DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This office action is in response to A filing of 9/15/2026.
Continued Examination
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 9/15/2026 has been entered.
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 of this title, 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 1-21 and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brookhyser et al (US 20220048135).
Regarding claim 1, Brookhyser teaches an optical scanner (abstract; fig. 1 and figs. 26-30) comprising:
one or more acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) configured to deflect an optical beam along one or more scanning directions (fig. 28, 2602-AOD; ¶[0205], line 1-10, the AOD 2602 is an AOD of the first positioner 106; ¶[0068], line 1-36, first positioner 106 is provided as an AOD system including at least one (e. g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) single-element AOD, at least one (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) multi-element AOD; to deflect the beam axis along a different axis; a multi-cell, multi-axis system can include a first AOD (e.g., a single- or multi-element AOD system) operative to deflect the beam 1 axis along one axis ( e.g., along the X-axis), and a second AOD (e.g., a single- or multielement AOD) operative to deflect the beam axis along a second axis ( e.g., along the Y-axis)),
wherein a deflection angle of the optical beam from the one or more AODs is controllable by one or more drive signals applied to the one or more AODs (fig. 1, 106, 122-controller; ¶[0068], line 1-36, includes at least two ultrasonic transducer elements acoustically coupled to a common AO cell. The AOD system may be provided as single-axis AOD system (e.g., operative to deflect the beam axis along a single axis) or as a multi-axis AOD system (e.g., operative to deflect the beam axis along one or more axes, such as along the X-axis, along the Y-axis, or any combination thereof); and
a dispersion compensator (fig. 28, 2600; ¶[0205], line 1-10, the dispersion compensator 2600 is disposed in the beam path 114),
wherein the dispersion compensator is configured to compensate for dispersion by the one or more AODs (fig. 28, , 2602-AOD, 2600, 114) such that, at a particular configuration of the one or more drive signals, an output deflection angle of the optical beam after the one or more AODs and the dispersion compensator is constant within a first tolerance in the output deflection angle for wavelengths of the optical beam within a wavelength range (¶[0013], line 1-16, a system that includes an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) operative to diffract an incident beam of laser energy and output the diffracted beam of laser energy along a beam path, wherein the AOD is operative to variably diffract the incident beam of laser energy to thereby deflect the beam path within a first angular range and within a second angular range; a first dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating, the first dispersion compensator optically coupled to the output of the AOD and arranged in the beam path deflected within the first angular range; and a second dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating, the second dispersion compensator optically coupled to the output of the AOD and arranged in the beam path deflected within the second angular range; ¶[0200], line 1-2, Compensation for Wavelength Dispersion; ¶[0203], line 1-32, the beam path 114 has wavelengths in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., in the MWIR or LWIR ranges, spanning wavelengths in the range from 3 µm ( or thereabout) to 15 µm ( or thereabout), or the like), the dispersion compensator may be provided as a dispersion prism formed of a material such as fused silica, silicon,…).
But Brookhyser does not specifically disclose that wherein at least one of the dispersion of the dispersion compensator or a transmittance of the dispersion compensator is independent of a polarization.
However, Brookhyser teaches in fig. 28, a dispersion compensator 2600; and in ¶[0203], line 1-32, that “the dispersion compensator may be provided as a dispersion prism formed of a material such as fused silica, silicon,…”; --- normally a dispersion or a transmittance of a prism is independent of a polarization; for example, a silicon prism is not inherently a polarizing prism; it is a refractive optical element made from silicon, not a device designed to polarize light.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the optical scanner of Brookhyser to have the dispersion or a transmittance of the dispersion compensator (--using a silicon prism) independent of a polarization, for a purpose of easy availability and lower cost.
Regarding claim 2, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the dispersion compensator comprises: a diffractive optical element (fig. 28, 2600; ¶[0013], line 1-16, dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating).
Regarding claim 3, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the dispersion compensator comprises: a prism (fig. 28, 2600; ¶[0013], line 1-16, dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating).
