DETAILED ACTION
Summary
Applicant’s election of Species A1 and Species B2, without traverse, in the response filed June 5, 2026 has been acknowledged.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending while claims 6, 11, 14, and 20 have been withdrawn from consideration.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10, 12, 13, and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the first digit structures" and “the second digit structures” on line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Dependent claims are rejected for dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7, 9, 10, 16, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (CN 118763133 A included in Applicant submitted IDS filed June 5, 2026).
With regard to claim 1, Wang et al. discloses a back-contact solar cell comprising:
a substrate (10, Fig. 1);
a first emitter structure disposed on a first surface of the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 1, a first emitter structure, left most 20 connected to electrode 80, disposed on a first bottom surface F of the cited substrate 10);
a second emitter structure disposed on the first surface of the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 1, a second emitter structure 30 disposed on the cited first bottom surface F of the cited substrate 10), wherein
a doping type of the first emitter structure is opposite to a doping type of the second emitter structure (see [0060] teaching a doping type of the cited first emitter structure is opposite to a doping type of the cited second emitter structure 30),
the first emitter structure and the second emitter structure are alternately disposed and spaced apart from each other in a first preset direction (as depicted in Fig. 1 and implicit in Fig. 2, the cited first emitter structure and the cited second emitter structure 30 are alternately disposed and spaced apart from each other in a first preset direction, the horizontal direction in Fig. 1 corresponding to the vertical direction in Fig. 2), and
an insulative isolating groove is defined between the first emitter structure and the second emitter structure (as depicted in Fig. 1, an insulative isolating groove at 50 is defined between, physically intermittent, the cited first emitter structure and the cited second emitter structure 30); and
a marking structure disposed in the insulative isolating groove and spaced apart from both the first emitter structure and the second emitter structure (as depicted in Fig. 1, a marking structure 50 disposed in the cited insulative isolating groove and spaced apart from both the cited first emitter structure and the cited second emitter structure 30).
With regard to claim 1, Wang et al. discloses a back-contact solar cell comprising:
a substrate (10, Fig. 1);
a first emitter structure disposed on a first surface of the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, a first emitter structure, left most 20 connected to electrode 80, disposed on a first bottom surface F of the cited substrate 10);
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Annotated Fig. 1
a second emitter structure disposed on the first surface of the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 1, a second emitter structure 30 disposed on the cited first bottom surface F of the cited substrate 10), wherein
a doping type of the first emitter structure is opposite to a doping type of the second emitter structure (see [0060] teaching a doping type of the cited first emitter structure is opposite to a doping type of the cited second emitter structure 30),
the first emitter structure and the second emitter structure are alternately disposed and spaced apart from each other in a first preset direction (as depicted in Fig. 1 and implicit in Fig. 2, the cited first emitter structure and the cited second emitter structure 30 are alternately disposed and spaced apart from each other in a first preset direction, the horizontal direction in Fig. 1 corresponding to the vertical direction in Fig. 2), and
an insulative isolating groove is defined between the first emitter structure and the second emitter structure (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, an insulative isolating groove is defined between, physically intermittent, the cited first emitter structure and the cited second emitter structure 30); and
a marking structure disposed in the insulative isolating groove and spaced apart from both the first emitter structure and the second emitter structure (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, a marking structure disposed in the cited insulative isolating groove and spaced apart from both the cited first emitter structure and the cited second emitter structure 30).
With regard to claim 2, Wang et al. discloses wherein
a bottom of the insulative isolating groove includes a first portion and a second portion (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, a bottom of the insulative isolating groove includes a first portion where layer 20 is removed and a second portion where layer 20 is not removed),
the first portion extends to the first surface in a thickness direction of the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, the cited first portion extends to the cited first bottom surface F in a thickness direction of the cited substrate 10),
the marking structure is located at the second portion and protrudes from the first surface towards a direction away from the substrate along the thickness direction of the substrate (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, the cited marking structure is located at the cited second portion and protrudes from the cited first bottom surface F towards a direction away from the cited substrate 10 along the thickness direction of the cited substrate 10).
With regard to claim 3, Wang et al. discloses wherein
a reflectivity of a surface of the marking structure away from the substrate is different from a reflectivity of a surface of the first portion (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, a reflectivity of a bottom planar surface of the cited marking structure away from the cited substrate 10 is different from a reflectivity of a bottom textured surface of the cited first portion).
With regard to claim 4, Wang et al. discloses wherein
the reflectivity of the surface of the marking structure away from the substrate is greater than the reflectivity of the surface of the first portion; and/or the surface of the marking structure away from the substrate is a polished surface; and at least a part of the surface of the first portion has a textured surface structure; and/or an average roughness of the surface of the marking structure away from the substrate is less than an average roughness of the surface of the first portion (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, an average roughness of the cited bottom planar surface of the cited marking structure away from the substrate 10 is less than an average roughness of the cited bottom textured surface of the cited first portion).
