DETAILED ACTION
This correspondence is in response to the communications received 11/30/2023. Claims 4-6 have been amended. Claims 1-7 are pending.
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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/30/2023 and 01/11/2024 have been considered by the examiner and made of record in the application file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites the limitation “at least two of the charge transfer material layers” in lines 2 and 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. While “a charge transfer material layer” is required in claim 1, this element is referred to as a single layer, thus the plurality required by claim 2 lacks antecedent basis. Claim 3 is indefinite for its dependence on claim 2.
Applicant’s Claim to Figure Comparison
It is noted that this comparison is merely for the benefit of reviewers of this office action during prosecution, to allow for an understanding of the examiner’s interpretation of the Applicant’s independent claims as compared to disclosed embodiments in Applicant’s Figures. No response or comments are necessary from Applicant.
PNG
media_image1.png
576
643
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 1, a charge generation structure (7) comprising a plurality of charge transport layers (4-1) and a charge transfer material layer (4-2),
wherein the plurality of charge transport layers includes a first (bottommost 4-1) and a second (second bottommost 4-1) charge transport layers, the charge transfer material layer being sandwiched between the first and the second charge transport layers so that both surfaces of the charge transfer material layer are each in contact with the first charge transport layer or the second charge transport layer (see Fig. 3),
wherein the charge transport layer includes charge transport material (see [0046]), and
wherein the charge transfer material layer only includes charge transfer material (see [0041]) and has an average film thickness of 0.05 nm or more and 2.0 nm or less (see [0044]).
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 1 and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam (US 10,128,466 B2, published 11/13/2018) in view of Wang et al. (US 11,690,241 B2, filed 05/21/2020).
PNG
media_image2.png
684
362
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 1, Fig. 1 of Nam discloses a charge generation structure (“charge generation structure 200”, col. 3, lines 27-28) comprising a plurality of charge transport layers (“n-type charge generation layer 210”, col. 5, lines 61-62, and “p-type charge generation layer 230”, col. 5, line 63, where “The n-type charge generation layer 210 may have a structure in which an n-type dopant is doped into an electron transport material. The electron transport material may be a material for the first electron transport layer 140”, col. 6, lines 6-10, and “The p-type charge generation layer 230 may include a material of the first hole transport layer 120”, col. 6, lines 36-38, thus 210 and 230 are a plurality of charge transport layers) and a charge transfer material layer (“interlayer organic layer 220”, col. 5, line 62, where “The interlayer organic layer 220 does not include a dopant. The interlayer organic layer 220 may include the host material of the first electron transport layer 140 or the host material of the first hole transport layer 120”, col. 6, lines 64-67, thus 220 can transfer charges and is therefore a charge transfer material layer),
wherein the plurality of charge transport layers includes a first (210 is a first charge transport layer) and a second (230 is a second charge transfer layer) charge transport layers, the charge transfer material layer being sandwiched between the first and the second charge transport layers so that both surfaces of the charge transfer material layer are each in contact with the first charge transport layer or the second charge transport layer (as seen in Fig. 1, 220 is sandwiched between 210 and 230 so that both surfaces of 220 are each in contact with 210 or 230),
wherein the charge transport layer includes charge transport material (as mentioned previously, 210 includes an electron transport material), and
wherein the charge transfer material layer only includes charge transfer material (as mentioned previously 220 may include the material of 140, where “The electron transport layer 140 may include, e.g., at least one of … but is not limited thereto. The materials may be used alone, or may be used in a mixture thereof”, col. 5, lines 4-17, thus 220 can include only charge transfer material)
Nam fails to disclose “wherein the charge transfer material layer … has an average film thickness of 0.05 nm or more and 2.0 nm or less”.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Figs. 1-7 of Wang teach wherein the charge transfer material layer … has an average film thickness of 0.05 nm or more and 2.0 nm or less (“The material used for the electron transport layer 115 comprises any one or a combination of organic electron transport materials, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and rare earth metals. For example, a combination of one or more of 1,3,5-tris (1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl) benzene (TPBi), lithium (Li), barium (Ba), and ytterbium (Yb). A thickness of the electron transport layer 115 is 50 nm or less. Specifically, the thickness of the electron transport layer 115 is 0.5 nm, 10 nm, 25 nm, 40 nm, 48 nm or 50 nm”, col. 6, lines 8-16, thus 220 of Nam which can include an electron transport material like 115 of Wang can be 0.5 nm thick).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to implement “wherein the charge transfer material layer … has an average film thickness of 0.05 nm or more and 2.0 nm or less” as taught by Wang in the system of Nam for the purpose of minimizing the thickness of the charge generation structure.
