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 method invention, claims 1-8, in the reply filed on May 12, 2026 is acknowledged.
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) 1,3-5,7,8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onuma et al (PG Pub 2020/0357781 A1), Darmawikarta et al (PG Pub 2017/0330795 A1, Iguchi (PG Pub 2020/0343410 A1), and Chien et al (PG Pub 2023/0261156 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Onuma teaches a processing method comprising: forming a group of LED structures (15, fig. 2) on a substrate layer (11) to form a pattered LED substrate; depositing a light absorption material (16, paragraph [0076]) on the patterned LED substrate, wherein the light absorption material comprises at least one photocurable compound (paragraph [0079]) and at least one ultraviolet light absorbing compound (cured by UV light, paragraph [0079]); exposing a portion of the light absorption material light (cured by UV light, paragraph [0079]), wherein the light cures the exposed portion of the light absorption material into pixel isolation structures (paragraph [0079]).
Although Onuma does not explicitly teach at least one ultraviolet light absorbing compound, Onuma seems to imply that compound 16 absorbs UV light since it is cured by UV light (paragraph [0079]). Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Chien teaches a light absorbing material (40) to comprise at least one ultraviolet light absorbing compound (paragraphs [0043][0057]), for the benefit of preventing bond breakage in the material (paragraph [0043]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the light absorbing material to include at least one ultraviolet light absorbing compound for the benefit of preventing bond breakage in the material.
Onuma does not teach the light that the light absorbing material exposed to to be patterned light. Onuma teaches the light absorbing material is patterned (fig. 2c).
In the same field of endeavor, Darmawikarta teaches exposing a material through patterned light (using a mask) then wash the unexposed portion off to create a patterned material (108, paragraph [0024]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the exposure light a patterned light for the benefit of creating patterned material.
Onuma in view of Darmawikarta teaches “the patterned light cures the exposed portion of the light absorption material into pixel isolation structures” (paragraph [0079] of Onuma and paragraph [0024] of Darmawikarta).
Onuma does not teach depositing an isotropic light reflecting layer on a top portion and a side portion of the pixel isolation structures, wherein the LED structures are substantially free of the as-deposited isotropic light reflecting layer.
In the same field of endeavor, Iguchi teaches depositing an isotropic light reflecting layer (metal reflector 36, fig. 10, paragraph [0193]) on a top portion and a side portion of the pixel isolation structures (35), wherein the LED structures are substantially free of the as-deposited isotropic light reflecting layer (fig. 10), for the known benefit of increasing light extraction.
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to deposit an isotropic light reflecting layer on a top portion and a side portion of the pixel isolation structures, wherein the LED structures were substantially free of the as-deposited isotropic light reflecting layer, for the known benefit of increasing light extraction.
Regarding claim 3, Onuma teaches the processing method of claim 1, wherein the at least one photocurable compound in the light absorption material comprises an epoxy-based photocurable material (paragraph [0076]).
Regarding claim 4, Chien teaches the processing method of claim 1, wherein the at least one ultraviolet light absorbing compound in the light absorption material comprises benzotriazole derivative 2- [3 -(2H-Benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxyphenyl] derivatives, or triazine derivatives (paragraph [0057]).
Regarding claim 5, Darmawikarta teaches the processing method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises rinsing (paragraph [0024]) the uncured light absorption material from the patterned LED substrate after curing the exposed portion of the light absorption material into the pixel isolation structures.
Regarding claim 7, Onuma teaches the processing method of claim 1, wherein the pixel isolation structures form sidewalls of photoluminescent regions (31, fig. 2) positioned on the LED structures of the patterned LED substrate.
Regarding claim 8, Onuma teaches the processing method claim 7, wherein the method further comprises depositing a photoluminescent material (31, fig. 2) in the photoluminescent regions.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onuma et al (PG Pub 2020/0357781 A1), Darmawikarta et al (PG Pub 2017/0330795 A1, Iguchi (PG Pub 2020/0343410 A1), and Chien et al (PG Pub 2023/0261156 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Sadaka et al (PG Pub 2009/0156939 A1).
Regarding claim 2, the previous combination remains as applied in claim 1.
The previous combination does not teach the depositing of the light absorption material on the patterned LED substrate comprises spin coating.
In the same field of endeavor, Sadaka teaches spin coating provides the benefit of enabling thickness control (paragraph [0027]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make depositing the light absorption material on the patterned LED substrate to comprise spin coating the light absorption material on the patterned LED substrate, for the benefit of achieving thickness control.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onuma et al (PG Pub 2020/0357781 A1), Darmawikarta et al (PG Pub 2017/0330795 A1, Iguchi (PG Pub 2020/0343410 A1), and Chien et al (PG Pub 2023/0261156 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Widenmeyer el al (PG Pub 2017/0322173 A1).
Regarding claim 6, the previous combination remains as applied in claim 1.
Iguchi further teaches the depositing of the isotropic light reflecting layer comprises deposition of the isotropic light reflecting layer on the top and side portions of the pixel isolation (fig. 10).
The previous combination does not teach the depositing of the isotropic light reflecting layer comprises a directional deposition.
In the same field of endeavor, Widenmeyer teaches depositing a layer (120/660, figs. 5 and 6) using directional deposition (paragraph [0072]), for the benefit of depositing material on specific areas (top surface and sidewalls), thus, eliminating the need to remove unwanted portion (the bottom) of the material.
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the depositing of the isotropic light reflecting layer to comprise a directional deposition of the isotropic light reflecting layer for the benefit of depositing material on specific areas (top surface and sidewalls), thus, eliminating the need to remove unwanted portion (the bottom) of the material.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FEIFEI YEUNG LOPEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1882. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8am to 4pm EST.
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/FEIFEI YEUNG LOPEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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