With regard to claim 5, Wang et al. discloses wherein
the first emitter structure includes a first tunneling oxide layer and a first doped polysilicon layer, the first tunneling oxide layer and the first doped polysilicon layer are stacked on the first surface (see [0078] teaching the cited first emitter structure includes a first tunneling oxide material layer and a first doped polycrystalline silicon layer, the cited first tunneling oxide material layer and the cited first doped polycrystalline silicon layer are stacked on the cited first bottom surface F); and
the marking structure includes a first layer and a second layer, the first layer and the second layer are stacked on the first surface, the first layer and the first tunneling oxide layer are made of a same material, and the second layer and the first doped polysilicon layer are made of a same material (see Fig. 1, annotated Fig. 1, and [0078] teaching the cited marking structure includes a first layer and a second layer, the first layer and the second layer are stacked on the cited first bottom surface F, the cited first layer and the cited first tunneling oxide material layer are made of a same material, and the cited second layer and the cited first doped polycrystalline silicon layer are made of a same material).
With regard to claim 7, Wang et al. discloses wherein
a distance between the marking structure and the first emitter structure is greater than 20 μm, and a distance between the marking structure and the second emitter structure is greater than 20 μm (see [0107] teaching “10-200 µm” which includes values greater than 20 µm).
With regard to claim 9, Wang et al. discloses further comprising
a first electrode and a second electrode (as depicted in Fig. 1, a first electrode 80 and a second electrode 90); wherein
the first electrode is disposed on a side of the first emitter structure away from the substrate, and is electrically connected to a doped layer of the first emitter structure (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, the cited first electrode 80 is disposed on a side of the cited first emitter structure away from the cited substrate 10, and is electrically connected to a doped layer, the cited polycrystalline silicon layer, of the cited first emitter structure); and
the second electrode is disposed on a side of the second emitter structure away from the substrate, and is electrically connected to a doped layer of the second emitter structure (as depicted in Fig. 1 and annotated Fig. 1, the cited second electrode 90 is disposed on a side of the cited second emitter structure 30 away from the cited substrate 10, and is electrically connected to a doped layer of the cited second emitter structure 30; see [0105]).
With regard to claim 10, Wang et al. discloses wherein
the first emitter structure includes a first main structure and first digit structures (as depicted in Fig. 1, annotated Fig. 1, and implicit in Fig. 2, the cited first emitter structure 20 includes a first main structure corresponding to a first busbar 81 and first digit structures corresponding to first finger electrodes 82), and
the second emitter structure includes a second main structure and second digit structures (as depicted in Fig. 1, annotated Fig. 1, and implicit in Fig. 2, the cited second emitter structure 30 includes a second main structure corresponding to second busbar 91 and second digit structures corresponding to second finger electrodes 92);
the first main structure of the first emitter structure and the second main structure of the second emitter structure are alternately disposed and spaced apart from each other in the first preset direction (as depicted in Fig. 1, annotated Fig. 1, and implicit in Fig. 2, the cited first main structure of the first emitter structure and the cited second main structure of the second emitter structure are alternately disposed and spaced apart from each other in the cited first preset direction);
each first main structure is connected to at least two of the first digit structures, the at least two of the first digit structures are spaced apart from each other in a second preset direction (as depicted in Fig. 1, annotated Fig. 1, and implicit in Fig. 2, each cited first main structure is connected to at least two of the cited first digit structures, the cited at least two of the first digit structures are spaced apart from each other in a second preset direction perpendicular to the cited first preset direction), and
each second main structure is connected to at least two of the second digit structures, the at least two of the second digit structures are spaced apart from each other in the second preset direction (as depicted in Fig. 1, annotated Fig. 1, and implicit in Fig. 2, each cited second main structure is connected to at least two of the cited second digit structures, the cited at least two of the second digit structures are spaced apart from each other in the cited second preset direction), and
the first preset direction and the second preset direction intersect with each other and are both perpendicular to a thickness direction of the back-contact solar cell (as depicted in Fig. 1, annotated Fig. 1, and Fig. 2, the cited first preset direction and the cited second preset direction intersect with each other perpendicularly and are both perpendicular to a thickness direction of the back-contact solar cell);
the first digit structures and the second digit structures that are located between the first main structure and the second main structure that are adjacent to each other are interdigitated with each other in the first preset direction (as depicted in Fig. 1, annotated Fig. 1, and implicit in Fig. 2, the cited first digit structures and the cited second digit structures that are located between the cited first main structure and the cited second main structure that are adjacent to each other are interdigitated with each other in the cited first preset direction); and
the marking structure is located in a region where the first digit structure and the second digit structure that are interdigitated with each other (as depicted in Fig. 1, annotated Fig. 1, and implicit in Fig. 2, the cited marking structure is located in a region where the cited first digit structure and the cited second digit structure that are interdigitated with each other).
