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 .
This Office action is in response to the amendment filed 5/13/2026 in which claims 1, 2, and 6 were amended.
Claims 1-12 are pending with claims 1-8 presented for examination and claims 9-12 remaining withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: in lines 1 and 2, “the anti-reflection layer” should be amended to read –the another anti-reflection layer–. Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 5/13/2026. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 2, 5, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao et al (CN 203325952 and Zhao hereinafter; a machine translation is used as an English language equivalent) in view of Richter et al (“Versatility of doped nanocrystalline silicon oxide for applications in silicon thin-film and heterojunction solar cells” and Richter hereinafter) in view of Xuancheng (CN 113437184 and Xuancheng hereinafter; a machine translation is used as an English language equivalent) in view of Adachi (US 2020/0144440 and Adachi hereinafter).
As to claims 1, 2, 5, and 8: Zhao discloses [claim 1] a method for preparing a bifacial solar cell (Figs. 1 and 2; [0002] and [0004]), characterized by comprising following steps: providing a silicon wafer (1; [0013]) with a silicon oxide layer (4 can be silicon oxide; [0013]) disposed on a first side (bottom) of the silicon wafer (1) and a first silicon doped layer (2 is formed by implanting phosphorous ions into the silicon substrate and is thus a silicon doped layer; [0013] and [0014]) disposed on a second side (top) of the silicon wafer (1), and depositing an intrinsic silicon film (5; [0013]) on a surface (bottom of 4) of the silicon oxide layer (4); and depositing a second crystalline silicon doped layer (6 can be microcrystalline, which is interpreted to be crystalline as it comprises crystalline regions; [0013]) on a surface (bottom surface) of the intrinsic silicon layer (5), wherein the silicon wafer is N-type, the second crystalline silicon doped layer is N-type, and the first crystalline silicon doped layer is P-type; or, the silicon wafer (1) is P-type (p-type; [0013]), and the first silicon doped layer (2) is N-type (n-type; [0013]).
Zhao fails to expressly disclose where [claim 1] the silicon oxide layer is doped.
Richter discloses a solar cell where [claim 1] the silicon oxide layer is doped (Fig. 1, (III); as an interlayer film, doped silicon oxide can be used adjacent to the silicon substrate; page 197).
Given the teachings of Richter, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have readily recognized the desirability and advantages of modifying Zhao by employing the well-known or conventional features of solar cell fabrication, such as displayed by Richter, by employing a doped silicon oxide film instead of an undoped silicon oxide film in order to reduce the parasitic absorption of light (page 197, Section 3, paragraph 2).
Zhao in view of Richter fail to expressly disclose [claim 1] where the first silicon layer is crystalline; where the intrinsic layer is formed using a silicon source as a raw material; where the second crystalline silicon doped layer is formed by using a silicon source and a second doping source as a raw material; where the second crystalline silicon doped layer is P-type; [claim 5] wherein the first crystalline silicon doped layer disposed on one side of the silicon wafer is prepared by following steps: using a first doping source and a silicon source as raw materials, and forming the first crystalline silicon doped layer by diffusing and depositing the first doping source and the silicon source on one side of the silicon wafer, the first doping source comprises a boron source; and/or, the silicon oxide doped layer disposed on one side of the silicon wafer is prepared by following steps: using an oxidizing agent and a silicon source as raw materials, depositing the silicon oxide doped layer on one side of the silicon wafer, the oxidizing agent comprises at least one of a nitrous oxide gas, an oxygen gas, or an ozone gas; [claim 8] wherein the second doping source is a phosphorus source, the phosphorus source is at least one of a phosphane, a phosphorus oxychloride, or a phosphoryl bromide; and/or, the silicon source is silane.
