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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 9-13, 16, 17, 21, and 23-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jeong et al. (US 2018/0277735).
With respect to claim 1, Jeong et al. discloses an apparatus (Fig 1), comprising: a piezoelectric layer (item 12); a structure (items 5, 21, and 22) over the piezoelectric layer, the structure having multiple steps, and the multiple steps on opposing sides of the structure oppose each other (Fig 1, wherein the frame portions have multiple steps on the laterally-outward and laterally-inward portions of the frame portions on the left and right sides of the apparatus).
With respect to claim 2, Jeong et al. discloses the piezoelectric resonator of claim 1, wherein the multiple steps include a first step and a second step (Fig 1); the first step has a first thickness; and the second step has a second thickness different from the first thickness (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 3, Jeong et al. discloses the piezoelectric resonator of claim 2, wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 4, Jeong et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame structure is a first structure, and the device further includes a second structure over the piezoelectric layer, the first structure and the second structure being concentric (Fig 1, paragraph 48).
With respect to claim 5, Jeong et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multiple steps include two or more steps (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 9, Jeong et al. discloses a method (Fig 1) comprising: forming a piezoelectric layer (item 12) of a device over a substrate (item 2); and forming a structure (items 5, 20, and 21) over the piezoelectric layer, the structure having multiple steps, and the multiple steps on opposing sides of the structure facing towards each other (Fig 1, wherein the frame portions have multiple steps on the laterally-outward and laterally-inward portions of the frame portions on the left and right sides of the apparatus).
With respect to claim 10, Jeong et al. discloses the method of claim 9, wherein: the multiple steps include a first step and a second step (Fig 1); the first step has a first thickness; and the second step has a second thickness different from the first thickness (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 11, Jeong et al. discloses the method of claim 10, wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 12, Jeong et al. discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the structure is a first structure, and the method further includes forming a second structure (item 5 or 22) over the piezoelectric layer concentric with the first structure (item 22 or 21).
With respect to claim 13, Jeong et al. discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the multiple steps include two or more stair steps (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 16, Jeong et al. discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the substrate has a released region (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 17, Jeong et al. discloses an apparatus (Fig 1) comprising: a piezoelectric resonator (Fig 1) including: a first conductive layer(item 11); a piezoelectric layer (item 12) over the first conductive layer (Fig 1); a first structure (item 5 or 22) and a second structure (item 22 or 21) over the piezoelectric layer, the first structure being on a periphery of the second structure (Fig 1); and a second conductive layer (item 13) over the piezoelectric layer (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 21, Jeong et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first structure has a first set of multiple steps, and the second frame structure has a second set of multiple steps (Fig 1, wherein the frame portions have multiple steps on the laterally-outward and laterally-inward portions of the frame portions on the left and right sides of the apparatus).
With respect to claim 23, Jeong et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structure is a frame over a periphery of the device (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 24, Jeong et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a conductive layer (item 13) that covers the structure (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 25, Jeong et al. discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the structure is a frame over a periphery of the device (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 26, Jeong et al. discloses the method of claim 9, further comprising forming conductive layer (item 13) over the structure (Fig 1).
With respect to claim 27, Jeong et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first structure is a first frame, and the second structure is a second frame, and the first and second frames are over a periphery of the piezoelectric resonator (Fig 1, paragraph 48).
With respect to claim 28, Jeong et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second conductive layer covers the first and second structures (Fig 1).
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.
Claims 6, 14, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al. in view of Bradley et al. (US 2019/0326873).
With respect to claim 6, Jeong et al. discloses the piezoelectric resonator of claim 1.
Jeong et al. does not disclose that the piezoelectric resonator is a solidly mounted resonator (SMR), and further comprises: a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer, in which the piezoelectric layer is between the first and second conductive layers; a substrate; and an acoustic reflector between the first or second conductive layers and the substrate
Bradley et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator in which the piezoelectric resonator is a solidly mounted resonator (Fig 2), and further comprises: a first conductive layer (item 102); a second conductive layer (item 104), in which the piezoelectric layer is between the first and second conductive layers (Fig 2); a substrate (item 107); and an acoustic reflector (items 216-221) affixed to a first side of the substrate and positioned below a second side of the first conductive layer (Fig 2; Paragraph 58).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the SMR configuration of Bradley et al. with the piezoelectric resonator of Jeong et al. for the benefit of improving the performance of the resonator (Paragraph 31 of Bradley et al.).
With respect to claim 14, Jeong et al. discloses the method of claim 9.
Jeong et al. dose not disclose forming an acoustic reflector over the substrate and forming a conductive layer over the acoustic reflector.
Bradley et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator that includes forming an acoustic reflector (items 216-221) over the substrate and forming a conductive layer (item 102) over the acoustic reflector (Fig 2).
Bradley et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator that includes forming an acoustic reflector (items 216-221) between the low impedance layer and the first conductive layer (Fig 2).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the reflector and SMR configuration of Bradley et al. with the piezoelectric resonator of Jeong et al. for the benefit of improving the performance of the resonator (Paragraph 31 of Bradley et al.).
With respect to claim 18, Jeong et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 17.
Jeong et al. does not disclose that the piezoelectric resonator is a solidly mounted resonator (SMR), and further comprises: a substrate; and an acoustic reflector on the substrate and is between the first conductive layer and the substrate.