Regarding claim 4, Fig. 1 of Nam in combination with Figs. 1-7 of Wang disclose the charge generation structure according to claim 1, Fig. 1 of Nam and Figs. 1-7 of Wang further disclose wherein the charge transport material is an electron transport material (as discussed previously, 210 includes an electron transport material),
the electron transport material being one or more selected from the group consisting of quinolinolato-based metal complexes, anthracene-based compounds, oxadiazole-based compounds, triazole-based compounds, phenanthroline-based compounds, and silole-based compounds (as discussed previously, 210 may be the same material as 140 where “The electron transport layer 140 may include, e.g., at least one of tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (Alq.sub.3), 1,3,5-Tri(1-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)phenyl (TPBi), 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BCP), 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen), 3-(4-biphenylyl)-4-phenyl-5-tert-butylphenyl-1,2,4-triazole (TAZ), 4-(naphthalen-1-yl)-3,5-diphenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole (NTAZ), 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (tBu-PBD), bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinolato-N1,O8)-(1,1′-Biphenyl-4-olato)aluminum (BAlq), berylliumbis(benzoquinolin-10-olate) (Bebq2), 9,10-di(naphthalene-2-yl)anthracene (AND), but is not limited thereto. The materials may be used alone, or may be used in a mixture thereof”, Nam, col. 5, lines 4-17, emphasis added), and
wherein the charge transfer material is an electron-donating material (as mentioned previously, 220 may include the host material of 140 and 140 may include TPBi, further, Wang states “electron transport layer 115 comprises any one or a combination of organic electron transport materials, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and rare earth metals. For example, a combination of one or more of 1,3,5-tris (1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl) benzene (TPBi), lithium (Li), barium (Ba), and ytterbium (Yb)”, col. 6, lines 8-13, thus as both Nam and Wang disclose TPBI in lists of equivalent materials, the material of 220 of Nam can be substituted for Yb, therefore as 220 has an identical chemical composition to that of the charge transfer material disclosed in the in instant specification, it will necessarily be an electron-donating material, see MPEP 2112.01),
the electron-donating material being one or more selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, rare earth metals, compounds of these metals, phthalocyanine complexes containing these metals as a central metal, and dihydroimidazole compounds (Yb is a rare earth metal).
MPEP 2112.01 II. "Products of identical chemical composition can not have mutually exclusive properties." In re Spada, 911 F.2d 705, 709, 15 USPQ2d 1655, 1658 (Fed. Cir. 1990). A chemical composition and its properties are inseparable. Therefore, if the prior art teaches the identical chemical structure, the properties applicant discloses and/or claims are necessarily present.
Regarding claim 5, Fig. 1 of Nam in combination with Figs. 1-7 of Wang disclose the charge generation structure according to claim 1, Fig. 1 of Nam and Figs. 1-7 of Wang further disclose wherein the charge transfer material is ytterbium (as discussed previously, 210 may be the same material as 140 where “The electron transport layer 140 may include, e.g., at least one of tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (Alq.sub.3), 1,3,5-Tri(1-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)phenyl (TPBi)…”, Nam, col. 5, lines 4-7, further Wang states “electron transport layer 115 comprises any one or a combination of organic electron transport materials, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and rare earth metals. For example, a combination of one or more of 1,3,5-tris (1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl) benzene (TPBi), lithium (Li), barium (Ba), and ytterbium (Yb)”, col. 6, lines 8-13, thus as both Nam and Wang disclose TPBI in lists of equivalent materials, the material of 220 of Nam can be substituted for Yb).
Regarding claim 6, Fig. 1 of Nam in combination with Figs. 1-7 of Wang disclose the charge generation structure according to claim 1, Fig. 1 of Nam further discloses an organic EL element (“Referring to FIG. 1, a light-emitting device includes a substrate 10, a first electrode 20, and a second electrode 30 which are disposed on the substrate 10, a charge generation structure 200 disposed between the first and second electrodes 20 and 30, a first stack 100 disposed between the first electrode 20 and the charge generation structure 200 and including a first light-emitting layer 130, and a second stack 300 between the charge generation structure 200 and the second electrode 30 and including a second light-emitting layer 330”, col. 3, lines 25-34) comprising the charge generation structure (as seen in Fig. 1, and mentioned above, the light emitting device comprises 200).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam (US 10,128,466 B2, published 11/13/2018) in view of Wang et al. (US 11,690,241 B2, filed 05/21/2020) in view of Mine et al. (US 10,850,507 B2, published 12/01/2020).
