DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1 through 11 originally filed 24 November 2021. The claim amendments set forth in preliminary amendment received 24 November 2021 are not entered. By preliminary amendment received 4 March 2022; claims 1 through 11 are cancelled and claims 12 through 31 are added. By amendment received 20 December 2024; claim 12 is amended and claims 15, 17 through 19, 28, 30, and 31 are cancelled. By amendment received 18 July 2025; claims 12 through 14 and 23 are amended. By amendment received 17 December 2025; claims 13 and 14 are amended. Claims 12 through 14, 16, 20 through 27, and 29 are addressed by this 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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 17 December 2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered; they are addressed below.
Applicant argues that the amendments to claims 13 and 14 define these claims over the cited prior art. This argument is persuasive and the previous prior art rejections are withdrawn. However, upon further search and consideration, new art has been located which, in combination with the previously cited art, renders the amended subject matter obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. As such, new rejections have been formulated as set forth below.
As such, all claims are addressed as follows:
Claim Objections
The claim listing is not accordance with 37 CFR 1.121(c), which requires that the status of every claim must be indicated after its claim number. Particularly, the present claim listing does not include the status of claims 30 and 31 as cancelled which were initially entered by amendment received 4 March 2022 and cancelled by amendment received 20 December 2024.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 13 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ketsukawa, in view of Oinoue et al. (Oinoue, US Patent 4,733,067), and further in view of Nakanishi et al. (N785a, US Patent 5,793,785).
Regarding claim 13, Ketsukawa discloses, "A semiconductor laser element" (p. [0011] and Fig. 3, pt. 1). "A photodetector to receive laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element" (p. [0012] and Fig. 3, pts. 1 and 2). "A stem on which the semiconductor laser element and the photodetector are mounted" (p. [0011] and Fig. 1B, pts. 1, 2, and 13). "Wherein the semiconductor laser element is disposed on a side to a stem front face between the stem front face and a farthest portion of the photodetector farthest away from the stem front face of the stem on which the semiconductor laser element and the photodetector are mounted" (Fig. 3, pts. 1, 2, and 13). "The photodetector is a planar light receiving element" (p. [0011] and Fig. 3, pt. 2). "[The photodetector] has a light receiving face for receiving the laser light" (p. [0012] and Fig. 3, pts. 1, 2, and 2a). "[The photodetector has] a reflective film formed thereon in which part of the laser light is transmitted and the rest is reflected" (p. [0016] and Fig. 3, pts. 2 and 30). "The light receiving face being formed on a side facing the semiconductor laser element" (p. [0012] and Fig. 3, pts. 1, 2, and 2a). "Wherein the planar light receiving element further comprises an absorption layer extending parallel to the light receiving face of the photodetector" (p. [0003] and Fig. 3, pt. 2a). "[The absorption layer extending] from a side of the photodetector facing the stem front face toward a side of the photodetector farther away from the stem front face" (p. [0003] and Fig. 3, pts. 2, 2a, and 13). Ketsukawa does not explicitly disclose, "A submount disposed between the semiconductor laser element and the stem, and the photodetector and the stem." "Wherein the processed face of the photodetector is connected to the submount." Oinoue discloses, "A submount disposed between the semiconductor laser element and the stem, and the photodetector and the stem" (col. 4, lines 7-15 and Fig. 12, pts. 23, 24, 31, and 62). "Wherein the processed face of the photodetector is connected to the submount" (col. 4, lines 7-15 and Fig. 12, pts. 24, 62, and 64). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ketsukawa with the teachings of Oinoue. In view of the teachings of Ketsukawa regarding a laser and a photodetector mounted relative to one another atop a stem, the alternate construction of the mounting arrangement to include a submount atop the stem as taught by Oinoue would enhance the teachings of Ketsukawa by allowing the laser and photodetector to be mounted relative to one another in the required manner without the need for imposing a complex structure directly upon the stem.
