DETAILED ACTION
An amendment, amending claims 1, 5 and 8 and adding new claims 16-18, was entered on 7/17/26.
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 argues that the amendment to claim 1 overcomes the prior art on record because, in Lu, the length of the first through via 16 is less than the length of the second through via 303. This is not persuasive. While the examiner agrees that that the first through via has a shorter length than the second through via, it is not substantially different in length, as recited in claim 1. The use of the term “substantially equal” is understood to mean that the two length should be nearly the same, but do not need to be exactly the same. One of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that each of the vias in Lu has a substantially similar length.
Similarly, with respect to claim 5, applicant argues that the size of the first through via 16 is less than the size of the second through via 303. This is not persuasive. The use of the term “substantially equal” is understood to mean that the two sizes should be nearly the same, but do not need to be exactly the same. One of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that each of the vias in Lu has a substantially similar size.
Applicant argues that Lu fails to teach the claimed width relationship between the bonding pad and the first electrode. This is persuasive and this rejection has been withdrawn.
Applicant argues that Lu fails to teach that the first interconnection metal layer 14 and the first electrode 31 have equal heights. This is not persuasive. The use of the term “substantially equal” is understood to mean that the two heights should be nearly the same, but do not need to be exactly the same. One of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that each of these features in Lu to have substantially equal heights.
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 1-5 and 7-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lu et al. (US 2022/0115484).
Claims 1-3: Lu teaches a display device (Abst.), comprising: a substrate (15) with an active region (100) and border region (300); a first interconnection metal (14) located in the active region; a second interconnection metal (302) located in the border region; a passivation layer (15) disposed on the first and second interconnection metal layers; a first through via (16) passing through the passivation layer and electrically connected to the first interconnection metal layer; a second through via (303) passing through the passivation layer and electrically connected to the second interconnection metal layer; a first electrode (31) disposed on the first through via; a bonding pad (304) disposed on the second through via; a light emitting structure (33) on the first electrode; a second electrode (34) on the light emitting structure; and a cover plate (50) covering the second electrode, but not the bonding pad (Fig. 9; ¶¶ 0085-90).
Claim 4: Lu shows the heights of the bonding pad and the first electrode are substantially equal (Fig. 9).
Claim 5: Lu shows the aperture size of each via is substantially equal (Fig. 9).
Claim 7: Lu shows that the height of the first and second interconnection metal layers is substantially the same (Fig. 9).
Claim 8: Lu teaches a method of forming a display device (Abst.), comprising the steps of: providing a substrate 15) with an active region (100) and border region (300) (¶ 0092); forming a first interconnection metal (14) located in the active region and a second interconnection metal (302) located in the border region (¶ 0095); forming a passivation layer (15) disposed on the first and second interconnection metal layers (¶ 0096); forming a first through via (16) passing through the passivation layer and electrically connected to the first interconnection metal layer and a second through via (303) passing through the passivation layer and electrically connected to the second interconnection metal layer (¶ 0097); forming a first electrode (31) disposed on the first through via (¶ 0099); and forming a bonding pad (304) disposed on the second through via (¶ 0099).
Claim 9: Lu teaches forming a conductive layer covering the active and border regions and patterning the conductive layer to form the first electrode and bonding pad (¶ 0099).
Claim 10: Lu teaches forming a light emitting structure (33) on the first electrode (¶ 0102); forming a second electrode (34) on the light emitting structure (¶ 0102); and forming a cover plate (50) over the active region (¶ 0105; Fig. 9).
Claims 11-12: Lu teaches patterning the passivation layer to form the first and second openings which are used as a mask to form the first and second vias (¶¶ 0096-0097).
Claims 13 and 15: Lu teaches forming a film (35) covering the second electrode and bonding pad (¶ 0103) which is later removed to expose the bonding pad (¶ 0105).
Claim 14: Lu shows the height of the first and second portions of the film to be different (Fig. 21).
Claim 16: Lu teaches that the first via (16) contacts the first interconnection metal (14) and the first electrode (31) and the second through via (303) connects the second interconnection metal (302) and the boding pad (304).
Claim 17: Lu shows that the bottom of each via (16 and 302) are at substantially the same height (Fig. 9, e.g.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 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.
Lu fails to show that the width of the bonding pad (304) is greater than the width of the anode (31) in the cross-sectional view (i.e. the view of Fig. 9).
Prior Art
US20210050555 is also cited for teaching a substantially similarly device and process.
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 Robert A Vetere whose telephone number is (571)270-1864. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4:00 EST.
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/ROBERT A VETERE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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