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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/1/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s argument that Wang fails to properly cure the deficiencies of Choung is not persuasive. Examiner relied upon Wang to teach that an electrode comprised of aluminum and at least two other elements would help avoid aluminum corrosion and lower the impedance between layers. This is a desirable outcome, regardless of whether the electrode is a TFT or a cathode. Therefore, the combination of Wang and Choung is proper, because one would have been motivated to modify the Choung aluminum electrode with at least two other elements, for example nickel and lanthanum as taught by Wang, in order to achieve the above described benefits. Further, the combined references teach all of the elements of the claims, as set forth below. Therefore, the rejection as set forth below is maintained and made final.
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 1-12 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choung et al., US 2022/0077251 in view of Wang et al., CN 101645456.
Regarding claim 1, Choung teaches a display apparatus (see Figure 4G) comprising: a first subpixel electrode (104); a metal bank layer (110) having a first opening overlapping the first subpixel electrode (108a), and comprising a first metal layer (110A, [0040]) and a second metal layer (110B, [0040]) on the first metal layer; a first intermediate layer (112) overlapping the first subpixel electrode through the first opening of the metal bank layer; and a first opposite electrode (114) on the first intermediate layer and positioned in the first opening of the metal bank layer, wherein the first opposite electrode comprises an aluminum (Al)-based alloy ([0033]). Choung is silent as to the cathode specifically comprising at least two elements other than aluminum.
However, in the same field of endeavor of display devices, Wang teaches a conductor pattern comprising aluminum (Al) and at least two elements other than the aluminum (Al) (see English translation, “conductor pattern comprises an essentially pure aluminum layer and an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy layer”). Further, it would have been well known to those of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing that adding nickel and lanthanum to the aluminum electrode layer would help avoid aluminum corrosion and lower the impedance between layers. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy as the cathode in the Choung device in order to improve display quality and increase useful life.
Regarding claim 2, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and Wang further teaches the content of nickel may be 0.1% and the content of lanthanum may be 0.1 %. Further, it is the position of the examiner that lacking criticality and unexpected results, it would have been an obvious matter of routine experimentation for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the weight percent of nickel and lanthanum in the electrode layer to optimize the electrical properties as well as physical properties.
Regarding claim 3, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 1, and Wang further teaches the at least two elements of the first opposite electrode comprise: at least one of nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), darmstadtium (Ds), and cobalt (Co); and at least one of lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), and germanium (Ge) (see English translation, “conductor pattern comprises an essentially pure aluminum layer and an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy layer”). Further, it would have been well known to those of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing that adding nickel and lanthanum to the aluminum electrode layer would help avoid aluminum corrosion and lower the impedance between layers. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy as the cathode in the Choung device in order to improve display quality and increase useful life.
Regarding claim 4, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 1, and Wang further teaches the at least two elements of the first opposite electrode comprise: at least one of a Group 9 metal element and a Group 10 metal element; and at least one of a lanthanum group metal element and germanium (Ge) (see English translation; note: nickel is a group 10 metal, “conductor pattern comprises an essentially pure aluminum layer and an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy layer”). Further, it would have been well known to those of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing that adding nickel and lanthanum to the aluminum electrode layer would help avoid aluminum corrosion and lower the impedance between layers. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy as the cathode in the Choung device in order to improve display quality and increase useful life.
Regarding claim 5, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding clam 3, and Wang further teaches the content of nickel may be 0.1% and the content of lanthanum may be 0.1 % (see English translation). Further, it is the position of the examiner that lacking criticality and unexpected results, it would have been an obvious matter of routine experimentation for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the weight percent of nickel and lanthanum in the electrode layer to optimize the electrical properties as well as physical properties.
Regarding claim 6, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 5, and Wang further teaches the content of lanthanum may be equal or greater than the content of nickel (each may be 0.1%, see English translation). Further, it is the position of the examiner that lacking criticality and unexpected results, it would have been an obvious matter of routine experimentation for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the weight percent of nickel and lanthanum in the electrode layer to optimize the electrical properties as well as physical properties.
Regarding claim 7, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 1, and Choung further teaches the first opposite electrode (114, see Figure 4G) comprises a first layer (202) and a second layer (114) on the first layer, and wherein the second layer comprises an aluminum (Al)-based alloy ([0033]).
Regarding claim 8, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 7, and Choung further teaches the first layer (202, Figure 4G) comprises at least one of ytterbium (Yb), scandium (Sc), vanadium (V), yttrium (Y), indium (In), cerium (Ce), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), and terbium (Tb) (ITO, [0033]).
Regarding claim 9, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 8, and Wang further teaches a thickness of the second layer is about 100 Å to about 200 Å (see English translation, aluminum nickel lanthanum layer is 200-500 Angstroms thick). Further, it is the position of the examiner that lacking criticality and unexpected results, it would have been an obvious matter of routine experimentation for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the thickness of the aluminum nickel lanthanum electrode layer to optimize the electrical properties as well as physical properties.
Regarding claim 10, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 9, and further teaches a thickness of the first layer is about 5 Å to about 30 Å (see English translation, the thickness of the pure aluminum layer, which equates to the first layer, is smaller than the thickness of the second layer by a ratio of 10:1, so 20-50 Angstroms). Further, it is the position of the examiner that lacking criticality and unexpected results, it would have been an obvious matter of routine experimentation for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the thickness of the aluminum nickel lanthanum electrode layer to optimize the electrical properties as well as physical properties.
Regarding claim 11, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 9, and further it is the position of the examiner that the transmittance of the aluminum alloy taught by Wang is inherently within the claimed range. Further, it is the position of the examiner that lacking criticality and unexpected results, it would have been an obvious matter of routine experimentation for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the transmittance of the electrode layer to optimize the light emission properties of the device.
