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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).
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, 7-9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bragmann et al. (US 2008/0251800 A1, hereinafter “Bergmann”).
In regards to claim 1, Bergmann discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7) a micro light-emitting element, comprising:
a first-type semiconductor (35) having a bottom surface;
a light-emitting layer (37) disposed on the first-type semiconductor;
a second-type semiconductor (36) disposed on the light-emitting layer (37);
an intrinsic semiconductor (40/47) disposed on the second-type semiconductor (36) and made of the same material as the second-type semiconductor (See, for example, Pars [0055] and [0056]),
wherein the intrinsic semiconductor (40/47) has a top surface relative to the bottom surface, sidewalls of the first-type semiconductor (35), the light-emitting layer (37), the second-type semiconductor (36), and the intrinsic semiconductor (40/47) form a continuous side surface, and the side surface connects the bottom surface to the top surface; and
a metal reflecting layer (45, See, for example, Par [0057]) disposed on the side surface and laterally covering the sidewalls of the intrinsic semiconductor (40) and a portion of the second-type semiconductor (36) adjacent to the intrinsic semiconductor (40/47).
In regards to claim 7, Bragmann discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7) a patterned light-guiding structure (47) disposed on the top surface of the intrinsic semiconductor (40/47).
In regards to claim 8, Bragmann discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7) the patterned light-guiding structure (47) is part of the intrinsic semiconductor (40/47).
In regards to claim 9, Bragmann discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7) in a cross-section, a shape of the patterned light-guiding structure (47) changes periodically.
In regards to claim 11, Bragmann discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7) the metal reflecting layer (45, Par [0057]) extends from the sidewall of the intrinsic semiconductor (40) towards the top surface and is cut off at a place where the side surface is adjacent to the top surface, exposing the top surface.
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 2-6, and 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bragmann in view of Tonkikh et al. (US 2023/0307584 A1, hereinafter “Tonkikh”).
In regards to claim 14, Bergmann discloses (see, for example, Fig. 7)
each of the micro light-emitting elements comprises:
a first-type semiconductor (35) having a bottom surface;
a light-emitting layer (37) disposed on the first-type semiconductor;
a second-type semiconductor (36) disposed on the light-emitting layer (37);
an intrinsic semiconductor (40/47) disposed on the second-type semiconductor (36) and made of the same material as the second-type semiconductor (See, for example, Pars [0055] and [0056]),
wherein the intrinsic semiconductor (40/47) has a top surface relative to the bottom surface, sidewalls of the first-type semiconductor (35), the light-emitting layer (37), the second-type semiconductor (36), and the intrinsic semiconductor (40) form a continuous side surface, and the side surface connects the bottom surface to the top surface; and
a metal reflecting layer (45, See, for example, Par [0057]) disposed on the side surface and laterally covering the sidewalls of the intrinsic semiconductor (40/47) and a portion of the second-type semiconductor (36) adjacent to the intrinsic semiconductor (40); and
a patterned light-guiding structure (47) disposed on the top surface of the intrinsic semiconductor (40/47);
wherein a distance between the patterned light-guiding structure (47) and the driving substrate is consistent.
However, Bergmann is silent about a micro light-emitting display device, comprising:
a driving substrate that comprises pads; and
micro light-emitting elements respectively connected to one of the pads and controlled by the driving substrate,
Tonkikh while disclosing micro-LED teaches (See. For example, Fig. 12E) a micro light-emitting display device, comprising:
a driving substrate (1270) that comprises pads (1272); and
micro light-emitting elements respectively connected to one of the pads (1272) and controlled by the driving substrate (see, for example, Par [0144]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Bergmann with Tonkikh because this would help reduce size, improves durability, and increases efficiency.
In regards to claim 2, Bergmann discloses all limitations of claim 1 above except that an insulating layer disposed on the side surface and laterally covering the sidewalls of the first-type semiconductor, the light-emitting layer, and another portion of the second-type semiconductor away from the intrinsic semiconductor.
Tonkikh discloses (See, for example, Fig. 12) an insulating layer (1250) disposed on the side surface and laterally covering the sidewalls of the first-type semiconductor (1240), the light-emitting layer (1230), and another portion of the second-type semiconductor (1220) away from the intrinsic semiconductor (1245).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Bergmann with Tonkikh because this would help reduce size, improves durability, and increases efficiency.
In regards to claim 3, Bergmann as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 12, Tonkikh) the metal reflecting layer (1252) is adjacent to the insulating layer (1250) on the side surface, or the metal reflecting layer (1252) covers at least a portion of the insulating layer (1250) on the side surface.
In regards to claim 4, Bergmann as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 14, Tonkikh) the insulating layer (1405/1440) is a Bragg reflector structure.
In regards to claim 5, Bragmann as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 12, Tonkikh) a thickness of the insulating layer (1250) is greater than a thickness of the metal reflecting layer (1252. While the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Figure 12 clearly depicts that the thickness of the metal layer as being smaller than the insulating layer 1250).
In regards to claim 6, Bragmann discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7) in a cross-section of the micro light-emitting element, a width of the intrinsic semiconductor (40 ) is greater than a width of the second-type semiconductor (36).
However, Bragmann is silent about
and the width of the second-type semiconductor is greater than a width of the first-type semiconductor.
Tonkikh discloses (See, for example, Fig. 12) and the width of the second-type semiconductor (1220) is greater than a width of the first-type semiconductor (1240).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Bergmann with Tonkikh because this would help reduce size, improves durability, and increases efficiency.
In regards to claims 12 and 13, Bragmann discloses all limitations of claim 1 above but silent about the metal reflecting layer comprises titanium, aluminum, nickel, gold, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof; and the metal reflecting layer surrounds the side surface and laterally encloses the sidewalls of the intrinsic semiconductor and the portion of the second-type semiconductor.
Tonkikh discloses (See, for example, Fig. 12) the metal reflecting layer (1252) comprises titanium, aluminum, nickel, gold, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof (See, for example, Par [0143]); and the metal reflecting layer (1525) surrounds the side surface and laterally encloses the sidewalls of the intrinsic semiconductor (1245) and the portion of the second-type semiconductor (1220).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Bergmann with Tonkikh because this would help reduce size, improves durability, and increases efficiency.
In regards to claim 15, Bragmann as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7, Bragmann) in cross-sections of the micro light-emitting elements, the patterned light-guiding structures (47) have the same shape (triangular, See also Par [0060]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 and 16-18 are 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.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERMIAS T WOLDEGEORGIS whose telephone number is (571)270-5350. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8 am - 5 pm E.S.T..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Britt Hanley can be reached on 571-270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERMIAS T WOLDEGEORGIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893