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 amended claims 1, 8, 10-11, 13-18; new claims 19-20 and cancelation of claims 3-7, 9, and 12.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 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.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 13-16, filed 05/13/2026, with respect to claim 10 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim 10 has been withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Previous objection has been withdrawn.
Drawings
Previous objection has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Previous objection has been withdrawn.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamikawa (US Patent US-20080309218-A1) in the view of Kiyoku (US Patent US-20030037722-A1), hereinafter Kiyuku, Ikedo (US Patent US-20100027575-A1), hereinafter Ikedo, Kim (US Patent US-20150001556-A1), hereinafter Kim, and Yang (Foreign Patent CN-108807609-A), hereinafter Yang.
Regarding claim 1, Kamikawa teaches a GaN-based laser (Fig. 5a laser chip 10; [0058] states that the laser is a GaN-based laser), comprising:
an epitaxial substrate unit (Fig 5a n-type GaN substrate 11; substrate 11 is a substrate upon which epitaxial layers are grown, see [0059] );
a light-emitting unit (Fig. 5a layers 12-19 form the light emitting unit), which is located on the epitaxial substrate unit (Fig. 5a layers 12-19 are located on the substrate 11),
wherein the light-emitting unit (Fig. 5a-b layers 12-19) comprises at least an active layer unit (Fig. 5a active layer 15), which is arranged parallel to the substrate unit (Fig. 5a active layer 15 is parallel to substrate 11);
the light-emitting unit (Fig. 5a-b layers 12-19) comprises at least a first sidewall (Fig. 5b surface “B”) and a second sidewall (Fig. 5b surface “A”), which are opposite to each other (Fig. 5b surfaces “A” and “B” are opposite to each other),
where a first reflector is provided on the first sidewall (Fig. 5b high-reflectance film 4 is provided on surface “B”) and a second reflector is provided on the second sidewall (Fig. 5b low-reflectance film 3 is provided on surface “A”),
the first reflector or the second reflector corresponds to a light-emitting surface (Fig. 5a-b corresponds to a surface emitting device, see [0065]; also Fig. 1 shows the direction of the emitted light).
Kamikawa fails to teach: a first group III nitride epitaxial laver; a patterned first mask layer on the first group III nitride epitaxial layer; and a second group III nitride epitaxial layer, which is located on the first group III nitride epitaxial layer, the second group III nitride epitaxial layer is horizontally grown on the patterned first mask layer, and wherein an orthographic projection of the patterned first mask laver on the epitaxial substrate unit falls within an orthographic projection of the light-emitting unit on the epitaxial substrate unit; and wherein the light emitting unit corresponds to the patterned first mask layer, and a size of the orthographic projection of the patterned first mask layer on the epitaxial substrate unit is equivalent to a size of the orthographic projection of the light-emitting unit corresponding to the patterned first mask layer on the epitaxial substrate unit; [0001] crystal orientations of the first group III nitride epitaxial layer and the second group III nitride epitaxial layer are respectively parallel to a thickness direction; wherein the patterned first mask layer is a reflective layer made of Ag or a light-absorbing layer made of Mo.
However, Kiyoku teaches a first group III nitride epitaxial layer (Fig. 6a-c underlayer 12, see [0035]); a patterned first mask layer on the first group III nitride epitaxial layer (Fig. 6-c mask 13 is grown on 12); and a second group III nitride epitaxial layer, which is located on the first group III nitride epitaxial layer (Fig. 6a-c nitride semiconductor crystal 16, [0038], located on underlayer 12), the second group III nitride epitaxial layer is horizontally grown on the patterned first mask layer (Fig. 6a-c nitride semiconductor crystal 16, [0038], is horizontally grown on the mask 13) wherein an orthographic projection of the patterned first mask layer on the epitaxial substrate unit falls within an orthographic projection of the light-emitting unit on the epitaxial substrate unit (Fig. 10 substrate 100 comprises mask 13, see [0099]; orthographic projection of substrate 1000 falls within orthographic projection of layers 211-218); and wherein the light emitting unit corresponds to the patterned first mask layer (Fig. 10 layers 211-218 corresponds to substrate 1000 which comprises mask 13), and a size of the orthographic projection of the patterned first mask layer on the epitaxial substrate unit is equivalent to a size of the orthographic projection of the light-emitting unit corresponding to the patterned first mask layer on the epitaxial substrate unit (Fig. 10 substrate 100 comprises mask 13 & substrate 11, see [0099]; hence the size of the orthographic projection of mask 13 is equivalent to the size of the orthographic projection of mask 13 on substrate 11 in Figs. 7a-c is equivalent to the size of the orthographic projection of the layers 211-218 onto substrate 11).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Kimikawa’s device with a epitaxial substrate comprising a first group III nitride epitaxial layer and a second group III nitride epitaxial layer with a first mask as taught by Kiyoku because the mask would allow to control the initial growth period of the epitaxial layers would result in very few defects if the crystals grows thick (from Kiyuko paragraph [0096]).
