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 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: The second-to-last line of claim 4 recites “triphenylsulfonium antiomate”. The term “antiomate” is seemingly a typographical error. Paragraph 0072 of the instant application’s specification describes an acid generator called triphenylsulfonium antimonate, which the Examiner believes is what claim 4 should state instead. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities: The second line of claim 15 recites “isoobutyl isobutyrate”. The term “isoobutyl” is seemingly a typographical error. Paragraph 0075 of the instant application’s specification describes a solvent called isobutyl isobutyrate, which the Examiner believes is what claim 15 should state instead. Appropriate correction is required.
For the purposes of examining claim 4, “triphenylsulfonium antiomate” will be interpreted to mean triphenylsulfonium antimonate instead. For the purposes of examining claim 15, “isoobutyl isobutyrate” will be interpreted to mean isobutyl isobutyrate.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5, 10-13, 18, and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20210088904 A1 (hereby referred to as deVilliers).
Regarding Claim 1, deVilliers discloses a method of forming a narrow trench on a substrate (deVilliers, Abstract). The method involves forming a patterned resist layer on a substrate, depositing a grafting material (which includes a solubility-shifting material) on the patterned resist layer, diffusing the solubility-shifting material by a predetermined distance, and developing the resist layer to remove soluble portions of the resist layer (deVilliers, paragraph 0030-0033 and Fig. 1). The patterned resist layer is formed by providing a first layer on the substrate (deVilliers, paragraph 0030), and the patterning may be performed by multiple exposure steps using two masks (i.e. a first pattern and a second pattern) (deVilliers, paragraph 0062). The resist layer is developed to form a relief pattern prior to deposition of the solubility-shifting agent (deVilliers, paragraph 0039-0040). In one embodiment, first and second trenches are formed such that the trenches are spaced apart from each other (deVilliers, paragraph 0055). The diffusion of the solubility-shifting agent allows for the space between the two trenches to become soluble in the developer, such that development of the resist layer causes the two trenches to merge together (deVilliers, paragraph 0057). Refer to Fig. 7A-7D and 7P-7Q of deVilliers. Thus, deVilliers discloses the method according to instant claim 1.
Regarding Claims 2 and 5, deVilliers discloses that the solubility-shifting material includes a thermal acid generator or a photo acid generator (deVilliers, paragraph 0011). In alternative embodiments, the solubility-shifting material includes an acid (deVilliers, paragraph 0057).
Regarding Claims 10-11, deVilliers discloses that following deposition of the grafting material (i.e. the solubility-shifting agent), a bake process is performed (deVilliers, paragraph 0035). The baking process causes the solubility-shifting agent to diffuse (deVilliers, paragraph 0042).
Regarding Claims 12-13, deVilliers discloses that the resist material may be a positive-type or a negative-type photoresist (deVilliers, paragraph 0003). Positive tone developers (PTD) and negative tone developers (NTD) are used in the method to develop the resist layer (deVilliers, paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 18, deVilliers discloses that in some embodiments a positive tone developer (PTD) containing a base is used to remove soluble portions of the resist layer (deVilliers, paragraph 0051). Thus, this embodiment utilizes a positive tone resist and the developer is a basic developer.
Regarding Claims 21-22, deVilliers discloses a method of forming a narrow trench on a substrate (deVilliers, Abstract). The method involves forming a patterned resist layer on a substrate, depositing a grafting material (which includes a solubility-shifting material) on the patterned resist layer, applying a filler material on the substrate (wherein the filler material may be a second photoresist material), diffusing the solubility-shifting material by a predetermined distance, and developing the resist layer to remove soluble portions of the resist layer (deVilliers, paragraph 0034-0037 and Fig. 2). Diffusion of the solubility-shifting material may be performed such that the solubility-shifting material diffuses into the second resist layer (deVilliers, paragraph 0037). Alternatively, the diffusion of the solubility-shifting material may be into the structure formed in the first resist layer (deVilliers, paragraph 0029). The patterned resist layer is formed by providing a first layer on the substrate (deVilliers, paragraph 0034), and the patterning may be performed by multiple exposure steps using two masks (i.e. a first pattern and a second pattern) (deVilliers, paragraph 0062). The resist layer is developed to form a relief pattern prior to deposition of the solubility-shifting agent (deVilliers, paragraph 0039-0040). In one embodiment, first and second trenches are formed such that the trenches are spaced apart from each other (deVilliers, paragraph 0055). The diffusion of the solubility-shifting agent allows for the space between the two trenches to become soluble in the developer, such that development of the resist layer causes the two trenches to merge together (deVilliers, paragraph 0057). Refer to Fig. 7A-7D and 7P-7Q of deVilliers. Thus, deVilliers discloses the method according to instant claims 21-22.
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.
Claim(s) 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210088904 A1 (hereby referred to as deVilliers) in view of US 20190137871 A1 (hereby referred to as Lee).
Regarding Claims 3-4, deVilliers discloses a method according to instant claim 1, as explained above. Furthermore, deVilliers discloses that the solubility-shifting agent may be an acid generator (deVilliers, paragraphs 0011). However, deVilliers is silent in regards to specific acid generators utilized.
