DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim Objections
2. Claims 12-13 and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Each of claims 12 and 13 recites: “the first, second, and third UBMs” which lacks an antecedent basis. For examination purposes, dependency of claims 12 and 13 (“claim 1”) is interpreted to be “claim 11” which provides said antecedent basis.
Claim 18 recites: “the respective UBMs” which lacks an antecedent basis. For examination purposes, dependency of claim 18 (“claim 16”) is interpreted to be “claim 15” which provides said antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
3. Claims 1, 5-10, 14-16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Andrews et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019/0074417 A1 (the ‘417 reference).
Referring to claim 1, the ‘417 reference discloses a multicolor monolithic light-emitting diode (LED) array comprising: multicolor pixels comprising a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) die including:
a first set of LED die (602, Figs. 10A-10D, para [102] (paragraph(s) [0102]), of an array of die, para [77]) each of a first die height (see Figs. 10A-10C) and configured to emit a first color light (red, para [32]);
a second set of LED die (of the array of die) each of a second die height (see Figs. 10A-10C) and configured to emit a second color light (green, para [32]);
a third set of LED die (of the array of die) each of a third die height (see Figs. 10A-10C) and configured to emit a third color light (blue, para [32]); and
the first die height being substantially equal to the second die height and the third die height (as clearly evident in Figs. 10B, 10C, wherein the lower surfaces of all the die (602) are coplanar to one another and the upper surfaces of all the die (602) are coplanar to one another); and
the plurality of LED die (602) having a coplanar configuration and being spaced apart and retained by a reflective coating (612, para [103]).
Referring to claim 14 and using the same reference characters, interpretations, and citations as detailed above for claim 1 where applicable, the reference discloses a method for making a multicolor monolithic light-emitting diode (LED) array, the method comprising:
assembling on a support (608/610, para [102]) in a spaced apart configuration a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) die (602) including:
a first set of LED die each of a first die height and configured to emit a first color (red);
a second set of LED die each of a second die height and configured to emit a second color light (green); and
a third set of LED die each of a third die height and configured to emit a third color light (blue);
disposing a reflective coating material (612, Fig. 10B) on the plurality of LED die (602) that retains the plurality of LED die in the spaced apart configuration;
planarizing the reflective coating material (602) such that the first die height is substantially equal to the second die height and the third die height and the plurality of LED die have a coplanar configuration (Fig. 10C, para [103]); and
removing the support (608/610, Figs. 10B, 10C) thereby preparing the multicolor array.
Referring to claim 5, the reference further discloses that one or more of the first, second, and third sets of LED die (602) further comprises a wavelength converting material (phosphor, para [37]), [and optionally, wherein the wavelength converting material comprises a ceramic phosphor plate or a phosphor in silicone, and optionally wherein the wavelength converting material further comprises a transparent cover layer].
Referring to claim 6, the reference further discloses that the first set of LED die comprise a phosphide light emitting layer, and the second and third sets of LED die comprise a nitride light emitting layer, [optionally] wherein the phosphide light emitting layer comprises AlInGaP (InGaAlP, para [35]), and the nitride light emitting layer comprises GaN or InGaN (gallium nitride based, para [35]).
Referring to claim 7, the reference further discloses that the first set of LED die each further comprise a bonding wire (WB, Fig. 10D, para [104]) affixed to a wirebond pad (606, para [103]) of the first LED die while maintaining the coplanar configuration among the first, second, and third sets of LED die, [and optionally the first set of LED die each further comprise a current spreading layer electrically coupled to the wirebond pad].
Referring to claim 8, the reference further discloses that the first color light, the second color light, and the third color light all differ from each other, [optionally] wherein the first color light (red) is a red light, the second color light (green) is a green light, and the third color light (blue) is a blue light.
Referring to claim 9, the reference further discloses that the plurality of LED die further comprise a fourth set of LED die (of the array of die) each of a fourth die height and configured to emit a fourth color light (amber, para [32], or white, para [38, 50]), and maintaining the plurality of LED die having the coplanar configuration (see Figs. 10C, 10D) and being spaced apart and retained by the reflective coating (612), wherein the fourth set of LED die comprise [either a vertical configuration or] a flip chip configuration; and
[optionally] wherein the fourth color light is [white or] a yellow color (amber color).
Referring to claim 10, the reference further discloses that the first die height, the second die height and the third die height have dimensions that are substantially the same (see Figs. 10B-10C), which meets the claim limitation “wherein the first die height, the second die height and the third die height have dimensions within 10 micrometers of each other”.
