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 .
Response to Amendment
The examiner acknowledges the amending claims 1, 4, 6, 10, 12 and 15 by the amendment submitted by the applicant(s) filed on March 23, 2026. Claims 1, 3 – 7 and 9 – 21 are pending in this application.
Drawings
The drawing submitted on March 23, 2026, has been considered and accepted by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The previous 112(b) paragraphs rejections of claims 1, 4, 10 and 12 are withdrawn due the current amendments.
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.
Claims 1, 3 – 7 and 9 – 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Piper et al. (US 20080259969) in view of Savitski (WO2020/221852).
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Regarding claim 1, Piper disclose a device for amplifying light, comprising:
a pump resonator (see Figure 4, character 405, paragraphs [0007, 0012, 0212 and 0214]) and the reference called “resonator cavity”) defined by a first outer mirror (see Figure 4, character 410 and paragraph [0212], the reference called “reflector”) and a second outer mirror (see Figure 4, character 415 and paragraph [0212], the reference called “reflector”) and containing a pump gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214], the reference called “laser medium”) configured to circulate a pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214], the laser material (425) generates light, the laser material (425) could act as a pump source, wherein the light generated by the laser material (425) is reflected by the reflector (415));
a Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214], the reference called “second cavity”) defined by the second outer mirror (see Figure 4, character 415) and an inner mirror (see Figure 4, character 418 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214], the reference called “reflector”) and containing a Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214] and the reference called “Raman-active crystal”), the Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407) overlapping (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) the pump resonator (see Figure 4, character 405) along a portion of an optical path of the pumping beam (see Figure 4) such that the pumping beam propagates through both the pump gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) and the Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]).
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Piper discloses the claimed invention except for a plurality of seed signals, including a first seed signal tuned to a wavelength corresponding to a first Stokes signal generated within the Raman gain medium, wherein the Raman resonator is configured to produce a cascade of Raman-shifted Stokes signals and to output a selected Stokes signal. Savitski teaches a pump laser (see Figure 1a, character 22), first radiation (see Figure 1a, character 14), resonator (see Figure 1a, character 18), Raman gain medium (see Figure 1a, character 20), seed laser (see Figure 1a, character 24), seed signal (see Figure 1a, character 16) and second radiation (see Figure 1a, character 16’). The seed laser produce radiation with specified parameters such as one or more wavelengths, therefore the seed laser could produce more than one radiation or more than one seed signal. The examiner takes the position that the seed laser produces a plurality of seed signals. However, it is well known in the art to apply the plurality of seed signals as discloses by Savitski in (see Figure 1a and paragraphs [0004, 0064 – 0065 and 0075]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was to apply the plurality of seed signals as suggested to the device of Piper, the seed laser provide seed signal(s) which provide a stable, low-power light source (a "seed") to control and boost the output of larger laser systems. When the pump beam and the seed signal(s) are directed towards the Raman gain medium, this produces a seed Raman amplification; also, by using a pump beam and a seed signal(s) together, it is possible to produce arbitrary laser output wavelengths by appropriately choosing the wavelengths of the pump beam and the seed signal(s). When the pumped beam and the plurality of seed signals from the seed laser enters the resonator and passes through the Raman gain medium and resonator, this could produces cascaded Stokes signals.
Regarding claim 3, Piper and Savitski, Pipe disclose the pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) is one of the following: a continuous wave light source, a long-pulse light source, or a short-pulse light source (see paragraphs [0009, 0212 and 0214]).
Regarding claim 4, Piper and Savitski, Savitski disclose the first seed signal (see Figure 1a, character 16) of the plurality of seed signals is introduced into the Raman resonator) to control amplification of the first Stokes signal (see Abstract and Paragraphs [0004, 0006, 0008, 0064 – 0065 and 0074 – 0075] and rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 5, Piper and Savitski, Pipe disclose the pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) passes through the pump gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425) and the Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435) in at least two directions (see paragraphs 0212 and 0214]).
