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Detailed Office 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 .
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 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-4 and 6-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1-4 , 6-7 and 13-18
Claims 1-4 , 6-7, and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention. Claim 1 recites “the cryogenic electronics include a photocell for converting light.”
However, neither the claims, the drawings, nor the written specification inform one of ordinary skill in the art how ‘cryogenic electronics that include a photocell for converting light’ are designed, fabricated, or implemented. Moreover, as applicant has not submitted an Information Disclosure Statement to which one of ordinary skill in the art might turn to learn how ‘cryogenic electronics that include a photocell for converting light’ are designed, fabricated, or implemented.
For informational purposes, the examiner notes that the following non-patent literature documents inform one of ordinary skill in the art how ‘cryogenic electronics … for converting light to current’ are designed, fabricated, and/or implemented:
Harutyunyan et al., Laser-powered thermoelectric generators operating at cryogenic temperatures. Appl. Phys. Lett. 7 November 2005; 87 (19): 194114. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.213120.2
Chen et al., Cryogenic CMOS Avalanche Diodes for Nuclear Physics Research, Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics XIII, edited by Larry A. Franks, Ralph B. James, Arnold Burger, 2011, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 8142, 81420O.
Xu et al. (2021). Bidirectional interconversion of microwave and light with thin-film lithium niobate. Nature communications, 12(1), 4453. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24809-y published 22 July 2021.
Claims 2-4 and 6-15 depend upon claim 1.
For the purposes of this Office action, claim limitations related to converting light to current at cryogenic temperatures will be interpreted in accord with the teachings of Harutyunyan, Chen, and/or Xu.
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 1-4, 6-7, 13, and 15
Claims 1-4, 6-7, 13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watts, Michael R. (Low Power Silicon Microphotonic Communications for Embedded Systems, High Performance Embedded Computing (HPEC) Workshop, MIT Lincoln Labs, 2009; “Watts”) in view of Lecocq et al. (Control and readout of a superconducting qubit using a photonic link. Nature 591, 575–579 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03268-x; “Lecocq”), further in view of Rigetti et al. (2016/0267032; “Rigetti), and further in view of Harutyunyan et al. (Laser-powered thermoelectric generators operating at cryogenic temperatures. Appl. Phys. Lett. 7 November 2005; 87 (19): 194114. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.213120.2; “Harutyunyan”).
Regarding claim 1, Watts discloses in pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides, photonic devices delivering operational power to electronics and transferring optical communication data out.
Watts, Page/Slide 9
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Watts, Page/Slide 10
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Further regarding claim 1, Watts does not explicitly disclose optical fibers delivering power to cryogenic electronics.
However, Lecocq discloses in figure 1b, and related figures and text, a temperature graded cryogenic system with optical fibers and photo-electric conversion devices, including: “[A] photonic link using an optical fibre to guide modulated laser light from room temperature to a cryogenic photodetector…, capable of delivering shot-noise-limited microwave signals directly at millikelvin temperatures. By demonstrating high-fidelity control and readout of a superconducting qubit, we show that this photonic link can meet the stringent requirements of superconducting quantum information processing... Leveraging the low thermal conductivity and large intrinsic bandwidth of optical fibre enables the efficient and massively multiplexed delivery of coherent microwave control pulses, providing a path towards a million-qubit universal quantum computer.” Lecocq, abstract and figure 1b. Photonic link approach (“Room-temperature microwave signals are modulated onto an array of optical carriers and routed directly to high-speed photodetectors at the cold stage of the dilution refrigerator, using an optical fibre. The low thermal conductivity of silica suppresses the passive heat load, and the active heat load from optical power dissipation remains manageable.”). The examiner notes that Lecocq also discloses that electrically conductive lines can deliver microwave signals.
Lecocq, Figure 1b.
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Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Watts to disclose at least one optical fiber for delivering operational power from the ambient environment to the cryogenic electronics and for transferring communication data between the cryogenic electronics and the ambient environment; because the resulting configuration would facilitate delivering control signals. Lecocq, page 576 (“The optical generation of microwave control signals relies on the photoelectric effect in a photodiode.”) and page 576 (“[S]ignals generated by the photodiode drive the qubit—see Fig. 2d. The laser power is modulated at the qubit frequency ωq to control the qubit state …”).
While Watts in view of Lecocq discloses cryogenic electronics and stages, Watts in view of Lecocq does not explicitly disclose at least one cryogenic stage for cooling the cryogenic electronics to at least one operational cryogenic temperature, the at least one cryogenic stage for transferring heat from the cryogenic electronics to an ambient environment, Rigetti discloses in figure 23A, and related figures and text, a quantum computing system with room temperature stage 2301, intermediate temperature stage 2321, and cryogenic temperature stage 2331.