With regard to claim 16, Wang et al. discloses wherein
the first electrode includes a first busbar and first finger electrodes (as depicted in Fig. 2, the cited first electrode 80 includes a first busbar 81 and first finger electrodes 82), and
the second electrode includes a second busbar and second finger electrodes (as depicted in Fig. 2, the cited second electrode 90 includes a second busbar 91 and second finger electrodes 92);
the first busbar and the second busbar are alternately disposed and spaced apart from each other in the first preset direction (as depicted in Fig. 2, the cited first busbar 81 and the cited second busbar 91 are alternately disposed and spaced apart from each other in the cited first preset direction);
each first busbar is connected to at least two of the first finger electrodes, the at least two of the first finger electrodes are spaced apart from each other in a second preset direction (as depicted in Fig. 2, each first busbar 81 is connected to at least two of the first finger electrodes 82, the at least two of the first finger electrodes 82 are spaced apart from each other in a second preset direction perpendicular to the cited first preset direction),
each second busbar is connected to at least two of the second finger electrodes, the at least two of the first finger electrodes are spaced apart from each other in a second preset direction (as depicted in Fig. 2, each second busbar 91 is connected to at least two of the second finger electrodes 92, the at least two of the first finger electrodes 82 are spaced apart from each other in a second preset direction perpendicular to the cited first preset direction), and
the first preset direction and the second preset direction intersect with each other and are both perpendicular to a thickness direction of the back-contact solar cell (as depicted in Fig. 2, the first preset direction and the second preset direction intersect with each other perpendicularly and are both perpendicular to a thickness direction of the back-contact solar cell);
the first finger electrodes and the second finger electrodes located between the first busbar and the second busbar are interdigitated with each other (as depicted in Fig. 2, the first finger electrodes 82 and the second finger electrodes 92 located between the first busbar 81 and the second busbar 91 are interdigitated with each other); and
the marking structure is located in a region where the first finger electrodes and the second finger electrodes are interdigitated with each other (as depicted in Fig. 2, the cited marking structure is located in a region where the first finger electrodes 82 and the second finger electrodes 92 are interdigitated with each other).
With regard to claim 17, Wang et al. discloses wherein
the marking structure is located between one first finger electrode and one second finger electrode adjacent to each other in the second preset direction (the cited marking structure is located between, physically intermittent, one first finger electrode 82 and one second finger electrode 92 adjacent to each other in the cited second preset direction).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 12, 13, 15, 18, and 19 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:
Claim 7 requires a back-contact solar cell comprising a first emitter structure, a second emitter structure, an insulative isolating groove, a marking structure, wherein a thickness of a first inward diffusion layer is greater than a thickness of a second inward diffusion layer, wherein the thickness of the first inward diffusion layer is in a range from 50 nm to 200 nm and the thickness of the second inward diffusion layer is in a range from 20 nm to 100 nm, and in combination with the remaining limitations of claim 8.
The prior art, including Wang et al. of records, teaches a back-contact solar cell comprising a first emitter structure 20, a second emitter structure 30, an insulative isolating groove, a marking structure (recall Fig. 1), but does not teach wherein a thickness of a first inward diffusion layer is greater than a thickness of a second inward diffusion layer, wherein the thickness of the first inward diffusion layer is in a range from 50 nm to 200 nm and the thickness of the second inward diffusion layer is in a range from 20 nm to 100 nm, and in combination with the remaining limitations of claim 8 and it would not have been an obvious modification.
Claim 12, from which claims 13 and 15 depend, requires a back-contact solar cell comprising a first emitter structure, a second emitter structure, an insulative isolating groove, a marking structure, wherein the marking structure is located at an end of the first digit structure away from the first main structure in the first preset direction or the marking structure is located at an end of the second digit structure away from the second main structure in the first preset direction, and in combination with the remaining limitations of claim 12.
The prior art, including Wang et al. of records, teaches a back-contact solar cell comprising a first emitter structure 20, a second emitter structure 30, an insulative isolating groove, a marking structure (recall Fig. 1), but does not teach wherein the marking structure is located at an end of the first digit structure away from the first main structure in the first preset direction or the marking structure is located at an end of the second digit structure away from the second main structure in the first preset direction, and in combination with the remaining limitations of claim 12 and it would not have been an obvious modification.
Claim 18, from which claim 19 depends, requires a back-contact solar cell comprising a first emitter structure, a second emitter structure, an insulative isolating groove, a marking structure, wherein the marking structure is located at an end of the marking structure is located at an end of one first finger electrode away from the first busbar in the first preset direction, and a distance between a center of the marking structure and the first busbar is greater than or equal to a distance between the center of the marking structure and the second busbar; or the marking structure is located at an end of one second finger electrode away from the second busbar in the first preset direction, and a distance between a center of the marking structure and the second busbar is greater than or equal to a distance between the center of the marking structure and the first busbar, and in combination with the remaining limitations of claim 18.
The prior art, including Wang et al. of records, teaches a back-contact solar cell comprising a first emitter structure 20, a second emitter structure 30, an insulative isolating groove, a marking structure (recall Fig. 1), but does not teach wherein the marking structure is located at an end of the marking structure is located at an end of one first finger electrode away from the first busbar in the first preset direction, and a distance between a center of the marking structure and the first busbar is greater than or equal to a distance between the center of the marking structure and the second busbar; or the marking structure is located at an end of one second finger electrode away from the second busbar in the first preset direction, and a distance between a center of the marking structure and the second busbar is greater than or equal to a distance between the center of the marking structure and the first busbar, and in combination with the remaining limitations of claim 18 and it would not have been an obvious modification.
Conclusion
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/DUSTIN Q DAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721 August 21, 2026
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