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
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 9, 12-14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Levermore (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0296618) in view of Tanabe et al. (U.S. Patent No. 7,132,691).
Regarding to claim 1, Levermore teaches a light-emitting element comprising:
an anode (Fig. 1, element 115);
a hole transport layer (Fig. 1, element 125);
a light-emitting layer containing quantum dots (Fig. 1, element 135);
an electron transport layer (Fig. 1, element 145); and
a cathode, arranged in this order (Fig. 1, element 155),
the light-emitting element further comprising a first layer between the light-emitting layer and the hole transport layer (Fig. 1, element 130), wherein
the first layer is an electron blocking layer inhibiting transport of electrons so that the electrons transported from the cathode to the light-emitting layer via the electron transport layer do not flow out to the anode via the hole transport layer (Fig. 1, first layer 130 is an “electron blocking” layer, so it inhibits transport of electrons, the electrons which transport from the cathode 155 to the light-emitting layer 135 via the electron transport layer 145 are blocked here so they cannot further flow out to the anode 115 via the hole transport layer 125).
Levermore is silent as to materials which the electron blocking layer contains.
Tanabe discloses a current blocking layer contains, as an element: a transition metal element that is a component of an oxide semiconductor; at least one selected from Al, Mg, and Si; and O (column 61, lines 39-41, the electric current constriction layer made of MgzZn1-zO). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Levermore in view of Tanabe to contain in the current blocking layer a transition metal element that is a component of an oxide semiconductor, at least one selected from Al, Mg, and Si; and O, in order to increase effectiveness of blocking electron flow (electric current) through the layer.
Regarding to claim 2, Levermore as modified discloses the transition metal element that is the component of the oxide semiconductor is at least one selected from Ni, Cu, Cr, La, Zn, Ti, V, Mo, and W (MgzZn1-zO contains Zn).
Regarding to claim 4, Levermore as modified discloses an electron affinity of the first layer is at least 1.0 eV lower than an electron affinity of the light-emitting layer ([0084], lines 3-8, the light-emitting layer is a 2D perovskite material and the first layer (electron blocking layer 130) is MgzZn1-zO, thus an electron affinity of the first layer is at least 1.0 eV lower than an electron affinity of the light-emitting layer).
Regarding to claim 5, Levermore teaches the hole transport layer contains a p-type semiconductor material (in semiconductor material, p-type material transport holes and n-type material transport electrons).
Regarding to claim 9, Tanabe discloses the first layer contains, as an element, Mg and 0. (MgzZn1-zO contains Mg and O). Levermore and Tanabe do not disclose the first layer contains Ni, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to add Ni to the first layer in order to increase flexibility, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960).
Regarding to claim 12, Levermore discloses the first layer has a thickness in Fig. 1, however is silent as to a thickness in the text. Nevertheless, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to configure the first layer having a thickness greater than or equal to 3 nm and less than or equal to 30 nm, in order to obtain sufficient blocking capability with minimum material, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955).
Regarding to claim 13, Levermore discloses the first layer has a thickness in Fig. 1, however is silent as to a thickness in the text. Nevertheless, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to configure the first layer having a thickness greater than or equal to 4 nm and less than or equal to 15 nm, in order to obtain sufficient blocking capability with minimum material, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955).
Regarding to claim 14, Levermore teaches a hole blocking layer between the light-emitting layer and the electron transport layer (Fig. 1, element 140).
Regarding to claim 16, Levermore teaches a light-emitting device comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 1 ([0072], lines 1-4).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Levermore (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0296618) and Tanabe et al. (U.S. Patent No. 7,132,691), as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Wood et al. (U.S. Patent No. 8,536,776).
Regarding to claim 3, Levermore as modified does not disclose an insulation layer between the first layer (which is electron blocking layer) and the light-emitting layer. Wood discloses an insulation layer between electron blocking layer and the light-emitting layer (Fig. 2D, column 3, lines 4-6; column 4, lines 40-42). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Levermore in view of Wood to dispose an insulation layer between the first layer (electron blocking layer) and the light-emitting layer in order to increase capability of restriction for current.
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Levermore (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0296618) and Tanabe et al. (U.S. Patent No. 7,132,691), as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Shiomi et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,014,422).
Regarding to claim 6, Levermore as modified does not disclose the hole transport layer contains an inorganic material. Shiomi disclose a hole transport layer contains an inorganic material (column 10, lines 13-14). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Levermore in view of Shiomi to contain in the hole transport layer an inorganic material in order to increase carrier transport capability.
Regarding to claim 7, Levermore as modified does not disclose the hole transport layer contains an oxide semiconductor. Shiomi disclose a hole transport layer contains an oxide semiconductor (column 11, lines 65-67 to column 12, lines 1-2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Levermore in view of Shiomi to contain in the hole transport layer an oxide semiconductor in order to increase carrier transport capability.
