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 with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
In re Claim 13, Kuo et al. (U.S. 2023/0045432 A1, hereinafter refer to Kuo) teaches a method of manufacturing a thermal image sensor (see Kuo, Figs.6-13 and ¶ [0002]), the method comprising:
forming a row electrode, a column electrode, and an insulation layer (silicon oxide material (SiOx) not shown) on a substrate (10) (see Kuo, Figs.6-13 and ¶ [0030]);
sequentially stacking a sacrificial layer (50) and a first absorption layer (321) on the insulation layer (silicon oxide material (SiOx) not shown) (see Kuo, Figs.6-13 and ¶ [0030]);
forming trenches (510) in the sacrificial layer (50) (see Kuo, Figs.6-13);
forming a temperature sensor (323/324) and a second absorption layer (322) on the first absorption layer (321) (see Kuo, Figs.6-13); and
removing the sacrificial layer (50) (see Kuo, Figs.6-13).
The prior arts of record do not anticipate and do not render obvious such limitations of Claim 13 as: "forming via holes that expose the row electrode and the column electrode in the sacrificial layer and the first absorption layer, and forming legs in the via holes;
forming conductive layers corresponding to supporting arms on the trenches and connecting the conductive layers to the legs.”
Claims 14-20 are allowed for the same reasons as claim 13, from which they depend.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-7, 10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kuo et al. (U.S. 2023/0045432 A1, hereinafter refer to Kuo).
Regarding Claim 1: Kuo discloses a thermal image sensor (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown below and ¶ [0002]) comprising:
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a substrate (10) (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above);
a row electrode on the substrate (10) (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above);
a multi-layer stack (321/322/323/324) comprising an absorption layer (321/322) and a temperature sensor (323/324) (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above);
supporting arms that extend from diagonal corners of the multi-layer stack (321/322/323/324) and that are spaced apart from both sides of the multi-layer stack (321/322/323/324)), wherein the supporting arms have a concave-convex shape comprising a plurality of concave portions and a plurality of convex portions (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above); and
legs (310) protruding from the row electrode and the column electrode, wherein the legs (310) are connected to extended ends of the supporting arms to allow the multi-layer stack (321/322/323/324) to float above the substrate (10) (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above),
wherein the supporting arms comprise a conductive layer (325) (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above and ¶ [0033]), and
wherein the absorption layer (321/322) is on the conductive layer (325) (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above).
Regarding Claim 2: Kuo discloses a thermal image sensor as set forth in claim 1 as above. Kuo further teaches wherein the conductive layer (325) is electrically connected to a leg (310) from among the legs (310), and has an undulating shape comprising a plurality of valley portions and a plurality of peak portions, wherein the plurality of valley portions are closer to the substrate (10) than the plurality of peak portions (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above and ¶ [0033]).
Regarding Claim 3: Kuo discloses a thermal image sensor as set forth in claim 2 as above. Kuo further teaches wherein the conductive layer (325) comprises a material having a thermal conductance determined based on at least one from among a size, shape, and a number of the plurality of valley portions and the plurality of peak portions (see Kuo, Fig.4 as shown above, Fig.10, and ¶ [0033]).
Note: the discovery of a previously unappreciated property of a prior art composition, or of a scientific explanation for the prior art’s functioning, does not render the old composition patentably new to the discoverer.
Regarding Claim 4: Kuo discloses a thermal image sensor as set forth in claim 2 as above. Kuo further teaches wherein a height of the plurality of peak portions is greater than or equal to a height of the legs (see Kuo, Fig.4 as shown above, Fig.10, and ¶ [0033]).
Regarding Claim 5: Kuo discloses a thermal image sensor as set forth in claim 2 as above. Kuo further teaches wherein the plurality of valley portions are partially exposed from the absorption layer (321/322) (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above and Fig.10).
Regarding Claim 6: Kuo discloses a thermal image sensor as set forth in claim 2 as above. Kuo further teaches wherein the plurality of valley portions comprise a hole (see Kuo, Fig.4 as shown above and Fig.10).
Regarding Claim 7: Kuo discloses a thermal image sensor as set forth in claim 6 as above. Kuo further teaches wherein thermal isolation holes are patterned in the absorption layer of the multi-layer stack (322) (see Kuo, Fig.4 as shown above).
Regarding Claim 10: Kuo discloses a thermal image sensor as set forth in claim 1 as above. Kuo further teaches wherein the supporting arms are equal to half of a length of the multi-layer stack (321/322/323/324) (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above).
Regarding Claim 12: Kuo discloses a thermal image sensor as set forth in claim 1 as above. Kuo further teaches wherein the temperature sensor (323/324) comprises a thermal resistance layer (see Kuo, Figs.1-5 as shown above).
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) 8-9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuo et al. (U.S. 2023/0045432 A1, hereinafter refer to Kuo) as applied to claims 1 and 2 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (U.S. 2023/0213390 A1, hereinafter refer to Kim).
Regarding Claims 8, 9, and 11: Kuo as modified teaches a discloses a thermal image sensor as applied to claims 1 and 2 above. The combination of Kuo is silent upon explicitly disclosing wherein the supporting arms comprise an additional temperature sensor (as claimed in claim 8);
wherein the additional temperature sensor comprises Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJ) elements, wherein the MTJ elements are on the plurality of peak portions of the conductive layer (as claimed in claim 9);
wherein the temperature sensor comprises an MTJ element array comprising the MTJ elements connected to each other (as claimed in claim 11).
For support see Kim, which teaches wherein the supporting arms (126) comprise an additional temperature sensor (LM/UM) (see Kim, Fig.17 and ¶ [0005]) (as claimed in claim 8);
wherein the additional temperature sensor comprises Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJ) elements (LM/UM), wherein the MTJ elements (LM/UM) are on the plurality of peak portions of the conductive layer (126) (see Kim, Fig.17 and ¶ [0005]) (as claimed in claim 9);
wherein the temperature sensor comprises an MTJ element array (LM/UM) comprising the MTJ elements (LM/UM) connected to each other (see Kim, Fig.17 and ¶ [0005]) (as claimed in claim 11).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kuo and Kim to enable the supporting arms of the combination of Kuo’s to comprise an additional temperature sensor, wherein the additional temperature sensor comprises Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJ) elements, wherein the MTJ elements are on the plurality of peak portions of the conductive layer as taught by Kim in order to obtain a long wavelength infrared sensor in which heat is effectively transferred to magnetoresistive elements having an antiparallel state.
Conclusion
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 BITEW A DINKE whose telephone number is (571)272-0534. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 a.m. - 5 p.m..
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Davienne Monbleau can be reached at (571)272-1945. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BITEW A DINKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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