Appeal No. 2004-1436
Application No. 09/583,865
re-baking said semiconductor substrate;
exposing said overlying layer material and resist to light
beams to form a resist pattern;
post-baking said semiconductor substrate;
developing said resist using a predetermined developing
solution; and
removing said overlying layer material together with said
developing solution.
9. An article comprising an overlying layer material
covering a resist layer, the overlying layer comprising a water-
soluble acid substances and a water-soluble photo base generator.
The examiner relies upon the following references as
evidence of obviousness:
Watanabe et al. (Watanabe) 5,529,888 Jun. 25, 1996
Winkle 5,650,261 Jul. 22, 1997
Kazumasa et al. (JP '630) JP 06-118630 Apr. 28, 1994
(Japanese patent)
Appellants' claimed invention is directed to incorporating a
water-soluble photo base generator into an overlying layer which
covers a pattern-forming resist layer. It is conventional in the
art to use a cover film comprising an acidic component which
deactivates basic components of the air that negatively impact
the acid forming agent of the resist. According to appellants,
however, the conventional approach results in the undesirable
diffusion of acid into the underlying resist layer. Appellants'
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