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 claims 1-19 in the reply filed on 1/12/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim 20 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected method claim, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 1/12/2026.
Applicant is kindly requested to correct the status identifier of non-elected claim to be not “original” but “withdrawn”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bibl et al. (20130210194) in view of Ma (20230387357)
Regarding Claim 1, in Figs. 1, 3E-3I, and paragraphs 0035, 0037, 0039 and 0040 Bibl discloses display panel, comprising a display region (see paragraph 0020, last 9 lines on page 2) , wherein the display region comprises a light-emitting diode region (see Fig. 1, also see paragraph 0020, last 9 lines on page 2), the light-emitting diode region comprises a first region (150, on the very end, see inset figure portion in Fig 3G) and a second region (150, the second to the last element in Fig. 3G), the second region surrounds at least part of the first region , and the display panel comprises: an array substrate (see paragraph 0013, 0020, 0023, 0028, i.e. array of micro led devices. Please note that the current application also discloses micro led devices array) that comprises first electrodes (see Figs. 3E, 3F, 3G particularly expanded figures inside the dotted circles); a plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged on one side of the array substrate (see Fig. 1) ; and a bonding layer (110/310 see paragraph 0037) arranged between the first electrodes and the plurality of light-emitting diodes wherein the bonding layer 110/310 comprises a plurality of discrete bonding portions (see left side of the Fig. 3H-3J and the right side of the Fig. 3H-3J), a bonding portion of the plurality of bonding portions connects a light-emitting diode of the plurality of light- emitting diodes and a corresponding first electrode (see Figs. 3E, 3F, 3G particularly expanded figures inside the dotted circles) and the plurality of bonding portions comprise first bonding portions (the left side of Figs.3H-3J) and second bonding portions (the right side of Figs. 3H-3J), wherein the first bonding portion s are in the first region, a first bonding portion of the first bonding portions comprises a first intermetallic compound portion (312, see Fig. 3I, paragraph 0039), the second bonding portions are in the second region, a second bonding portion of the second bonding portions comprises a first metal portion and a second intermetallic compound 312 (left side of Fig 3I and right side of Fig. 3I) portion, the first intermetallic compound portion 312 comprises a first metal element and a second metal element, the first metal portion comprises the first metal element, the second intermetallic compound portion comprises the second metal element, and a melting point of a pure metal formed from the second metal element or a melting point of an alloy formed from the second metal element is lower than a melting point of a pure metal formed from the first metal element or a melting point of an alloy formed from the first metal element (see paragraphs 0039 and 0040 and Table 3). (Please note that materials of the instant application, i.e. Au and Sn match the materials of Bibl et al. and hence the melting point limitation is inherently met in addition to Tables 2 and 3). Bibl et al. fails to disclose the limitation where “a first metal portion and a second intermetallic compound portion” that are stacked. However, Ma discloses a display panel where in Fig. 4B, paragraphs 0050, 0058, 0081 and 0084, the limitation “a first metal portion 1011 and a second intermetallic compound portion 1012” that are stacked is disclosed.
It would have been obvious to one of having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the limitation of “a first metal portion and a second intermetallic compound portion” that are stacked in Bibl et al. as taught by Ma, in order to facilitate the bonding of layers with metals of different melting points.
Regarding Claim 2, in Figs. 1, 3I-3J, paragraphs 0025, 0033 and 0035 of Bibl et al, a thickness of the first intermetallic compound portion is el, and a sum of a thicknesses of the second intermetallic compound portion and a thickness of the first metal portion is e2, wherein el > e2.
Regarding Claim 3, in paragraph 0027, table 2, paragraph 0039, table 3, paragraph 0040, Fig 3J and paragraph 0044 of Bibl et al, , light-emitting diode of the plurality of light-emitting diodes comprises a second electrode (Fig. 1), and the second electrode is electrically connected to a corresponding first electrode by the bonding layer 110/304; and a material of the second electrode comprises an aurum (Au) element, the first intermetallic compound portion and the second intermetallic compound portion each further comprise an Au element, and a mass content of the Au element in the first intermetallic compound portion is higher than a mass content of the Au element in the second intermetallic compound portion.
Regarding Claim 4, in paragraph 0027, table 2, paragraph 0039, table 3, paragraph 0040, Fig 3J and paragraph 0044 of Bibl et al, a plurality of second bonding portions 110/304 are arranged in the second region, and mass contents of Au elements in the second intermetallic compound portions of the plurality of second bonding portions decrease incrementally along a direction away from the first region.
Regarding Claim 5, in paragraph 0027, table 2, paragraph 0039, table 3, paragraph 0040, Fig 3J and paragraph 0044 of Bibl et al., a mass content of the first metal element in the second intermetallic compound portion is lower than a mass content of the first metal element in the first intermetallic compound portion.
Regarding Claim 6, in paragraph 0027, table 2, paragraph 0039, table 3, paragraph 0040, Fig 3J and paragraph 0044 of Bibl et al, a plurality of second bonding portions 110/304 are arranged in the second region, and mass contents of the first metal elements in the second intermetallic compound portions of the plurality of second bonding portions decrease incrementally along a direction away from the first region.
