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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I directed to claims 1-12 in the reply filed on 31 March 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 13-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1 and 5-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al (JP 2023164955A, reference made to attached English machine translation), and further in view of Shen et al (Investigation of O3-Al2O3/H2O-Al2O3 dielectric bilayer deposited by atomic-layer deposition for GaN MOS capacitors, Phys. Status Solidi A 213, No. 10, 2693–2698 (2016)) and as further evidenced by Grabowski et al (US 2017/0279082).
Regarding claim 1 Liu discloses a method for processing a solar cell comprising:
forming a first oxide layer over the solar cell (paragraphs bridging pages 2-3 of the translation and top portion of page 5 of translation, Figs. 2-3 see: forming first passivation layer 204 of alumina over solar cell substrate 202), wherein forming the first oxide layer includes oxidizing a precursor material with a first oxidizer (page 5 of translation, steps 402 and 404 see: first passivation layer 204 formed with a first precursor such as trimethyl aluminum (TMA) oxidized by at least one of water and ozone); and
forming a second oxide layer over the first oxide layer (paragraphs bridging pages 2-3 of the translation and top portion of page 5 of translation, Figs. 2-3 see: forming second passivation layer 206 of alumina over first passivation layer 204).
Regarding the claim 1 recitation “wherein forming the second oxide layer includes oxidizing the precursor material with a second oxidizer” Liu discloses in the paragraph bridging pages 9-10 of the translation that the second manufacturing process forming the alumina second passivation layer 206 includes forming the layer with atomic layer deposition and thus ALD of the alumina second passivation layer 206 will include oxidizing a TMA precursor with at least one of water and ozone as the formation of the first passivation layer 204.
In the alternative where it’s not clear the second oxide includes oxidizing the precursor material with a second oxidizer, Shen discloses forming an H2O-Al2O3/O3- Al2O3 insulating bilayer where the first Al2O3 layer is formed with TMA and H2O as an oxidizer and the second Al2O3 layer is formed with TMA and O3 as the oxidizer (Shen, Abstract, Experimental section on page 2694, Fig. 1). Shen teaches Al2O3 formed with O3 has better insulating properties than Al2O3 formed with H2O, but strong oxidizers such as O3 can damage the Al2O3/Si device interface and the H2O-Al2O3/O3-Al2O3 insulating bilayer combines the advantages of H2O-Al2O3 and O3-Al2O3 to improve the bilayers insulating characteristics while avoiding damaging the Al2O3 device interface (Shen, See introduction section).
Shen and Liu are combinable as they are both concerned with the field of forming Al2O3 bilayers on semiconductor devices.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the method of Liu in view of Shen such that step of forming the second oxide layer in Liu includes oxidizing the precursor material with a second oxidizer as in Shen (Shen, Abstract, Experimental section on page 2694, Fig. 1) as Shen teaches this combines the advantages of H2O-Al2O3 and O3-Al2O3 to improve the bilayers insulating characteristics while avoiding damaging the Al2O3 device interface (Shen, See introduction section).
Regarding the claim 1 recitation “wherein the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer form a moisture barrier” Grabowski teaches in paras [0056], [0058] aluminum oxide is a known material with good moisture barrier properties for encapsulating photovoltaic devices.
As such, the alumina passivation layers 204, 206 of modified Liu will inherently display the material property of being a good moisture barrier and thus the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer form a moisture barrier in modified Liu. See MPEP 2112.
Regarding claim 5 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the precursor material comprises trimethylaluminum (TMA) (Liu, page 5 of translation, steps 402 and 404 see: first passivation layer 204 formed with a first precursor such as trimethyl aluminum (TMA) also see experimental section of Shen.
Regarding claim 6 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 1, and Shen discloses wherein the first oxidizer comprises water (Shen, Abstract, Experimental section on page 2694, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 1, and Shen discloses wherein the second oxidizer comprises ozone (Shen, Abstract, Experimental section on page 2694, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 1, wherein forming the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer includes depositing the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer by atomic layer deposition or chemical vapor deposition (Liu, page 5 and paragraph bridging pages 9-10 of the translation see: alumina passivation layers 204, 206 formed with ALD and layer 206 can be formed with CVD).
