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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-054676 on 3/29/2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-054676 as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/23/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The title of the invention has been suggested as “PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERTER COMPRISING A PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION FILM WITH SLOPED SIDE SURFACES AND IMAGE SENSOR COMRISING THE PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERTER”.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-7 and 10-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maehara (US 2011/0049661 A1) in view of Hiroshi (JP 2002303676 A).
Regarding claim 1, Maehara teaches a photoelectric converter (solid state imaging device 100, Fig. 1, [0068]) comprising:
a support face (top surface of the dielectric layer 102, labeled as support face in Illustrative Fig. 1, which is an annotated version of Fig. 1; [0069]); and
a photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1, [0071]: “The organic layer 107 contains at least a photoelectric layer that generates charges in response to light received.”) disposed at the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1),
wherein in a first cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1) parallel to a perpendicular direction (see perpendicular direction in Illustrative Fig. 1) that is perpendicular to the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1),
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the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1) has a first sloped face (see first sloped face as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1), and
when an inclination angle (see inclination angle as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1) of the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) relative to a first parallel direction (see first parallel direction in Illustrative Fig. 1) parallel to the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1) is defined as a first slope angle (see first slope angle as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1).
Maehara, however, is silent on the value of the angle, and therefore does not teach that
the first slope angle is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 5°.
Hiroshi, on the other hand, teaches a photoelectric converter (radiation detection unit, Fig. 2, [0016]) comprising a photoelectric conversion film (photoelectric conversion film 4, Fig. 2, [0016]) with a first slope angle (the angle of the side surface of the photoelectric conversion film 4, Fig. 2) at the sloped surface of the photoelectric conversion film (the sloped side surface of the photoelectric conversion film 4, Fig. 2), wherein the first slope angle (the angle of the side surface of the photoelectric conversion film 4, Fig. 2) is about than 15° to 80° ([0018]).
Hiroshi further discloses that the thickness of the counter electrode 5 (Fig. 2, [0018]) formed on the inclined portion varies depending on the inclination angle and the film formation method ([0018]), where a smaller inclination angle is preferable for obtaining a thicker electrode layer in the inclined surface, at the expense of increased lateral size of the sloped surface ([0018]). Accordingly, smaller inclination angles can be preferable for thinner photoelectric conversion films. This is also evidenced by Kikichu (US 2019/0280126 A1), wherein an inclination angle (Ɵ1, Figs. 2A-B, [0015]) of 10° or less is disclosed for thinner layers. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing dated of the claimed invention would be motivated to vary, through routine optimization, the first slope angle, as Hiroshi identified the first slope angle as a result effective variable, to optimize coverage of the sloped surface and lateral size of the sloped surface, and obtain the first slope angles within the claimed range.
Regarding claim 2, while Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1,
neither Maehara and Hiroshi teaches that
the first slope angle is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 1°.
However, as detailed in claim 1 rejection above, Hiroshi discloses that the thickness of the counter electrode 5 (Fig. 2, [0018]) formed on the inclined portion varies depending on the inclination angle and the film formation method ([0018]), where a smaller inclination angle is preferable for obtaining a thicker electrode layer in the inclined surface, at the expense of increased lateral size of the sloped surface ([0018]). Accordingly, smaller inclination angles can be preferable for thinner photoelectric conversion films. This is also evidenced by Kikichu (US 2019/0280126 A1), wherein an inclination angle (Ɵ1, Figs. 2A-B, [0015]) of 10° or less is disclosed for thinner layers. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing dated of the claimed invention would be motivated to vary, through routine optimization, the first slope angle, as Hiroshi identified the first slope angle as a result effective variable, to optimize coverage of the sloped surface and lateral size of the sloped surface, and obtain the first slope angles within the claimed range.
