CTNF 18/626,478 CTNF 91545 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. DETAILED ACTION Claims 1-23 are pending and have been examined. Priority Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign benefit based on JP2023-068087 filed on 04/18/2023. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 The following is a quotation of the second paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112: 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. 07-34-01 AIA Claim 21 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Claim 21 recites: “wherein an oxide film is disposed between the first surface an end portion region of the first negative fixed charge film”. It is unclear as to where the oxide film is disposed. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) that forms the basis for the rejection set forth in this Office action: (a) NOVELTY; PRIOR ART.—A person shall be entitled to a patent unless— 07-08-aia AIA (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; Notes : when present, semicolon separated fields within the parenthesis (; ;) represent, for example, as ( 30A ; Fig 2B; [0128]) = (element 30A ; Figure No. 2B; Paragraph No. [0128]). For brevity, the texts “Element”, “Figure No.” and “Paragraph No.” shall be excluded, though; additional clarification notes may be added within each field. The number of fields may be fewer or more than three indicated above. These conventions are used throughout this document. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-4, 6-7, 16-17, 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Morimoto (US 20220026542 A1 – hereinafter Morimoto) . Regarding Claim 1, Morimoto teaches a photoelectric conversion apparatus ( see the entire document; Fig. 15 in view of Fig. 4; specifically, ([0063] - [0115]), and as cited below ), comprising: a semiconductor substrate (15 – Fig. 15 – [0113]) having an avalanche diode ([0099], see claim 1 also), wherein the avalanche diode has a first semiconductor region (71 – [0063]) of a first conductivity type ([0063]) that is disposed at a first depth (D1 – Fig. 4 – [0070]) from a first surface (15a) of the semiconductor substrate (15), and a second semiconductor region (74) of a second conductivity type ([0073]) that is disposed at a second depth (D4) that is deeper than the first depth from the first surface ([0073] – “a fourth depth level D4 deeper than the first depth level D1”), and a first negative fixed charge film (16c – Fig. 15) in contact with the first surface is formed ([0115] – “The trench isolation portion 16 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a dielectric 16c having a negative fixed charge” – Fig. 15 shows 16c is in contact with 15a). Regarding Claim 2, Morimoto teaches t he photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the semiconductor substrate, the first surface is a surface on an opposite side to a light incident surface for light that is incident on the avalanche diode ([0060]). Regarding Claim 3, Morimoto teaches t he photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a protective film (17 – [0121]) is formed on the first negative fixed charge film (16c – see Fig. 15). Regarding Claim 4, Morimoto teaches t he photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the avalanche diode further includes a third semiconductor region (75) of the first conductivity type ([0071]), which covers at least part of the first semiconductor region (Fig. 15 shows 75 covers 71). Regarding Claim 6, Morimoto teaches t he photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a plan view, the first semiconductor region is disposed in a region where the first negative fixed charge film is disposed (see Fig. 13). Regarding Claim 7, Morimoto teaches t he photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a plan view, the first semiconductor region is disposed in a region where the second semiconductor region is disposed (see Fig. 13). Regarding Claim 16, Morimoto teaches t he photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first negative fixed charge film contains a metal oxide ([0116]). Regarding Claim 17, Morimoto teaches t he photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first negative fixed charge film contains hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, or tantalum oxide ([0116]). Regarding Claim 23, Morimoto teaches a n equipment including the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, the equipment further comprising at least any of: an optical device corresponding to the photoelectric conversion apparatus; a control device configured to control the photoelectric conversion apparatus; a processing device configured to process a signal output from the photoelectric conversion apparatus; a display device configured to display information obtained by the photoelectric conversion apparatus; a storage device configured to store information obtained by the photoelectric conversion apparatus; and a machine device configured to operate based on information obtained by the photoelectric conversion apparatus ([0154]) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 5, 8-15, 18-20, 22 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. The following is the Examiner’s Reasons for Allowance : The prior art fails to disclose and would not have rendered obvious : Regarding claim 5: The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in a plan view, an area of the second semiconductor region is smaller than an area obtained by subtracting the area of the second semiconductor region from an area of the third semiconductor region. Regarding claim 8: The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first wiring portion electrically connected to the first semiconductor region and a second wiring portion electrically connected to the second semiconductor region are disposed in a wiring layer of the semiconductor substrate, and in a plan view, an area of the first wiring portion in the wiring layer is smaller than an area of the second wiring portion in the wiring layer. Claims 11-12, 22 depend from claim 8. Regarding claim 9: The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in a plan view, the first negative fixed charge film covers at least a portion where the first semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region are in contact with each other. Regarding claim 10: The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in a plan view, the first negative fixed charge film is disposed within a region formed by the first semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region. Regarding claim 13: The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a second negative fixed charge film is formed on the light incident surface. Claims 14-15, 18-20 depend from claim 13. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD A. RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571) 270-0168 and email is mohammad.rahman5@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 PM. 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, Julio J. Maldonado can be reached on (571) 272-1864. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MOHAMMAD A RAHMAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/626,478 Page 2 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/626,478 Page 3 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/626,478 Page 4 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/626,478 Page 5 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/626,478 Page 6 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/626,478 Page 7 Art Unit: 2898
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