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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/27/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the 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.
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, 10-13, 16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang US 2022/0005979 in view of Moriwaki US 2019/0245102.
Re claim 1, Kang teaches a display device (fig10) comprising:
a transistor (T1, fig10, [91]) disposed on a substrate (BSL, fig10, [78]);
a first conductive layer (ET1, fig10, [209]) electrically connected to the transistor (T1, fig10, [91]);
a first metal layer (ALE1/CNL1 as ITO/Ag/ITO, fig10, [125, 189]) electrically connected to the first conductive layer (ET1, fig10, [209]);
a first electrode (CNE1, fig10, [141]) electrically connected to the first metal layer (ALE1/CNL1, fig10, [125, 189]); and
an emission layer (LD, fig10, [176]) electrically connected to the first electrode (CNE1, fig10, [141]),
Kang does not explicitly show wherein the first metal layer includes a first layer including Zn-ITO, a second layer including Ag, and a third layer including Zn-ITO.
Moriwaki teaches replacing ITO with Zn doped ITO ([34]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kang and Moriwaki to dope the top and bottom ITO layer with Zn. The motivation to do so is to improve reliability of the transparent electrode (Moriwaki, [13]), reduce surface roughness (Moriwaki, [35]), and improve light transmittance (Moriwaki, [35, 154]).
Re claim 2, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the display device includes a display area (center region with LD, fig6B and 10) and a pad region (region with BNK and PW1/2 around LD, fig6B and 10), and the first conductive layer (ET1, fig10, [209]), the first metal layer (ALE1/CNL1 as Zn-ITO/Ag/Zn-ITO, fig10, [125, 189]), and the first electrode (CNE1, fig10, [141]) contact each other in the pad region (region with BNK and PW1/2 around LD, fig6B and 10).
Re claim 10, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein a content of Zn included in Zn-ITO of the first layer and the third layer is equal to or greater than about 10 at% (Moriwaki, [34]).
Re claim 11, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein a content of Zn included in Zn-ITO of the first layer and the third layer is in a range of about 18 at% to about 20 at% (Moriwaki, [34]).
Re claim 12, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein Zn-ITO included in the first layer and the third layer is amorphous (Moriwaki, [106]).
Re claim 13, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein Zn-ITO included in the first metal layer is amorphous in case that a heat treatment of about 250 °C is performed (Moriwaki, amorphous Zn-ITO with similar results as annealed ITO-SiOx at 250C, [73, 95, 106]).
Re claim 16, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the emission layer includes a nanorod (LD, fig3 and 10, [54]).
Re claim 18, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising: a cell barrier (PW1/2, fig10, [111]) disposed between the first conductive layer (ET1, fig10, [209]) and the first metal layer (ALE1/CNL1 as ITO/Ag/ITO, fig10, [125, 189]), wherein the cell barrier (PW1/2, fig10, [111]) includes an opening overlapping the emission layer (LD, fig10, [110]) in a plan view (fig6 and 10).
Re claim 19, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein light emitted by the emission layer (LD, fig10, [68]) is reflected by the first metal layer (ALE1/CNL1 as ITO/Ag/ITO, fig10, [125, 189]).
Re claim 20, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 17, wherein the semiconductor layer includes an oxide semiconductor (SCL, fig10, [211]).
Claim(s) 3-4 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang US 2022/0005979 in view of Moriwaki US 2019/0245102 and Kwon et al. US 2022/0262864.
Re claim 3, Kang does not explicitly show the display device of claim 2, wherein the first conductive layer includes a first layer including titanium and a second layer including copper, and the second layer of the first conductive layer contacts the first layer of the first metal layer.
Kwon teaches wherein the first conductive layer (SE/DE, fig4, [84]) includes a first layer (titanium layer of titanium/copper/ITO, fig4, [84]) including titanium and a second layer (copper layer of titanium/copper/ITO, fig4, [84]) including copper, and the second layer of the first conductive layer contacts the first layer of the first metal layer (210/211-213 as ITO/Ag/ITO, fig4, [92]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kang modified above and Kwon to form the source/drain electrode with the process of Kwon. The motivation to do so is to improve device brightness and achieve low resistance between S/D electrode and first metal layer (Kwon, [83, 84]).
Re claim 4, Kang does not explicitly show the display device of claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer includes a first layer including titanium, a second layer including copper, and a third layer including an indium tin oxide, and the third layer of the first conductive layer contacts the first layer of the first metal layer.
Kwon teaches wherein the first conductive layer (SE/DE, fig4, [84]) includes a first layer (titanium layer of titanium/copper/ITO, fig4, [84]) including titanium, and a second layer (copper layer of titanium/copper/ITO, fig4, [84]) including copper, and a third layer (ITO layer of titanium/copper/ITO, fig4, [84]) including an indium tin oxide, and the third layer of the first conductive layer contacts the first layer of the first metal layer (210/211-213 as ITO/Ag/ITO, fig4, [92]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kang modified above and Kwon to form the source/drain electrode with the process of Kwon. The motivation to do so is to improve device brightness and achieve low resistance between S/D electrode and first metal layer (Kwon, [83, 84]).
