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 reply filed 07/18/2026 lacks an express election statement, however, claims 8-14 and 17-20 are designated as withdrawn. The remaining claims 1-7, 15, and 16 are deemed the elected invention. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out any supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments and the accompanying arguments, filed 07/18/2026, with respect to the source regions of two adjacent semiconductor structure extending in different direction have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Zhang (US 2017/0293172).
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(s) 1, 2, 5-7, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2024/0241415) in view of Zhang (US 2017/0293172).
In reference to claim 1, Wang et al. (US 2024/0241415), hereafter “Wang,” discloses an electronic device, with reference to Figures 2 and 3, comprising:
a substrate 101;
a data line 103 and a gate line 102 disposed on the substrate, wherein the data line extends along a first direction;
and a plurality of thin film transistors arranged on the substrate and comprising a semiconductor structure 1051, wherein each of the semiconductor structures comprises a channel region, a source region and a drain region, wherein the gate line overlaps the channel region, the source region is electrically connected to the data line, at 1051c, the source region and the drain region are located on opposite sides of the gate line,
wherein one of the source regions comprises a first portion extending along a second direction, and an acute angle, alpha α, is formed between the first direction and the second direction.
Wang does not disclose the source regions of two adjacent semiconductor structures extend in different directions.
Zhang (US 2017/0293172), hereafter “Zhang,” discloses an analogous display device including teaching a plurality of thin film transistors arranged on the substrate and comprising a semiconductor structure, 1031 in Figure 23, wherein the source regions of two adjacent semiconductor structures extend in different directions. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the source regions of two adjacent semiconductor structures to extend in different directions. To do so would have merely been a simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results; KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385, (2007), MPEP 2143 I. B. In this case substituting one active region orientation for another, as suggested by Figures 10 and 23 of Zhang.
In reference to claim 2, Wang discloses there is a pitch (P) and a shortest distance (Z) between two adjacent semiconductor structures, the semiconductor structures have a width (W), and the acute angle (θ) satisfies the following relationship:
0
°
<
θ
≤
cos
-
1
W
+
Z
P
[AltContent: textbox (2nd portion
(claim 7))][AltContent: arrow]See annotated Figure 3 below.
In reference to claim 5, Wang discloses the width is greater than 0 µm and less than 15 µm, paragraph 94.
In reference to claim 6, Wang discloses the source region comprises a second portion extending along the first direction, and the second portion is located between the first portion and the channel region, see annotated Figure 3 above.
In reference to claim 7, Wang discloses the source region comprises a second portion extending along the first direction, and the first portion is located between the second portion and the channel region, see annotated Figure 3 above.
In reference to claim 15, Wang discloses the gate line 102 is substantially perpendicular to the data line 103, Figure 3.
In reference to claim 16, Wang discloses the source region is electrically connected to the data line 103 through a hole 1051c overlapping the data line, Figures 2 and 3 and paragraph 83.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2024/0241415) in view of Zhang (US 2017/0293172) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Yu et al. (US 2024/0142838).
In reference to claim 3, Wang does not disclose the pitch is greater than 0 μm and less than 20 μm.
Yu et al. (US 2024/0142838), hereafter “Yu,” discloses a display device including teaching a pitch, L5+L6 in Figure 2, greater than 0 μm and less than 20 μm (about 4 μm) paragraph 69. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the pitch to be greater than 0 μm and less than 20 μm. One would have been motivated to do so in order to form pixels at the minimum of processing capability in order to provide high pixel resolution, id.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2024/0241415) in view of Zhang (US 2017/0293172) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Kano et al. (US 2016/0155753).
In reference to claim 4, Wang does not disclose the shortest distance is greater than 0 μm and less than 15 μm.
Kano et al. (US 2016/0155753) discloses a display device including teaching a shortest distance, D1 in Figure 6, is greater than 0 μm and less than 15 μm, (about 2 μm) paragraph 74. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the shortest distance to be greater than 0 μm and less than 15 μm. One would have been motivated to do so in order to form the features at the minimum possible spacing processing capabilities allow, id.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lee et al. (US 2018/0122832), and Kwon et al. (US 2015/0123137) disclose related active region shapes.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYAN R. JUNGE whose telephone number is (571)270-5717. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:30 CT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chad Dicke can be reached at (571)270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRYAN R JUNGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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