DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the at least one conductive layer of the anode layer stack” in the last line of claim 1 should be changed to “one of the at least two ITO layers of the anode layer stack”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fusella et al. (US 2020/0295307 A1; hereinafter “Fusella”) in view of Lee et al. (US 2017/0115030 A1; hereinafter “Lee”).
Regarding claim 23, Fusella teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED), comprising: an emissive layer stack (350) having an anode side (a bottom side facing 352) and a cathode side (a top side facing 310), comprising at least one emissive layer comprising an organic emissive material (135 including an organic emissive material) (Figs. 1 and 8B and paragraphs 29, 34, 58-59, and 65-66); an anode layer stack (115/352) positioned on the anode side of the emissive layer stack (Figs. 1 and 8B and paragraphs 29, 58, and 65-66); a cathode layer stack (160/310) positioned on the cathode side of the emissive layer stack from the anode layer stack, comprising at least one conductive layer (Figs. 1 and 8B and paragraphs 29, 58, and 65-66); and no more than two reflectors selected from the group consisting of: a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), a metal mirror, and a stack comprising at least one semiconductive layer (320 and 810 formed of DBR) (Fig. 8B and paragraphs 56-57 and 65-66), wherein a first reflector (320) of the no more than two reflectors is positioned on the anode side of the emissive layer stack (Fig. 8B and paragraphs 57 and 65-66), and wherein a second reflector (810) of the no more than two reflectors is positioned on the cathode side of the emissive layer stack (Fig. 8B and paragraphs 65-66).
Fusella does not tech that the anode layer stack comprises a first indium tin oxide (ITO) layer, a second ITO layer, and a metal layer positioned between the first ITO layer and the second ITO layer. Lee teaches an organic light emitting diode (an organic light emitting diode OLED), comprising: an anode layer stack (an anode AN) comprising a first ITO layer, a second ITO layer, and a metal layer positioned between the first ITO layer and the second ITO layer (AN formed of a multi-layer structure of ITO/Ag/ITO) (Fig. 2 and paragraphs 42-43). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Fusella with that of Lee in order to utilize a multi-layer configuration ITO/Ag/ITO for the anode layer stack of the OLED as a readily available anode electrode material choice known in the art for obtaining the desired conductive properties.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 10, and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fusella in view of Choong et al. (US 2006/0066220 A1; hereinafter “Choong”) and Lee et al. (US 2017/0115030 A1; hereinafter “Lee”).
Regarding claim 1, Fusella teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED), comprising: an emissive layer stack (350) having an anode side (a bottom side facing 352) and a cathode side (a top side facing 310), comprising at least one emissive layer comprising an organic emissive material (135 including an organic emissive material) (Figs. 1 and 8B and paragraphs 29, 34, 58-59, and 65-66); an anode layer stack (115/352) positioned on the anode side of the emissive layer stack (Figs. 1 and 8B and paragraphs 29, 58, and 65-66); a cathode layer stack (160/310) positioned on the cathode side of the emissive layer stack from the anode layer stack, comprising at least one conductive layer (Figs. 1 and 8B and paragraphs 29, 58, and 65-66); an anode-side reflector (320) positioned on the anode side of the emissive layer stack (Fig. 8B and paragraphs 57 and 65-66); a substrate (110) positioned on the side of the anode-side reflector opposite the anode (Fig. 1 and paragraph 29); and a cathode-side reflector (810) positioned on the cathode side of the emissive layer stack (Fig. 8B and paragraphs 65-66); wherein the cathode-side reflector and the at least one conductive layer of the cathode layer stack are distinct layers (Fig. 8B), and wherein the anode-side reflector directly contacts the anode layer stack (Fig. 8B).
Fusella does not explicitly teach that 1) the anode-side reflector also directly contacts the substrate since Fusella does not show a substrate in Fig. 8B and 2) the anode layer stack comprising at least two indium tin oxide (ITO) layers and at least one metal layer.
Regarding 1) the anode-side reflector also directly contacts the substrate, Choong teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED), comprising: an anode-side reflector (111) directly contacting a substrate (108) (Fig. 3 and paragraph 16). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Fusella with that of Choong for fabricating desired layers such as the reflector on the substrate.
Regarding 2) the anode layer stack comprising at least two indium tin oxide (ITO) layers and at least one metal layer, Lee teaches an organic light emitting diode (an organic light emitting diode OLED), comprising: an anode layer stack (an anode AN) comprising at least two ITO layers and at least one metal layer (AN formed of a multi-layer structure of ITO/Ag/ITO) (Fig. 2 and paragraphs 42-43). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Fusella with that of Lee in order to utilize a multi-layer configuration ITO/Ag/ITO for the anode layer stack of the OLED as a readily available anode electrode material choice known in the art for obtaining the desired conductive properties.
Regarding claim 2, Fusella teaches wherein the emissive layer comprises a blue organic emissive material (paragraphs 29-30, 40 and US 7,279,704, which is incorporated by reference from Fusella).
Regarding claim 3, Fusella teaches wherein the emissive layer stack comprises at least one layer comprising an organic emissive material and a host material, and at least one additional layer comprising a host material (paragraphs 29-30, 40-44, and 50-52).
Regarding claim 4, Fusella teaches wherein the anode-side reflector is a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) (paragraphs 56-57)
Regarding claim 6, Fusella teaches wherein the cathode-side reflector comprises a metal (Ag) (paragraphs 56 and 65).
Regarding claims 7-8, while Fusella does not explicitly teach that the cathode cathode-side reflector and the anode side reflector comprise semiconductor materials (claim 7) and the cathode side reflector comprises at least one layer of Ag and at least one layer of MgF2 (claim 8), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize various types of alternating high and low refractive index semiconductor materials stack and Ag/MgF2 stack as the DBR stack for obtaining the predictable reflective characteristics for the OLED.
