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 .
Drawings
Fifty-four (54) sheets of drawings were filed on June 30, 2023 and have been accepted by the examiner.
Specification
Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
The numbering of claims is not in accordance with 37 CFR 1.126 which requires the original numbering of the claims to be preserved throughout the prosecution. When claims are canceled, the remaining claims must not be renumbered. When new claims are presented, they must be numbered consecutively beginning with the number next following the highest numbered claims previously presented (whether entered or not).
Misnumbered claim 3, 2nd occurrence, has been renumbered 8.
Applicant is advised that should claim 3 be found allowable, claim 8 (2nd occurrence of claim 3; see objection above) will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Inventorship
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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 5, 11 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.
Regarding claim 5; line 2 of claim 5 concludes with a period (“.”), which should be at the conclusion of a claim, but there are additional limitations after the period, thereby rendering the claim indefinite. Clarification is required.
Regarding claim 11; the use of the term “the layer” in line 3 is confusing because it does not specify a particular layer. The examiner suggests changing “the layer” in line 3 of claim 11 to – the top layer – to overcome this rejection and provide clear and proper antecedent basis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 5-7, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kubena et al. (US 5,335,243), hereafter Kubena.
Regarding claims 1 and 2; Kubena discloses a method comprising
forming a reflector structure (turning mirror 32) in a substrate (substrate 26),
wherein the reflector structure (32) is configured to transmit an optical signal between a first direction (first direction, x-direction; see annotated Figure 2 below) parallel to the substrate (26) and a second direction (second direction, see annotated Figure 2 below) forming an angle less than 60 degrees (angle less than 60 degrees; see annotated Figure 2 below) with a third direction (third direction, z-direction) perpendicular with the substrate (26),
wherein the reflector structure (32) comprises a curved surface (see Figures 2 and 3), with the curved surface (32) comprising curved intersecting lines between the curved surface and planes parallel and perpendicular to the substrate (see Figures 2 and 3),
wherein the curved surface (32) configured to reflect an incoming optical signal to a reflected optical signal comprising a smaller cross section area (see Figure 2);
wherein the second direction (second direction, z-direction) is perpendicular to the substrate (26);
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Regarding claim 5; Kubena discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising:
forming a first device (laser 30) on the substrate (26) aligned with the reflective structure (32),
forming second device (detector 34) on the reflector structure (32), wherein the reflector structure (32) is configured to transmit or receive the optical signal between the first device (30) and the second device (34).
Regarding claims 6, 7, and 12; Kubena discloses a method (see Figures 2 and 3) comprising:
providing a substrate (substrate 26);
forming a first optical element (laser 30) on the substrate (26), with the optical element (30) configured to transmit an optical signal or to receive the optical signal;
forming a reflector structure (32) on the substrate (26) and aligned with the optical element (30),
wherein the reflector structure (32) is configured to transmit or receive the optical signal between the first optical element (30) and a second optical element (detector 34) disposed away from the reflector structure (32) in a direction from the substrate (26) to the reflector structure (32),
wherein the reflector structure (32) comprises a curved surface, with the curved surface comprising curved intersecting lines between the curved surface and planes parallel and perpendicular to the substrate (see Figures 2 and 3),
wherein the curved surface (32) configured to reflect an incoming optical signal to a reflected optical signal comprising a smaller cross section area (see Figure 2),
wherein the first optical element (30) comprises a waveguide (laser 30 includes a waveguide formed by an active layer surrounded by two cladding layers), wherein the second optical element (detector 34) comprises an optical or an optoelectronic surface-mount device (see Figure 2);
wherein the reflector structure (32) comprises a reflective layer (see column 8, lines 55-59) disposed on a cavity of the substrate (26),
wherein the first optical element (30) comprises an end facet facing the cavity, with the cavity configured to align the optical signal between the first optical element (30) through the end facet and the cavity.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Psaila et al. (US 2020/0326491 A1), hereafter Psaila.
Regarding claim 18; Psaila discloses a method (see Figure 17) comprising:
providing a substrate (614);
forming a waveguide (616) on the substrate (614);
forming a first device (626’) coupled to the waveguide (616), with the first device (626’) configured to transmit an optical signal to the waveguide (616) or to receive the optical signal from the waveguide (616);
forming a reflector structure (680) disposed in a layer on the substrate (614) and aligned with the waveguide (616),
wherein the reflector structure (680) comprises a curved surface (see Figure 17), with the curved surface comprising curved intersecting lines between the curved surface and planes parallel and perpendicular to the substrate (this shape is inherently required to focus the light beam in the manner illustrated in Figure 17),
wherein the curved surface (680) configured to reflect an incoming optical signal to a reflected optical signal comprising a smaller cross section area (see Figure 17);
forming a second device (626) disposed on the layer above the reflector structure (680), wherein the second device (626) is configured to receive or transmit the optical signal from or to the first device reflected by the reflector structure (680).
