DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, claims 1-10, 20-25 in the reply filed on 02/16/2026 is acknowledged.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 05/26/2026 with regard to the Binkert prior art have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant remarked that a phase-change layer 304 was disposed over a ring resonator 300 but the phase-change layer 304 is not disposed over an optical waveguide. The examiner respectfully disagrees with this interpretation of Binkert’s invention. A ring resonator is a ring-shaped waveguide in which light travels in a circular manner, and it functions via total internal reflection. The ring resonator therefore can be reasonably interpreted to be an optical waveguide as claimed.
Applicant’s remaining arguments with respect to claims amended 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.
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) 1, 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2011/043774 A1 publication by Binkert et al.
Regarding claim 1, Binkert teaches an optical apparatus (Fig. 2) comprising: a core (substrate 306, equivalent to substrate 106 in Fig 1), wherein the core comprises glass (the substrate 106 can be composed of SiO2); an optical waveguide (Si ring waveguide 302) over the core; and an optical phase change material (phase-change layer/PCL 304) over the optical waveguide, the optical phase change material being at least along sidewalls of the optical waveguide (along lateral sides of 302 as illustrated in Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 2, Binkert further teaches the optical phase change material is over three surfaces of the optical waveguide (top and lateral sides of 302 as illustrated in Fig. 6).
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, 2, 5-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 2015-075640 A patent publication in view of JP 5083732 B2 patent publication.
Regarding claims 1, 10, the ‘640 publication discloses a package substrate (for an optical phase adjustment circuit described in the publication), comprising: a core (waveguide clad portion of an optical waveguide in Fig. 1b, on which a waveguide core 10 is disposed and surrounds the waveguide core 10), an optical waveguide (the waveguide core 10) over the core (the waveguide clad); and an optical phase change material (20, including chalcogenide GeSbTe/germanium, antimony and tellurium) over the optical waveguide, the optical phase change material at least along sidewalls of the optical waveguide (Fig. 1 illustrates a configuration with a phase change material 20 on the left and right of the waveguide core, and an alternate configuration including that shown Fig. 7-(3) disposes the phase change material above the waveguide core, below the waveguide core, and along left right sides of the waveguide core).
The ‘640 publication does not specify the material used for the core (waveguide cladding portion in the ‘640 publication). The ‘732 publication also disclose using a GeSbTe phase change material (101) with an optical waveguide having a waveguide core (guided wave path 102), and a SiO2 clad (103). SiO2, i.e., silica glass, is a widely used optical cladding material due to its properties such as low loss, ease of fabrication, chemical stability, etc., and it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to select glass as the cladding material in the invention disclosed in the ‘640 publication, as suggested in the ‘732 publication, as one of a finite number of identified, predictable solutions well known in the art.
Regarding claim 2, the ‘640 publication further discloses the optical phase change material is over three surfaces of the optical waveguide (as shown in Fig. 7-(3)).
Regarding claims 5, 6, the ‘640 publication further discloses that a laser source (30, optical) or a heater (70, thermal) is configured to adjust the optical phase change material (20). (See at least Fig. 6)
Regarding claim 7, the ‘640 publication further discloses a resistive heater (heating element 70) is provided over the optical phase change material.
Claim(s) 8, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the ‘640 and ‘732 publications as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. PGPub 2019/0253776 A1 by Mazed et al. The ‘640 publication teaches adjusting the optical phase change material using optical or thermal means but not using an electric field as claimed. Mazed teaches an optical switching apparatus (Figs. 1B, 1C) comprising: a core (SiO2 layer, herein interpreted as a central part of the apparatus instead of a waveguide core, since an optical waveguide is subsequently claimed), wherein the core comprises glass (SiO2); an optical waveguide (200) over the core; and an optical phase change material (120, vanadium dioxide, GST, GSST, etc., see at least ¶[0092]) over the optical waveguide, wherein the optical phase change material is configured to be switched between an on state and an off state (i.e., activated or not activated) by applying an electrical field to the optical phase change material (see at least ¶[0092]-[0094]), and a first electrode (160A1 or 160B1) on a first end of the optical phase change material (120), and a second electrode (160A2 or 160B2) on a second end of the optical phase change material. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention disclosed in the ‘640 publication, by using the electric field instead of the optical or thermal means to adjust the phase change material as suggested by Mazed, since, by applying an electric field across a nanoscaled ring of a nonlinear material, mixing of optical signals at high on or off ratio can be obtained.
Claim(s) 23-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the ‘640 and ‘732 publications, and further in view of U.S. PGPub 2021/0005667 by Mazed et al. (Mazed ‘667).
Regarding claim 23, the ‘640 publication discloses a package substrate (for an optical phase adjustment circuit described in the publication), comprising: a core (waveguide clad portion of an optical waveguide in Fig. 1b, on which a waveguide core 10 is disposed and surrounds the waveguide core 10), an optical waveguide network (two optical waveguides connected by two optical couplers as illustrated in Fig. 6) on the core; and an optical switch (a Mach-Zehnder type switch) on the optical waveguide network, wherein the optical switch comprises an optical phase change material (20), the optical phase change material at least along sidewalls of the optical waveguide network (Fig. 7-(3)).
The ‘640 publication does not specify a board to which the package substrate is coupled, or the material used for the core (waveguide cladding portion in the ‘640 publication). The ‘732 publication also disclose using a GeSbTe phase change material (101) with an optical waveguide having a waveguide core (guided wave path 102), and a SiO2 clad (103), all of which are disposed on a substrate (Si substrate 105) or a board (electronic circuit substrate 106). SiO2, i.e., silica glass, is a widely used optical cladding material due to its properties such as low loss, ease of fabrication, chemical stability, etc., and it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to select glass as the cladding material in the invention disclosed in the ‘640 publication, as suggested in the ‘732 publication, as one of a finite number of identified, predictable solutions well known in the art.
Mazed ‘667 further teaches the optical switch (OS, 640, Fig. 17) that is coupled to a package substrate, and optical coupled (via an optical waveguide 500 having a patch of phase change material 560 thereon) to a microprocessor 120A coupled with an OEC 460 and an electronic memory 140, and wherein the electronic memory 140, which is a system on a chip (SOC) comprising a board (interposer, Fig. 1B) and a die (logic die, Fig. 1B). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention disclosed in the ‘640 publication, by integrating it as a part of a system on a chip (SoC) in order to provide a platform to manage data and power transfer among components on the chip.
Regarding claim 24, Mazed ‘667 further suggests the die comprises a photonics integrated circuit (OEC 460 attached to the microprocessor 120 and electronic memory 140).
Regarding claim 25, the ‘640 publication further discloses the optical phase change material comprises germanium, antimony, and tellurium, or germanium, antimony, selenium, and tellurium, or antimony and sulfur, or antimony and selenium (the optical phase change material 20 includes chalcogenide GeSbTe/germanium, antimony and tellurium).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 20-22 are allowed. Prior art of record fails to teach or suggest an optical phase change material that is both in direct contact with an optical waveguides and disposed at least along sidewalls of the optical waveguide, when considered in view of the rest of the limitations of the claimed invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US20100272386 discloses an optically actuatable device via PCM.
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 CHARLIE PENG whose telephone number is (571)272-2177. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 6PM.
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, Thomas Hollweg can be reached at (571)270-1739. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHARLIE Y PENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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