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 .
Specification
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3-5 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation “…the first busbar and the second busbar overlap at least a portion of the boundaries facing each other in a second direction…”. It is unclear what “a portion of the boundaries” refers to. Does it refer to the same boundary defined in claim 1? Clarification is required. For examination purposes, Figs. 13 and 14 show the bus bars are shown as overlapping the boundary of the cavity.
Similarly, claim 4 recites the limitation “the first busbar and the second busbar do not overlap the boundaries facing each other in a second direction…” The limitation is unclear. Clarification is required.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “…a length of the reinforcing film extending toward the first electrode finger and the second electrode finger side with respect to the boundary is shorter than a length of the reinforcing film extending toward a side opposite to the first electrode finger and the second electrode finger with respect to the boundary”. It is unclear what the “side opposite to the first electrode finger” refers to. For examination purposes, Figs. 13-51 show different characteristics of the reinforcing film, and the claimed limitation considered to be anticipated.
Regarding claim 13, the expression (2) is unclear. In Expression 1, the angles φ, θ and ψ can be easily identified since they are separated by a comma. However, in Expression (2) multiple commas are provided and it is unclear which expression corresponds to the φ, the θ and ψ. For examination purposes, Euler angles (0°, 0°, 90°) anticipates the limitation.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1-3, 5-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kimura (US20230275555, hereinafter Kimura).
Regarding claim 1, Kimura discloses an acoustic wave device (Fig. 13) comprising: a support including a support substrate (8); a piezoelectric layer (2) that includes lithium niobate or lithium tantalate (paragraph [0065]) and is provided in a first direction, which is a thickness direction of the support substrate; an interdigital transducer (IDT) electrode (3, 4) provided in the first direction of the piezoelectric layer and including a first busbar (5) and a second busbar (6) that face each other, a plurality of first electrode fingers each including a base end connected to the first busbar, and a plurality of second electrode fingers each including a base end connected to the second busbar; and a reinforcing film (11) provided in the first direction of the piezoelectric layer; wherein the support is provided with a cavity (9) that is open to the piezoelectric layer side in the first direction; and the reinforcing film overlaps at least a portion of a boundary between a region where the piezoelectric layer and the cavity overlap and a region where the piezoelectric layer and the cavity do not overlap in a plan view in the first direction. See Fig. 13A.
Regarding claim 2, Fig. 13-40 show the reinforcing film not overlapping the intersection region in a plan view in the first direction.
Regarding claims 3 and 5, Kimura anticipates the limitations as explained above.
Regarding claims 6-8, Fig. 24 shows the reinforcing film includes a region overlapping the first busbar or the second busbar in a plan view in the first direction. Refer to paragraph [0139].
Regarding claims 9 and 10, Kimura discloses the material of the reinforcing layer comprising a dielectric such as silicon oxide. (paragraph [0133])
Regarding claim 11, Fig. 24 shows a rectangular cavity and the reinforcing layer 11L overlapping a corner of the cavity in plan view.
Regarding claim 12, the first busbar and the second busbar overlap a corner of the cavity in a plan view in the first direction.
Regarding claim 13, Kimura discloses the piezoelectric layer comprising LN with Euler explained in paragraph [0117].
Regarding claim 14, please refer to paragraphs [0013] and [0081].
Regarding claims 15 and 16, refer to paragraph [0082].
Regarding claim 17, MR values are disclosed in paragraphs [0110-0112].
Regarding claim 18, refer to paragraph [0119].
Regarding claim 19, Kimura discloses a dielectric layer (7) between the support substrate and the piezoelectric layer.
Regarding claim 20, Figs. 12 and 41 show the cavity formed in the substrate.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Inoue discloses a stress-relaxing metal layer as a reinforcing layer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jaydi San Martin whose telephone number is (571)272-2018. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th 7:45-6:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dedei Hammond can be reached on 571-270-7938. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J. San Martin/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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