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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20220406823 (Wang et al).
Concerning claim 1, Wang discloses a Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) structure comprising (Figs. 7 and 2 and [0016], it is noted that the features with same reference numerals are used are used in the different embodiment to identify the same features): a substrate (102) having a front surface (102f) and a rear surface (102b); a first impurity doped region (110) disposed on the front surface of the substrate within the substrate (Fig. 7 and [0021]); a second impurity doped region (112) disposed on the first impurity doped region within the substrate (Fig. 7 and [0021]); and a guide wall (114 +106) surrounding side walls of the first impurity doped region and the second impurity doped region within the substrate (Fig. 2).
Continuing to claim 2, Wang discloses wherein the guide wall has an impurity doped region having a first conductivity type, and the first impurity doped region has an impurity doped region having a second conductivity type ([0062]).
Considering claim 3, Wang discloses wherein the guide wall comprises a first region (114) that extends from the front surface of the substrate toward the rear surface of the substrate (Fig. 7).
Referring to claim 4, Wang discloses wherein, within the substrate, the first region has a rear surface disposed higher than a rear surface of the second impurity doped region (Fig. 7, note that the rear surface of the first region 114 is the topmost surface as seen in Fig. 7 and it is higher than the topmost surface of the second impurity doped region 112).
Regarding claim 5, Wang discloses wherein the guide wall further comprises a second region (106) that extends from a rear surface of the first region toward a rear surface of the second impurity doped region adjacent to the second region (Fig. 7 and [0033]).
Pertaining to claim 6, Wang discloses wherein the second region is in contact with the second impurity doped region (Fig. 7, note that the second region is in contact with the second impurity region by way of the guard ring 108 with which it is in direct contact with).
As to claim 7, Wang discloses wherein the second region has an opening so that the rear surface of the second impurity doped region is at least partially open (Fig. 7).
Concerning claim 8, Wang discloses wherein the second region has impurities having the first conductivity type that has a lower concentration compared to a concentration of impurities having the first conductivity type of the first region ([0033]).
Continuing to claim 9, Wang discloses further comprising: a first contact region disposed within the first impurity doped region on the front surface of the substrate ([0032]); and a second contact region (116) disposed apart from the first contact region on the front surface of the substrate within the substrate (Fig. 7).
Considering claim 10, Wang discloses a guard ring (108) disposed between the guide wall and both the first impurity doped region and the second impurity doped region that are adjacent to the guide wall ([0033]).
Referring to claim 11, Wang discloses wherein the guard ring has impurities having the first conductivity type that has a lower concentration compared to concentrations of impurities having the first conductivity type of the first region and the second region ([0033]).
Regarding claim 12, Wang discloses a SPAD structure comprising (Figs. 7 and 2 and [0016], it is noted that the features with same reference numerals are used are used in the different embodiment to identify the same features): a substrate (102) having a front surface (102f) and a rear surface (102b); an isolation region (120) disposed at a boundary of a unit pixel ([0028]), a first impurity doped region (110) disposed on the front surface of the substrate within the substrate (Fig. 7 and [0021]); a second impurity doped region (112) disposed on the first impurity doped region within the substrate (Fig. 7); a first contact region disposed within the first impurity doped region on the front surface of the substrate ([0032]); and a second contact region (116) disposed between the front surface of the substrate and the isolation region; and a guide wall (114 +106) surrounding side walls of the first impurity doped region and the second impurity doped region within the substrate (Fig. 2), wherein the guide wall comprises: a first region (114) disposed on the second contact region within the substrate; and a second region (106) that is disposed on and extends from a rear surface of the first region such that the second region is in contact with the side wall of the second impurity doped region adjacent to the second region (Fig. 7, note that the second region is in contact with the second impurity region by way of the guard ring 108 with which it is in direct contact with).
Pertaining to claim 13, Wang discloses wherein the first region has impurities having a first conductivity type which has a lower concentration compared to a concentration of impurities having the first conductivity type of the second contact region and which has a higher concentration compared to a concentration of impurities having the first conductivity type of the second region ([0032]-[0033]).
As to claim 14, Wang discloses wherein the second contact region, the first region, and the second region have a first conductivity type impurity doping concentration that gradually decreases from the second contact region to the first region and from the first region to the second region ([0032]-[0033]).
Concerning claim 15, Wang discloses wherein, the second region has a rear surface disposed higher than a rear surface of the second impurity doped region, the side wall of which is in contact with the second region (Fig. 7, note that the rear surface of the first region 114 is the topmost surface as seen in Fig. 7 and it is higher than the topmost surface of the second impurity doped region 112).
Continuing to claim 16, Wang discloses wherein the first region is disposed apart from the side wall of the first impurity doped region adjacent to the first region (Fig. 7).
Considering claim 17, Wang discloses wherein the guide wall has an impurity doped region of an opposite type to the first impurity doped region ([0062]).
Referring to claim 18, Wang discloses a SPAD structure comprising (Figs. 7 and 2 and [0016], it is noted that the features with same reference numerals are used are used in the different embodiment to identify the same features), a substrate (102) having a front surface (102f) and a rear surface (102b); a first impurity doped region (110) disposed on the front surface of the substrate within the substrate (Fig. 7 and [0021]); a guide wall (114 +106) comprising a first region (114) disposed apart from the first impurity doped region within the substrate and a second region (106) traversing a unit pixel, the second region being disposed on the first region (Fig. 7); and a second impurity doped region (112) disposed within the second region (Fig. 7), wherein the second impurity doped region has impurities having a first conductivity type that has a lower concentration compared to a concentration of impurities having the first conductivity type of the second region ([0032]-[0033]).
Regarding claim 19, Wang discloses wherein the second impurity doped region is formed by injecting impurities having a second conductivity type in the second region after the second region is formed ([0032]-[0033], it is noted that the limitations of this claim are considered to be product by process, and as such [E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process." In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985). Therefore because Wang discloses a second impurity doped region and a second region the structures are not structurally distinct and therefore the claim is anticipated.)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20250089383 discloses a SPAD structure with a guide wall and guard ring configuration (Fig. 2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VALERIE N NEWTON whose telephone number is (571)270-5015. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CHAD DICKE can be reached at (571) 270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VALERIE N NEWTON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2897 06/27/26
/CHAD M DICKE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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