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 .
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 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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-8 in the reply filed on July 27, 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 9-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sasaki et al. (US20200024750).
Regarding claim 1, Sasaki discloses an etching composition which selectively removes an etching target (abstract), the etching composition comprising: an amine compound containing a tertiary amine (triethanolamine, paragraph 0039); and an oxidizing agent (hydrogen peroxide, paragraph 0035).
Regarding claim 2, Sasaki discloses the composition further comprising an alkali compound (ammonia, paragraph 0036).
Regarding claim 3, Sasaki discloses wherein the alkali compound is ammonia (paragraph 0036).
Regarding claim 4, Sasaki discloses wherein the oxidizing agent contains a peroxide (hydrogen peroxide, paragraph 0035).
Regarding claim 5, Sasaki discloses an organic solvent (methanol, paragraph 0057).
Regarding claim 6, Sasaki discloses wherein the etching composition is an aqueous etching solution containing water (paragraph 0058).
Regarding claim 7, Sasaki discloses a chelating agent (paragraph 0055).
Regarding claim 8, Sasaki discloses wherein the tertiary amine does not include a cyclic tertiary amine (triethanolamine, paragraph 0039).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIONG-PING LU whose telephone number is (571) 270-1135. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 9:00am – 5:00pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua L Allen, can be reached at telephone number (571)270-3176. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JIONG-PING LU/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1713
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