DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-11 are pending.
The foreign priority document No.2021-099364 filed on June 15, 2021, the foreign priority document No. 2021-099674 filed on June 15, 2021, and the foreign priority document No. 2022-091800 filed on June 06, 2022 in Japan have been received and are acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 102 that forms 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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hatakeyama et al. (US 2021/0048746).
With regard to claim 1, Hatakeyama et al. teach a resist composition comprising as base polymer the Polymer 1, PAG-4 acid generator, and the Quencher 4:
PNG
media_image1.png
200
352
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
288
352
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
230
356
media_image3.png
Greyscale
(Example 4 in Table 1, par.0174, Quencher-1 in par.0166, PAG-4 in par.0171).
The Polymer 1 comprises acid labile groups (par.0026, par.0071-0072), and is “a resin component (A) whose solubility in a developing solution is changed due to the action of an acid” in claim 1.
PAG-4 is “an acid generator component (B) which generates an acid upon light exposure” in claim 1, wherein the acid generator component (B) contains a compound (B0) of General Formula (b0), wherein nb1=3, X0 is an iodine atom, nb2=0, Yb0 is a divalent linking group, Vb0 is a single bond, R0 is a fluorine atom, Rb1and Rb3-Rb15 are hydrogen atoms, Rb2 is a perfluoroalkyl group.
Therefore, the resist composition in Example 4 of Hatakeyama et al. anticipates the resist composition in claim 1 of the instant application.
With regard to claim 2, PAG-4 of Hatakeyama et al. is a compound (B0) including a compound (B01) represented by General Formula (b0-1), wherein nb1=3, X0 is an iodine atom, nb2=0, L01 is -OCO-, z=0, L02 is a single bond, Vb0 is a single bond, R0 is a fluorine atom, Rb1 and Rb3-Rb15 are hydrogen atoms, Rb2 is a perfluoroalkyl group.
With regard to claim 3, Quencher 4 of Hatakeyama et al. is a “base component (D) which traps an acid generated upon light exposure”, wherein the base component (D) contains a compound of General Formula (d1-1), wherein m=1, Mm+ is a monovalent cation, Rd1 is a chain alkyl which has a substituent.
With regard to claims 4 and 5, Hatakeyama et al. teach a process comprising the steps of:
-forming a resist film using the resist composition;
-exposing the resist film with EUV radiation through a mask; and
-developing the exposed resist film (par.0172).
With regard to claim 6, PAG-4 of Hatakeyama et al. is a compound of General Formula (b0), wherein nb1=3, X0 is an iodine atom, nb2=0, Yb0 is a divalent linking group, Vb0 is a single bond, R0 is a fluorine atom, Rb1 and Rb3-Rb15 are hydrogen atoms, Rb2 is a pefluoroalkyl group.
With regard to claim 7, PAG-4 of Hatakeyama et al. is a compound of General Formula (b0-1), wherein nb1=3, X0 is an iodine atom, nb2=0, L01 is -OCO-, z=0, L02 is a single bond, Vb0 is a single bond, R0 is a fluorine atom, Rb1 and Rb3-Rb15 are hydrogen atoms, Rb2 is a perfluoroalkyl group.
With regard to claim 8, PAG-4 of Hatakeyama et al. is an acid generator (see Table 1 in par.0174).
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.
Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatakeyama et al. (US 2021/0048746) in view of Yamazaki et al. (US 2016/0376233).
With regard to claims 9 and 10, Hatakeyama et al. teach PAG 4 of formula:
PNG
media_image2.png
288
352
media_image2.png
Greyscale
(par.0171), which is a compound of formula (b0’) in claim 9, wherein nb1=3, X0 is an iodine atom, nb2=0, L01 is -OCO-, z=0, L02 is a single bond, Vb0 is a single bond, R0 is a fluorine atom, m=1, and Mm+ is an organic cation.
Hatakeyama et al. fail to teach the process in claim 9 and the intermediate in claim 10.
