DETAILED ACTION
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurata et al. (US PGpub: 2009/0189516 A), herein after Kurata, in view of Yasukawa; Koji (US PGpub: 2019/0280056 A1), herein after Yasukawa.
Regarding claim 1, Kurata teaches a light-emitting device, in FIG. 3, comprising:
a lower electrode (a reflecting electrode 23);
a functional layer including at least a light-emitting layer (an organic EL layer 22);
an upper electrode (a transparent electrode 21);
a first capping layer (a barrier layer 15 such as an SiNH film); and
a second capping layer containing a metal complex (a buffer layer 17 containing a metal complex such as copper phthalocyanine or tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum (Alq3)), all of which are stacked on top of another in a stated order.
Kurata does not explicitly teach first capping layer contains an organic insulating material.
However, Yasukawa discloses in the field of organic EL elements, the use of an inorganic insulating material or an organic insulating material as a capping layer is well known (Paragraphs [0052] and [0053]).
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective fling date of the claimed invention to use Kurata’s light-emitting device to modify with teachings from Yasukawa such that it enables production of a display device with low power consumption as well as excellent color reproducibility and reliability.
Claims 2-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurata, in view of Yasukawa and in further view of known arts like Kim et al. (US PGpub: 2023/0309381 A1), herein after Kim or Pak et al. (US PGpub: 2023/0200221 A1), herein after Pak or Choi et al. (US PGpub: 2022/0415972 A1), herein after Choi.
Regarding claim 2, Kurata or Yasukawa does not explicitly teach the light-emitting device according to claim 1 wherein the metal complex contains at least one complex selected from an alkali metal complex and an alkali earth metal complex.
However, Kim discloses in the field of organic EL elements, wherein the metal complex contains at least one complex selected from an alkali metal complex and an alkali earth metal complex (Paragraph [0344]).
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective fling date of the claimed invention to use Kurata and Yasukawa’s light-emitting device to modify with teachings from Kim such that it improves luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 3, Kurata or Yasukawa does not explicitly teach the light-emitting device according to claim 2 wherein the at least one complex selected from the alkali metal complex and the alkali earth metal complex is at least one halide complex selected from an alkali metal halide complex and an alkali earth metal halide complex.
However, Kim discloses wherein the at least one complex selected from the alkali metal complex and the alkali earth metal complex is at least one halide complex selected from an alkali metal halide complex and an alkali earth metal halide complex (Paragraph [0344]).
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective fling date of the claimed invention to use Kurata and Yasukawa’s light-emitting device to modify with teachings from Kim such that it improves luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 4, Kurata or Yasukawa does not explicitly the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein ligands contained in the metal complex contain a Lewis base having at least one atom serving as a coordination atom and selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen atom, an oxygen atom, and a phosphorus atom.
However, Kim discloses wherein ligands contained in the metal complex contain a Lewis base having at least one atom serving as a coordination atom and selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen atom, an oxygen atom, and a phosphorus atom. (Paragraph [0344]).
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective fling date of the claimed invention to use Kurata and Yasukawa’s light-emitting device to modify with teachings from Kim such that it improves luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 5, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein ligands contained in the metal complex contain multidentate ligands (Paragraph [0344]-[0345 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 6, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein ligands contained in the metal complex contain at least one structural unit selected from the group consisting of structural units represented by Formulae (1) to (4) below: (Paragraph [0344]-[0345 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
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Regarding claim 7, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein, each of the n1, the n2, and the n3 is independent and an integer of 2 or more and 9 or less, and each of the n4 and the n5 is independent and an integer of 0 or 1 or more and 9 or less, and the n4 + n5 is an integer of 2 or more and 9 or less (Paragraph [0344]-[0346 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 8, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein, each of the n1, the n2, and the n3 is independent and an integer of 3 or more and 9 or less, each of the n4 and the n5 is independent and an integer of 0 or 1 or more and 9 or less, and the n4 + n5 is an integer of 3 or more and 9 or less, and the ligands have a cyclic structure (Paragraph [0344]-[0346] in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images..
