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 1-20 in the reply filed on 4/1/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation " the shallow trench isolator " in lines 8-9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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, 2, 5, 9, & 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ihara (US Pub no 2018/0190694 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Ihara et al discloses An image sensor (fig. 11b)comprising:
a first substrate(100) having a first side and a second side opposite each other[0073], and including a pixel array region(PR1-PR4) having a plurality of active regions (AR1a))disposed at the first side fig. 11a[0172]; a shallow trench isolation structure(160 as shown in fig. 9b/fig. 11b) disposed at the first side of the first substrate and isolating each of the plurality of active regions(AR1a))[0082]
[0083]; a plurality of floating diffusion regions(130a) disposed at the plurality of active regions (AR1a))of the first substrate(100)[0102]; and a floating diffusion region connector(402c)[0156], of which at least part is buried in the shallow trench isolator(160), connecting at least two of the floating diffusion regions(130a) [0156] fig. 11a/fig. 11b.
Regarding claim 2, Ihara et al discloses further comprising: a source follower transistor (DX)including a source follower gate electrode(310) that is disposed on the first side of the first substrate(100), wherein the source follower gate electrode(310) is connected to the floating diffusion region connector(460c-electrically connected) fig. 11b[0059] fig. 4a
. Regarding claim 5, Ihara et al discloses wherein the floating diffusion region connector connects eight of the floating diffusion regions(130a of PR1-PR4) fig 11a.
Regarding claim 9, Ihara et al discloses wherein the floating diffusion region(130a) connector includes polysilicon doped with N-
type impurities or silicon germanium doped with N-type impurities[0090].
Regarding claim 10, Ihara et al discloses wherein the floating diffusion region connector includes metal[0094].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-18 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The limitations of claim 17 including : a cover insulating layer formed on an upper surface of the floating diffusion region connector and having a contact hole exposing the upper surface of the floating diffusion region connector, wherein a portion of the first wire further corresponds to a source follower gate electrode of a source follower transistor, and wherein the source follower gate electrode is connected to the floating diffusion region connector through the contact hole was not found in prior art.
Claims 19-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the limitations of claim 19 including: wherein the source follower gate electrode is connected to the floating diffusion region connector through a penetration via passing through the second substrate was not found in prior art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON whose telephone number is (571)270-3208. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven B Gauthier can be reached at (571)270-0373. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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