Re claim 17, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the transistor (T1, fig10, [91]) includes a semiconductor layer (SCL, fig10, [209]) and a gate electrode (GE, fig10, [209]).
Kang does not explicitly show the display device further comprises a second conductive layer disposed between the semiconductor layer and the first conductive layer and electrically connecting the semiconductor layer and the first conductive layer.
Kwon teaches wherein the source/drain electrodes (SE/DE, fig4, [84]) includes a second conductive layer (copper or ITO layer of titanium/copper/ITO, fig4, [84]) disposed between the semiconductor layer (Act, fig4, [81]) and the first conductive layer (titanium layer of titanium/copper/ITO, fig4, [84]) and electrically connecting the semiconductor layer and the first conductive layer.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kang modified above and Kwon to form the source/drain electrode with the process of Kwon. The motivation to do so is to improve device brightness and achieve low resistance between S/D electrode and first metal layer (Kwon, [83, 84]).
Claim(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang US 2022/0005979 in view of Moriwaki US 2019/0245102 and Maeng et al. US 2022/0415216.
Re claim 5, Kang does not explicitly show the display device of claim 2, wherein the first electrode includes an indium tin oxide, and the third layer of the first metal layer contacts the first electrode.
Maeng teaches first and second contact electrodes includes an indium tin oxide (CTE1/2 as ITO, fig9, [207]), and the third layer of the first metal layer (ITO of ITO/Ag/ITO layer CE, fig9, [197]) contacts the first electrode (CTE1/2, fig9, [207]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kang modified above and Maeng to form the first electrode with the process of Maeng. The motivation to do so is to improve device brightness and achieve low power consumption (Maeng, [207]).
Claim(s) 6-9 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang US 2022/0005979 in view of Moriwaki US 2019/0245102 and Chen et al. US 2022/0376198.
Re claim 6, Kang does not explicitly show the display device of claim 1, wherein the second layer of the first metal layer is thicker than the first layer of the first metal layer and the third layer of the first metal layer in a thickness direction of the substrate.
Chen teaches an ITO/Ag/ITO layer ([110]) wherein the second layer (80-100nm Ag, [110]) of the first metal layer is thicker than the first layer (5-20nm ITO, [110]) of the first metal layer and the third layer (5-20nm ITO , [110]) of the first metal layer in a thickness direction of the substrate.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kang modified above and Chen to adjust the thickness of the composite oxide layer. The motivation to do so is to improve device brightness and achieve low power consumption (Chen, [2]).
Re claim 7, Kang does not explicitly show the display device of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first layer of the first metal layer is in a range of about 50 Å to about 300 Å in a thickness direction of the substrate.
Chen teaches an ITO/Ag/ITO layer ([110]) wherein the second layer (80-100nm Ag, [110]) of the first metal layer is thicker than the first layer (5-20nm ITO, [110]) of the first metal layer and the third layer (5-20nm ITO, [110]) of the first metal layer in a thickness direction of the substrate.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kang modified above and Chen to adjust the thickness of the composite oxide layer. The motivation to do so is to improve device brightness and achieve low power consumption (Chen, [2]).
Re claim 8, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 7, wherein a thickness of the second layer of the first metal layer is in a range of about 500 Å to about 2000 Å in a thickness direction of the substrate (Chen, 80-100nm Ag of ITO/Ag/ITO layer, [110]).
Re claim 9, Kang modified above teaches the display device of claim 8, wherein a thickness of the third layer of the first metal layer is in a range of about 50 Å to about 300 Å in the thickness direction (Chen, 5-20nm ITO of ITO/Ag/ITO layer, [110]).
Re claim 15, Kang does not explicitly show the display device of claim 1, wherein a reflectivity of the first metal layer on a wavelength in a range of about 400 nm to about 800 nm is equal to or greater than about 80 %.
Chen teaches an ITO/Ag/ITO layer ([110]) wherein the second layer (80-100nm Ag, [110]) of the first metal layer is thicker than the first layer (5-20nm ITO, [110]) of the first metal layer and the third layer (5-20nm ITO , [110]) of the first metal layer in a thickness direction of the substrate, wherein a reflectivity in the visible region is about 85-95% ([110]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kang modified above and Chen to adjust the thickness of the composite oxide layer. The motivation to do so is to improve device brightness and achieve low power consumption (Chen, [2]).
Claim(s) 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang US 2022/0005979 in view of Moriwaki US 2019/0245102 and Park et al. US 2022/0204846.
Re claim 14, Kang does not explicitly show the display device of claim 1, wherein the first metal layer is not etched by TMAH and KOH.
Park teaches etching solution (table1 and 2, [46, 116]) used to etch ITO/Ag (table 3) and ITO/Ag/ITO ([48]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kang modified above and Park to etch the ITO/Ag/ITO stack with the solution of Park. The motivation to do so is to prevent damage of other metal layers and reduce precipitation of silver particles (Park, [29]).
Conclusion
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/XIAOMING LIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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