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 .
The response of the applicant has been read and given careful consideration. Rejection of the previous action not repeated below are withdrawn based upon the amendments and arguments of the applicant. Responses to the arguments of the applicant are presented after the first rejection they are directed to.
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.
Claim 21 is 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.
The language at line 35 of claim 21, “x is 1”, does this mean it is a homopolymer or should this read that x is at least 1 ? (the range is not clear as the range could be a range of 0-1.0 or 0-100, where 1.0 or 100 represent a homopolymer). The language of “a polymer including a repeating unit represented by …” at line 3 points to co-polymers as well as homopolymers.
For the purposes of the prior art, the examiner has read this are embracing copolymers.
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.
(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.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 8-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being fully anticipated by Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950.
Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950 (machine translation attached) exemplifies tin compounds
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on page 69.
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(page 67) Resist 1-11 combines A-11 with polymer B-3, photoacid generator C-3, solvents. (see table 1 on page 73. Resists 12 is similar, but use A-12 and polymer B-4. Resist 13 uses A-13 in combination with polymer B-5. These are coated, dried, exposed using EUV, post baked and developed [0233]. Other exemplified polymers include
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[0222-0223].
The resist composition contains one or more metal compounds (specific metal compounds) selected from the group consisting of metal complexes, organometallic salts, and organometallic compounds. Examples of metal atoms contained in the metal compound include lithium atom, sodium atom, magnesium atom, aluminum atom, potassium atom, calcium atom, scandium atom, titanium atom, vanadium atom, chromium atom, manganese atom, iron atom, cobalt atom, Nickel atom, copper atom, zinc atom, gallium atom, rubidium atom, strontium atom, yttrium atom, zirconium atom, ruthenium atom, rhodium atom, palladium atom, silver atom, cadmium atom, indium atom, tin atom, antimony atom, cesium atom , barium atom, hafnium atom, tungsten atom, rhenium atom, osmium atom, iridium atom, platinum atom, gold atom, mercury atom, thallium atom, lead atom, bismuth atom, lanthanum atom, cerium atom, praseodymium atom, neodymium atom, samarium Examples include atom, europium atom, gadolinium atom, terbium atom, dysprosium atom, holmium atom, erbium atom, thulium atom, ytterbium atom, and lutetium atom.
Among them, the metal compound is one selected from the group consisting of iron atom, titanium atom, cobalt atom, nickel atom, zinc atom, silver atom, indium atom, tin atom, and hafnium atom because of its superior sensitivity. It is preferable that the above atoms are contained, and it is more preferable that one or more atoms selected from the group consisting of iron atoms, tin atoms, and hafnium atoms are contained.
The metal complex includes a central metal atom (preferably a transition metal atom or a typical metal atom such as zinc) and a ligand (for example, a neutral or anionic monodentate atom) that forms a coordinate bond with the central metal atom. Examples include metal complexes containing a ligand or a neutral or anionic polydentate ligand (preferably a bidentate ligand). As the metal complex, a metal complex containing a central metal atom and an organic ligand forming a coordinate bond to the central metal atom is particularly preferred. Here, the term "organic ligand" refers to a ligand containing at least one carbon atom.
In addition, it is also preferable that at least one of the ligands in the metal complex is an organic ligand.
Examples of the central metal atom include the metal atoms mentioned above.
Examples of the bond between the central metal atom and the ligand include a metal-nitrogen bond, a metal-carbon bond, a metal-oxygen bond, a metal-phosphorus bond, a metal-sulfur bond, and a metal-halogen bond. . Examples of the ligands contained in the metal complex include halogen atoms, alkyl groups, cycloalkyl groups, acyl groups (e.g., acetylacetonate groups, etc.), carbonyl groups, isocyanide groups, alkene groups (e.g., butadiene groups, cyclooctane groups, etc.). diene group, etc.), alkyne group, aryl group (e.g., benzene and naphthalene, etc.), alkylidene group, alkylidine group, cyclopentadienyl group, indenyl group, cycloheptatrienium group, cyclobutadiene group, nitrogen molecule, nitro group, Examples include a phosphine group, a phosphine group, a thiol group, a hydroxyl group, an amine group, an ether group, an alkoxide group, an amide group, and a silyl group. Examples of organic metal salts include salts consisting of a metal ion and an organic counter ion (salts consisting of a metal cation and an organic anion, and salts consisting of a metal anion and an organic cation). and an organic anion are preferred. Here, the term "organic counter ion" refers to a counter ion containing at least one carbon atom. Examples of the metal ion include metal ions of the metal atomic species described above.
