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 .
Summary
This is the response to the Response to Election/Restriction filed on 07/08/2026.
Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application with claims 15-20 are withdrawn from consideration.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of invention I, claims 1-14 in the reply filed on 07/08/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-6, 8 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mao et al. (US 11,791,426).
Addressing claim 1, Mao discloses a solar cell (fig. 1), comprising:
a semiconductor substrate 100 comprising a main light receiving surface (upper surface) and a back surface (lower surface) that are oppositely arranged;
a light trapping microstructure (scenario 1: 120+110 as the claimed light trapping microstructure; scenario 2, the structure 110 as the claimed light trapping microstructure) arranged on the main light receiving surface, the light trapping microstructure comprising a plurality of pyramid microstructures (11 and 12, fig. 2);
a doped conductive layer 120 located in an upper region of at least part of the pyramid microstructures (scenario 1: the doped conductive layer 120 is formed in the upper region 120 of the pyramid microstructures 120+110; scenario 2, the doped conductive layer 120 is formed between the peaks of the pyramid microstructures 11 and 12 when the structure 110 alone as the claimed light trapping microstructure; therefore, the doped conductive layer is located in the upper region of the pyramid microstructures) and spaced apparat from a bottom surface (the surface that interfaces with the upper surface of the substrate 100) of at least part of the pyramid microstructures;
a passivation layer 150 located on the light trapping microstructure (fig. 1);
a first electrode 170 at least partially extending through the passivation layer and in ohmic contact with the doped conductive layer (fig. 1);
a back passivation contact structure (130+140+160) located on the back surface; and
a second electrode 180 in ohmic contact with the back passivation contact structure (fig. 1).
Addressing claim 2, annotated fig. 1 below shows a thickness of the doped conductive layer is less than a height of the pyramid microstructures in both scenarios discussed above.
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Addressing claim 4, the annotated fig. 1 above shows the ratio of a thickness of the doped conductive layer 120 to the height of the pyramid microstructure is less than 80% as claimed.
Addressing claim 5, col. 2 ln 8-13 and col. 2 ln 34-38 show the height of the pyramid structure that overlaps the claimed range with an end point that falls within the claimed range.
Addressing claim 6, fig. 1 shows the claimed structure.
Addressing claim 8, fig. 1 shows a textured structure formed on the main light receiving surface, and the light trapping microstructure being formed on the textured structure as claimed.
Addressing claim 10, col. 14 ln 53-59 show the passivation layer 150 is a multi-layer structure comprising silicon nitride and aluminum oxide as claimed.
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 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.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao et al. (US 11,791,426) in view of Yu et al (US 2023/0050761).
Addressing claim 3, Mao discloses the doped conductive layer 120 has the same conductivity type as the substrate (col. 7 ln 7-11). Mao is silent regarding the thickness of the doped conductive layer.
Yu discloses a TOPCON solar cell similarly to that of Mao; wherein, the doped conductive layer, which has the same conductive type as the substrate, has a thickness from 60 nm to 200 nm that intersects with the claimed range [0022].
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the solar cell of Mao with the doped conductive layer having a thickness in the range disclosed by Yu in order to obtain the predictable result of forming a TOPCON solar cell (Rationale B, KSR decision, MPEP 2143).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao et al. (US 11,791,426) in view of Chen et al. (CN111341881 with provided machine English translation).
Addressing claim 7, Mao is silent regarding an anti-reflection layer located on the passivation layer.
Chen discloses a solar cell comprising antireflection layer 10 positioned on the passivation layer 9 (fig. 8, [0025]).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the solar cell of Mao with the antireflection layer on the passivation layer as disclosed by Chen in ore to complete the passivation effect (Chen, [0025]) and improving light absorption.
Claim(s) 11-12 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao et al. (US 11,791,426) in view of Yang et al. (US 2022/0102568).
Addressing claim 11, Mao discloses in fig. 1 the back passivation contact structure comprises a tunneling layer 130, a doped silicon layer 140 and an anti-reflection film layer 160 that are stacked on the semiconductor sequentially as claimed.
Mao is silent regarding the doped silicon layer is a polysilicon layer.
Yang discloses a solar cell having similar structure as that of Mao; wherein, the back passivation contact structure comprises a tunneling layer 201, a doped polysilicon layer 202 and an anti-reflection film layer 203 that are stacked on the semiconductor substrate sequentially similarly to that of Mao.
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the solar cell of Mao with the known polysilicon material for the doped layer on the back surface in the back passivation contact structure as disclosed by Yang in order to improve photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell (Yang, [0072]).
Addressing claim 12, col. 6 ln 65 to col. 7 ln 6 disclose the conductivity type of the doping element of the doped polysilicon layer is opposite to a conductivity type of the semiconductor substrate.
Addressing claim 14, col. 15 ln 6-11 disclose the anti-reflection layer 160 is a multi-layer structure constituted of a silicon nitride layer and an aluminum oxide layer.
Claim(s) 1-11 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2023/0402552) in view of Chen et al. (US 2022/0165906).
