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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: the “the range” should be “[[the]] a range”.
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: the “the range” should be “[[the]] a range”.
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities: the “HfO2, ZrO2, ZrO2 and/or HfO2, doped with” should be “HfO2, ZrO2.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hasegawa (JP2024140551A; Note that the attached English translated document is used for examination).
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Regarding claim 1. Fig 1 of Hasegawa discloses A pyroelectric device 10 [0074], comprising:
first 2 ([0011]: Pt) and second 4 ([0070]: ITO) electrodes that enable a voltage to be applied to the pyroelectric device, wherein a zero applied voltage condition results in the absence of an external electric field in the pyroelectric device (which is inherent because Pt and ITO electrodes enable application of a voltage to the pyroelectric device, thus a zero applied voltage condition corresponds to the absence of an externally applied electric field, and a built-in internal electric field biases a charge-voltage characteristics of the pyroelectric layer); and
a material layer 3/6 ([0033]: 3 is ZrO2, [0083]: 6 is LaNiO3) between the first and second electrodes, comprising a double hysteresis loop (DHL) material having a charge-voltage characteristic exhibiting first and second hysteresis loops (because the ZrO₂/LaNiO₃ heterointerface exhibits a charge–voltage response including a first hysteresis loop at a first voltage range and a second hysteresis loop at a higher voltage range, the second hysteresis loop being associated with a reversible polarization state of the ZrO₂ layer),
wherein the material layer resides in a built-in, internal electric field that shifts the charge-voltage characteristic of the DHL material such that a point along one of the first and second hysteresis loops of the charge-voltage characteristic coincides with the zero applied voltage condition to enable the DHL material to persist, in the absence of an external electric field, in a pyroelectric on-state (because the difference in work functions between the Pt electrode (known as ~5.6 eV) and the ITO electrode (known as ~4.7 eV) generates an internal electric field across the ZrO2 layer. As a result, the charge-voltage characteristic (hysteresis loop) of the ZrO2 is shifted such that at zero applied voltage, the material remains in a polarized state. Because ZrO2 is a known pyroelectric material in its orthorhombic phase (stabilized here by the LaNiO3 layer), it 'persists' in a pyroelectric 'on-state' in the absence of an external field, as claimed).
Regarding claim 2. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein the DHL material is capable of being switched into the pyroelectric on-state by a first voltage pulse being applied to the pyroelectric device via the first and second electrodes, the first voltage pulse having a first polarity and sufficient magnitude to create a first external electric field that switches the DHL material into a pyroelectrically active, polarized state (Hasegawa discloses ZrO2 layer (DHL material) and a means to apply a voltage pulse (Pt/ITO electrodes). And thin-film dielectrics that applying a voltage of sufficient magnitude to a DHL material like ZrO2 will inherently induce a polarized state. Furthermore, the combination of a switching pulse and the inherent internal bias provided by the asymmetric work functions of Pt and ITO ensures that the material remains in the polarized, pyroelectrically active 'on-state' as claimed).
Regarding claim 3. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 2, wherein the DHL material is capable of being switched into the pyroelectric off-state by a second voltage pulse being applied to the pyroelectric device via the first and second electrodes, the second voltage pulse having a second polarity and sufficient magnitude to create a second external electric field that switches the DHL material into a pyroelectrically inactive, nonpolarized state (Hasegawa discloses the ZrO2 layer exhibits a double-hysteresis loop s generally classified as antiferroelectric (AFE), which is a type of electric-field-induced bi-stable system. Thus, applying a second voltage pulse of a second (opposite) polarity serves to de-polarize the material by overcoming the internal bias of the Pt/ITO electrodes, returning the ZrO2 to its center-point characteristic. At this point, the material possesses no net polarization and is thus rendered pyroelectrically inactive, as claimed).
Regarding claim 4. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein, in the pyroelectric on-state, the material layer converts received electromagnetic radiation to an electrical signal, and in the pyroelectric off-state, the material layer produces a negligible pyroelectric current in response to received electromagnetic radiation (Hasegawa discloses teaches a pyroelectric device that is functionally switchable. In the On-state, the material is polarized; as a pyroelectric material, it inherently converts thermal energy from electromagnetic radiation into an electrical signal via the pyroelectric effect. Conversely, in the Off-state, the material is switched to a non-polarized state where the pyroelectric coefficient is zero or negligible. Consequently, the material layer produces a negligible pyroelectric current in response to the same radiation. Thus, the ability to switch a DHL material between polarized and non-polarized states, as disclosed in Hasegawa, inherently results in the claimed signal conversion and signal suppression characteristics).