Regarding claim 4, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of the dispersion by any one of the one or more AODs varies within an operational range associated with the corresponding one of the one or more drive signals, wherein a magnitude of the dispersion by the dispersion compensator projected along a dispersion direction associated with a particular one of the one or more AODs is equal to a magnitude of the dispersion by the particular one of the one or more AODs for at least one value of the corresponding operational range (fig. 28, 2600, 2602, 114; ¶[0013], line 1-16, a system that includes an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) operative to diffract an incident beam of laser energy and output the diffracted beam of laser energy along a beam path, wherein the AOD is operative to variably diffract the incident beam of laser energy to thereby deflect the beam path within a first angular range and within a second angular range; a first dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating, the first dispersion compensator optically coupled to the output of the AOD and arranged in the beam path deflected within the first angular range; and a second dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating, the second dispersion compensator optically coupled to the output of the AOD and arranged in the beam path deflected within the second angular range; ¶[0243], line 1-19, the magnitude of spectral dispersion imparted to beam of laser energy deflected within the first sub-scan field 3106a is equal to (or at least substantially equal to) the magnitude of spectral dispersion imparted to beam of laser energy deflected within the second sub-scan field 3106b).
Regarding claim 5, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the dispersion compensator is located prior to the one or more AODs (fig. 26, 2600, 2602, 114).
Regarding claim 6, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the dispersion compensator is located after to the one or more AODs (fig. 28, 2602, 2600, 114).
Regarding claim 7, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the dispersion compensator is located adjacent to one of the one or more AODs (fig. 28, 2602, 2600).
Regarding claim 8, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, further comprising: an optical relay between the dispersion compensator and at least one of the one or more AODs (fig. 27, 2700, 2702, 2600, 2602).
Regarding claim 9, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 8, wherein the dispersion compensator comprises a diffractive optical element (DOE) (fig. 28, 2600; ¶[0013], line 1-16, dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating), wherein the optical scanner further includes a filter to block at least zero-order diffraction from the DOE (fig. 2, 202, 200; fig. 3, 202, 300; fig. 6, 600, 300; ¶[0125], line 1-7, to form a surface or other structure that suitably absorbs an incident beam of laser energy).
Regarding claim 10, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the one or more AODs comprise a single AOD, wherein the one or more scanning directions of the one or more AODs comprise a single scanning direction (¶[0068], line 1-36, first positioner 106 is provided as an AOD system including at least one (e. g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) single-element AOD, at least one (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) multi-element AOD; to deflect the beam axis along a different axis; a multi-cell, multi-axis system can include a first AOD (e.g., a single- or multi-element AOD system) operative to deflect the beam 1 axis along one axis ( e.g., along the X-axis), and a second AOD (e.g., a single- or multielement AOD) operative to deflect the beam axis along a second axis ( e.g., along the Y-axis)).
Regarding claim 11, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the one or more scanning directions of the one or more AODs includes a first scanning direction and a second scanning direction (¶[0068], line 1-36, first positioner 106 is provided as an AOD system including at least one (e. g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) single-element AOD, at least one (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) multi-element AOD; to deflect the beam axis along a different axis; a multi-cell, multi-axis system can include a first AOD (e.g., a single- or multi-element AOD system) operative to deflect the beam 1 axis along one axis ( e.g., along the X-axis), and a second AOD (e.g., a single- or multielement AOD) operative to deflect the beam axis along a second axis ( e.g., along the Y-axis)).
Regarding claim 12, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 11, wherein the one or more AODs comprise two AODs, wherein the first and second scanning directions are orthogonal (¶[0068], line 1-36, first positioner 106 is provided as an AOD system including at least one (e. g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) single-element AOD, at least one (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) multi-element AOD; to deflect the beam axis along a different axis; a multi-cell, multi-axis system can include a first AOD (e.g., a single- or multi-element AOD system) operative to deflect the beam 1 axis along one axis ( e.g., along the X-axis), and a second AOD (e.g., a single- or multielement AOD) operative to deflect the beam axis along a second axis ( e.g., along the Y-axis)),
wherein the optical scanner further comprises: a polarization rotator between the two AODs to rotate a polarization of the optical beam by 90 degrees (fig. 30, 2004a, 2004b; 3006a, 3006b; ¶[0226], line 1-40, first optical component 2004a and second optical component 2004b are formed of an AO cell; one of the mirrors 3006a and 3006b may be provided as a reflective phase retarder (e.g., configured to impart a 180 degree phase shift), or both of the mirrors 3006a and 3006b may be provided as a reflective phase retarder ( e.g., configured to impart a 90 degree phase shift)).