Regarding Claim 7, in Figs. 1, 3E-3J, paragraphs 0025, 0033 and 0035 of Bibl et al, a thickness of the second intermetallic compound portion is smaller than a thickness of the first metal portion.
Regarding Claim 8, in Tables 2 and 3 of Bibl et al., the melting point of the pure metal formed from the first metal element or the melting point of the alloy formed from the first metal element is T1, and the melting point of the pure metal formed from the second metal element or the melting point of the alloy formed from the second metal element is T2, wherein 50°CT1 - T2100°C.
Regarding Claim 9, in Tables 2 and 3 of Bibl et al., the first metal element comprises a tin element, and the second metal element comprises an indium element; or the second metal element comprises a tin element and a bismuth element, and the first metal element comprises a tin element and a zinc element.
Regarding Claim 10, in Figs. 3E-3J of Bibl et al., the first metal portion is arranged on a side of the second intermetallic compound portion facing a corresponding first electrode; and/or the first metal portion is arranged on a side of the second intermetallic compound portion facing away from a corresponding first electrode.
Regarding Claim 11, in Figs. 3I-3J, paragraphs 0025, 0033 and 0035 of Bibl et al, a thickness h1 of the first metal portion satisfies: 0.7 µm ≤ hl ≤ 1.4 µm; and/or a thickness h2 of the second intermetallic compound portion satisfies: 0.7 µm ≤ ≤ 1.4 µm.
Regarding Claim 12, in Figs 1 and 3E of Bibl et al. the second region surrounds a circumference of the first region.
Regarding Claim 13, in Fig 1 of Bibl et al., the display region comprises a plurality of light-emitting diode regions, each of the plurality of light-emitting diode regions is rectangular, and the second region surrounds a circumference of the first region.
Regarding Claim 14, in Fig. 1 of Bibl et al., a display device, comprising the display panel of claim 1.
Regarding Claim 15, in Figs. 1, 3I-3J, paragraphs 0025, 0033 and 0035 of Bibl et al, a thickness of the first intermetallic compound portion is el, and a sum of a thicknesses of the second intermetallic compound portion and a thickness of the first metal portion is e2, wherein el > e2.
Regarding Claim 16, in paragraph 0027, table 2, paragraph 0039, table 3, paragraph 0040, Figs 1 and 3E- 3J and paragraph 0044 of Bibl et al a light-emitting diode of the plurality of light-emitting diodes comprises a second electrode, and the second electrode is electrically connected to a corresponding first electrode by the bonding layer; and a material of the second electrode comprises an aurum (Au) element, the first intermetallic compound portion and the second intermetallic compound portion each further comprise an Au element, and a mass content of the Au element in the first intermetallic compound portion is higher than a mass content of the Au element in the second intermetallic compound portion.
Regarding Claim 17, in paragraph 0027, table 2, paragraph 0039, table 3, paragraph 0040, Figs 1 and 3E- 3J and paragraph 0044, along with Tables 2 and 3 of Bibl et al, a plurality of second bonding portions are arranged in the second region, and mass contents of Au elements in the second intermetallic compound portions of the plurality of second bonding portions decrease incrementally along a direction away from the first region.
Regarding Claim 18, in paragraph 0027, table 2, paragraph 0039, table 3, paragraph 0040, Figs 1 and 3E- 3J and paragraph 0044 along with Tables 2 and 3 of Bibl et al., a mass content of the first metal element in the second intermetallic compound portion is lower than a mass content of the first metal element in the first intermetallic compound portion.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bibl et al. (20130210194).
Regarding Claim 19, in Figs. 1, 3E-3I, and paragraphs 0035, 0037, 0039 and 0040 Bibl discloses an array substrate, comprising: a base substrate 300; first electrodes 302/304 arranged on one side of the base substrate; and one of first metal portions or second metal portions, wherein the one of the first metal portions or the second metal portions 110/120 (see Fig. 3I) is arranged on a (top) side of the first electrodes facing away (i.e. in y-direction) from the base substrate 300, and a melting point of a second metal portion of the second metal portions is lower than a melting point of a first metal portion of the first metal portions (see Tables 2 and 3) ; or first metal portions and second metal portions, wherein a first metal portion 110/120 of the first metal portions is arranged on a side of a corresponding first electrode 302/304 facing away (i.e. in y-direction) from the base substrate, a second metal portion of the second metal portions is arranged on a side of a corresponding first metal portion facing away (i.e in y-direction) from a corresponding first electrode, and a melting point of the second metal portion is lower than a melting point of the first metal portion (see Tables 2 and 3). (Please note that materials of the instant application, i.e. Au and Sn match the materials of Bibl et al. and hence the melting point limitation is inherently met in addition to Tables 2 and 3)
Cited Prior Art
Examiner is including Choi 20220102603 Yanagisawa 20200381590 as prior arts that are NOT relied upon on this rejection but that do disclose laser assisted intermetallic bonding structures for micro-led display devices
Conclusion
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/FAZLI ERDEM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812 2/28/2026