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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: “Hydrophilic and hydrophobic laser-induced graphene coatings for selective deposition of inks in display panels and manufacturing method thereof”.
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.
Claims 1-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki et al. (US 20150008589 A1, hereinafter S1), and further in view of Yang et al. (US 20180166333 A1, hereinafter Y1) and Li et al. (Y. Li, D. X. Luong, J. Zhang, Y. R. Tarkunde, C. Kittrell, F. Sargunaraj, Y. Ji, C. J. Arnusch, J. M. Tour, "Laser-Induced Graphene in Controlled Atmospheres: From Superhydrophilic to Superhydrophobic Surfaces" Adv. Mater.2017, 29, 1700496. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201700496 (Year: 2017), hereinafter L1).
Regarding independent claim 1, S1 discloses in S1 FIG. 2A-2G and associated text A display panel (the stacked-layer wiring of the invention connects between switching and driving transistors (S1 [0056]), which are elements used in display panels, and a display element is formed on the same base as the wiring (S1 [0028]), thus the disclosed device is a display panel) comprising: a base substrate (wettability variable layers 14); at least one via hole penetrating the base substrate (via hole 18); and a hydrophilic region formed on a first surface of the base substrate adjacent to the at least one via hole (high surface energy (hydrophilic) area 14a in which the exposed surface of concave portion 16 and via hole 18 are made hydrophilic (S1 [0054]) and the portion of wettability variable layer 12 corresponding to conductive layer 13 is made to have high surface energy (hydrophilicity; S1 [0025])). S1 does not explicitly disclose the hydrophilic area is a first laser-induced graphene.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Y1 discloses in Y1 FIG. 7 and associated text first graphene formed on a first surface of the base substrate adjacent to the at least one via hole (graphene barrier layer 506 formed on a surface of dielectric layer 108 adjacent to via 113).
Additionally, in the same field of endeavor, L1 discloses a laser-induced graphene is hydrophilic (L1 abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the display panel interconnect structure of S1 with a first graphene, as disclosed by Y1, laser-induced to be superhydrophilic, as disclosed by L1, to provide an interconnect with better contact between graphene structures and water-based electrolytes (L1 page 1, paragraph 3), such as the conductive ink 19 of S1 (S1 [0050]-[0051]) when selectively forming wirings using patterned hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas to selectively disposed conductive material as in the method disclosed by both S1 (S1 [0081]) and Y1 (Y1 [0067]).
Regarding dependent claim 2, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 1, wherein the first laser-induced graphene has hydrophilic properties (high surface energy area 14a and the portion of wettability variable layer 12 corresponding to conductive layer 13 are hydrophilic laser-induced graphene as combined above).
Regarding dependent claim 3, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 1, wherein the first surface includes a side surface (exposed surface of wettability variable layer 14 in via hole 18), a portion of an upper surface (exposed surface of wettability variable layer 14 in concave area 16), and a portion of a lower surface of the base substrate adjacent to the at least one via hole (portion of wettability variable layer 12 corresponding to conductive layer 13).
Regarding dependent claim 4, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 1, further comprising: at least one wiring corresponding to the at least one via hole (conductive layers 21 and 13 and via 22 considered wirings).
Regarding dependent claim 5, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 4, wherein the at least one wiring includes at least one of conductive ink and conductive resin (conductive ink 19 is used to form conductive layer 21 and via 22).
Regarding dependent claim 6, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 4, wherein the at least one wiring is in contact with the first laser-induced graphene (conductive layers 21 and 13 and via 22 contact the high surface energy/hydrophilic areas 14a and the portion of 12 corresponding to conductive layer 13, which are laser-induced graphene as combined above).
Regarding dependent claim 7, S1, as previously modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 1, further comprising: a hydrophobic area formed on a second surface of the base substrate spaced apart from the at least one via hole and not overlapping the first surface (low surface energy (hydrophobic) area 14b). S1, as previously modified by Y1 and L1, does not explicitly disclose the hydrophobic area is a second laser-induced graphene.
However, in the same field of endeavor, L1 discloses a laser-induced graphene is hydrophobic (L1 abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the display device including interconnect structure with a first laser-induced graphene and a hydrophobic area 14b disclosed by S1, as previously modified by Y1 and L1, with a second laser-induced graphene, as disclosed by L1, as the hydrophobic area to provide superhydrophobicity to area 14b such that water-based conductive ink 19 (S1 [0050]-[0051]) rolls off the second (hydrophobic) graphene on wettability variable layer in area 14b to the first (hydrophilic) graphene in area 14a (L1 page 2, paragraph 2 to page 3, paragraph 1), improving the selectivity of the deposition of conductive ink 19.
Regarding dependent claim 8, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 7, wherein the second laser-induced graphene has water-repellent properties (low surface energy area 14b is hydrophobic (water-repellent) laser-induced graphene as combined above).
Regarding dependent claim 9, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 7, wherein the second surface includes a portion of an upper surface of the base substrate spaced apart from the at least one via hole (low surface energy area 14b corresponding to the second laser-induced graphene is spaced apart from via hole 18).
Regarding dependent claim 10, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 9, wherein the second laser-induced graphene is in contact with the first laser-induced graphene (low surface energy area 14b corresponding to the second laser-induced graphene is directly adjacent to/contacting high surface energy area 14a corresponding to the first laser-induced graphene).
