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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 1: Figs. 1, 3 and 7, claims 1-3, 14, 22, 24-26, 31, 35-38, 43, 47, 52, 54-55, 63-64, 66, 76-79, and 82 in the reply filed on December 10, 2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 15 and 44 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on December 10, 2025.
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 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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claims 1-3, 14, 22, 24-26, 31, 35-38, 43, 47, 52, 54, 55, 63, 64, 66, 76-79 and 82 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Omatsu et al. (JP 2008052266 A) in view of Hooker et al. (US PG Pub 2017/0093111).
Regarding claim 1, Omatsu et al. disclose: a medium (1) (liquid or gas), or a supply configured to provide a medium, or a support configured to hold a medium (Fig. 1, page 12 of translation); at least one laser configured to provide first and second laser beams (laser beams 2 and 3) that are disposed with respect to each other and with respect to the medium so that the first and second laser beams interfere and form an interference pattern (4) on the medium to produce a diffraction grating (Fig. 1, page 12 of translation); a third laser beam (pulse laser beam 35) that comprises a laser pulse having a first pulse width and including light of different wavelengths (Fig. 3, page 17 of translation).
Omatsu et al. do not disclose: and one or more optical elements configured to receive a third laser beam; to direct the different wavelengths of light along different paths with different distances, and to direct the different wavelengths of light to the diffraction grating formed in the medium; wherein the diffraction grating formed in the medium is configured to diffract the light of different wavelengths to produce an output laser pulse having a second pulse width that is shorter the first pulse width.
Hooker et al. disclose: one or more optical elements (mirrors 11-18, stretcher 100, amplifier 20) configured to receive a third laser beam (from oscillator 10) (Fig. 1, [0059]); to direct the different wavelengths of light along different paths with different distances (stretcher comprising gratings 102 and 104 direct different wavelengths of light along different paths with different distances) (Fig. 1, [0059]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Omatsu by adding the compressor of Omatsu to the device of Hooker in order to allow the compressor to be able to receive higher output power laser radiation. Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the diffraction grating formed in the medium is configured to diffract the light of different wavelengths to produce an output laser pulse having a second pulse width that is shorter the first pulse width (compressor shortens pulse width).
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Figs. 1 and 3 of Omatsu
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Fig. 1 of Hooker
Regarding claim 2, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein one or more optical elements (grating 34a) are configured to direct the light of different wavelengths to the diffraction grating (34b) formed in the medium at different incoming angles (Omatsu, Fig. 3, page 17 of translation), and wherein the diffraction grating formed in the medium is configured to diffract the light so that the light of different wavelengths propagates away from the diffraction grating at substantially the same angle (see the rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 3, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the one or more optical elements comprises: a first dispersive optical element (grating 102 of stretcher) configured to disperse the third laser beam so that the light of different wavelengths propagates away from the first dispersive optical element at different angles:, a second dispersive optical element (grating 104 of stretcher) configured to receive light from the first dispersive optical element and to at least partially counter angular dispersion from the first dispersive optical element to substantially collimate the light of different wavelengths (Hooker, Fig. 1, [0059]); and a third optical element (mirror 18) configured to receive light from the second dispersive optical element and to converge the light of different wavelengths towards the grating produced at the medium (Hooker, Fig. 1, [0063]).
Regarding claim 14, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the at least one laser comprises a first laser that is configured to produce the first and second laser beams (Omatsu, Fig. 1, page 12 of translation).
Regarding claim 22, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the interference pattern between the first laser beam and the second laser beam creates a plurality of linear fringes (Omatsu, Fig. 1, page 12 of translation).
Regarding claim 24, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the medium has an index of refraction that is dependent on light intensity (water has an index of refraction that is dependent on light intensity) (Omatsu, Fig. 1, pages 12-13 of translation).
Regarding claim 25, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the diffractive grating is a plasma grating (Omatsu, Fig. 1, page 12 of translation).
Regarding claim 26, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the medium comprises gas configured to be ionized by the first and second laser beams to form a plasma (Omatsu, Fig. 1, page 12 of translation).
