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
Claims 10-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 2/23/26.
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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2021/0043416 A1 [Wang].
Regarding Claim 1:
Wang discloses a charged particle detector (para 7) comprising:
a plurality of sensing elements formed in a substrate (Fig. 4 (301, 302, 303, et al)),
wherein a sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements( either Fig. 13 (800), para 83; or Fig. 5 (3000)) is formed of a first region on a first side of the substrate ((810) or (3020)), and a second region on a second side of the substrate ((830) or (3040)), the second side being opposite to the first side (as shown in Figs. 13 and 5);
a plurality of third regions formed on the second side of the substrate, the third regions including one or more circuit components ((841)- the circuit component of which is a CMOS; or (3001)- the circuit component being a MOSFET)
an array of fourth regions formed on the second side of the substrate, the array of fourth regions being between adjacent third regions ((842) or (850) or (3002)).
Regarding Claim 2:
Since conductivity in a doped semiconductor is a function of a number of factors such as bias, illumination, etc, the claim limitations to first and second conductivities are interpreted to describe the doping of the semiconductor materials. This is consistent with instant PgPub para 164.
Wang discloses charged particle detector of claim 1, wherein
the first region includes semiconductor material of a first conductivity (para 84 – p type),
the second region includes semiconductor material of a second conductivity (para 84 – n type),
the third region includes semiconductor material of the first conductivity (para 85– p type), and
the array of fourth regions includes semiconductor material of the second conductivity (para 84 – n type).
Regarding Claim 3:
Wang discloses the charged particle detector of claim 1, wherein
the first region includes p type semiconductor (para 84),
the second region includes n type semiconductor (para 84),
the third region includes p type semiconductor (para 85), and
the fourth region includes n type semiconductor (para 85).
Regarding Claim 4:
Wang discloses the charged particle detector of claim 1, wherein the second region is adjacent to the first region. As shown in Fig. 13.
Regarding Claim 5:
Wang discloses the charged particle detector of claim 1, wherein the sensing element includes a PIN diode. Paras 55-59.
Regarding Claim 6:
Wang discloses the charged particle detector of claim 1, wherein the array of fourth regions is connected by a wiring path. Fig. 15 (419).
Regarding Claim 7:
Wang discloses the charged particle detector of claim 1, wherein the array of fourth regions is connected by a bridge portion. Fig. 15 (419) acts as a bridge portion since it connects the components of a sensor region to the other sensor outside of the sensor itself.
Regarding Claim 8:
Wang discloses the charged particle detector of claim 1, wherein the array of fourth regions includes electrodes configured to collect carriers generated in the sensing element. (850), para 84.
Regarding Claim 9:
Wang discloses the charged particle detector of claim 1, wherein the one or more circuit components include transistors. Both the CMOS and MOSFET embodiments of Wang meet this limitation.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/12/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Wang fails to discloses an array of fourth regions. This is not persuasive. As can be seen in the below annotated Fig. 5 and 13 of Wang, Wang Fig. 5 describes third regions that are circuit components of the MOSFETS, and an array of fourth regions between adjacent third regions.
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Wang Fig. 13 describes third regions that are P-well circuit components of the CMOS, and an array of fourth regions (842) between adjacent third regions. Further, (850) is another fourth region of the array of fourth regions since it sits between adjacent third regions.
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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 WYATT A STOFFA whose telephone number is (571)270-1782. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 0700-1600 EST.
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WYATT STOFFA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2881
/WYATT A STOFFA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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