DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 2-3, filed 6/4/2026 with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-22 under 35 U.S.C. 102 and 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Im et al (US 11,744,090 B2), White et al (US 2018/0145204 A) and Liu et al (US 2021/0171828 A1).
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9-12, 15-18, 20, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Im et al (US 11,744,090 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Im et al discloses a method of detecting high energy radiation, the method comprising: (a) exposing a detector (self-powered x-ray detector) (100) (See Abstract, col. 7, lines 45-51) and to a source (110) (col. 8, lines 38-41) of high energy radiation (x-ray), the detector comprising a scintillator layer (110) (col. 8, line 14) comprising a metal halide perovskite (col. 8, lines 39-40); a charge generation layer (122) comprising semiconductor quantum dots (i.e. graphene and polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) (col. 15, lines 12-19), the charge generation layer (122) positioned between the scintillator layer (110) and a charge transport layer comprising graphene (126) (See Fig. 1, col. 18, lines 56-63), the charge generation layer forming an interface with the charge transport layer (125); the charge transport layer comprising graphene (126); and electrodes in electrical communication with the charge transport layer (col. 13, lines 44-64); and (b) collecting carriers from the charge transport layer, the carriers generated in the charge generation layer via absorption of the high energy radiation in the scintillator layer (i.e. charges (electrons or holes) moved to the first electrode 122 are stored in a capacitor (not shown) formed in the substrate 121. Since charges are stored in the capacitor, X-ray detection voltage may be stored) (col. 19, lines 33-36).
Regarding claim 2, Im et al discloses wherein the high energy radiation has an energy per photon or energy per particle of at least 1 keV (col. 20, lines 57-64).
Regarding claim 3, Im et al discloses wherein the high energy radiation is X-ray radiation (See Abstract).
Regarding claim 4, Im et al discloses wherein the metal halide perovskite is in a form of nanocrystals (col. 10, lines 34-37).
Regarding claim 5, Im et al discloses wherein the scintillator layer (110) has a thickness of no more than 500 nm (i.e. 1 mm to 1.5 mm) (col. 12, lines 1-9).
Regarding claim 6, Im et al discloses wherein the metal halide perovskite has Formula IA, APbX₃, wherein A is selected from alkali metals and X is selected from halogens (col. 3, lines 32-39).
Regarding claim 7, Im et al discloses wherein the metal halide perovskite has Formula 1B, CsPbX3 (i.e. CsPbBr₃) (col. 7, lines 42-44).
Regarding claim 9, Im et al discloses wherein the detector further comprises a layer of a charge blocking material (i.e. carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) layer) between the scintillator layer and the charge generation layer (col. 13, lines 19-21).
Regarding claim 10, Im et al discloses wherein the electrodes are positioned such that an electric field generated by a bias voltage applied to the electrodes is oriented parallel to planes defined by the scintillator layer, the charge generation layer, and the charge transport layer (col. 12, lines 60-65).
Regarding claim 11, Im et al discloses wherein the electrodes (122) are positioned on the same surface of the charge transport layer (126) (See Fig. 1, col. 18, lines 56-63).
one or more layers of a charge blocking material (i.e. carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) layer) (col. 13, lines 19-21).
Regarding claim 12, Im et al discloses wherein the scintillator layer (110) consists of the metal halide perovskite (col. 9, lines 50-54), the charge generation layer consists of the semiconductor quantum dots (PEDOT:PSS) (col. 15, lines 12-19), and the charge transport layer consists of the graphene (126) (See Fig. 1, col. 18, lines 56-63).
Regarding claim 15, Im et al discloses detector characterized by a sensitivity of x-ray radiation of at least 1.5 x 103 C/Gy * cm2 (i.e. 10 mCmGyair -1 cm-2 to 1000 mCmGyair-1 cm-2) (col. 21, lines 39-43).
Regarding claim 16, Im et al discloses a high energy radiation detector, the detector comprising: a scintillator layer (110) comprising a metal halide perovskite (col. 8, lines 39-40); a charge generation layer (122) comprising semiconductor quantum dots (i.e. graphene and polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) (col. 15, lines 12-19), the charge generation layer (122) positioned between the scintillator layer (110) and a charge transport layer comprising graphene (126) (See Fig. 1, col. 18, lines 56-63), the charge generation layer forming an interface with the charge transport layer (125); the charge transport layer comprising graphene (126) (See Fig. 1, col. 18, lines 56-63); and electrodes in electrical communication with the charge transport layer (i.e. charges (electrons or holes) moved to the first electrode 122 are stored in a capacitor (not shown) formed in the substrate 121. Since charges are stored in the capacitor, X-ray detection voltage may be stored) (col. 19, lines 33-36).
