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 .
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 82 and 109 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 82 recites “a linear continuous taper section”/”a continuous taper section”, “a bow tie taper shape”/”a bow tie shape”, and “a straight section coupled to a continuous taper section”/”a straight section configured between a pair of tapered section”; however, it’s unclear if these pairs of limitations refer to the same element or separate elements. Therefore, claim 82 is considered indefinite. For purposes of examination, the Examiner interprets the limitations to mean “the waveguide is characterized by a straight section configured between a pair of continuous tapered sections to form a bow tie shape”.
Claim 109 recites “a waveguide configured to maintain single spatial mode operation”; however, it’s unclear if “a waveguide” refers to the waveguide recited in parent claim 62 or it’s a separate waveguide. Therefore, claim 109 is considered indefinite. For purposes of examination, the Examiner interprets “a waveguide” to refer to “the waveguide” previously recited in parent claim 62.
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.
Claims 62-63, 65, 77, 86-89, 92-93 and 106-110 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a2 as being anticipated by Chan et al. (US PG Pub 2022/0344476 A1, 09/11/24 IDS).
Regarding claim 62, Chan discloses a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA, FIG. 33, [0148]) device containing a gallium and nitrogen containing material (see abstract), the device comprising:
a carrier substrate member (Acceptor substrate, FIG. 33, [0361]) comprising a front side and a back side (top and bottom surfaces, FIG. 33);
a metal bonding material (Bond metals, FIG. 33, where Bond metals may be metal-metal, [0210]) that is free from solder material overlying the front side of the carrier substrate member (FIG. 33) and configured to bond an overlying transferred material to the front side of the carrier substrate member (FIG. 33);
a p-type contact region (p-contact, FIG. 33, [0361]) overlying the metal bonding material and configured to form a thermal path and an electrical path to and from the metal bonding material (Bond metals include metal-metal which are thermally and electrically conductive, [0210]);
a p-type gallium and nitrogen containing region (P-layers, FIG. 33, [0362]) overlying the p-type contact region;
an active region (Active region, FIG. 33, [0297]) overlying the p-type gallium and nitrogen containing region, the active region comprising a plurality of quantum well regions ([0297]);
an n-type gallium and nitrogen containing region (N-layers, FIG. 33, [0362]) overlying the active region, the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing region comprising a plurality of sub-regions (see annotated FIG. 33 below) numbered from 1 to N, where N is an integer of 2 and greater;
a waveguide (see annotated FIG. 33 below) configured from a portion of the n-type gallium and nitrogen containing region, the waveguide having a first end and a second end (AR/AR coatings, FIG. 33, [0366]); and configured to output a laser beam from one of the first end or the second end ([0381]);
a stripe region (Dielectric gap fill, FIG. 33) configured from an upper surface of the waveguide;
an n-type contact region (DFB n-contact, FIG. 33, [0362]) overlying the stripe region; and
a first region of the waveguide configured as a master oscillator device (see annotated FIG. 33 below) and a second region configured as a first power amplifier (see annotated FIG. 33 below) and coupled to the first region such that the first region and the second region are characterized as a master oscillator first power amplifier device ([0391]).
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Regarding claim 63, Chan discloses a spatial pattern (a grating, FIG. 33, [0012]) disposed on the n-type contact region and configured with a dimension and a geometry to achieve a predetermined mode quality (“M2”) (it’s implicitly taught by the grating).
Regarding claim 65, Chan discloses the spatial pattern is selected from an n-chip pattern, a longitudinal modulated pattern (formed by the grating, see annotated FIG. 33 above), a lateral modulated pattern, or any combinations thereof.
Regarding claim 77, Chan discloses the waveguide is characterized by a tapered waveguide structure (FIG. 33) configured as a mesa structure (see abstract).
Regarding claim 86, Chan discloses one or more grating structures configured with the waveguide (FIG. 33 and [0393]).
Regarding claim 87, Chan discloses the waveguide is configured with a width to achieve a spatial mode such that a narrower width relates to a single spatial mode and a wider width relates to multiple modes (FIG. 33, [0012]).
Regarding claim 88, Chan discloses the first region comprises a plurality of grating structures configured as a distributed feedback structure ([0361]).
Regarding claim 89, Chan discloses the first region comprises a distributed Bragg reflector device ([0012]).