Xuancheng discloses a solar cell [claim 1] where the first silicon layer is crystalline (Fig. 1; the first silicon layer 5 can be microcrystalline, which is interpreted to be crystalline as it comprises crystalline regions; [0026] and [0042]); where the intrinsic layer (Fig. 1; 3 is an intrinsic silicon layer; [0041]) is formed using a silicon source as a raw material (silicon tetrahydride; [0041]); where the second crystalline silicon doped layer (Fig. 1; the second silicon layer 4 can be microcrystalline, which is interpreted to be crystalline as it comprises crystalline regions; [0042]) is formed by using a silicon source and a second doping source as a raw material (silicon tetrahydride as a raw material and phosphine as a dopant raw material; [0042]); where the second crystalline silicon doped layer (4) is P-type (the dopant of the second silicon doped layer matches the dopant of the substrate and would be p-type when used to modify Zhao, but in Xuancheng is shown to be n-type, the same as the substrate; [0039] and [0042]); [claim 5] wherein the first crystalline silicon doped layer (5) disposed on one side of the silicon wafer (1; [0039]) is prepared by following steps: using a first doping source (doping source is dependent on the conductivity of the layer, either phosphine or diborane; [0017] and [0042]) and a silicon source (silicon source is silicon tetrahydride; [0042]) as raw materials, and forming the first crystalline silicon doped layer by diffusing and depositing the first doping source and the silicon source on one side of the silicon wafer ([0042]), the first doping source comprises a boron source (doping source is dependent on the conductivity of the layer, either phosphine or diborane; [0017] and [0042]); and/or, the silicon oxide doped layer disposed on one side of the silicon wafer is prepared by following steps: using an oxidizing agent and a silicon source as raw materials, depositing the silicon oxide doped layer on one side of the silicon wafer, the oxidizing agent comprises at least one of a nitrous oxide gas, an oxygen gas, or an ozone gas; [claim 8] wherein the second doping source is a phosphorus source (doping source is dependent on the conductivity of the layer, either phosphine or diborane; [0017] and [0042]), the phosphorus source is at least one of a phosphane, a phosphorus oxychloride, or a phosphoryl bromide (phosphane; [0042]); and/or, the silicon source is silane.
Given the teachings of Xuancheng, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have readily recognized the desirability and advantages of modifying Zhao in view of Richter by employing the well-known or conventional features of solar cell fabrication, such as displayed by Xuancheng, by employing crystalline materials for the first and second silicon layers, using a silicon source for the intrinsic amorphous layer, using a silicon source and dopant source for the second crystalline layer, matching the dopant type of the second silicon doped layer to that of the substrate (in Zhao’s case, p-type), and form the silicon doped layers using a desired conductivity type dopant source and silicon source in order to provide a solar cell with superior performance ([0047]).
Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng fail to expressly disclose [claim 1] bombarding the intrinsic silicon film by a plasma gas, and repeating a process of depositing the intrinsic silicon film and a process of bombarding the intrinsic silicon film with the plasma gas for 0 to 50 times to form an intrinsic silicon layer, wherein repeating for 0 times is that the method comprises one process of depositing the intrinsic silicon film and one process of bombarding the intrinsic silicon film by the plasma gas, the plasma gas is at least one of an argon gas, a nitrogen gas or a hydrogen gas, a thickness of the intrinsic silicon layer is less than or equal to 200 nm; [claim 2] wherein in a process of bombarding the intrinsic silicon film by the plasma gas, a bombardment time is in a range of 0.1 s to 600 s.
Adachi discloses a solar cell where the intrinsic silicon film is formed by [claim 1] bombarding the intrinsic silicon film (Figs. 1 and 3A-3B; 12/22; [0039] and [0047]) by a plasma gas (plasma treatment using hydrogen gas; [0039]), and repeating a process of depositing the intrinsic silicon film and a process of bombarding the intrinsic silicon film with the plasma gas for 0 to 50 times to form an intrinsic silicon layer (Figs. 4A-4D; plasma treatment of intrinsic silicon film can be performed after each sublayer is formed; [0077]-[0080]), wherein repeating for 0 times is that the method comprises one process of depositing the intrinsic silicon film and one process of bombarding the intrinsic silicon film by the plasma gas ([0039] and [0047]), the plasma gas is at least one of an argon gas, a nitrogen gas or a hydrogen gas (hydrogen gas; [0047]), a thickness of the intrinsic silicon layer (12/22) is less than or equal to 200 nm (the thickness of 12/22 can be 5 nm; [0107] and [0110]); [claim 2] wherein in a process of bombarding the intrinsic silicon film by the plasma gas, a bombardment time is in a range of 0.1 s to 600 s (3 seconds or more and 140 seconds or less; [0072]).