Regarding claim 6, Piper disclose a device for amplifying Raman-shifted light, comprising:
a pump resonator (see Figure 4, character 405, paragraphs [0007, 0012 and 0212]) and the reference called “resonator cavity”) comprising a pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214], the laser material (425) generates light, the laser material (425) could act as a pump source, wherein the light generated by the laser material (425) is reflected by the reflector (415)), a pump gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214], the reference called “laser medium”), an outer mirror (see Figure 4, character 410 and paragraph [0212], the reference called “reflector” and the output mirror (see Figure 4, character 415 and paragraph [0212], the reference called “reflector” are reflective of the pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]);
a Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214], the reference called “second cavity”), partially co-located with the pump resonator (see Figure 4, character 405), the Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407) comprising, a Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214] and the reference called “Raman-active crystal”), and an inner mirror (see Figure 4, character 418 and paragraph [0212 and 0214], the reference called “second cavity”), wherein the Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407) overlapping (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) the pump resonator (see Figure 4, character 405) along a portion of an optical path of the pumping beam (see Figure 4) such that the pumping beam propagates through both the pump gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) and the Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) and
wherein the pump resonator (see Figure 4, character 405) and the Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407) share the output mirror (see Figure 4, character 415).
Piper discloses the claimed invention except for a plurality of seed signals. Savitski teaches a pump laser (see Figure 1a, character 22), first radiation (see Figure 1a, character 14), resonator (see Figure 1a, character 18), Raman gain medium (see Figure 1a, character 20), seed laser (see Figure 1a, character 24), seed signal (see Figure 1a, character 16) and second radiation (see Figure 1a, character 16’). The seed laser produce radiation with specified parameters such as one or more wavelengths, therefore the seed laser could produce more than one radiation or more than one seed signal. The examiner takes the position that the seed laser produces a plurality of seed signals. However, it is well known in the art to apply the plurality of seed signals as discloses by Savitski in (see Figure 1a and paragraphs [0004, 0064 – 0065 and 0075]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was to apply the plurality of seed signals as suggested to the device of Piper, the seed laser provide seed signal(s) which provide a stable, low-power light source (a "seed") to control and boost the output of larger laser systems. When the pump beam and the seed signal(s) are directed towards the Raman gain medium, this produces a seed Raman amplification; also, by using a pump beam and a seed signal(s) together, it is possible to produce arbitrary laser output wavelengths by appropriately choosing the wavelengths of the pump beam and the seed signal(s). When the pumped beam and the plurality of seed signals from the seed laser enters the resonator and passes through the Raman gain medium and resonator, this could produces cascaded Stokes signals.
Regarding claim 7, Piper and Savitski, Pipe disclose the outer mirror (see Figure 4, character 410) and the output mirror (see Figure 4, character 415) are reflective of the pumping beam (see paragraphs [0212 and 0214]), wherein the inner mirror (see Figure 4, character 418) is transmissive of the pumping beam and reflective of one or more Raman-shifted signals (see paragraph [0214]), and wherein the output mirror (see Figure 4, character 415) is reflective of the one or more Raman-shifted signals (see paragraph [0214]), and is one of the following: partially transmissive of an output signal, or selectively transmissive of the output signal (see paragraphs [0019, 0055, 0212 and 0214).
Regarding claim 9, Piper and Savitski, Pipe disclose the pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) is one of the following: a continuous wave light source, a long-pulse light source, or a short-pulse light source (see paragraphs [0009, 0212 and 0214]).
Regarding claim 10, Piper and Savitski, Savitski disclose the first seed signal (see Figure 1a, character 16) of the plurality of seed signal is tuned to a wavelength corresponding to one of the Raman-shifted Stokes signals (see Abstract and Paragraphs [0004, 0006, 0008, 0064 – 0065 and 0074 – 0075] and rejection of claim 6).
Regarding claim 11, Piper and Savitski, Pipe disclose the pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) and Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435) interact to generate a first Raman-shifted signal having a longer wavelength than a wavelength of the pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraph [0214]).
Regarding claim 12, Piper and Savitski, Savitski disclose the first seed signal (see Figure 1a, character 16) of the plurality of seed signals is introduced into the Raman resonator (see Figure 1a, character 18) and interact with the Raman gain medium (see Figure 1a, character 20) and the pumping beam to initiate Raman amplification (see Abstract and Paragraphs [0004, 0006, 0064 – 0065 and 0074 – 0075] and rejection of claim 6).
