Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/508,423

PHOTORESIST COMPOSITION

Non-Final OA §102§103§112
Filed
Nov 14, 2023
Examiner
ANGEBRANNDT, MARTIN J
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
55%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
4m
Est. Remaining
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 55% of resolved cases
55%
Career Allowance Rate
759 granted / 1370 resolved
-4.6% vs TC avg
Strong +34% interview lift
Without
With
+34.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
65 currently pending
Career history
1448
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
44.4%
+4.4% vs TC avg
§102
21.0%
-19.0% vs TC avg
§112
20.5%
-19.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1370 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103 §112
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 . The response of the applicant has been received. The applicant has elected claims 13-32 without traverse and cancelled claims 1-12. Accordingly the composition is not being examined The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a): (a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112: The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Claims 20 and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention. The compounds PNG media_image1.png 125 267 media_image1.png Greyscale PNG media_image2.png 250 293 media_image2.png Greyscale Recited show a tetravalent aluminum anion. Aluminum is trivalent, and so cannot form tetravalent compounds. Examples of aluminum compounds known in the photoresist art include “trimethoxy aluminum, triethoxy aluminum, triisopropoxy aluminum, isopropoxy group may be added. Aluminum phenoxide such as aluminum alkoxide such as diethoxy aluminum or tributoxy aluminum, triphenyloxy aluminum or tri-p-methylphenoxy aluminum, triethyl decyl aluminum or tristearic acid Aluminum, aluminum tributyrate” disclosed at [0039] of Oonishi et al. 20130108961. The most relevant Wands factors are addressed here As the trivalent nature of aluminum is recognized in the field of chemistry, it is quite predictable that the tetravalent aluminum anions cannot be formed. Within the resist art, the examiner points to the trivalent compounds in Oonishi et al. 20130108961. The applicant has not provided examples of how to make the exemplified compounds or any other direction. An immense amount of experimentation would be required to attempt to make these compounds. 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 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. 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 13,14 and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being fully anticipated by Kubota et al. JP 2007298972 Kubota et al. JP 2007298972 (machine translation attached) teaches in table 1 a resist composition including 100g of a 60% solution of methacrylic acid/methylmethacrylate/styrene, ethylene oxide modified nonyl acrylate (contains radically polymerizable acrylate moiety)N-N’tetraethyl-4,4’-diaminopentaphenone, 2-(chlorophenyl)-4,5-dphenylimidazole dimer (free radical photoinitiator), leuco-crystal violet, , p-toluenesulfamide , acetone, methanol, toluene, dimethylformamide (solvents) PNG media_image3.png 283 536 media_image3.png Greyscale The resist was applied to a copper clad laminate (PC board) by lamination [0076]. The resist was exposed (60 mJ/cm2) and developed in sodium carbonate [0078]. After patterning the resist the substrate was subjected to etching with a ferric chloride solution for 5 minutes at a temperature of 50 degrees C. [0085]. Claims 13,14,16 and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being fully anticipated by Inuoe JP 2006251458 Inuoe JP 2006251458 (machine translation) teaches with respect to table 1 (16), a resist composition including a methylmethacrylate/methacrylic acid/butylacrylate copolymer with a MW of 120,00 (in solution) 0, a dimethacrylate of polyalkylene glycol obtained by adding an average of 6 moles of ethylene oxide and an average of 2 moles of propylene oxide to both ends of bisphenol A, respectively(M-1), Polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate obtained by adding an average of 2 moles of ethylene oxide to both ends of bisphenol A (M-2), and 3: 4-nonylphenylheptaethylene glycol dipropylene glycol acrylate (M-2) (three radically polymerizable monomers), benzotriazole, 4,4′-bis (diethylamino) benzophenone. (free radical photoinitiator), 2,4,5-triarylimidazole dimer (photoinitiator), Diamond green, leuco crystal violet [0063,0052]. This was applied to a copper foil substrate , exposed using a mercury lamp, and developed in sodium carbonate, then the copper foil with the patterned substrate was subjected to a copper chloride/HCl etch solution to remove the copper not covered by the resist The resist was then stripped/removed [0055-0057]. The examiner holds that the butyl groups of the butylacrylate is acid labile. The