Organic counter ions are not particularly limited, and include, for example, organic cations containing quaternary nitrogen atoms (e.g., pyridinium ions, etc.), sulfonate anions (aliphatic sulfonate anions, aromatic sulfonate anions, etc.) (e.g., perfluoromethyl sulfonic acid anions, etc.), and carboxylic acid anions (aliphatic carboxylic acid anions, aromatic carboxylic acid anions, etc. (eg, 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid anions, etc.)), and the like. Examples of organometallic compounds include compounds containing at least one metal-carbon bond (particularly a metal-carbon covalent bond). One embodiment of the organometallic compound includes an organotin compound. Examples of the organic tin compound include groups represented by the following formula (1S) or (2S).
Formula (1S): Sn(R .sup.S1 ) .sub.p (R .sup.S2 ) .sub.q
In formula (1S), R .sup.S1 represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, or an aryl group. The alkyl group represented by R .sup.S1 may be linear, branched, or cyclic. The number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group is preferably 1 to 20, more preferably 1 to 8, and even more preferably 1 to 6. Specific examples of alkyl groups include linear or branched chains such as methyl group, ethyl group, n-propyl group, i-propyl group, n-butyl group, t-butyl group, and n-hexyl group. Examples include alkyl groups, monocyclic cycloalkyl groups such as cyclopentyl groups and cyclohexyl groups, and polycyclic cycloalkyl groups such as norbornyl groups, tetracyclodecanyl groups, tetracyclododecanyl groups, and adamantyl groups. The alkyl group may further have a substituent. The alkenyl group represented by R .sup.S1 may be linear, branched, or cyclic. The alkenyl group preferably has 2 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and even more preferably 2 to 6 carbon atoms. The alkenyl group may further have a substituent. The alkynyl group represented by R .sup.S1 may be linear, branched, or cyclic. The number of carbon atoms in the alkynyl group is preferably 2 to 20, more preferably 2 to 10, even more preferably 2 to 6. The alkynyl group may further have a substituent. The aryl group represented by R .sup.S1 may be either monocyclic or polycyclic (eg, 2 to 6 rings). The number of ring member atoms in the aryl group is preferably 6 to 15, more preferably 6 to 10. The aryl group is preferably a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, or an anthranyl group, and more preferably a phenyl group. The aryl group may further have a substituent. R .sup.S2 represents an alkylcarbonyloxy group or a mono- or dialkylamino group. Here, the mono- or dialkylamino group means a group in which one or two hydrogen atoms of an amino group are substituted with an alkyl group. The alkyl group moiety in the alkylcarbonyloxy group and the alkyl group moiety in the mono- or dialkylamino group include the same embodiments as the alkyl group represented by R .sup.S1 above. Examples of the alkylcarbonyloxy group include an acetoxy group. Examples of the mono- or dialkylamino group include a diethylamino group. In formula (1S), p represents an integer of 1 to 4, q represents an integer of 0 to 3, and p+q=4. In formula (1S), p preferably represents 1 or 2 [0116-0128]. The hydroxystyrene repeating unit of the exemplified polymers are bounded by formula 3
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A .sup.1 and L .sup.1 have the same meanings as A .sup.1 and L .sup.1 in formula (2), and preferred embodiments are also the same. (A .sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, L .sup.1 represents a single bond or a divalent linking group. The divalent linking group represented by L .sup.1 is not particularly limited, but includes, for example, -CO-, -O-, -SO-, -SO .sub.2 -, -NR .sup.A -, and an alkylene group (preferably one having 1 carbon number). ~6. May be linear or branched), cycloalkylene group (preferably having 3 to 15 carbon atoms), arylene group (preferably 6 to 10-membered ring, more preferably 6-membered ring), and these Examples include divalent linking groups in which a plurality of groups are combined. Further, the alkylene group, the cycloalkylene group, and the arylene group may have a substituent. Examples of the substituent include an alkyl group, a halogen atom, and a specific functional group. Examples of R .sup.A include a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.)
B .sup.2 represents a (m1+1)-valent linking group.