Rigetti – Figure 23A
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Rigetti – Selected Text
[0255] The example quantum computing 2300 system also includes signal delivery and quantum processor cell components that operate in a cryogenic temperature stage 2331. The cryogenic temperature stage 2331 can include operating conditions and an operational environment that is consistent with cryogenic conditions. For example, the components that operate in the cryogenic temperature stage 2331 can operate at 5-10 mK or another cryogenic temperature. In some cases, the cryogenic temperature stage 2331 can provide appropriate operating conditions for low-temperature superconducting materials. In some cases, the cryogenic temperature stage 2331 includes an ultra-low noise environment that is shielded against an external environment. For example, the example quantum computing system can include a shielding system or shielding materials that prevent unwanted radio waves, microwaves or optical signals, or unwanted magnetic fields or mechanical vibrations, from entering the operating the environment of the cryogenic temperature stage 2331. For instance the shielding materials may include metallic, superconducting or lossy materials.
[0256] The example quantum computing system 2300 also includes components that operate in one or more intermediate temperature stages 2321. The intermediate temperature stages 2321 can include operating conditions and an operational environment that provide a buffer between the room temperature stage 2301 and the cryogenic temperature stage 2331. The intermediate temperature stages 2321 may be shielded from each other or from the room temperature stage 2301, for example, to maintain a temperature or noise level in the operating environment of the intermediate temperature stages 2321.
[0257] Signals can be communicated between the components operating in the different temperature stages of the quantum computing system 2300. In some cases, analog control signals are communicated in the room temperature environment on coaxial cables, waveguides, high-density microwave wires, or other types of transmission lines, and the analog control signals can be transferred between the room temperature environment and the intermediate temperature environments using feedthrough devices that allow signals to pass through but provide isolation for spurious electromagnetic noise outside of the signal band (e.g., light-tight feedthrough devices). In some cases, analog control signals are communicated in the cryogenic temperature environment on superconducting high-density microwave wires, co-axial or co-planar waveguide structures, or other types of transmission lines, and analog control signals can be transferred between the cryogenic temperature environment and the intermediate temperature environments using feedthrough devices (e.g., light-tight feedthrough devices).
[0265] The microwave signal generator 2304 can generate analog control signals based on digital control information received from the control interface 2305. For example, the control interface 2305 may provide a digital multiplexed control signal for a group of devices in the quantum processor cell, and the microwave signal generator can generate an analog multiplexed control signal that corresponds to the digital multiplexed control signal. Each analog multiplexed control signal can be communicated into the cryogenic environment on a single physical channel in some instances.
[0268] The example quantum computing system 2300 includes a multichannel signal amplifier 2320 and a multichannel isolator 2322 in the intermediate temperature stages 2321. The quantum computing system 2300 may include additional or different features and components operating in one or more intermediate temperature stages. In the example shown, the multichannel signal amplifier 2320 can amplify or otherwise modulate signals that are communicated between the room temperature environment and the cryogenic environment. The multichannel isolator 2322 can isolate the signal lines between the cryogenic environment and the multichannel signal amplifier 2320. In the example shown, the multichannel isolator 2322 can be a four-channel isolator that isolates a signal line for each operating domain.
[0269] In the cryogenic temperature stage 2331, the example quantum computing system 2300 includes an input board 2330, an input interconnect system 2342, a quantum processor cell (QPC) assembly 2346, an output interconnect system 2344 and an output board 2350. The example quantum computing system 2300 can include additional or different features and components in the cryogenic temperature stage, and the components can be arranged or configured in the manner shown or in another manner.
[0270] The components operating in the cryogenic temperature stage 2331 receive input signals through the input board 2330, and send out signals through the output board 2350. Input control signals can be communicated to the input board 2330 on a distinct channel for each operating domain. In the example shown in FIG. 23A, four distinct input channels are indicated at 2335, where each of the channels receives AC control signals for one of the operating domains. Similarly, output control signals can be communicated from the output board 2350 on a distinct channel for each operating domain. In the example shown in FIG. 23A, four distinct output channels are shown, where each of the channels carries AC readout signals for one of the operating domains. In some examples, the input board 2330 includes additional input channels to receive DC control signals (e.g., from the signal generator system 2302). For example, the input board 2330 may receive one or more DC control signals for each coupler device.
[0302] Because, in the example quantum computing system 2300, the signal generator system 2302 operates in the room temperature stage 2301, the multiplexed control signals are generated in a room temperature environment. The multiplexed control signals are communicated into the cryogenic temperature stage 2331 through the intermediate temperature stage 2321. In some cases, the multiplexed control signals are microwave control signals that are communicated by a microwave waveguide or another type of transmission line. In the example shown, the multiplexed control signals are amplified by the multichannel signal amplifier 2320 in the intermediate temperature stage 2321 before they are communicated into the cryogenic temperature stage 2331.
