DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species Embodiment 1 with claims 1-3, 8-9, 11, 13, 15-19, 21-25, and 33 in the reply filed on 02/17/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 4-5 are withdrawn from further consideration as being drawn to a nonelected species embodiment.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: LIGHT-EMITTING ELEMENT COMPRISING ELECTRON TRANSPORT LAYER CONTAINING COMPOUND FORMED OF GROUP 12 ELEMENT, GROUP 14 ELEMENT, AND NITROGEN
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “first a compound” should be changed to “a first compound”. 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, 3, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Doh et al. (US 2021/0217965 A1; hereinafter “Doh”).
Regarding claim 1, Doh teaches a light-emitting element comprising: a cathode (190) (paragraphs 214-222); an anode (110) opposite the cathode (paragraphs 33-36); a light-emitting layer (153) between the cathode and the anode (paragraphs 82-84 and 136-157); and an electron transport layer (155) between the cathode and the light-emitting layer, the electron transport layer containing either first a compound containing a Group IIB (12) element, a Group IVB (14) element, and elemental nitrogen (for example, 155 including a nitride of Zn as a first material and Si as a second material) (paragraphs 158-165), or a second compound containing the Group IVB (14) element, a Group VIB (16) element, and elemental boron.
Regarding claim 3, Doh teaches wherein: the electron transport layer contains the first compound, and the Group IIB (12) element is Zn (Zn as the first material) (paragraphs 158-165).
Regarding claim 11, Doh teaches wherein: the light-emitting layer contains first quantum dots (paragraphs 82-84 and 136-157), and the electron transport layer is in contact with the light-emitting layer (155 in contact with 153).
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.
Claims 2, 8-9, 13, 15-19, 21-25, and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doh.
Regarding claim 2, while Doh does not explicitly teach that the first compound has a chemical formula AxDyNz as claimed, Doh teaches that A is the Group IIB (12) element (Zn), D is the Group IVB (14) element (Si), N is the elemental nitrogen (N) for the first compound (paragraphs 158-165). Then, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide ZnSiN2 as the chemical formula AxDyNz with x=1, y=1, and z=2, in order to provide a stable ternary nitride compound with charge balanced.
Regarding claim 8, with the same reasoning for claim 2 is applied for claim 8 (See the rejection of claim 2 above), Doh teaches wherein the electron transport layer is an n-type semiconductor (155 formed of ZnSiN2, which is an n-type semiconductor) (paragraphs 158-165).
Regarding claim 9, with the same reasoning for claim 2 is applied for claim 9 (See the rejection of claim 2 above), Doh teaches wherein the electron transport layer is a degenerate semiconductor (155 formed of ZnSiN2, which is a degenerate semiconductor) (paragraphs 158-165).
Regarding claim 13, while Doh does not explicitly teach a quantum-dot layer containing second quantum dots between the electron transport layer and the light-emitting layer, Doh teaches the emission layer 153 including quantum dots and the emission layer 153 including a plurality of emission layers emitting light of different colors (paragraphs 83-84). Then, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the quantum-dot layer containing second quantum dots provided between the electron transport layer and the light-emitting layer (for example, one of the plurality of emission layers formed of quantum dot between the electron transport layer and another one of the plurality of emission layers), wherein electron transport layer is in contact with the quantum-dot layer, and the quantum-dot layer is in contact with the light-emitting layer as claimed, in order to provide the light-emitting device having a full color light-emitting device with the plurality of emission layers.
Regarding claim 15, Doh teaches a light-emitting element comprising: a cathode (190) (paragraphs 214-222); an anode (110) opposite the cathode (paragraphs 33-36); a light-emitting layer (153) containing quantum dots between the cathode and the anode (paragraphs 82-84 and 136-157); and an electron transport layer (155) in contact with the light-emitting layer between the cathode and the light-emitting layer (paragraphs 158-165), the electron transport layer being an n-type semiconductor (for example, 155 formed of ZnO, which is an n-type semiconductor), an absolute value of a difference between a conduction band minimum of the electron transport layer and a vacuum energy level (for ZnO, |-4.2eV for CBM – 0eV for vacuum energy level| = 4.2eV) being smaller than an absolute value of a difference between a conduction band minimum of the light-emitting layer and the vacuum energy level (for example, for 153 formed of InP, |-4.4eV for CBM – 0eV for vacuum energy level| = 4.4eV) (paragraphs 136-143 and 158-165).
Doh does not explicitly teach that the light-emitting layer includes: a first layer in contact with the electron transport layer; and a second layer in contact with the first layer, and separated from the electron transport layer, and only the second layer in the light-emitting layer emits light. However, Doh teaches that the emission layer 153 may include a plurality of emission layers emitting light of different colors (paragraphs 83-84). Then, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide plurality of emission layers with a first emission layer of the plurality of emission layers in contact with the electron transport layer 155 and emitting a first color light and a second layer of the plurality of emission layers under the first layer emitting a second color light that is not emitted by the first layer emission layer of the plurality of emission layers, in order to provide the light-emitting device having a full color light-emitting device with the plurality of emission layers.
