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 Objections
Applicant is advised that should claim 3 be found allowable, claim 19 will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
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Claims 1-21 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3-17 and 19-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,249,616 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because patented claims 1, 3-17 and 19-20 anticipate instant claims 1-21.
Instant Application
US 12,249,616 B2
1. A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising: a first substrate including a first semiconductor layer including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units and a first wiring structure; a second substrate including a second semiconductor layer including a plurality of pixel circuits disposed to respectively correspond to the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, and a second wiring structure; and a third substrate including a third semiconductor layer including a signal processing circuit configured to process output signals from the plurality of pixel circuits, and a third wiring structure; wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are stacked in such a manner that the first wiring structure and the second wiring structure are disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, wherein the second substrate and the third substrate are stacked in such a manner that the third wiring structure is disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer, and wherein a first through wire penetrating through the second semiconductor layer and connected to a wire included in the second wiring structure, and a semiconductor element overlapping the first through wire in a planar view and included in the first semiconductor layer, are disposed.
1.A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising: a first substrate including a first semiconductor layer including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units and a first wiring structure; a second substrate including a second semiconductor layer including a plurality of pixel circuits disposed to respectively correspond to the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, and a second wiring structure; and a third substrate including a third semiconductor layer including a signal processing circuit configured to process output signals from the plurality of pixel circuits, and a third wiring structure; wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion units each includes an avalanche photodiode (claim 2), wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are stacked in such a manner that the first wiring structure and the second wiring structure are disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, wherein the second substrate and the third substrate are stacked in such a manner that the third wiring structure is disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer, and wherein a first through wire penetrating through the third semiconductor layer (claim 9) and a semiconductor element overlapping the first through wire in a planar view are disposed.
2. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Clain1, wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion units each includes an avalanche photodiode.
Claim 1
3. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Clain1, wherein the semiconductor element is a photoelectric conversion element.
17. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor element is a photoelectric conversion element.
4. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 3, further comprising: a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels including the plurality of photoelectric conversion units are disposed, wherein the first wiring structure includes a plurality of first bonding portions, wherein the second wiring structure includes a plurality of second bonding portions, wherein a plurality of metal bonding portions are formed by respectively bonding the plurality of first bonding portions and the plurality of second bonding portions, and wherein the plurality of metal bonding portions disposed in the pixel region are disposed to respectively correspond to the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in a planar view.
9. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels including the plurality of photoelectric conversion units are disposed, wherein the first wiring structure includes a plurality of first bonding portions, wherein the second wiring structure includes a plurality of second bonding portions, wherein a plurality of metal bonding portions are formed by respectively bonding the plurality of first bonding portions and the plurality of second bonding portions, and wherein the plurality of metal bonding portions disposed in the pixel region are disposed to respectively correspond to the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in a planar view.
5. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 3, further comprising: a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels including the plurality of photoelectric conversion units are disposed, and a peripheral region disposed between the pixel region and a chip end of the photoelectric conversion apparatus, wherein the first wiring structure includes a plurality of first bonding portions, wherein the second wiring structure includes a plurality of second bonding portions, wherein a plurality of metal bonding portions are portions formed by respectively bonding the plurality of first bonding portions and the plurality of second bonding portions, and wherein the plurality of metal bonding portions are disposed in the peripheral region.
10. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels including the plurality of photoelectric conversion units are disposed, and a peripheral region disposed between the pixel region and a chip end of the photoelectric conversion apparatus, wherein the first wiring structure includes a plurality of first bonding portions, wherein the second wiring structure includes a plurality of second bonding portions, wherein a plurality of metal bonding portions are portions formed by respectively bonding the plurality of first bonding portions and the plurality of second bonding portions, and wherein the plurality of metal bonding portions are disposed in the peripheral region.
6. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the second wiring structure includes a plurality of third bonding portions, wherein the third wiring structure includes a plurality of fourth bonding portions, and wherein a plurality of metal bonding portions are formed by respectively bonding the plurality of third bonding portions and the plurality of fourth bonding portions.
11. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels including the plurality of photoelectric conversion units are disposed, wherein the second wiring structure includes a plurality of third bonding portions, wherein the third wiring structure includes a plurality of fourth bonding portions, and wherein a plurality of metal bonding portions are formed by respectively bonding the plurality of third bonding portions and the plurality of fourth bonding portions.
7. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of third bonding portions electrically connects with a wire of the first wiring structure via a third through wire penetrating through the second semiconductor layer, and wherein an insulator is disposed between the third through wire and the second semiconductor layer.
12. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of third bonding portions electrically connects with a wire of the first wiring structure via a third through wire penetrating through the second semiconductor layer, and wherein an insulator is disposed between the third through wire and the second semiconductor layer.
8. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim1, further comprising a second through wire penetrating through the third semiconductor layer.
3. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second through wire is wire penetrating through the third semiconductor layer.
9. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein the first through wire is wire penetrating through the third semiconductor layer.
Claim 1
10. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first through wire is a wire formed toward the third wiring structure from a surface of the third semiconductor layer that is on a side opposite to a side with the third wiring structure.
4. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second through wire is a wire formed toward the third wiring structure from a surface of the third semiconductor layer that is on a side opposite to a side with the third wiring structure.
11. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first through wire is a wire configured to input signals output from the plurality of pixel circuits of the second substrate to the signal processing circuit of the third substrate.
5. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second through wire is a wire configured to input signals output from the plurality of pixel circuits of the second substrate to the signal processing circuit of the third substrate.
12. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first through wire is a wire configured to supply a drive voltage for the plurality of pixel circuits of the second substrate and a drive voltage for the signal processing circuit of the third substrate.
6. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second through wire is a wire configured to supply a drive voltage for the plurality of pixel circuits of the second substrate and a drive voltage for the signal processing circuit of the third substrate.
13. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising: a third through wire penetrating through the third semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, wherein the third through wire is a wire configured to supply a voltage to a wire included in the second wiring structure.
7. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a third through wire penetrating through the third semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, wherein the third through wire is a wire configured to supply a voltage to a wire included in the second wiring structure.
14. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 13, further comprising: a fourth through wire penetrating through the second semiconductor layer, wherein the fourth through wire is a wire configured to supply a voltage to a wire included in the third wiring structure, and wherein the third through wire and the fourth through wire are not electrically connected
8. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: a fourth through wire penetrating through the second semiconductor layer, wherein the fourth through wire is a wire configured to supply a voltage to a wire included in the third wiring structure, and wherein the third through wire and the fourth through wire are not electrically connected.
15. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 1,wherein a first connection number as a number of wires connecting a wire of the first wiring structure and a wire of the second wiring structure via bonded surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate is larger than a second connection number as a number of wires connecting a wire of the second wiring structure and a wire of the third wiring structure via bonded surfaces of the second substrate and the third substrate.
13. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first connection number as a number of wires connecting a wire of the first wiring structure and a wire of the second wiring structure via bonded surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate is larger than a second connection number as a number of wires connecting a wire of the second wiring structure and a wire of the third wiring structure via bonded surfaces of the second substrate and the third substrate.
16. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Clain15, further comprising: a pixel region in which the plurality of photoelectric conversion units are disposed, wherein, in the pixel region, the first connection number is larger than the second connection number.
14. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: a pixel region in which the plurality of photoelectric conversion units are disposed, wherein, in the pixel region, the first connection number is larger than the second connection number.
17. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising: a time measurement circuit, wherein the time measurement circuit is disposed in the second substrate, and the time measurement circuit is shared by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units.
15. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a time measurement circuit, wherein the time measurement circuit is disposed in the second substrate, and the time measurement circuit is shared by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units.
18. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 17, wherein the time measurement circuit shared by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units and at least part of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units sharing the time measurement circuit are disposed with overlapping in a planar view.
16. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the time measurement circuit shared by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units and at least part of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units sharing the time measurement circuit are disposed with overlapping in a planar view.
19. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the semiconductor element is a photoelectric conversion element.
17. The photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor element is a photoelectric conversion element.
20. A photoelectric conversion system comprising: the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to Claim 1; and a signal processing unit configured to process a signal output from the photoelectric conversion apparatus.
19. A photoelectric conversion system comprising: the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1; and a signal processing unit configured to process a signal output from the photoelectric conversion apparatus.
21. A movable body comprising: the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1; and a distance information acquisition unit configured to acquire distance information on a distance from a target object, from distance measurement information based on a signal from the photoelectric conversion apparatus, wherein a control unit configured to control the movable body based on the distance information is further disposed.
20. A movable body comprising: the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1; and a distance information acquisition unit configured to acquire distance information on a distance from a target object, from distance measurement information based on a signal from the photoelectric conversion apparatus, wherein a control unit configured to control the movable body based on the distance information is further disposed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Wang et al. (Patent Pub. No. US 2013/0285180 A1) discloses fabricating backside illuminated image sensor involving providing first chip comprising photo active region and first transistor of an image sensor coupled to photo active region and forming first bonding pad on a first side of first chip.
Kobayashi (Patent Pub. No. US 2019/0253657 A1) discloses a photoelectric conversion apparatus that ensures improved accuracy of the output signals due to reduced delay in the supply of the control signal and reduced deformation of the waveform of the control signal.
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/SEUNG C SOHN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878
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