The combination of Ketsukawa and Oinoue does not explicitly disclose, "A window layer between the absorption layer and the light receiving face of the photodetector." "The window layer being adjacent the reflective film." N785a discloses, "A window layer between the absorption layer and the light receiving face of the photodetector" (col. 9, lines 40-47 and Fig. 12, pts. 20 and 22, where diffusion region 22 operates as the claimed window between the absorption layer at the junction between 20 and 22 and the receiving face). "The window layer being adjacent the reflective film" (col. 9, lines 40-47 and Fig. 12, pts. 22, 23, and 24). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Ketsukawa and Oinoue with the teachings of N785a. In view of the teachings of Ketsukawa regarding a laser and a photodetector mounted relative to one another atop a stem, the particular construction of the photodetector to include a doped region between the incident surface and the absorbing region as taught by N785a would enhance the teachings of Ketsukawa and Oinoue by indicating a suitably alternate construction for the photodetector.
The combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and N785a does not explicitly disclose, "[The photodetector] has a processed face in which a corner portion including one side between a rear face opposite side to the light receiving face and a side face connected to the rear face is removed." The examiner takes Official Notice of the fact that it was known in the art to process a bulk body to create an angled mounting surface in that body. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to process the photodetector to create an angled mounting surface for the photodetector, since creation of this surface would allow the photodetector to be mounted at the desired angle atop a flat submount rather than an angled submount.
Regarding claim 26, Ketsukawa discloses, "Wherein the photodetector is disposed so as to reflect the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element perpendicularly to the stem front face of the stem" (p. [0011] and Fig. 3, pts. 1, 2, and L).
Claims 14, 23, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ketsukawa, in view of Oinoue, in view of Kawano, and further in view of Nakanishi et al. (N479b, US Patent 5,517,479).
Regarding claim 14, Ketsukawa discloses, "A semiconductor laser element" (p. [0011] and Fig. 3, pt. 1). "A photodetector to receive laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element" (p. [0012] and Fig. 3, pts. 1 and 2). "A stem on which the semiconductor laser element and the photodetector are mounted" (p. [0011] and Fig. 1B, pts. 1, 2, and 13). "The semiconductor laser element is disposed on a side to the stem front face between the stem front face and a farthest portion of the photodetector farthest away from the stem front face of the stem on which the semiconductor laser element and the photodetector are mounted" (Fig. 3, pts. 1, 2, and 13). "The photodetector has a light receiving face for receiving the laser light" (p. [0012] and Fig. 3, pts. 1, 2, and 2a). "[The photodetector has] a reflective film formed thereon in which part of the laser light is transmitted and the rest is reflected" (p. [0016] and Fig. 3, pts. 2 and 30). "The light receiving face being formed on a side facing the semiconductor laser element" (p. [0012] and Fig. 3, pts. 1, 2, and 2a). Ketsukawa does not explicitly disclose, "A submount disposed between the semiconductor laser element and the stem." "The submount disposed between the photodetector and the stem." "Wherein the submount comprises a first submount disposed on a stem front face of the stem and a second submount disposed on the front face of the first submount." "The semiconductor laser element disposed on the second submount." Oinoue discloses, "A submount disposed between the semiconductor laser element and the stem" (col. 4, lines 7-15 and Fig. 12, pts. 23, 24, and 31). "The submount disposed between the photodetector and the stem" (col. 4, lines 7-15 and Fig. 12, pts. 23, 24, and 62). "Wherein the submount comprises a first submount disposed on a stem front face of the stem and a second submount disposed on the front face of the first submount" (col. 2, lines 27-30 and Fig. 12, pts. 23, 24, and 28). "The semiconductor laser element disposed on the second submount" (col. 2, lines 27-30 and Fig. 12, pts. 28 and 31). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ketsukawa with the teachings of Oinoue for the reasons provided above regarding claim 13.
The combination of Ketsukawa and Oinoue does not explicitly disclose, "[The photodetector] is a waveguide type light receiving element having an absorption layer that absorbs laser light and extends on a side to the light receiving face." Kawano discloses, "[The photodetector] is a waveguide type light receiving element having an absorption layer that absorbs laser light and extends on a side to the light receiving face" (p. [0107] and Fig. 1, pts. 4 and 200). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Ketsukawa and Oinoue with the teachings of Kawano. In view of the teachings of Ketsukawa regarding a laser device directed at an angled photodetector such that a portion of light enters the photodetector, the alternate construction of the photodetector to include an absorbing layer oriented along the direction that light will propagate through the absorbing layer as taught by Kawano would enhance the teachings of Ketsukawa and Oinoue by allowing for more efficient absorption of light within the absorbing layer.
The combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and Kawano does not explicitly disclose, "The second submount having a triangular prism shape." N479b discloses, "The second submount having a triangular prism shape" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 32 and 106). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and Kawano with the teachings of N479b. In view of the teachings of Ketsukawa regarding a laser and a photodetector mounted relative to one another, the alternate provision of a laser inclination by a triangular spacer for supporting the laser device as taught by N479b would enhance the teachings of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and Kawano by allowing the angle of the laser device to be adjusted relative to the submount so as to output light at a desired angle.
The combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, Kawano, and N479b does not explicitly disclose, "Wherein the light receiving face of the photodetector is a concave face recessed inwardly to the photodetector." The examiner takes Official Notice of the fact that it was known in the art to provide a concave surface on a deflector that deflects laser light so as to collimate or otherwise change the divergence of that light. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a concave surface on the reflective surface of the photodetector, since provision of such a concave surface would allow the divergence of the laser light proceeding from that reflective surface to be reduced.
Regarding claim 23, The combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and Kawano does not explicitly disclose, "Wherein the submount includes an inclined portion inclined with respect to the stem front face of the stem." "The photodetector is disposed on a front face of the submount except for the inclined portion." "An angle of the inclined portion with respect to a bottom face on a side to the stem of the submount is adjusted to an angle range in which the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element is received by the light receiving face of the photodetector." N479b discloses, "Wherein the submount includes an inclined portion inclined with respect to the stem front face of the stem" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 31, 32, and 106, where submount 31 includes an inclined portion provided by wedge 106). "The photodetector is disposed on a front face of the submount except for the inclined portion" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 32 and 106, where the inclined portion 106 is only under the laser 32). "An angle of the inclined portion with respect to a bottom face on a side to the stem of the submount is adjusted to an angle range in which the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element is received by the light receiving face of the photodetector" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 32 and 106, where the laser light must continue to impinge upon the photodetector which is provided at the initial deflector according to the teachings of Ketsukawa). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and Kawano with the teachings of N479b for the reasons provided above regarding claim 14.
Regarding claim 27, Ketsukawa discloses, "Wherein the photodetector is disposed so as to reflect the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element perpendicularly to the stem front face of the stem" (p. [0011] and Fig. 3, pts. 1, 2, and L).
Claims 16, 24, 25, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ketsukawa, in view of Oinoue, in view of N785a, and further in view of N479b.
Regarding claim 16, Ketsukawa does not explicitly disclose, "A submount disposed between the semiconductor laser element and the stem, and the photodetector and the stem." Oinoue discloses, "A submount disposed between the semiconductor laser element and the stem, and the photodetector and the stem" (col. 4, lines 7-15 and Fig. 12, pts. 23, 24, 31, and 62). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ketsukawa with the teachings of Oinoue for the reasons provided above regarding claim 13.
The combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and N785a does not explicitly disclose, "Wherein the submount includes an inclined portion inclined with respect to the stem front face of the stem." "The semiconductor laser element is disposed at the inclined portion." "The photodetector is disposed on a front face of the submount except for the inclined portion." "An angle of the inclined portion with respect to a bottom face on a side to the stem of the submount is adjusted to an angle range in which the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element is received by the light receiving face of the photodetector." N479b discloses, "Wherein the submount includes an inclined portion inclined with respect to the stem front face of the stem" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 31, 32, and 106, where submount 31 includes an inclined portion provided by wedge 106). "The semiconductor laser element is disposed at the inclined portion" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 31, 32, and 106, where laser 32 is provided on inclined portion 106). "The photodetector is disposed on a front face of the submount except for the inclined portion" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 32 and 106, where the inclined portion 106 is only under the laser 32). "An angle of the inclined portion with respect to a bottom face on a side to the stem of the submount is adjusted to an angle range in which the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element is received by the light receiving face of the photodetector" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 32 and 106, where the laser light must continue to impinge upon the photodetector which is provided at the initial deflector according to the teachings of Ketsukawa). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and N785a with the teachings of N479b. In view of the teachings of Ketsukawa regarding a laser and a photodetector mounted relative to one another, the alternate provision of a laser inclination by a triangular spacer for supporting the laser device as taught by N479b would enhance the teachings of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and N785a by allowing the angle of the laser device to be adjusted relative to the submount so as to output light at a desired angle.
