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 Group I (claims 1-10) in the reply filed on 12/22/2025 is acknowledged.
Groups II-III (claims 11-16 and 18-21) are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.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 was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/22/2025.
Claim status
The claims filed on 12/22/2025 have been entered. No claim(s) is/are currently amended. Claim(s) 17 and 22-23 has/have been cancelled. Claim(s) 1-16 and 18-21 is/are pending with claim(s) 11-16 and 18-21 withdrawn from consideration. Claim(s) 1-10 is/are under examination in this office action.
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) 1-4 and 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Akkerman et al (“Molecular Iodine for a General Synthesis of Binary and Ternary Inorganic and Hybrid Organic−Inorganic Iodide Nanocrystals”, Chem. Mater. 2018, 30, 6915−6921).
Regarding claims 1-4, Akkerman teaches colloidal metal halide nanocrystals (NCs) RbAg4I5 as an alternative to lead halide perovskite NCs [abstract, P6916 left col. above “Experimental Section”].
The Rb is rubidium; the Ag (silver) is a group 11 element of the Periodic Table of Elements; the I (iodine) is a halogen.
Regarding claim 8, Akkerman teaches that the RbAg4I5 nanoparticles are 19 nm [P6920 left col. 1st para.], falling in the claimed range of 1 nm to 50 nm.
Regarding claim 9, Akkerman shows TEM images of the RbAg4I5 nanoparticles in spherical shape [P56 of Supporting information Figure S110 (b)].
Regarding claim 10, Akkerman teaches that the nanoparticles are dispersed in toluene [P6916 right col. under “General Metal Iodide NC synthesis and Purification”].
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 5 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akkerman et al (“Molecular Iodine for a General Synthesis of Binary and Ternary Inorganic and Hybrid Organic−Inorganic Iodide Nanocrystals”, Chem. Mater. 2018, 30, 6915−6921) as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Saparov et al (US 20210115329 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Akkerman teaches the colloid in claim 1. Akkerman teaches colloidal metal halide nanocrystals (NCs) RbAg4I5 as an alternative to lead halide perovskite NCs for LED application [P6920 left col. last line], but does not teach that the NCs can be Rb2MX3.
In the same field of endeavor, Saparov teaches Nanoparticles comprising inorganic perovskite compounds such as Rb2CuX3 (X=Br, Cl or I) as a lead perovskite alternative for LED application [0007, 0030].
It is prima facie obvious to substitute equivalents for the same purpose where the equivalence is recognized by the prior art. See MPEP 2144.06. Since Akkerman and Saparov recognized RbAg4I5 and Rb2CuX3 are equivalent for the same purpose as a lead perovskite alternative for LED application, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skilled in the art at the time of filing to substitute RbAg4I5 with Rb2CuX3 in Akkerman’s colloid.
Regarding claim 7, Saparov teaches that the Rb2CuX3 has a Pnma orthorhombic crystal structure [0033].
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akkerman et al (“Molecular Iodine for a General Synthesis of Binary and Ternary Inorganic and Hybrid Organic−Inorganic Iodide Nanocrystals”, Chem. Mater. 2018, 30, 6915−6921) as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Ren et al (“Tuning Magnetism and Photocurrent in Mn-Doped Organic−Inorganic Perovskites”, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2020, 11, 2577−2584).
Regarding claim 6, Akkerman teaches the colloid in claim 1. Akkerman teaches colloidal metal halide nanocrystals (NCs) RbAg4I5 as an alternative to lead halide perovskite NCs for photovoltaic application [P6919 right col. last para.], but does not teach that each nanocrystal is further doped with Mn3+.
In the same field of endeavor, Ren teaches doping perovskites with Mn [abstract]. Mn doping allows for modulation of photovoltaic and photoelectric performance in hybrid perovskites [P2578 left col. line 8]. Note that at least a portion of Mn is Mn3+ [P2577 abstract and right col.]. The improvements associated with Mn doping appear to arise from its interaction with iodide ions [paragraph spanning P2579-2580].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have Akkerman’s iodide-containing perovskite NCs doped with M3+ in order to gain a similar benefit.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIANGTIAN XU whose telephone number is (571)270-1621. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday.
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/JIANGTIAN XU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1762