Regarding claim 13, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 12, polarization rotator comprises: at least one of one or more reflective phase retarders or one or more rhombs (fig. 30, 2004a, 2004b; 3006a, 3006b; ¶[0226], line 1-40, first optical component 2004a and second optical component 2004b are formed of an AO cell; one of the mirrors 3006a and 3006b may be provided as a reflective phase retarder (e.g., configured to impart a 180 degree phase shift), or both of the mirrors 3006a and 3006b may be provided as a reflective phase retarder ( e.g., configured to impart a 90 degree phase shift)).
Regarding claim 14, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the dispersion compensator is a transmissive element (fig. 28, 2600).
Regarding claim 15, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the dispersion compensator is a reflective element (fig. 26, 2600a+2908a3; 2600b+2908b3; ¶[0210], line 1-28, mirrors 2908al, 2908a2, and 2908a3, each generically referred to as a "first mirror 2908a") to the first dispersion compensator 2600a; mirrors 2908bl, 2908b2, and 2908b3, each generically referred to as a "second mirror 2908b") to the second dispersion compensator 2600b).
Regarding claim 16, Brookhyser teaches the optical scanner of claim 1, wherein the optical beam has a wavelength in a range of 9 to 12 micrometers (¶[0203], line 1-32, the beam path 114 has wavelengths in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., in the MWIR or LWIR ranges, spanning wavelengths in the range from 3 µm ( or thereabout) to 15 µm ( or thereabout), or the like), the dispersion compensator may be provided as a dispersion prism formed of a material such as fused silica, silicon,…).
Regarding claim 17, Brookhyser teaches a method abstract; fig. 1 and figs. 26-30) comprising:
deflecting an optical beam with an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) along one or more scanning directions (fig. 28, 2602-AOD; ¶[0205], line 1-10, the AOD 2602 is an AOD of the first positioner 106; ¶[0068], line 1-36, first positioner 106 is provided as an AOD system including at least one (e. g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) single-element AOD, at least one (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) multi-element AOD; to deflect the beam axis along a different axis; a multi-cell, multi-axis system can include a first AOD (e.g., a single- or multi-element AOD system) operative to deflect the bean1 axis along one axis ( e.g., along the X-axis), and a second AOD (e.g., a single- or multielement AOD) operative to deflect the beam axis along a second axis ( e.g., along the Y-axis)),
wherein a deflection angle of the optical beam from the AOD is controllable by one or more drive signals applied to the AOD (fig. 1, 106, 122-controller; ¶[0068], line 1-36, includes at least two ultrasonic transducer elements acoustically coupled to a common AO cell. The AOD system may be provided as single-axis AOD system (e.g., operative to deflect the beam axis along a single axis) or as a multi-axis AOD system (e.g., operative to deflect the beam axis along one or more axes, such as along the X-axis, along the Y-axis, or any combination thereof);
dispersing the optical beam with a dispersion compensator (fig. 28, 2600; ¶[0205], line 1-10, the dispersion compensator 2600 is disposed in the beam path 114),
wherein dispersion by the dispersion compensator at least partly compensates for dispersion by the AOD (fig. 28, , 2602-AOD, 2600, 114) such that a deflection angle of the optical beam from the AOD and the dispersion compensator at a particular configuration of the one or more drive signals is constant within a first tolerance for wavelengths of the optical beam within a wavelength range (¶[0013], line 1-16, a system that includes an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) operative to diffract an incident beam of laser energy and output the diffracted beam of laser energy along a beam path, wherein the AOD is operative to variably diffract the incident beam of laser energy to thereby deflect the beam path within a first angular range and within a second angular range; a first dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating, the first dispersion compensator optically coupled to the output of the AOD and arranged in the beam path deflected within the first angular range; and a second dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating, the second dispersion compensator optically coupled to the output of the AOD and arranged in the beam path deflected within the second angular range; ¶[0200], line 1-2, Compensation for Wavelength Dispersion; ¶[0203], line 1-32, the beam path 114 has wavelengths in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., in the MWIR or LWIR ranges, spanning wavelengths in the range from 3 µm ( or thereabout) to 15 µm ( or thereabout), or the like), the dispersion compensator may be provided as a dispersion prism formed of a material such as fused silica, silicon,…).
