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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Specification
Number of figures submitted does not match the number of figures listed under Brief Description of Drawings in the specification. All of the figures with alphabets should be listed separately. For example, ‘Figs. 1A-1C’ should be ‘Figs. 1A, 1B and 1C’.
In particular, ‘Figs. 2A-2E’ and Figs 2B-2E in the paragraph [0009] are objected.
See MPEP 500 - Receipt and Handling of Mail and Papers, MPEP 507 - Drawing Review in the Office of Patent Application Processing (OPAP). This labeling convention ensures clarity and consistency in referencing figures throughout the patent application and publication. Improper labeling may result in an objection from OPAP and require correction.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-6 and 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/a(2) as being anticipated by Bian (US 20220155535).
Regarding claim 1. Fig 1 of Bian discloses An active pixel sensor, comprising:
a pixel 100 [0029], comprising:
a photoactive area 114 ([0029]: ‘semiconductor photodetector’); and
at least one polysilicon component ([0030]: diffraction gratings 112 is made of polysilicon) arranged over the photoactive area such that a photon may pass the at least one polysilicon component prior to entering the photoactive area (diffraction gratings structure arranged over a photodetector, designed to allow photons to pass and be detected),
wherein the at least one polysilicon component comprises a diffraction structure 112 [0030] configured to diffract incoming photons and thereby extend a light path of the incoming photons within the photoactive area ([0029], a diffraction structure (such as a grating) integrated onto photodetector inherently diffracts incoming photons, which can be engineered to bend light at oblique angles and thus extend the optical path length of the photons within the active sensing material).
Regarding claim 2. Bian discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least one polysilicon component is part of a modulation gate of the pixel [0044].
Regarding claim 3. Bian discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 1, wherein the diffraction structure comprises a plurality of slits or holes extending through the at least one polysilicon component (Fig 1/Fig 2, [0029]: pitch which refers to the spacing between adjacent slits).
Regarding claim 4. Bian discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 3, wherein the plurality of slits or holes have a width of 1 μm or less ([0029]: each pitch in a range of 390 nm – 410 nm).
Regarding claim 5. Bian discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 3, wherein the plurality of slits or holes are arranged in rows (Fig 2: refer 116 in each pixel), in columns, or in a checkerboard pattern, or wherein the slits or the holes have a semicircular shape.
Regarding claim 6. Bian discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least one polysilicon component is electrically coupled to a metal wiring of the active pixel sensor ([0004]: 112 is formed as part of processing of transistor gates. Thus, the component is inherently electrically coupled to a metal wiring of the active pixel sensor).
Regarding claim 10. Bian discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 1, further comprising:
a reflective part 120 arranged laterally next to the photoactive area, wherein the reflective part is configured to reflect photons back toward the photoactive area ([0030]: because 120 provides optical isolation).
Regarding claim 11. Bian discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 10, wherein the reflective part comprises a trench [0030] within one or more layers of the active pixel sensor.
Regarding claim 12. Bian discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 1, wherein the active pixel sensor is configured for front-side illumination (Fig 1: because diffraction structure on the front side of photoactive area), or
wherein the active pixel sensor is configured for back-side illumination.
Regarding claim 13. Bian discloses A method for fabricating an active pixel sensor (Fig 1, [0005]), the method comprising:
fabricating a pixel 100 [0029] of the active pixel sensor by:
fabricating a photoactive area 114 ([0029]: ‘semiconductor photodetector’); and
fabricating at least one polysilicon component ([0030]: diffraction gratings 112 is made of polysilicon) over the photoactive area such that a photon may pass the at least one polysilicon component prior to entering the photoactive area (diffraction gratings structure arranged over a photodetector, designed to allow photons to pass and be detected),
wherein the at least one polysilicon component comprises a diffraction structure 112 [0030] configured to diffract incoming photons and thereby extend a light path of the incoming photons within the photoactive area ([0029], a diffraction structure (such as a grating) integrated onto or within a photodetector inherently diffracts incoming photons, which can be engineered to bend light at oblique angles and thus extend the optical path length of the photons within the active sensing material).
Regarding claim 14. Bian discloses The method of claim 13, further comprising:
electrically coupling the at least one polysilicon component to a metal wiring of the active pixel sensor ([0004]: 112 is formed as part of processing of transistor gates. Thus, the component is inherently electrically coupled to a metal wiring of the active pixel sensor).
Regarding claim 15. Bian discloses The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one polysilicon component is part of a modulation gate of the pixel [0044].
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 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bian (US 20220155535) in view of Rideau (US 20200013820).
Regarding claim 7. Bian discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 1 except further comprising:
a dielectric material layer arranged over the at least one polysilicon component such that an incoming photon passes through the dielectric material layer prior to passing the at least one polysilicon component.
However, Fig 15 of Rideau discloses a dielectric material layer 109 [0061] arranged over the at least one polysilicon component [0085] such that an incoming photon passes through the dielectric material layer prior to passing the at least one polysilicon component.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Bian’s device structure to have the Rideau’s structure for the purpose of providing enhanced performance by increasing diffraction efficiency, also enhanced electrical insulation (reducing leakage), improving thermal stability, and acting as a passivation layer.
Regarding claim 8. Bian in view of Rideau discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 7, Rideau discloses further comprising:
a microlens 111 arranged over the dielectric material layer (Fig 15).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Bian’s device structure to have the Rideau’s structure for the purpose of providing enhanced focusing the incident light towards the active photosensitive area of the pixel [0062].
Regarding claim 9. Bian in view of Rideau discloses The active pixel sensor of claim 7, wherein the at least one polysilicon component comprises a first side facing away from the photoactive area, and wherein the dielectric material layer directly covers the first side (Fig 15, [0062]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Changhyun Yi whose telephone number is (571)270-7799. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 8A-4P.
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/Changhyun Yi/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812