Regarding claim 92, Chan discloses the first region is characterized by a straight waveguide (see annotated FIG. 33 above) and the second region is characterized by a tapered waveguide (see annotated FIG. 33 above).
Regarding claim 93, Chan discloses a current isolation region (see annotated FIG. 33 above) configured between the first region and the second region to electronically isolate the first region from the second region.
Regarding claim 106, Chan discloses the spatial pattern is configured to achieve a current injection pattern and maintain a filamenting characteristic of the device (it’s implicitly taught by the grating, FIG. 33, [0012]).
Regarding claim 107, Chan discloses the spatial pattern is configured to enhance a beam quality from a first level to a second level (it’s implicitly taught by the grating, FIG. 33, [0012]).
Regarding claim 108, Chan discloses a grating structure configured to maintain single cavity mode operation ([0012]).
Regarding claim 109, Chan discloses a waveguide configured to maintain single spatial mode operation ([0012]).
Regarding claim 110, Chan discloses a grating structure, wherein the device is configured for single spatial mode operation and single cavity mode operation to maintain a single frequency ([0011]-[0012]).
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 82 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chan et al. in view of WO9513639A1 (hereafter WO’639).
Regarding claim 82, Chan has disclosed the MOPA outlined in the rejection to claim 62 above except the waveguide is characterized by a linear continuous taper section, a bow tie taper shape, a straight section coupled to a continuous taper section, a straight section configured between a pair of tapered sections to form a bow tie shape. WO’639 discloses a double-ended tapered (bow-tie) laser comprising a waveguide that is characterized by a straight section configured between a pair of continuous tapered sections to form a bow tie shape (see annotated FIG. 8 below and col. 5 lines 22-25). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the waveguide of Chan with the bow-tie configuration as taught by WO’639 in order to ensure adiabatic spatial mode-shape variation permitting single spatial mode operation (see abstract of WO’639).
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Claims 95, 98 and 102 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chan et al. in view of O’Brien et al. (US Patent 5,793,521).
Regarding claim 95, Chan has disclosed the MOPA outlined in the rejection to claim 62 above except a third region configured as a second power amplifier operably coupled to the first power amplifier and configured with a gap configured between the second region and the third region to separate the second region from the third region. O’Brien discloses a third region configured as a second power amplifier (89, FIG. 8a) operably coupled to the first power amplifier (87, FIG. 8a) and configured with a gap (see annotated FIG. 8a below) configured between the second region and the third region to separate the second region from the third region. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the MOPA of Chan with the second power amplifier as taught by O’Brien in order to further amplify output from the first power amplifier.
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Regarding claim 98, the combination has disclosed the MOPA outlined in the rejection to claim 95 above except the second power amplifier comprising an antireflective coating on an aperture portion, and an antireflective portion coating on an exit portion. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply AR coatings to input and output ends of the second power amplifier in order to minimize unwanted reflection in the second power amplifier.
Regarding claim 102, the combination has disclosed the MOPA outlined in the rejection to claim 95 above except the first region comprises an angled facet region. O’Brien further discloses the first region comprises an angled facet region (see annotated FIG. 8b below). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form an angled facets in the first region in order to minimize unwanted reflection in the first region.
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Claim 105 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chan et al. in view of MUENDEL et al. (US PG Pub 2022/0344910 A1).
Regarding claim 105, Chan has disclosed the MOPA outlined in the rejection to claim 62 above except the first end and the second end include mirrors to form a cavity, the cavity configured to propagate electromagnetic radiation through the cavity and output the laser beam from one of the first end or the second end. MUENDEL discloses the first end and the second end include mirrors (112/114 of master oscillator 110, FIG. 1, [0019]) to form a cavity, the cavity configured to propagate electromagnetic radiation through the cavity and output the laser beam from one of the first end or the second end (output beam of the MO is output through 114 to power amplifier 120, FIG. 1, [0019]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the MO of Chan with the cavity mirrors as taught by MUENDEL in order to maximize gain in the MO.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Moloney et al. (US Patent 6,130,903, 09/11/24 IDS) discloses a MOPA comprising a tapered waveguide similar to the claimed invention (see FIGS. 1A-1B).
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.
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/YUANDA ZHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2828