Given the teachings of Adachi, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have readily recognized the desirability and advantages of modifying Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng by employing the well-known or conventional features of solar cell fabrication, such as displayed by Adachi, by employing a hydrogen plasma treatment on the intrinsic silicon layer after each sub-layer formation for a desired amount of time in order to provide an intrinsic silicon film with improved film quality ([0013]) of a thickness that allows for passivation effect such as termination of defects ([0002]).
Claims 3, 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhang et al (CN 111987182 and Zhang hereinafter; a machine translation is used as an English language equivalent).
As to claim 3: Although the method disclosed by Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi shows substantial features of the claimed invention (discussed in paragraph 10 above), it fails to expressly disclose:
wherein after depositing the second crystalline silicon doped layer, the method further comprises a step of an annealing treatment, wherein an annealing temperature is in a range of 600 °C to 1000 °C and an annealing time is in a range of 5 min to 35 min.
Zhang discloses a solar cell wherein after depositing the second crystalline silicon doped layer (Fig. 1; 16; [0034]), the method further comprises a step of an annealing treatment (annealing; [0034]), wherein an annealing temperature is in a range of 600 °C to 1000 °C (600 °C -950 °C; [0034]) and an annealing time is in a range of 5 min to 35 min (20-60 minutes; [0034]).
Given the teachings of Zhang, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have readily recognized the desirability and advantages of modifying Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi by employing the well-known or conventional features of solar cell fabrication, such as displayed by Zhang, by employing an annealing step on the second silicon doped layer in order to form a polycrystalline silicon doped layer (still interpreted as crystalline as there are crystalline regions) that allows for reduced film stress and good film adhesion with the film that doesn’t burst when it is made to a desired thickness ([0020]).
As to claim 4: Although the method disclosed by Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi shows substantial features of the claimed invention (discussed in paragraph 10 above), it fails to expressly disclose:
further comprising a step of depositing an anti- reflection layer on a surface of the second crystalline silicon doped layer using a silicon nitride as a raw material.
Zhang discloses a solar cell further comprising a step of depositing an anti- reflection layer (Fig. 1; 17; [0032]) on a surface (bottom) of the second crystalline silicon doped layer (16; [0032]) using a silicon nitride as a raw material (“as a raw material” is interpreted to mean –the material of the anti-reflection layer–, 17 can be silicon nitride; [0032]).
Given the teachings of Zhang, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have readily recognized the desirability and advantages of modifying Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi by employing the well-known or conventional features of solar cell fabrication, such as displayed by Zhang, by employing a silicon nitride anti-reflection layer on a surface of the second silicon doped layer in order to reduce reflection in the device ([0031]-[0032]).
As to claim 6: Although the method disclosed by Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi shows substantial features of the claimed invention (discussed in paragraph 10 above), it fails to expressly disclose:
further comprising a step of depositing another anti-reflection layer on a surface of the first crystalline silicon doped layer using a silicon nitride as a raw material.
Zhang discloses a solar cell further comprising a step of depositing another anti- reflection layer (Fig. 1; 12; [0031]) on a surface (top) of the first crystalline silicon doped layer (11; [0031]) using a silicon nitride as a raw material (“as a raw material” is interpreted to mean –the material of the anti-reflection layer–, 12 can be silicon nitride; [0031]).
Given the teachings of Zhang, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have readily recognized the desirability and advantages of modifying Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi by employing the well-known or conventional features of solar cell fabrication, such as displayed by Zhang, by employing a silicon nitride anti-reflection layer on a surface of the second silicon doped layer in order to reduce reflection in the device ([0031]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi in view of Zhang as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Chen et al (CN 113707570 and Chen hereinafter; a machine translation is used as an English language equivalent).
