DETAILED ACTION
This Office action responds to Applicant’s election filed on 12/10/2025.
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 . In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for a 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.
Amendment Status
The Applicant’s response on 12/10/2025 in reply to the restriction mailed on 11/24/2025 has been entered. The present Office action is made with all previously suggested amendments being fully considered. Accordingly, pending in this Office action are claims 1-23.
Election/Restriction
The Applicant’s response on 12/10/2025 in reply to the restriction/election requirements mailed on 11/24/2025 has been entered. Applicant’s election of Group I (claims 1-11, drawn to a method of manufacturing an image display device) is acknowledged. Group I’s election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/10/2025. Claims 12-23 are withdrawn by corresponding to a non-elected invention.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 4 corresponding to figs. 19, 20A-20B, 21A-21B, 22A-22B, and 23A-23B, is acknowledged. Applicant considers that claims 1-2, and 7-11 correspond to Species 4. Examiner agrees. Claims 3-6 are withdrawn by corresponding to non-elected species.
Claims 3-6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/10/2025.
Information Disclosure Statement (IDS)
Acknowledgement is made of Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) form PTO-1449. The IDS has been considered.
Specification Objection
The specification has been checked to the extend necessary to determine the presence of possible minor errors. However, the Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which Applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 1-2, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang (US 2019/0019816) in view of Hiraga (WO 2019/168187).
Regarding claim 1, Kang shows (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10) most aspects of the instant invention including a method for manufacturing an image device (see, e.g., Kang: par. [0025]), comprising preparing a first substrate that comprises:
A circuit element T2 formed on a first surface of a substrate 100
A first wiring layer 105 connected to the circuit element T2
A first insulating film 110 covering the circuit element T2 and the first wiring layer 105
Kang, however, fails (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10) to show a method step of forming a graphene-including layer on the first insulating film 110. Hiraga, in a similar method to Kang, shows (see, e.g., Hiraga: figs. 28-30) the method step of forming a graphene-including layer 1002 on the first insulating film 1006. Hiraga further shows (see, e.g., Hiraga: figs. 28-30) that a two-dimensional layered graphene is used in order to initiate the growth of a nitride semiconductor layer without changing the lattice constant of the semiconductor (see, e.g., Hiraga: figs. 28-30, and pg. 5, par.4-6).
It would have been obvious at the time of filing the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to include the method step of forming the graphene-including layer of Hiraga in the method of Kang, in order to initiate the growth of a nitride semiconductor layer without changing the lattice constant of the semiconductor.
Kang, however, fails (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10) to show a method step of forming a graphene-including layer on the first insulating film 110. Kang shows (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10) a method step of forming an adhesive layer 305. Hiraga, in a similar method to Kang, shows (see, e.g., Hiraga: figs. 28-30) the method step of forming a graphene-including layer 1002 on the first insulating film 1006, that has the role of initiation of the growth of a nitride semiconductor layer, implicitly being an adhesive layer on the first insulating layer 1006 (see, e.g., Hiraga: figs. 28-30, and pg. 5, par.4-6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious at the time of the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to use either the method step of forming a semiconductor growth-initiated graphene layer of Hiraga or the adhesive layer of Kang because these were recognized in the semiconductor art for their use as adhesive layers in methods of manufacturing semiconductor device packages, as taught by Hiraga and Kang, and selecting between known equivalents would be within the level of ordinary skill in the art. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.--,82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Kang in view of Hiraga shows:
Forming a semiconductor layer 1003a/1003b/1003c on the graphene-including layer 1002, the semiconductor layer 1003a/1003b/1003c comprising a light-emitting layer 1003b (see, e.g., Hiraga: figs. 28-30)
Forming a light-emitting element by patterning the semiconductor layer (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10, and par. [0108])
The light-emitting element includes a light-emitting surface on the graphene-including surface 1002 (see, e.g., Hiraga: figs. 28-30, and pg. 4, par. 5)
The light-emitting element includes a top surface at a side opposite to the light-emitting surface (see, e.g., Hiraga: figs. 28-30, and pg. 4, par. 5)
Forming a second insulating film 140 covering the first insulating film 110, the graphene-including layer 305, and the light-emitting element (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10, par. [0102])
Forming a first via CCH1 extending through the first insulating film 110 and the second insulating film 140 (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10, par. [0058])
Forming a second wiring layer CE on the second insulating film 140 (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10)
wherein:
The first via CCH1 being located between the first wiring layer 105 and the second wiring layer CE and electrically connects the first wiring layer 105 and the second wiring layer CE 140 (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10)
Regarding claim 2, Kang in view of Hiraga shows (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10):
Forming a second via ECH2 extending through the second insulating film 140
wherein:
The light-emitting element comprises a connection part E2 located along the first surface (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10)
The second via ECH2 is located between the second wiring layer CE and the connection part E2 and electrically connects the second wiring layer CE and the connection part E2 (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10)
Regarding claim 11, Kang in view of Hiraga shows (see, e.g., Kang: figs. 4 and 10) that the semiconductor layer 310/33/350 comprises a gallium nitride compound semiconductor (see, e.g., Kang: par. [0089] – [0091]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang in view of Hiraga in view of Chu (US 2014/0339496) in view of Yamada (US 2014/0138722).