Addressing claims 1 and 6, Wang discloses a solar cell (fig. 1), comprising:
a semiconductor substrate 100 comprising a main light receiving surface and a back surface that are oppositely arranged (fig. 1);
a light trapping microstructure 11 arranged on the main light receiving surface, the light trapping microstructure comprising a plurality of pyramid microstructures (fig. 2, [0007]);
a doped conductive layer (P-type emitter 10) located on the light receiving surface, wherein portion 12 of the P-type emitter layer is configured to be in contact with the electrode 140 and portion 11 of the P-type emitter layer is configured to not be in contact with the electrode (fig. 1);
a passivation layer 130 located on the light trapping microstructure (fig. 1);
a first electrode 140 at least partially extending through the passivation layer and in ohmic contact with the doped conductive layer 12;
a back passivation contact structure (150+160+170) located on the back surface; and
a second electrode 180 in ohmic contact with the back passivation contact structure.
Wang is silent regarding a doped conductive layer located in an upper region of at least part of the pyramid microstructures and spaced apart from a bottom surface of at least part of the pyramid microstructures.
Chen discloses selective emitter for a solar cell; wherein, the selective emitter layer comprising pyramidal structures (113 and 119) that includes P-doped region at the upper region [0048] to form PN junction with the semiconductor substrate, similarly to the configuration of Wang. Chen further discloses in fig. 5 that the pyramidal structure that is configured to form ohmic contact with the electrode 124 includes doped conductive layer (113a and 113b) in an upper region of the pyramidal structure and spaced apparat from a bottom surface of at least part of the pyramid structures. Chen further discloses in paragraph [0076] that the electrode 124 extends through the passivation layer 121 and in ohmic contact with the doped conductive layer (fig. 12).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the solar cell of Wang with the selective emitter having pyramid structures with doped conductive layer located in an upper region of the pyramid structures and spaced apart from a bottom surface of the pyramid structures as disclosed by Chen in order to improve light trapping effect, improving short circuit current, improve conversion efficiency of the solar cell (Chen, [0065]), reducing recombination loss and enhance passivation effect (Chen, [0070]).
Addressing claim 2, fig. 5 of Chen shows the thickness of the doped conductive layer is less than a height of the pyramid structure; therefore, the limitation would have been obvious based on the teaching of Wang, who teaches the pyramid microstructure, and the depth of the doped conductive layer relative to the height of the pyramid structure.
Addressing claim 3, Chen discloses in paragraph [0024] the doping depth of the first doped layer that corresponds to the claimed thickness of the doped conductive layer between 0.8 to 1.5 µm that overlaps with the claimed range.
Addressing claims 4-5, Wang discloses the height of the pyramid microstructures is between 0.1 to 5 µm [0007] and Chen discloses the thickness of the doped conductive layer is between 0.8 to 1.5 µm [0024], which obviates the claimed range of less than 80% when the thickness of the doped conductive layer is 1 µm and the height of the pyramid microstructures is 5 µm.
Addressing claim 6, Wang discloses the claimed shapes in fig. 2.
Addressing claim 7, Wang is silent regarding an anti-reflection layer located on the passivation layer. Chen discloses a passivation layer 121 located on the emitter layer and an anti-reflection layer 122 positioned on the passivation layer [0072]. At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the solar cell of Wang with the combination of passivation layer and antireflection layer disclosed by Chen in order to passivate the solar cell as well as reduce a sunlight reflection and increase a current of the solar cell (Chen, [0072]).
Addressing claim 8, Wang discloses a textured surface formed on the main light receiving surface (fig. 7) and the light trapping microstructures being formed on the textured structure (figs. 8-10). Chen discloses the light trapping pyramidal structures are formed on the light receiving surface of the substrate; therefore, the limitation of current claim would have been obvious based on the teaching of Wang and Chen.
Addressing claim 9, Wang and Chen both disclose the emitter layer, which is in effect the doped conductive layer, has an opposite conductivity type relative to the semiconductor substrate.
Addressing claim 10, Wang discloses the passivation layer 130 is a multilayer structure comprising silicon nitride and aluminum oxide [0067].
Addressing claim 11, Wang discloses the back passivation contact structure comprises a tunneling layer 150 [0068], doped polysilicon layer 160 [0069], and an anti-reflection film layer 170 that are stacked on the semiconductor substrate sequentially (fig. 1).
Addressing claim 14, Wang discloses in paragraph [0070] the antireflection film 170 is a multilayer structure comprises silicon nitride and aluminum oxide.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2023/0402552) in view of Chen et al. (US 2022/0165906) as applied to claims 1-11 and 14 above, and further in view of Morikawa et al. (US 2018/0122980).
Addressing claim 13, Wang discloses in paragraph [0069] a conductivity type of the doping element of the doped polysilicon layer 160 is the same as a conductivity type of the semiconductor substrate.
Wang is silent regarding a doping concentration of the doped polysilicon layer is greater than a doping concentration of the semiconductor substrate.
Morikawa discloses a solar cell comprising N-type substrate 2 [0028] and a doped silicon layer 10 positioned on the rear surface of the N-type substrate having the same conductivity type as the N-type substrate [0036]. The doping concentration of the n-type layer 10 is higher than that of the substrate [0036].
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, one with ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to modify the solar cell of Wang with the doped polysilicon layer having higher concentration than the substrate as disclosed by Morikawa in order to increase the hole concentration of the substrate in an electric field (Morikawa [0036]).
Conclusion
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/BACH T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726 07/31/2026
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