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 3 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kubena et al. (US 5,335,243), hereafter Kubena in view of Behfar et al. (US 9,692,202 B2), hereafter Behfar, and Hsu et al. (US 2023/0066363 A1), hereafter Hsu.
Regarding claims 3 and 8; Kubena discloses the method of claim 1 wherein forming the reflector structure (32) comprises forming a cavity (45) in a layer on the substrate (26), but fails to specify that the cavity is formed by patterning the layer using a gray scale mask having variable half tone patterns in at least two perpendicular directions.
The examiner takes Official notices photolithography processes which include patterning layers with gray-scale masks having variable half tone patterns in at least two perpendicular directions for the purpose of forming 3D surfaces having desired shapes and structures are known to be used for forming optical elements and surfaces. For example, Behfar teaches that gray-scale technology enables the development of arbitrary 3D microstructures in various materials with gray-scale lithography, which may be used to pattern a curved reflective surface (see column 9, lines 15-54; see the curved surface in Figure 16(c)), and Hsu teaches that lithographic gray-scale masks may be provide by creating layers of varying light passing characteristic on the surface of the mask and that by varying thickness of the layers on the surface of the gray-scale mask, the light density that is allowed to pass through the gray-scale makes may be made to vary or a binary mask may be employed (see paragraphs 13, 30, and 43), wherein curvature (see curved reflective surface 46F2 in Figure 3) may be controlled by modifying process parameters of gray-scale lithography (see paragraph 19).
Thus, before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to form the cavity by patterning the layer using a gray scale mask having variable half tone patterns in at least two perpendicular directions for the purpose of forming the curved surface within the cavity in the invention of Kubena with a standard type of photolithography process known to be used to form accurate curved reflective surfaces in the art, for the purpose of optimizing the shape of the mirror to reduce optical loss.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kubena et al. (US 5,335,243), hereafter Kubena, in view of Behfar et al. (US 9,692,202 B2), hereafter Behfar, Hsu et al. (US 2023/0066363 A1), hereafter Hsu, and Lisu et al. (US 4,718,070), hereafter Lisu, and Faraji-Dana et al. (US 2022/0365280 A1), hereafter Faraji-Dana.
Regarding claim 4; Kubena discloses the method of claim 1, wherein forming the reflector structure (mirror 32) comprises forming a cavity (45) in a layer on the substrate (26) and following forming of cavity with a curved surface, forming a reflective layer (see column 8, lines 55-59) inherently having a thickness across the at least curved intersecting lines (curved mirror surface), but fails to disclose that the reflective layer has a variable thickness wherein the cavity is formed by patterning the layer using a gray scale mask having half tone patterns in at least two perpendicular directions.
The examiner takes Official notices photolithography processes which include patterning layers with gray-scale masks having variable half tone patterns in at least two perpendicular directions for the purpose of forming 3D surfaces having desired shapes and structures are known to be used for forming optical elements and surfaces. For example, Behfar teaches that gray-scale technology enables the development of arbitrary 3D microstructures in various materials with gray-scale lithography, which may be used to pattern a curved reflective surface (see column 9, lines 15-54; see the curved surface in Figure 16(c)), and Hsu teaches that lithographic gray-scale masks may be provide by creating layers of varying light passing characteristic on the surface of the mask and that by varying thickness of the layers on the surface of the gray-scale mask, the light density that is allowed to pass through the gray-scale makes may be made to vary or a binary mask may be employed (see paragraphs 13, 30, and 43), wherein curvature (see curved reflective surface 46F2 in Figure 3) may be controlled by modifying process parameters of gray-scale lithography (see paragraph 19).
Additionally, Lisu teaches that a reflective coating (54) may be applied over a parabolic mirror surface (32) after formation of a cavity to define the parabolic mirror surface (see Figure 3a), and Faraji-Dana teaches that a reflection layer may be applied to form a mirror and may have varying thickness to accommodate a reflective surface of a desired shape (see paragraphs 121, 164, 169).