Regarding claim 17, Im et al discloses wherein the electrodes are positioned such that an electric field generated by a bias voltage applied to the electrodes is oriented parallel to planes defined by the scintillator layer, the charge generation layer, and the charge transport layer (col. 12, lines 60-65).
Regarding claim 18, Im et al discloses wherein the scintillator layer (110) consists of the metal halide perovskite (col. 9, lines 50-54), the charge generation layer consists of the semiconductor quantum dots (PEDOT:PSS) (col. 15, lines 12-19), and the charge transport layer consists of the graphene (126) (See Fig. 1, col. 18, lines 56-63).
Regarding claim 20, Im et al discloses wherein the detector comprises one or more active regions, each active region consisting of the scintillator layer (110), the charge generation layer (122), the charge transport layer (123), the electrodes (122)(126) , and optionally, one or more layers of a charge blocking material (i.e. carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) layer) (col. 13, lines 19-21).
Regarding claim 22, Im et al discloses detector characterized by a sensitivity of x-ray radiation of at least 1.5 x 103 C/Gy * cm2 (i.e. 10 mCmGyair -1 cm-2 to 1000 mCmGyair-1 cm-2) (col. 21, lines 39-43).
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.
Claim(s) 8, 13-14, 19, 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Im et al (US 11,744,090 B2) in view of White et al (US 2018/0145204 A) and Liu et al (US 2021/0171828 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Im et al discloses quantum dots are composed of (i.e. graphene and polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) (col. 15, lines 12-19), as stated supra, however is silent with regards to the semiconductor quantum dots are composed of PbS. White et al discloses a device for direct x-ray detection comprising: quantum dot may comprise a plurality of quantum dots formed from PbS (paragraph [0019]). Thus, it would have been obvious to modify Im et al with the teaching of White et al, so as to enable a high sensitivity radiation detector.
Regarding claims 13 and 19, Im et al discloses wherein the metal halide perovskite is CsPbBr3 (col. 7, lines 42-44) and quantum dots are composed of (i.e. graphene and polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) (col. 15, lines 12-19), as stated supra, however is silent with regards to metal halide perovskite is CsPbCl₃ in a form of nanocrystals and the semiconductor quantum dots are composed of PbS. White et al discloses a device for direct x-ray detection comprising: quantum dot may comprise a plurality of quantum dots formed from PbS (paragraph [0019]). Thus, it would have been obvious to modify Im et al with the teaching of White et al, so as to enable a high sensitivity radiation detector. Liu et al discloses herein the metal halide perovskite is CsPbCl₃ in a form of nanocrystals (paragraph [0017]). Thus, it would have been obvious to modify Im et al with the teaching of Liu et al so as to enable a nanocrystal scintillator capable of generating ionizing radiation excited emissions (paragraph [00004]).
Regarding claim 14, Im et al discloses wherein the detector comprises one or more active regions, each active region consisting of the scintillator layer (110), the charge generation layer (122), the charge transport layer (123), the electrodes (122)(126) , and optionally, one or more layers of a charge blocking material (i.e. carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) layer) (col. 13, lines 19-21).
Regarding claim 21, Im et al discloses wherein the detector consists of one or more active regions, each active region consisting of the scintillator layer (110) consisting of CsPbCl₃ nanocrystals, the charge generation layer consisting of (i.e. graphene and polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) (col. 15, lines 12-19) quantum dots, the charge transport layer consisting of graphene (126) (See Fig. 1, col. 18, lines 56-63), the electrodes, and optionally, one or both of a layer of a charge blocking material (i.e. carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) layer) (col. 13, lines 19-21) on the scintillator layer and another layer of the charge blocking material between the scintillator layer and the charge generation layer. However, Im et al is silent with regards to metal halide perovskite is CsPbCl₃ in a form of nanocrystals and the semiconductor quantum dots are composed of PbS. White et al discloses a device for direct x-ray detection comprising: quantum dot may comprise a plurality of quantum dots formed from PbS (paragraph [0019]). Thus, it would have been obvious to modify Im et al with the teaching of White et al, so as to enable a high sensitivity radiation detector. Liu et al discloses herein the metal halide perovskite is CsPbCl₃ in a form of nanocrystals (paragraph [0017]). Thus, it would have been obvious to modify Im et al with the teaching of Liu et al so as to enable a nanocrystal scintillator capable of generating ionizing radiation excited emissions (paragraph [00004]).
Conclusion
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/F.P.B./Examiner, Art Unit 2884
/UZMA ALAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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