Regarding claim 9 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 1, wherein a first thickness of the first oxide layer is less than a second thickness of the second oxide layer (Liu, page 11 of translation see: the first thickness of the first passivation layer 204 is less than the second thickness of the second passivation layer 206).
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al (JP 2023164955A, reference made to attached English machine translation), in view of Shen et al (Investigation of O3-Al2O3/H2O-Al2O3 dielectric bilayer deposited by atomic-layer deposition for GaN MOS capacitors, Phys. Status Solidi A 213, No. 10, 2693–2698 (2016)) as evidenced by Grabowski et al (US 2017/0279082) as applied to claims 1 and 5-9 above, and further in view of Tan et al (US 2024/0065008).
Regarding claim 2 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 1, and although Liu discloses the solar cell as a silicon cell, Liu does not explicitly disclose said silicon solar cell as a silicon subcell stacked in tandem with a perovskite subcell, the perovskite subcell being located over the silicon subcell.
However, Tan teaches it is known to stack perovskite subcells over silicon cells to form tandem solar cells (Tan, [0071] Fig. 1 see: first cell having a perovskite photelectric conversion layer 10 stacked over second cell having a silicon second photoelectric conversion material).
Tan and modified Liu are combinable as they are both concerned with the field of solar cells.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the method of Liu in view of Tan such that the silicon solar cell of Liu is formed as a silicon subcell stacked in tandem with a perovskite subcell, the perovskite subcell being located over the silicon subcell as in Tan (Tan, [0071] Fig. 1 see: first cell having a perovskite photelectric conversion layer 10 stacked over second cell having a silicon second photoelectric conversion material) for the express purpose of forming a more efficient solar cell with improved light absorption compared to a single junction cell.
Regarding claim 3 modified Liu discloses method of claim 2, and Tan further discloses wherein the solar cell further includes a top electrode layer formed over the perovskite subcell (Tan, [0108], Fig. 1 see: transparent conductive layer 12), and a top metal pattern formed over the top electrode layer (Tan, [0108], Fig. 1 see: at least one top metal electrode 11 formed on the transparent conductive layer 12).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al (JP 2023164955A, reference made to attached English machine translation), in view of Shen et al (Investigation of O3-Al2O3/H2O-Al2O3 dielectric bilayer deposited by atomic-layer deposition for GaN MOS capacitors, Phys. Status Solidi A 213, No. 10, 2693–2698 (2016)) as evidenced by Grabowski et al (US 2017/0279082) in view of Tan et al (US 2024/0065008) as applied to claims 1-3 and 5-9 above, and further in view of Kim (WO 2022/255804A1, reference made to equivalent English translation US 2025/0098395) and further in view of Asgarimoghaddam (Effect of different oxygen precursors on alumina deposited using a spatial atomic layer deposition system for thin-film encapsulation of perovskite solar cells, Nanotechnology 35 (2024) 095401).
Regarding claim 4 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 3, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the first oxide layer directly contacts the top electrode layer and the top metal pattern.
However, Kim discloses forming moisture barrier layers over perovskite solar cells, including on transparent electrodes and metal electrodes (Kim, [0004], [0006], [0048], [0062] Fig. 1 see: first encapsulation layer 410 of encapsulation layer 400 directly contacting first electrode 301, second electrode 305 and first and second terminals 306, 307). Kim discloses such layers prevent the perovskite layer of the solar cell from penetration of external oxygen or water (Kim, [0002]-[0004]).
Additionally, Asgarimoghaddam teaches it was known to use ALD deposited aluminum oxide layers as moisture barriers for perovskite solar cells (see Abstract).
Kim, Asgarimoghaddam and modified Liu are combinable as they are both concerned with the field of solar cells.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the method of Liu in view of Kim such that the first oxide layer is formed to directly contact the top electrode layer and the top metal pattern of modified Liu as Kim discloses it was known to form such moisture barrier layers over perovskite solar cells, including on their transparent electrodes and metal electrodes (Kim, [0004], [0006], [0048], [0062] Fig. 1 see: first encapsulation layer 410 of encapsulation layer 400 directly contacting first electrode 301, second electrode 305 and first and second terminals 306, 307) to prevent the perovskite layer of the solar cell from penetration of external oxygen or water (Kim, [0002]-[0004]) and as Asgarimoghaddam teaches such ALD deposited aluminum oxide layers can be employed as the moisture barriers for perovskite solar cells (see Abstract).
