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 .
Title
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. Additionally, the title references manufacturing methods which do not appear in any of the claims.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description:
1. Fig. 5 shows 300T, but 300T is never explicitly described in the specification
2. Fig. 5 items 135 and 254 are shown, but do not appear in the specification
3. Figs. 10A-10D, 1420h and 1410h are not mentioned in the specification.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description:
Specification Para 49. Lists pixels P11-P44, but they are not all shown, nor are the missing pixels listed as not shown. In figure 2, pixels P11, P12, P21 and P22 are shown. but the other twelve P13, P14, P23, P24, P31, P32, P33, P34, P41, P42, P43, P44 are not shown.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objection
Claims 6 and 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 6 the phrase “the first pixel separation structure” should be --the first verification pixel separation structure
Claim 7 reads, The image sensor of claim 4, wherein the first pad comprises an material that is identical to a material of the first conductive layer, and the second pad comprises an material that is identical to a material of the second conductive layer,” but should read “The image sensor of claim 4, wherein the first pad comprises a material that is identical to a material of the first conductive layer, and the second pad comprises a material that is identical to a material of the second conductive layer.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 10 and 12 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 10 It is unclear whether a first contact and a second contact are part of the plurality of contacts.
Examiner’s interpretation
For purposes of examination this is interpreted as being part of the plurality of contact.
Claim 12 reads, in part, “wherein a horizontal width of the second horizontal portion in the first direction is greater than a horizontal width of the second horizontal portion in the first direction.” This is indefinite because the second horizontal portion cannot have a greater horizontal width than itself.
Examiner’s interpretation:
For purposes of examination, this part of the claim has been interpreted, in light of the specification (para. 70), to read wherein a horizontal width of the second horizontal portion in the first direction is greater than a horizontal width of the second vertical portion in the first direction.” Further examination was conducted using this interpretation.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 10 as being unpatentable over Oh et. al. (US Pub. US 20180197904), hereinafter referred to as Oh.
Regarding claim 1, Oh teaches, as seen in figures 2-4;
An image sensor comprising: a substrate (Oh, Fig. 4, 110) including a first surface (Oh, Fig. 4, 110A) and a second surface (Oh, Fig 4, 110B), a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements therein (Oh, Fig 4, PD, para. 47), a plurality of pixels provided in the substrate (Oh, Figs. 2-4, PR, para. 31),a plurality of pixel separation structures (Oh, Fig. 2-4, 10) configured to separate the plurality of pixels (Para. 31), and a plurality of contacts (Fig 4, 140) respectively connected to the plurality of pixel separation structures (Oh, Figs. 2-4, 140, para. 41)), wherein a first contact among the plurality of contacts is configured to apply a current to a first portion of the plurality of pixel separation structures (Oh, Figs. 2-4, para 41), wherein a second contact among the plurality of contacts is configured to detect a current from a second portion of the plurality of pixel separation structures (Oh, Figs.2-4, 130, para. 41).
Regarding claim 2, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 1 wherein the plurality of pixels comprise an active pixel region that defines the plurality of pixels (Oh, Fig. 3 and 5, PR, para. 63) and a dummy pixel region that surrounds the active pixel region (Oh, Fig. 5, DR, Fig 5, DR1, DR2, para. 63) and wherein the plurality of pixel separation structures comprise a pixel separation structure arranged in the active pixel region, and a first verification pixel separation structure and a second verification pixel separation structure arranged in the dummy pixel region (Oh, Fig. 7, 120, 140C, para. 41).