examiner also notes that claim 16 does not require the presence of photo-acid generator (PAG), such as those discussed in the prepub of the instant specification at [0033,0035,0036]. Claims 13,14 and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being fully anticipated by Iwai et al. JP 2015087610 Iwai et al. JP 2015087610 (machine translation attached) teaches example resist 8, polyvinylpyrrolidone (X1), surfaonyl (surfactant), triphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate (photoacid/photoinitiator), A-TMPT (ethylenically unsaturated acrylate). PF-6320 (surfactant) and PGMEA (solvent) (see table 1.). Example resists 9 and 10 are similar, but use Tri-p-tolylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate (A-9 or Bis (4-tert-butylphenyl) iodonium trifluoromethanesulfonate (A-10) as the photoinitiators [0211-0213]. The photoresists are coated upon wafers, dried, exposed using an i-line exposure apparatus, and developed in butyl acetate [0214-0215]. This was then exposed to a dry etch with CF4/O2 to pattern the underlying organic semiconductor layer [0216-0220]. As radically polymerizable monomers, those containing functional groups that can undergo an addition polymerization reaction include an ethylenically unsaturated bond group, a styryl group, an allyl group, a (meth) acryloyl group, a vinyl group, a vinyloxy group, and an alkynyl group are preferable. Specific compounds are disclosed [0060-0108]. The examiner notes that triphenylsulfonium tetrafluoroborate (A-8), Tri-p-tolylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate (A-9) and Bis (4-tert-butylphenyl) iodonium trifluoromethanesulfonate are able to initiate the polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated compounds and are inherently photoacid generating salts having anionic and cationic portions. Claims 13-14,16-17,19,21-24,26-27 and 30-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. 6395450, in view of Hatakeyama et al. 20020051935 Park et al. 6395450 in example 1, Bis{4-[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]benzene}-3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxybenzene sulfonium triflate (1 g) and bis{4-[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]benzene}-3,5-dimethyl4-methoxybenzene sulfonium tosylate (1 g) as photoacid generators, and 100 g of poly(4-hydroxystyrene-co-4-(1-(ethoxy)ethoxy)styrene) having 34 mol % of 4-(1-(ethoxy)ethoxy)styrene were dissolved in 770 g of propylene glycol methyl ether acetate to prepare a photosensitive resist solution. The resist solution was spin-coated on a Si wafer. The Si wafer was baked before exposure to actinic radiation at 90.degree. C. for 90 seconds to form a resist film layer with a thickness of 0.7 .mu.m. The Si wafer was exposed to KrF excimer laser radiation (248 nm) through a pattern mask, and baked after the exposure at 110.degree. C. for 90 seconds. The Si wafer was puddled in an aqueous solution of 2.38 wt % of tetramethylammonium hydroxide for I minute, rinsed with pure water, and spin-dried. A good positive pattern was developed with 0.15 .mu.m line and space. The loss of the unexposed portion was not shown, and the exposed portion did not have any defects (col 7/lines 32-54). The use of these resists with wet or dry etching is disclosed (1/36-37). Representative examples of the conventional photoacid generator include, without limitation, sulfonium salts, iodonium salts, phosphonium salts, diazonium salts, ammonium salts, selenium salts, halogen-containing compounds, diazoketones, sulphones or sulfonic compounds, nitrobenzyl ester compounds, and the like (5/50-55) The photoresist composition according to the present invention can also include at least one thermal cross-linking agent for cross-linking but not generating acid. Such thermal cross-linking agent preferably is a monomer or polymer having at least one vinyloxyethoxy group in its structure. The thermal cross-linking agent can be employed in an effective amount from about 0 to about 30% by weight based on the weight of the binder polymer. Representative examples of the thermal cross-linking agent include, without limitation, 2,2-bis{4-[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]phenyl}propane, 1,1,1 -tris{4-[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]phenyl}ethane, 1,3,5-tris[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]benzene, 1,2,3-tris[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]benzene, 2,2-bis{4-[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]cyclohexyl}propane, and 1,4-bis{4-[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]phenyl}cyclohexane (5/56-6/3) Hatakeyama et al. 20020051935 in the example resists includes polymers with acid labile groups, a photoacid generator, a basic compound, and solvent. The resists are coated on a wafer with a HMDS coating, dried, exposed, post baked and developed to yield a resist pattern. [0155-0156]. The resistance of the resists to