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 and accepts the amendment filed on 03/30/26.
Claims 1, 12-14, 16 and 20 are amended;
Claim 11 is canceled;
Claim 21 is newly added; and
Claims 1-10 and 12-21 are currently pending.
Claim Interpretation
The previous objection to claim 14 has been withdrawn in view of the amendment filed on 03/30/26.
Response to Arguments
Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102 (HICKEY et al.)
Applicant's arguments filed 03/30/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1, 16 and 20, the Applicant argues that “Hickey fails to reasonably disclose that the carrier 101 has an upright section that projects upwardly in a direction away from the photonics chip and the laser chip 103,” (see sixth paragraph on page 7 of 03/30/26 Remarks) and “Hickey fails to reasonably disclose that the carrier 101 has any upright section, let alone a first upright section gripped by the robotic device 710 and a second upright section gripped by the robotic device 710.” (see top paragraph on page 8 of 03/30/26 Remarks)
The Examiner disagrees. Contrary to the Applicant’s argument, either TCVs 115-1 and 115-2 (FIG. 3, [0036] of HICKEY) or first electrical contacts 117-1 and 117-2 (FIG. 6, [0037] of HICKEY) of the carrier 101 of HICKEY are considered to be “an upright section that projects upwardly in a direction away from the photonics chip and the laser chip” since the TCVs 115-1 and 115-2 or the first electrical contacts 117-1 and 117-2 project upwardly in a direction away from the PIC 700 and the laser 103 (FIG. 8 of HICKEY). In addition, HICKEY also discloses the robotic arm 710 for indirectly gripping the TCVs 115-1 and 115-2 or the first electrical contacts 117-1 and 117-2 via gripping the carrier 101. Therefore, MICKEY anticipates claims 1, 16 and 20.
For claims 14 and 15, a new ground of rejection is made necessitated by amendment.
Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102 (Fujino)
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 12-14 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.
Claims 1-2, 4-7, 9-11 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by HICKEY et al. (US PG Pub 2021/0364694 A1, 05/08/24 IDS).
Regarding claim 1, HICKEY discloses a structure (FIG. 8) comprising:
a photonics chip (FIG. 8) including a substrate (a PIC 700, FIG. 8, [0051]) and a cavity (701, FIG. 8, [0051]) in the substrate;
a laser chip (103, FIG. 8, where 103 is inside the cavity 701, [0033] and [0054]) inside the cavity; and
a lead frame (interpreted to be a carrier 101 comprising through-silicon vias 115-1/115-2 and electrical contacts 117-1/117-2 for supplying power to the laser chip 103 functionally equivalent to a lead frame, FIGS. 3 and 8, [0034]-[0037]) comprising a first section (see annotated FIG. 8 below) attached to a first portion of the laser chip (the first section of the carrier 101 is attached to a first surface of 103, see annotated FIG. 8 below) and a second section (see annotated FIG. 8 below) attached to a first portion of the photonics chip (the second section of the carrier 101 is attached to the PIC 700, see annotated FIG. 8 below), the first section and the second section are disposed outside of the cavity (see annotated FIG. 8 below), and the lead frame including an upright section (see annotated FIG. 8 below) that projects upwardly in a direction away from the photonics chip and the laser chip (see Response to Arguments above).
PNG
media_image1.png
568
618
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, HICKEY discloses the laser chip includes a first surface (see annotated FIG. 8 above) and a second surface (see annotated FIG. 8 above) opposite to the first surface, the first section of the lead frame is attached to the first portion of the laser chip at the first surface (see annotated FIG. 8 above), the cavity includes a bottom (see annotated FIG. 8 above) and a plurality of sidewalls (see annotated FIG. 8 above) that extend to the bottom, and the second surface of the laser chip is adjacent to the bottom of the cavity (see annotated FIG. 8 above).
Regarding claim 4, HICKEY discloses the first portion of the laser chip is a landing pad (128-1/128-2, FIG. 5, [0037]), and further comprising: a plurality of interconnects (119-1/119-2, FIG. 5, [0037]) extending from the landing pad to the first section of the lead frame.
Regarding claim 5, HICKEY discloses the laser chip includes a semiconductor laser (103, FIG. 8, [0033]), and the landing pad is coupled to the semiconductor laser (see annotated FIG. 8 above).
Regarding claim 6, HICKEY discloses the cavity includes a bottom (see annotated FIG. 8 above), and the second surface of the laser chip is spaced from the bottom of the cavity (see annotated FIG. 8 above).
Regarding claim 7, HICKEY discloses the laser chip includes a semiconductor laser (103, FIG. 8, [0033]) with a light output (131, FIG. 7, [0051]), the photonics chip includes an edge coupler (a waveguide 729, FIG. 7, [0051]), and the cavity has a depth that permits the light output to be aligned with the edge coupler (729 is aligned with the output facet 131, FIG. 7).
Regarding claim 9, HICKEY discloses the first portion of the photonics chip is a pad (702, where 702 is in a form of a pad, FIG. 8, [0051]), and further comprising: a solder joint configured to attach the second section of the lead frame to the pad of the photonics chip (“attaching a lasing device to a carrier via soldering,” [0023]).
Regarding claim 10, HICKEY discloses an adhesive ([0055]) configured to attach the second section of the lead frame to the first portion of the photonics chip; and a wire ([0072]) attached by a wire bond to the second section of the lead frame.
Regarding claim 11, HICKEY discloses the first section and the second section of the lead frame are disposed outside of the cavity (see annotated FIG. 8 above).
