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
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “wherein, in polyimide of a polyimide cured film obtained by heating and curing the photosensitive resin composition at 350 °C…” in the second-to-last paragraph and the third-to-last paragraph. Appropriate correction is required.
The Examiner further notes that, whilst not necessarily improper, the language of instant claim 17 recites, in the alternative, a method of producing a photosensitive resin composition or a method of producing a polyimide precursor resin. However, the method of producing the polyimide precursor resin is essentially present in the method of producing the photosensitive resin composition, in addition to further limitations. The Examiner does not believe the claim is indefinite, since the claim is presented in the alternative, but the Applicant is advised that the method of producing the polyimide precursor resin is functionally broader in scope than the method of producing the photosensitive resin composition and thus the method of producing a photosensitive resin composition recited by claim 17 functions as a narrower embodiment. In other words, any prior art that anticipates or renders obvious the method of producing the photosensitive resin composition should also anticipate or render obvious the method of producing the polyimide precursor resin, and the Applicant may wish to amend the claim accordingly if this is unintended.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "…the polyimide precursor resin (A) has the other reactive unsaturated bonds which are polymerized…" in the last paragraph of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Particularly, “the other reactive unsaturated bonds” lacks antecedent basis, as there is no prior reference to “reactive unsaturated bonds”. Therefore, instant claim 1 is indefinite. Claims 3-10 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) due to these claims depending from claim 1.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "Z is selected from the group consisting of …" in the last paragraph of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Particularly, formula (6) does not include a “Z” group. Formula (6), as recited by instant claim 5 includes a “Z1” group, but not a “Z” group. 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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-11, and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20180373147 A1 (hereby referred to as Yorisue).
Regarding Claims 1, 3-5, 10-11, and 14-16, Yorisue teaches a photosensitive resin composition and a method for producing a cured relief pattern. The photosensitive resin composition comprises 100 parts by mass of a polyimide precursor and 0.1 to 20 parts by mass of a photopolymerization initiator (Yorisue, paragraph 0095). A solvent may further be included in an amount of preferably 125 to 500 parts by mass, based on 100 parts by mass of the polyimide precursor (Yorisue, paragraph 0165). The polyimide precursor is of the form of a polyamic acid ester or a polyamic acid salt (Yorisue, paragraph 0096). The ester-type polyimide precursor is obtained by reacting a tetracarboxylic dianhydride containing a tetravalent organic group with an alcohol having a photopolymerizable unsaturated double bond, and the resulting reaction product is reacted with a diamine to obtain the polyimide precursor (Yorisue, paragraph 0112). The structure of the polyimide precursor is represented by formula (1), which is reproduced below (Yorisue, paragraph 0099).
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In the above structure, X1 represents a tetravalent organic group, Y1 represents a divalent organic group, and R1 and R2 are each independently hydrogen or one of the groups represented by formulas (2) and (3) (Yorisue, paragraph 0099). The structure of formula (2) is reproduced below.
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In formula (2), R3 to R5 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and m is an integer of 2 to 10 (Yorisue, paragraph 0099). The structures of formula (1) and formula (2) correspond to formulas (4) and (5), as recited by instant claim 3. Yorisue further teaches that the divalent group represented by Y1 may be one of those represented by formula (31) (Yorisue, paragraph 0102), wherein at least one or more of the structures depicted by formula (31) correspond to formula (6), as recited by instant claim 5. Regarding the terminal groups of the polyimide precursor resin, Yorisue teaches that at least one of the ends of the main chain of the photosensitive polyimide precursor has a structure represented by formula (E1) or (F1) (Yorisue, paragraph 0266). Formulas (E1) and (F1) are reproduced below.
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In the above structure (E1), a1 includes at least one bond that is an amide bond, imide bond, urea bond, or urethane bond, b1 is a reactive substituent that crosslinks by heat or light, e1 is a monovalent organic group, and R11 to R14 are hydrogen atoms or monovalent organic groups (Yorisue, paragraph 0266). In structure (F1), f1 includes at least one bond that is an amide bond, imide bond, urea bond, urethane bond, or ester bond, g1 is a reactive substituent that crosslinks by heat or light, and R15 to R19 are hydrogen atoms or monovalent organic groups (Yorisue, paragraph 0266). The method of preparing a polyimide precursor is shown in paragraph 0276 of Yorisue, and following the main chain formation, the end groups are introduced (Yorisue, paragraph 0277).