Bradley et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator in which the piezoelectric resonator is a solidly mounted resonator (Fig 2), and further comprises: a substrate (item 107); and an acoustic reflector (items 216-221) on the substrate and is between the first conductive layer (item 102) and the substrate (Fig 2).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the SMR configuration of Bradley et al. with the piezoelectric resonator of Jeong et al. for the benefit of improving the performance of the resonator (Paragraph 31 of Bradley et al.).
Claims 7, 15, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al. in view of Jiang et al. (US 2016/0300693).
With respect to claim 7, Jeong et al. discloses the piezoelectric resonator of claim 1.
Jeong et al. does not disclose that the piezoelectric resonator is a dual-Bragg acoustic resonator, and further comprises: a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer, in which the piezoelectric layer is between the first and second conductive layers; a substrate; a first acoustic reflector affixed to a first side of the substrate and positioned below a second side of the first conductive layer; and a second acoustic reflector positioned above a first side of the second conductive layer.
Jiang et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator in which the piezoelectric resonator is a dual-Bragg acoustic resonator (Fig 1), and further comprises: a first conductive layer (item 114); a second conductive layer (item 116), in which the piezoelectric layer is between the first and second conductive layers (Fig 1); a substrate (item 138); a first acoustic reflector (item 122) affixed to a first side of the substrate and positioned below a second side of the first conductive layer (item 114); and a second acoustic reflector (item 120) positioned above a first side of the second conductive layer (item 116).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combinate DBAR configuration of Jiang et al. with the piezoelectric resonator of Jeong et al. for the benefit of preventing energy from escaping the resonator (Paragraph 13 of Jiang et al.).
With respect to claim 15, Jeong et al. discloses the method of claim 9.
Jeong et al. does not disclose forming a first acoustic reflector over the substrate; forming a first conductive layer over the first acoustic reflector forming the piezoelectric layer over the first conductive layer forming a second conductive layer over the piezoelectric layer, in which the piezoelectric layer is between the first and second conductive layers and forming a second acoustic reflector over the second conductive layer.
Jiang et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator (Fig 1) including forming a first acoustic reflector (item 122) over the substrate (item 138); forming a first conductive layer (item 114) over the first acoustic reflector forming the piezoelectric layer (item 110) over the first conductive layer forming a second conductive layer (item 116) over the piezoelectric layer (Fig 1), in which the piezoelectric layer is between the first and second conductive layers (Fig 1) and forming a second acoustic reflector (item 120) over the second conductive layer (item 116).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combinate DBAR configuration of Jiang et al. with the piezoelectric resonator of Jeong et al. for the benefit of preventing energy from escaping the resonator (Paragraph 13 of Jiang et al.).
With respect to claim 19, Jeong et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 17.
Jeong et al. does not disclose that the piezoelectric resonator is a dual-Bragg acoustic resonator (DBAR), and the apparatus further comprises: a substrate; a first acoustic reflector between the substrate and the first conductive layer; and a second acoustic reflector on the second conductive layer.
Jiang et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator in which the piezoelectric resonator is a dual-Bragg acoustic resonator (Fig 1), and the apparatus further comprises: a substrate (item 138); a first acoustic reflector (item 122) between the substrate and the first conductive layer (item 114); and a second acoustic reflector (item 120) on the second conductive layer (item 116).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combinate DBAR configuration of Jiang et al. with the piezoelectric resonator of Jeong et al. for the benefit of preventing energy from escaping the resonator (Paragraph 13 of Jiang et al.).
Claims 8 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al. in view of Patil et al. (US 2018/0183406).
With respect to claim 8, Jeong et al. discloses the piezoelectric resonator of claim 1.
Jeong et al. does not disclose that the piezoelectric device is a film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and further comprises: a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer, in which the piezoelectric layer is between the first and second conductive layers; a substrate having a released region overlapping at least one of the first conductive layer or second conductive layer.
Patil et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator in which the piezoelectric device is a film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and further comprises; a first conductive layer (item 104); a second conductive layer (item 106), in which the piezoelectric layer is between the first and second conductive layers (Fig 10; a substrate having a released region overlapping at least one of the first conductive layer or second conductive layer (Fig 1; Paragraph 5).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the FBAR configuration of Patil et al. with the piezoelectric resonator of Jeong et al. for the benefit of improved performance (Paragraph 5 of Patil et al.).
With respect to claim 20, the combination of Jeong et al. and Patil et al. discloses the bulk acoustic wave resonator module of claim 17.
Jeong et al. does not disclose that the piezoelectric resonator is a film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and further comprises a substrate having a released region below the first conductive layer.
Patil et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator in which the piezoelectric resonator is a film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and further comprises a substrate having a released region below first conductive layer (Fig 1; Paragraph 5).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the FBAR configuration of Patil et al. with the piezoelectric resonator of Jeong et al. for the benefit of improved performance (Paragraph 5 of Patil et al.).
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang et al. in view of Sinha et al. (US 2010/0187948).
With respect to claim 22, Jiang et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1.
Jiang et al. does not disclose a package substrate on which the device is mounted, and an encapsulation material covering the device.
Sinha et al. teaches a piezoelectric resonator device including a package substrate (Fig 4, item 20) on which the device is mounted, and an encapsulation material (item 50) covering the device (Fig 4).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the packaging and encapsulation material arrangement of Sinha et al. with the device of Jiang et al. for the benefit of better protecting the device (Paragraph 43 of Sinha et al.).
Conclusion
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/DEREK J ROSENAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837