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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1, 8-11 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20220083890 (Simion et al) in view of KR 100997274 B1 (hereinafter referred to as KR’274) and US 20240046134 (Baillin et al).
Concerning claim 1, Simion discloses an apparatus comprising (Fig. 2D): a semiconductor structure (110) ([0067]); an array of two or more gates (112 and 114) above the semiconductor structure to form a linear one-dimensional (1D) array of two or more quantum dots (QDs) (122a 122b) in the semiconductor structure ([0068] and Fig. 2D); and an array of two or more magnetic structures (124) generating stray fields in the same plane as the array of QDs ([0044], [0084], and [0091]) . . ., wherein the 1D array of QDs (122a) comprises QDs that are positioned . . . between poles of individual magnetic structures in the array of magnetic structures (Fig. 2D and [0069], note that the QD 122a is positioned at the center of the nanomagnets (with the poles of the nanomagnets being at the respective ends of the nanomagnets)).
Simion does not disclose wherein at least one of the magnetic structures has a horseshoe or “U” shape or QDs that are positioned solely between poles of individual magnetic structures in the array of magnetic structures. However, KR’274 discloses a technique for controlling electron spin in quantum structures (Abstract) in which the magnetic structures have a “U” shape (Fig. 3B) and discloses that the nanocoils (having the horseshoe shape) form a magnetic field and may control the electron spin of the quantum structures (310b) allowing for the structures to be effectively arranged (page 5 para. 5 and page 6 para. 1 of the English translation of this document). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to form the magnetic structure in the shape of a horseshoe as disclosed by KR’274 in order to control the electron spin of the quantum particles and facilitate their arrangement.
Additionally, Baillin discloses a configuration in which quantum dots (QDs) are positioned between the poles (magnetic domains) ([0054]-[0056] and Fig. 6) and that such configuration makes it possible to increase the integration density of the quantum dots, while preserving a good control of the spin state of each of the quantum dots ([0024]). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to position the quantum dots (QDs) solely between the poles of the magnetic structures as disclosed by Baillin in order to achieve the aforementioned advantages.
Considering claim 20, Simion discloses an apparatus comprising (Figs. 2C and 2D): a semiconductor structure (110)([0067]); an array of two or more gates (112, 114, and 116) above the semiconductor structure to form a linear two-dimensional (2D) array of two or more quantum dots (QDs) (122a 122b) in the semiconductor structure ([0068] and Fig. 2C); and an array of two or more magnetic structures (124) generating stray fields in the same plane as the array of QDs ([0044], [0084], and [0091]). . . , wherein the 1D array of QDs (122a) comprises QDs that are positioned between poles of individual magnetic structures in the array of magnetic structures (Fig. 2D and [0069], note that the QD 122a is positioned at the center of the nanomagnets (with the poles of the nanomagnets being at the respective ends of the nanomagnets)).
Simion does not disclose wherein at least one of the magnetic structures has a horseshoe or “U” shape or QDs that are positioned solely between poles of individual magnetic structures in the array of magnetic structures. However, KR’274 discloses a technique for controlling electron spin in quantum structures (Abstract) in which the magnetic structures have a “U” shape (Fig. 3B) and discloses that the nanocoils (having the horseshoe shape) form a magnetic field and may control the electron spin of the quantum structures (310b) allowing for the structures to be effectively arranged (page 5 para. 5 and page 6 para. 1 of the English translation of this document). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to form the magnetic structure in the shape of a horseshoe as disclosed by KR’274 in order to control the electron spin of the quantum particles and facilitate their arrangement.
Additionally, Baillin discloses a configuration in which quantum dots (QDs) are positioned between the poles (magnetic domains) ([0054]-[0056] and Fig. 6) and that such configuration makes it possible to increase the integration density of the quantum dots, while preserving a good control of the spin state of each of the quantum dots ([0024]). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to position the quantum dots (QDs) solely between the poles of the magnetic structures as disclosed by Baillin in order to achieve the aforementioned advantages.