Regarding claim 3, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1,
wherein the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1) has an upper face (see upper face as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1), and
wherein in the first cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1), the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) is located between the upper face (upper face, Illustrative Fig. 1) and the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1) with respect to the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 3, wherein
Maehara further teaches that in the first cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1),
when:
a position of a lower end of the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) is defined as a reference position (see reference position as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1);
a distance between the upper face (upper face, Illustrative Fig. 1) and the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1) with respect to the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 1) is defined as a reference distance (see reference distance as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1);
10% of the reference distance is defined as a first distance (see first distance as shown in Illustrative Fig. 2, which is a zoomed-in version of Fig. 1);
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a position on the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 2) that is located upwardly away from the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 2) by the first distance (first distance, Illustrative Fig. 2) in the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 2) is defined as a first position (first position, Illustrative Fig. 2);
a distance between the reference position (reference position, Illustrative Fig. 2) and the first position (first position, Illustrative Fig. 2) with respect to the first parallel direction (first parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 2) is defined as a first parallel distance (first parallel distance, Illustrative Fig. 2); and
a distance between the reference position (reference position, Illustrative Fig. 2) and the first position (first position, Illustrative Fig. 2) with respect to the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 2) is defined as a first perpendicular distance (first perpendicular distance, Illustrative Fig. 2),
the first slope angle (first slope angle, Illustrative Fig. 2) is an arctangent of a ratio of the first perpendicular distance (first perpendicular distance, Illustrative Fig. 2) to the first parallel distance (first parallel distance, Illustrative Fig. 2: because the shape of the inclined region of the photoelectric conversion film is a triangle in the first cross-section, this relationship is a consequence of trigonometric relation between the distances).
Regarding claim 5, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 3, wherein
Maehara further teaches that in the first cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1),
when:
a position of a lower end of the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) is defined as a reference position (see reference position as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1);
a distance between the upper face (upper face, Illustrative Fig. 1) and the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1) with respect to the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 1) is defined as a reference distance (see reference distance as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1);
20% of the reference distance is defined as a second distance (see second distance as shown in Illustrative Fig. 3, which is a zoomed-in version of Fig. 1);
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a position on the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 3) that is located upwardly away from the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 3) by the second distance (second distance, Illustrative Fig. 3) in the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 3) is defined as a second position (second position, Illustrative Fig. 3);
a distance between the reference position (reference position, Illustrative Fig. 3) and the second position (second position, Illustrative Fig. 3) with respect to the first parallel direction (first parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 3) is defined as a second parallel distance (second parallel distance, Illustrative Fig. 3); and
a distance between the reference position (reference position, Illustrative Fig. 3) and the second position (second position, Illustrative Fig. 3) with respect to the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 3) is defined as a second perpendicular distance (second perpendicular distance, Illustrative Fig. 3),
the first slope angle (first slope angle, Illustrative Fig. 3) is an arctangent of a ratio of the second perpendicular distance (second perpendicular distance, Illustrative Fig. 3) to the second parallel distance (second parallel distance, Illustrative Fig. 3: because the shape of the inclined region of the photoelectric conversion film is a triangle in the first cross-section, this relationship is a consequence of trigonometric relation between the distances).
Regarding claim 6, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 3, wherein
Maehara further teaches that in the first cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1),
when:
a position of a lower end of the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) is defined as a reference position (see reference position as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1);
a distance between the upper face (upper face, Illustrative Fig. 1) and the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1) with respect to the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 1) is defined as a reference distance (see reference distance as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1);
90% of the reference distance is defined as a third distance (see third distance as shown in Illustrative Fig. 4, which is a zoomed-in version of Fig. 1);
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a position on the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 4) that is located upwardly away from the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 4) by the third distance (third distance, Illustrative Fig. 4) in the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 4) is defined as a third position (third position, Illustrative Fig. 3);
a distance between the reference position (reference position, Illustrative Fig. 4) and the third position (third position, Illustrative Fig. 4) with respect to the first parallel direction (first parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 4) is defined as a third parallel distance (third parallel distance, Illustrative Fig. 4); and
a distance between the reference position (reference position, Illustrative Fig. 4) and the third position (third position, Illustrative Fig. 4) with respect to the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 4) is defined as a third perpendicular distance (third perpendicular distance, Illustrative Fig. 4),
the first slope angle (first slope angle, Illustrative Fig. 4) is an arctangent of a ratio of the third perpendicular distance (third perpendicular distance, Illustrative Fig. 4) to the third parallel distance (third parallel distance, Illustrative Fig. 4: because the shape of the inclined region of the photoelectric conversion film is a triangle in the first cross-section, this relationship is a consequence of trigonometric relation between the distances).
