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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/15/2026 has been entered.
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.
Claims 1, 3-7 and 9-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato et al. (US 2008/0137188) in view of Akita et al. (US 2012/0236410).
Regarding claim 1, Sato discloses, a wire grating polarizer (Figs. 1-2C), comprising:
a substrate layer (11);
a polymer wire grating layer (12), disposed on the substrate layer and comprising a plurality of wire grating units (Para. 0029, lines 4-6), the wire grating units being formed on an upper surface of the substrate layer and extending in a first direction (see Figs. 1-2C), and each of the wire grating units having a top surface (see Figs. 1-2C) and respectively having a first side surface and a second side surface along two sides of the first direction (see Figs. 1-2C), and
a plurality of coated layers (13), respectively formed on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units (see Figs. 1-2C) and being made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material (Para. 0037, lines 8-9);
wherein a width of each of the coated layers is 35 nm (Para. 0034).
Sato does not disclose the plurality of coated layers are formed on the first side surface of each of the wire grating unit and are not formed on the second side surface of each of the wire grating units, wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material, and wherein each of the coated layers contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer.
Li teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a wire grating polarizer (Fig. 1) that it would have been desirable to make the plurality of coated layers (21, 22) are formed on the first side surface (16) of each of the wire grating unit and are not formed on the second side surface (18) of each of the wire grating units (10, 12), wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material (Para. 0114), and wherein each of the coated layers contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer (see 13, 21,22).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the plurality of coated layers are not formed on the second side surface of each of the wire grating units, wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material, and wherein each of the coated layers contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer as taught by the wire grating polarizer of Akita in the wire grating polarizer of Sato since Akita teaches it is known to include these features in a wire grating polarizer for the purpose of providing a wire grating polarizer with enhanced productivity, strength, durability and extinction ratio.
Regarding claim 3, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, the material of the substrate layer (Para. 0036) is different from the material of the polymer wire grating layer (Para. 0031).
Regarding claim 4, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a height of the wire grating units is 50 to 200 nm, a width of the wire grating units is 10 to 40 nm, a spacing of the wire grating units is less than 150 nm, and a width of the coated layers is 10 to 60 nm (Para. 0032-0034).
Regarding claim 5, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a shape of a cross section of each of the wire grating units in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is rectangular (see Figs. 1-2C).
Regarding claim 6, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a shape of a cross section of each of the wire grating units in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is rectangular (see Figs. 1-2C).
Regarding claim 7, Sato discloses, a manufacturing method of a wire grating polarizer (Figs. 1-2C), comprising:
disposing (Para. 0038) a polymer layer (12) on a substrate layer (11);
imprinting the polymer layer with a mold (Para. 0038) to form a polymer wire grating layer (see 12 of Fig. 2A), wherein the polymer wire grating layer comprises a plurality of bottom layers and a plurality of wire grating units extending in a first direction (Para. 0040-0041 and see Figs. 2B-C), the bottom layers are respectively positioned between two adjacent wire grating units and are in contact with the upper surface of the substrate layer (Para. 0040-0041 and see Figs. 2B-C), each of the wire grating units has a top surface and respectively has a first side surface and a second side surface along two sides of the first direction (see Figs. 1-2C), and an upper surface of each of the bottom layers is lower than the top surface of each of the wire grating units (see Figs. 1-2C);
depositing (Para. 0040-0041 and see Figs. 2B-C) a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material (13) onto the top surface and the first side surface of each of the wire grating units (Para. 0040-0041 and see Figs. 2B-C); and
removing the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the top surface of each of the wire grating units (Para. 0040-0041 and see Figs. 2B-C);
wherein a width of the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units is 35 nm (Para. 0034).
Sato does not disclose the plurality of coated layers are formed on the first side surface of each of the wire grating unit and are not formed on the second side surface of each of the wire grating units, wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material, and wherein the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer.
Li teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a manufacturing method of a wire grating polarizer (Fig. 1) that it would have been desirable to make the plurality of coated layers (21, 22) are formed on the first side surface (16) of each of the wire grating unit and are not formed on the second side surface (18) of each of the wire grating units (10, 12), wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material (Para. 0114), and wherein the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer (see 13, 21,22).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the plurality of coated layers are not formed on the second side surface of each of the wire grating units, wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material, and wherein the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer as taught by the manufacturing method of a wire grating polarizer of Akita in the manufacturing method of a wire grating polarize of Sato since Akita teaches it is known to include these features in a manufacturing method of a wire grating polarizer for the purpose of providing a wire grating polarizer with enhanced productivity, strength, durability and extinction ratio.
Regarding claim 9, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, the material of the polymer layer is selected from thermoplastic polymers, thermosetting polymers or photocuring polymers (Para. 0031).
Regarding claim 10, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a height of the wire grating units is 50 to 200 nm, a width of the wire grating units is 10 to 40 nm, a spacing of the wire grating units is less than 150 nm, and a width of the coated layers is 10 to 60 nm (Para. 0032-0034).