dry etchings was tested [0157-0160]. Useful vinyloxy containing a core which is an alkylene, aromatic or heterocyclic groups are disclosed [0050-0056]. Park et al. 6395450 does not exemplify the coated the wafer with a layer or the use of the resist pattern to etch the underlaying layer/materials It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify example 1 of Park et al. 6395450 by adding a HDMS layer for adhesion as taught by Hatakeyama et al. 20020051935 at [0155-0156] and using the patterned resist to etch the underlying HDMS and silicon wafer using wet or dry etching processes as taught at (1/36-37) of Park et al. 6395450 with a reasonable expectation of forming a substrate etched with a pattern useful in forming a semiconductor device. Alternatively, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify example 1 of Park et al. 6395450 by adding a HDMS layer for adhesion as taught by Hatakeyama et al. 20020051935 at [0155-0156], adding a thermal crosslinker as taught at (5/56-6/3) of Park et al. 6395450 and using the patterned resist to etch the underlying HDMS and silicon wafer using wet or dry etching processes as taught at (1/36-37) of Park et al. 6395450 with a reasonable expectation of forming a substrate etched with a pattern useful in forming a semiconductor device. Claims 13-14,16-19,21-2 and 26-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. 6395450, in view of Hatakeyama et al. 20020051935, further in view of Namai et al. JP 2015081960. Namai et al. JP 2015081960 (machine translation attached) teaches PAGs with sulfonate anions which are unsaturated and their use in resists. (page 47) PNG media_image4.png 80 388 media_image4.png Greyscale The combination of Park et al. 6395450 and Hatakeyama et al.20020051935 does not teach additives/photoacid generators, where the anion has a polymerizable group. In addition to the basis above, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the processes rendered obvious by the combination of Park et al. 6395450 and Hatakeyama et al.20020051935 by replacing the tosylate anion of the photoacid generator with other known anions useful in sulfonium salts such as the PNG media_image5.png 86 174 media_image5.png Greyscale taught by Namai et al. JP 2015081960 with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful photoresist pattern and etched substrate. Claims 13-14,16-17,19-24,26-27 and 30-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. 6395450, in view of Hatakeyama et al.20020051935, further in view of Kim et al. 20210102021 and Kawabe et al. JP-H07074073 Kim et al. 20210102021 exemplifies photoacid generator having the structure PNG media_image6.png 102 226 media_image6.png Greyscale Kawabe et al. JP-H07074073 (machine translation attached) teaches Examples of the onium salts of the ionizing radiation-sensitive acid generator compound used in the present invention include diazonium (eg p-chlorobenzenediazonium etc.), iodonium (eg diphenyliodonium, m-nitrophenylphenyliodonium, 4-methoxyphenyl). Phenyliodonium, etc.), sulfonium (eg, triphenylsulfonium, tritolylsulfonium, benzoylmethyldimethylsulfonium, 3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxyphenyldimethylsulfonium, etc.), phosphonium (eg, tetraphenylphosphonium, benzoylmethyltriphenylphosphonium, etc.), selenium (eg, triphenylselenium, etc.), and other onium compounds such as BF .sub.4 .sup.− , PF .sub.6 .sup.− , SbF .sub.6 .sup.−. , SiF .sub.6 .sup.-, Examples thereof include salts such as ClO .sub.4 .sup.− , HSO .sub.4 .sup.− , CF .sub.3 SO .sub.3 .sup.− . [0034]. The combination of Park et al. 6395450 and Hatakeyama et al.20020051935 does not teach where additive/photoacid generator is a vinylphenyl triphenylphosphonium chloride. In addition to the basis above, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the processes rendered obvious by the combination of Park et al. 6395450 and Hatakeyama et al.20020051935 by replacing the bis{4-[2-(vinyloxy)ethoxy]benzene}-3,5-dimethyl4-methoxybenzene sulfonium tosylate with vinylphenyl triphenylphosphonium chloride based upon equivalence of vinyphenyl and vinyloxyphenyl as useful moieties on sulfonium cations of photoacid generators established by Park et al. 6395450 and Kim et al. 20210102021, the equivalence of phosphonium and sulfonium cations in photoacid generators established in Park et al. 6395450 and Kawabe et al. JP-H07074073 and the small, inorganic counter ion taught in Kawabe et al. JP-H07074073 at [0034]. Claims 13-17,19,21-27 and 30-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. 