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 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.
Claim(s) 1 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2019082934 A1 (hereby referred to as WO ‘934).
Regarding Claim 1, WO ‘934 discloses a semiconductor device production method employing a silicon-containing resist underlayer film forming composition. The silicon-containing resist underlayer film forming composition comprises a polysiloxane derived from a hydrolyzed condensate of a silane (WO ‘934, paragraph 0008 of the English translation). The silane includes a mixture of silanes having formula (1) and at least one of formulas (2) and (3) (WO ‘934, paragraph 0046 of the English translation). Formula (2) has the formula R4cSi(R5)4-c and Formula (3) has the formula [R6dSi(R7)3-d]2Ye (refer to page 5 of WO ‘934). R4 is an organic group (such as alkyl, aryl, alkoxyaryl, alkenyl, etc.) and R5 is an alkoxy group, acyloxy group, or halogen group (WO ‘934, paragraph 0048 of the English translation). R6 is an alkyl group, R7 is an alkoxy group, acyloxy group, or halogen group, and Y represents an alkylene group or arylene group (WO ‘934, paragraph 0049 of the English translation). In one example, a polysiloxane is produced by combining tetraethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, succinic anhydride propyltriethoxysilane, and dimethylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane (WO ‘934, paragraph 0122 of the English translation). The resulting hydrolysis condensate comprises a hydrolysable silane represented by Formula (1) according to instant claim 1 (succinic anhydride propyltriethoxysilane) and a hydrolysable silane represented by Formula (4) according to instant claim 5 (tetraethoxysilane). A resist underlayer film forming composition comprising the polysiloxane, an acid, and solvent was then produced (WO ‘934, paragraph 0136 and Table 1 on page 86 of WO ‘934).
Regarding Claim 8, WO ‘934 discloses that a silicon-containing resist underlayer film is formed using the composition described above (WO ‘934, paragraph 0142-0143 of the English translation).
Regarding Claim 9, WO ‘934 discloses a method wherein a first organic underlayer is applied to a substrate and the silicon-containing resist underlayer described above is formed over the organic underlayer (WO ‘934, paragraph 0095 of the English translation). A resist film is then formed over the silicon-containing resist underlayer (WO ‘934, paragraph 0095 of the English translation) and exposed to EUV light using a lithography system (WO ‘934, paragraph 0097-0098 of the English translation). The resist is then developed to produce a resist pattern (WO ‘934, paragraph 0099 of the English translation). The resist pattern is used as an etching mask to pattern the silicon-containing resist underlayer (WO ‘934, paragraph 0104 of the English translation) and then the organic underlayer is patterned using the silicon-containing resist underlayer as an etching mask (WO ‘934, paragraph 0105 of the English translation).
Regarding Claim 10, WO ‘934 discloses that the mask layer (i.e. the organic underlayer film containing the resist and the resist underlayer film) is removed using a chemical solution containing hydrogen peroxide after completing pattern transfer (WO ‘934, paragraph 0107 of the English translation).
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) 2-7 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2019082934 A1 (hereby referred to as WO ‘934).
Regarding Claims 2-3 and 6-7, WO ‘934 discloses a resist underlayer film forming composition according to instant claim 1, as explained above. The exemplary composition (Composition 10, refer to above) includes the polysiloxane polymer formed from a hydrolysable silane according to the instant application’s Formula (1) and a mixed solvent. The exemplary composition does not contain a salt compound having a cation AX+ and an anion AZ-. However, the broader disclosure of WO ‘934 discloses that the silicon-containing resist underlayer film forming composition may optionally contain a photoacid generator or a thermal acid generator (WO ‘934, paragraph 0082 of the English translation). Acid generators used may be onium salt compounds (WO ‘934, paragraph 0083 of the English translation). Particular examples of onium salts include diphenyliodonium sulfonate salts (such as diphenyliodonium trifluoromethanesulfonate, diphenyliodonium nonafluoron-butanesulfonate, and the like) or triphenylsulfonium sulfonate salts (such as triphenylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate, triphenylsulfonium nonfluoron-butanesulfonate, and the like) (WO ‘934, paragraph 0084 of the English translation). The iodonium and sulfonium salts described above are compounds having a cation AX+ (diphenyliodonium or triphenylsulfonium) and an anion AZ- having the formula (A) (trifluoremethansulfonate, the smallest of the named anions, has a molecular weight of about 149). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to include a sulfonate-containing acid generator, as taught by WO ‘934, in the exemplary resist underlayer composition disclosed by WO ‘934 because including the acid generator allows for the acidity of the underlayer to be adjusted, which allows for adjustments to the pattern shape of the resist layer formed (WO ‘934, paragraph 0083). Additionally, increasing acidity of the layer by adding an acid generator improves solubility in a basic solution, such as those used to strip layers from the substrate.
