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 Objections
Claim 19 appears to misspell the word layer as “laver” in line 5. Further clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 19, 20, 21, and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (WO 2022013165 A1) with mapping and translation provided by Yang (US 2023/0253521 A1) in view of Li (US 20110214719 A1) in view of Choi (US 2014/0338747 A1).
Regarding claim 19, Yang disclose a method of forming a solar cell, comprising (See Figs. 1-17):
forming a plurality of openings (See Fig. 10, 34-openings [0070]) in a top layer of a multilayered stack of materials ( in layer 33 of Fig. 9, multilayer includes 20B, 30B, 33);
forming a plurality of non-contiguous surface doped regions (36) in portions of a polysilicon layer (30B [0056], note that 30B is analogous to layer 54 shown in Fig. 20 also see Fig. 3, [0091]) of the multilayered stack of materials that correspond to at least a portion of areas formed by the plurality of openings (34) in the top layer of the multilayered stack of materials;
forming a plurality of trenches (60, see Fig. 17 [0082]) around the plurality of non-contiguous surface doped regions (36 analogous to 66); and
forming a plurality of doped regions (68 [0082],see Fig. 17) in portions of a substrate (50, see Fig. 17 substrate 50 is analogous to substrate 10 shown in Fig. 9) located under the plurality of trenches.
However, Yang does not disclose wherein the non-contiguous surface doped regions act as an etch resist.
Yang does disclose that a non-contiguous doped region (32) can be formed in layer 30B which is the same layer as which non-contiguous doped region (36) is formed and region (32) is formed through thermal doping ([0064]-[0066]).
Li discloses (See Figs. 4 and 5) that spaced apart oppositely doped regions (514 and 512) can be formed by depositing oppositely doped dopant sources (See Fig. 5, dopant sources 504 and 502) and that a region between the spaced apart oppositely doped regions (514 and 512) can be etched (see region 516) ([0045]-[0048]) and that using this type of process allows for fewer heating or annealing operations ([0024]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the method of forming the spaced apart oppositely doped regions by leaving layer 31 of Yang which is dopant source for a non-contiguous doped region and then subsequently depositing an oppositely doped source in opening 34 to form region 36 which is an oppositely doped non-contiguous doped region of Yang and in a subsequent step transferring dopants and then performing etching to remove the region between spaced the apart oppositely doped regions as disclosed by Li because Li discloses that this is a known method to form spaced apart oppositely doped regions and further can reduce the number of heating and annealing steps.
However, Yang does not disclose that the plurality of openings formed in the top layer circumscribe doped regions (36).
Choi discloses a plurality of openings (See 200a in Figs. 3A-3G, and 3C to 3D ) in a top layer of a multilayered stack of materials ( 200,22,20,30); forming a plurality of non-contiguous surface doped regions (120) in the openings wherein the opening is larger and circumscribes the doped region (See Fig. 6, 30d analogous to 30c shown in Figs. 3A-3G) and the doped regions are circular in shape.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the plurality of openings of Yang so that the opening circumscribe the doped regions as disclosed by Choi because such an opening will allow for circular doped regions which Choi discloses is a shape of a doped contact region in back contact solar cell and Yang discloses a back contact solar cell doped region (see [0002]).
Regarding claim 20, modified Yang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Yang discloses that apertures (34 [0070]) are formed in the top layer (33) of the multilayered stack includes performing a laser ablation process (analogous to formation of 58, see Fig. 24 [0098]).
Regarding claim 21, modified Yang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Yang discloses wherein the forming the plurality of non-contiguous surface doped regions in the portions of the polysilicon layer includes performing a non-ablating laser process (gas dopant ([0071]).
Regarding claim 24, modified Yang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Yang discloses wherein the forming the plurality of trenches around the plurality of non-contiguous surface doped regions includes forming a plurality of non-contiguous surface doped polysilicon islands (See Fig. 16 and section 68 [0082][0108][0109]—since trench will surround circular shaped non-contiguous
surface doped polysilicon region, this is considered an island).
Claim(s) 22 and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (WO 2022013165 A1) with mapping and translation provided by Yang (US 2023/0253521 A1) in view of Li (US 20110214719 A1) in view of Choi (US 2014/0338747 A1) as applied to claims 19, 20, 21, and 24 above in view of Helig (US 2024/0379894 A1).
Regarding claims 22 and 23, modified Yang discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Yang discloses that forming an area doped area 36 is formed with a thermal process ([0073]).
Yang discloses that instead of thermal process a laser process can be used for doping (See section 68 Fig. 26, [0104]-[0112]).
Helig discloses that a doped area on the back of a solar cell can be formed through a laser irradiation process of a doped glass layer (see layers 9 and 11, forming 7, see Figs. 1 and 2 [0069]-[0072][0088]) and this can help simplify solar cell manufacturing methods ([0033][0034]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the method of forming the non-contiguous surface doped regions of modified Yang by having a doped insulating layer followed by a laser irradiation and ablation process as disclosed by Helig because it can help simplify the solar cell manufacturing method of Yang.
Double Patenting
A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claims 19-26 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of claims 1-8 of prior U.S. Patent No. 12074234 B1. This is a statutory double patenting rejection.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 DEVINA PILLAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1180. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30-6:00.
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, Jeffrey T Barton can be reached at 517-272-1307. 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.
DEVINA PILLAY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1726
/DEVINA PILLAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