Regarding to claim 8, Shiomi teaches the hole transport layer contains an oxide of any of Ni, Cu, and Cr or a mixture of these (column 11, lines 65-67 to column 12, lines 1-2, NiO).
Claim 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stubbs et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0010203) in view of Tanabe et al. (U.S. Patent No. 7,132,691).
Regarding to claim 1, Stubbs teaches a light-emitting element comprising:
an anode (Fig. 1, element 10);
a hole transport layer (Fig. 1, element 30);
a light-emitting layer containing quantum dots (Fig. 1, element 50);
an electron transport layer (Fig. 1, element 70); and
a cathode, arranged in this order (Fig. 1, element 90),
the light-emitting element further comprising a first layer between the light-emitting layer and the hole transport layer (Fig. 1, element 40), wherein
the first layer is an electron blocking layer inhibiting transport of electrons so that the electrons transported from the cathode to the light-emitting layer via the electron transport layer do not flow out to the anode via the hole transport layer (Fig. 1, first layer 40 is an “electron blocking” layer, so it inhibits transport of electrons, the electrons which transport from the cathode 90 to the light-emitting layer 50 via the electron transport layer 70 are blocked here so they cannot further flow out to the anode 10 via the hole transport layer 30).
Stubbs is silent as to materials which the electron blocking layer contains.
Tanabe disclose a current blocking layer contains, as an element: a transition metal element that is a component of an oxide semiconductor; at least one selected from Al, Mg, and Si; and O (column 61, lines 39-41, the electric current constriction layer made of MgzZn1-zO). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Stubbs in view of Tanabe to contain in the current blocking layer a transition metal element that is a component of an oxide semiconductor, at least one selected from Al, Mg, and Si; and O, in order to increase effectiveness of blocking electron flow (electric current) through the layer.
Regarding to claim 2, Stubbs as modified discloses the transition metal element that is the component of the oxide semiconductor is at least one selected from Ni, Cu, Cr, La, Zn, Ti, V, Mo, and W (MgzZn1-zO contains Zn).
Claims 6-8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stubbs et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0010203) and Tanabe et al. (U.S. Patent No. 7,132,691), as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Ueta (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0020898).
Regarding to claim 6, Stubbs as modified does not disclose the hole transport layer contains an inorganic material. Ueta discloses a hole transport layer contains an inorganic material ([0025], lines 8-10). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Stubbs in view of Ueta to contain in the hole transport layer an inorganic material in order to increase carrier transport capability.
Regarding to claim 7, Stubbs as modified does not disclose the hole transport layer contains an oxide semiconductor. Ueta discloses a hole transport layer contains an oxide semiconductor ([0025], lines 8-10). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Stubbs in view of Ueta to contain in the hole transport layer an oxide semiconductor in order to increase carrier transport capability.
Regarding to claim 8, Ueta teaches the hole transport layer contains an oxide of any of Ni, Cu, and Cr or a mixture of these ([0025], lines 8-10, NiO).
Regarding to claim 11, Stubbs as modified discloses the first layer, which electron blocking layer, contains MgzZn1-zO. Ueta discloses the hole transport layer contains MgO ([0025], lines 8-10). Ueta also discloses the hole transport layer has a function of blocking electrons ([0026], lines 1-2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Stubbs in view of Ueta to contain in the first layer, which is electron blocking layer, at least one of component elements of the hole transport layer by having Mg in electron blocking layer and the hole transport layer, in order to have the hole transport layer functioning of blocking electrons.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 and 15 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding to claim 10, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed limitations including “the first layer contains a non-oxygen element that is a component of an oxide insulator greater than or equal to 90 at% and less than 100 at%” in combination with the limitations of claims 1 and 9. Please also spell out “at%” when filing an amendment.
Regarding to claim 15, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed limitations including “the electron blocking layer contains AxNi1-xO, A is an element constituting an oxide insulator, selected from Al, Mg, and Si, X corresponds to a ratio of atomic percentages of the element constituting the oxide insulator, and the ratio of the element constituting the oxide insulator is greater than or equal to 90 at%.” in combination with the limitations of claim 1. Please also spell out “at%” when filing an amendment.
Pertinent Art
For the benefits of the Applicant, US-9893308-B2, US-20100270547-A1, US-10003037-B2, US-20100032008-A1, US-10600980-B1, and US-11302883-B2, are cited on the record as being pertinent to significant disclosure through some but not all claimed features of the defined invention. The references do not disclose the first layer contains, as an element: a transition metal element that is a component of an oxide semiconductor; at least one selected from Al, Mg, and Si; and O.
Conclusion
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/VU A VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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