[0303] In some instances, the signal generator system 2302 or signal processor system 2310 or control interface 2305 may be operated on hardware in a cryogenic environment. In some instances, the cryogenic environment may be at a temperature below room temperature but above the temperature of the QPC operating environment.
Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Watts in view of Lecocq to disclose: a cryogenic system for cooling and operating cryogenic electronics, the cryogenic system comprising: at least one cryogenic stage for cooling the cryogenic electronics to at least one operational cryogenic temperature, the at least one cryogenic stage for transferring heat from the cryogenic electronics to an ambient environment; and at least one optical fiber for delivering operational power from the ambient environment to the cryogenic electronics and for transferring communication data between the cryogenic electronics and the ambient environment; Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text; because the resulting configuration would facilitate delivering control signals to quantum computing systems; Lecocq, page 576; that are isolated from undesirable environmental effects. Rigetti, paragraph [0255].
Further regarding claim 1, Watts in view of Lecocq and in view of Rigetti does not explicitly define a photocell for converting light in a cryogenic environment.
However, Harutyunyan discloses, “A thermoelectric generator, operating in a cryostat at liquid helium temperatures, is described. Energy to the generator is supplied via an external laser beam. For this prototype device the associated heat load at permanent operation is comparable with the heat load associated with power delivery via metallic wires. Estimates indicate that still better performance can be enabled with existing thermoelectric materials, thereby far exceeding efficiency of traditional cryostat wiring. We used a prototype generator to produce electric power for measuring critical currents in Nb3Sn-films.” Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Watts in view of Lecocq, and further in view of Rigetti to disclose that cryogenic electronics include a photocell for converting light, which delivers the operational power from the ambient environment through the at least one optical fiber to the cryogenic electronics, into electrical power for powering the cryogenic electronics because the resultant configuration would facilitate enhancing the efficiency of power at cryogenic temperatures. Harutyunyan, abstract.
Regarding dependent claims 2-4, 6-7, 13, and 15, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Watts in view of Lecocq, in view of Rigetti and further in view of Harutyunyan, as applied in the rejection of claim 1, to disclose:
2. The cryogenic system of claim 1, wherein the only connection delivering any power from the ambient environment to the cryogenic electronics or transferring any data from the cryogenic electronics to the ambient environment is the at least one optical fiber. Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
3. The cryogenic system of claim 1, wherein the cryogenic system does not include any electrically conductive wires spanning between the ambient environment at room temperature and the cryogenic electronics. Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
4. The cryogenic system of claim 1, further comprising: an insulating enclosure containing the cryogenic electronics and surrounded by the ambient environment at room temperature, wherein the only connection delivering any power from the ambient environment into the insulating enclosure or transferring any data out of the insulating enclosure is the at least one optical fiber, and wherein no electrically conductive wires pass from the ambient environment into the insulating enclosure. Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
6. The cryogenic system of claim 1, wherein the cryogenic electronics include a photodetector for converting light, which transfers an incoming portion of the communication data from the ambient environment through the at least one optical fiber to the cryogenic electronics, into an electrical signal, which carries the incoming portion of the communication data within the cryogenic electronics. Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
7. The cryogenic system of claim 1, wherein the cryogenic electronics include a photoemitter for converting an electrical signal, which carries an outgoing portion of the communication data within the cryogenic electronics, into light, which transfers the outgoing portion of the communication data from the cryogenic electronics through the at least one optical fiber to the ambient environment. Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
13. The cryogenic system of claim 1, wherein at least one cryogenic stage includes a first and final cryogenic stage, the first cryogenic stage for transferring the heat from the cryogenic electronics at the operational cryogenic temperature to a platform at an intermediate cryogenic temperature, and the final cryogenic stage for transferring the heat from the platform at the intermediate cryogenic temperature to the ambient environment at room temperature. Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
15. The cryogenic system of claim 13, wherein: the at least one optical fiber is an optical fiber transferring light, which includes a first and second incoming light and an outgoing light; and the platform at the intermediate cryogenic temperature includes: a photocell of the cryogenic electronics for converting the first incoming light, which delivers the operational power from the ambient environment through the optical fiber to the platform, into electrical power for powering the cryogenic electronics; a photodetector of the cryogenic electronics for converting the second incoming light, which transfers an incoming portion of the communication data from the ambient environment through the optical fiber to the platform, into an incoming electrical signal, which carries the incoming portion of the communication data from the platform to the cryogenic electronics; and a photoemitter of the cryogenic electronics for converting an outgoing electrical signal, which carries an outgoing portion of the communication data from the cryogenic electronics to the platform, into the outgoing light, which transfers the outgoing portion of the communication data from the platform through the optical fiber to the ambient environment. Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
because the resulting configurations would facilitate delivering control signals and powers to quantum computing systems; Lecocq, page 576; that are isolated from undesirable environmental effects. Rigetti, paragraph [0255]. V
Claims 14 and 16-18
Claims 14 and 16-18, as dependent upon either claim 13 or 15, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watts, Michael R. (Low Power Silicon Microphotonic Communications for Embedded Systems, High Performance Embedded Computing (HPEC) Workshop, MIT Lincoln Labs, 2009; “Watts”) in view of Lecocq et al. (Control and readout of a superconducting qubit using a photonic link. Nature 591, 575–579 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03268-x; “Lecocq”), further in view of Rigetti et al. (2016/0267032; “Rigetti) and further in view of Harutyunyan et al. (Laser-powered thermoelectric generators operating at cryogenic temperatures. Appl. Phys. Lett. 7 November 2005; 87 (19): 194114. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.213120.2; “Harutyunyan”), as applied in the rejection of claims 1-4, 6-7, 13, and 15, and further in view of Keating, Brian G. (2010/0104236; “Keating”).