Regarding claim 7, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 3, wherein
Maehara further teaches that in the first cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1), when a distance (reference distance, Illustrative Fig. 1) between the upper face (upper face, Illustrative Fig. 1) and the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1) with respect to the perpendicular direction (perpendicular direction, Illustrative Fig. 1) is defined as a reference distance (reference distance, Illustrative Fig. 1),
the reference distance (reference distance, Illustrative Fig. 1) is greater than or equal to 0.1 µm and less than or equal to 1.0 µm (about 420nm to 700nm ([0269]); see Fig. 3 (the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107) comprises photoelectric layer 12 and charge blocking layer 15; [0269]).
Regarding claim 10, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein
the combination of Maehara and Hiroshi also teaches that the photoelectric converter further comprises
an electrode (counter electrode 108, Illustrative Fig. 1, [0069]),
wherein the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1) is located above the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1),
wherein the electrode (counter electrode 108, Illustrative Fig. 1) is located above the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1), and
wherein when a region that overlaps the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) in plan view is defined as a first overlap region (see first overlap region 1 as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1),
in the first cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1), the first overlap region of the electrode (first overlap region 1, Illustrative Fig. 1) has at least one face (the bottom surface in contact with the top surface of the sloped region of the organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig 1) with an inclination angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 5° (Illustrative Fig. 1: the inclination angle is the same as the first slope angle of the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi) relative to the first parallel direction (first parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein
the combination of Maehara and Hiroshi also teaches that the photoelectric converter further comprises
an insulating film (buffer layer 109, Illustrative Fig. 1, [0144]: “It is more preferred for the buffer layer 109 to contain one of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride.”),
wherein the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1) is located above the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1),
wherein the insulating film (buffer layer 109, Illustrative Fig. 1) is located above the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1), and
wherein when a region that overlaps the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) in plan view is defined as a first overlap region (see first overlap region 2 in Illustrative Fig. 1),
in the first cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1), the first overlap region of the insulating film (first overlap region 2, Illustrative Fig. 1) has at least one face (the bottom surface of the buffer layer 109 in contact with the top surface of the sloped region of the counter electrode 108, Illustrative Fig 1) with an inclination angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 5° (Illustrative Fig. 1: the inclination angle is the same as the first slope angle of the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi) relative to the first parallel direction (first parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 12, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein
the combination of Maehara and Hiroshi also teaches that the photoelectric converter further comprises
a light-shielding film (light shielding layer 113, Illustrative Fig. 1, [0074]),
wherein the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1) is located above the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1),
wherein the light-shielding film (light shielding layer 113, Illustrative Fig. 1) is located above the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1), and
wherein when a region that overlaps the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) in plan view is defined as a first overlap region (see first overlap region 3 in Illustrative Fig. 1),
in the first cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1), the first overlap region of the light-shielding film (first overlap region 2, Illustrative Fig. 1) has at least one face (the bottom surface of the light shielding layer 113 in contact with the top surface of the sloped region of the sealing layer, Illustrative Fig 1) with an inclination angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 5° relative to the first parallel direction (first parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 1: the inclination angle is the same as the first slope angle of the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi).
