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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: In lines 10 and 11, the definition for La is in parentheses, which should be deleted and replaced by “,”. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1, 2, 7, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hensen et al (WO2022/016124).
Hansen et al disclose a patterning method including depositing a metal (Ta or Sn and Ta mixture, claim 1)-containing photoresist onto a substrate, dry/ perform a post-application baking process, performing EUV exposure through a mask, post-baking, and developing to form a pattern, wherein the developer may include an etchant which may be a strong acid such as a phosphorus-containing acid (figure 3A, [0092], [0200], [0202], [0203]; instant claims 1 and 2).
The reference material preferably includes a Ta or more preferably, a Ta compound and a Sn compound, wherein the compounds have a structure falling within the scope of the instant claims 7 and 8. Specifically, compound includes the following formulas, wherein exemplified compounds include alkyl, alkoxy, and carbonyloxy groups.
PNG
media_image1.png
40
142
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
138
548
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
276
552
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Preferred compounds include those wherein R is alkyl and L is alkoxy (OR) ([0107]-[0152]; instant claims 7 and 8).
The reference fails to specifically disclose that the thickness of the resist film after development, or wherein the surface of the resist film after development comprises 5 to 20% of phosphorus or sulfur. However, the reference teaches that the surface of the metal-containing resist film after development comprises a hydrophobic surface and the removal by developer is leveraged by differences in chemical composition between the exposed and unexposed portions and crosslinking of the film ([0092], [0160], [0161], [0200], [0203]), and the reference material includes a material metal-containing compound similar to that as claimed, and a developer comprising a phosphorous-containing acid, one of ordinary skill in the art would have expected the material to react to EUV exposure and to contact with phosphorous acid-containing developer wherein the surface groups of the material and the acid result in the thickness of the resist increasing after exposure, and the resultant material would comprise phosphorous groups on the surface as instantly claimed and in amounts as claimed.
Given the teachings of the reference, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to prepare the material of Hensen et al, choosing to perform the method including a strong acid such as a phosphorous-containing acid in the developer, wherein the resultant method, material, and developer would also meet the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hensen et al in view of Yaguchi et al (JP 2008-216843 and its machine translation).
Hensen et al has been discussed above. The reference teaches including a strong acid in its developer, but fails to specifically teach or suggest the specifically claimed compounds in amounts.
Yaguchi et al is analogous art, disclosing a stripper composition for a resist usable with metal wiring materials, wherein the developer includes an organic solvent and 0.01 to 20 weight% of the phosphorous-containing compound (claim 1, abstract; instant claims 1 and 3). Preferred phosphorus-containing acids include phosphoric acid, phosphonic acid, phosphinic acid as claimed by the instant claims 2, 4, and 5 (claim 3).
Given the teachings of the references wherein each of Hensen et al and Yaguchi et al both teach resist removing compositions, and that the Hensen et al reference teach that strong acids including phosphorous-containing acids, may be included in the developer, 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 composition and method of Hensen et al, choosing to include the acid taught by Yaguchi et al for use in developer compositions as the strong acid in the developer of Hensen et al, wherein the resultant material and method would meet the limitations of the instant claims.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hensen et al in view of Waller et al (2018/0046086).
Hensen et al has been discussed above. The reference teaches including a strong acid in its developer, but fails to specifically teach or suggest the specifically claimed compounds in amounts.
Waller et al disclose a method of removing resist edge beads from metal-containing resists ([0014]), wherein the composition comprises an organic solvent and an additive (claim 1). The reference further provides that the additive which is preferably a sulfonic acid, sulfuric acid, or phosphoric acid (or mixture thereof, claims 18 and 24), specifically p-toluenesulphonic acid, sulfuric acid, benzene sulfonic acid (claim 7; instant claim 6). The additive is included in an amount of about 0.1 to about 25 wt% which overlaps the claimed range (examples in tables 3, 5, and 6 employ 0.5%, 1%, 3%,2%, 5%, 7%, and 10% additive; instant claim 3).
The edge bead removal rinse is performed exposure and before and post-development thermal / baking treatment or post-processing ([0027]) to remove material from the selected portion of the wafer. The composition is a resist removal composition for metal-containing resists and is analogous art to resist removal solutions such as developers.
Given the teachings of the references wherein each of Hensen et al and Waller et al both teach resist removing compositions, and that the Hensen et al reference teach that strong acids including phosphorous-containing acids and other strong acids, may be included in the developer, 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 composition and method of Hensen et al, choosing to include the acid taught by Waller et al for use in removal compositions as the strong acid in the developer of Hensen et al, wherein the resultant material and method would meet the limitations of the instant claims.
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.
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.
/AMANDA C. WALKE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
Prosecution Insights