Regarding claim 9, Kurata teaches a light-emitting device, comprising:
a lower electrode (a reflecting electrode 23);
a functional layer including at least a light-emitting layer (an organic EL layer 22);
an upper electrode (a transparent electrode 21);
a first capping layer (a barrier layer 15 such as an SiNH film); and
a second capping layer containing a metal salt (a buffer layer 17 containing a metal complex such as copper phthalocyanine or tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum (Alq3)), all of which are stacked on top of another in a stated order;
Kurata does not explicitly teach first capping layer contains an organic insulating material; a ligand layer provided adjacent to a lower surface and an upper surface of the second capping layer, and containing ligands that form a complex together with either a metal element, or metal ions, contained in the metal salt.
However, Yasukawa discloses in the field of organic EL elements, the use of an inorganic insulating material or an organic insulating material as a capping layer is well known (Paragraphs [0052] and [0053]).
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective fling date of the claimed invention to use Kurata’s light-emitting device to modify with teachings from Yasukawa such that it enables production of a display device with low power consumption as well as excellent color reproducibility and reliability.
Kurata or Yasukawa does not explicitly teach a ligand layer provided adjacent to a lower surface and an upper surface of the second capping layer, and containing ligands that form a complex together with either a metal element, or metal ions, contained in the metal salt.
However, Kim discloses in the field of organic EL elements, a ligand layer provided adjacent to a lower surface and an upper surface of the second capping layer, and containing ligands that form a complex together with either a metal element, or metal ions, contained in the metal salt (Paragraph [0344]-[0346 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 10, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the metal salt contains at least one metal salt selected from an alkali metal salt and an alkali earth metal salt (Paragraph [0344]-[0346 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 11, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim10 to wherein the at least one metal salt selected from the alkali metal salt and the alkali earth metal salt is at least one halide selected from an alkali metal halide and an alkali earth metal halide (Paragraph [0344]-[0346 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 12, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the ligands contain a Lewis base containing at least one atom selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen atom, an oxygen atom, and a phosphorus atom (Paragraph [0344]-[0346 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 13, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the ligands contain multidentate ligands.
Regarding claim 14, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to wherein the ligands contain at least one structural unit selected from the group consisting of structural units represented by Formulae (1) to (4) below: (Paragraph [0344]-[0346 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
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wherein each of n4 and n5 independently represents an integer of 0 or 1 or more, and n4 + n5 represents an integer of 1 or more.
Regarding claim 15, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein, each of the n1, the n2, and the n3 is independent and an integer of 2 or more and 9 or less, and each of the n4 and the n5 is independent and an integer of 0 or 1 or more and 9 or less, and the n4 + n5 is an integer of 2 or more and 9 or less.
Regarding claim 16, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim 14, wherein, each of the nl, the n2, and the n3 is independent and an integer of 3 or more and 9 or less, each of the n4 and the n5 is independent and an integer of 0 or 1 or more and 9 or less, and the n4 + n5 is an integer of 3 or more and 9 or less, and the ligands have a cyclic structure (Paragraph [0344]-[0346 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 17, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim)the light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein a proportion of the ligands, contained in the ligand layer, with respect to 1 mol of the metal salt contained in the second capping layer is 1 mol or more and 3mol or less(Paragraph [0344]-[0346 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 18, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first capping layer and the second capping layer is transparent to light(Paragraph [0344]-[0346 in Kim) in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Regarding claim 19, Kurata or Yasukawa teaches (and in further view of Kim) the light-emitting device according to claim1,further comprising a sealing layer (500 in FIG. 3 of Kim which located on top of encapsulation portion 300) provided on the second capping layer in order to improve luminance, driving voltage, and response speed, and produce full-color images.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See form PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHEIKH MARUF whose telephone number is (571)270-1903. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 8am-6pm EDT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chad Dicke can be reached on 571-270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHEIKH MARUF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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