Lee teaches a photoresist composition. The photoresist composition taught by Lee includes a polymeric resin and a photoacid generator (Lee, paragraph 0033). The polymeric resin may be considered analogous to the resist material of deVilliers and the photoacid generator may be considered analogous to the acid generator solubility-shifting agent. The photoacid may be triphenylsulfonium antimonate (Lee, paragraph 0040), which is an acid generator free of fluorine. The use of such an acid generating species prevents pattern defects that may deteriorate pattern accuracy (Lee, paragraph 0041).
DeVilliers and Lee are analogous art because both references pertain to resist compositions and the patterning of the same. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to use triphenylsulfonium antimonate, as taught by Lee, as the acid generator in the method disclosed by deVilliers because such an acid generator prevents patterning defects caused by excessive acid generation (Lee, paragraph 0041).
Claim(s) 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210088904 A1 (hereby referred to as deVilliers) in view of US 20160011508 A1 (hereby referred to as Nagahara).
Regarding Claims 6-7, deVilliers discloses a method according to instant claim 1, as explained above. Furthermore, deVilliers discloses that the solubility-shifting agent may be an acid component (deVilliers, paragraphs 0057). However, deVilliers is silent in regards to specific acids utilized.
Nagahara teaches a composition for forming a fine resist pattern and a pattern formation method using the same. The composition comprises a polymer, a solvent, and an acid (Nagahara, paragraph 0017-0021). The polymer can be considered analogous to the resist layer disclosed by deVilliers, and the acid can be considered analogous to the solubility-shifting agent. The acid contained in the composition may be selected from a list of organic acids (Nagahara, paragraph 0045). It is preferred that the acid is p-toluenesulfonic acid, due to this acid having a high boiling point (Nagahara, paragraph 0045).
DeVilliers and Nagahara are analogous art because both references pertain to patterning methods for resist compositions. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to use p-toluenesulfonic acid, as taught by Nagahara, as the acid solubility-shifting agent disclosed by deVilliers because p-toluenesulfonic acid has a high boiling point and does not volatilize much when heated (Nagahara, paragraph 0045). As noted above, the diffusing process disclosed by deVilliers involves a heating process (deVilliers, paragraph 0042). Thus, one having ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that a solubility-shifting agent that does not volatilize during heating (i.e. during the diffusing process) is useful for the method disclosed by deVilliers.
Claim(s) 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210088904 A1 (hereby referred to as deVilliers) in view of US 20140178820 A1 (hereby referred to as Hatakeyama).
Regarding Claims 8-9, deVilliers discloses a method according to instant claim 1, as explained above. Furthermore, deVilliers discloses that the solubility-shifting agent may be an acid generator or an acid component (deVilliers, paragraphs 0011 and 0057). However, deVilliers is silent in regards to a matrix polymer as the solubility-shifting agent.
Hatakeyama teaches a resist composition and a patterning process. The resist composition comprises an alkali-soluble resin (Hatakeyama, paragraph 0038). In one embodiment, the resin comprises a recurring unit according to (b1) to (b3) (Hatakeyama, paragraph 0104). The repeat unit (b2) represents (meth)acrylate type polymer repeating unit containing an ester group (refer to page 84 of Hatakeyama). Furthermore, each of the repeating units (b1) to (b3) contain a sulfonium salt, which acts as an acid-generating species (Hatakeyama, paragraph 0106).
DeVilliers and Hatakeyama are analogous art because both references pertain to patterning methods for resist compositions. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to use a polymer having an acid-generating group (such as repeat unit (b2)), as taught by Hatakeyama, as the solubility-shifting agent disclosed by deVilliers because including an acid generating group in a polymer main chain allows for better control of the acid diffusion, and thus improves edge roughness of the resulting pattern (Hatakeyama, paragraph 0106).
Claim(s) 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210088904 A1 (hereby referred to as deVilliers) in view of US 20190219922 A1 (hereby referred to as Kaneko).
Regarding Claims 14-17, deVilliers discloses a method according to instant claim 1, as explained above. However, deVilliers is silent in regards to the use of a solvent as a solubility-shifting agent.
Kaneko teaches a resist composition and a pattern forming method. The resist composition comprises a resin soluble in an alkali developer and insoluble in organic solvent (Kaneko, paragraph 0111). The resin is derived from (meth)acrylic monomers (Kaneko, paragraph 0351). Kaneko further teaches that saturated hydrocarbon solvents may be employed to adjust the solubility of the resist film (Kaneko, paragraph 0605). Particular solvents named include decane (Kaneko, paragraph 0605).
DeVilliers and Kaneko are analogous art because both references pertain to patterning methods for resist compositions. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to use a solvent such as decane as a solubility-shifting agent, as taught by Kaneko, in place of the solubility-shifting agent disclosed by deVilliers because it is taught that saturated hydrocarbon solvents, including decane, are useful in tuning the solubility of the resist film (Kaneko, paragraph 0605). Thus, decane would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to be used as a solubility-shifting agent.
Conclusion
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/JAYSON D COSGROVE/Examiner, Art Unit 1737
/NICHOLAS A WANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1734