6395450, in view of Hatakeyama et al.20020051935, further in view of Gallagher et al. 20060105272 and Weng et al. 20190004430 Gallagher et al. 20060105272 teaches useful crosslinking agents including trivinylbenzene, divinyltoluene, divinylpyridine, divinylnaphthalene and divinylxylene; and such as ethyleneglycol diacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, diethyleneglycol divinyl ether, trivinylcyclohexane, allyl methacrylate, ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, diethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, propyleneglycol dimethacrylate, propyleneglycol diacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, divinyl benzene, glycidyl methacrylate, 2,2-dimethylpropane 1,3 diacrylate, 1,3-butylene glycol diacrylate, 1,3-butylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,4-butanediol diacrylate, diethylene glycol diacrylate, diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate, tripropylene glycol diacrylate, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, tetraethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol 200 diacrylate, tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, ethoxylated bisphenol A diacrylate, ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol 600 dimethacrylate, poly(butanediol) diacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, trimethylolpropane triethoxy triacrylate, glyceryl propoxy triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, pentaerythritol tetramethacrylate, dipentaerythritol monohydroxypentaacrylate, and mixtures thereof [0069]. Weng et al. 20190004430 teaches crosslinking groups can be glycidyl ether based functional group, an alkyl oxide based functional group, an alkene based functional group, an alkyne based functional group, a triazene based functional group, an epoxide based functional group, other suitable cross-linkable functional group, or combinations thereof. FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate chemical structures of exemplary cross-linkable functional components, such as cross-linkable functional component 22, that can be included in a resist material, such as resist material 10, according to various aspects of the present disclosure. The depicted cross-linkable functional components facilitate cross-linking of ALG components of a resist material, such as ALG component 14 of resist material 10. In FIG. 6A, cross-linkable functional component 22 includes an epoxy functional group bonded to ALG component 14. In FIG. 6B, cross-linkable functional component 22 includes an alkene functional group bonded to ALG component 14. In FIG. 6C, cross-linkable functional component 22 includes an alkyne functional group bonded to ALG component 14. In FIG. 6D, cross-linkable functional component 22 includes a methoxyl functional group bonded to ALG component 14 [0028]. PNG media_image7.png 96 190 media_image7.png Greyscale The combination of Park et al. 6395450 and Hatakeyama et al.20020051935 does not teach where additive is bounded by the formulae of claims 15 or 25. In addition to the basis above, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the processes rendered obvious by the combination of Park et al. 6395450 and Hatakeyama et al.20020051935 by using crosslinkers similar to the divinylbenzene taught by Gallagher et al. 20060105272 at [0069], but where the benzene is replaced with cyclohexane and one of the vinyl groups is replaced a 1-propynyl group which is an alkyne group which is established as equivalent to an alkene in Weng et al. 20190004430 at [0028]. Alternatively in addition to the basis above, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the processes rendered obvious by the combination of Park et al. 6395450 and Hatakeyama et al.20020051935 by using crosslinkers similar to the trivinylcyclohexane , but where one of the vinyl groups is replaced by an allyl groups which is an alkene and a second is replaced by 2-propenyl group based upon the equivalence of alkenes in Weng et al. 20190004430 at [0028]. Claims 13,14,16,17,19,21-24,26,28 and 30-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ichikawa et al. 20110014566, in view of Park et al. 6395450. Ichikawa et al. 20110014566 exemplifies additives PNG media_image8.png 186 273 media_image8.png Greyscale and PNG media_image9.png 125 303 media_image9.png Greyscale on pages 51 and 52. Examples 16 combines additive I-1, resin C-2 (having an acid labile group), photoacid generator A1, quencher Q1 and solvents (structures on page 60). PNG media_image10.png 256 252 media_image10.png Greyscale (see table 1 on page 59). Example 25 is similar, but uses additive I-4. These are coated over silicon wafers having an antireflective coating, dried, exposed, post baked and developed in TMAH [0203-0204]. The carboxylic acid is bounded by the formula PNG media_image11.png 100 305 media_image11.png Greyscale wherein X.sup.pa represents a single bond or a C1-C4 alkylene group, R.sup.pa represents a single bond, a C4-C36 divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group or a C6-C36 divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group, and one or more methylene groups in the divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group can be replaced by --O-- or --CO--, Y.sup.pa represents a polymerizable group, and Z.sup.pa+ represents an organic cation; <2> The