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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I (claims 1-18) in the reply filed on February 10, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1, 4, 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al (U.S.Pat. 7,845,868 B1).
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With respect to claim 1, Huang discloses a method of forming a photoresist pattern (107-108) and comprising all features of the instant claim such as: forming a photoresist layer (104) on a substrate (100) ; performing an exposure process on the photoresist (see figures 1a-1b and col.3, lines 19-40); performing a post exposure baking (PEB) process on the photoresist layer with a temperature gradient (202; see col.3 lines 60-65) in the photoresist layer in a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate (see figure 3B as re-produced above) and performing a development process on the photoresist layer (see col.5, lines 60-65).
As to claim 4, it is apparent that a temperature difference between upper and lower surfaces of the photoresist layer is greater than 0°C and up to about 300°C (see col.3, lines 54-63).
As to claim 8, prior to performing the exposure process, performing a pre-baking process on the photoresist (see col.1, lines 13-20).
As to claim 9, the photoresist layer (104) is a chemical amplified resist (CAR).
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 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 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (U.S.Pat. 7,845,868 B1) in view of Cheng et al (U.S.Pat. 8,828,493 B2).
With respect to claims 2-3, Huang discloses a method of forming a photoresist pattern and comprising substantially all limitations of the instant claims as discussed above. Huang does not expressly disclose the photoresist layer (104) having photo acid generators (PAGs). This feature is well known in the art. For example, Cheng discloses a photoresist layer on a substrate wherein the photoresist layer has photo acid generator (PAGs) (see col.11, lines 14-17). It would have been obvious to a skilled artisan to apply photo acid generator (PAGs) as suggested by Cheng into the photoresist layer of Huang for at least the purpose of forming a treated layer on the substrate and improving the quality of the substrate as intended by Huang.
Claims 5-7 and 10-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (U.S.Pat. 7,845,868 B1) in view of Rangarajan et al (U.S.Pat. 6,573,480 B1).
With respect to claims 5-7, Huang discloses a method of forming a photoresist and comprising substantially all limitations of the instant claims as discussed. Huang does not expressly disclose a heat source over an upper surface of the photoresist layer on the substrate and a heat sink under a lower surface of the photoresist layer on the substrate and the heat sink has a chill plate. These features are well known per se. Rangarajan discloses a system for controlling the temperature of the photoresist of a substrate having a heat source (240) placed over an upper surface of the photoresist layer on the substrate and a heat sink/a chill plate (230) placed under a lower surface of the photoresist layer on the substrate (see figure 2). It would have been obvious to a skilled artisan to incorporate the teachings of Huang and Rangarajan to obtain the claimed invention as specified in claims 5-7 of the present invention. It would have been obvious to employ the system having a heat source, a heat sink/chill plate as suggested by Rangarajan into the baking system of Huang for the purpose of controlling the temperature of the substrate and thereby preventing the substrate from thermal expansion as intended by Huang.
As to claim 10, as discussed Huang teaches a photolithography process including forming a photoresist layer on a substrate, exposing the photoresist layer to radiation through a mask, performing a post-exposure bake (PEB) process, and subsequently developing the exposed photoresist layer (see Huang, col.1 and col.4, describing the standard photolithography process including coating a photoresist layer, exposing the photoresist layer, performing post-exposure baking and developing the exposed photoresist layer). Huang further teaches controlling the temperature distribution of the wafer during baking in order to control the critical dimension of the patterned resist features. However, Huang does not explicitly disclose that the substrate is provided into a space between a heat source and a heat sink/cool plate of a baking chamber during the baking process.
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Rangarajan teaches a heat system for processing a photoresist layer in which the substrate (220) is positioned between a heat source (240) and a heat sink/cooling plate (230) positioned below the substrate (see figure 2; re-produced above) thereby establishing a temperature gradient through the substrate (see Rangarajan col.5-6). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to configure the baking system of Huang so that the substrate is positioned between a heat source and a heat sink/cooling plate as taught by Rangarajan in order to provide improved control of temperature distribution across the photoresist layer during the baking process, which is known to improve photoresist profile and critical dimension control.
As to claims 11-12, as demonstrated, Rangarajan discloses a heating system (figure 2) in which the heat source/lamp heater (240) is located above the substrate (220) and a cooling plate (230) is located below the substrate.
As to claim 13, as shown in figure 2, a lower surface of the substrate (220) contacts an upper surface of the chill plate (230).
As to claims 14 and 18, Huang teaches that the photoresist used in the photolithography process may be a chemically amplified resist which inherently includes photo acid generators used to generate acid during exposure.
As to claim 15, Huang teaches the use of chemically amplified photoresist and the performance of a post-exposure bake process, during which acid generated during exposure diffuses through the resist to induce chemical and amplification reactions.
As to claim 16, Huang discloses that during the PEB process a temperature difference between upper and lower surfaces of the photoresist layer is greater than 0°C and up to about 300°C (see col.3, lines 54-63).
As to claim 17, Huang teaches that photolithography process typically includes a pre-bake (soft bake) step prior to exposure in order to remove solvent from the photoresist layer.
Prior Art Made of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lai (U.S.Pat. 9,354,521) discloses photoresist system and method and has been cited for technical background.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG HENRY NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2124. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00AM-4:30PM.
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HUNG HENRY NGUYEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2882
Hvn
3/4/26
/HUNG V NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882