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, 4-9, and 11 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 § 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, 6, 9, and 11
Claims 1, 6, 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (2021/0132309; “Zhang”) in view of Chen et al. (2020/0124798; “Chen”), and further in view of Yu et al. (2021/0088723; “Yu”).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang discloses in figure 1A, and related figures and text, for example, Zhang, paragraphs [0059]-[0063], embodiments of a stacked photonic assembly 100 comprising: a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) 101 in a first layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the PIC has an active side, an opposing backside, and a lateral side substantially perpendicular to the active side and backside, and wherein the with the active side facing up; a conductive pillar in the first layer, for example, 114n; an integrated circuit (IC) 105, in a second layer, wherein the second layer is at the second surface of the first layer, wherein the IC is electrically coupled to the active side of the PIC and the conductive pillar; and an optical component 112, having a reflector 117A/117B embedded therein, optically coupled to the PIC. Zhang, figure 1A, and related figures and text, for example, Zhang, paragraphs [0059]-[0063].
Zhang – Figure 1A
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Further regarding claim 1, Chen discloses in figure 1D, and related figures and text, embodiments of light turning coupler E having a turning mirror coupled to the lateral edge of photonic chip PIC P having an active layer W comprising, for example, optical elements. Chen, figure 1D, and related figures and text, for example, abstract (“An edge coupler having an optical bench with a mirror array. Each mirror bends, reflects and/or reshapes incident light. The edge coupler is optically coupled to the optical elements in a PIC chip which direct light to the edge of the PIC chip.”) and paragraphs [0004] (“PICs are used for various applications in telecommunications, instrumentation, and signal-processing fields. A PIC device (in the form of a photonic chip package) typically uses optical waveguides to implement and/or interconnect various on-chip elements, such as waveguides, optical switches, couplers, routers, splitters, multiplexers/demultiplexers, modulators, amplifiers, wavelength converters, optical-to-electrical (0/E) and electrical-to-optical (E/O) signal converters (e.g., photodiodes, lasers), etc. A waveguide in a PIC device is usually an on-chip solid light conductor that guides light due to an index-of-refraction contrast between the waveguide's core and cladding.”), [0033] (“FIG. 1D is a schematic sectional view of the mirrors M optically aligned with the optical elements W of the PIC chip P along light path L1. The assembly could be made with an intentional gap between the edge of the base B and the facing edge of the PIC chip P. In this case, the gap can be filled with a material that has an optical index of refraction that is similar to that of the core of the optical fiber and waveguide on the PIC chip P. An exemplary material is an index-matching epoxy such as the commercially available EMI/UM epoxy model 3553. Alternatively, the assembly could be constructed without a gap in which case the beam passes through air between the wave guide and the mirror.”) and [0034] (“The edge coupler E is optically coupled to the edge of the PIC chip P to provide a demountable coupling between the optical fiber array FA and the PIC chip P. More specifically, the demountable coupling is a separable and reconnectable connection between an optical fiber connector C of the optical fiber array FA and the edge coupler C, with the edge coupler E configured and structured to allow the optical fiber connector C to be removed and removably attached for reconnection to the edge coupler E in optical alignment therewith.”).
Chen – Figure 1D
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Consequently, in light of Chen’s disclosure of light turning structures mechanically coupled to lateral sides of photonic chips’ upper surface active layers, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to Zhang to disclose an optical component having a reflector embedded therein, optically coupled to the lateral side of the PIC; Chen, figure 1D, and related figures and text; Zhang, figure 1A, and related figures and text; because the resulting configuration would facilitate shaping and directing optical beams. Chen, paragraph [0037] (“. Each mirror M bends, reflects and/or reshapes an incident light. Depending on the geometry and shape (e.g., curvature) of the structured reflective surface profile, the mirrors M may collimate, expand, or focus an incident light beam.”).
Further regarding claim 1, Yu discloses in figure 12, and related figures and text, a semiconductor package 110 having a photonic edge coupler 106D encapsulated in dielectric layer 108 through which conductive visas 112 pass while conductively coupled to electronic dies 122. Yu, figure 12, and related figures and text.
Yu – Figure 12
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Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Zhang in view of Chen to disclose a photonic assembly comprising: a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) in a first layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the first layer includes an insulating material, wherein the PIC has an active side, an opposing backside, and a lateral side substantially perpendicular to the active side and backside, and wherein the PIC is embedded in the insulating material with the active side facing up; a conductive pillar in the first layer; an integrated circuit (IC) in a second layer, wherein the second layer is at the second surface of the first layer, wherein the second layer includes the insulating material, wherein the IC is embedded in the insulating material in the second layer, and wherein the IC is electrically coupled to the active side of the PIC and the conductive pillar; and an optical component, having a reflector embedded therein, optically coupled to the lateral side of the PIC and extending at least partially through the insulating material in the first layer to the first surface of the first layer along the lateral side of the PIC; Yu, figure 12, and related figures and text; Chen, figure 1D, and related figures and text; Zhang, figure 1A, and related figures and text; because the resulting configuration would facilitate shaping and directing optical beams; Chen, paragraph [0037]; while facilitating transmission of electrical signals between photonic packages and the computing packages. Yu, paragraph [0041].
Regarding claims 6, 9, and 11, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Zhang in view of Chen and further in view of Yu, as applied in the rejection of claim 1, to disclose:
6. The photonic assembly of claim 1, wherein the reflector is a mirror reflector. Chen, abstract.
9. The photonic assembly of claim 1, wherein a material of the optical component includes glass or acrylic. Chen, paragraph [0011].