Regarding claim 5. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein the DHL material comprises at least one of a polar material, an antipolar material, and a nonpolar material (ZrO2 exhibits transitions between nonpolar tetragonal phase and a polar orthorhombic phase under the influence of an electric field, and exhibits antipolar double-hysteresis behavior).
Regarding claim 6. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a first material having a first workfunction (Pt electrode = ~5.6 eV) and the second electrode comprises a second material having a second workfunction (ITO electrode = ~ 4.7 eV) that is different from the workfunction of the first material, wherein the difference between the first and second workfunctions establishes the built-in, internal electric field (the difference inherently generates an internal electric field across the ZrO2 layer).
Regarding claim 7. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 6, wherein the difference between the first and second workfunctions is in the range of 0.1 eV-3.5 eV (5.6 – 4.7 = 0.9 eV).
Regarding claim 8. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 6, wherein the difference between the first and second workfunctions is in the range of 0.3 eV-2 eV (0.9 eV).
Regarding claim 9. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein the DHL material is a band-gap material (ZrO2) having a band-gap of at least 0.8 eV (the band gap of ZrO2 known as 5.0 – 7.0 eV based on crystalline phase).
Regarding claim 10. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein the built-in, internal electric field results from electric charge stored in the DHL material, a static defect charge, a surface charge, and/or from an additional layer that introduces a surface charge (Hasegawa discloses an 'additional layer' (LNO) positioned between the electrode (Pt) and the DHL material (ZrO2). And the interface between a conductive perovskite oxide like LaNiO3 and a dielectric like ZrO2 results in a surface charge due to polarization discontinuity and the formation of interface dipoles. Furthermore, the ZrO2 thin films which inherently contain static defect charges (e.g., oxygen vacancies) and are capable of storing charge via carrier trapping at the interface. Therefore, these physical phenomena, individually or in combination, produce the internal electric field that biases the ZrO2 characteristic as claimed).
Regarding claim 11. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein the DHL material comprises at least one of: an anti-ferroelectric (AFE) material, a field-induced ferroelectric (FFE) material, a relaxor ferroelectric (RFE) material, a ferroelastic switching (FES) material, and a defect-biased ferroelectric (DBFE) material (ZrO2 is a anti-ferroelectric (AFE) material that undergoes a phase transition to a field-induced ferroelectric (FFE) state upon application of an electric field. Furthermore, as Hasegawa teaches an internal bias resulting from defect charges (e.g., oxygen vacancies) and interface layers (LNO), the material inherently functions as a defect-biased ferroelectric (DBFE) material. Consequently, Hasegawa teaches at least one, and in fact multiple, of the claimed material categories).
Regarding claim 12. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein the DHL material comprises at least one of HfO2, ZrO2, ZrO2 [0033] and/or HfO2, doped with one or more of: Al, Ti, Si, Gd, La, Sr, Ge, Y, Sc, and Ca.
Regarding claim 13. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein the DHL material comprises at least one of Pb1-xLax(Zr1-yTiy)O3, PbZrO3, BaTiO3, and Pb(Zr1-yTiy)O3 [0093].
Regarding claim 14. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode comprise a material [0011]/[0070] of or a combination of: Ti, TiN, TiSi, TiAlN, TaN, TaCN, TaSi, W, WSi, WN, Al, Ru, RuO, RuO2, Re, Pt [0011], Ir, IrO, IrO2, In2O3, InSnO [0070], SnO, ZnO, T1, Ni, NiSi, Nb, NbN, Ga, GaN, Mo, MoO, C, Ge, Si, doped Si, SiC, and GeSi.
Regarding claim 15. Hasegawa discloses An infrared [0001] or thermal imaging system comprising:
a plurality of pyroelectric pixels ([0074]: ‘a plurality of pyroelectric elements’) capable of detecting infrared radiation and converting the electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals, wherein individual ones of the pyroelectric pixels comprise a pyroelectric device according to claim 1([0021]/[0074]: Hasegawa discloses an infrared (IR) sensor comprising a plurality of pyroelectric elements (pixels). Each element utilizes the disclosed Pt / LaNiO₃ / ZrO₂ / ITO stack. Therefore, these elements as being capable of detecting infrared radiation [0074]. Specifically, as established in the rejection above, the ZrO2 layer in its polarized state converts thermal energy from said radiation into electrical signals via the pyroelectric effect. Furthermore, Hasegawa describes the operation of individual ones of these elements within the plurality (e.g., in an array configuration), thereby teaching every limitation of the claim).