Regarding claim 7, Fig. 1 of Nam in combination with Figs. 1-7 of Wang disclose the organic EL element according to claim 6, Fig. 1 of Nam further discloses comprising:
a light-pervious anode layer (“first electrode 20 may perform a function of an anode supplying holes to a hole transport layer of the first stack 100 on the first electrode 20.
When the first electrode 20 is a transparent electrode, the first electrode 20 may include a material having a relatively high work function”, col. 3, lines 38-42);
a light-emitting functional layer (together “first stack 100”, col. 3, line 38, 200, and “second stack 300”, col. 3, lines 31-32, form a light-emitting functional layer); and
a reflective cathode layer (“The second electrode 30 may act as a cathode supplying electrons to the second electron transport layer 340 of the second stack 300. The second electrode 30 may include a metal having a relatively low work function. For example, the second electrode 30 may include lithium, magnesium, aluminum, silver and an alloy thereof”, col. 7, lines 32-37, Nam does not specify that 30 is reflective, however a secondary reference will be used to teach this limitation below) in this order (as seen in Fig. 1, 100, 200, and 300 are in this order),
wherein the light-emitting functional layer includes:
a short-wavelength fluorescent light-emitting unit (100 is a short-wavelength fluorescent light-emitting unit as “The first light-emitting layer 130 may be formed of a material that emits red light, green light, and blue light, and include a fluorescent material or a phosphorescent material”, col. 4, lines 26-29, and blue is known in the art as a short wavelength in the visible spectrum);
a connection unit (together “first electron injection layer 150”, col. 5, line 37, 200, and “second hole injection layer 310”, col. 7, line 17, form a connection unit as 200 in combination with 150 and 310 connect 100 and 300 both physically and electrically as seen in Fig. 1); and
a long-wavelength phosphorescent light-emitting unit (300 is a long-wavelength phosphorescent light-emitting unit as “The second hole transport layer 320, the second light-emitting layer 330, and the second electron transport layer 340 are the same as the first hole transport layer 120, the first light-emitting layer 130, and the first electron transport layer 140 in terms of function and a material”, col. 7, lines 10-15, thus 300 can be a red phosphorescent light-emitting unit where red is in known in the art as a long wavelength in the visible spectrum) in an order from the light-pervious anode layer toward the reflective cathode layer (as seen in Fig. 1, 100, 150, 200, 310, and 300 are in an order from 20 to 30),
wherein the connection unit injects electrons toward the short-wavelength fluorescence light-emitting unit (“The first light-emitting layer 130 is a layer that emits light after holes injected from the first electrode 20 and electrons injected from the charge generation structure 200 are recombined therein to generate excitons”, col. 4, lines 19-23) and injects holes toward the long-wavelength phosphorescence light-emitting unit (as 30 injects electrons for 330, 200 and 310 must necessarily inject holes in order for 300 to function as a light-emitting unit), and
wherein the connection unit includes the charge generation structure (150, 200, and 310 includes 200).
Nam in combination with Wang fails to disclose “a reflective cathode layer”.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Figs. 1-5 of Mine teach a reflective cathode layer (“The cathode 22 is formed of, for example, aluminum, and reflects light from the organic layer 23 toward the organic layer 23. The light reflected by the cathode 22 is transmitted through the organic layer 23, the anode 21, and the substrate 10 and is taken out to the outside”, col. 4, lines 9-13).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to implement “a reflective cathode layer” as taught by Mine in the system of Nam in combination with Wang for the purpose of maximizing the intensity and controlling the direction of the emitted light.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 3 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest the charge generation structure as recited in the claims of the instant application.
Regarding claim 2, the prior art of Nam (US 10,128,466 B2) in combination with Wang et al. (US 11,690,241 B2) discloses a similar charge generation structure but fails to disclose the specific claims of the instant application regarding the intermediate charge transport layers and the first and second charge transfer material layers e.g. “comprising at least two of the charge transfer material layers, the charge transfer material layers including a first and a second charge transfer material layers,
wherein the plurality of charge transport layers include an intermediate charge transport layer sandwiched between the first and the second charge transfer material layers so that both surfaces of the intermediate charge transport layer are each in contact with the first charge transfer material layer or the second charge transfer material layer, and
wherein the intermediate charge transport layer only includes charge transport material and has an average film thickness of 0.25 nm or more and 4 nm or less”.
Claim 3 is allowable by virtue of its dependence on claim 2.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN M KUPP whose telephone number is (571)272-5608. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 4:00 pm PT.
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, Yara Green can be reached at (571) 270-3035. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BENJAMIN MICHAEL KUPP/Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/YARA B GREEN/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893
Prosecution Insights