Regarding claim 13, Piper and Savitski, Pipe disclose the first Raman-shifted signal interacts with the Raman gain medium and the pumping beam to generate the one or more Raman-shifted signals (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0009, 0012 and 0212]).
Regarding claim 14, Piper and Savitski, Pipe disclose the pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) passes through the pump gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425) and the Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435) in at least two directions (see paragraphs 0212 and 0214]).
Regarding claims 15 and 16, Piper disclose a method of amplifying light, comprising:
generating a pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214], the laser material (425) generates light, the laser material (425) could act as a pump source, wherein the light generated by the laser material (425) is reflected by the reflector (415));
directing the pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) though a pump resonator (see Figure 4, character 405, paragraphs [0007, 0012 and 0212]) and the reference called “resonator cavity”) containing a pump gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214], the reference called “laser medium”), and a Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407 and paragraph [0212 and 0214], the reference called “second cavity”) containing a Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214] and the reference called “Raman-active crystal”), wherein the Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407) partially overlaps (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) the pump resonator (see Figure 4, character 405) along a portion of an optical path of the pumping beam (see Figure 4) such that the pumping beam propagate through both the pump gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425) and the Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435), and wherein the Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425) is configured to interact with the pumping beam (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) to generate one or more Raman-shifted signals (see paragraph [0214]);
wherein the first Raman-shifted signal is one of the one or more Raman-shifted signals (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0009, 0012 and 0212]);
containing the one or more Raman-shifted signals (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0009, 0012 and 0212]) within the Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407), wherein the one or more Raman-shifted signals (see paragraph [0214]) circulate through the Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425); and
transmitting an output signal, wherein the output signal is one of the one or more Raman-shifted signals (see Figure 4, character 407).
Piper discloses the claimed invention except for generating a plurality of seed signals is tuned to a frequency of one of the one or more Raman-shifted signals, directing each seed signal into the Raman gain medium, wherein the one or more Raman-shifted signals is amplified and each of the plurality of seed signals is tuned to a frequency of one of the one or more Raman-shifted signals. Savitski teaches a pump laser (see Figure 1a, character 22), first radiation (see Figure 1a, character 14), resonator (see Figure 1a, character 18), Raman gain medium (see Figure 1a, character 20), seed laser (see Figure 1a, character 24), seed signal (see Figure 1a, character 16) and second radiation (see Figure 1a, character 16’). The seed laser produce radiation with specified parameters such as one or more wavelengths, therefore the seed laser could produce more than one radiation or more than one seed signal. The examiner takes the position that the seed laser produces a plurality of seed signals. However, it is well known in the art to apply the plurality of seed signals as discloses by Savitski in (see Figure 1a and paragraphs [0004 and 0074 – 0075]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was to apply the plurality of seed signals as suggested to the device of Piper, the seed laser provide seed signal(s) which provide a stable, low-power light source (a "seed") to control and boost the output of larger laser systems. When the pump beam and the seed signal(s) are directed towards the Raman gain medium, this produces a seed Raman amplification; also, by using a pump beam and a seed signal(s) together, it is possible to produce arbitrary laser output wavelengths by appropriately choosing the wavelengths of the pump beam and the seed signal(s). When the pumped beam and the plurality of seed signals from the seed laser enters the resonator and passes through the Raman gain medium and resonator, this could produce cascaded Stokes signals.
Regarding claims 17 and 19, Piper and Savitski, Pipe disclose a pumping beam profile (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) is one of the following: a continuous wave pump, a long-pulse pump, or a short-pulse pump and the pumping beam profile is selected based on a wavelength of the output signal (see paragraphs [0009, 0061, 0212 and 0214]),
Regarding claim 18, Piper and Savitski, Savitski disclose a seed signal profile (see Figure 1a, character 16) is one of the following: a continuous wave seed, a long-pulse seed, or a short-pulse seed (see paragraph [0070]).