Regarding claim 7, Kang in view of Hiraga shows (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10) most aspects of the instant invention including a method for manufacturing an image device (see, e.g., Kang: par. [0025]), comprising a substrate 100.
However, Kang in view of Hiraga fails (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10) to teach the method step of removing the substrate 100. Chu, in a similar analogous art to Kang in view of Hiraga, teaches (see, e.g., Chu: fig. 1C) a light-emitting device, including similar materials as taught by Hiraga (GaN) with the method step of removing the substrate. Chu further shows (see, e.g., Chu: fig. 1C) that the method step of removing the substrate is one step in allowing the semiconductor surface to be roughened in order to increase the light extraction (see, e.g., Chu: par. [0004]).
It would have been obvious at the time of filing the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to include the method step of removing the substrate of Chu in the method of Kang in view of Hiraga, in order to allow the semiconductor surface to be roughened and increase the light extraction.
However, Kang in view of Hiraga in view of Chu fails (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10, and see, e.g., Chu: fig. 1C) to teach the methos step of forming a wavelength conversion member in place of the substrate that has been removed. Yamada, in a similar method to Kang in view of Hiraga in view of Chu, shows (see, e.g., Yamada: fig. 1B) the method step of forming a wavelength conversion member 40/40a (on a roughed surface of the light-emitting device). Yamada further shows (see, e.g., Yamada: fig. 1B) that the methos step of forming a wavelength conversion member (on the roughened surface of the light-emitting device) is to increase light extraction efficiency (see, e.g., Yamada: par. [0029]).
It would have been obvious at the time of filing the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to include the method step of forming a wavelength conversion member of Yamada in the method of Kang in view of Hiraga in view of Chua, in order to increase light extraction efficiency.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang in view of Hiraga in further view of Liu (US 2022/0302233).
Regarding claim 10, Kang in view of Hiraga shows (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10) most aspects of the instant invention including a method for manufacturing an image device (see, e.g., Kang: par. [0025]), comprising a circuit element T2 formed on a first surface of a substrate 100.
However, Kang in view of Hiraga fails (see, e.g., Kang: fig. 10) to show that the preparation of the first substrate comprises forming a light-shielding layer on the circuit element T2. Liu, in a similar method to Kang in view of Hiraga, shows (see, e.g., Liu: fig. 4F) that, for preparation of a substrate, a light-shielding layer 212 is formed on the circuit element 11(T1). Liu further shows (see, e.g., Liu: fig. 4F) that the light-shielding layer 212 is configured to prevent current generated during light from affecting the first thin film transistor T1 (see, e.g., Liu: par. [0047]).
It would have been obvious at the time of filing the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to include the method step of forming a light-shielding layer of Liu in the method of Kang in view of Hiraga, in order to prevent current generated during light from affecting the first thin film transistor.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIBERIU DAN ONUTA whose telephone number is (571) 270-0074 and between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time) Monday through Friday or by e-mail via Tiberiu.Onuta@uspto.gov. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone or email are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Wael Fahmy, can be reached on (571) 272-1705.
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/TIBERIU DAN ONUTA/Examiner, Art Unit 2814
/WAEL M FAHMY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2814