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
1. 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 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.
2. 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:
3. 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.
4. Claims 1, 4-8, 10-11, 13, 15, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gronheid et al. (United States Patent Publication no. US 2014/0231968 A1), hereinafter Gronheid.
5. Regarding Claims 1, 4-8, 10-11, 13, 15, and 19-20, Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) a plurality of molecular lines extending upwards above a substrate arranged in the horizontal direction. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein each of the molecular lines includes a plurality of inorganic single molecules, therein trimethylaluminum, and an organic single molecule, therein ethylene glycol, sandwiched between at least some of the inorganic single molecules. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) these single molecules are connected by bonds. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein each of the organic single molecules has a linear alkylene group. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein, within each of the molecular lines, the inorganic single molecules and the organic single molecules are alternately stacked. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein the inorganic single molecule is an organometallic single molecule containing Al (Aluminum) as a central metal. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein some of identical inorganic single molecules among the inorganic single molecules provided in the molecular lines are located at the same level to form an inorganic monomolecular layer in the horizontal direction, and wherein some of identical organic single molecules among the organic single molecules provided in the molecular lines are located at the same level to form an organic monomolecular layer in the horizontal direction. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) the multilayer molecular film photoresist includes at least one layer of a light-absorbing layer including a light-absorbing inorganic single molecule, a photoreactive layer including a photoreactive inorganic single molecule, and an etch-resistant layer including an etch-resistant inorganic single molecule. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein the light-absorbing inorganic single molecule is an inorganic single molecule having a metal element having a d orbital, i.e. aluminum. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein the photoreactive inorganic molecule has a metal element of Al (Aluminum). Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein the etch-resistant inorganic single molecule has a metal element of Al (Aluminum). Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein each of the molecular lines has a portion represented by Formula 1 of the present application. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein the organic single molecule is represented by Formula 3 of the present application. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) the inorganic single molecule is an organometallic single molecule represented by Formula 2 of the present application. Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) wherein both of na and nb Formula 2 of the present application are 0.
6. Claims 2-3, 12, 14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gronheid et al. (United States Patent Publication no. US 2014/0231968 A1), hereinafter Gronheid; utilizing Nakagawa et al. (United States Patent Publication no. US 2020/0004144 A1), hereinafter Nakagawa as a teaching reference.
7. Regarding Claims 2-3, 14, and 16, Gronheild teaches all limitations of Claims 1, 13, and 15 above. However, Gronheild requires a teaching reference to teach Van der Waals interaction occurs between the organic single molecules in horizontally adjacent molecular lines among the molecular lines and the van der Waals interaction is a van der Waals interaction between the alkylene groups. That said, Gronheid teaches (Paragraphs [0087-0102]) organic single molecules are ethylene glycol in working experimental examples and ethylene glycol comprises a linear alkylene group.
8. Nakagawa teaches (Paragraphs [0133 and 0238-0262]) Van der Waals interaction occurs between the organic single molecules, including ethylene glycol. Nakagawa teaches (Paragraphs [0133 and 0238-0262]) the van der Waals interaction is a van der Waals interaction between the alkylene groups. MPEP § 2131.01(III) states: “[A]s long as there is evidence of record establishing inherency, failure of those skilled in the art to contemporaneously recognize an inherent property, function or ingredient of a prior art reference does not preclude a finding of anticipation. Atlas Powder Co. v. IRECO, Inc., 190 F.3d 1342, 1349, 51 USPQ2d 1943, 1948 (Fed. Cir. 1999).” Thus, Van der Waals interaction occurs between the organic single molecules, including ethylene glycol. Thus, Gronheid in view of Nakagawa inherently teaches Van der Waals interaction occurs between the organic single molecules, including ethylene glycol and the van der Waals interaction is a van der Waals interaction between the alkylene groups, as recognized by Nakagawa.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
9. 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:
10. 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.
11. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gronheid et al. (United States Patent Publication no. US 2014/0231968 A1), hereinafter Gronheid.
12. Regarding Claim 9, Gronheid teaches all limitations of Claim 8 above.
13. Furthermore, Gronheid teaches (Paragraph [0051]) wherein the metal element having the d orbital is Sn. That said, Gronheid fails to explicitly disclose all said limitations in the same exemplary sample. Thus, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gronheid wherein the metal element having the d orbital is Sn with a reasonable expectation of success.
14. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gronheid et al. (United States Patent Publication no. US 2014/0231968 A1), hereinafter Gronheid, in view of Brink et al. (United States Patent Publication no. US 2016/0244581 A1), hereinafter Brink.
15. Regarding Claim 12, Gronheid teaches all limitations of Claim 1 above. However, Gronheid fails to explicitly teach wherein the multilayer molecular film photoresist is a photoresist for EUV.
16. Brink teaches (Paragraphs [0168 and 0209]) a photoresist for EUV (extreme ultraviolet radiation). Brink teaches (Paragraphs [0168 and 0209]) a photoresist for near UV, i.e. 150-300 nm as taught by Gronheid, is functional for its use as a photoresist with underlying thin inorganic layers.
17. A person having ordinary skill in the art would understand that Gronheid in view of Brink teaches that both EUV photoresists and near-UV photoresists would only require a simple substitution of the EUV photoresists taught by Gronheid for the EUV or near-UV photoresists taught by Brink. Also, a person having ordinary skill in the art would understand that the results from said substitution would be predictable, as recognized by Brink.
Conclusion
18. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to RICHARD D CHAMPION at telephone number (571) 272-0750. The examiner can normally be reached on 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon-Fri EST.
19. 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.
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/R.D.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1737
/MARK F. HUFF/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1737
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