Docket No. 1003100421 1
`
`REMARKS
`
`Claims 1-4, 7, 9-12, and 14 remain in the application and stand rejected.
`
`Reconsideration of the rejection is respectfully requested in light of the following reasons.
`
`Claim amendments have been made to expedite prosecution. Applicant expressly
`
`reserves the right to pursue the original version of an amended claim in a continuing
`
`application.
`
`Claim Amendments
`
`Applicant maintains the arguments presented in the Pre-Appeal Brief Request for
`
`Review submitted by the applicant on March 28, 2017 for purposes of appeal.
`
`As previously explained, the cited references do not disclose the recited external
`
`emitter that forms a backside junction in a front contact solar cell. Meier (US 6,262,359)
`
`does not disclose an externally formed emitter on the backside because Meier discloses
`
`forming a backside junction by diffusion from the backside electrode. Accordingly, any
`
`intervening material, such as tunnel oxide/polysilicon would prevent the diffusion,
`
`rendering Meier’s process unworkable. Okayasu (JP07-106611) discloses an external
`
`emitter for a high-low junction, i.e., an emitter with the same polarity as the substrate,
`
`which is the opposite of a backside junction for a front contact cell. Like Okayasu, Gan
`
`(Polysz'lz'con Emitters for Silicon Concentrator Solar Cells) does not disclose an external
`
`emitter for a backside junction of a front contact cell. Gan discloses poly emitters
`
`without further guidance on application to specific structures. For example, Gan’s poly
`
`emitter could very well be for a high-low junction as in Okayasu. It is respectfully
`
`submitted that without using the present application as a blueprint, there is no guidance in
`
`the prior art to form a front contact solar cell with a formed backside junction emitter.
`
`In the interest of compact prosecution, claims 1 and 9 have been amended to
`
`recite an oxide layer on the front surface of the substrate and an anti-reflective coating on
`
`the oxide layer. Support for this feature may be found at least on FIG. 1 of the
`
`specification, showing an oxide 124 and an anti-reflective coating 103 on the front side of
`
`the solar cell (specification, page 4, lines 14-18).
`
`

`

`Docket No. 10031.004211
`
`It is respectfiilly submitted that the above-noted feature of claims 1 and 9 are not
`
`taught or suggested by the references of record. More particularly, Meier (US 6,262,359),
`
`Okayasu (JP07-1066l l), Borden (WO 2009/094578), Foglietti (US 2002/0142500), Gan
`
`(Polysz'lz'con Emittersfor Silicon Concentrator Solar Cells), and Wenham (US 6,429,037)
`
`individually or in combination do not disclose a front contact solar cell with the recited
`
`external backside junction on the backside and the recited oxide/anti—reflective coating
`
`structure on the front side.
`
`The dependent claims are patentable at least for depending from patentable base
`
`claims.
`
`Conclusion
`
`For at least the above reasons, it is believed that the pending claims are in
`
`condition for allowance. The Examiner is invited to telephone the undersigned for any
`
`questions and to resolve any remaining concerns regarding allowability of the present
`
`application.
`
`Sept 21‘ 7.0m.
`
`Dated:
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`’Pafia-‘c. reagent?)
`________
`Patrick D. Benedicto, Reg. No. 40,909
`Okamoto & Benedicto LLP
`
`P.O. Box 641330
`
`San Jose, CA 95164
`Tel.: (408)436-2112
`FaX.: (408)436-2114
`
`