But Brookhyser does not specifically disclose that wherein at least one of the dispersion of the dispersion compensator or a transmittance of the dispersion compensator is independent of a polarization.
However, Brookhyser teaches in fig. 28, a dispersion compensator 2600; and in ¶[0203], line 1-32, that “the dispersion compensator may be provided as a dispersion prism formed of a material such as fused silica, silicon,…”; --- normally a dispersion or a transmittance of a prism is independent of a polarization; for example, a silicon prism is not inherently a polarizing prism; it is a refractive optical element made from silicon, not a device designed to polarize light.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the optical scanner of Brookhyser to have the dispersion or a transmittance of the dispersion compensator (--using a silicon prism) independent of a polarization, for a purpose of easy availability and lower cost.
Regarding claim 18, Brookhyser teaches the method of claim 17, further comprising: placing the dispersive element adjacent to the AOD (fig. 28, 2600, 2602).
Regarding claim 19, Brookhyser teaches the method of claim 17, further comprising: relaying the optical beam between the dispersion compensator and the AOD with an optical relay (fig. 27, 2700, 2702, 2600, 2602)..
Regarding claim 20, Brookhyser teaches the method of claim 17, further comprising: wherein the dispersion compensator comprises a diffractive optical element (DOE) (fig. 28, 2600; ¶[0013], line 1-16, dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating), wherein the method further comprises: filtering at least zero-order diffraction from the DOE (fig. 2, 202, 200; fig. 3, 202, 300; fig. 6, 600, 300; ¶[0125], line 1-7, to form a surface or other structure that suitably absorbs an incident beam of laser energy).
Regarding claim 21, Brookhyser teaches the method of claim 17, wherein the optical beam has a wavelength in a range of 9 to 12 micrometers (¶[0203], line 1-32, the beam path 114 has wavelengths in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., in the MWIR or LWIR ranges, spanning wavelengths in the range from 3 µm ( or thereabout) to 15 µm ( or thereabout), or the like), the dispersion compensator may be provided as a dispersion prism formed of a material such as fused silica, silicon,…).
Regarding claim 29, Brookhyser teaches a system (abstract; fig. 1 and figs. 26-30) comprising:
an optical source configured to generate an optical beam (fig. 1, 104); a scanner comprising:
one or more acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) configured to deflect an optical beam along one or more scanning directions (fig. 28, 2602-AOD; ¶[0205], line 1-10, the AOD 2602 is an AOD of the first positioner 106; ¶[0068], line 1-36, first positioner 106 is provided as an AOD system including at least one (e. g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) single-element AOD, at least one (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) multi-element AOD; to deflect the beam axis along a different axis; a multi-cell, multi-axis system can include a first AOD (e.g., a single- or multi-element AOD system) operative to deflect the bean1 axis along one axis ( e.g., along the X-axis), and a second AOD (e.g., a single- or multielement AOD) operative to deflect the beam axis along a second axis ( e.g., along the Y-axis)),
wherein a deflection angle of the optical beam from the one or more AODs is controllable by one or more drive signals applied to the one or more AODs (fig. 1, 106, 122-controller; ¶[0068], line 1-36, includes at least two ultrasonic transducer elements acoustically coupled to a common AO cell. The AOD system may be provided as single-axis AOD system (e.g., operative to deflect the beam axis along a single axis) or as a multi-axis AOD system (e.g., operative to deflect the beam axis along one or more axes, such as along the X-axis, along the Y-axis, or any combination thereof); and
a dispersion compensator (fig. 28, 2600; ¶[0205], line 1-10, the dispersion compensator 2600 is disposed in the beam path 114),