Regarding independent claim 11, S1 discloses in S1 FIG. 2A-2G and associated text A method of manufacturing a display panel (the stacked-layer wiring of the invention connects between switching and driving transistors (S1 [0056]), which are elements used in display panels, and a display element is formed on the same base as the wiring (S1 [0028]), thus the disclosed device is a display panel) including a base substrate (wettability variable layers 14), the manufacturing method comprising: forming at least one via hole penetrating the base substrate (via hole 18); and forming a hydrophilic region to a first area overlapping the at least one via hole and a portion of the base substrate adjacent to the at least one via hole (high surface energy (hydrophilic) area 14a in which the exposed surface of concave portion 16 and via hole 18 are made hydrophilic (S1 [0054]) and the portion of wettability variable layer 12 corresponding to conductive layer 13 is made to have high surface energy (hydrophilicity; S1 [0025])). S1 does not explicitly disclose the hydrophilic area is a first laser-induced graphene.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Y1 discloses in Y1 FIG. 7 and associated text forming a first graphene to a first area overlapping the at least one via hole and a portion of the base substrate adjacent to the at least one via hole (graphene barrier layer 506 formed on a surface of dielectric layer 108 adjacent to via 113).
Additionally, in the same field of endeavor, L1 discloses forming a hydrophilic laser-induced graphene by irradiating a carbon dioxide laser together with a first gas (L1 page 1, paragraph 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the display panel interconnect structure of S1 with a first graphene, as disclosed by Y1, laser-induced to be superhydrophilic, as disclosed by L1, to provide an interconnect with better contact between graphene structures and water-based electrolytes (L1 page 1, paragraph 3), such as the conductive ink 19 of S1 (S1 [0050]-[0051]) when selectively forming wirings using patterned hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas to selectively disposed conductive material as in the method disclosed by both S1 (S1 [0081]) and Y1 (Y1 [0067]).
Regarding dependent claim 12, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses The display panel of claim 11, wherein the first laser-induced graphene is formed on a side surface (exposed surface of wettability variable layer 14 in via hole 18), a portion of an upper surface (exposed surface of wettability variable layer 14 in concave area 16), and a portion of a lower surface of the base substrate adjacent to the at least one via hole (portion of wettability variable layer 12 corresponding to conductive layer 13).
Regarding dependent claim 13, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the first gas includes air or oxygen (laser induced graphene – particularly of the hydrophilic variety, as would be desirable for area 14a in an embodiment of the combined references – can be formed with air or oxygen as the first gas (L1 page 2, paragraph 1)).
Regarding dependent claim 14, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 11, wherein the first laser-induced graphene has hydrophilic properties (high surface energy area 14a and the portion of wettability variable layer 12 corresponding to conductive layer 13 are hydrophilic laser-induced graphene as combined above).
Regarding dependent claim 15, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses The display panel of claim 1, further comprising: at least one wiring corresponding to the at least one via hole (conductive layers 21 and 13 and via 22 considered wirings), wherein the at least one wiring is in contact with the first laser-induced graphene (conductive layers 21 and 13 and via 22 contact the high surface energy/hydrophilic areas 14a and the portion of 12 corresponding to conductive layer 13, which are laser-induced graphene as combined above).
Regarding dependent claim 16, S1, as previously modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the display panel of claim 11, further comprising: forming a hydrophobic area to a second area spaced apart from the at least one via hole and overlapping a portion of the base substrate (low surface energy (hydrophobic) area 14b). S1, as previously modified by Y1 and L1, does not explicitly disclose the forming hydrophobic area is forming second laser-induced graphene by irradiating a carbon dioxide laser together with a second gas.
However, in the same field of endeavor, L1 discloses forming hydrophobic laser-induced graphene by irradiating a carbon dioxide laser together with a second gas (L1 page 2, paragraph 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the display device including interconnect structure with a first laser-induced graphene and a hydrophobic area 14b disclosed by S1, as previously modified by Y1 and L1, with a second laser-induced graphene, as disclosed by L1, as the hydrophobic area to provide superhydrophobicity to area 14b such that water-based conductive ink 19 (S1 [0050]-[0051]) rolls off the second (hydrophobic) graphene on wettability variable layer in area 14b to the first (hydrophilic) graphene in area 14a (L1 page 2, paragraph 2 to page 3, paragraph 1), improving the selectivity of the deposition of conductive ink 19.
Regarding dependent claim 17, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the second laser-induced graphene is formed on a portion of an upper surface of the base substrate spaced apart from the at least one via hole (low surface energy area 14b corresponding to the second laser-induced graphene is spaced apart from via hole 18).
Regarding dependent claim 18, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the second gas includes at least one of argon and hydrogen (laser induced graphene – particularly of the hydrophobic variety, as would be desirable for area 14b in an embodiment of the combined references – can be formed with argon or hydrogen as the first gas (L1 page 2, paragraph 1)).
Regarding dependent claim 19, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the second laser-induced graphene has water-repellent properties (low surface energy area 14b is hydrophobic (water-repellent) laser-induced graphene as combined above).
Regarding dependent claim 20, S1, as modified by Y1 and L1, further discloses The method of claim 16, further comprising: forming at least one wiring corresponding to the at least one via hole (conductive layers 21 and 13 and via 22 considered wirings), wherein the at least one wiring is in contact with the first laser-induced graphene and does not contact the second laser-induced graphene (conductive layers 21 and 13 and via 22 contact the high surface energy/hydrophilic areas 14a and the portion of 12 corresponding to conductive layer 13, corresponding to the first laser-induced graphene, but do not contact the surface of low surface energy/hydrophobic areas 14b corresponding to the second laser-induced graphene).
Conclusion
Pertinent Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure:
US 20250234710 A1, pertaining to further use of hydrophobic/hydrophilic materials for controlling selective deposition of inks in display panels.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EVERETT TRAJAN RIRIE whose telephone number is (571) 272-9559. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Thu 8:30 am - 6:30 pm.
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/EVERETT T RIRIE/Examiner, Art Unit 2897 /CHAD M DICKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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