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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatakeyama et al (9,017,922).
Hatakeyama et al disclose a resist composition comprising a basic compound having a general structure similar to that of the instant formula (1).
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In the formula R1 (instant XL-LA-aromatic ring), is H, straight, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon, wherein the hydrocarbon group may contain ether, ester, sulfonic acid ester, carbonate groups. Instant RN1 is -C(R2)(R3)-C(=O)O-R4 and H, wherein n5 is 1, and RN1 is hydrocarbon comprising -O- and -C(=O)-.
Examples of the groups that may represent the disclosed structure include reference -NH-C(R2)(R3)-C(=O)O-R4 (instant RN1 groups, when n5 is 1, and two RN1 groups are present) such as those below wherein onem RN1 is H, and the other is a5 carbon alkyl group comprising each of -O- and -C(=O)- (all examples include H or alkyl attached to the -C(=O)O- group).
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R1 groups exemplified as examples by the reference include aryl group substituted by fluorine or fluorinated alkyl groups, and acid labile groups. Examples include substituents on adjacent carbon atoms, therefore, for example, the structures below having an alkyl group adjacent to the acid labile group could be replaced by a fluorinated alkyl group.
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The preferred examples of -NH-C(R2)(R3)-C(=O)O-R4 (instant RN1 groups) as set forth in the specification and reference claim 13, include groups as described above meeting the limitations of the instant claims for RN1, comprising -O- and -C(=O)- groups in the chain.
Many examples include an acid labile group in the R1 (instant XL-LA-aromatic ring group) position, and the reference specifically notes fluorine substitution. Examples below further teach compounds wherein the aryl ring may be connected to the NH group through a -C(=O)O= group (as shown in instant formula (1A) in the instant claim 3), wherein the ring includes a F atom substituent on a carbon adjacent the -C(=O)OH group (which is equivalent to the -C(=O)O-tert-butyl group wherein the H is replaced by t-butyl as seen below.
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The compound and resist of the reference would meet the limitations of the instant claims 1, 2, 3, and 5.
The photoresist further includes a polymer comprising an acid labile group-containing unit having a structure meeting the limitations of the instant formulas (a1) and (a2) (also reference (a1) and (a2) as seen below; instant claim 6).
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The resist polymer further comprises a unit such as (b1) or (b2) of the instant claim 7 having a phenolic -OH group (columns 97 and 98), or lactone, ether, ester, carboxylic anhydride, cyano, and/or sultone (columns 98 to 104).
The reference further teaches the base polymer preferably comprises a repeat unit having an acid generating structure meeting the limitations of the instant formulas (C1), (C2), (C3), and (c4) (wherein when d is 0 the last unit meets the limitations of both (C3) and (C4); instant claim 8).
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The resist further includes a solvent, a photoacid generator, surfactant, and may comprise an additional amine compound (examples, Table 1, claim 8, Table 2, 1-28, 29, 30; instant claims 9-12).
The material is used in a pattern-forming method including the steps as set forth by the instant claims 13 and 14:
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Given the teachings of the reference, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to prepare the material and compound of Hatakeyama et al, choosing as the R1 group, that as discussed above comprising an aromatic ring having an acid labile group and a fluorinated group on an adjacent carbon atom. The resultant compound would also meet the limitations of the instant claims.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The cited prior art of record fails to fairly teach or suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art to prepare a compound as set forth by the instant formula, wherein two RN1s join to form a ring as required by the instant claim 4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hatakeyama et al (11,409,194) disclose a resist composition comprising an amine compound falling within the scope of the instant formula, however the compound requires at least one iodine atom, which is excluded from the instant formula.
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMANDA C WALKE whose telephone number is (571)272-1337. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 5:30am to 4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Niki Bakhtiari can be reached at 571-272-3433. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AMANDA C. WALKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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