Regarding claim 24, Ketsukawa does not explicitly disclose, "Wherein the submount comprises a first submount disposed on the stem front face of the stem." Oinoue discloses, "Wherein the submount comprises a first submount disposed on the stem front face of the stem" (col. 2, lines 27-30 and Fig. 12, pts. 23 and 24). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ketsukawa with the teachings of Oinoue for the reasons provided above regarding claim 13.
The combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and N785a does not explicitly disclose, "A second submount disposed on the front face of the first submount and having an inclined face inclined with respect to the stem front face of the stem." "The inclined portion is the inclined face of the second submount." N479b discloses, "A second submount disposed on the front face of the first submount and having an inclined face inclined with respect to the stem front face of the stem" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 31, 32, and 106, where wedge 106 is used as the second submount in place of substrate 28 of Oinoue). "The inclined portion is the inclined face of the second submount" (col. 4, lines 57-62 and Fig. 11, pts. 31, 32, and 106, where submount 31 includes an inclined portion provided by wedge 106). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, and N785a with the teachings of N479b for the reasons provided above regarding claim 16.
Regarding claim 25, Ketsukawa does not explicitly disclose, "Wherein the submount comprises a first submount having an inclined face inclined with respect to the stem front face of the stem and disposed on the stem front face of the stem." "The inclined portion is the inclined face of the first submount." Oinoue discloses, "Wherein the submount comprises a first submount having an inclined face inclined with respect to the stem front face of the stem and disposed on the stem front face of the stem" (col. 4, lines 7-15 and Fig. 12, pts. 24 and 24a). "The inclined portion is the inclined face of the first submount" (col. 4, lines 7-15 and Fig. 12, pts. 24 and 24a). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ketsukawa with the teachings of Oinoue for the reasons provided above regarding claim 13.
Regarding claim 29, Ketsukawa discloses, "Wherein the photodetector is disposed so as to reflect the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element perpendicularly to the stem front face of the stem" (p. [0011] and Fig. 3, pts. 1, 2, and L).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ketsukawa, in view of Oinoue, in view of Kawano, in view of N479b, and further in view of Hamasaki.
Regarding claim 20, The combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, Kawano, and N479b does not explicitly disclose, "Wherein the light receiving face of the photodetector is an inclined face inclined with respect to a rear face of the photodetector facing the stem front face of the stem." Hamasaki discloses, "Wherein the light receiving face of the photodetector is an inclined face inclined with respect to a rear face of the photodetector facing the stem front face of the stem" (p. [0034] and Fig. 2, pts. 10, 12, and 15). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, Kawano, and N479b with the teachings of Hamasaki. In view of the teachings of Ketsukawa regarding a laser device directed at an angled photodetector such that a portion of light enters the photodetector and the teachings of Kawano regarding the use of a waveguide based photodetector, the alternate construction of the photodetector to have a flat bottom mounting surface with an angled incidence surface as taught by Hamasaki would enhance the teachings of Ketsukawa, Oinoue, Kawano, and N479b by allowing the photodetector to be flatly mounted while also facilitating injection of light into the semiconductor body and presenting an angled surface for deflecting light in a desired direction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12, 21, and 22 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claims 12, 21, and 22 are allowed for the reasons set forth in the Office Action dated 19 September 2025.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hamasaki et al. (US Pub. 2002/0136256) is cited for teaching a photodetector arrangement that includes a partial reflecting front facet and a separate window region provided under the front facet.
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/SEAN P HAGAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2828