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
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takebe (US 2007/0154844) in view of Monzani (US 2014/0142239; IDS, 02/09/2024).
Takebe discloses a novel fluorinated compound, a fluoropolymer and a process for its production, and a resist composition or a composition for a resist protective film, containing the fluoropolymer. (Para, 0001). Takebe discloses the resist composition is characterized by comprising a fluoropolymer having monomer units formed by cyclopolymerization of a fluorinated diene represented, an acid-generating compound which generates an acid when irradiated with light, and an organic solvent. These disclosures teach and/or suggest the limitations of claim 1, ‘An actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising: a resin (A) …; and a solvent.’ Moreover, these disclosures teach and/or suggest the limitation of claims 2 and 15. Takebe discloses the fluoropolymer may further contain monomer units derived-from other radical polymerizable monomers (hereinafter referred to as other monomers) within a range not to impair the characteristics and the proportion of such other monomer units is preferably at most 50 mol %, particularly preferably at most 15 mol %. (Para, 0086). Takebe also discloses an acid-cleavable additive to improve the pattern contrast, a surfactant to improve the coating property, a nitrogen-containing basic compound to adjust the acid-generating pattern, an adhesion-assisting agent to improve the adhesion to a substrate or a storage stabilizer to enhance the storage stability of the composition, may be optionally incorporated. (Para, 0129). These disclosure teaches and/or suggests the limitation of claim 3.
Takebe discloses the resist composition of the present invention is applied on a substrate such as a silicon wafer, followed by drying to form a resist film. (Para, 0130). This disclosure teaches and/or suggests the limitation of claim 12. Takebe discloses the formed resist film will be irradiated with light through a mask having a pattern drawn thereon, followed by development treatment to form the pattern. (Para, 0131). These disclosures teach and/or suggest the limitations of claim 14. Takebe also discloses the fluoropolymer of the present invention is applicable to ion exchange resins, ion exchange membranes, fuel cells, various cell materials, optical fibers, electronic members, transparent film materials, agricultural polyvinyl chloride films, adhesives, fiber materials, weather-resistant coating materials or the like, in addition to the use as a base polymer for photoresists and a polymer for a resist protective film. (Para, 0310). This disclosure contemplates the limitation of claim 14.
Still, the disclosures of Takebe as discussed above fail to teach and/or suggest the limitation of claim 1, ‘ An actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising: …having a pentafluorosulfanyl group…’ However, the disclosures of Takebe in view of the disclosures of Monzani provide such teachings.
Monzani discloses a novel fluorinated unsaturated compound of formula CF2=CFCF2OSF5, which is a pentafluorosulfanyl fluoroallylether, a process for its preparation and to the polymers obtainable therefrom. (Para, 0002). Monzani discloses the polymers comprising recurring units deriving from CF2=CFCF2OSF5 can be used in any application in which fluoropolymers are typically employed, including but not limited to the production of films, hoses, pipes, tubings, cables, wire insulations, fittings, molded seals and gaskets, o-rings, bearings, coatings (e.g. architectural coatings, protective coatings), fibers, filtration membranes. (Para, 0071). The disclosures of Takebe as discussed above further in view of these disclosures of Monzani teach and/or suggest the limitation of claim 1, ‘An actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising: …having a pentafluorosulfanyl group…’
Monzani discloses the novel polymers are prepared by any of the known processes for making fluorinated polymers. (Para, 0056). Monzani discloses such process may be conducted in aqueous or non-aqueous liquid medium, the latter including fluorinated solvents and carbon dioxide, as well as in mixed media as known in the art. (Para, 0057). Monzani discloses the process may, for example, be suspension polymerization, solution polymerization, emulsion polymerization or bulk polymerization. (Para, 0058). Monzani discloses in one embodiment the process is an emulsion polymerization process, typically an emulsion polymerization process carried out in an aqueous medium in the presence of a surfactant. (Para, 0059). Monzani discloses at the end of the polymerization process the polymer may be recovered using any conventional polymer recovery technique as well known in the art. (Para, 0069). Monzani discloses the dried polymer may then be subjected to conventional post-treatment and pelletization procedures or the polymer may be subjected to a fluorination treatment to remove unstable chain-end groups as known in the art. (Para, 0070).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the present application by Applicant to modify the disclosures of Takebe in view of the disclosures of Monzani because both are directed to the preparation of fluoropolymers which can be used in forming films such as the photoresist film of Takebe and Monzani discloses a more efficient process of forming the fluoropolymers such as those employed in the resist of Takebe that provide an improved resist composition and patterning process.