Regarding claim 16. Fig 1 of Hasegawa discloses A pyroelectric device 10, comprising:
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a layer stack 2/6/3/4 including:
a first electrode 2 having a first workfunction ([0011]: Pt = ~5.6 eV);
a second electrode 4 having a second workfunction ([0070]: ITO = ~ 4.7 eV), wherein a difference between the first and second workfunctions is in the range of 0.1 eV-3.5 eV (5.6 – 4.7 = 0.9 eV); and
a band-gap material layer 3 ([0033]: ZrO2) between the first and second electrodes and switchable between a pyroelectric on-state and a pyroelectric off-state (Hasegawa discloses a ZrO2 layer between a first electrode (Pt) and a second electrode (ITO). Therefore, this ZrO2 layer is inherently switchable by the application of an electric field. Specifically, the material transitions between a polar phase (the pyroelectric on-state) where the material exhibits a measurable pyroelectric coefficient, and a non-polar phase (the pyroelectric off-state) where the pyroelectric coefficient is negligible. The ability to toggle between these states via the application of voltage pulses as disclosed in Hasegawa satisfies the requirement of a ZrO2 layer switchable between a pyroelectric on-state and a pyroelectric off-state).
Regarding claim 17. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 16, wherein the band-gap material layer comprises a double hysteresis loop (DHL) material having a charge-voltage characteristic exhibiting first and second hysteresis loops, the DHL material residing in an internal electric field generated by the difference between the first and second workfunctions, the internal electric field shifting the charge-voltage characteristic of the DHL material to enable the DHL material to be switchable between the pyroelectric on-state and the pyroelectric off-state (Hasegawa discloses a ZrO2 DHL material disposed between Pt and ITO electrodes. Therefore, the workfunction difference between Pt and ITO inherently generates an internal electric field across the ZrO2 layer. As evidenced by standard semiconductor physics, this internal field shifts the charge-voltage characteristic (hysteresis loop) of the ZrO2. This shift is precisely what enables the material to be switchable and stable in a pyroelectric on-state (polarized) at zero volts, or a pyroelectric off-state (non-polarized) after a reset pulse. Consequently, the combination of asymmetric electrodes and a DHL material in Hasegawa teaches every element of the claim).
Regarding claim 18. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 16, wherein the band-gap material layer comprises at least one of a polar dielectric material, an antipolar dielectric material, and a nonpolar dielectric material (ZrO2 exhibits transitions between nonpolar tetragonal phase and a polar orthorhombic phase under the influence of an electric field, and exhibits antipolar double-hysteresis behavior).
Regarding claim 19. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 16, wherein the difference between the first and second workfunctions is in the range of 0.3 eV to 2 eV (refer to claim 16: 0.9 eV) and the band-gap material layer has a band gap of at least 0.8 eV (ZrO2 is known as 5.0 – 7.0 eV based on crystalline phase).
Regarding claim 20. Hasegawa discloses The pyroelectric device of claim 16, wherein:
the band-gap material layer is capable of being switched into the pyroelectric on-state by a first voltage pulse being applied to the pyroelectric device via the first and second electrodes, the first voltage pulse having a first polarity and sufficient magnitude to create a first external electric field that switches the band-gap material layer into a pyroelectrically active, polarized state that persists passively in a subsequent absence of the first external electric field;
(Hasegawa teaches a ZrO2 layer that is capable of being switched into a pyroelectric on-state. Therefore, the disclosed stack utilizes electrodes with disparate workfunctions (Pt and ITO), which generate a permanent internal electric field. As taught by Hasegawa, a voltage pulse of sufficient magnitude induces a polar phase in the ZrO2. Due to the inherent shift in the charge-voltage characteristic caused by the internal field, the material remains in said polar state after the pulse is removed. This teaches the 'passive persistence' in a polarized state as required by the claim); and
the band-gap material layer is capable of being switched into the pyroelectric off-state by a second voltage pulse being applied to the pyroelectric device via the first and second electrodes, the second voltage pulse having a second polarity and sufficient magnitude to create a second external electric field that switches the band-gap material layer into a pyroelectrically inactive, nonpolarized state that persists passively in a subsequent absence of the second external electric field (Hasegawa teaches a ZrO2 layer (a known DHL material) that is capable of being reset via a second voltage pulse of a second polarity. Therefore, applying such a pulse drives the ZrO2 from a polar phase to a non-polar tetragonal phase. In this state, the net polarization is zero, which inherently renders the material pyroelectrically inactive as it lacks the spontaneous polarization necessary for the pyroelectric effect. Furthermore, because the non-polar state corresponds to the stable 'waist' of the disclosed double hysteresis loop, the material persists passively in this inactive state even after the second external electric field is removed. Accordingly, Hasegawa teaches every element of this limitation).
Conclusion
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/Changhyun Yi/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812