Regarding claim 12, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 1, and Choung further teaches an outer portion of the first opposite electrode contacts a side surface of the first metal layer facing the first opening (see Figure 4G, outer portion of 114 contacts a side surface of 110A).
Regarding claim 14, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and Choung further teaches a first dummy intermediate layer (112) comprising a same material as the first intermediate layer and on the second metal layer (on the side and top surface of second metal layer 110B, see Figure 4G); and a first dummy opposite electrode (114) comprising a same material as the first opposite electrode and on the first dummy intermediate layer (see Figure 4G, on the side and top of second metal layer 110B).
Regarding claim 15, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 12, and Choung further teaches an insulating layer (126) on the first subpixel electrode and under the metal bank layer; and a protection layer (202, see Figure 4F) arranged between an outer portion of the first subpixel electrode and the insulating layer, wherein the protection layer comprises a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) ([0033]).
Regarding claim 16, Choung teaches a display apparatus (see Figure 4G) comprising: a first subpixel electrode (104); a metal bank layer (110) having a first opening overlapping the first subpixel electrode (see Figure 4G), and comprising a first metal layer (110A, [0040]) and a second metal layer (110B, [0040]) over the first metal layer; a first intermediate layer (112) overlapping the first subpixel electrode in the first opening of the metal bank layer; a first opposite electrode (114) on the first intermediate layer and positioned in the first opening of the metal bank layer; a first dummy intermediate layer comprising a same material as the first intermediate layer and on the second metal layer (112 on the side and top surface of second metal layer 110B, see Figure 4G); and a first dummy opposite electrode comprising a same material as the first opposite electrode and on the first dummy intermediate layer (114 on the side and top surface of second metal layer 110B, see Figure 4G), wherein the first opposite electrode and the first dummy opposite electrode comprise an aluminum (Al)-based alloy ([0033]). Choung is silent as to the cathode specifically comprising at least two elements other than aluminum.
However, in the same field of endeavor of display devices, Wang teaches a conductor pattern comprising aluminum (Al) and at least two elements other than the aluminum (Al) (see English translation, “conductor pattern comprises an essentially pure aluminum layer and an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy layer”). Further, it would have been well known to those of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing that adding nickel and lanthanum to the aluminum electrode layer would help avoid aluminum corrosion and lower the impedance between layers. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy as the cathode in the Choung device in order to improve display quality and increase useful life.
Regarding claim 17, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 16, and Wang further teaches the content of nickel may be 0.1% and the content of lanthanum may be 0.1 %. Further, it is the position of the examiner that lacking criticality and unexpected results, it would have been an obvious matter of routine experimentation for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the weight percent of nickel and lanthanum in the electrode layer to optimize the electrical properties as well as physical properties.
Regarding claim 18, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 16, and Wang further teaches the at least two elements of the first opposite electrode comprise: at least one of nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), darmstadtium (Ds), and cobalt (Co); and at least one of lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), and germanium (Ge) (see English translation, “conductor pattern comprises an essentially pure aluminum layer and an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy layer”). Further, it would have been well known to those of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing that adding nickel and lanthanum to the aluminum electrode layer would help avoid aluminum corrosion and lower the impedance between layers. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide an aluminum nickel lanthanum alloy as the cathode in the Choung device in order to improve display quality and increase useful life.
Regarding claim 19, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 16, and Choung further teaches the first opposite electrode and first dummy opposite electrode (114, see Figure 4G) comprises a first layer (202) and a second layer (114) on the first layer, and wherein the second layer comprises an aluminum (Al)-based alloy ([0033]) and the first layer (202, Figure 4G) comprises at least one of ytterbium (Yb), scandium (Sc), vanadium (V), yttrium (Y), indium (In), cerium (Ce), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), and terbium (Tb) (ITO, [0033]).
Regarding claim 20, Choung and Wang teach the invention as explained above regarding claim 16, and Choung further teaches a second subpixel electrode (104, on the right side of Figure 4O); a second intermediate layer (112, unlabeled on the right side of Figure 4O) overlapping the second subpixel electrode and positioned in a second opening of the metal bank layer (metal bank layer 110); a second opposite electrode (114, unlabeled on the right side of Figure 4O) overlapping the second intermediate layer and positioned in the second opening of the metal bank layer; a second dummy intermediate layer (112 on the side and upper surface of second metal layer 110B and right side of Figure 4O) comprising a same material as the second intermediate layer and on the second metal layer (id); and a second dummy opposite electrode (114 on the side and upper surface of second metal layer 110B and right side of Figure 4O) comprising a same material as the second opposite electrode and on the second dummy intermediate layer (id), wherein the first dummy opposite electrode and the second dummy opposite electrode are offset from each other (see Figure 4O, second dummy electrode is higher than first dummy electrode), and wherein the first opposite electrode, the second opposite electrode, the first dummy opposite electrode, and the second dummy opposite electrode comprise a same material ([0033]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art fails to teach or suggest a portion of the second metal layer facing the first opening of the metal bank layer comprises a tip extending toward the first opening from a point where a bottom surface of the second metal layer and a side surface of the first metal layer contact each other.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Jin et al., CN 104347670 teaches a display device comprising a cathode comprised of an aluminum alloy containing nickel and lanthanum and further formed on a layer of pure aluminum. Jin fails to teach two metal layers having an opening overlapping the pixel electrode.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 MARY-ELLEN BOWMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5383. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday; 7:00 am-5:00 pm.
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MARY ELLEN BOWMAN
Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/MARY ELLEN BOWMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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