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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, Species 1(Embodiment I, Figs. 3A-3C), claims 1-5 in the reply filed on April 27, 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 6-20 have been withdrawn. Action on the merits is as follows:
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jung et al. (Jung) (US 2016/0013240 A1).
In regards to claim 1, Jung (Figs. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and associated text and items) discloses a pixel (items 100, 300, 500, 600) of an image sensor (item 700), the pixel (items 100, 300, 500, 600) comprising: a semiconductor substrate (items 110, 310) comprising a first surface (top surface of items 110, 310) and a second surface (bottom surface of items 110, 310); a photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320) between the first surface (top surface of items 110, 310) and the second surface (bottom surface of items 110, 310) of the semiconductor substrate (items 110, 310); a floating diffusion region (items 130, 330) on the first surface (top surface of items 110, 310) and spaced apart from the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320) in a vertical direction; and a first vertical transfer gate (items 140, 340) in a first recess (item 150) extending from the first surface (top surface of items 110, 310) of the semiconductor substrate (items 110, 310) to the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320), the first vertical transfer gate (items 140, 340) configured to form a first transfer channel between the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320) and the floating diffusion region (items 130, 330, Abstract), wherein the first vertical transfer gate (items 140, 340) has a structure (left inclined sidewall of items 140, 340, Fig. 5) inclined at a first angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the first surface (top surface of items 110, 310) of the semiconductor substrate (items 110, 310).
In regards to claim 2, Jung (Figs. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and associated text and items) discloses wherein the first vertical transfer gate (items 140, 340) is inclined in a direction in which a maximum voltage point (items 410, 420, 430) of the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320) is located.
In regards to claim 3, Jung (Figs. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and associated text and items) discloses wherein the maximum voltage point (items 410, 420, 430) of the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320) is a point in the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320) having a greatest doping concentration of impurities of a first conductivity type (N-type, paragraph 48).
In regards to claim 4, Jung (Figs. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and associated text and items) discloses wherein the semiconductor substrate (items 110, 310) is doped with impurities of a second conductivity type.
In regards to claim 5, Jung (Figs. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and associated text and items) discloses wherein the first vertical transfer gate (items 140, 340) contacts the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320). Examiner notes that the Applicant has not given a special definition to the term “contacts”, therefore certain features can be in “direct” or “indirect” contact.
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) 2-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (Jung) (US 2016/0013240 A1) in view of Cazaux et al. (Cazaux) (US 2012/0112247 A1).
In regards to claim 2, Jung (Figs. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and associated text and items) discloses wherein the first vertical transfer gate (items 140, 340) is inclined in a direction in which a voltage point (items 410, 420, 430) of the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320) is located, but does not specifically disclose a maximum voltage point.
Cazaux (paragraph 49) discloses a maximum voltage point.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Cazaux for the purpose of avoiding parasitic phenomena (noise) (paragraph 49).
In regards to claim 3, Jung (Figs. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and associated text and items) as modified by Cazaux (paragraph 49) discloses wherein the maximum voltage point (items 410, 420, 430) of the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320) is a point in the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320) having a greatest doping concentration of impurities of a first conductivity type (N-type, paragraph 48).
In regards to claim 4, Jung (Figs. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and associated text and items) discloses wherein the semiconductor substrate (items 110, 310) is doped with impurities of a second conductivity type.
In regards to claim 5, Jung (Figs. 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and associated text and items) discloses wherein the first vertical transfer gate (items 140, 340) contacts the photoelectric conversion region (items 120, 320). Examiner notes that the Applicant has not given a special definition to the term “contacts”, therefore certain features can be in “direct” or “indirect” contact.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TELLY D GREEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3204. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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TELLY D. GREEN
Examiner
Art Unit 2898
/TELLY D GREEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898 June 9, 2026
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