Regarding claim 3, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 2, further comprising a pad region (Oh, Fig. 5, 140A, para. 63 A plurality of pixel separation contacts 140A …between each of the pairs of the plurality of dummy pixel regions DR1 and DR2) arranged on at least one side of the dummy pixel region (Oh, Fig 5, DR1, DR2) and a verification wiring (Para. 41: 140 is connected to an external voltage application wiring) that electrically connects the plurality of contacts to the pad region (Para. 41), wherein the verification wiring is configured to provide an applied bias voltage to the plurality of contacts (Para. 41)
Regarding claim 4, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 2 wherein the first verification pixel separation structure comprises a first conductive layer and a first pad (Oh, Fig 16, 140, paras. 99-100), wherein the first pad electrically connects the first conductive layer to the first contact (Oh, Fig 16, 140), wherein the second verification pixel separation structure comprises a second conductive layer and a second pad (Oh, Fig 4, 140, Fig. 5, 140A ) and wherein the second pad electrically connects the second conductive layer to the second contact (Oh, Fig 4, 140, Fig. 5, 140A).
Regarding claim 5, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 5 wherein the pixel separation structure comprises a conductive layer (Oh, Fig 5, 122) and a lower insulating layer (Oh, Fig. 4, 124, para 31) wherein the conductive layer is arranged inside the pixel separation structure (Oh, Fig. 4, 122), and wherein the lower insulating layer is arranged between the conductive layer and the first surface of the substrate(Oh, Fig. 4, 124, 110A, para. 49, 110A follows contours of 150) and comprises a material that is different from a material of the first pad and the second pad (Para 38, 124 may include silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride, 122 may include at least one of impurity-doped or undoped polysilicon, metal silicide, or a metal-containing layer ).
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Regarding claim 6, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 4 wherein the first pad extends from the first surface of the substrate and into the first verification pixel separation structure (Oh, Fig. 4, 140, Fig. 5, 140A), and the second pad extends from the first surface of the substrate and into the second verification pixel separation structure (Oh, Fig. 4, 140, Fig. 5, 140A shows multiple instances of 140).
Regarding claim 7, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 4 wherein the first pad comprises a material that is identical to a material of the first conductive layer (Para. 99 shows the pixel separation structure, contact and pad formed from the same material), and the second pad comprises a material that is identical to a material of the second conductive layer (Para. 99 shows the pixel separation structure, contact and pad formed from the same material.).
Regarding claim 8, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 4 wherein each of the first pad (Oh, Fig. 5, 140A) and the second pad (Oh, Fig. 12, 140A) is arranged to overlap vertically at least one photoelectric conversion element (Oh, Fig. 5, DR1) among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements (Oh, Fig 12 DR1, DR2, para. 48, the photoelectric conversion unit PD and the well region PW may be disposed in the pair of dummy pixel regions DR1 and DR2 as illustrated in FIG. 16). Therefore the first and second pads would overlap at least one PD.
Regarding claim 10, Oh teaches; an image sensor comprising: a substrate including a first surface and a second surface (Oh, Fig 12, 110, 110a, 110b, para. 44), the substrate comprising a plurality of pixels and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements therein (Oh, Fig. 12, PD, PR, para. 47), the substrate including an active pixel region that defines the plurality of pixels (Oh, Fig 5 PR, para. 63), a dummy pixel region that surrounds the active pixel region (Oh, Fig. 12 DR, para. 63), and a pad region arranged on at least one side of the dummy pixel region (paras 37-41); an insulating layer arranged on the first surface (Oh, Fig. 12, 154, para. 53); a plurality of pixel separation structures that separate the plurality of pixels (Oh, Figs. 12, 120, para. 31); and a plurality of contacts respectively connected to the plurality of pixel separation structures, and extending through the insulating layer (Oh, Fig. 12, 140 Fig. 5. 140A, para. 63), wherein the plurality of pixel separation structures comprise a pixel separation structure arranged in the active pixel region, and a first verification pixel separation structure and a second verification pixel separation structure arranged in the dummy pixel region (Oh, Fig. 12, 120, 140, para. 63), wherein the first verification pixel separation structure comprises a first pad having at least a portion thereof extending into the substrate on the first surface (Oh, Fig. 12, 140), wherein the second verification pixel separation structure comprises a second pad having at least a portion thereof extending into the substrate on the first surface (Oh, Fig. 12, 140), wherein the first pad is electrically connected to a first contact, and the second pad is electrically connected to a second contact (Oh, Fig 12, 140), and wherein the first contact is configured to apply a bias voltage to the first verification pixel separation structure (Oh, Fig 5, 140, para. 41), and the second contact is configured to detect a current from the second verification pixel separation structure (Oh, Fig 5, 140, para. 41).
