DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ishimura et al. ( Ishimura, US 2008/0303059).
Regarding claim 1, Ishimura shows a light receiving element comprising: a substrate (substrate 21 in FIG. 5); a first electrode metal (electrode 19) formed on a top surface of the substrate (substrate 21); a semiconductor layer ( semiconductor layer 11/12/13) bonded to a top surface of the first electrode metal (electrode 19); and a second electrode metal (electrode 17) formed on a top surface of the semiconductor layer (semiconductor layer 11/12/13), wherein the semiconductor layer includes a first semiconductor contact layer (cathode 16/ side contact 22) in contact with the first electrode metal (electrode 19) a second semiconductor contact layer (contact layer 23) in contact with the second electrode metal (electrode 17), and a semiconductor absorbing layer (layer 11-13) between the first semiconductor contact layer and the second semiconductor contact layer (see FIG. 5), and the first electrode metal has an extraction path for propagating a signal to an anode electrode (anode electrode 17) or a cathode electrode (cathode electrode 16).
Regarding claims 4-5, Ishimura shows a light receiving element comprising: a substrate (substrate 21 in FIG. 5); a first electrode pad ( pad 22) connected to the first electrode metal (electrode 19); and a second electrode pad ( pad connected to wire 25) connected to the second electrode metal (electrode 17), wherein the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad are formed at positions where a distance between top surfaces of the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad and the top surface of the substrate is smaller than a distance between a top surface of the second semiconductor contact layer and the top surface of the substrate (see FIG. 5).
Regarding claim 6, Ishimura shows a light receiving element comprising, wherein the first semiconductor contact layer includes a selectively doped region (regions 11-13).
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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 2 -3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishimura et al. ( Ishimura, US 2008/0303059) in view of Baumheinrich et al. (US 2022/0102583).
Regarding claim 2, Ishimura teaches a light receiving element , but fails to teach an antireflection film formed on the second semiconductor contact layer.
Baumheinrich teaches an antireflection film (film 37 in FIG. 25A) formed on the second semiconductor contact layer (contact layer 13d).
At the time the invention was made, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to add an antireflection film on the contact layer, because it would protect the contact layer without blocking the light.
Regarding claim 3, Ishimura teaches a light receiving element , but fails to teach the first electrode metal includes gold having a thickness of at least 30 nm. Baumheinrich taches teach the first electrode metal includes gold ([0247]) having a thickness of at least 30 nm ([0244])
At the time the invention was made, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to use gold material in the conductive element, because it would provide improved electrical conductivity as taught by Baumheinrich .
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIAS M ULLAH whose telephone number is (571)272-1415. The examiner can normally be reached M-F at 8AM-5PM EST.
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/ELIAS ULLAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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