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 .
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Machinaga et al. (US 2021/0305443 A1, hereinafter refer to Machinaga) in view of Fujii (JP H056906 A, hereinafter refer to Fujii).
Regarding Claim 1: Machinaga discloses a method of manufacturing a photo detector (see Machinaga, Fig.16 as shown below and ¶ [0001]), the method comprising:
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preparing a substrate (10/21/22) having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface (see Machinaga, Fig.16 as shown above);
forming a semiconductor layer (23) on the first main surface (see Machinaga, Fig.16 as shown above);
forming, on the semiconductor layer (23), a passivation layer (30) having an opening (see Machinaga, Fig.16 as shown above);
forming an electrode (150) on the semiconductor layer (23) exposed through the opening (see Machinaga, Fig.16 as shown above).
Machinaga is silent upon explicitly disclosing wherein bringing, after the electrode is formed, the passivation layer into contact with an etchant; and
inspecting, after the bringing into contact with an etchant, characteristics,
wherein the etchant has a higher etching rate for the semiconductor layer than for the passivation layer.
Before effective filing date of the claimed invention the disclosed processing conditions were known in order to form recess within the semiconductor layer.
For support see Fujii, which teaches wherein bringing, after the electrode (5) is formed, the passivation layer (8) into contact with an etchant (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown below and ¶ [0002]- ¶ [0006]); and
inspecting, after the bringing into contact with an etchant, characteristics (note: every processing steps necessarily requires either machined or human eyes inspection. Hence, the above statement is a generally true statement) (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown below),
wherein the etchant has a higher etching rate for the semiconductor layer (2) than for the passivation layer (8) (note: the etched/removed dimensions of semiconductor layer 2 is greater than the dimensions of passivation layer 8) (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown below and ¶ [0002]- ¶ [0006]).
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Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Machinaga and Fujii to enable the known processing conditions as taught by Fujii in order to form a recess within the semiconductor layer of Machinaga.
Regarding Claim 2: Machinaga as modified teaches a method of manufacturing a photo detector as set forth in claim 1 as above. The combination of Machinaga and Fujii further teaches wherein the bringing into contact with an etchant includes immersing the substrate in the etchant (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown above and ¶ [0002]- ¶ [0006]).
Regarding Claim 3: Machinaga as modified teaches a method of manufacturing a photo detector as set forth in claim 1 as above. The combination of Machinaga and Fujii further teaches wherein the bringing into contact with an etchant includes applying the etchant onto the passivation layer (8) (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown above and ¶ [0002]- ¶ [0006]).
Regarding Claim 4: Machinaga as modified teaches a method of manufacturing a photo detector as set forth in claim 1 as above. The combination of Machinaga and Fujii further teaches wherein the inspecting characteristics includes inspecting an appearance (note: it is generally true to inspect the appearance of the device after every processing steps) (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown above).
Regarding Claim 5: Machinaga as modified teaches a method of manufacturing a photo detector as set forth in claim 1 as above. The combination of Machinaga and Fujii further teaches wherein the inspecting characteristics includes inspecting electrical characteristics (note: it is generally true to inspect the electrical characteristics of the device after every processing steps either by prob test or human eyes) (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown above).
Regarding Claim 6: Machinaga as modified teaches a method of manufacturing a photo detector as set forth in claim 1 as above. The combination of Machinaga and Fujii further teaches wherein the etchant is hydrobromic acid (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown above and ¶ [0002]- ¶ [0006]).
Regarding Claim 7: Machinaga as modified teaches a method of manufacturing a photo detector as set forth in claim 1 as above. Machinaga further teaches wherein polishing, after the forming an electrode, the second main surface (10b) (see Machinaga, Fig.16 as shown above, Fig.17, and ¶ [0083]).
The combination of Machinaga and Fujii is silent upon explicitly disclosing wherein the bringing into contact with an etchant is performed after the polishing the second main surface and includes bringing the second main surface into contact with the etchant.
However, Machinaga teaches polishing, after the forming an electrode, the second main surface (10b) (see Machinaga, Fig.16 as shown above, Fig.17, and ¶ [0083]). FuJii teaches wherein bringing, after the electrode (5) is formed, the passivation layer (8) into contact with an etchant (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown above and ¶ [0002]- ¶ [0006]).
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Machinaga and Fujii to enable bringing into contact with an etchant is performed after the polishing the second main surface and includes bringing the second main surface into contact with the etchant in order to form a recess within the semiconductor layer of Machinaga.
Note: selection of any order of performing process steps is prima facie obvious in the absence of new or unexpected results.
Regarding Claim 8: Machinaga as modified teaches a method of manufacturing a photo detector as set forth in claim 1 as above. Machinaga further teaches wherein forming, after the forming an electrode (150), an antireflection film (31) on the second main surface (10b) (see Machinaga, Fig.16 as shown above, Figs.17-18, and ¶ [0084]).
The combination of Machinaga and Fujii is silent upon explicitly disclosing wherein the bringing into contact with an etchant is performed after the forming an antireflection film.
However, Machinaga teaches wherein forming, after the forming an electrode (150), an antireflection film (31) on the second main surface (10b) (see Machinaga, Fig.16 as shown above, Figs.17-18, and ¶ [0084]). FuJii teaches wherein bringing, after the electrode (5) is formed, the passivation layer (8) into contact with an etchant (see Fujii, Figs.10-12 as shown above and ¶ [0002]- ¶ [0006]).
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Machinaga and Fujii to enable bringing into contact with an etchant is performed after the forming an antireflection film in order to form a recess within the semiconductor layer of Machinaga.
Note: selection of any order of performing process steps is prima facie obvious in the absence of new or unexpected results.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BITEW A DINKE whose telephone number is (571)272-0534. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 a.m. - 5 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Davienne Monbleau can be reached at (571)272-1945. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BITEW A DINKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812