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 .
Applicant’s request for continued examination (RCE) filed 6/5/26 has been entered and considered.
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.
Claim(s) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2023/0075189 A1) in view of Min et al (US 2020/0168763 A1).
Regrading claim 1, Kim et al discloses a light-emitting device (Figure 1, reference 10) comprising: a first electrode (Figure 1, reference 11); a second electrode (Figure 1, reference 15) facing the first electrode (Figure 1, reference 11); an emission layer (Figure 1, reference 13) between the first electrode (Figure 1, reference 11) and the second electrode (Figure 1, reference 15); and a functional layer (Figure 1, reference 14) between the emission layer (Figure 1, reference 13) and the second electrode (Figure 1, reference 15), wherein the functional layer (Figure 1, reference 14) comprises a first metal oxide (paragraph 0136; zinc magnesium oxide). However, Kim et al does not disclose a second metal particle, and the second metal particle is Au, Ag, Cu or Fe.
Min et al discloses a second metal particle, and the second metal particle is Au, Ag, Cu or Fe (paragraph 0095; Cu).
It would have been obvious, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application, for one having ordinary skill in the art, to modify Kim et al with the teachings of Min et al for the purpose of doping the metal oxide layer with a metal particle in order to prevent interface defect in the light emitting device.
Regarding claim 2, Kim et al discloses wherein a first metal of the first metal oxide (Figure 1, reference 14) is Zn, Mg, Ti, Si, Sn, W, Zr, Hf, Ta, Ba, Al, Y, or any combination thereof (paragraph 0136; Zn).
Regarding claim 3, Kim et al discloses wherein the first metal oxide is represented by Formula 1: Formula 1 M11-xM2XOy wherein, in Formula 1, M1 and M2 each independently comprise Zn, Mg, Ti, Si, Sn, W, Zr, Hf, Ta, Ba, AI, Y, or a combination thereof, and x satisfies 0<x<1, and y satisfies 0<y<5 (paragraph 0136).
Regarding claim 4, Kim et al discloses wherein M1 is Zn, and x satisfies 0<x<0.5 (paragraph 0136).
Regarding claim 5, Kim et al discloses wherein an average particle diameter (D50) of the first metal oxide is in a range of about 8 nm to about 15 nm (paragraph 0110).
Regarding claim 6, Kim et al discloses wherein an average particle diameter (D50) of the second metal particle is in a range of about 4 nm to about 12 nm (paragraph 0110).
Regarding claim 7, Kim et al discloses wherein the functional layer (Figure 1, reference 14) and the emission layer (Figure 1, reference 13) are in direct contact with each other (on top).
Regarding claim 8, Kim et al discloses wherein the emission layer (Figure 1, reference 13) comprises a quantum dot (paragraph 0076).
Regarding claim 9, Kim et al discloses wherein the quantum dot comprises a Group II-VI semiconductor compound, a Group III-V semiconductor compound, a Group III-VI semiconductor compound, a Group 1-III-VI semiconductor compound, a Group IV-VI semiconductor compound, a Group IV element or compound, or any combination thereof (paragraph 0093).
Regarding claim 10, Kim et al discloses wherein the quantum dot has a core-shell structure (paragraph 0092).
Regarding claim 11, Kim et al discloses wherein the first electrode is an anode (Figure 1, reference 11; paragraph 0076), the second electrode is a cathode (Figure 1, reference 15; paragraph 0076), the light-emitting device (Figure 1) further comprises a hole transport region (Figure 1, reference 12; paragraph 0128) between the first electrode (Figure 1, reference 11) and the emission layer (Figure 1, reference 13) and an electron transport region (Figure 1, reference 14; paragraph 0134) between the emission layer (Figure 1, reference 13) and the second electrode (Figure 1, reference 15), and the electron transport region comprises the functional layer (Figure 1, reference 14; paragraphs 0134-0136).
Regarding claim 12, Kim et al discloses wherein the functional layer (Figure 1, reference 14) comprises a mixture of the first metal oxide and the second metal particle (paragraph 0136).
Regarding claim 13, Kim et al discloses wherein the thickness functional layer comprises n first functional layer(s) and m second functional layer(s), the n first functional layer(s) comprises the first metal oxide, the m second functional layer(s) comprises the second metal particle, and n and m are each independently an integer of 1 or more (paragraphs 0134-0136).
Regarding claim 14, Kim et al discloses wherein a ratio of a thickness of a respective one of the n first functional layer(s) to a thickness of a respective one of the m second functional layer(s) is 10 : 1 to 100 : 1 (paragraphs 0134-0136).
Regarding claim 15, Kim et al discloses wherein n and m are each 1 (paragraphs 0134-0136).
Regarding claim 16, Kim et al discloses wherein a respective one of the m second functional layer(s) is between a respective one of the n first functional layer(s) and the emission layer, or the first functional layer is between the second functional layer and the emission layer (paragraphs 0134-0136).
Regarding claim 17, Kim et al discloses wherein a respective one of the n first functional layer(s) and a respective one of the m second functional layer(s) are in direct contact with each other (paragraphs 0134-0136).
Claim(s) 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2023/0075189 A1), in view of Min et al (US 2020/0168763 A1), further in view of Kim et al (US 2022/0123250 A1).
Kim et al 189’ in view of Min et al disclose all of the claimed subject matter as stated above.
However, Kim et al 189’ and Min et al do not disclose an electronic apparatus comprising the light-emitting device of claim 1 (claim 18), further comprising a thin-film transistor, wherein: the thin-film transistor comprises a source electrode and a drain electrode, and the first electrode of the light-emitting device is electrically connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode (claim 19) nor further comprising a color filter, a color conversion layer, a touch screen layer, a polarizing layer, or any combination thereof (claim 20).
Kim et al 250’ discloses an electronic apparatus comprising the light-emitting device of claim 1 (paragraph 0024), further comprising a thin-film transistor, wherein: the thin-film transistor comprises a source electrode and a drain electrode, and the first electrode of the light-emitting device is electrically connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode (paragraph 0025) and further comprising a color filter, a color conversion layer, a touch screen layer, a polarizing layer, or any combination thereof (paragraph 0026).
It would have been obvious, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application, for one having ordinary skill in the art, to modify Kim et al 189’ with the teachings of Kim et al 250’ for the purpose of forming an electronic apparatus including a light emitting device, the light emitting device electrically connected to a source/drain of the TFT and the electronic apparatus including a color filter, a color-conversion layer, a touchscreen layer or a polarization layer in order to emit light from emission or authentication apparatuses.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONICA D HARRISON whose telephone number is (571)272-1959. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7-4:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MONICA D HARRISON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
mdh
June 10, 2026
Prosecution Insights