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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A, claims 1-18 in the reply filed on 18 November 2025 is acknowledged.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 31 July 2023 has been considered by the examiner and made of record in the application file.
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 1-5, 7-9, 11-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Taekhoon Kim et al. (US 2021/0147749 A1; hereinafter “Kim”).
Regarding Claim 1, Kim teaches a quantum dot comprising:
a core comprising InP (Fig. 1, para [0084] describes a quantum dot including a core including InP);
a first shell around the core, and comprising ZnTeSe (Fig. 1, para [0084] describes a first layer disposed directly on the core wherein said first layer includes ZnSeTe);
a second shell around the first shell, and comprising ZnSe (Fig. 1, para [0086] describes a first outer layer comprising ZnSe); and
a third shell around the second shell, and comprising ZnS (Fig. 1, para [0084] and para [0086] describes an outermost layer of the quantum dot comprising ZnS),
wherein a ratio of a number of moles of the Te in the first shell to a number of moles of the P in the core is about 0.02 to about 0.90 (Fig. 1, para [0240] and Table 1 describes wherein a relative mole ratio in an example quantum dot for P to In is 1:1 and for Te:In is 0.2:1 wherein a resulting mole ratio of Te:P would be 0.2:1).
Regarding Claim 2, Kim teaches the quantum dot of claim 1, wherein the first shell absorbs light with a center wavelength of about 440 nm to about 460 nm (para [0080] describes wherein a quantum dot with a semiconductor nanocrystal shell including zinc, selenium and tellurium may have an absorption of blue light wherein para [0093] describes said blue light having a wavelength of 450 nm).
Regarding Claim 3, Kim teaches the quantum dot of claim 1, wherein the first shell is closer to the core than the second shell and the third shell (para [0083] and para [0084] describes a first layer disposed directly on the core wherein said first layer includes ZnSeTe and further wherein a first outer layer or second layer surrounds said first layer and a third layer or outermost shell wherein resulting first layer would be closer to the core than the second and third shell).
Regarding Claim 4, Kim teaches the quantum dot of claim 1, wherein a bandgap energy of the first shell is less than a bandgap energy of the second shell (Fig. 1, para [0083] – para [0086] please see MPEP 2112.01 (I) wherein the structure of the first shell and second shell as recited by Kim is substantially identical to that of the claims therefore claimed properties, such as a bandgap energy of the first shell being less than a bandgap energy of the second shell, is presumed to be present) and less than a bandgap energy of the third shell (Fig. 1, para [0083] – para [0086] please see MPEP 2112.01 (I) wherein the structure of the first shell and third shell as recited by Kim is substantially identical to that of the claims therefore claimed properties, such as a bandgap energy of the first shell being less than a bandgap energy of the third shell, is presumed to be present and further wherein para [0086] describes a bandgap energy of the first shell being less than a bandgap energy of the third shell).
Regarding Claim 5, Kim teaches the quantum dot of claim 1, wherein the quantum dot is to emit light with a center wavelength of about 510 nm to about 540 nm (para [0090] describes wherein the quantum dot emits green light in the range of 500 nm to about 550 nm wherein 510 nm to 540 nm falls within said range).