Regarding claim 31, Omatsu as modified do not disclose: wherein the output laser pulse has light intensity of at least 5×1017 W/cm2.
However, In accordance with MPEP 2144.05 II, Optimization of Ranges: Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In the prior art the general conditions are disclosed, a laser pulse compressor outputting laser pulses at a light intensity value of 1×1017 W/cm2 (Omatsu, page 13 of translation). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to obtain a workable range of values for the light intensity by routine experimentation.
Regarding claim 35, Omatsu as modified disclose: a chromatic stretcher configured to chromatically stretch a laser pulse; an amplifier configured to amplify the laser pulse (Hooker, Fig. 1, [0059]); and the laser pulse compressor of claim 1 configured to chromatically compress the laser pulse (see the rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 36, Omatsu as modified disclose: further comprising another laser pulse compressor configured to perform a first pulse compression on the laser pulse, and wherein the laser pulse compressor is disposed downstream of the another laser pulse compressor to perform a second pulse compression on the laser pulse after the first pulse compression (the pulse compressor of Omatsu is disposed downstream of the compressor of Hooker, see the rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 37, Omatsu et al. disclose: a medium (1), or a supply configured to provide a medium, or a support configured to hold a medium (Fig. 1, page 12 of translation); at least one laser configured to provide first and second laser beams (laser beams 2 and 3) that are disposed with respect to each other and with respect to the medium so that the first and second laser beams interfere and form an interference pattern (4) on the medium to produce a diffraction grating (Fig. 1, page 12 of translation); optical element (grating 34a) configured to direct different wavelengths of light to converge toward the diffraction grating (34b) at different angles (Fig. 3, page 17 of translation).
Omatsu et al. do not disclose: and one or more optical elements; wherein the diffraction grating is configured to diffract the light to reduce the difference in angles between the different wavelengths of light.
Hooker et al. disclose: one or more optical elements (mirrors 11-18, stretcher 100, amplifier 20) configured to receive a third laser beam (from oscillator 10) (Fig. 1, [0059]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Omatsu by adding the compressor of Omatsu to the device of Hooker in order to allow the compressor to be able to receive higher output power laser radiation. Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the diffraction grating is configured to diffract the light to reduce the difference in angles between the different wavelengths of light.
Regarding claim 38, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the diffraction grating is configured to output the light of different wavelengths at substantially the same angle (Hooker, Fig. 1, [0063]).
Regarding claim 43, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the at least one laser comprises a first laser that is configured to produce the first and second laser beams (Omatsu, Fig. 1, page 12 of translation).
Regarding claim 47, Omatsu as modified do not disclose: wherein the first and second laser beams have the same wavelength.
However, In accordance with MPEP 2144.05 II, Optimization of Ranges: Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In the prior art the general conditions are disclosed, a system comprising a first and second laser beam each having a wavelength. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to obtain a workable range of values for the wavelength of each beam by routine experimentation.
Regarding claim 52, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the interference pattern between the first laser beam and the second laser beam creates a plurality of linear fringes (Omatsu, Fig. 1, page 12 of translation).
Regarding claim 54, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the medium has an index of refraction that is dependent on light intensity (water has an index of refraction that is dependent on light intensity) (Omatsu, Fig. 1, pages 12-13 of translation).
Regarding claim 55, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the diffractive grating is a plasma grating (Omatsu, Fig. 1, page 12 of translation).
Regarding claim 63, Omatsu as modified disclose: and one or more optical elements configured to disperse a laser pulse into different wavelengths of light, direct the different wavelengths of light along path lengths with different distances, and to converge the different wavelengths of light onto the grating formed at the medium (Hooker, Fig. 1, [0059]-[0063]).
Regarding claim 64, Omatsu as modified do not disclose: wherein the laser pulse compressor outputs an output laser pulse that has light intensity of at least 5×1017 W/cm2.