Regarding claim 10, Fusella teaches wherein the cathode layer stack comprises at least one insulating layer (paragraphs 29-30).
Regarding claim 28, Fusella teaches no more than two reflectors selected from the group consisting of: a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), a metal mirror, and a stack comprising at least one semiconducting layer (320 and 810 formed of DBR) (Fig. 8B and paragraphs 56-57 and 65-66).
Regarding claim 34, Fusella in view of Lee teaches wherein at least one of the at least two ITO layers is positioned between the at least one metal layer and the anode-side reflector (Fusella, Fig. 8B for 352 in direct contact with 320 and Lee, paragraphs 42-43 for the multi-layer structure of ITO/Ag/ITO for An would read on the claimed limitation).
Regarding claim 35, Lee teaches wherein the at least two ITO layers comprises a first ITO layer and a second ITO layer, and wherein the at least one metal layer is positioned between the first ITO layer and the second ITO layer (Lee, paragraphs 42-43 for the multi-layer structure of ITO/Ag/ITO for An).
Regarding claim 36, Lee teaches wherein the at least one metal layer comprises Ag or Mg (paragraphs 42-43).
Regarding claim 37, Fusella does not teach that the cathode layer stack comprises an LiF layer. Lee teaches an organic light emitting diode (an organic light emitting diode OLED), comprising: a cathode layer stack comprising a LiF layer (a cathode CE comprising LiF/Ca or LiF/Al) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 46). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Fusella with that of Lee in order to utilize LiF material choice for the cathode layer stack of the OLED as a readily available cathode electrode material choice known in the art for obtaining the desired conductive properties.
Claims 13-17 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fusella in view of Choong and Cheng et al. (US 2022/0013750 A1; hereinafter “Cheng”).
Regarding claim 13, Fusella teaches an electrically-pumped organic light emitting diode (OLED), comprising: a resonant and electrically pumped cavity for ultrastrong coupling formed of first and second reflectors (a resonant cavity between 320 and 810) (Fig. 8B and paragraphs 57 and 65-66); an organic emissive layer (350 having 135) having a peak emission wavelength λ and positioned in the resonant and electrically pumped cavity between the first and second reflectors (paragraphs 29-30, 40, and US 7,279,704, which is incorporated by reference from Fusella, cols. 13-14 for a peak emission wavelength λ); an anode layer stack (115/352) positioned between the first reflector and the emissive layer (Figs. 1 and 8B and paragraphs 29, 58, and 65-66); a substrate (110) positioned on a side of the first reflector opposite the anode layer stack (Fig. 1 and paragraph 29); and a cathode layer stack (160/310) positioned between the second reflector and the emissive layer (Figs. 1 and 8B and paragraphs 29, 58, and 65-66), wherein the first reflector directly contacts the anode layer stack (Fig. 8B), and wherein the second reflector and the cathode-layer stack are distinct layers (Fig. 8B).
Fusella does not explicitly teach that 1) the first reflector directly contacts the substrate and 2) the organic emissive layer is at a distance from the first reflector of about λ/4 and 3) the anode layer stack comprises a first indium tin oxide (ITO) layer, a second ITO layer, and a metal layer positioned between the first ITO layer and the second ITO layer.
Regarding 1) the first reflector directly contacts the substrate, Choong teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED), comprising: an anode-side reflector (111) directly contacting a substrate (108) (Fig. 3 and paragraph 16). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Fusella with that of Choong for fabricating desired layers such as the reflector on the substrate.
Regarding 2) the organic emissive layer is at a distance from the first reflector of about λ/4, Cheng teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED), comprising: an emissive layer having a wavelength λ and having a distance from a DBR of about λ/4 for obtaining the highest reflectivity from the DBR (paragraph 96). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Fusella with that of Cheng in order to obtain the highest/optimal reflectivity from the DBR.
Regarding 3) the anode layer stack comprises a first indium tin oxide (ITO) layer, a second ITO layer, and a metal layer positioned between the first ITO layer and the second ITO layer. Lee teaches an organic light emitting diode (an organic light emitting diode OLED), comprising: an anode layer stack (an anode AN) comprising a first ITO layer, a second ITO layer, and a metal layer positioned between the first ITO layer and the second ITO layer (AN formed of a multi-layer structure of ITO/Ag/ITO) (Fig. 2 and paragraphs 42-43). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Fusella with that of Lee in order to utilize a multi-layer configuration ITO/Ag/ITO for the anode layer stack of the OLED as a readily available anode electrode material choice known in the art for obtaining the desired conductive properties.
Regarding claim 14, Fusella teaches wherein the organic emissive layer comprises an organic emissive material and an organic host material (paragraphs 35 and 41-44).
Regarding claim 15, Fusella teaches wherein the emissive layer comprises a blue organic emissive material (paragraphs 29-30, 40, and US 7,279,704, which is incorporated by reference from Fusella).
Regarding claim 16, Fusella teaches wherein at least one of the first and second reflectors is a distributed Bragg reflector (paragraphs 56-57 and 65).
Regarding claim 17, while Fusella does not explicitly teach that the first and second reflectors each comprise a plurality of semiconducting sublayers, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize various types of alternating high and low refractive index semiconductor materials stack for obtaining the predictable reflective characteristics for the OLED.
Regarding claim 29, Fusella teaches no more than two reflectors selected from the group consisting of: a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), a metal mirror, and a stack comprising at least one semiconducting layer (320 and 810 formed of DBR) (Fig. 8B and paragraphs 56-57 and 65-66).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended and newly submitted claims have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection as set forth above in this Office Action.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/DANIEL WHALEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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