Regarding claims 20 – 21, Piper and Savitski do not explicitly discloses for the pumping beam profile is selected based on a temporal profile of the seed signal and the seed signal profile is selected to correspond to a temporal profile of the output signal. However, it was shown above that Piper on Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 – 0214] teach a laser system, the laser system include a pumping beam, a first resonator, a laser material, a second resonator and a Raman-active crystal. Savitski on Figure 1a, Abstract and paragraphs [0004, 0064 – 0065 and 0074 – 0075]) teach an optical amplifier, the optical amplifier include a first radiation, a resonator, a Raman gain medium, a seed laser, seed signal(s) and second radiation. The seed laser produce radiation with specified parameters such as one or more wavelengths, therefore the seed laser could produce more than one radiation or more than one seed signal. When the pump beam and the seed signal(s) are directed towards the Raman gain medium, this produces a seed Raman amplification. When the pumping beam and the seed signal(s) overlap in the Raman resonator, the temporal profile of the seed signal could be selected to obtain the profile of the pumping beam. When the seed signal(s) pass through the Raman resonator within a selected time interval, the temporal profile of the output signal can be selected to be at a different time. Furthermore, by using the pump beam and the seed signal(s) together, arbitrary laser output wavelengths can be produced by appropriately selecting the wavelengths of the pump beam and the signal(s). These features are implicitly taught the pumping beam profile is selected based on a temporal profile of the seed signal and the seed signal profile is selected to correspond to a temporal profile of the output signal as is claimed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed March 23, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that “Piper and/or Savitski does not disclose or suggest a configuration in which a pump resonator overlaps a Raman resonator so that the pumping beam propagates through both a pump gain medium and a Raman gain medium within overlapping optical cavities”.
The examiner disagrees with the applicant's argument, since the prior art does teach or suggest as claimed as stated in the rejection above. Piper (US 2008/0259969) in Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214] teach and/or disclose the Raman resonator (see Figure 4, character 407) overlapping (see Figure 4 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) the pump resonator (see Figure 4, character 405) along a portion of an optical path of the pumping beam (see Figure 4) such that the pumping beam propagates through both the pump gain medium (see Figure 4, character 425 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]) and the Raman gain medium (see Figure 4, character 435 and paragraphs [0212 and 0214]).
Piper in paragraph [0212] say’s The laser material may be for example Nd:YAG, which is capable of generating laser light at 1064 nm, in which case the reflector would be highly reflective at 1064 nm. The Q-switch is capable of converting the output from the laser material into pulsed high power laser light capable of interacting with a Raman-active crystal to generate one or more Stokes wavelengths of laser light. The secondary cavity has the Raman-active crystal, and also in paragraph [0214] say’s The laser material is Nd:YAG, this generates a laser beam at 1064 nm, which is converted by the Q-switch to a high power pulsed laser beam. This beam enters the secondary cavity, passing through the reflector to the Raman-active crystal, and resonates within the resonator cavity. The excitation of Raman-active crystal by this beam leads to generation of a Stokes-shifted beam at 1158 nm. This Stokes shifted beam, together with the unshifted beam at 1064 nm, may resonate within the secondary cavity, and co-propagate with the unshifted beam at 1064 nm in the overlapping region of cavities (see Figure 4, characters 405 and 407. Therefore, Piper teach, disclose and suggest a configuration in which a pump resonator overlaps a Raman resonator so that the pumping beam propagates through both a pump gain medium and a Raman gain medium within overlapping optical cavities.
Savitski is not used to teach or remedy the deficiency of "the limitation the Raman resonator overlapping the pump resonator along a portion of an optical path of the pumping beam such that the pumping beam propagates through both the pump gain medium and the Raman gain medium". Savitski is used in the 103 rejection to teach a plurality of seed signals", since the limitation "the limitation the Raman resonator overlapping the pump resonator along a portion of an optical path of the pumping beam such that the pumping beam propagates through both the pump gain medium and the Raman gain medium" is demonstrated and/or teach and/or suggest and/or taught by Piper.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Delma R. Forde whose telephone number is (571)272-1940. The examiner can normally be reached M - TH 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
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/Delma R Forde/Examiner, Art Unit 2828 /TOD T VAN ROY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2828
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