Claims 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al (JP 2023164955A, reference made to attached English machine translation), in view of Shen et al (Investigation of O3-Al2O3/H2O-Al2O3 dielectric bilayer deposited by atomic-layer deposition for GaN MOS capacitors, Phys. Status Solidi A 213, No. 10, 2693–2698 (2016)) as evidenced by Grabowski et al (US 2017/0279082) as applied to claims 1 and 5-9 above, and further as evidenced by Kubo et al (Electrical properties of GaN-based metal–insulator–semiconductor structures with Al 2O3 deposited by atomic layer deposition using water and ozone as the oxygen precursors, 2014 Semicond. Sci. Technol. 29 045004).
Regarding claim 10 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 1, and Shen teaches wherein a first —OH count of the first oxide layer is greater than a second —OH count of the second oxide layer (Shen, Top of right hand column of page 2695, Fig. 3 see: O3-Al2O3 showed lower OH concentration compared to H2O-Al2O3), and regarding the claim 10 recitation “a first carbon count of the first oxide layer is less than a second carbon count of the second oxide layer” Kubo further evidences that employing O3 as the oxidant for forming Al2O3 reduces the -OH impurities in the oxide layer but increases the oxide’s carbon content from carbonate generation (Kubo see top of page 2). As such, the first carbon count of the first oxide layer (H2O-Al2O3) of modified Liu will also be less than a second carbon count of the second oxide layer (O3-Al2O3) for the reasoning recited in Kubo and modified Liu will inherently display this material property. See MPEP 2112.
Regarding claim 11 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 10, and regarding the claim 11 recitations “wherein the first —OH count of the first oxide layer is approximately 0.04 counts and the second —OH count of the second oxide layer is approximately 0.03 counts, and the first carbon count of the first oxide layer is approximately 0.001 counts and the second carbon count of the second oxide layer is approximately 0.01 counts” as recited by Kubo (right hand column of page 4) these hydroxyl and carbonate species are impurities that can contribute to interface states at the Al2O3/device interface and Shen teaches such OH group impurities reduce Al2O3 insulating properties (Shen, right hand column of introduction section).
As such, the interface states at the Al2O3/device interface and insulating properties of the first and second oxide layers are variables that can be modified by varying the claimed first and second —OH counts and first and second carbon counts of the first and second oxide layers. For that reason, the claimed first and second —OH counts and first and second carbon counts of the first and second oxide layers, would have been considered result effective variables by one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made. As such, without showing unexpected results, the claimed first and second —OH counts and first and second carbon counts of the first and second oxide layers cannot be considered critical. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made would have optimized, by routine experimentation, the claimed first and second —OH counts and first and second carbon counts of the first and second oxide layers in the method of modified Liu to obtain the desired first and second oxide layer Al2O3 insulating properties (In re Boesch, 617 F.2d. 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980)), since it has been held that where the general conditions of the 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 223).
Regarding claim 12 modified Liu discloses the method of claim 1, and Shen discloses wherein a first —OH-to-Al count ratio of the first oxide layer is greater than a second —OH-to-Al count ratio of the second oxide layer (Shen, Top of right hand column of page 2695, Fig. 3 see: O3-Al2O3 showed lower OH concentration compared to H2O-Al2O3 and thus will have a lower —OH-to-Al count ratio), and regarding the claim 12 recitation of “a first carbon-to-Al count ratio of the first oxide layer is less than a second carbon-to-Al count ratio of the second oxide layer” Kubo further evidences that employing O3 as the oxidant for forming Al2O3 reduces the -OH impurities in the oxide layer but increases the oxide’s carbon content from carbonate generation (Kubo see top of page 2). As such, first —OH-to-Al count ratio of the first oxide layer (H2O-Al2O3) of modified Liu will also be greater than a second —OH-to-Al count ratio of the second oxide layer (O3-Al2O3) for the reasoning recited in Kubo and modified Liu will inherently display this material property. See MPEP 2112.
Conclusion
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ANDREW J. GOLDEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1726
/ANDREW J GOLDEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
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