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
Applicant’s election without traverse of species A and Species X in the reply filed on 12/02/2025 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bower et al. (US 2017/0092863 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Bower discloses a method to form a micro thin film device, the method comprising:
having a release layer (“sacrificial layer 18”, ¶ 0097) on a substrate (20 in Fig. 5J);
forming an encapsulation layer (30) on the substrate;
forming a first electrode (40) on the encapsulation layer; and
forming a bank layer (34) on the first electrode to define a micro thin film area.
Regarding claim 2, Bower further discloses wherein layers of the micro thin film area are deposited and patterned (¶ 0050).
Regarding claim 3, Bower further discloses wherein patterning is done by lithography (¶ 0099) and deposition is done by a physical assisted deposition (¶ 0099).
Regarding claim 4, Bower further discloses wherein a second electrode (top 52 in Fig. 5J) is formed on layers of the micro thin film area.
Regarding claim 5, Bower further discloses a second encapsulation layer (32 in Fig. 5J) is developed covering all layers underneath.
Regarding claim 6, Bower further discloses wherein a VIA (opening shown as 18 in Fig. 5J) is formed to provide access to the first and second electrode.
Regarding claim 7, Bower further discloses wherein pads (50 and bottom 52) are formed to bring the access to the first and second electrode to a top of the second encapsulation layer, wherein a backplane (60) extends partially across the micro thin film device.
Regarding claim 13, Bower further discloses wherein a pillar structure (pillar structure of 20 directly contacting 32 in Fig. 5J) is formed underneath the pads.
Regarding claim 14, Bower further discloses wherein the pads have two parts, a first part (left side of each pad in Fig. 5J) for coupling to the first and second electrodes and a second part (right side) to bond to the backplane after the micro thin film device is transferred to the substrate.
Regarding claim 15, Bower further discloses wherein the first part of the pads is covered by a dielectric layer (the dielectric layer of second encapsulation layer 32, ¶ 0094).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER A CULBERT whose telephone number is (571)272-4893. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua Benitez can be reached at (571) 270-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER A CULBERT/ Examiner, Art Unit 2815
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