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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, Species A, indicating claims 1-3, in the reply filed on February 9, 2026 is acknowledged.
Following a search of the elected invention, the Examiner withdraws the election requirement between Species A-C because the search burden did not exist. Accordingly, claims 6-9 are elected with Groups A-C.
Claims 4, 5, and 10-18 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to one of the nonelected Group II or Species D, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1 and 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wise et al. [US 2014/0193755].
For claim 1, Wise teaches a system for lithographically patterning semiconductor substrates (see Fig. 1) comprising:
an electromagnetic (EM) radiation source (EUV source, see [0014]);
an optical assembly (optics system with various mirrors, see [0025] and Fig.1); and
an exposure chamber (vacuum enclosure) comprising a substrate support (stage and chuck) and an electrode assembly (conductive plate and conductive chuck, see [0014]), the EM radiation source being configured for generating electromagnetic radiation (see Fig. 1), the optical assembly being constructed and arranged for directing the EM radiation towards the substrate support (see Fig. 1), the substrate support being constructed and arranged for supporting a semiconductor substrate (substrate), and the electrode assembly being constructed and arranged for applying an electric field (see [0013] and [0020]-[0023] and Fig. 3) to an EM-sensitive layer (photoresist) comprised in the semiconductor substrate.
For claim 6, Wise teaches the electrode assembly is constructed and arranged for transversally applying the electric field to the EM-sensitive layer (electric field is predominantly along the direction perpendicular to a horizontal interface between the top surface of the substrate 10 and the bottom surface of the EUV photoresist layer 20, see Figs. 1 and 3 and [0031]).
For claim 7, Wise teaches the electrode assembly (see Fig. 1) comprises a first electrode (conductive chuck) and a second electrode (conductive plate), wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the substrate support, and wherein the second electrode is positioned substantially parallel with the semiconductor substrate, between the semiconductor substrate and the EM radiation source (see the arrangement in Fig. 1).
For claim 8, Wise teaches the electrode assembly comprises a first electrode (conductive chuck) and a second electrode (conductive plate), wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate (shorted to the substrate, see [0014]), and wherein the second electrode is positioned substantially parallel with the semiconductor substrate, between the semiconductor substrate and the EM radiation source (see the arrangement in Fig. 1).
For claim 9, Wise teaches the EM radiation source comprises an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source (see [0014]).
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 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wise in view of Kim et al. [US 2005/0074703].
For claims 2 and 3, Wise fails to teach the electrode assembly is constructed and arranged for laterally applying the electric field to the EM-sensitive layer, wherein the electrode assembly comprises two electrodes that are positioned adjacent to the substrate support.
Kim teaches the electrode assembly (pair of electrodes 11, see Fig. 1 and [0023]) is constructed and arranged for laterally applying the electric field to the EM-sensitive layer, wherein the electrode assembly comprises two electrodes that are positioned adjacent to the substrate support (adjacent the support 9, see Fig. 1 and [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the electrode assembly for laterally applying the electric field to the EM-sensitive layer as taught by Kim in the electrode assembly of the exposure apparatus as taught by Wise because the lateral electric field allows for producing finer pattern widths (see [0041] of Kim).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Bristol et al. [US 2005/0074706], Mickan et al. [US 2005/0231704], Koh et al. [US 2014/0327894], Weng et al. [US 2020/0019070], and Ki [US 2022/0244646] each teach applying an electric field to the substrate during exposure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Steven H Whitesell whose telephone number is (571)270-3942. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM (MST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duane Smith can be reached at 571-272-1166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Steven H Whitesell/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759