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-9 and 16 are 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The disclosures of Takebe and/or Monzani as discussed above fail to teach and/or suggest the limitation of claim 4, ‘ The actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to claim 1, wherein the resin (A) includes a repeating unit having at least one selected from the group consisting of lactone groups and cyclic carbonate groups.’ The disclosures of Takebe and/or Monzani fail to teach and/or suggest the limitation of claim 5, ‘ The actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to claim 1, wherein the resin (A) includes a repeating unit having a phenolic hydroxy group.’ The disclosure of Takebe and/or Monzani fail to teach and/or suggest the limitation of claim 6, ‘ The actinic -ray sensitive The actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to claim 1, wherein the resin (A) includes a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (1): … wherein, in general formula (1), Xa1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, or an organic group; Rx1 to Rx3 each independently represent a hydrocarbon group; and two selected from the group consisting of Rx1 to Rx3 may be bonded together to form a ring.’ Furthermore, the disclosures of Takebe and/or Monzani fail to teach and/or suggest the limitation of claim 7, ‘ The actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to claim 1, wherein the resin (A) includes a repeating unit formed by polymerization of a polymerizable group in a polymerizable compound represented by any of the following general formulas (2), (3), and (4): … wherein in general formula (2), Z1 represent a group having the polymerizable group; E1 represents a single bond or a linking group; Xa represents a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, or an organic group; when a plurality of Xa's are present, the plurality of Xa's may be the same or different; m1 represents an integer of 1 or more and (5 + 2k) or less; m2 represents an integer of 0 or more and (5 + 2k - m1) or less; k represents an integer of 0 or more; and *'s each represent a direct bond bonded to an aromatic hydrocarbon shown in general formula (2); … wherein, in general formula (3), Z1 represents a group having the polymerizable group; E1 represents a single bond or a linking group; W1 represents a group having a lactone structure; and m3 represents an integer of 1 or more; and … wherein, in general formula (4), Z1 represents a group having the polymerizable group; E1 represents a single bond or a linking group; Rx4 and Rx5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an organic group; and Rx4 and Rx5 may be bonded together to form a ring.’ The disclosures of Takebe and/or Monzani fail to teach and/or suggest the limitation of claim8, ‘ The actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to claim 1, further comprising, in addition to the resin (A), a resin different from the resin (A).’ Moreover, the disclosures of Takebe and/or Monzani fail to teach and/or suggest the limitation of claim 9, ‘ The actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of the resin (A) with respect to the total mass of solids in the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition is 10.0% by mass or more.’ Lastly, the disclosures of Takebe and/or Monzani fail to teach and/or suggest the limitation of claim 16, ‘ The resin according to claim 15, further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a repeating unit having a lactone group, a repeating unit having a cyclic carbonate group, and a repeating unit having a phenolic hydroxy group.’ The prior art fails to provide other relevant disclosures that are properly combinable with Takebe and/or Monzani to cure the deficiencies of Takebe and Monzani to teach and/or suggest the limitation of claims 4-9 and 16. Therefore, claims 4-9 and 16 include allowable subject matter.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Independent claim 10 recites, ‘A method for manufacturing an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition including a resin (A) having a pentafluorosulfanyl group and a solvent, the method comprising adding a solution of the resin (A) to a poor solvent including an organic solvent (Y) to cause the resin (A) to precipitate.’ Similarly, Independent claim 17 recites, ‘A method for manufacturing the resin according to claim 15, the method comprising adding a solution of the resin to a poor solvent including an organic solvent (Y) to cause the resin to precipitate.’ The disclosures of Takebe and Monzani as discussed above fail to teach and/or suggest the limitations of claim 10 and the limitation of claim 17. The prior art fails to provide other relevant disclosures which cure the deficiencies of Takebe and/or Monzani. Therefore, independent claim 10, claim 11 depending therefrom as well as independent claim 17 and claim 18 depending therefrom are allowable.
Conclusion
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/CALEEN O SULLIVAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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