Regarding claims 14 and 16-18, Lecocq discloses, in figure 1a and related text and figures, that electrically conductive lines can deliver microwave signals. Furthermore, Keating discloses in paragraph [0067], and related text and figures, using: “[S]uperconducting magnet wire to minimize self-heating which is particularly advantageous in a cryogenic detector application.” Keating, paragraph [0067].
Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Watts in view of Lecocq and further in view of Rigetti, as applied in the rejection of claim as applied in the rejection of claims 1-4 and 6-7, 13, and 15, to disclose:
14. The cryogenic system of claim 13, wherein the platform at the intermediate cryogenic temperature includes: a photocell of the cryogenic electronics for converting an incoming light into electrical power for powering the cryogenic electronics, the incoming light delivering the operational power from the ambient environment through the optical fiber to the platform; and at least one superconducting electrical wire for delivering the electrical power from the platform to the cryogenic electronics at the operational cryogenic temperature. Keating, paragraph [0067], and related figures and text; Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
16. The cryogenic system of claim 15, wherein: the platform includes a first, second, and third electrically conductive wire, the first electrically conductive wire for delivering the electrical power from the platform to the cryogenic electronics, the second electrically conductive wire for carrying the incoming portion of the communication data from the platform to the cryogenic electronics, and the third electrically conductive wire for carrying the outgoing portion of the communication data from the cryogenic electronics to the platform. Keating, paragraph [0067], and related figures and text; Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
17. The cryogenic system of claim 16, wherein the cryogenic system does not include any electrically conductive wires spanning between the ambient environment at room temperature and the cryogenic electronics. Keating, paragraph [0067], and related figures and text; Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
18. The cryogenic system of claim 16, wherein: the platform includes an optical filter for separating a first, second, and third wavelength band, the optical filter passing the first incoming light within the first wavelength band from the optical fiber to the photocell, the optical filter passing the second incoming light within the second wavelength band from the optical fiber to the photodetector, and the optical filter passing the outgoing light within the third wavelength band from the photoemitter to the optical fiber; and wherein concurrently: the photocell converts the first incoming light from the optical filter into the electrical power, which the first electrically conductive wire, which is a first superconducting electrical wire, delivers from the platform to the cryogenic electronics, the photodetector converts the second incoming light from the optical filter into the incoming electrical signal, wherein the second electrically conductive wire, which is a second superconducting electrical wire, carries the incoming electrical signal carrying the incoming portion of the communication data from the platform to the cryogenic electronics, and the photoemitter converts the outgoing electrical signal into the outgoing light for the optical filter, wherein the third electrically conductive wire, which is a third superconducting electrical wire, carries the outgoing electrical signal carrying the outgoing portion of the communication data from the cryogenic electronics to the platform. Keating, paragraph [0067], and related figures and text; Watts, pages/slides 9 and 10, and related pages/slides; Lecocq, figure 1b, and related figures and text; Rigetti, figure 23A, and related figures and texts; See above, Rigetti – Selected Text. Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text.
because the resulting configurations would facilitate minimizing self-heating; Keating, paragraph [0067]; while delivering control signals and power to quantum computing systems; Harutyunyan, abstract and related figures and text; Lecocq, page 576; that are isolated from undesirable environmental effects. Rigetti, paragraph [0255].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER RADKOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-1613. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th 9-5. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hollweg, can be reached on (571) 270-1739. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/PETER RADKOWSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874