Regarding claim 13, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein
Maehara also teaches that the photoelectric converter further comprises
an insulating layer (dielectric layer 102, Illustrative Fig. 1, [0074]),
wherein the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1) includes an upper face (top surface of the dielectric layer 102, Illustrative Fig. 1) of the insulating layer (dielectric layer 102, Illustrative Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 14, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein
the combination of Maehara and Hiroshi also teaches that
in the first cross-section (the cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 1),
the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1) has a second sloped face (see second sloped face as shown in Illustrative Fig. 1),
the first sloped face (first sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) is located in an end portion (left end in Illustrative Fig. 1) of the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1) that projects toward one side (left side in Illustrative Fig. 1) in the first parallel direction (first parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 1),
the second sloped face (second sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) is located in an end portion (right end in Illustrative Fig. 1) of the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1) that projects toward an other side (right side in Illustrative Fig. 1) in the first parallel direction (first parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 1), and
when an inclination angle of the second sloped face (second sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 1) relative to the first parallel direction (first parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 1) is defined as a second slope angle (see second slope angle as labeled in Illustrative Fig. 1),
the second slope angle (second slope angle, Illustrative Fig. 1) is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 5° (Illustrative Fig. 1: the first slope angle and the second slope angle are equal in the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi).
Regarding claim 15, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein
the combination of Maehara and Hiroshi further teaches that
in a second cross-section (the second cross section corresponds to the cross-section along a second parallel direction perpendicular to the first parallel direction, see Illustrative Fig. 5 for these directions, which is an annotated version of Maehara’s Fig. 2, which is the top view of the image sensor of Illustrative Fig. 1, [0079]) parallel to the perpendicular direction (out of the page direction in Illustrative Fig. 5) and orthogonal to the first cross-section (cross-section along the first parallel direction, Illustrative Figs. 1 and 5),
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the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107 (the second cross-section is not shown in any of the figures of Maehara, but a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the pixel region has identical first and second cross-sections, therefore, the cross-section shown in Fig. 1 is used as the second cross-section for the purpose of examination. see Illustrative Fig. 6) has a third sloped face (third sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 6), and
when an inclination angle (inclination angle, Illustrative Fig. 6) of the third sloped face (third sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 6) relative to a second parallel direction parallel (second parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 6) to the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 6) is defined as a third slope angle (third slope angle, Illustrative Fig. 6),
the third slope angle (third slope angle, Illustrative Fig. 6) is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 5° (third slope angle is identical to first slope angle of the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi).
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Regarding claim 16, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 15, wherein
the combination of Maehara and Hiroshi further teaches that in the second cross-section (cross-section shown in Illustrative Fig. 6),
the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 6) has a fourth sloped face (fourth sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 6),
the third sloped face (third sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 6) is located in an end portion (left end in Illustrative Fig. 6) of the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 6) that projects toward one side (left side in Illustrative Fig. 6) in the second parallel direction (second parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 6),
the fourth sloped face (fourth sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 6) is located in an end portion (right end in Illustrative Fig. 6) of the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 6) that projects toward an other side (left side in Illustrative Fig. 6) in the second parallel direction (second parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 6), and
when an inclination angle (fourth slope angle, Illustrative Fig. 6) of the fourth sloped face (fourth sloped face, Illustrative Fig. 6) relative to the second parallel direction (second parallel direction, Illustrative Fig. 6) is defined as a fourth slope angle (fourth slope angle, Illustrative Fig. 6),
the fourth slope angle (fourth slope angle, Illustrative Fig. 6) is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 5° (fourth slope angle is identical to first slope angle of the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi).
Regarding claim 17, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches an image sensor (solid state imaging device with peripheral circuitry, Fig. 2, [0079]) comprising:
the photoelectric converter according to claim 1 (see claim 1 rejection above); and
a detection circuit (readout circuit 116, Fig. 1) that extracts a signal ([0107]: “The charge collected in each pixel electrode is converted to a signal in the respective readout circuit 116.”), the signal being generated through photoelectric conversion ([0107]: “The pixel electrode 104 collects charge carriers, i.e., electrons or holes generated in the organic layer 107 including the photoelectric layer on the pixel electrode 104.”) in the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Fig. 1).
Claims 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maehara (US 2011/0049661 A1) in view of Hiroshi (JP 2002303676 A) as applied to claims 1-7 and 10-17 above, and further in view of Kikuchi (US 2019/0280126 A1).