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to, after forming the cavity in the invention of Kubena, further form a reflective layer having a variable thickness across at least the curved intersecting lines wherein the cavity is formed for the purpose of providing a reflective surface of a desired shape and smoothness.
Claims 9-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kubena et al. (US 5,335,243), hereafter Kubena, in view of Matsuoka (US 8,639,067 B2) and Grϋnwald et al. (EP 0 804 323 B1), hereafter Grϋnwald.
Regarding claim 9; Kubena discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the first optical element (30) is aligned with the optical or optoelectrical device (34) mounted on the substate (26), but does not disclose that the method further comprises:
forming an alignment aid element on the substrate,
wherein the alignment aid element is configured to align the first optical element with an optical or optoelectrical device to be mounted on the substrate,
wherein the optical or optoelectrical device is configured to be aligned to the first optical element with an accuracy of a lithography process due to a same mask used to form the first optical element and the alignment aid element.
Matsuoka (see column 3, line 50, through column 4, line 4) teaches that a first optical element (20) may be aligned with an optical or optoelectrical device (31) wherein an optical signal is coupled between the first optical element and the device via a reflective mirror surface formed in a cavity (see Figures 2B and 3), and that an optical waveguide layer (20) which forms the first optical element, wherein the waveguide layer (20) alignment mark patterns may be simultaneously formed. Grϋnwald teaches that alignment marks (18) are formed on a top surface of a substrate having a waveguide (20) and mirror (15) provided thereon for coupling to an optoelectronic device (22) mounted on the substrate (10; see Figures 1a and 1b).
Thus, before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious further include in the method of Kubena, the steps of: forming an alignment aid element on the substrate, wherein the alignment aid element is configured to align the first optical element with an optical or optoelectrical device to be mounted on the substrate, wherein the optical or optoelectrical device is configured to be aligned to the first optical element with an accuracy of a lithography process due to a same mask used to form the first optical element and the alignment aid element for the purpose of minimizing the number of steps and associated cost with the formation of the device of Kubena while providing alignment marks to ensure accurate alignment of desired optoelectronic device for coupling between the devices and the waveguide of Kubena.
Regarding claim 10; before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have the method of Kubena further comprise:
forming a first alignment aid element (suggested by the teachings of Matsuoka as discussed above with respect to claim 9) on the substrate,
wherein the first alignment aid element is configured to align a first optical axis of the first optical element with a second optical axis of an optical or optoelectrical device to be mounted on the substrate in a plane parallel to the substrate (i.e. the optical axis from the waveguide is aligned with the optical axis of the light beam coupled to the detector via the mirrored surface taught by Kubena for the optical coupling to occur as disclosed in Figure 2 of Kubena),
forming a second alignment aid element (plurality alignment aid elements 18 are suggested by Grϋnwald; see Figure 1a) on the substrate (26 of Kubena) , wherein the second alignment aid element is configured to restrain the second optical axis from diverting from the first optical axis in a plane perpendicular to the substrate (the examiner notes that it’s well known in the optical arts to provide several alignment marks along different alignment axis for the purpose of ensuring accurate optical alignment, wherein the use of alignment marks in this manner is elementary in the art).
Regarding claim 11; Matsuoka further suggests forming mounting pads (30) on a top layer on the substrate to receive the second optical element (31), wherein the layer comprises a cavity on which a reflective layer is disposed to form the reflective structure (see Figure 2B of Matsuoka). Grϋnwald also suggests forming mounting pads (29)on the substrate (10) for mounting the optoelectronic device (22) thereon. Thus, before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to form mounting pads on a top layer of the substrate in the invention of Kubena to receive a desired second optical element, wherein the laser comprises a cavity on which a reflective layer is disposed to form the reflective structure, since this is a known alternative method for mounting a desired optoelectronic device for coupling to a waveguide element in the prior art and one of ordinary skill could have combined the elements by known coupling methods with no change in their respective functions to yield predictable results. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claim 13; Kubena discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the reflective structure (32) comprises a reflective layer disposed on the cavity, but fails to disclose that the method further comprises forming a cavity and the first optical element at a same mask process to align the cavity with the first optical element. Matsuoka teaches that the cavity and first optical element (waveguide core) may be formed simultaneously and aligned (see column 3, line 50, through column 4, line 4). Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to form the cavity and the first optical element in the same mask process to align the cavity with the first optical element in the invention of Kubena and form the suggested structure with minimal formation steps and cost.
Claims 6, 14, 15, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshimura et al. (US 5,835,646 A), hereafter Yoshimura, in view of Kubena et al. (US 5,335,243), hereafter Kubena.