Regarding Claim 7, Kim teaches a display device comprising:
a base layer (100, Fig. 3, para [0173] describes a base substrate layer 100);
a display element layer (OLED, Fig. 3, para [0170] describes an OLED layer) on the base layer and comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements (90a-90c, 130 and 140a-140c, Fig. 3, para [0170] describes light-emitting elements in the OLED layer); and
a light control layer (170, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a quantum dot-polymer composite layer) comprising a partitioning pattern (PP, annotated Fig. 3 depicts portioning patterns PP) on the display element layer, and a first light control part (21, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a first section of the quantum-dot composite structure including a red quantum dot), a second light control part (11, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a second section of the quantum-dot composite structure including a green quantum dot), and a third light control part (31, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a third section which blue light may pass through) which are separated by the partitioning pattern (PP, annotated Fig. 3 depicts wherein partitioning patterns PP separate sections 11, 21 and 31), the first light control part having a first quantum dot (21, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a first section of the quantum-dot composite structure including a red quantum dot), the second light control part having a second quantum dot (11, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a second section of the quantum-dot composite structure including a green quantum dot), and the third light control part not having any quantum dot (31, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a third section which blue light may pass through and does not comprise a quantum dot),
wherein each of the light-emitting elements comprises
a first electrode (90a-90c, Fig. 3, para [0175] – para [0176] describes pixel electrodes 90a-90c disposed on base layer 100),
a hole transport region on the first electrode (140a-140c, Fig. 3, para [0181] describes wherein organic light emitting layers may further include a hole transport layer),
a light-emitting layer on the hole transport region (140a-140c, Fig. 3, para [0181] describes wherein organic light emitting layers further includes an emission unit layer),
an electron transport region on the light-emitting layer (140a-140c, Fig. 3, para [0181] describes wherein organic light emitting layers may further include an electron transport layer), and
a second electrode on the electron transport region (130, Fig. 3, para [0182] describes a common electrode formed on the organic light emitting layer comprising the electron transport region),
the second quantum dot (para 0171] describes the second quantum dot structure 11 comprising a green quantum dot such as those found in Fig. 1 of the present disclosure) comprising
a core comprising InP (Fig. 1, para [0084] describes a quantum dot including a core including InP);
a first shell around the core, and comprising ZnTeSe (Fig. 1, para [0084] describes a first layer disposed directly on the core wherein said first layer includes ZnSeTe);
a second shell around the first shell, and comprising ZnSe (Fig. 1, para [0086] describes a first outer layer comprising ZnSe); and
a third shell around the second shell, and comprising ZnS (Fig. 1, para [0084] and para [0086] describes an outermost layer of the quantum dot comprising ZnS),
wherein a ratio of a number of moles of the Te in the first shell to a number of moles of the P in the core is about 0.02 to about 0.90 (Fig. 1, para [0240] and Table 1 describes wherein a relative mole ratio in an example quantum dot for P to In is 1:1 and for Te:In is 0.2:1 wherein a resulting mole ratio of Te:P would be 0.2:1).
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Regarding Claim 8, Kim teaches the display device of claim 7, wherein the light-emitting layer is to emit a first light with a center wavelength of about 440 nm to about 460 nm (para [0180] describes wherein the light-emitting layer may emit blue light wherein para [0093] describes blue light as having a wavelength of 450 nm).
Regarding Claim 9, Kim teaches the display device of claim 8, wherein the first quantum dot is to absorb the first light, and to emit a second light with a center wavelength of about 600 nm to about 640 nm (para [0171] describes the first quantum dot as being a red quantum dot wherein para [0095] describes red quantum dots of the present disclosure have an emission wavelength of 600 nm to 650 nm wherein 600 nm to 640 nm falls within said range),
the second quantum dot is to absorb light with a center wavelength of about 440 nm to about 460 nm, and to emit a third light with a center wavelength of about 510 nm to about 540 nm (para [0171] describes the second quantum dot as being a green quantum dot wherein para [0090] describes green quantum dots of the present disclosure have an emission wavelength of 500 nm to 550 nm wherein 510 nm to 540 nm falls within said range), and
the third light control part is to transmit the first light emitted from the light-emitting layer (31, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a third section which blue light may pass through and does not comprise a quantum dot).
Regarding Claim 11, Kim teaches the display device of claim 7, wherein the first shell is closer to the core than the second shell and the third shell (para [0083] and para [0084] describes a first layer disposed directly on the core wherein said first layer includes ZnSeTe and further wherein a first outer layer or second layer surrounds said first layer and a third layer or outermost shell wherein resulting first layer would be closer to the core than the second and third shell).
Regarding Claim 12, Kim teaches the quantum dot of claim 7, wherein a bandgap energy of the first shell is less than a bandgap energy of the second shell (Fig. 1, para [0083] – para [0086] please see MPEP 2112.01 (I) wherein the structure of the first shell and second shell as recited by Kim is substantially identical to that of the claims therefore claimed properties, such as a bandgap energy of the first shell being less than a bandgap energy of the second shell, is presumed to be present) and
a bandgap energy of the second shell is less than a bandgap energy of the third shell (Fig. 1, para [0083] – para [0086] please see MPEP 2112.01 (I) wherein the structure of the second shell and third shell as recited by Kim is substantially identical to that of the claims therefore claimed properties, such as a bandgap energy of the second shell being less than a bandgap energy of the third shell, is presumed to be present and further wherein para [0086] describes a bandgap energy of the second shell being less than a bandgap energy of the third shell).
