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
Claims 1-6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected composition, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/16/2026. Applicant has cancelled the non-elected claims.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 7-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagahara et al (2020/0201176).
Nagahara et al disclose a resist patterning method, wherein the patterning method may comprise applying a layer of resist to a substrate having a etching target layer thereon, exposing the resist, post-exposure baking, then etching the underlying target layer as required by the instant claims 7, 15, and 21 (figure 1, 2, 5A to 5C, [0282]-[0291], claim 15).
The polymer (A) further comprises unit (I), wherein the unit (I) are acid-labile or acid-dissociable groups ([0017]-[[0021]; instant claim 7, 15, 21), and units II -IV comprising a non-acid labile unit, having a fluorine atom, an phenol, and a lactone, cyclic carbonate, and/or sultone, respectively ([0046], [0049], [0058], [0062]; instant claims 20, 26).
The reference further teaches that any additional units to I-IV discussed above in amounts of up to 20 mol% ([0062]), with the polymer being present in an amount of 70 to 80 mass % of the composition. Polymer (B) is optional (may comprise; [0018]), therefore one of skill in the art may roughly assume a 1:1 ratio when included (~ 35 to 40 mass %), or when only polymer (A) is present, the full amount of 70 to 80 mass %. Therefore, the amount of additional units may be estimated up to 8 mass %.
The reference further teaches that the resist comprises a polymer, a quencher, and an acid-generator, wherein the resin may include the quencher as a quencher-containing monomer (comprising an anion and cation; instant claim 23) unit in an amount of 1 to 40 parts by mass of the resist composition ([0254]-[0258], [0265]; instant claims 7, 18, 21), and the acid generator may be included as a monomer unit comprising the onium salt acid generator present in an amount of 1 to 40 parts by mass of the resist composition ([0119], [0168], [0178]; instant claims 9, 15, 21). Therefore, the units may be included in amount of the total composition of 1 to 40 parts by mass, and when in the polymer of about up of 8 mass%. When estimated by suggested polymeric units, the quencher and acid generator may be included in amounts of greater than 1 % by weight (instant claims 8, 10, 16, 19, 22, and 24).
When estimated, the amount of acid labile group-containing monomer, using suggested compounds in [0040], [0051], [0146], [0171], [0232], [0258], similar to the quencher and PAG unit above), is roughly estimated to be greater than 20 weight %, as the unit is present in an amount of 30 to 80 mol % ([0045]; instant claims 14, 25).
With respect to the acid released by the photoacid generator (instant claims 11, 17), the reference it is well established in the art that photoacid generators in photoresists generates strong acids having pkas of less than 0, therefore given that the reference teaches a photoacid generator in a resist which generates an acid to cause the polymer to become soluble or insoluble in developer, one of ordinary skill in the art would have expected the acid generators of the reference to possess a pka of less than zero.
With respect to the pka of the quencher being higher than that of the PAG (strong acid), the reference teaches that the quencher is a component having basicity for an acid, therefore a pka of greater than 0, higher than that of the PAG ([0182]). It is also well established in the art for quenchers to be weak acid, therefore one of skill in the art would have expected the pka to be greater than that of the acid released by the PAG, thus meeting the limitations of the instant claims 12 and 13.
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 of Nagahara et al, choosing as the resist, a polymer having the required acid labile group-containing unit, a non-acid labile containing unit, and wherein both the quencher and PAG are included as monomeric units in the resist polymer as taught to be useful by the reference. The resultant polymer and method would meet the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 7-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatakeyama et al (2021/0033971) in view of Nagahara et al.
Hatakeyama et al disclose a resist patterning process comprising applying a resist composition onto a substrate which preferably includes a Si underlayer to form a resist layer, exposing and developing the resist, and may include additional steps ([0176], [0177], [0212]).
The resist comprises a unit comprising an acid labile group, a unit having a non-acid labile group (phenolic, lactone, cyclic ether, sultone; examples, [0100]; instant claims 1, 15, 20, 21, 26).
The invention of the reference as claimed includes a monomeric unit comprising an ammonium salt (cation and anion; instant claims 1, 18, 21, 23) quencher ([0064]), and a monomer comprising a PAG (claims 1, 2, and 5; instant claims 9, 15, 21).
The reference teaches that the units are included in the following amounts in moles of the polymer. Unit a is the quencher (0.001 to 0.8, unit b is the acid labile-containing unit (0 to 0.9), and d is the PAG-containing unit (0 to 0.4). When exemplified polymers are calculated, examples include units a in amounts of greater than1 weight percentage (instant claims 8, 19, and 24), unit b in an amount of greater than 20 weight percent (instant claims 14 and 25), and d in an amount of greater than 1 weight percent (instant claims 10, 16, and 22), see examples.
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With respect to the acid released by the photoacid generator (instant claims 11, 17), the reference it is well established in the art that photoacid generators in photoresists generates strong acids having pkas of less than 0, therefore given that the reference teaches a photoacid generator in a resist which generates an acid to cause the polymer to become soluble or insoluble in developer, one of ordinary skill in the art would have expected the acid generators of the reference to possess a pka of less than zero.
With respect to the pka of the quencher being higher than that of the PAG (strong acid), the reference teaches that the quencher is a component having basicity for an acid, therefore a pka of greater than 0, higher than that of the PAG. It is also well established in the art for quenchers to be weak acid, therefore one of skill in the art would have expected the pka to be greater than that of the acid released by the PAG, thus meeting the limitations of the instant claims 12 and 13.
