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
Claims 11-15 of Group II, are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election of claims 1-10, 16-20 of Group I, was made without traverse in the reply filed on April 2, 2026.
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 1-10, 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a/1) as being anticipated by Fukui (Clarivate Analytics English translation of KR-2020-0108887-A).
Regarding claim 1, Fukui teaches a chemical liquid (chemical solution, last para of page 10, 3rd last para of page 12), used for manufacturing a semiconductor (3rd last para of page 3), comprising: a silylation agent ((IV) a silazane compound represented by the general formula [4]), last para of page 10); an aprotic solvent ((III) raw material chemical solution having an aprotic solvent, 4th last para of page 10); and an alcohol (protic compound (AH), last para of page 10, alcohol, paras 4-5 of page 11), wherein a content of the alcohol is 62 ppm by mass with respect to a total mass of the chemical liquid ((((62 g/mol x 0.001 mol) of ethylene glycol/1,000 g of total amount) x 1,000,000 ppm), 0.001 mol with respect to 1 kg of the total amount of II, III and IV, 3rd last para of page 11, ethylene glycol, 4th last para of page 11, has molecular weight of 62 g/mol), which is within the claimed range of 5 to 200 ppm by mass.
Regarding claim 2, Fukui teaches that the silylation agent contains a compound having a Si-N bond (a silazane compound represented by the general formula [4]), last para of page 10, hexamethyldisilazane, 5th para of page 17). .
Regarding claims 3-4, 16-17, Fukui teaches that the silylation agent contains a silazane compound (a silazane compound represented by the general formula [4]), last para of page 10, hexamethyldisilazane, 5th para of page 17).
Regarding claims 5, 18, Fukui teaches that the chemical liquid further contains water (4th para of page 11), and a content of the water is 100 ppm by mass or less with respect to the total mass of the chemical liquid (last para of page 1, 1st para of page 2), or 18 ppm by mass ((((18 g/mol x 0.001 mol) of water/1,000 g of total amount) x 1,000,000 ppm), 0.001 mol with respect to 1 kg of the total amount of II, III and IV, 3rd last para of page 11, water (H2O) has molecular weight of 18 g/mol).
Regarding claims 6, 19, Fukui teaches that the alcohol has 6 or less carbon atoms (4th para of page 11), which is within the claimed range of 10 or less carbon atoms.
Regarding claims 7, 20, Fukui teaches that the alcohol has two hydroxyl groups (ethylene glycol, 4th last para of page 11).
Regarding claim 8, Fukui teaches that the content of the alcohol is 62 ppm by mass with respect to a total mass of the chemical liquid ((((62 g/mol x 0.001 mol) of ethylene glycol/1,000 g of total amount) x 1,000,000 ppm), 0.001 mol with respect to 1 kg of the total amount of II, III and IV, 3rd last para of page 11, ethylene glycol, 4th last para of page 11, has molecular weight of 62 g/mol), which is within the claimed range of 5 to 150 ppm.
Regarding claim 9, Fukui teaches a chemical liquid (chemical solution, last para of page 10, 3rd last para of page 12) used for manufacturing a semiconductor (3rd last para of page 3), comprising: a silylation agent ((IV) a silazane compound represented by the general formula [4]), last para of page 10); an aprotic solvent ((III) raw material chemical solution having an aprotic solvent, 4th last para of page 10); and an alcohol (protic compound (AH), last para of page 10, alcohol, paras 4-5 of page 11), wherein a content of the alcohol is 62 ppm by mass with respect to a total mass of the chemical liquid ((((62 g/mol x 0.001 mol) of ethylene glycol/1,000 g of total amount) x 1,000,000 ppm), 0.001 mol with respect to 1 kg of the total amount of II, III and IV, 3rd last para of page 11, ethylene glycol, 4th last para of page 11, has molecular weight of 62 g/mol), which is within the claimed range of 5 to 200 ppm by mass.
Regarding claim 10, Fukui teaches that the chemical liquid is used in treating a substrate (wafer, 4th para of page 3) having, on a surface, at least two regions made of different materials (inorganic pattern and resin pattern, 4th para of page 3).
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Sow-Fun Hon whose telephone number is (571)272-1492. The examiner is on a flexible schedule but can usually be reached during a regular workweek between the hours of 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Aaron Austin, can be reached at (571)272-8935. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300.
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/Sophie Hon/
Sow-Fun Hon
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1782
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