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 .
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 1-3,5-10,12-15,17-21 and 23-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being fully anticipated by Matsubara et al. JP 2016143875
Matsubara et al. JP 2016143875 (machine translation attached) teaches a silica substrate coated with a cured acrylate resin layer having alignment marks formed in it. This is coated with a UV curable resin comprising fluorescent dye Rhodamine 6G, glycerol 1,3-diglycolate diacrylate (monomer) and a photoinitiator applied to the cured layer, an atmosphere of pentafluoropropane was provided to avoid bubble defects and the mold was brought into contact with the photocurable resin. After alignment, the composition was cured using UV rays (365 nm) and then separated from the mold [0053-0063].
PNG
media_image1.png
189
273
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
117
218
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
215
222
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Claims 1-3,5-10,12-15,17-21 and 23-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being fully anticipated by Ito et al. WO 2016136141
Ito et al. WO 2016136141 in the example 1 teaches with respect to figure 3, a silicon substrate (304) coated with diamond like carbon (DLC) as the processing layer (303), where 2 microliters of photocurable resin having the composition of isobornyl acrylate, 1,10-decanediol diacrylate, Lucerin TPO (photoinitiator) and cured/produced in a PFP (1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane) atmosphere and cured by exposure to UV light filtered through and interference filter) [0123-0143,particularly 0142]. The processing layer can be The processing layer 103 may be any layer that can be readily processed using a reversal layer described below as a mask and is resistant to processing of the substrate 102 or another layer serving as the base of the processing layer 103. The processing layer 103 can have the outermost layer of a carbon material, such as spin-on-carbon, diamond-like carbon, or graphite [0085]. Examples of the soluble gas (109) include fluorocarbons, e.g., chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), such as trichlorofluoromethane; hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), such as fluorocarbon (FC), hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), and 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (CHF.sub.2CH.sub.2CF.sub.3, HFC-245fa, PFP); and hydrofluoroethers (HFEs), such as pentafluoroethylmethylether (CF.sub.3CF.sub.2OCH.sub.3, HFE-245mc). These can be used alone or as a gas mixture with an insoluble gas, such as air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, helium, or argon [0089-0093].
PNG
media_image4.png
220
378
media_image4.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image5.png
269
356
media_image5.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image6.png
223
252
media_image6.png
Greyscale
Claims 1-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito et al. WO 2016136141.
Ito et al. WO 2016136141 does not exemplify the process where carbon dioxide is present in the atmosphere during stamping/embossing.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the examples of Ito et al. WO 2016136141 by replacing 25% or more of the fluorinated gas based upon the broad disclosure regarding the addition of helium, nitrogen or carbon dioxide to the atmosphere [0089-0093] and /or to replace the SOC underlayer with DLC or graphite based upon the disclosed equivalence at [0085] with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful molded article.
Claims 1-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito et al. WO 2016136141, in view of Ito et al. WO 2019031409 and Hakamata et al. WO 2019188881.
Ito et al. WO 2019031409 (machine translation attached) teaches that the underlayer provided on the substrate can be a compound/resin having an aromatic ring with good embedding/planarizing properties. These can be novolak compounds, polystyrene, polyhydroxystyrene and polyhydroxyvinylnaphthalene dissolved in the solvent, which allows them to be spin coated. The underlayer can also include an acid generator, binder and/or crosslinking agents. Commercially available composition include ODL1-2, 180, 50, 69, NFC-1400 [0063-0105]. The embossing/stamping/imprinting can be performed under any of the conditions of air atmosphere, reduced pressure atmosphere, and inert gas atmosphere, the influence of oxygen and moisture on the curing reaction can be prevented, so a reduced pressure atmosphere or inert gas can be used. It is preferable to use a gas atmosphere. Specific examples of the inert gas that can be used when performing the present process under an inert gas atmosphere include nitrogen, carbon dioxide, helium, argon, various chlorofluorocarbons, and the like, or a mixed gas thereof. When the process is performed under an atmosphere of a specific gas including the atmosphere, the preferable pressure is 0.0001 atm or more and 10 atm or less. This step may be performed under an atmosphere containing a condensable gas (hereinafter, referred to as a “condensable gas atmosphere”). In the present specification, the condensable gas refers to the fine pattern recess formed on the mold 106 and the gap between the mold 106 and the substrate 101 together with the curable compositions (A1) and (A2). Refers to a gas that condenses and liquefies under capillary pressure generated during filling. The condensable gas is present as a gas in the atmosphere before the curable compositions (A1) and (A2) come into contact with the mold 106 in this step. When this process is performed in a condensable gas atmosphere, the gas filled in the concave portions of the fine pattern is liquefied by the capillary pressure generated by the curable compositions (A1) and (A2), so that the bubbles disappear, so the filling is performed. The quality is excellent. The condensable gas may be dissolved in the curable composition (A1) and / or (A2). As the condensable gas, specifically, chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) such as trichlorofluoromethane, fluorocarbon (FC), hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (CHF .sub.2 CH) .sub.2 Fluorocarbons such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) such as CF .sub.3 , HFC-245fa and PFP, and hydrofluoroethers (HFE) such as pentafluoroethyl methyl ether (CF .sub.3 CF .sub.2 OCH .sub.3 , HFE-245mc). . Among them, 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (vapor pressure 0.13 MPa, boiling point at 23 ° C., boiling point, from the viewpoint that the filling property at an atmosphere temperature of this step at 20 ° C. to 25 ° C. is excellent. 15 ° C.), trichlorofluoromethane (vapor pressure 0.1056 MPa at 23 ° C., boiling point 24 ° C.), and pentafluoroethyl methyl ether are preferred. Furthermore, 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane is particularly preferable from the viewpoint of excellent safety. The condensable gas may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Also, these condensable gases may be mixed with non-condensable gases such as air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, helium, argon and the like. Helium is preferable as the non-condensable gas to be mixed with the condensable gas from the viewpoint of the filling property. Helium can permeate through the mold 106. Therefore, when the concave portion of the fine pattern formed on the mold 106 in this step is filled with the gas (condensable gas and helium) in the atmosphere together with the curable composition (A1) and / or (A2), Helium permeates the mold 106 as the condensable gas liquefies [0120-0125].