Regarding Claim 13, Kim teaches a display device having a first light-emitting region to emit a first light (21, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a first section of the quantum-dot composite structure emitting a first light), a second light-emitting region to emit a second light (11, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a second section of the quantum-dot composite structure emitting a second light), and a third light-emitting region to emit a third light (140a-140c, Fig. 3, para [0180] describes an organic light-emitting layer emitting a third light), the display device comprising:
a base layer (100, Fig. 3, para [0173] describes a base substrate layer 100);
a first electrode on the base layer (90a-90c, Fig. 3, para [0175] – para [0176] describes pixel electrodes 90a-90c disposed on base layer 100);
a hole transport region on the first electrode (140a-140c, Fig. 3, para [0181] describes wherein organic light emitting layers may further include a hole transport layer),
a light-emitting layer on the hole transport region, and to emit the third light (140a-140c, Fig. 3, para [0181] describes wherein organic light emitting layers further includes an emission unit layer wherein para [0180] describes light emitting layers emitting a third light);
an electron transport region on the light-emitting layer (140a-140c, Fig. 3, para [0181] describes wherein organic light emitting layers may further include an electron transport layer);
a second electrode on the electron transport region (130, Fig. 3, para [0182] describes a common electrode formed on the organic light emitting layer comprising the electron transport region);
a first light control part in a region corresponding to the first light-emitting region on the second electrode (21, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a first section comprising a red quantum dot structure which emits a first red light disposed on the second electrode 130), and comprising a first quantum dot to absorb the third light and to emit the first light (para [0171] describes a first quantum dot wherein a third light is emitted into said first section comprising first quantum dot to emit a first red light);
a second light control part in a region corresponding to the second light-emitting region on the second electrode (11, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a second section comprising a green quantum dot structure which emits a second green light disposed on the second electrode 130), and comprising a second quantum dot to absorb the third light and to emit the second light (para [0171] describes a second quantum dot wherein a third light is emitted into said second section comprising second quantum dot to emit a second green light); and
a third light control part in a region corresponding to the third light-emitting region on the second electrode, and to transmit the third light (31, Fig. 3, para [0171] describes a third section which a third light may pass through),
wherein the second quantum dot (para 0171] describes the second quantum dot structure 11 comprising a green quantum dot such as those found in Fig. 1 of the present disclosure) comprises
a core comprising InP (Fig. 1, para [0084] describes a quantum dot including a core including InP);
a first shell around the core, and comprising ZnTeSe (Fig. 1, para [0084] describes a first layer disposed directly on the core wherein said first layer includes ZnSeTe);
a second shell around the first shell (Fig. 1, para [0086] describes a first outer layer comprising ZnSe surrounding the first shell), and
a third shell around the second shell, and comprising ZnS (Fig. 1, para [0084] and para [0086] describes an outermost layer of the quantum dot surrounding the first outer layer),
wherein a ratio of a number of moles of the Te in the first shell to a number of moles of the P in the core is about 0.02 to about 0.90 (Fig. 1, para [0240] and Table 1 describes wherein a relative mole ratio in an example quantum dot for P to In is 1:1 and for Te:In is 0.2:1 wherein a resulting mole ratio of Te:P would be 0.2:1).
Regarding Claim 14, Kim teaches the display device of claim 13, wherein the third light has a center wavelength of about 440 nm to about 460 nm (para [0180] describes wherein the light-emitting layer may emit a third light comprising blue light wherein para [0093] describes blue light as having a wavelength of 450 nm).
Regarding Claim 15, Kim teaches the display device of claim 14, wherein the first light has a center wavelength of about 600 nm to about 640 nm (para [0171] describes the first quantum dot emitting a first light as being a red quantum dot wherein para [0095] describes red quantum dots of the present disclosure have an emission wavelength of 600 nm to 650 nm wherein 600 nm to 640 nm falls within said range), and
the second light has a center wavelength of about 510 nm to about 540 nm (para [0171] describes the second quantum dot emitting the second light as being a green quantum dot wherein para [0090] describes green quantum dots of the present disclosure have an emission wavelength of 500 nm to 550 nm wherein 510 nm to 540 nm falls within said range).
Regarding Claim 16, Kim teaches the display device of claim 13, wherein the first shell is closer to the core than the second shell and the third shell (para [0083] and para [0084] describes a first layer disposed directly on the core wherein said first layer includes ZnSeTe and further wherein a first outer layer or second layer surrounds said first layer and a third layer or outermost shell wherein resulting first layer would be closer to the core than the second and third shell).