However, Yorisue does not explicitly disclose the terminal groups recited by instant claim 1. Furthermore, Yorisue does not explicitly disclose the aliphatic hydrocarbon group concentration, the ratio of the total molecular weight of photosensitive groups to the molecular weight of repeating units in the polyimide precursor resin, the end-capping ratio, or the dielectric loss tangent of the cured film. That being said, the broader disclosure of Yorisue renders obvious the photosensitive polyimide precursor resin recited by instant claims 1, 3-5, 10-11, and 14-16. Particularly, Yorisue teaches similar or identical dianhydride compounds (see Yorisue, paragraph 0113-0114) as the instant application (see paragraph 0044-0047 of the instant application’s specification); similar or identical diamine compounds (see Yorisue, paragraph 0117-0119) as the instant application (see paragraph 0050-0052 of the instant application’s specification); and similar or identical end-capping compounds (see Yorisue, Table 4) as the instant application (see Table 9 of the instant application’s specification). As noted above, Yorisue teaches a similar or identical production method of the polyimide precursor resin, and also teaches that the end cap may comprise a structure represented by Formula (F1), wherein the structure contains an imide group and a reactive substituent, for instance. Thus, it is apparent that one having ordinary skill in the art, when presented with the disclosure of Yorisue, would be able to obtain a polyimide precursor resin identical to those taught by the instant application, given appropriate choices of components to produce the polyimide precursor resin. Refer to MPEP 2143 B. and/or MPEP 2143 E. By making appropriate choices, particularly in the end capping group, a polyimide precursor resin having improved chemical resistance and crosslinking efficiency can be obtained (Yorisue, paragraph 0270). Furthermore, the ratios shown in Table 4 of Yorisue are similar or identical to those shown in Table 9 of the instant application. Thus, one having ordinary skill in the art would expect that the obvious variant of Yorisue’s polymer satisfies the aliphatic hydrocarbon group concentration, the ratio of the total molecular weight of photosensitive groups to the molecular weight of repeating units in the polyimide precursor resin, and the end-capping ratio recited by instant claims 1, 4, and 10-11. Additionally, the obvious variant of Yorisue’s polymer would be structurally similar or identical to the polymer of the instant application, and thus one having ordinary skill in the art would expect that the dielectric loss tangent recited by instant claims 14-16 is also satisfied by the obvious variant of Yorisue’s polymer.
Regarding Claims 6-9, Yorisue discloses that the photosensitive resin composition may contain additional components other than the polyimide precursor, photopolymerization initiator, and solvent (Yorisue, paragraph 0166). Particularly, the photosensitive resin composition may comprise adhesion aids such as silane coupling agents (Yorisue, paragraph 0189-0190), a monomer containing a photopolymerizable unsaturated bond (i.e. a radically polymerizable compound) (Yorisue, paragraph 0196-0197), a thermal crosslinking agent (Yorisue, paragraph 0339-0343), and a filler such as organic titanium compounds (Yorisue, paragraph 0177).
Regarding Claim 13, Yorisue discloses a method for producing a polyimide cured film, wherein the photosensitive resin composition is coated onto a substrate to form a photosensitive layer on the substrate (Yorisue, paragraph 0349 and 0354), heat drying the photosensitive resin layer (Yorisue, paragraph 0357), exposing the dried photosensitive resin layer (Yorisue, paragraph 0350 and 0358-0359), developing the exposed photosensitive resin layer (Yorisue, paragraph 0351 and 0360-0361), and heat-treating the developed photosensitive layer to form a polyimide cured film (Yorisue, paragraph 0352 and 0362-0364).
Regarding Claim 17, Yorisue teaches a photosensitive resin composition and a method for producing a cured relief pattern. The photosensitive resin composition comprises 100 parts by mass of a polyimide precursor and 0.1 to 20 parts by mass of a photopolymerization initiator (Yorisue, paragraph 0095). A solvent may further be included in an amount of preferably 125 to 500 parts by mass, based on 100 parts by mass of the polyimide precursor (Yorisue, paragraph 0165). The polyimide precursor is of the form of a polyamic acid ester or a polyamic acid salt (Yorisue, paragraph 0096). The ester-type polyimide precursor is obtained by reacting a tetracarboxylic dianhydride containing a tetravalent organic group with an alcohol having a photopolymerizable unsaturated double bond, and the resulting reaction product is reacted with a diamine to obtain the polyimide precursor (Yorisue, paragraph 0112). The structure of the polyimide precursor is represented by formula (1), which is reproduced below (Yorisue, paragraph 0099).
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In the above structure, X1 represents a tetravalent organic group, Y1 represents a divalent organic group, and R1 and R2 are each independently hydrogen or one of the groups represented by formulas (2) and (3) (Yorisue, paragraph 0099). In some examples, the polyimide precursor resin is obtained by reacting a dianhydride with a methacrylate in a solvent, and then adding dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) to the reaction mixture, and then adding a diamine component in a suspension. Following the reaction, 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate was added as a terminal group modifier. The resulting polymer formed is precipitated from the reaction solution. Refer to Example 1 (Yorisue, paragraph 0550-0552). The same process is performed utilizing different precursor compounds (refer to Table 4 on pages 51-52 of Yorisue and the corresponding paragraphs 0550-0563).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAYSON D COSGROVE whose telephone number is (571)272-2153. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10:00-18:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark Huff can be reached at (571)272-1385. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAYSON D COSGROVE/Examiner, Art Unit 1737
/JONATHAN JOHNSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1734