Regarding claim 12, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 10, wherein the first pad comprises a first horizontal portion inside the insulating layer and a first vertical portion inside the substrate (Oh, Fig 12, 140), wherein the second pad comprises a second horizontal portion inside the insulating layer and a second vertical portion inside the substrate (Oh, Fig 12, 140,), wherein a horizontal width of the first horizontal portion in a first direction in parallel with the first surface is greater than a horizontal width of the first vertical portion in the first direction (Oh, Fig 12, 140,), and wherein a horizontal width of the second horizontal portion in the first direction is greater than a horizontal width of the second vertical portion in the first direction (Oh, Fig 12, 140).
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Regarding claim 13, , Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 12, wherein a horizontal width of the first vertical portion of the first pad decreases in a second direction vertical to the first direction (Oh, Fig 12, 140, Fig 6, 140B), and a horizontal width of the second vertical portion of the second pad decreases in the second direction (Oh, Fig 12, 140, Fig 6, 140B).
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Regarding claim 14, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 12, wherein the first vertical portion of the first pad and the second vertical portion of the second pad have any one shape among a rectangular shape and a tapered shape (Oh, Fig 12, 140). See above figure for tapered shape.
Regarding claim 15, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 10, wherein the pixel separation structure (Oh, Fig. 5, 120) is arranged between the first verification pixel separation structure (Oh, Fig. 5, 140A) and the second verification pixel separation structure. (Fig 5, 140). The dummy region surrounds the active pixel region; therefore the pixel verification structures surround the pixel separation structures.
Regarding claim 16, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 10. Oh also teaches wherein each of the first contact (Oh, Fig. 12, 140) and the second contact (Oh, Fig. 12, 140) extends through the insulating layer (Oh, Fig. 12, 154)
Regarding claim 17, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 10 wherein the pixel separation structure (Oh, Fig 12, 120) comprises a lower insulating layer (Oh, Fig 12, 152) arranged on the first surface of the substrate (Oh, Fig. 12, 110A) and the pixel separation structure is insulated from the insulating layer (Oh, Fig 12, 154) by using the lower insulating layer (Oh, Fig. 12 , 152).
Regarding claim 18, Oh teaches;
An image sensor comprising: a substrate (Oh, Fig 12, 110, para. 44) including a first surface (Oh, Fig 12, 110a, para. 44) and a second surface (Oh, Fig 12, 110b, para. 44) the substrate comprising a plurality of pixels (Oh, Fig 12, PD, para. 63) and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements therein (Oh, Fig. 12, PR, para. 63), the substrate including an active pixel region that defines the plurality of pixels (Oh, Fig 5 PR, para. 63), a dummy pixel region that surrounds the active pixel region (Oh, Fig. 5 DR, para. 63), and a pad region arranged on at least one side of the dummy pixel region (Oh, Fig 5, 140A, paras 37-41), a color filter arranged on the second surface of the substrate (Oh, Fig. 12, 182, para. 53); a reflection prevention layer arranged on the color filter (Oh, Fig 12, 172, para 53);a plurality of micro lenses arranged on the reflection prevention layer (Oh, Fig 12, 184, para. 53); an insulating layer (Oh, Fig 12, 140, para. 53) arranged under the first surface, and partially covering a first pad (Oh, Fig 12, 140) and a second pad(Oh, Fig 12, 140, para. 53), an interlayer insulating layer arranged under the insulating layer, and configured to provide a path to output an electrical signal generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements (Oh, Fig 12, 156, para. 53); a plurality of pixel separation structures that separate the plurality of pixels (Oh, Fig 12, 120, lines para. 39), and including a pixel separation structure arranged in the active pixel region (Oh, Fig 12, 120), and a first verification pixel separation structure and a second verification pixel separation structure arranged in the dummy pixel region (Oh, Fig 5, 140A); and a plurality of contacts respectively connected to the plurality of pixel separation structures, and extending through the insulating layer and extending into the interlayer insulating layer (Oh, Figs 12, 140, 156), wherein the first verification pixel separation structure comprises the first pad having at least a portion therein extending into the substrate on the first surface (Oh, Fig 12, 140), and the second verification pixel separation structure comprises the second pad having at least a portion thereof extending into the substrate on the first surface (Oh, Fig 12, 140, Fig 12, 140A), and wherein the first pad is electrically connected to a first contact (Oh, Fig 12, 140, Fig 12 140A), the second pad is electrically connected to a second contact(Oh, Fig 12, 140), the first contact is configured to apply a bias voltage to the first verification pixel separation structure and the second contact is configured to detect a current from the second verification pixel separation structure (Oh, para. 41).