Although the method disclosed by Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi in view of Zhang shows substantial features of the claimed invention (discussed in paragraph 14 above), it fails to expressly disclose:
wherein after depositing the anti-reflection layer (14 and 15; [0071] and [0161]), the method further comprises a step of screen printing (screen printed; [0071] and [0161]) a gate line (gate line; [0068] and [0158]) on a surface of the anti-reflection layer (14 and 15) and sintering (sintering; [0071] and [0161]) to form a positive electrode and a negative electrode respectively, wherein a sintered temperature is 830 °C (temperature can be 750 °C -875 °C; [0071] and [0161]).
Given the teachings of Chen, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have readily recognized the desirability and advantages of modifying Zhao in view of Richter in view of Xuancheng in view of Adachi in view of Zhang by employing the well-known or conventional features of solar cell fabrication, such as displayed by Chen, by employing a screen printing and sintering process to form positive and negative electrode gate lines in order to improve the efficiency of the solar cell ([0005]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/13/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In the remarks, applicant argues in substance that during the plasma treatment of Adachi, both hydrogen gas and silicon-containing gas are introduced into the CVD chamber. Via the plasma treatment, an intrinsic amorphous silicon thin film is formed. However, in claim 1, the intrinsic silicon film is bombarded by a plasma gas, where the plasma gas is at least one of an argon gas, a nitrogen gas, or a hydrogen gas. The intrinsic silicon film is bombarded by the plasma gas to form an intrinsic silicon layer. There is no silicon-containing gas recited in claim 1. The intrinsic silicon layer of claim 1 and the intrinsic amorphous silicon thin film formed in Adachi are different materials. The intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film in Adachi represents a new film formed by the plasma treatment; while in claim 1, the intrinsic silicon film is bombarded by the plasma gas and the intrinsic silicon layer, the same material, is formed. The process, principle, and aim of the plasma treatment involving both hydrogen gas and silicon-containing gas in Adachi are different from those of bombarding an intrinsic silicon film with a plasma gas as set forth in claim 1. Adachi cannot achieve the formation of an intrinsic silicon layer to result in the bifacial solar cell of the present invention.
Examiner respectfully traverses applicant’s remarks. Applicant states that claim 1 does not recite the use of a silicon-containing gas in the plasma treatment step that is claimed to use an argon gas, a nitrogen gas, or a hydrogen gas and thus is distinguishable over the prior art reference Adachi. However, claim 1 recites in line 1 “comprising”. As stated in MPEP 2111.03(I), the term comprising is “inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.” Therefore, in order to distinguish over the prior art in the instant case, the claim must state to some effect that silicon-containing gas is not introduced in the plasma treatment or the plasma treatment only uses argon gas, nitrogen gas, or hydrogen gas. As to the intrinsic amorphous silicon thin film of Adachi is a different material from the intrinsic silicon layer of claim 1, the intrinsic amorphous silicon thin film 12/22 of Adachi meets the claim limitations of claim 1 in regards to the claimed process of forming the intrinsic silicon layer. Further, applicant argues that by introducing hydrogen and silicon gases during the plasma treatment produces a different material from before the treatment while the claimed process of introducing a hydrogen gas during the plasma treatment produces the same material as before. This is not accurate as processing a layer inherently changes the layer so that the layer prior to and after the processing, e.g. a plasma treatment as claimed. Therefore, both the claimed layer and the layer of Adachi by applicant’s reasoning are different as they are modified by the processing step. Further, adding a silicon-containing film to the plasma treatment in Adachi still results in an amorphous intrinsic silicon film. The combination of references including Adachi teaches the claimed process as disclosed in the rejection above. Adachi is related, relevant art as it is concerned with improving an intrinsic silicon film by plasma processing for use in a solar cell.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 JOSEPH C NICELY whose telephone number is (571)270-3834. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 4 pm, EST.
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JOSEPH C. NICELY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2813
/JOSEPH C. NICELY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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