The (m1+1)-valent linking group represented by B .sup.2 is, for example, 1 selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, and a lactone group. Examples include a group formed by removing m1 hydrogen atoms from a valence group. The alkyl group, cycloalkyl group, aryl group, aralkyl group, alkenyl group, alkoxy group, acyloxy group, and lactone group further include a specific functional group represented by C .sup.1 It may have a substituent other than that, and examples of the substituent include a halogen atom. Note that when the alkyl group has a fluorine atom, it may be a perfluoroalkyl group. The alkyl group may be either linear or branched. Further, the number of carbon atoms is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 1 to 20, more preferably from 1 to 10, and even more preferably from 1 to 6. The above cycloalkyl group may be monocyclic or polycyclic. Further, the number of carbon atoms is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 5 to 15, more preferably from 5 to 10, for example. Examples of the cycloalkyl group include monocyclic cycloalkyl groups such as cyclopentyl group and cyclohexyl group, and polycyclic cycloalkyl groups such as norbornyl group, tetracyclodecanyl group, tetracyclododecanyl group, and adamantyl group. The above aryl group may be monocyclic or polycyclic. Further, the number of carbon atoms is not particularly limited, but is preferably 6 to 15, more preferably 6 to 10. As the aryl group, a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, or an anthranyl group is preferable, and a phenyl group is more preferable. The aralkyl group preferably has a structure in which one of the hydrogen atoms in the alkyl group described above is substituted with the aryl group described above. The number of carbon atoms in the aralkyl group is preferably 7 to 20, more preferably 7 to 15. The alkenyl group may be linear, branched, or cyclic. Further, the number of carbon atoms is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 2 to 20, more preferably from 2 to 10, even more preferably from 2 to 6. The alkoxy group may be linear, branched, or cyclic, and has preferably 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and even more preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms. The above acyloxy group may be linear, branched, or cyclic, and has preferably 2 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and still more preferably 2 to 6 carbon atoms.
The lactone group is preferably a 5- to 7-membered lactone group, more preferably one in which another ring structure is fused to the 5- to 7-membered lactone ring to form a bicyclo structure or a spiro structure. The (m1+1)-valent linking group represented by .sup.B2 is, among others, a (m1+1)-valent aromatic hydrocarbon ring group (a group formed by removing m1 hydrogen atoms from an aryl group). is preferable, and a (m1+1)-valent benzene ring group or a (m1+1)-valent naphthalene ring group is more preferable. Further, it is also preferable that the (m1+1)-valent benzene ring group and the (m1+1)-valent naphthalene ring group have a halogen atom as a substituent.
C .sup.1 represents one or more functional groups selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amino group, an amide group, a thiol group, and an acetoxy group. That is, C .sup.1 represents a specific functional group. As the above-mentioned functional group, one or more functional groups selected from the group consisting of phenolic hydroxyl group and carboxyl group are more preferable since the effects of the present invention are more excellent. In addition, when .sup.C1 represents a phenolic hydroxyl group, the (m1+1)-valent linking group represented by .sup.B1 is an (m1+1)-valent aromatic hydrocarbon ring group (by removing m1 hydrogen atoms from the aryl group). It is preferable to represent a group formed by m1 represents an integer of 1 or more, preferably 1-6, or 1-3.
[0044-0045,0048-0054]
With respect to claims 2 and 4, the examiner notes that for the embodiments using A-13, the n=4 and so there is no OR12 required by these claims. The left monomer in B-5 is poly(m-hydroxystyrene) (SP32) in claim 21.
In the response of 3/16/2026, the applicant asserts that the examiner has not shown how Kawabata meets the amended limitations. The examiner points out that polymer B-3 does not include any acid sensitive moieties and that the –(C=O)-OH (X21) see of the left repeating unit (where A21 is benzene) is able to undergo crosslinking reaction with A-11 and A-13. In the case of A-11, n is 2, R11 is ethyl and -OR12 is acetate. In the case of A-13, n is 4 and R11 is vinyl, which is an unsaturated hydrocarbon. L24 is a single bond and X21 is CO2H (see claims 11,12), The left monomer in B-18 is polyhydroxystyrene (PHS) is claim 21.
Claims 1-6,8-19, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950.
With respect to claims 1-6 and 8-19, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the cited examples by replacing polymer B-5 with any of B-7, B-8 or B-11 with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful photoresist and when used as in the example photoresist pattern. A-13 is embraced by n=4, so OR12 is not required.
With respect to claims 1-6 and 8-19, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the cited examples by replacing A-11 or A13 with their lead equivalents with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful photoresist and when used as in the example photoresist pattern based upon the equivalence of tin and lead compounds at [0116-0128, particularly 0117]. A-13 is embraced by n=4, so OR12 is not required.