Regarding claims 6; Yoshimura discloses a method (see Figures 2 and 3) comprising:
providing a substrate (see Figures 11(a)-11(d));
forming a first optical element (waveguide) on the substrate (board), with the optical element (waveguide) configured to transmit an optical signal or to receive the optical signal;
forming a reflector structure (reflector; see annotated Figures 11(b) and 11(d) below) on the substrate (board) and aligned with the optical element (waveguide),
wherein the reflector structure (reflector) is configured to transmit or receive the optical signal between the first optical element (waveguide) and a second optical element (PD) disposed away from the reflector structure (reflector) in a direction from the substrate to the reflector structure,
wherein the first optical element (waveguide) comprises a waveguide,
wherein the second optical element (PD) comprises an optical or an optoelectronic surface-mount device;
forming mounting pads (mounting pads; see annotated Figures 11(a)-11(d) below) on a top layer on the substrate to receive the second optical element (PD).
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Yoshimura does not disclose:
wherein the top layer comprises a cavity on which a reflective layer is disposed to form the reflective structure;
wherein the reflector structure comprises a curved surface, with the curved surface comprising curved intersecting lines between the curved surface and planes parallel and perpendicular to the,
wherein the curved surface is configured to reflect an incoming optical signal to a reflected optical signal comprising a smaller cross section area,
wherein the reflector structure comprises a reflective layer disposed on a cavity of the substrate,
wherein the first optical element comprises an end facet facing the cavity, with the cavity configured to align the optical signal between the first optical element through the end facet and the cavity.
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Kubena teaches that a reflector (mirror 32) may be formed by providing a cavity (45) in the top layer of a substrate (26) on which a reflective layer is disposed to form the reflective surface (see column 8, lines 55-59), wherein the top layer comprises a cavity on which a reflective layer is disposed to form the reflective structure (mirror 32); wherein the reflector structure (32) comprises a curved surface (see Figures 2 and 3), with the curved surface comprising curved intersecting lines between the curved surface and planes parallel and perpendicular to the (see Figures 2 and 3), wherein the curved surface is configured to reflect an incoming optical signal to a reflected optical signal comprising a smaller cross section area (see figure 2), wherein the reflector structure comprises a reflective layer disposed on a cavity of the substrate (see column 8, lines 55-59), wherein the first optical element (waveguide of laser 30) comprises an end facet facing the cavity (45), with the cavity configured to align the optical signal between the first optical element (waveguide) through the end facet and the cavity (45).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to form the reflector structure in the invention of Yoshimura, wherein the top layer comprises a cavity on which a reflective layer is disposed to form the reflective structure; wherein the reflector structure comprises a curved surface, with the curved surface comprising curved intersecting lines between the curved surface and planes parallel and perpendicular to the, wherein the curved surface is configured to reflect an incoming optical signal to a reflected optical signal comprising a smaller cross section area, wherein the reflector structure comprises a reflective layer disposed on a cavity of the substrate, and wherein the first optical element comprises an end facet facing the cavity, with the cavity configured to align the optical signal between the first optical element through the end facet and the cavity, for the purpose of providing a reflector structure that focuses light, since this was a known alternative reflector structure arrangement of prior art, and one of ordinary skill could have combined the elements by known coupling methods with no change in their respective functions to yield predictable results. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claims 14 and 15; Yoshimura further discloses:
forming an interconnection layer (interconnection layers; see Figures 11(a)-11(d) annotated below) in the substrate under the first optical element (waveguide), wherein the interconnection layer comprises one or more interconnection lines (interconnection lines) disposed in one or more levels and connected by one or more vias;
an interconnection layer (interconnection layers) in the substrate under the first optical element (waveguide), forming an optical or optoelectrical device (LD, PD, modulator) on the substrate and aligned with the first optical element (waveguide), wherein the optical or optoelectrical device is coupled to an interconnect line (interconnect line) in the interconnection layer.
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Regarding claims 18 and 19; Yoshimura discloses a method (see Figures 11(a)-11(d)) comprising:
providing a substrate (board);
forming a waveguide (waveguide) on the substrate (board);
forming a first device (LD) coupled to the waveguide (waveguide), with the first device (LD) configured to transmit an optical signal to the waveguide (waveguide) or to receive the optical signal from the waveguide;
forming a reflector structure (reflector; see annotated Figure below) disposed in a layer on the substrate (board) and aligned with the waveguide (waveguide),
forming a second device (PD) disposed on the layer above the reflector structure (reflector), wherein the second device (PD) is configured to receive or transmit the optical signal from or to the first device (LD) reflected by the reflector structure (reflector);
wherein the first device (LD) comprises an optical emitter device, wherein the second device (PD) comprises an optical receiver device, wherein the first device is configured to transmit the optical signal to the reflector structure, with the optical signal received by the second device after being reflected by the reflector structure (see Figures 11(a)-11(d).
