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 § 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.
Claim(s) 9-10 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al (US Patent No. 9876044), in view of Hsieh (US Patent No. 9484380).
With respect to claim 9, Lee et al discloses a semiconductor substrate (210,Fig.11) comprising a first surface (near the lens) and a second surface opposite to the first surface (near the ILD), the semiconductor substrate including an active pixel array region (where 230 are formed); a first pixel separation region disposed in the active pixel array region and defining a plurality of pixel regions (241); a first photoelectric conversion region (230L) and a second photoelectric conversion region (230R) disposed in the active pixel array region and in each of the plurality of pixel regions (Fig.11); and a plurality of micro-lenses (270) disposed on the active pixel array region and corresponding to the plurality of pixel regions (Fig.11). However, Lee et al does not explicitly disclose wherein the active pixel array region comprises a plurality of curved surfaces that is convex toward the plurality of micro-lenses, wherein the semiconductor substrate of the active pixel array region has a first thickness between the first photoelectric conversion region and the second photoelectric conversion region in each of the plurality of pixel regions, and has a second thickness at a boundary between the plurality of pixel regions, wherein the first thickness is different from the second thickness, and wherein the image sensor is configured to receive light at the second surface. On the other hand, Hsieh et al discloses wherein the active pixel array region comprises a plurality of curved surfaces (Fig.6) that is convex toward the plurality of micro-lenses (towards,166), wherein the semiconductor substrate of the active pixel array region has a first thickness between the first photoelectric conversion region and the second photoelectric conversion region in each of the plurality of pixel regions (in the middle of the pixel region according to Lee et al), and has a second thickness at a boundary between the plurality of pixel regions (on 120), wherein the first thickness is different from the second thickness (Fig.6), and wherein the image sensor is configured to receive light at the second surface (Fig.6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify Lee et al according to the teachings of the Hsieh et al such that the second surface is curved in order in increase the light absorbance of the pixel region.
With respect to claim 10, Lee et al discloses a second pixel separation region (251) between the first photoelectric conversion region and the second photoelectric conversion region (Fig.11) in each of the plurality of pixel regions (Fig.11).
Claim(s) 1-2, 11-12, 17 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al (US Patent No. 9876044), in view of Hsieh (US Patent No. 9484380), in view of Lenchenkov et al (Us Pub No. 20140085517).
With respect to claim 1, Lee et al discloses a semiconductor substrate (210,Fig.11) comprising a first surface (near the lens) and a second surface opposite to the first surface (near the ILD), the semiconductor substrate including an active pixel array region (where 230 are formed); a first pixel separation region disposed in the active pixel array region and defining a plurality of pixel regions (241); a first photoelectric conversion region (230L) and a second photoelectric conversion region (230R) disposed in the active pixel array region and in each of the plurality of pixel regions (Fig.11); and a plurality of micro-lenses (270) disposed on the active pixel array region and corresponding to the plurality of pixel regions (Fig.11). However, Lee et al does not explicitly disclose wherein the active pixel array region comprises a plurality of curved surfaces that is convex toward the plurality of micro-lenses, wherein the semiconductor substrate of the active pixel array region has a first thickness between the first photoelectric conversion region and the second photoelectric conversion region in each of the plurality of pixel regions, and has a second thickness at a boundary between the plurality of pixel regions, wherein the first thickness is different from the second thickness, and wherein the image sensor is configured to receive light at the second surface. On the other hand, Hsieh et al discloses wherein the active pixel array region comprises a plurality of curved surfaces (Fig.6) that is convex toward the plurality of micro-lenses (towards,166), wherein the semiconductor substrate of the active pixel array region has a first thickness between the first photoelectric conversion region and the second photoelectric conversion region in each of the plurality of pixel regions (in the middle of the pixel region according to Lee et al), and has a second thickness at a boundary between the plurality of pixel regions (on 120), wherein the first thickness is different from the second thickness (Fig.6), and wherein the image sensor is configured to receive light at the second surface (Fig.6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify Lee et al according to the teachings of the Hsieh et al such that the second surface is curved in order in increase the light absorbance of the pixel region.
The arts cited above do not explicitly disclose a light shielding region, wherein the semiconductor substrate of the light shielding region comprises plurality of the curved surfaces. On the other hand, Lenchenkov et al discloses wherein the semiconductor substrate further includes a light-shield region (382), and wherein the light-shield region comprises the plurality of curved surfaces (Fig.5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the arts cited above according to the teachings of Lenchenkov et al such that light shielding material are used, in order to protect the pixels from the cross talk.
With respect to claim 2, Lee et al discloses wherein the first pixel separation region is in contact with the second surface of the semiconductor substrate (Fig.11).
With respect to claim 11, the arts cited above do not explicitly disclose wherein the semiconductor substrate further includes a light-shield region, and wherein the light-shield region comprises the plurality of curved surfaces. On the other hand, Lenchenkov et al discloses wherein the semiconductor substrate further includes a light-shield region (382), and wherein the light-shield region comprises the plurality of curved surfaces (Fig.5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the arts cited above according to the teachings of Lenchenkov et al such that light shielding material are used, in order to protect the pixels from the cross talk.
With respect to claim 12, Lee et al discloses wherein the first pixel separation region is in contact with the second surface (Fig.11).
With respect to claim 17, Lee et al discloses a semiconductor substrate (210,Fig.11) comprising a first surface (near the lens) and a second surface opposite to the first surface (near the ILD), the semiconductor substrate including an active pixel array region (where 230 are formed); a first pixel separation region disposed in the active pixel array region and defining a plurality of pixel regions (241); a first photoelectric conversion region (230L) and a second photoelectric conversion region (230R) disposed in the active pixel array region and in each of the plurality of pixel regions (Fig.11); and a plurality of micro-lenses (270) disposed on the active pixel array region and corresponding to the plurality of pixel regions (Fig.11). However, Lee et al does not explicitly disclose wherein the active pixel array region comprises a plurality of curved surfaces that is convex toward the plurality of micro-lenses, wherein the semiconductor substrate of the active pixel array region has a first thickness at a center of a respective one of the plurality of pixel regions, and the second photoelectric conversion region in each of the plurality of pixel regions, and has a second thickness at a boundary between the plurality of pixel regions, wherein the first thickness is different from the second thickness, and wherein the image sensor is configured to receive light at the second surface. On the other hand, Hsieh et al discloses wherein the active pixel array region comprises a plurality of curved surfaces (Fig.6) that is convex toward the plurality of micro-lenses (towards,166), wherein the semiconductor substrate of the active pixel array region has a first thickness between the first photoelectric conversion region and the second photoelectric conversion region in each of the plurality of pixel regions (in the middle of the pixel region according to Lee et al), and has a second thickness at a boundary between the plurality of pixel regions (on 120), wherein the first thickness is different from the second thickness (Fig.6), and wherein the image sensor is configured to receive light at the second surface (Fig.6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify Lee et al according to the teachings of the Hsieh et al such that the second surface is curved in order in increase the light absorbance of the pixel region. the arts cited above do not explicitly disclose wherein the semiconductor substrate further includes a light-shield region, and wherein the light-shield region comprises the plurality of curved surfaces. On the other hand, Lenchenkov et al discloses wherein the semiconductor substrate further includes a light-shield region (382), and wherein the light-shield region comprises the plurality of curved surfaces (Fig.5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the arts cited above according to the teachings of Lenchenkov et al such that light shielding material are used, in order to protect the pixels from the cross talk.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-8, 13-16, 18-20 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.
Conclusion
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/ALI NARAGHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