However, In accordance with MPEP 2144.05 II, Optimization of Ranges: Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In the prior art the general conditions are disclosed, a laser pulse compressor outputting laser pulses at a light intensity value of 1×1017 W/cm2 (Omatsu, page 13 of translation). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to obtain a workable range of values for the light intensity by routine experimentation.
Regarding claim 66, Omatsu as modified disclose: a laser pulse stretcher configured to increase a pulse width of a laser pulse to provide a stretched laser pulse; an amplifier configured to amplify the stretched laser pulse to provide an amplified stretched laser pulse (Hooker, Fig. 1, [0059]-[0063]); and a laser pulse compressor configured to decrease the pulse width of the amplified stretched laser pulse to provide an amplified laser pulse, wherein the laser pulse compressor includes the diffraction grating produced at the medium (see the rejection of claim 37).
Regarding claim 76, Omatsu et al. disclose: a plasma grating (4) (Fig. 1, page 12 of translation).
Omatsu et al. do not disclose: and one or more optical elements configured to direct different wavelengths of light of a laser pulse along different path lengths and to direct the different wavelengths of light to the plasma grating.
Hooker et al. disclose: one or more optical elements (mirrors 11-18, stretcher 100, amplifier 20) configured to receive a third laser beam (from oscillator 10) (Fig. 1, [0059]); to direct different wavelengths of light along different path lengths and to direct the different wavelengths of light to converge toward the diffraction grating (stretcher comprising gratings 102 and 104 direct different wavelengths of light along different paths with different distances and to converge toward the diffraction grating) (Fig. 1, [0059]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Omatsu by adding the compressor of Omatsu to the device of Hooker in order to allow the compressor to be able to receive higher output power laser radiation.
Regarding claim 77, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the plasma grating is a transmission grating (Omatsu, Fig. 1, page 12 of translation).
Regarding claim 78, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the one or more optical elements are configured to converge the light of different wavelengths onto the plasma grating (Hooker, Fig. 1, [0059]-[0063]).
Regarding claim 79, Omatsu as modified disclose: wherein the plasma grating is configured to receive the light of different wavelengths at different angles and to diffract the light to reduce the difference in angles between the different wavelengths of light (Omatsu, Fig. 3, page 17 of translation).
Regarding claim 82, Omatsu as modified disclose: a laser pulse stretcher configured to increase a pulse width of a laser pulse to provide a stretched laser pulse; an amplifier configured to amplify the stretched laser pulse to provide an amplified stretched laser pulse (Hooker, Fig. 1, [0059]-[0063]); and the laser pulse compressor of claim 76 (see the rejection of claim 76).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Slagle et al. (US 10,079,465) disclose: a coherent amplification device includes a phase modulation stage for preconditioning a laser beam, and a coupling stage for transferring energy and spatial phase information between the first laser beam and a second laser beam. The phase modulation stage may include an electro-optically active medium having a time-dependent refractive index manipulatable by an electric field thereby introducing a time-dependent phase shift to the first laser beam when passed therethrough. The coupling stage may include a coupling medium having a time-dependent and intensity-dependent refractive index with a finite lifetime, where an interference pattern of the laser beams is written into the coupling medium through the time-dependent and intensity-dependent refractive index to generate a holographic grating based on the interference pattern, and where the finite lifetime of the coupling medium and the preconditioned phase modulation facilitates a transfer of energy and spatial phase information between the laser beams (Abstract). Betin et al. (US 6,346,686) disclose: FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system employing Loop PCM. The input beam E1100 first passes through a nonlinear medium 102, which can be a simple absorption cell 344. The input beam 100 is then directed through an amplifier 104 having a gain G by two or more mirrors 106, 108 to form a loop or ring. The amplified wave 110, labeled E.sub.3, is directed to intersect E.sub.1 100 at a small angle in the cell 102. These propagating waves, having sufficient coherence length, form an interference pattern in the nonlinear medium 102 that produces an associated index grating of modulation (Fig. 1, col. 2, lines 27-40).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XINNING(TOM) NIU whose telephone number is (571)270-1437. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30am-6:00pm.
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/XINNING(Tom) NIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2828