With respect to claims 1-6,8-19 and 21, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the cited examples by replacing polymer B-5 with any of B-15 or B-16 with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful photoresist and when used as in the example photoresist pattern. Note that B-15 and B-16 are copolymers including polyhydroxystyrene (PHS) repeating units. A-13 is embraced by n=4, so OR12 is not required.
With respect to claims 1-6,8-19 and 21, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the cited examples by replacing m-hydroxystyrene repeating unit of polymer B-5 with a p-hydroxystyrene, p-aminostyrene or a o-fluoro-p-hydroxystyrene or alpha-chloro-(p-hydroxybphenyl) acrylate (L1 can be –(C=O)-O) based upon the fluorinated hydroxyphenyl repeating units of B-11 and the teachings of formula 2 and 3 at [0044-0045,0048-0054] with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful photoresist and when used as in the example photoresist pattern. A-13 is embraced by n=4, so OR12 is not required
Claims 1-6,8-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being fully anticipated by Robinson et al. WO 2022026459.
Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 in examples 1-4, coats an adduct or imine-amine, poly-(o-cresol-glydidyl ether-co formaldehyde), triphenylsulfonium tosylate, diphenylsulfonium 4-methyl benzenesulfonate and tin chloride is solvent. This was spin coated on a wafer, dried, EUV exposed, post baked and developed in butyl acetate (page 14). Example 9 is similar, but includes allyl tris(phenyl)Tin (tetracoordinate tin) as the tin compound This was spin coated on a wafer, dried, EUV exposed, post baked and developed in butyl acetate (page 15). Examples 11-14 combines hexamethoxymethylmelamine, polyhydroxystyrene, triphenylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate and tin chloride in solvent. This was spin coated on a wafer, dried, EUV exposed, post baked and developed in butyl acetate (page 14). Example 16 is similar to example 11, but uses allyl tris(phenyl) Tin as the tin compound (in combination with hexamethoxymethyl melamine, polyhydroxystyrene, triphenylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate) . This was spin coated on a wafer, dried, EUV exposed, post baked and developed in butyl acetate (page 16). Suitable metals of the current disclosure are chosen from the periodic table of elements of columns 3 through 17 and rows 3 through 6, which includes Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Zinc, Gallium, Germanium, Arsenic, Yttrium, Zirconium, Niobium, Molybdenum, Technetium, Ruthenium, Rhodium, Palladium, Silver, Cadmium, Indium, Tin, Antimony, Tellurium, Iodine, the Lanthanides, Hafnium, Tantalum, Wolfram, Rhenium, Osmium, Iridium, Platinum, Gold, Mercury, Lead, Bismuth, Polonium, and columns 13 – 17 row 3 which includes Aluminum The metals may be neutral or in one or more of its oxidation states, such as, for example, Pt(O), Pt(II) and or Pt(IV). It has also surprisingly been found that with the addition of metals of the current disclosure the amount of PAG was able to be reduced to get the same or significantly improved photo sensitivity. This may be beneficial in that PAGs can be expensive and can create waste treatment issues. Metals can be added to the compositions as neutral materials or as their ionic derivative, and in one or more oxidation states, such as, for example, Fe(II) and Fe(III) can be added to one composition. The ionic derivative of the metal can be added as their salts, such salts being well known in the industry, such as, for example, their halides, carbonates, borates, oxides, silicates, oxalates, carboxylates, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfinates, nitrates, nitrites, nitrosates, phosphates, phosphonate, phosphinates, sulfides, hydroxides, arsonates, stilbates and the like. More than one metal or ionic derivative of a metal or combination can be added to the composition. The metal or ionic derivative of the metal can coordinate to more than one ligand, for example, iron(III) oxalate and iron(III) acetate can be added to the composition at the same time (pages 10-11)
Claims 1-6, 8-19 and 21 are met by example 16, where the organometallic compound is the tetracoordinate tin compound allyl tris(phenyl)Tin and the polymer is poly(hydroxystyrene) allyl tris(phenyl) Tin is embraced by n=4, so OR12 is not required. Polyhydroxystyrene is PHS in claim 21.
In the response of 3/16/2026, the applicant asserts that the examiner has not shown how Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 meets the amended limitations. The examiner points out that polyhydroxystyrene does not include any acid sensitive moieties and that allyl tris(phenyl)Tin is embraced by n=4.
Claims 1-6, 8-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson et al. WO 2022026459.
Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 does not exemplify a resist composition using tellurium or lead.
With respect to claims 1-6, 8-19 and 21, it would have been obvious to modify resist of example 16 by replacing the allyltris(phenyl)tin with allyltris(phenyl)lead or allyltris(phenyl)tellurium based upon the direction to other metals at pages 10-11 with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful resist and resist image.
Claims 1-6, 8-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 or Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950, in view of Pawlowski et al. 6358665.
Pawlowski et al. 6358665 teaches negative acting resists based upon hydroxystyrene. Example 248 include a co-polymer of 4-hydroxystyrene and 3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxystyrene with crosslinking agents and photoacid generators (col 71/line 33-col 72/line 8), Example 148 is similar. (47/27-67). Useful hydroxy styrenes are disclosed (12/50-60,13/25-14/3).
Neither Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 or Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950 teaches 3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxystyrene repeating units.
In addition to the basis above, it would have been obvious to modify the examples or the embodiments taught by Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 or Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950 by replacing at least a portion of the hydroxystyrene repeating unit with 3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxystyrene repeating unit with a reasonable expectation of forming as useful crosslinking resist based upon the teachings and examples of Pawlowski et al. 6358665.
Claims 1-6, 8-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 or Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950, in view of Moon et al. KR 20210128796 or Namgung et al. KR 20200018079
Moon et al. KR 20210128796 exemplifies the tin compound
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at [0162] and
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at [0150].
Namgung et al. KR 20200018079 exemplifies the tin compounds/repeating units.
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and their use in resists.
In addition to the basis above, it would have been obvious to modify the examples or the embodiments taught by Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 or Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950 by replacing at least a portion of metal compounds with those exemplified or taught in Moon et al. KR 20210128796 or Namgung et al. KR 20200018079 with a reasonable expectation of forming as useful crosslinking resist based upon the teachings and examples of Moon et al. KR 20210128796 or Namgung et al. KR 20200018079 which demonstrate their use in resists.
Claims 1-6, 8-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 or Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950, in view of Namgung et al. KR 20210044608 and/or Moon et al. 20200041896
Namgung et al. KR 20210044608 exemplifies compounds
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which are used in resists. These are compared with a comparative resists using
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.
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o,
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or
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. The inventive and comparative rresists were coated on a silicon wafer, dried/prebaked, exposed using EUV (13.5 nm), post baked and developed in heptanone. The comparative resists were less storage stable, and have a higher line roughness (xomparative examples 1 and 4 also had poorere resolution [0237-0246].
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Moon et al. 20200041896 exemplifies tin compounds including
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On pages 8-10. These are dissolved in xylene and filtered and then used to coat a wafer and dried [0116-0118]. These were used as resist by coating, drying, exposing to EUV, post exposure baking and developing in 2-heptanone [0122-0125]. The addition of phenol based resins with MW of 500-20,000 in amounts of 0.1 to 50 wt% is disclosed [0060-0064]. The addition of a crosslinker, surfactant, leveling agent is disclosed [0065-0069]. Useful solvents for dissolving/coating the composition are disclosed at [0058-0059]. Useful organometallic compounds are bounded by
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, where M.sup.1 and M.sup.2 may each independently be selected from Sn, In, and Sb, R.sup.1 to R.sup.6 may each independently be selected from —OR.sup.a and —OC(═O)R.sup.b, R.sup.a and R.sup.b may each independently be a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C20 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C3 to C20 cycloalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C2 to C20 alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C2 to C20 alkynyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6 to C30 aryl group, or a combination thereof, and L may be a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C20 alkylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted C3 to C20 cycloalkylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted C2 to C20 alkenylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted C2 to C20 alkynylene group, —O—, —C(═O)—, or a combination thereof [0009-0014].
In addition to the basis above, it would have been obvious to modify the examples or the embodiments taught by Robinson et al. WO 2022026459 or Kawabata et al. WO 2023181950 by replacing at least a portion of metal compounds with those exemplified or taught in Namgung et al. KR 20210044608 and/or Moon et al. 20200041896with a reasonable expectation of forming as useful crosslinking resist based upon the teachings and examples of Namgung et al. KR 20210044608 and/or Moon et al. 20200041896 which demonstrate their use in resists, noting that there are improved lithographic properties disclosed in Namgung et al. KR 20210044608
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.
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MARTIN J. ANGEBRANNDT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1737
/MARTIN J ANGEBRANNDT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737 April 7, 2026