Regarding claim 11, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a shape of a cross section of each of the wire grating units in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is rectangular (see Figs. 1-2C).
Regarding claim 12, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a shape of a cross section of each of the wire grating units in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is rectangular (see Figs. 1-2C).
Regarding claim 13, Sato discloses, a wire grating polarizer (Figs. 1-2C), comprising:
a substrate layer (11), comprising a plurality of wire grating units (Para. 0029, lines 4-6 and see 12) extending in a first direction, each of the wire grating units having a top surface and a first side surface and a second side surface along two sides of the first direction (see Figs. 1-2C); and
a plurality of coated layers (13), respectively formed on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units (see Figs. 1-2C) and being made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material (Para. 0037, lines 8-9);
wherein a width of each of the coated layers is 35 nm (Para. 0034).
Sato does not disclose the plurality of coated layers are formed on the first side surface of each of the wire grating unit and are not formed on the second side surface of each of the wire grating units, wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material, and wherein each of the coated layers contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer.
Li teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a wire grating polarizer (Fig. 1) that it would have been desirable to make the plurality of coated layers (21, 22) are formed on the first side surface (16) of each of the wire grating unit and are not formed on the second side surface (18) of each of the wire grating units (10, 12), wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material (Para. 0114), and wherein each of the coated layers contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer (see 13, 21,22).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the plurality of coated layers are not formed on the second side surface of each of the wire grating units, wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material, and wherein each of the coated layers contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer as taught by the wire grating polarizer of Akita in the wire grating polarizer of Sato since Akita teaches it is known to include these features in a wire grating polarizer for the purpose of providing a wire grating polarizer with enhanced productivity, strength, durability and extinction ratio.
Regarding claim 14, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a height of the wire grating units is 50 to 200 nm, a width of the wire grating units is 10 to 40 nm, a spacing of the wire grating units is less than 150 nm, and a width of the coated layers is 10 to 60 nm (Para. 0032-0034).
Regarding claim 15, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a shape of a cross section of each of the wire grating units in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is rectangular (see Figs. 1-2C).
Regarding claim 16, Sato discloses, a manufacturing method of a wire grating polarizer (Figs. 1-2C), comprising:
imprinting (Para. 0038) an upper surface of a substrate layer (11) with a mold (Para. 0038) so that a plurality of wire grating units (Para. 0029, lines 4-6 and see 12) extending in a first direction are formed on an upper surface of the substrate layer (see Figs. 1-2C), wherein each of the wire grating units has a top surface and respectively has a first side surface and a second side surface along two sides of the first direction (see Figs. 1-2C);
depositing (Para. 0040-0041 and see Figs. 1-2C) a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material (13) onto the top surface and the first side surface of each of the wire grating units; and
removing the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the top surface of each of the wire grating units (Para. 0040-0041 and see Figs. 1-2C);
wherein a width of the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units is 35 nm (Para. 0034).
Sato does not disclose the plurality of coated layers are formed on the first side surface of each of the wire grating unit and are not formed on the second side surface of each of the wire grating units, wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material, and wherein the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer.
Li teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a manufacturing method of a wire grating polarizer (Fig. 1) that it would have been desirable to make the plurality of coated layers (21, 22) are formed on the first side surface (16) of each of the wire grating unit and are not formed on the second side surface (18) of each of the wire grating units (10, 12), wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material (Para. 0114), and wherein the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer (see 13, 21,22).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the plurality of coated layers are not formed on the second side surface of each of the wire grating units, wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material, and wherein the metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material deposited on the first side surface of each of the wire grating units contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer as taught by the manufacturing method of a wire grating polarizer of Akita in the manufacturing method of a wire grating polarize of Sato since Akita teaches it is known to include these features in a manufacturing method of a wire grating polarizer for the purpose of providing a wire grating polarizer with enhanced productivity, strength, durability and extinction ratio.
Regarding claim 17, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a height of the wire grating units is 50 to 200 nm, a width of the wire grating units is 10 to 40 nm, a spacing of the wire grating units is less than 150 nm, and a width of the coated layers is 10 to 60 nm (Para. 0032-0034).
Regarding claim 18, Sato in view of Akita discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Sato further discloses, a shape of a cross section of each of the wire grating units in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is rectangular (see Figs. 1-2C).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 3-7 and 9-18 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Li (US 2018/0329126) discloses a wire grating polarizer in which the plurality of coated layers are formed on the first side surface of each of the wire grating unit and are not formed on the second side surface of each of the wire grating units, wherein the coated layers are made of a metallic or nonmetallic dielectric material, and wherein each of the coated layers contacts the upper surface of the substrate layer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAWAYNE A PINKNEY whose telephone number is (571)270-1305. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00 PM.
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/DAWAYNE PINKNEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 02/20/2026