Hakamata et al. WO 2019188881 (machine translation attached) teaches examples of the organic layer of the substrate include an amorphous carbon film formed by CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and a spin-on carbon film formed by spin coating by dissolving a high carbon material in an organic solvent. Examples of the spin-on carbon film include a nortricyclene copolymer, a hydrogenated naphthol novolak resin, a naphthol dicyclopentadiene copolymer, a phenol dicyclopentadiene copolymer, a fluorene bisphenol novolak described in JP 2005-128509 A, and JP Acenaphthylene copolymer, indene copolymer described in JP-A-2005-250434, fullerene having a phenol group described in JP-A-2006-227391, bisphenol compound and this novolac resin, dibisphenol compound and this novolac resin, adamantane phenol Compound novolak resin, hydroxyvinylnaphthalene copolymer, bisnaphthol compound described in JP-A-2007-199653, and this novolak resin, R MP, the resin compound shown in tricyclopentadiene copolymers thereof. As an example of the SOC, reference can be made to the description in paragraph 0126 of JP2011-164345A, the contents of which are incorporated herein. [0069]. The use of ODOL-102 and ODL-50, OCD T-12 and NCA9053EH spin on carbon layers is exemplified in the examples [0092]. Moreover, it is also preferable to perform contact between the curable composition for imprints and the mold in an atmosphere containing helium gas or condensable gas, or both helium gas and condensable gas [0075].
Ito et al. WO 2016136141 does not exemplify the processes where styrene, or novolak based materials are used in the underlayer.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the embodiments of the examples or rendered obvious by the teachings of Ito et al. WO 2019031409 by replacing the underlayer/processing layer with a styrene, or novolak based materials taught in Ito et al. WO 2019031409 at [0063-0105] and/or Hakamata et al. WO 2019188881 at [0092] based upon their disclosed equivalence in Ito et al. WO 2019031409 and Hakamata et al. WO 2019188881 with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful molded article.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kitagawa et al. 20170190820 teaches When the curable composition of the present invention is sandwiched between the mold and the base material, a helium gas may be introduced between the mold and the base material. By using such a method to promote the transmission of a gas through a quartz mold, the loss of residual bubbles can be promoted. Further, by reducing the dissolved oxygen in the curable composition, it is possible to suppress the inhibition of radical polymerization in the exposure. In addition, a condensable gas instead of helium may be introduced between the mold and the base material. By using such a method, the introduced condensable gas is condensed and its volume is reduced, through which the disappearance of the remaining bubbles can further be promoted. The condensable gas refers to a gas that is condensed depending on a temperature and a pressure, and trichlorofluoromethane and 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane, for example, can be used. For the condensable gas, reference can be made to, for example, the descriptions of paragraph 0023 of JP2004-103817A and paragraph 0003 of JP2013-254783A, the contents of which are incorporated herein.
Iwashita et al. 20180017861 teaches a substate with an adhesion layer provided with a curable layer which is then stamped in the presence of pentafluoropropane [0171-0174]
Honma et al. 20160366769 teaches a substate with an adhesion layer provided with a curable layer which is then stamped in the presence of helium and pentafluoropropane in the examples.
Yonezawa et al. JP 2015128134 (machine translation attached) in example 1 teaches the substrate being coated with a 60 nm adhesion promoting layer and then contacted with the mold and cured. Examples 11 and 11 cures under a pentafluoropropane atmosphere (see example 19)
Chiba et al. JP 2015099899 (machine translation attached) teaches fluorinated atmosphere, but no underlayer in the examples.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Martin J Angebranndt whose telephone number is (571)272-1378. The examiner can normally be reached 7-3:30 pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark F 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
MARTIN J. ANGEBRANNDT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1737
/MARTIN J ANGEBRANNDT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737 February 24, 2026