wherein dispersion by the dispersion compensator at least partly compensates for dispersion by the one or more AODs (fig. 28, , 2602-AOD, 2600, 114) such that the deflection angle of the optical beam by the dispersion compensator and the one or more AODs at a particular configuration of the one or more drive signals is constant within a first tolerance for wavelengths of the optical beam within a wavelength range (¶[0013], line 1-16, a system that includes an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) operative to diffract an incident beam of laser energy and output the diffracted beam of laser energy along a beam path, wherein the AOD is operative to variably diffract the incident beam of laser energy to thereby deflect the beam path within a first angular range and within a second angular range; a first dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating, the first dispersion compensator optically coupled to the output of the AOD and arranged in the beam path deflected within the first angular range; and a second dispersion compensator including at least one selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating, the second dispersion compensator optically coupled to the output of the AOD and arranged in the beam path deflected within the second angular range; ¶[0200], line 1-2, Compensation for Wavelength Dispersion; ¶[0203], line 1-32, the beam path 114 has wavelengths in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., in the MWIR or LWIR ranges, spanning wavelengths in the range from 3 µm ( or thereabout) to 15 µm ( or thereabout), or the like), the dispersion compensator may be provided as a dispersion prism formed of a material such as fused silica, silicon,…),
one or more focusing optics configured to focus the optical beam deflected by the one or more AODs to a sample (fig. 1, 112a, 112b, 102a, 102b; ¶[0048], line 1-11, laser energy deflected to scan lens 112a is delivered to workpiece 102a and laser energy transmitted deflected to scan lens 112b is delivered to workpiece 102b; ¶[0050], line 1-21, the beam of laser energy delivered to the workpiece 102 can have a spot size greater than, less than, or equal to 2 µm, 3 µm, 5 µm, 7 µm, 10 µm, ….).
But Brookhyser does not specifically disclose that wherein at least one of the dispersion of the dispersion compensator or a transmittance of the dispersion compensator is independent of a polarization.
However, Brookhyser teaches in fig. 28, a dispersion compensator 2600; and in ¶[0203], line 1-32, that “the dispersion compensator may be provided as a dispersion prism formed of a material such as fused silica, silicon,…”; --- normally a dispersion or a transmittance of a prism is independent of a polarization; for example, a silicon prism is not inherently a polarizing prism; it is a refractive optical element made from silicon, not a device designed to polarize light.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the optical scanner of Brookhyser to have the dispersion or a transmittance of the dispersion compensator (--using a silicon prism) independent of a polarization, for a purpose of easy availability and lower cost.
Regarding claim 30, Brookhyser teaches the system of claim 29, wherein the optical beam has a wavelength in a range of 9 to 12 micrometers (¶[0203], line 1-32, the beam path 114 has wavelengths in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., in the MWIR or LWIR ranges, spanning wavelengths in the range from 3 µm ( or thereabout) to 15 µm ( or thereabout), or the like), the dispersion compensator may be provided as a dispersion prism formed of a material such as fused silica, silicon,…).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 9/15/2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive. 112 rejection is removed.
NOTE: in case of allowance, amendments should be made for withdrawn claims 22-28 by: (1) canceled; (2) amended to include allowable subject matter, so the withdrawn claims can be rejoined.
Examiner’s Note
Regarding the references, the Examiner cites particular figures, paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the reference(s), as applied to the claims above. Although the particular citations are representative teachings and are applied to specific limitations within the claims, other passages, internally cited references, and figures may also apply. In preparing a response, it is respectfully requested that the Applicant fully consider the references, in their entirety, as potentially disclosing or teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as fully consider the context of the passage as taught by the reference(s) or as disclosed by the Examiner.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communication from the examiner should be directed to Jie Lei whose telephone number is (571) 272 7231. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon.-Thurs. 8:00 am to 5:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by the telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Stephone Allen can be reached on (571) 272 2434. The Fax number for the organization where this application is assigned is (571) 273 8300.
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/JIE LEI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