Regarding claim 16, while Doh does not explicitly teach that the second layer in the light-emitting layer has a thickness of less than or equal to half of a thickness of the light-emitting layer, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adjust the thickness of the first layer and/or the second layer of the light-emitting layer, as a routine experimentation, in order to obtain the optimal thickness, including the thickness such that the thickness of the second layer is less than or equal to half of the thickness of the light-emitting layer as claimed. It has held that discovering an optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the workable ranges by routine experimentation. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 17, Doh teaches a light-emitting element comprising: a cathode (190) (paragraphs 214-222); an anode (110) opposite the cathode (paragraphs 33-36); a light-emitting layer (153) between the cathode and the anode (paragraphs 82-84 and 136-157); and an electron transport layer (155) between the cathode and the light-emitting layer (paragraphs 158-165).
However, Doh does not explicitly teach that “the electron transport layer has an ionization potential and an electron affinity, both having a lower value than a value of an electron affinity of the light-emitting layer, and the electron transport layer exhibits a band gap” since Doh does not teach the electron transport layer formed of a compound ZnSiN2. However, with Doh teaching the electron transport layer formed of nitride of Zn and Si (paragraphs 158-168), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide ZnSiN2 for providing a stable ternary nitride compound with charge balanced.
It is also noted that the electron transport layer 155 is formed with ZnSiN2, which is the identical material choice to that of the instant application and the light-emitting layer is formed with at least ZnSe or InP, which is also identical material choice to that of the invention as described in paragraph 91, would read on the claimed limitation “the electron transport layer has an ionization potential and an electron affinity, both having a lower value than a value of an electron affinity of the light-emitting layer, and the electron transport layer exhibits a band gap” since identical materials would have identical material properties.
Regarding claim 18, Doh teaches wherein the value of the electron affinity of the electron transport layer is lower than or equal to 1 eV (155 formed of ZnSiN2 and see the rejection of claim 17 above).
Regarding claim 19, Doh teaches wherein the value of the ionization potential of the electron transport layer is lower than or equal to 2.55 eV (155 formed of ZnSiN2 and see the rejection of claim 17 above).
Regarding claim 21, Doh teaches wherein a magnitude of a band gap energy of the electron transport layer is greater than a magnitude of energy determined from equation A: E = hc/k, wherein E is the magnitude of energy determined from equation A (eV), where k is a wavelength (nm), h is Planck's constant, and c is a speed of light, with A being equal to 760 nm (155 formed of ZnSiN2 and the 153 emitting red light wavelength would read on the claimed limitation) (see the rejection of claim 17 for ZnSiN2 and paragraph 220).
Regarding claim 22, Doh teaches wherein a magnitude of a band gap energy of the electron transport layer is greater than a magnitude of energy determined from equation A: E =hc/k, wherein E is the magnitude of energy determined from equation A (eV), where λ is a wavelength (nm), h is Planck's constant, and c is a speed of light, with A being equal to 450 nm (155 formed of ZnSiN2 and the 153 emitting blue light wavelength would read on the claimed limitation) (see the rejection of claim 17 for ZnSiN2 and paragraph 220).
Regarding claim 23, Doh teaches wherein a magnitude of a band gap energy of the light-emitting layer is equal to a magnitude of energy determined from equation A: E = hc/A, where E is the magnitude of energy determined from equation A (eV), A is a wavelength (nm), h is Planck's constant, and c is a speed of light, with A being equal to a wavelength in a visible light range (155 formed of ZnSiN2 and the 153 emitting visible light wavelength would read on the claimed limitation) (see the rejection of claim 17 for ZnSiN2 and paragraph 220).
Regarding claim 24, Doh teaches wherein the light-emitting layer and the quantum-dot layer have a combined thickness of-from 20 nm to 100 nm, both inclusive (for example, 50 nm) (paragraph 83).
Regarding claim 25, Doh teaches wherein the light-emitting layer has a thickness of-from 20 nm to 100 nm, both inclusive (for example, 50 nm) (paragraph 83).
Regarding claim 33, Doh does not explicitly teach the electron transport layer includes a first electron transport layer and a second electron transport layer with different electron affinity between the first electron transport layer and a second electron transport layer. Nevertheless, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the electron transport layer having two electron transport layers with different material choices, resulting different electron affinity, in order to provide the optimal electron transporting characteristics.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL B WHALEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3418. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8AM-5PM.
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/DANIEL WHALEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893