 1-5, and 7, Hatakeyama’112 teaches a resist composition comprising a novolak resin of dihydroxynaphthalene (para 22-25), and a solvent (para 29), wherein the novolak resin has the formula
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198
249
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(novolak 12, page 331), which meets the aromatic Ar1 and formula (1-3) for Ro, and applied as a film. (para 104).
Claim(s) 1-3, and 7, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2012/0268840 A1 to Hida et al. (hereinafter Hida)
Regarding claims 1-3, and 7, Hida teaches a dispersant used to enable the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in an organic medium (See abstract), wherein the dispersant has repeating uints of formula
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209
257
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(page 3), wherein Z1 is a hydrogen and Z2 is
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87
117
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(para 54), specifically from a reaction of triphenyl amine and 3-thiophenalaldehyde (para 174), which meets the aromatic Ar1 and formula (1-3) for Ro. The above dispersion is appled as a thin film (para 193).
Claim(s) 1-5, and 7, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2013/0056653 A1 to Hatakeyama et al. (hereinafter Hatakeyama’653)
Regarding claims 1-5, and 7, Hatakeyama’653 teaches a resist composition comprising a novolak resin (See abstract), and a solvent (para 32), wherein the novolak resin has a repeating unit of
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274
383
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(para 174, novolak 8), which meets the naphthalene3 aromatic Ar1 and formula (1-3) for Ro, and the above composition is applied as a film/coating. (para 200).
Claim(s) 1-5, and 7, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2016/024425 A1 to Yasuda et al. (hereinafter Yasuda)
Regarding claims 1-5, and 7, Yasuda teaches a resin composition comprising a resin (C) (para 141) and solvent (para 198), applied as a coating/film (para 283), wherein the resin C is obtained by reacting 1-naphthol
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188
236
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(para 276), with 2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde
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69
141
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(para 276-280), which meets the naphthalene3 aromatic Ar1 and formula (1-3) for Ro.
Claim(s) 1-7, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2019/093761 A1 to Choi et al. (hereinafter Choi)
Regarding claims 1-7, Choi teaches a composition comprising a polymer and a solvent (para 9), wherein the polymer has a repeating units of formula
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169
261
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, wherein X is S (para 13-15) from specifically
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102
198
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, (para 169), and Ar is
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161
190
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(para 165), which meets the aromatic Ar1 and formula (1-1) for Ro. Choi further teaches the aromatic compound contains at least one of an aromatic compound containing hydroxyl groups (para 32) in a combination of two or more (para 99) such as with
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173
119
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(para 104-105), as well as additional linker units of formula 2-1
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168
153
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or formula 2-2,
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114
192
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, (para 78-83), which meets claim 6. The above is applied as a coating/film on a substrate. (para 183-184).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HA S NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7395. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, Flex schedule 7:30am-4:00pm.
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/HA S NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1766
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