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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/14/2022 was filed on 10/14/2022. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-5 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Noudo et al. (US Publication No. 2016/0013233).
Regarding claim 1, Noudo discloses a microlens array comprising:
a first microlens array (43)
a first light-transmitting part (202), wherein the first light-transmitting part is arranged on the first microlens array (43), wherein the first light-transmitting part (202) transmits light propagating in an ambient medium (above 203) to the first microlens array (43), wherein, a refractive index of the first light-transmitting part is greater than a refractive index of the ambient medium (paragraph 114)
Regarding claim 2, Noudo discloses the refractive index of the first light-transmitting part is greater than a refractive index of the first microlens array (Figure 20).
Regarding claim 3, Noudo discloses the limitations as discussed in the rejection of claim 1 above. Noudo discloses a second light-transmitting part (44) disposed between the first light-transmitting part (202) and the first microlens array (43), wherein a refractive index of the second light-transmitting part (44) is smaller than the refractive index of the first light-transmitting part (202) and the refractive index of the first microlens array (43).
Regarding claim 4, Noudo discloses the first microlens array (43) comprises a microconvex lens array or a microconcave lens array (Figure 20).
Regarding claim 5, Noudo discloses the first microlens array (43) comprises a plurality of first microlenses (43), wherein the first light-transmitting part (202) comprises a plurality of first light-transmitting elements (202), wherein the first light-transmitting part (202) corresponds to one or more of the first microlenses (43), and wherein the plurality of first microlenses (43) comprises convex lenses or concave lenses (Figure 20).
Regarding claim 16, Noudo discloses a method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device, comprising:
providing a substrate (31) and forming a light-sensing element layer (25) on the substrate (31)
forming a first microlens array (43) in the light-sensing element layer (25) on a first light receiving surface (43)
forming a first light-transmitting part (202) to cover a first light-receiving surface (43) on the first microlens array (43), wherein a top surface of the first light-transmitting part (202) constitutes a second light-receiving surface (203), and wherein a light propagating in an ambient medium passes through the second light-receiving surface (202) to the first light receiving surface, and wherein a refractive index of the first light-transmitting part (202) is greater than a refractive index of the ambient medium (paragraph 114)
Regarding claim 17, Noudo discloses depositing a first lens material layer (43) on the substrate (31) having the light-sensing element layer (25); and patterning the first lens material layer according to an optical design to form a plurality of first microlenses connected to each other or arranged at intervals (paragraph 102; Figure 14).
Regarding claim 18, Noudo discloses after the forming the first microlens array (43) in the light-sensing element layer (25), forming the first microlens array (43) covering the first light receiving surface, before forming the light-transmitting part, the method further comprises: forming a light-transmitting material layer on the first microlens array (43), wherein a refractive index of the light-transmitting material layer is smaller than a refractive index of the first microlens array (43) (paragraph 166); and removing a portion of a thickness of the light-transmitting material layer to form a second light- transmitting part, wherein the second light-transmitting part at least fills an area between adjacent two of the plurality of the first microlenses, wherein the second light-transmitting part has a flat top surface, and wherein a refractive index of the second light-transmitting part is smaller than a refractive index of the first light-transmitting part and the refractive index of the first microlens array.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 6-15 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noudo et al. (US Publication No. 2016/0013233) in view of Liu (US Publication No. 2009/0237801).
Regarding claim 6, Noudo discloses the limitations as discussed in the rejection of claim 5 above. Noudo does not disclose each of the first light-transmitting elements comprises a second microlens, wherein a plurality of the second microlenses forms a second microlens array, comprising one of the first light-transmitting elements and a second microlens array, and wherein the second microlens correspond to one or more of the plurality of the first microlenses. However, Liu discloses each of the first light-transmitting elements (145) comprises a second microlens (112), wherein a plurality of the second microlenses (112) forms a second microlens array, comprising one of the first light-transmitting elements and a second microlens array (112), and wherein the second microlens correspond to one or more of the plurality of the first microlenses (122) (Figure 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date to modify the first light-transmitting element to include a plurality of second microlenses, as taught by Liu, since it can redirect leaking light, thereby improving light extraction efficiency (paragraph 6).