The reference therefore teaches the resist composition and polymer as claimed, and teaches the general method, including underlayer(s) (target layer(s)) on the substrate, and teaches that additional steps may be included, but fails to specifically disclose an etching step.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to prepare the material and perform the process of Hatakeyema et al, choosing to further perform an etching step of the underlying layer as is taught to be a known step contemplated and user design by Nagahara et al, with the resultant material and method also meeting the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 7-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatakeyama et al (2020/0241418).
Hatakeyama et al disclose a resist patterning process comprising applying a resist composition onto a substrate which preferably includes a Si underlayer to form a resist layer, exposing and developing the resist, and may include additional steps [0161], [0162], [0169], [0208]).
The resist comprises a unit comprising an acid labile group, a unit having a non-acid labile group (phenolic, lactone, cyclic ether, sultone; examples, [0057], [0086]; instant claims 1, 15, 20, 21, 26).
The invention of the reference as claimed includes a monomeric unit comprising an amine group; instant claims 1, 18, 21) quencher ([0068]), and a monomer comprising a PAG ([0087], claims 6; instant claims 9, 15, 21).
The reference teaches that the units are included in the following amounts in moles of the polymer. Unit a is the quencher (0.001 to 0.8, unit b is the acid labile-containing unit (0 to 0.8), and d is the PAG-containing unit (0 to 0.4). When exemplified polymers are calculated, examples include units a in amounts of greater than1 weight percentage (instant claims 8, 19, and 24), unit b in an amount of greater than 20 weight percent (instant claims 14 and 25), and d in an amount of greater than 1 weight percent (instant claims 10, 16, and 22), see examples.
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With respect to the acid released by the photoacid generator (instant claims 11, 17), the reference it is well established in the art that photoacid generators in photoresists generates strong acids having pkas of less than 0, therefore given that the reference teaches a photoacid generator in a resist which generates an acid to cause the polymer to become soluble or insoluble in developer, one of ordinary skill in the art would have expected the acid generators of the reference to possess a pka of less than zero.
With respect to the pka of the quencher being higher than that of the PAG (strong acid), the reference teaches that the quencher is a component having basicity for an acid, therefore a pka of greater than 0, higher than that of the PAG. It is also well established in the art for quenchers to be weak acid, therefore one of skill in the art would have expected the pka to be greater than that of the acid released by the PAG, thus meeting the limitations of the instant claims 12 and 13.
The reference therefore teaches the resist composition and polymer as claimed, and teaches the general method, including underlayer(s) (target layer(s)) on the substrate, and teaches that additional steps may be included, but fails to specifically disclose an etching step.
Nagahara et al has been discussed above. The reference teaches that known processing steps include using the resist pattern as a mask for etching the underlayer layer(s) and /or substrate.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to prepare the material and perform the process of Hatakeyema et al, choosing to further perform an etching step of the underlying layer as is taught to be a known step contemplated and user design by Nagahara et al, with the resultant material and method also meeting the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 7-22 and 24-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatakeyama et al (2020/0209747).
Hatakeyama et al disclose a resist patterning process comprising applying a resist composition onto a substrate which preferably includes a Si underlayer to form a resist layer, exposing and developing the resist, and may include additional steps (([0176], [0177], [0184], [0217]).
The resist comprises a unit comprising an acid labile group, a unit having a non-acid labile group (phenolic, lactone, cyclic ether, sultone; examples ([0029], [0101];instant claims 1, 15, 20, 21, 26).
The invention of the reference as claimed includes a monomeric unit comprising an ammonium salt (cation and anion; instant claims 1, 18, 21, 23) quencher ([0068]), and a monomer comprising a PAG ([0102], claims 1, 2, and 5; instant claims 9, 15, 21).
The reference teaches that the units are included in the following amounts in moles of the polymer. Unit a is the quencher (0.001 to 0.8, unit b is the acid labile-containing unit (0 to 0.8), and d is the PAG-containing unit (0 to 0.4). When exemplified polymers are calculated, examples include units a in amounts of greater than1 weight percentage (instant claims 8, 19, and 24), unit b in an amount of greater than 20 weight percent (instant claims 14 and 25), and d in an amount of greater than 1 weight percent (instant claims 10, 16, and 22), see examples.
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With respect to the acid released by the photoacid generator (instant claims 11, 17), the reference it is well established in the art that photoacid generators in photoresists generates strong acids having pkas of less than 0, therefore given that the reference teaches a photoacid generator in a resist which generates an acid to cause the polymer to become soluble or insoluble in developer, one of ordinary skill in the art would have expected the acid generators of the reference to possess a pka of less than zero.
With respect to the pka of the quencher being higher than that of the PAG (strong acid), the reference teaches that the quencher is a component having basicity for an acid, therefore a pka of greater than 0, higher than that of the PAG. It is also well established in the art for quenchers to be weak acid, therefore one of skill in the art would have expected the pka to be greater than that of the acid released by the PAG, thus meeting the limitations of the instant claims 12 and 13.
The reference therefore teaches the resist composition and polymer as claimed, and teaches the general method, including underlayer(s) (target layer(s)) on the substrate, and teaches that additional steps may be included, but fails to specifically disclose an etching step.
Nagahara et al has been discussed above. The reference teaches that known processing steps include using the resist pattern as a mask for etching the underlayer layer(s) and /or substrate.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to prepare the material and perform the process of Hatakeyema et al, choosing to further perform an etching step of the underlying layer as is taught to be a known step contemplated and user design by Nagahara et al, with the resultant material and method also meeting the limitations of the instant claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Additional references cited on the PTO-982 disclose similar methods and polymers, such as Hatakeyama et al (2020/0393760).
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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