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 .
Response to Amendment
The response filed 01/25/2024 is accepted, in which, claims 3-5, and 7 are amended. Claim 1 is independent with claims 1-7 awaiting an action on the merits as follows.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 5, prior art fails to teach or suggest the fourth surface of the n+ type semiconductor layer comprises a fourth portion in contact with the second electrode, and a non-through groove is located in a sixth portion of the third surface of the n-type semiconductor layer. No references found during the search yielded a photodiode with n+ type semiconductor columns extending down through the device. Ellis-Monaghan (US 20210183918 A1), used in the rejection below, discloses trench isolation regions in a photodiode, but the design of Ellis-Monaghan is different from the invention claimed in claim 1.
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION. —The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2 is rejected for indefiniteness.
Regarding claim 2, the claim states, "light is incident from a portion …" Incident is defined as falling or striking on something. Examiner is unclear how light could be incident from something since the light doesn't emanate from the element it is incident on. To further prosecution, Examiner will assume the claim should read, "light is incident on a portion …" Proper correction is required.
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 1-3 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bui (US 6593636 B1), and further in view of Udono (US 20200052142 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Bui teaches a photodiode (10, Fig 10) comprising: a p+ type semiconductor layer (24) comprising a first surface (24T: top of 24) in contact (shown in contact) with a first electrode (35) and
a surface protective film (22) located (shown located) at a peripheral portion (35P: peripheral portion of 35) of the first electrode (35);
an n-type semiconductor layer (110) in contact (shown in contact) with a second surface (24B: bottom of 24) of the p+ type semiconductor layer (24), the second surface (24B) opposing (shown opposing) the first surface (24T);
an n+ type semiconductor layer (30) in contact (shown in contact) with a third surface (110D: diagonal side surface of 110) of the n-type semiconductor layer (110), the third surface (110D) opposing (shown opposing) a surface (110T: top surface of 110) in contact (shown in contact) with the second surface (24B); and
a second electrode (28) in contact (shown in contact) with a fourth surface (30T: top of 30) of the n+ type semiconductor layer (30), the fourth surface (30T) opposing (shown opposing) a surface (30B: bottom of 30) in contact (shown in contact) with the third surface (110D), wherein
the fourth surface (30T) of the n+ type semiconductor layer (30) comprises a first portion (30T1: central horizontal top surface of 30) that is not in contact (shown not in direct contact) with the second electrode (28), and
a recessed portion (32) is provided in (shown in) a third portion (110D1: recessed portion between diagonal sides 110D) of the third surface (110D) of the n-type semiconductor layer (110),
the third portion (110D1) being in contact (shown in contact) with a second portion (30B1: bottom horizontal surface of 30) of the n+ type semiconductor layer (30), the second portion (30B1) being a surface opposing (shown opposing) the first portion (30T1).
Bui fails to explicitly teach the p+ type semiconductor layer, the n-type semiconductor layer, and the n+ type semiconductor layer contain Mg2Si.
However, Udono teaches the p+ type semiconductor layer, the n-type semiconductor layer, and the n+ type semiconductor layer contain Mg2Si (Mg2Si, [0044]).
Bui and Udono are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of photodiode devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the device of Bui with the features of Udono to create a photodiode wherein the p+ type semiconductor layer, the n-type semiconductor layer, and the n+ type semiconductor layer contain Mg2Si which can detect light inputs with high sensitivity in the infrared region (Udono, [0004]) having not only high adhesion to the Mg2Si material but also improved overall performance including photosensitivity (Udono, [0012]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Bui and Udono discloses the photodiode of claim 1. Bui teaches the first electrode (35, Fig 10) and goes on to teach infrared light is incident (incident on; light would be incident from above in Fig 10) from a portion (30T1; same surface as 30T) of the fourth surface (30T) of the n+ type semiconductor layer (30), the portion (30T1) being not in contact (shown not in direct contact) with the second electrode (28), and
the infrared light is reflected (reflected; contact 35 would be made of a metal conductor, it is well known that metals are reflective, light incident on the device would be partially reflected by the first electrode 35) at a portion (35A: side surface of 35) of the first electrode (35), the portion (35A) being in contact (shown in contact) with the first surface (24T) of the p+ type semiconductor layer (24).
Udono goes on to teach the first electrode contains NiAu (Au on Ni, 0065]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Bui and Udono discloses the photodiode of claim 1. Bui teaches the p+ type semiconductor layer (24, Fig 10).
Udono goes on to teach the p+ type semiconductor layer is doped with Ag (doped with Ag, [0034]).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Bui and Udono discloses the photodiode of claim 1. Bui teaches the photodiode (10, Fig 10).
Udono goes on to teach A photosensitive device (photosensitive device, [0038, 0056]) comprising the photodiode described in claim 1.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bui (US 6593636 B1), in view of Udono (US 20200052142 A1), and further in view of Ellis-Monaghan (US 20210183918 A1).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Bui and Udono discloses the photodiode of claim 1. Bui teaches the n+ type semiconductor layer (30, Fig 10).
The combination fails to explicitly teach the n+ type semiconductor layer is doped with AI, boron (B), or phosphorus (P).
However, Ellis-Monaghan teaches the n+ type semiconductor layer (30, Fig 10) is doped with AI, boron (B), or phosphorus (P) (doped with phosphorus, [0021]).
Bui, Udono, and Ellis-Monaghan are considered analogous to the claimed invention because all are from the same field of endeavor of photodiode devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the device of Bui and Udono with the features of Ellis-Monaghan to create a photodiode wherein the n+ type semiconductor layer is doped with AI, boron (B), or phosphorus (P) with high photon absorption in the infrared wavelength range (Ellis-Monaghan, [0002]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Shibayama (US 20070007556 A1) - PD with recess in semiconductor layer
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jeremy D Watts whose telephone number is (703)756-1055. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 8:00am-4:30pm, F 8:00-3pm EST.
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/JEREMY DANIEL WATTS/Examiner, Art Unit 2897 /CHAD M DICKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897