Regarding Claim 17, Kim teaches the quantum dot of claim 13, wherein a bandgap energy of the first shell is less than a bandgap energy of the second shell (Fig. 1, para [0083] – para [0086] please see MPEP 2112.01 (I) wherein the structure of the first shell and second shell as recited by Kim is substantially identical to that of the claims therefore claimed properties, such as a bandgap energy of the first shell being less than a bandgap energy of the second shell, is presumed to be present) and
a bandgap energy of the second shell is less than a bandgap energy of the third shell (Fig. 1, para [0083] – para [0086] please see MPEP 2112.01 (I) wherein the structure of the second shell and third shell as recited by Kim is substantially identical to that of the claims therefore claimed properties, such as a bandgap energy of the second shell being less than a bandgap energy of the third shell, is presumed to be present and further wherein para [0086] describes a bandgap energy of the second shell being less than a bandgap energy of the third shell).
Regarding Claim 18, Kim teaches the display device of claim 13, wherein the second shell comprises ZnSe (Fig. 1, para [0086] describe wherein the second shell comprises ZnSe), and the third shell comprises ZnS (Fig. 1, para [0084] and para [0086] describes wherein the third shell comprises ZnS).
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taekhoon Kim et al. (US 2021/0147749 A1; hereinafter “Kim”) in further view of Yunhyuk Ko et al. (US 2021/0214610 A1; hereinafter “Ko”).
Regarding Claim 6, Kim teaches all the limitations of claim 1.
Kim further discloses wherein quantum dots of the present disclosure are several nanometers in size (para [0074]).
Kim fails to explicitly disclose the quantum dot of claim 1, wherein the quantum dot has a diameter of about 5 nm to about 7 nm.
However, Ko teaches a similar quantum dot structure, wherein the quantum dot has a diameter of about 5 nm to about 7 nm (para [0081] describes a diameter of a quantum dot which may emit green light, such as the quantum dot of the instant application, may be in a range of about 4 nm to about 6 nm, wherein 6 nm would fall within the range of 5 nm to 7 nm).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim with Ko to further disclose wherein a quantum dot has a diameter of about 5 nm to about 7 nm to provide the advantage of enabling a quantum dot with a multilayer shell structure surrounding a core to absorb an incident light and emit a light of a particular wavelength required by the invention (Ko, para [0080] and para [0081]).
Claims 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taekhoon Kim et al. (US 2021/0147749 A1; hereinafter “Kim”) in further view of Jung Bae Song et al. (US 2020/0212113 A1; hereinafter “Song”).
Regarding Claim 10, Kim discloses all the limitations of claim 9.
Kim fails to explicitly teach the display device of claim 9, further comprising a color filter layer on the light control layer, the color filter layer comprising: a first filter part to transmit the second light, and overlapping the first light control part; a second filter part to transmit the third light, and overlapping the second light control part; and a third filter part to transmit the first light, and overlapping the third light control part.
However, Song teaches a similar display device further comprising a color filter layer (231, 233, 235, Fig. 6, para [0149] describes a layer comprising a first, second and third color filter) on the light control layer (330, 340, and 350, Fig. 6, para [0154] describes a layer comprising wavelength conversion patterns wherein color filter layers are disposed upon), the color filter layer comprising:
a first filter part to transmit the second light (231, Fig. 6, para [0149] describes a first color filter 231 selectively transmitting the second light comprising red light), and overlapping the first light control part (330 and 231, Fig. 6 wherein the first color filter 231 can be seen overlapping a first light control part 330);
a second filter part to transmit the third light (231, Fig. 6, para [0150] describes a second color filter 233 selectively transmitting the third light comprising green light), and overlapping the second light control part (340 and 233, Fig. 6 wherein the second color filter 233 can be seen overlapping a second light control part 340); and
a third filter part to transmit the first light (235, Fig. 6, para [0135] describes a third color filter 235 selectively transmitting light of the third color comprising blue light), and overlapping the third light control part (350 and 235, Fig. 6 wherein the third color filter 235 can be seen overlapping a third light control part 350).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim with Song to further disclose a display device which comprises color filters disposed on corresponding light control layers to provide the further advantage of blocking or absorbing the light of the adjacent light control layers and transmitting the light of the corresponding light control layer preventing undesirable device characteristics caused by light leakage in adjacent pixels (Song, para [0135], para [0149] and para [0150]).
Conclusion
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/ALEXANDER MICHAEL MILLER/Examiner, Art Unit 2898 /JULIO J MALDONADO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898