Regarding claim 8, while Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1,
neither Maehara nor Hiroshi teaches a photoelectric converter
wherein the photoelectric conversion film has a lower face facing the support face, and
wherein in the first cross-section,
the first sloped face has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being connected to the lower face, the second portion being located above the first portion, and
when:
an inclination angle of the first portion relative to the first parallel direction is defined as a first angle; and
an inclination angle of the second portion relative to the first parallel direction is defined as a second angle,
the first angle is less than the second angle.
Kikuchi, on the other hand, teaches a semiconductor device (TFT 101, Fig. 1, [0044]) wherein the side surface coverage of a thin layer (semiconductor layer 7, Fig. 2A, [0052] is improved by composing the side surface in two portions (lower oxide semiconductor layer 71 and upper oxide semiconductor layer 72, Fig. 2A, [0053]), where the slope angle of the lower portion (slope angle θ1, Fig. 2A, [0053]) is different and smaller than the slope angle of the upper portion (slope angle θ2, Fig. 2A, [0053]). Kikuchi, further discloses that this configuration causes the side surface of the semiconductor layer 7 to slope more gently on the substrate 1 side (Figs. 1C and 2A), and it is therefore possible to improve the coverage of the protection film such as the inorganic insulating layer 11 covering the TFT 101 (Fig. 1C, [0053]).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would realize that the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi also includes a protection layer (sealing layer 110, Fig. 1, see [0131]), and the method of Kikuchi can be applied to the sloped faces of the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi to improve the coverage by the sealing layer. Accordingly, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would be motivated to form two sloped portions in the first sloped face of the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi, as taught by Kikuchi, such that
the photoelectric conversion film has a lower face facing the support face, and
in the first cross-section,
the first sloped face has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being connected to the lower face, the second portion being located above the first portion, and
when:
an inclination angle of the first portion relative to the first parallel direction is defined as a first angle; and
an inclination angle of the second portion relative to the first parallel direction is defined as a second angle,
the first angle is less than the second angle.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maehara (US 2011/0049661 A1) in view of Hiroshi (JP 2002303676 A) as applied to claims 1-7 and 10-17 above, and further in view of Yamazaki (US 2021/0020665 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Maehara in view of Hiroshi teaches the photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein
Maehara further teaches that the photoelectric conversion film has a lower face (bottom surface of the organic layer 107, Illustrative Fig. 1) facing the support face (support face, Illustrative Fig. 1).
neither Maehara nor Hiroshi teaches that
in the first cross-section, the first sloped face has a concave portion connected to the lower face.
Yamazaki, on the other hand, teaches a semiconductor device (transistor 100B, Fig. 5A1, [0129]) wherein the side surface coverage of a thin layer (the surface of insulating layer 103a, Fig. 5A1, [0129] is improved by gently curving the side surface (forming a concave portion)at the bottom corner of the side surface (at the transition from side surface region 103a to upper surface region 103b, Fig. 5A1, [0129]: “When the side surface of the region 103a is gently curved and the side surface of the region 103a and the upper surface of the region 103b are continuously connected as described above, the coverage with the films positioned above the insulating layer 103 can be further increased.”).
Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would realize that the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi also includes a film layers (counter electrode 108, buffer layer 109, and sealing layer 110, Fig. 1, see [0131]) above the photoelectric conversion film (organic layer 107, Fig. 1), and the method of Yamazaki can be applied to the gently curve the first sloped face of the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi to improve the coverage by the counter electrode 108, buffer layer 109, and sealing layer 110. Accordingly, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would be motivated to form a concave portion in the first sloped face of the photoelectric converter of Maehara in view of Hiroshi, as taught by Yamazaki, such that
in the first cross-section, the first sloped face has a concave portion connected to the lower face.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Isono (US 2015/0002719 A1) teaches a solid-state imaging device including a photoelectric conversion layer with sloped side surfaces, which is relevant to all claims.
Takamasa (JP 2003017678 A) teaches a photoelectric conversion element including a photoelectric conversion layer with sloped side surfaces, which is relevant to all claims.
Shigenori (JP 2014216602 A) teaches an imaging device including a photoelectric conversion layer with sloped side surfaces, which is relevant to all claims.
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/ILKER NMN OZDEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2812
/William B Partridge/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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