Referring to claim 15, the reference further discloses planarizing the reflective coating material (612) (para [103]) to expose backside surfaces of respective under bump metallizations (UBMs) (bond pad 606, para [102], see Fig. 10C) of the first, second, and third sets of LED die.
Referring to claim 16, the reference further discloses planarizing topside surfaces of the first, second, and third sets of LED die (planarizing coatings of phosphor of the LEDs, para [37]).
Referring to claim 20, the reference further discloses that the plurality of LED die further comprise a fourth set of LED die each of a fourth die height and configured to emit a fourth color light (amber, para [32], or white, para [38, 50]) and maintaining the plurality of LED die being spaced apart and retained by the reflective coating (612), and having the coplanar configuration (see Figs. 10C, 10D).
4. Claims 1, 5-6, 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choy et al. WO 2019079381 A1, Ultra-Dense LED Projector, Published April 25, 2019.
Referring to claim 1, Choy discloses a multicolor monolithic light-emitting diode (LED) array comprising: multicolor pixels comprising a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) die including:
a first set of LED die (342R, Figs. 17F, para [122] (paragraph(s) [00122]), of an array of die, para [2]) each of a first die height (see Fig. 17H) and configured to emit a first color light (red);
a second set of LED die (of the array of die) each of a second die height (see Fig. 17H) and configured to emit a second color light (green);
a third set of LED die (of the array of die) each of a third die height (see Fig. 17H) and configured to emit a third color light (blue); and
the first die height being substantially equal to the second die height and the third die height (as clearly evident in Figs. 17E-17F, wherein the lower surfaces of all the die are coplanar to one another and the upper surfaces of all the die are coplanar to one another); and
the plurality of LED die (342R, 342G, 342B) having a coplanar configuration and being spaced apart and retained by a reflective coating (346/347, para [127], and note that metal fill 347, formed of copper, aluminum or gold (para [127]), is a reflective coating).
Referring to claim 5, Choy further discloses that one or more of the first, second, and third sets of LED die (602) further comprises a wavelength converting material (phosphor, para [93]), [and optionally, wherein the wavelength converting material comprises a ceramic phosphor plate or a phosphor in silicone, and optionally wherein the wavelength converting material further comprises a transparent cover layer].
Referring to claim 6, Choy further discloses that the first set of LED die comprise a phosphide light emitting layer, and the second and third sets of LED die comprise a nitride light emitting layer, [optionally] wherein the phosphide light emitting layer comprises AlInGaP (para [108]), and the nitride light emitting layer comprises GaN or InGaN (GaN based, para [31]).
Referring to claim 8, Choy further discloses that the first color light, the second color light, and the third color light all differ from each other, [optionally] wherein the first color light (red) is a red light, the second color light (green) is a green light, and the third color light (blue) is a blue light.
Referring to claim 10, Choy further discloses that the first die height, the second die height and the third die height have dimensions that are substantially the same (see Figs. 17E-17F), which meets the claim limitation “wherein the first die height, the second die height and the third die height have dimensions within 10 micrometers of each other”.
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claims 2-4, 11-13 and 17-19, insofar as in compliance with and as interpreted in the claim objections detailed above, 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The cited art, whether taken singularly or in combination, especially when all limitations are considered within the claimed specific combination, fails to teach or render obvious a multicolor monolithic light-emitting diode (LED) array and a method for making a multicolor monolithic light-emitting diode (LED) array with all exclusive limitations as recited in claims 2, 11, 17, 18 and 19, which may be characterized (claim 2) in that the first set of LED die comprise a vertical configuration, and the second set of LED die comprise a flip chip configuration, and the third set of LED die comprise either a vertical configuration or a flip chip configuration, (claim 11) the first semiconductor-containing structure height is greater than the second semiconductor-containing structure height and/or the third semiconductor-containing structure height, and the first UBM height is less than the second UBM height and/or the third UBM height, (claim 17) in affixing a bonding wire to a wirebond pad of each of the first LED die prior to assembling on the support, (claim 18) preparing differing heights of the respective UBMs prior to assembling on the support to compensate for varying heights of respective semiconductor-containing structures of the LED die to maintain the coplanar configuration, and (claim 19) grinding the second and the third sets of LED die prior to assembling on the support.
Conclusion
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TU TU V HO whose telephone number is (571)272-1778. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Thursday 6:30 - 15:00, Monday through Thursday.
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07-07-2026
/TU-TU V HO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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