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 Embodiment 14 as seen in Figs. (Claims 1-6, 8-12 readable thereon) in the reply filed on April 23, 2026 is acknowledged. Clam 7 has been identified by the applicant as reading on a non-elected embodiment.
Claim Objections
Claims 3, 6, and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 3 contains the phrase, “…are directly contact with each other …”. It is believed that this should read, “…are directly in contact with each other …”. Claim 6 contains the phrase, “directly contacting the contact”. It is believed that this should read, “directly contacting the anode contact”. In the interest of compact prosecution, the application will be examined as such. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 9 contains the phrase, “output the signal from the contact”. It is believed that this should read, “output the signal from the anode contact”
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al (USPGUPB 20180019268, hereinafter “Zhang”).
Regarding Claim 1, Zhang teaches (Fig. 4A) an avalanche photodetection device comprising: A photodetection layer (440), wherein the photodetection layer includes a first well (418), a heavily doped region (424; region 424 is shown as an “N+” region, so is understood to be a region with heavier n-type doping concentration than P or N- regions ) provided on (heavily doped region 424 is seen provided on first well 418) the first well (418), and an anode contact (412) spaced apart from (anode contact 412 is seen spaced apart from heavily doped region 424) the heavily doped region (424), wherein a conductivity type of (conductivity types are seen labeled in Fig. 4A, first well conductivity type 418 is p-type) the first well (418) and the anode contact (412) is p-type (anode contact 412 is p-type), wherein a conductivity type (424 has an n-type conductivity) of the heavily doped region (424) is n-type, wherein the heavily doped region (424) is configured to be biased with a positive bias (heavily-doped region 424 is seen with a positive voltage applied to it); wherein the anode contact (412) is configured to output a signal (signal output of the anode contact of an SPAD device would be an inherent property).
Regarding Claim 2, Zhang teaches the avalanche photodetection device of claim 1, wherein the anode contact (412) surrounds (anode contact 412 is seen surrounding heavily doped region 424) the heavily doped region (424).
Regarding Claim 3, Zhang teaches the avalanche photodetection device of claim 1, wherein the photodetection layer further includes a second well (422) provided between (the second well 422 is seen provided between first well 418 and the heavily doped region 424) the first well (418) and the heavily doped region (424), wherein a conductivity type of the second well is n-type, wherein a doping concentration of the second well (422) is lower than (Fig. 4A, second well 422 is designated as a “P” layer and the heavily doped region is designated as an N+” layer) a doping concentration of the heavily doped region (424), wherein the first well (418) and the second well (422) are directly in contact with each other to form a depletion region (first well 418 and second well 422 are seen in direct contact with each other and would form a depletion region).
Regarding Claim 4, Zhang teaches the avalanche photodetection device of claim 3, wherein the second well (422) extends to a region between (the second well 422 is seen extending ) the heavily doped region (424) and the anode contact (412).
Regarding Claim 5, Zhang teaches (Fig. 4A) the avalanche photodetection device of claim 4, wherein the first well (418) extends to (first well 418 is seen extending to a region between second well 422 and anode contact 412) a region between the second well (422) and the anode contact (412).
Regarding Claim 6, Zhang teaches (Fig. 4A) the avalanche photodetection device of claim 1, wherein the photodetection layer further includes a relief region (430) directly contacting (relief region 430 is seen directly contacting anode contact 412) the anode contact (412), wherein a conductivity type of the relief region (430) is p-type (relief region 430 is seen labeled as a p-type region), wherein a doping concentration of the relief region (430) is (the relief region 430 is labeled as a P-well, and the contact 412 is labeled as a P+ region, and the first well is labeled as a P-epitaxial region, so the concentration of the relief region 430 being higher than the first well 418 is an inherent property of these types of devices) lower than a doping concentration of the contact (412) and higher than a doping concentration of the first well (418).
Regarding Claim 8, Zhang teaches (Fig. 4A) the avalanche photodetection device of claim 1, wherein the photodetection layer further includes a guard ring (442) extending from (guard ring 442 is seen extending from a region on a side surface of the heavily doped region 424 to a side surface of the first well 418, as opposite sides of guard ring 442 is seen contacting side surfaces of both first well 418 and heavily doped region 424) a region on a side surface of the heavily doped region (424) to a region on a side surface of the first well (418), wherein a conductivity type of the guard ring (442) is n-type (the guard ring 442 is labeled as n- in the figure), wherein a doping concentration of the guard ring (442) is lower than a doping concentration of the heavily doped region (the guard ring 442 is labeled as n- in the figure, whereas the heavily doped region is labeled as n+).