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Regarding claim 19, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 18 further comprising a first verification wiring and a second verification wiring which electrically connect the plurality of contacts to the pad region (Oh, para. 41), wherein the first verification wiring is configured to provide an applied bias voltage to the first contact (Oh, Fig 5, 120, para. 41)
and wherein the second verification wiring is configured to provide a measurable leakage current from the substrate at the second contact (Oh, Fig 5, 140A, para. 41).
Regarding claim 20, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 18 wherein the second contact is configured to detect the current prior to formation of the color filter, the reflection prevention layer, and the plurality of micro lenses (Oh, para. 100-104).
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 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh et. al. (US 20180197904).
Regarding claim 11, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 10, wherein each of the first pad (Oh, Fig. 6,140B) and the second pad (Oh, Fig 6, 140B) is arranged to partially and vertically overlap at least four photoelectric conversion elements (Fig 6, DR1B, DR2B, DR3B, DR4B) among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. (See Fig. 6, showing the corners of the pads, 140B covering the corners of the photoelectric conversion elements contained in DR1B-DR4B. Oh, para. 65).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have combined the embodiments of Oh to create an image sensor where the dummy pixel region surrounds the active region, and wherein the pads partially and vertically overlap at least four photoelectric conversion elements. Doing so would reduce the likelihood of fabrication defects in the case of a misalignment.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh et. al. (US Patent US 20180197904), hereinafter referred to as Oh in view of Kao et.al. (US Patent Publication 20220344383) hereinafter referred to as Kao.
Regarding claim 9, Oh teaches the image sensor of claim 1, the first insulating liner (Oh, Fig. 12, 124) is arranged on an inner wall of a pixel trench for the pixel separation structure that extends through the substrate (Oh, Fig. 12, 110) , and extends from the first surface (Oh, Fig 12, 110A) of the substrate to the second surface thereof (Oh, Fig 12, 110B).
Oh does not teach, wherein each of the plurality of pixel separation structures comprises a first insulating liner and a second insulating liner, and the second insulating liner is arranged inside the pixel trench.
However, Kao teaches an isolation dielectric stack (Kao Fig. 2, 128) to separate pixels. The stack is made up of an a first high-k dielectric layer (Kao, Fig. 2, 114) isolation dielectric liner (Kao Fig. 2, 118), the trench filling layer (Kao, Fig. 2, 112), and may further comprise some other conformal dielectric layers reducing blooming and crosstalk between the image sensing elements (Kao Fig. 2, 103a, 103b, para. 20) . Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time, to have combined the embodiments of Oh and modified them to incorporate the teachings of Kao and create a pixel separation structure comprising two insulating layers, that extended through the substrate. Doing so would reduce blooming and crosstalk between the pixel regions.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Segarra et. al (U.S. Patent Application Number 20220003812) teaches a method and apparatus for testing a semiconductor device for defects.
Choi et. al. (US Patent Application 20200111831) teaches a pixel separation structure that may be made up of multiple layers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIERAN M CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-9654. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:30-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Britt Hanley can be reached at 5712703042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIERAN M. CUNNINGHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/Britt Hanley/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893