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
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Komoto et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2022/0367555).
Regarding claim 1, Komoto teaches a photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising:
a photoelectric conversion unit (Fig. 38, PD1) configured to generate a signal electric charge based on incident light;
a transfer transistor (TR1) configured to transfer the signal electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to a floating diffusion (FD not individually labeledi n Fig. 38, but at point where FDL comes from);
an amplification transistor (AMP) including a gate to which a signal based on a potential of the floating diffusion is input (see Fig. 38);
a wiring structure body (Fig. 39) including at least a first wiring layer (upper portion of 200), a second wiring layer which is an upper layer of the first wiring layer (lower portion of 200, because no frame of reference is given, the device of Fig. 39 can be upside down and therefore the lower portion of 200 becomes an “upper layer”), and a third wiring layer (100T) which is an upper layer of the second wiring layer (see discussion above, in upside down orientation);
a first conductive line (line FD connects gate of AMP to FD) arranged in the first wiring layer and configured to connect the floating diffusion to the gate (Fig. 39);
a shielding portion (T(SL)) made of metal and arranged in the second wiring layer such that at least one portion of the shielding portion overlaps the first conductive line in a plan view (Fig. 39); and
a second conductive line (TGL) arranged in the third wiring layer such that at least one portion of the second conductive line overlaps the first conductive line in the plan view (Fig. 39),
wherein, the shielding portion includes a plurality of insulation portions in the plan view (see Fig. 39 and 41-44).
Regarding claim 2, Komoto teaches the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding portion has a pattern that is arranged in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the second conductive line extending in the plan view (see Fig. 42, shield can extend in X and Y directions).
Regarding claim 3, Komoto teaches the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding portion has a pattern that is arranged in a direction parallel to a direction of the second conductive line extending in the plan view (see Fig. 42, shield can extend in X and Y directions).
Regarding claim 4, Komoto teaches the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding portion has a pattern that is arranged in directions perpendicular to and parallel to a direction of the second conductive line extending in the plan view (see Fig. 42).
Regarding claim 5, Komoto teaches the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding portion has a shape in which one portion of the shape is opened in the plan view (see Fig. 46B).
Regarding claim 6, Komoto teaches the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of insulation portions has an area that does not overlap the second conductive line that is larger than an area that overlaps the second conductive line in the plan view (see Fig. 39 and 42 – area overlapping TGL is very small and only at the trench area, while area not overlapping is majority of the layer).
Regarding claim 7, Komoto teaches the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive line is an output line connected to the amplification transistor (output of transfer transistor connected to amplification transistor gate).
Regarding claim 8, Komoto teaches the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive line is a control line configured to control at least any of a plurality of transistors disposed in the photoelectric conversion apparatus (see Fig. 38-39).
Regarding claim 9, Komoto teaches the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding portion is electrically connected to a source of the amplification transistor (see Fig. 38, source of AMP is connected to SL(T)).
Regarding claim 10, Komoto teaches the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of insulation portions contains at least any of silicon oxide (Fig. 39), silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride.
Regarding claim 11, Komoto teaches a photoelectric conversion system comprising:
the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1 (Fig. 38); and
a signal processing unit configured to generate an image by using a signal output by the photoelectric conversion apparatus (Fig. 38, processing unit 550).
Regarding claim 12, Komoto teaches a moving body comprising:
the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1 (Fig. 38); and
a control unit configured to control movement of the moving body by using a signal output by the photoelectric conversion apparatus (Fig. 60).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Evan G Clinton whose telephone number is (571)270-0525. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday at 8:30am to 5:30pm.
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/EVAN G CLINTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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