Regarding Claims 4-5, WO ‘934 discloses a semiconductor device production method employing a silicon-containing resist underlayer film forming composition. The silicon-containing resist underlayer film forming composition comprises a polysiloxane derived from a hydrolyzed condensate of a silane (WO ‘934, paragraph 0008 of the English translation). The silane includes a mixture of silanes having formula (1) and at least one of formulas (2) and (3) (WO ‘934, paragraph 0046 of the English translation). Formula (2) has the formula R4cSi(R5)4-c and Formula (3) has the formula [R6dSi(R7)3-d]2Ye (refer to page 5 of WO ‘934). R4 is an organic group (such as alkyl, aryl, alkoxyaryl, alkenyl, etc.) and R5 is an alkoxy group, acyloxy group, or halogen group (WO ‘934, paragraph 0048 of the English translation). R6 is an alkyl group, R7 is an alkoxy group, acyloxy group, or halogen group, and Y represents an alkylene group or arylene group (WO ‘934, paragraph 0049 of the English translation). In one example, a polysiloxane is produced by combining tetraethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, succinic anhydride propyltriethoxysilane, and dimethylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane (WO ‘934, paragraph 0122 of the English translation). The resulting hydrolysis condensate comprises a hydrolysable silane represented by Formula (1) according to instant claim 1 (succinic anhydride propyltriethoxysilane) and a hydrolysable silane represented by Formula (4) according to instant claim 5 (tetraethoxysilane). A resist underlayer film forming composition comprising the polysiloxane, an acid, and solvent was then produced (WO ‘934, paragraph 0136 and Table 1 on page 86 of WO ‘934).
The exemplary polysiloxane disclosed by WO ‘934 and outlined above does not include a hydrolysable silane containing an alkenyl group. However, the broader disclosure of WO ‘934 discloses that hydrolysable silanes including alkenyl groups may be used (WO ‘934, paragraph 0048 and 0050 of the English translation). Examples of such a hydrolysable silane includes vinyltriethoxysilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, and the like (WO ‘934, paragraph 0051 of the English translation). WO ‘934 further discloses an exemplary polysiloxane that comprises vinyltrimethoxysilane (WO ‘934, paragraph 0124 of the English translation). The inclusion of a vinyl group in the hydrolysable silane yields a lower etching rate (refer to Table 5 on page 91 of WO ‘934, particularly examples 10 and 12). Thus, one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application would find the inclusion of an alkenyl-containing hydrolysable silane to produce the polysiloxane disclosed by WO ‘934 to be obvious because the inclusion of an alkenyl-containing hydrolysable monomer allows for further control of the etching rate. Furthermore, the inclusion of the alkenyl-containing hydrolysable silane provides a reactive site that further crosslinks the obtained polysiloxane, which provides benefits of increased mechanical properties compared to a lesser crosslinked polymer. The inclusion of an alkenyl-containing hydrolysable silane in the composition according to Example 10 of WO ‘934 would yield a the resist underlayer composition according to instant claims 4 and 5.
Regarding Claim 12, WO ‘934 discloses that a silicon-containing resist underlayer film is formed using the composition described above (WO ‘934, paragraph 0142-0143 of the English translation).
Regarding Claim 13, WO ‘934 discloses a method wherein a first organic underlayer is applied to a substrate and the silicon-containing resist underlayer described above is formed over the organic underlayer (WO ‘934, paragraph 0095 of the English translation). A resist film is then formed over the silicon-containing resist underlayer (WO ‘934, paragraph 0095 of the English translation) and exposed to EUV light using a lithography system (WO ‘934, paragraph 0097-0098 of the English translation). The resist is then developed to produce a resist pattern (WO ‘934, paragraph 0099 of the English translation). The resist pattern is used as an etching mask to pattern the silicon-containing resist underlayer (WO ‘934, paragraph 0104 of the English translation) and then the organic underlayer is patterned using the silicon-containing resist underlayer as an etching mask (WO ‘934, paragraph 0105 of the English translation).
Regarding Claim 14, WO ‘934 discloses that the mask layer (i.e. the organic underlayer film containing the resist and the resist underlayer film) is removed using a chemical solution containing hydrogen peroxide after completing pattern transfer (WO ‘934, paragraph 0107 of the English translation).
Claim(s) 11 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2019082934 A1 (hereby referred to as WO ‘934) in view of US 20170003595 A1 (hereby referred to as Aoki).
Regarding Claims 11 and 15, WO ‘934 discloses a pattern forming method according to instant claims 10 and 14, as discussed above. In the pattern forming method, the mask layer is removed using a chemical solution after patterning is completed. However, WO ‘934 is silent in regards to the use of a basic chemical solution to perform the mask layer removal.
Aoki teaches a pattern-forming method. The method includes forming a resist underlayer film on a substrate (Aoki, paragraph 0019), forming a silicon-containing film over the resist underlayer film (Aoki, paragraph 0117), forming a resist pattern on the silicon-containing film (Aoki, paragraph 0158), etching the underlying layers using the resist pattern as an etching mask (Aoki, paragraph 0159), and removing the underlayers (Aoki, paragraph 0151). The removing of the underlayers is considered analogous to the step of removing the mask layer disclosed by WO ‘934. Aoki teaches that the underlayers are removed using a basic aqueous solution (Aoki, paragraph 0151), wherein the basic aqueous solution may contain an aqueous solution of common bases or a composition obtained by mixing ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and water (Aoki, paragraph 0153). Thus, Aoki teaches the removal of underlayers with a basic chemical solution.
WO ‘934 and Aoki are analogous art because both references pertain to patterning methods using silicon-containing resist underlayers. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to remove the underlayers using a basic chemical solution following pattern transfer, as taught by Aoki, in the method disclosed by WO ‘934 because the use of a basic chemical solution allows for the underlayers to be removed without causing severe damage to the substrate and reprocessing of the substrate is enabled (Aoki, paragraph 0152).
Conclusion
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/JAYSON D COSGROVE/Examiner, Art Unit 1737
/JONATHAN JOHNSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1734
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