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Yoshimura does not disclose:
wherein the reflector structure comprises a curved surface, with the curved surface comprising curved intersecting lines between the curved surface and planes parallel and perpendicular to the substrate,
wherein the curved surface is configured to reflect an incoming optical signal to a reflected optical signal comprising a smaller cross section area.
Kubena teaches a reflector structure (32; see Figures 2 and 3) comprising a curved surface (32), with the curved surface comprising curved intersecting lines between the curved surface and planes parallel and perpendicular to the substrate (see figures 2 and 3), wherein the curved surface is configured to reflect an incoming optical signal to a reflected optical signal comprising a smaller cross section area (see Figure 2).
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to provide a reflector structure comprising a curved surface in alternative to the reflective surface disclosed by Yoshimura, with the curved surface comprising curved intersecting lines between the curved surface and planes parallel and perpendicular to the substrate, wherein the curved surface is configured to reflect an incoming optical signal to a reflected optical signal comprising a smaller cross section area for the purpose of providing an alternative reflective surface taught by prior art that will focus the light beam and minimize coupling loss.
Regarding claim 20; the examiner takes Official notice that it is known in the prior art that locations of transmitting devices and receiving devices may be reversed with respect to an optical waveguide orientation for the purpose of transmitting a single in an opposite direction. Thus, a person or ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to reverse the locations of the PD and the LD in alternative optical circuit arrangements based on the invention of Yoshimura, thereby providing an arrangement wherein the first device comprises an optical receiver device, wherein the second device comprises an optical emitter device, wherein the second device is configured to transmit the optical signal to the reflector structure, with the optical signal received by the first device after being reflected by the reflector structure.
Claims 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshimura et al. (US 5,835,646 A), hereafter Yoshimura, in view of Kubena et al. (US 5,335,243), hereafter Kubena, and in further view of Grϋnwald et al. (EP 0 804 323 B1), hereafter Grϋnwald.
Regarding claim 16; Yoshimura and Kubena teach and/or suggest the method of claim 6, wherein Yoshimura teaches forming an interconnection layer (interconnection layer) in the substrate under the first optical element (waveguide), and an optical element (LD, PD) to be mounted on the substrate and aligned with the first optical element (waveguide), with bond pads (mounting pads) connected to the interconnect lines (interconnect lines) in the interconnection layer (interconnection layer), and with the bond pads configured to be coupled to terminal pads of the optical and optoelectronic device (see Figures 11(a)-11(d)).
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Yoshimura does not disclose forming an alignment aid element on the substrate configured to align the first optical element (waveguide) with an optical or optoelectrical device (LD, PD) to be mounted on the substrate.
Grϋnwald teaches that alignment marks (18) are formed on a top surface of a substrate having a waveguide (20) and mirror (15) provided thereon for coupling to an optoelectronic device (22) mounted on the substrate (10; see Figures 1a and 1b). Thus, before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to provide alignment aid elements (alignment marks) on the substrate configured to align the first optical element with an optical or optoelectrical device to be mounted on the substrate in the invention of Yoshimura for the purpose of improving alignment accuracy and increasing optical coupling efficiency.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 17 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record, which is the most relevant prior art known, does not disclose or reasonably suggest the method of claim 17, including the limitations of base claim 6, comprising forming an interconnection layer in the substrate under the first optical element, wherein the reflector structure comprises a reflective layer disposed on a cavity of the substrate, and wherein the reflective layer is connected to an interconnect line of the interconnect layer, forming the second optical element comprises an optoelectronic device comprising a terminal pad connected to the reflective layer.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
The following references disclose related curved mirrors (please see entire disclosures):
Liau et al. (4,784,722);
Yip (US 9,110,224 B2);
Noriki et al. (US 10,830,951 B2);
Kikuchi et al. (US 2003/0142896 A1);
Rosinski (US 2005/0201694 A1); and
Li et al. (US 2019/0391345 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHELLE R CONNELLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2345. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9 AM to 5 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, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached at 571-272-2397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHELLE R CONNELLY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874