salt according to <1>, wherein the polymerizable group is a vinyl group, an acryloyl group, a methacryloyl group, an acryloyloxy group or a methacryloyloxy group, and the vinyl, acryloyl, methacryloyl, acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy groups can have one or more substituents; <3> The salt according to <1> or <2>, wherein Z.sup.pa+ is a cation represented by the formula (IXa): Ichikawa et al. 20110014566 does not teach the etching process. It would have been obvious to modify the processes of Ichikawa et al. 20110014566 by etching the underlying materials using the resist in the manner taught by Park et al. 6395450 with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful resist pattern and etched substrate. Alternatively it would have been obvious to modify the processes of Ichikawa et al. 20110014566 by using any carboxylic acid bounded by formula I-Pa such as where X.sup.pa represents a C4 alkylene group, R.sup.pa represents a single bond, an Y.sup.pa represents a polymerizable vinyl group bonded at the alpha relative to the carbon bearing the carboxylic group as in Ichikawa et al. 20110014566 and etching the underlying materials using the resist in the manner taught by Park et al. 6395450 with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful resist pattern and etched substrate. Claims 13,14,16,17,19-24,26,28 and 30-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ichikawa et al. 20110014566, in view of Park et al. 6395450 , further in view of Kawabe et al. JP-H07074073 It would have been obvious to modify the processes of Ichikawa et al. 20110014566 by using any carboxylic acid bounded by formula I-Pa such as where X.sup.pa represents a C4 alkylene group, R.sup.pa represents a single bond, an Y.sup.pa represents a polymerizable vinyl group bonded at the alpha relative to the carbon bearing the carboxylic group as in Ichikawa et al. 20110014566 and replacing the triphenylsulfonium cation with tetraphenylphosphonium based upon the equivalence established in Park et al. 6395450 and Kawabe et al. JP-H07074073 and etching the underlying materials using the resist in the manner taught by Park et al. 6395450 with a reasonable expectation of forming a useful resist pattern and etched substrate. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sato et al. JP 2003177540 (machine translation attached) teaches the addition of amines or carboxylic acids to resists. The carboxylic acids as the component (D) include, for example, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, etc. Unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids such as acrylic acid, crotonic acid, isocrotonic acid, 3-butenoic acid, Methacrylic acid, 4-pentenoic acid, 2-propiolic acid. butyric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid and 1,1-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, 1, 2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, 1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, alicyclic carboxylic acid such as 1,1-cyclohexanediacetic acid, oxycarboxylic acid such as hydroxyacetic acid, methoxyacetic acid, ethoxyacetic acid Ketocarboxylic acids such as alkoxycarboxylic acids and pyruvic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, salicylic acid, 2-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzoic acid, 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid, 2-nitrobenzoic acid, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2-vinylbenzoic acid, 4-vinylbenzoic acid, phthalic acid, Hydroxyl group such as terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid, nitro group, There are aromatic carboxylic acids having a substituent such as a carboxyl group and a vinyl group. Of these, aromatic carboxylic acids are preferred as they have suitable acidity. In particular, salicylic acid is preferable because it has good solubility in a resist solvent, gives a good resist pattern to various substrates, and does not show substrate dependence. These carboxylic acids may be used alone or in combination of two or more [0040] Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Martin J Angebranndt whose telephone number is (571)272-1378. The examiner can normally be reached 7-3:30 pm EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ching-Yu (Coris) Fung can be reached at 571-270-5713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. MARTIN J. ANGEBRANNDT Primary Examiner Art Unit 1737 /MARTIN J ANGEBRANNDT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737 August 1, 2026
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 14, 2023
Application Filed
Aug 06, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103, §112 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
55%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+34.2%)
3y 1m (~4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1370 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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