11. The photonic assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulating material in the first layer is a first insulating material, and the photonic assembly further comprising: a second insulating material in the second layer. Yu, figure 12.
because the resulting configurations would facilitate shaping and directing optical beams; Chen, paragraph [0037]; while facilitating transmission of electrical signals between photonic packages and the computing packages. Yu, paragraph [0041].
Claims 4-5 and 7-8
Claims 4-5 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (2021/0132309; “Zhang”) in view of Chen et al. (2020/0124798; “Chen”), and further in view of Yu et al. (2021/0088723; “Yu”), as applied in the rejection of claims 1, 6, 9, and 11, and further in view of Kobrinsky et al. (2014/0203175; “Kobrinsky”).
Regarding claims 4-5 and 7-8, Kobrinsky discloses in figure 3A, and related figures and text, embodiments of optical coupling structures comprising multiple turning structures, arranged in series, including glass configurations, mirrors, and lenses. Kobrinsky, figure 3A and related figures and text, for example, paragraphs [0050] (“Coupler 340 enables light signals to travel between PLC 310 and fiber bundles 306. Coupler 340 may or may not include a lens array. In the blow-up, an embodiment is shown where coupler 340 includes a lens array. In one embodiment, coupler 340 can attach to a standard multi-terminal (MT) connector carrying 12, 24, 36, or 48 single-mode fibers. In addition to modulators, photodetectors, and waveguides, PLC 310 includes structures that redirect the light to enable the optical signals to be coupled between on-PLC waveguides and coupler 340. In one embodiment, the redirection is 90 degrees. The redirection structures can include some or all of the following: lenses, 45-degree mirrors or gratings or bent fibers/waveguides that turn light 90 degrees, and mode expanders 314 that change the light spot size (mode) to avoid mismatch that would otherwise exist between on-PLC waveguides (with cores in the range 0.1-10 .mu.m) and fibers (with cores on the order of several microns for single mode fibers, and on the order of tens of microns for multimode fibers). As shown, mirror 316 is used to provide 90 degree redirection from PLC 510 to lens array 342 of coupler 340. PLC 310 also contains coupling structures that enable coupling of light from laser chip 320 to PLC 310.”) and [0033] (“Coupler 150 provides a redirection mechanism to exchange light between system 100 and something external to system 100 (e.g., another device). In one embodiment, coupler 150 includes a total-internal-reflection (TIR) surface to redirect the optical signals without significant optical loss. The angle and general dimensions and shape of coupler 150 are dependent on the wavelength of optical light, as well as the material used to make the coupler. In one embodiment, glass or other material transparent at the wavelengths of interest is used to mold coupler 150. Vertical transmission of light to and from a substrate is well understood and will not be discussed in-depth herein. Coupler 150 is designed to provide vertical redirection to and from substrate 110. In one embodiment, coupler 150 provides a 90-degree redirection of optical signals. In one embodiment, coupler 150 redirects the optical signals 90 degrees between a fiber and a mirror or other mechanism. In one embodiment, the mirror or other mechanism can turn the optical signals another 90 degrees to interface with waveguides or optical pathways that have a parallel direction of focus as the lens interfaces of the optical coupler to interface with the fiber(s). In one embodiment, the mirror is included in coupler 150, or in an interface (not specifically shown) of coupler 150 to substrate 110.”).
Kobrinsky – Figure 3A
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Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Zhang in view of Chen and further in view of Yu, as applied in the rejection of claims 1, 6, 9, and 11, to disclose:
4. The photonic assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical component is a first optical component having a first side optically coupled to the lateral side of the PIC and an opposing peripheral side, and the photonic assembly further comprising: a second optical component optically coupled to the peripheral side of the first optical component. Kobrinsky, figure 3A and related figures and text; Yu, figure 12, and related figures and text; Chen, figure 1D, and related figures and text; Zhang, figure 1A, and related figures and text.
5. The photonic assembly of claim 4, wherein the first optical component is a glass block with the reflector embedded therein and the second optical component is an optical lens. Kobrinsky, figure 3A and related figures and text; Yu, figure 12, and related figures and text; Chen, figure 1D, and related figures and text; Zhang, figure 1A, and related figures and text.
7. The photonic assembly of claim 1, wherein the reflector is a first reflector, and the photonic assembly further comprising: a second reflector embedded in the optical component. Kobrinsky, figure 3A and related figures and text; Yu, figure 12, and related figures and text; Chen, figure 1D, and related figures and text; Zhang, figure 1A, and related figures and text.
8. The photonic assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical component is a first optical component having a first reflector embedded therein, and the photonic assembly further comprising: a second optical component, having a second reflector embedded therein, optically coupled to the first optical component at the first surface of the first layer. Kobrinsky, figure 3A and related figures and text; Yu, figure 12, and related figures and text; Chen, figure 1D, and related figures and text; Zhang, figure 1A, and related figures and text.
because the resulting configuration would facilitate designing, fabricating, and deploying high bandwidth and high density photonic packages; Kobrinsky, paragraphs [0027]-[0028]; that shape and direct optical beams; Chen, paragraph [0037]; while facilitating transmission of electrical signals between photonic packages and the computing packages. Yu, paragraph [0041].
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 M-Th 9-5.
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/PETER RADKOWSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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