Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 04, 2026
Application No. 17/636,963

Large Dzyaloshinskii – Moriya Interaction and Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy Induced by Chemisorbed Species on Ferromagnets

Final Rejection §102
Filed
Feb 21, 2022
Priority
Aug 19, 2019 — provisional 62/888,691 +1 more
Examiner
PATERSON, BRIGITTE A
Art Unit
2896
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
The Regents of the University of California
OA Round
2 (Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allowance Rate
286 granted / 374 resolved
+8.5% vs TC avg
Strong +23% interview lift
Without
With
+23.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
28 currently pending
Career history
402
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.2%
-38.8% vs TC avg
§103
45.0%
+5.0% vs TC avg
§102
30.4%
-9.6% vs TC avg
§112
22.1%
-17.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 374 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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) 91-92 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zirun Li, Wenbo Mi, and Haili Bai, Orbital Redistribution Enhanced Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy of CoFe3N Nitrides by Adsorbing Organic Molecules ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2018 10 (19), 16674-16680 Re claim 91, Li teaches an apparatus for generating a Dzyaloshinski-Moriya interaction or a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy comprising: a thin film ferromagnetic structure (CoFe3N); and a substance (C6H6, C6F6, Sc4H4 molecules) chemisorbed on a surface of a thin film ferromagnetic structure wherein the chemisorption of the substance on the surface of the thin film ferromagnetic structure forms chemisorbed bonds between the substance and the thin film ferromagnetic structure surface, wherein the chemisorbed bonds induce the Dzyaloshinski-Moriya interaction or the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy at an interface between the chemisorbed substance and the thin film ferromagnetic structure (abstract). Re claim 92, Li teaches wherein the thin film ferromagnetic structure comprises at least one material from the group comprising transition metals, alkali metals, and lanthanides, including but not limited to Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Molybdenum, Ruthenium, Rhodium, Palladium, Cesium, Hafnium, Tantalum, Tungsten, Rhenium, Iridium, Platinum, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, and their alloys, or selected from a group comprising non-metallic materials, including but not limited to ferrites, garnets, rare-earth oxides, Heusler alloys, CrO2, graphene, CrI3, and Cr2Ge2Te-6 (CoFe3N). Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to the pending claim(s) 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. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 98-100 are allowed. Claims 93-97 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIGITTE A PATERSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1752. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Kraig can be reached at 571-272-8660. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. BRIGITTE A. PATERSON Primary Examiner Art Unit 2896 /BRIGITTE A PATERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Feb 21, 2022
Application Filed
May 15, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Nov 19, 2025
Response Filed
Mar 10, 2026
Final Rejection — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+23.3%)
2y 8m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 374 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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