Regarding claim 7, Liu discloses the second microlens (112) has a second focal point formed in the second light-transmitting part (146). As discussed above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified Noudo in view of Liu.
Regarding claim 8, Liu discloses the second light-transmitting part (146) has a first thickness, and wherein a maximum distance from the second focal point to a top surface of the second light-transmitting part (46) is no greater than a half of the first thickness (Figure 6). As discussed above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified Noudo in view of Liu.
Regarding claim 9, Liu discloses the plurality of the first microlenses (122) has a first curvature and the second microlens (112) has a second curvature, wherein the second curvature is different from the first curvature (Figure 6). As discussed above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified Noudo in view of Liu.
Regarding claim 10, Liu discloses a light-sensing element layer (124), wherein the microlens array (112/122) is disposed on the light-sensing element layer (124). As discussed above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified Noudo in view of Liu.
Regarding claim 11, Liu discloses the light-sensing element layer (124) comprises a filter layer (RGB), wherein the filter layer (RGB) comprises a plurality of filter regions, and wherein one of the filter regions (RGB) corresponds to one or more of the plurality of first microlenses (122). As discussed above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified Noudo in view of Liu.
Regarding claim 12, Liu discloses the light-sensing element layer (124) further comprises a photosensitive element layer (124), wherein the photosensitive element layer comprises a plurality of photosensitive elements, and wherein one of the photosensitive elements corresponds to one or more of the plurality of the first microlenses (122). As discussed above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified Noudo in view of Liu.
Regarding claim 13, Liu discloses each of the plurality of the first microlenses (122) has a first focus formed in the photosensitive element layer (124), wherein the photosensitive element layer has a second thickness, wherein a maximum distance from the first focal point to a bottom surface of said first microlens is not less than a half of the second thickness (Figure 6). As discussed above, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified Noudo in view of Liu.
Regarding claim 14, Noudo discloses an anti-reflection layer (36), wherein the anti-reflection layer (36) is disposed between the first microlens array (43) and the first photosensitive element layer (25).
Regarding claim 15, Noudo discloses a signal processing unit (305) that processes a signal output from the photoelectric conversion device (paragraph 192).
Regarding claim 19, Noudo discloses the limitations as discussed in the rejection of claim 18 above. Noudo does not disclose forming a second lens material layer covering the second light-transmitting part, wherein a refractive index of the second lens material layer is greater than the refractive index of the first microlens array and the refractive index of the second light-transmitting part; and patterning the second lens material layer according to an optical design to form the first light-transmitting part. However, Liu discloses each of the first light-transmitting elements (145) comprises a second microlens (112), wherein a plurality of the second microlenses (112) forms a second microlens array, comprising one of the first light-transmitting elements and a second microlens array (112), and wherein the second microlens correspond to one or more of the plurality of the first microlenses (122) (Figure 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective filing date to modify the first light-transmitting element (145) to include a plurality of second microlenses (112), as taught by Liu, since it can redirect leaking light, thereby improving light extraction efficiency (paragraph 6).
Regarding claim 20, Liu discloses patterning the second lens material layer to form a plurality of second light-transmitting elements (112) that are connected to each other or arranged at intervals, wherein each of the second light-transmitting elements (112) comprises a second microlens (112), wherein a plurality of the second microlenses form a second microlens array, and wherein one second microlens (112) corresponds to one or more of the plurality of the first microlenses (Figure 6).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Iwasaki (US Publication No. 2011/0076001) discloses two sets of microlenses to a photodetector (Figure 3). Yamashita (US Publication No. 2012/0194714) discloses an upper lens (101) and lower lens (CP) and photodetector (PD1/PD2). Lee (US Patent No. 9,935,146) discloses a first microlens (148) and second microlens (102) and photodetectors (PD1/PD2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NEIL R PRASAD whose telephone number is (571) 270-3129. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/N.R.P/ 8/8/2026Examiner, Art Unit 2897
/JACOB Y CHOI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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