Yamazaki et al. teach a positive type resists composition comprising a sulfonium salt (abstract), and further teach the method of obtaining the sulfonium salt:
PNG
media_image4.png
146
364
media_image4.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image5.png
136
334
media_image5.png
Greyscale
(par.0167).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to use the method of Yamazaki et al. and obtain the sulfonium salt PAG 4 of Hatakeyama et al.
PAG4 of Hatakeyama et al. may be obtained from the reaction of:
PNG
media_image6.png
170
378
media_image6.png
Greyscale
and
PNG
media_image7.png
152
316
media_image7.png
Greyscale
.
PNG
media_image6.png
170
378
media_image6.png
Greyscale
is a compound (B0p) in claims 9 and 10, wherein nb1=3, X0 is an iodine atom, nb2=0, L01 is -OCO-, z=0, L02 is a single bond, Vb0 is a single bond, R0 is a fluorine atom, m’=1, and Mpm’ is a Na+ (a metal cation).
PNG
media_image7.png
152
316
media_image7.png
Greyscale
is a compound of formula (C-3) in claim 9, wherein X- is a counter anion, m=1, and Mm+ is an organic cation.
Hatakeyama et al. and Yamazaki et al. fail to specifically teach that a compound of formula (b0-p) is obtained from the reaction of the compounds (C-1) and (C-2) in claim 9.
However, the compound of formula:
PNG
media_image6.png
170
378
media_image6.png
Greyscale
comprises an ester bond, and an ester bond is formed from the reaction of a carboxylic acid with an alcohol.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to obtain the compound above from the reaction of
PNG
media_image8.png
510
612
media_image8.png
Greyscale
with an acid of formula HOOC-CF2-SO3- Na+.
PNG
media_image8.png
510
612
media_image8.png
Greyscale
is a compound of formula (C-1) in claim 9, wherein nb1=3, X0 is an iodine atom, nb2=0, and a is a hydroxy group.
HOOC-CF2-SO3- Na+ is a compound of formula (C-2) in claim 9, wherein b is a carboxy group, z=0, L02 and Vb0 are single bonds, R0 is a fluorine atom, m’=1, and Mpm’ is a Na+ (a metal cation).
With regard to claim 11, Hatakeyama et al. teach PAG 4 of formula:
PNG
media_image2.png
288
352
media_image2.png
Greyscale
(par.0171), but does not teach the compound in claim 11.
Yamazaki et al. teach a positive type resists composition comprising a sulfonium salt (abstract), and further teach the method of obtaining the sulfonium salt:
PNG
media_image4.png
146
364
media_image4.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image5.png
136
334
media_image5.png
Greyscale
(par.0167).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to use the method of Yamazaki et al. and obtain the sulfonium salt PAG 4 of Hatakeyama et al.
The method uses a compound of formula:
PNG
media_image9.png
180
374
media_image9.png
Greyscale
, which is a compound of General Formula (b0-p-1), wherein nb1=3, X0 is an iodine atom, nb2=0, L001 is an ester bond (-OCO-), z=0, L02 is a single bond, Vb0 is a single bond, R0 is a fluorine atom, m=1, and Mm+ is a metal cation.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Hatakeyama et al. (US 2022/0004100) teach a photoresist composition comprising the polymer P-3 and the acid generator PAG-4:
PNG
media_image10.png
314
560
media_image10.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image11.png
138
292
media_image11.png
Greyscale
(Example 21 in Table 1, par.0183, PAG-4 in par.0180, and polymer P-3 in par.0175).
Hatakeyama et al. (US 2022/0057713) teach a photoresist composition comprising the polymer P-1 and the acid generator PAG-4:
PNG
media_image12.png
210
380
media_image12.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image13.png
214
412
media_image13.png
Greyscale
(Example 10 in Table 1, par.0192, polymer P-1 in par.0185, PAG-4 in par.0189).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANCA EOFF whose telephone number is (571)272-9810. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10am-6:30pm.
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, 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.
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.
/ANCA EOFF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
Prosecution Insights