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
1. 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:
2. 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.
3. Claim 1-16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masunaga et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2010/0316955 A1), hereinafter Masunaga.
4. Regarding Claims 1-16, Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) a resin having repeating units (A) and (B) of the present application, therein monomers B-3 and PM-1, respectively. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) a solvent including a solvent having a boiling point of 150° C, therein ethyl lactate. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) a repeating unit (A) of the present application having a group that is decomposed by an action of an acid to generate a carboxylic acid and represented by general formula (a) of the present application, therein monomer B-3. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) a repeating unit (B) of the present application having a group that is decomposed upon irradiation with an actinic ray or a radiation to generate an acid and represented by the following general formula (b) of the present application, therein monomer PM-1. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) wherein the repeating unit (B) of the present application is a repeating unit represented by general formulas (b-2), therein monomer PM-1. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) wherein L22 in general formula (b-2) is a divalent aromatic ring group. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) wherein L22 in the general formula (b-2) of the present application is a phenylene group. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) wherein L11 in the general formula (a) is a phenylene group. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) wherein a content of the repeating unit (A) of the present application is 37 mol % relative to all repeating units of the resin. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) wherein the resin further includes a repeating unit (C) of the present application represented by a general formula (c) of the present application, therein monomer A-2, wherein R62 and R62 are both hydrogen atoms, R63 is an organic group (methyl group), L is a divalent linking group (-(C=O)-O-), Ar is an aromatic ring group (phenylene), and k is equal to 1. Masunaga teaches (Table 1-8, particularly Example 6 comprising Experimental Example Polymer 5) wherein the solvent having a boiling point of 150° C. or more contains a solvent having a hydroxyl group, therein ethyl lactate. Masunaga teaches (Paragraph [0101]) an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive film, therein a resist film, formed from the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, therein positive resist composition. Masunaga teaches (Paragraph [0101]) forming an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive film, therein a resist film, formed from the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, therein positive resist composition. Masunaga teaches (Paragraph [0102]) exposing the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive film. Masunaga teaches (Paragraph [0102]) developing the exposed actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive film with a developer, therein 2.38 wt% tetramethylammonium hydroxide aqueous solution. Masunaga teaches (Paragraph [0107]) a method for producing an electronic device, therein VLSI devices, the method comprising the pattern forming method.
5. However, Masunaga fails to explicitly teach the solvent having a boiling point of 150° C. or more is contained in 45 mass % or more with respect to a total amount of the solvent in a single experimental example with all of the other claim limitations of the present application. Furthermore, Masunaga fails to explicitly teach relative to the total amount of the solvent, the content of the solvent having a boiling point of 150° C. or more is 90 mass % or more in a single experimental example with all of the other claim limitations of the present application. Furthermore, Masunaga fails to explicitly teach relative to the total amount of the solvent, the solvent consists of the solvent having a boiling point of 150° C. or more in a single experimental example with all of the other claim limitations of the present application. That said, Masunaga teaches (Paragraphs [0053-0055]) the solvent of compositions therein preferably consisting of, i.e. comprising 45 mass % or more, 90 mass % or more, or 100 mass %, alkyl lactates, e.g. ethyl lactate which is used in the solvent systems of the working examples therein. Thus, a person of ordinary skill in the art in view of Masunaga would have found it would only require a simple substitution of one known element, i.e. the solvent system used in the working examples of the compositions therein, for another, i.e. a solvent system consisting of ethyl lactate, with the results of this substitution would have been predictable.
6. However, Masunaga fails to explicitly teach wherein a total number of carbon atoms included in R14 to R16 in general formula (a) of the present application is 5 to 9 in a single experimental example with all of the other claim limitations of the present application. Furthermore, Masunaga fails to explicitly teach wherein R14 to R16 in general formula (a) of the present application each independently represent an alkyl group or an alkenyl group, two among R14 to R16 may be linked together to form a ring, and in a case where R14 and R15 are methyl groups and two among R14 to R16 are not linked together, R16 represents a substituent other than a methyl group and an ethyl group in a single experimental example with all of the other claim limitations of the present application. That said, Masunaga teaches (Paragraph [0031]) a general formula (3) therein, wherein s is 0, a is the integer 0, u is 0, c is the integer 1, and an acid labile group, e.g. monomer B-3 of the working examples therein, which is a 4 carbon (t-butyl) tertiary alkyl group. Furthermore, Masunaga teaches (Paragraph [0037]) the preferred acid labile groups therein are preferably tertiary alkyl groups comprising 4 to 18 carbon, and the alkyl moieties bonded to the tertiary carbon having 1 to 15 carbon atoms. Furthermore, Masunaga teaches (Paragraph [0038]) a great many possible tertiary alkyl acid labile groups, of which t-butyl as found in monomer B-3 of the working examples of therein is just one, while others include 1-ethyl-1-methylpropyl, 1,1-diethylpropyl, and 1,1,2-trimethylpropyl. All of which have a total of 5 to 9 carbon atoms, as well as being within the scope of the limitation that R14 to R16 in general formula (a) of the present application each independently represent an alkyl group or an alkenyl group, two among R14 to R16 may be linked together to form a ring, and in a case where R14 and R15 are methyl groups and two among R14 to R16 are not linked together, R16 represents a substituent other than a methyl group and an ethyl group, wherein all are preferred embodiments of the invention of Masunaga. Thus, a person of ordinary skill in the art in view of Masunaga would have found it would only require a simple substitution of one known element, i.e. tertiary alkyl acid labile groups used in the working examples of the compositions therein, for another, i.e. wherein R14 to R16 in general formula (a) of the present application have a total of 5 to 9 carbon atoms and each independently represent an alkyl group or an alkenyl group, two among R14 to R16 may be linked together to form a ring, and in a case where R14 and R15 are methyl groups and two among R14 to R16 are not linked together, R16 represents a substituent other than a methyl group and an ethyl group, and the results of this substitution would have been predictable.
Conclusion
7. 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.
8. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KEITH D HENDRICKS can be reached at (571) 272-1401. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RICHARD DAVID CHAMPION/Examiner, Art Unit 1737
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