Regarding Claim 9, Zhang teaches (Fig. 2; Fig. 4A) the avalanche photodetection device of claim 1, further comprising: a control layer (218) provided on the photodetection layer (220), wherein the control layer (218) includes a first circuit configured to (Fig. 4A, a circuit of Fig. 2 which would be connected to Vpixel) bias the heavily doped region (424), and a second circuit configured to (Fig. 4A, a circuit of Fig. 2 which would be connected to -Vsub) output the signal from the anode contact (412).
Regarding Claim 10, Zhang teaches the avalanche photodetection device of claim 9, further comprising: a connection layer (CL) provided between the control layer and the photodetection layer (440), wherein the connecting layer (CL) includes a first conductive line (L1) configured to electrically connect the heavily doped region and the first circuit (Fig. 4A, a circuit of Fig. 2 which would be connected to Vpixel), and a second conductive line (L2) configured to electrically connect the anode contact (412) and the second circuit (Fig. 4A, a circuit of Fig. 2 which would be connected to -Vsub-).
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Regarding Claim 11, Zhang teaches (Fig. 4A) an electronic device comprising: an avalanche photodetection device ([0014], “…examples in accordance with the teaching of the present invention describe a photon sensing system that includes an array of photon detection devices with single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) in a stacked chip photon sensing system) including a photodetection layer (440), wherein the photodetection layer includes a first well (418), a heavily doped region (424) provided on (heavily doped region 424 is seen provided on first well 418) the first well (418), and an anode contact (412) spaced apart from (anode contact 412 is seen spaced apart from heavily doped region 424) the heavily doped region (424), wherein a conductivity type of (conductivity types are seen labeled in Fig. 4A, first well conductivity type 418 is p-type) the first well (418) and the anode contact (412) is p-type (anode contact 412 is p-type), wherein a conductivity type (424 has an n-type conductivity) of the heavily doped region (424) is n-type, wherein the heavily doped region (424) is configured to be biased with a positive bias (heavily-doped region 424 is seen with a positive voltage applied to it); wherein the anode contact (412) is configured to output a signal (signal output of the anode contact of an SPAD device would be an inherent property).
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.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bolatkale et al (USPGPUB 20220026543, hereinafter “Bolatkale”) in view of Zhang.
Regarding Claim 12, Bolatkale teaches A LiDAR device including an avalanche photodetection device ([0001], “single-photon avalanche photodiode (SPAD) technology as used for light detection and ranging (Lidar) as well as other purposes”).
Bolatkale is silent with regards to an electronic device in, wherein the avalanche photodetection device includes a photodetection layer, wherein the photodetection layer includes a first well, a heavily doped region provided on the first well, and an anode contact spaced apart from the heavily doped region, wherein the first well and the anode contact have a p-type conductivity type, the heavily doped region has an n-type conductivity, the heavily doped region is configured to be biased with a positive bias, and the anode contact is configured to output a signal.
Zhang teaches (Fig. 4A) an electronic device comprising: an avalanche photodetection device ([0014], “…examples in accordance with the teaching of the present invention describe a photon sensing system that includes an array of photon detection devices with single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) in a stacked chip photon sensing system) including a photodetection layer (440), wherein the photodetection layer includes a first well (418), a heavily doped region (424) provided on (heavily doped region 424 is seen provided on first well 418) the first well (418), and an anode contact (412) spaced apart from (anode contact 412 is seen spaced apart from heavily doped region 424) the heavily doped region (424), wherein a conductivity type of (conductivity types are seen labeled in Fig. 4A, first well conductivity type 418 is p-type) the first well (418) and the anode contact (412) is p-type (anode contact 412 is p-type), wherein a conductivity type (424 has an n-type conductivity) of the heavily doped region (424) is n-type, wherein the heavily doped region (424) is configured to be biased with a positive bias (heavily-doped region 424 is seen with a positive voltage applied to it); wherein the anode contact (412) is configured to output a signal (signal output of the anode contact of an SPAD device would be an inherent property).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, absent unexpected results, before the date of effective filing, to incorporate the geometry of Zhang into the device of Bolatkale in order to arrive at the expected result of ensuring more uniform electric field distribution within the device (see abstract of Zhang) with reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
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/V.J.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/JESSICA S MANNO/SPE, Art Unit 2898
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