Regarding claim 14, HICKEY discloses the lead frame includes a third section (127, FIG. 5, [0037]) attached to a second portion of the laser chip and a fourth section (137, FIG. 5, [0047]) attached to a second portion of the photonics chip.
Regarding claim 15, HICKEY discloses the laser chip includes a semiconductor laser (103, FIG. 8, [0033]), the first portion of the laser chip is a first landing pad (128-1, FIG. 5, [0037]) coupled to the semiconductor laser, and the second portion of the laser chip is a second landing pad (128-2, FIG. 5, [0037]) coupled to the semiconductor laser.
Regarding claim 16, HICKEY discloses a method (FIG. 7) comprising:
attaching a lead frame (101 as interpreted in claim 1 above) to a laser chip (103, FIG. 7, where 103 is attached to 101 via an adhesive, [0033] and [0055]);
gripping a first upright section (see annotated FIG. 8 above) of the lead frame with a pick and place tool (a robotic device 710 equivalent to a pick and place tool for indirectly gripping the first upright section by gripping the carrier 101, FIG. 7, [0051]);
gripping a second upright section (see annotated FIG. 8 above) of the lead frame with the pick and place tool (the robotic device 710 for indirectly gripping the second upright section by gripping the carrier 101, see annotated FIG. 7 below); and
placing the laser chip inside a cavity (701, FIG. 8, [0053]) in a substrate (700, FIG. 8, [0051]) of a photonics chip (FIG. 8) with the pick and place tool (710 places the laser diode 103 inside the cavity 701, FIG. 8),
wherein the first upright section and the second upright section project upwardly in a direction away from the photonics chip and the laser chip (see Response to Arguments above).
PNG
media_image2.png
552
520
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 17, HICKEY discloses energizing a semiconductor laser (103, FIG. 7, [0034]) of the laser chip using the pick and place tool to emit light while the laser chip is inside the cavity (via a feedback system 760 connected to the robotic device 710, [0054]).
Regarding claim 18, HICKEY discloses aligning light emitted from the semiconductor laser of the laser chip with an edge coupler (729, FIG. 7, [0051]-[0052]) of the photonics chip using the pick and place tool while the semiconductor laser is energized ([0054]).
Regarding claim 19, HICKEY discloses attaching the lead frame to the photonics chip after the laser chip is inside the cavity (via 702, FIG. 8).
Regarding claim 20, same rejection as applied to claim 1 is maintained since the method claim 20 contains substantially the same limitations as the product claim 1.
Claims 1, 12-14 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Matsushita et al. (US PG Pub 2005/0238074 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Matsushita discloses a structure comprising:
a photonics chip including a substrate (18/19, FIG. 3B, [0042]) and a cavity (see annotated FIG. 3B below) in the substrate;
a laser chip (15, FIG. 3B, [0044]) inside the cavity; and
a lead frame (11, FIG. 3B, [0042]) comprising a first section (23, FIG. 3B, [0044]) attached to a first portion of the laser chip and a second section (21, FIG. 3B, [0044]) attached to a first portion of the photonics chip, the first section and the second section are disposed outside of the cavity (see annotated FIG. 3B below), and the lead frame including an upright section (22, FIG. 3B, [0044]) that projects upwardly in a direction away from the photonics chip and the laser chip (see annotated FIG. 3B below).
PNG
media_image3.png
370
502
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 12, Matsushita discloses the upright section (22, FIG. 3B, [0044]) is connected by a bend (see annotated FIG. 3B above) to the second section of the lead frame, and the second section of the lead frame is disposed between the first section of the lead frame and the upright section of the lead frame (see annotated FIG. 3B below).
Regarding claim 13, Matsushita discloses the upright section (22, FIG. 3B, [0044]) connected by a bend (see annotated FIG. 3B above) to the first section of the lead frame.
Regarding claim 14, Matsushita discloses the lead frame includes a third section attached to a second portion of the laser chip and a fourth section attached to a second portion of the photonics chip (see annotated FIG. 3B above).
Regarding claim 21, HICKEY discloses the lead frame comprises a metal (the lead frame 11 is made of metal plate, [0050]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HICKEY et al. in view of Gelhausen et al. (US Patent 10,615,567 B1, 04/10/25 IDS).
Regarding claim 3, HICKEY has disclosed the structure outlined in the rejection to claim 2 above except the second surface of the laser chip abuts the bottom of the cavity. Gelhausen discloses the second surface of the laser chip (100, FIG. 5) abuts the bottom (510, FIG. 5) of the cavity (530, FIG. 5). 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 laser chip of HICKEY to abut the bottom of the cavity as taught by Gelhausen in order to minimize the stress placed on the solder connected between the photonics chip and the lead frame.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HICKEY et al. in view of Budd et al. (US PG Pub 2017/0047312 A1).
Regarding claim 8, HICKEY has disclosed the structure outlined in the rejection to claim 1 above except the cavity is a through hole that penetrates through the photonics chip. Budd discloses the cavity is a through hole (712, FIG. 7, [0074]) that penetrates through the photonics chip (710, FIG. 7, [0074]). 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 cavity of HICKEY with a through hole that penetrates through the photonics chip as taught by Budd in order to facilitate interconnection with other components.
Conclusion
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 YUANDA ZHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1439. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:30 AM - 6:30 PM.
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, MINSUN HARVEY can be reached at (571)272-1835. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/YUANDA ZHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2828
Prosecution Insights