Continuing to claim 8, Simion in view of KR’274 and Baillin discloses wherein the array of gates comprises magnetic materials, and each magnetic structure comprises a combination of iron, cobalt, nickel, and gadolinium (Simion [0089]).
Referring to claim 9, Simion in view of KR’274 and Baillin discloses wherein at different QD positions, different magnetic fields exist leading to different Larmor frequencies (Simion [0024]).
Regarding claim 10, Simion in view of KR’274 and Baillin discloses wherein the array of magnetic structures is placed within 100 nm of the array of QDs (Simion [0020]).
Pertaining to claim 11, Simion in view of KR’274 and Baillin discloses wherein the 1D array of QDs comprises a first set of QDs that are positioned based on centers of individual magnetic structures in the array of magnetic structures and a second set of QDs that are positioned based on centers of gaps between individual magnetic structures in the array of magnetic structures (Simion Fig. 2D and [0077]).
Claim(s) 2, 3, 6, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20220083890 (Simion et al) in view of KR 100997274 B1 (hereinafter referred to as KR’274) and US 20240046134 (Baillin et al) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 20160105176 (Miura et al).
As to claim 2, Simion in view of KR’274 and Baillin discloses forming an array of magnetic structures (Simion Fig. 2D).
Simion in view of KR’274 and Baillin does not disclose wherein each magnetic structure in the array of magnetic structures comprises two separated arms that correspond to the two poles of a magnet, wherein the center of each magnetic structure is at the middle position between the two arms. However, Miura discloses a magnetic structure configuration (Fig. 17 and [0076]) for use as a spin wave device. The magnetic structure of Miura comprises two separated arms that correspond to the two poles of a magnet, wherein the center of each magnetic structure is at the middle position between the two arms (Fig. 17 and [0076]). In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) (The court held that the configuration of the claimed disposable plastic nursing container was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed container was significant.). See MPEP 2144.04 IV B. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the shape of the magnetic structures of Simion in view of Miura such that it comprises two separated arms that correspond to the two poles of a magnet, wherein the center of each magnetic structure is at the middle position between the two arms absent evidence the claimed configuration is significant.
Concerning claim 3, Simion in view of KR’274, Baillin and Miura disclose wherein the array of gates comprises interleaving plunger gates (Simion 114) that are aligned with the QDs and barrier gates that are aligned with the poles of the magnetic structures (Simion Fig. 2D and [0075]).
Considering claim 6, Simion in view of KR’274, Baillin and Miura disclose where an external field is applied in a direction that is parallel to the linear 1D array of QDs (Simion [0016] and [0020]).
Continuing to claim 7, Simion in view of KR’274, Baillin and Miura disclose wherein the external field is adjusted to allow the magnetization of each magnetic structure to lie along the arms of the magnetic structure but not aligned with the external field (Simion [0071]).
Claim(s) 4 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20220083890 (Simion et al) in view of KR 100997274 B1 (hereinafter referred to as KR’274), US 20240046134 (Baillin et al), and US 20160105176 (Miura et al) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of US 10471599 (Guerin).
Referring to claims 4 and 5, Simion in view of KR’274, Baillin and Miura disclose forming the magnetic structure.
Simion in view of KR’274, Baillin and Miura disclose does not disclose wherein an arm of the magnetic structure has an end with a triangular notch or wherein an arm of the magnetic structure has a rounded end. However, Guerin discloses magnetic tip configurations (triangular and rounded) (col. 14 lines 60-64) and that the configurations provide sufficient surface area for manipulation by a magnet. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to form the ends of the magnetic structure with a triangular notch or rounded end in order to provide sufficient surface area for manipulation by the magnet as disclosed by Guerin.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 20 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VALERIE N NEWTON whose telephone number is (571)270-5015. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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/VALERIE N NEWTON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2897 02/27/26
/CHAD M DICKE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897