Kamikawa’s device modified above fails to teach Kiyuko fails to teach [0001] crystal orientations of the first group III nitride epitaxial layer and the second group III nitride epitaxial layer are respectively parallel to a thickness direction; wherein the patterned first mask layer is a reflective layer made of Ag or a light-absorbing layer made of Mo.
However, Ikedo teaches [0001] crystal orientations of epitaxial GaN based layers are respectively parallel to a thickness direction (Fig. 1c substrate 1 and multilayer structure 20 direction “c”; where crystals are grown on the (0001) crystal orientation parallel to the thickness direction; [0035] “the inventive semiconductor laser device, a principal surface of the substrate preferably has a {0001} crystal plane orientation” [0057] states “ the semiconductor laser device according to this embodiment includes a multilayer structure 20 on the (0001) oriented principal surface of a substrate 1 made of n-type gallium nitride (GaN)”; [0070] “a silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) film is deposited to a thickness of 600 nm on the (0001) oriented principal surface of the substrate 1 made of n-type GaN”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kamikawa’s device in the view of Kiyuko as above to have a [0001] crystal orientations of the first group III nitride epitaxial layer and the second group III nitride epitaxial layer are respectively parallel to a thickness direction (e.g. having the substrate from Kamikawa where layers 12 and 16 from Kiyoku to be the first and second III nitride epitaxial layer to be in a [0001] crystal orientations and parallel to a thickness direction) as taught by Ikedo because growing nitride epitaxial layers with [0001] crystal orientations parallel to the thickness direction would allow to grow easily and with high crystals qualities associated with the reduction of defects (from Kim paragraph [0009]).
Although Kamikawa’s modified device teaches a mask made of metals (from Kiyuko paragraph [0048] “metals having melting points of 1,200.degree. C. or more (e.g., W, Ir, and Pt) can be used”) ; Kamikawa’s modified device fails to teach wherein the patterned first mask layer is a reflective layer made of Ag or a light-absorbing layer made of Mo.
However, Yang (Foreign Patent CN-108807609-A) teaches wherein the patterned first mask layer is a reflective layer made of Ag (page 3 paragraph 7 states “this invention uses metal nano-particles as a mask…the Au or Ag nanometer particle has good reflection characteristic to the light”) or a light-absorbing layer made of Mo.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Kimikawa’s device in the view of Kiyuko, Ikedo and Kim to have the patterned first mask layer is a reflective layer made of Ag as taught by Yang because it would allow to have good reflection characteristic to the light (from Yang page 3 paragraph 7).
Regarding claim 8, Kamikawa modified device teaches the GaN-based laser according to claim 1,
Kamikawa modified device fails to teach a patterned second mask layer on the second group III nitride epitaxial layer, wherein the second mask layer is configured to restrict the second group III nitride epitaxial layer to grow laterally only to form a third group III nitride epitaxial layer, and the third group III nitride epitaxial layer heals the second group III nitride epitaxial layer; and a fourth group III nitride epitaxial layer on the third group III nitride epitaxial layer and the second mask layer, and [0001] crystal orientations of the third group III nitride epitaxial layer and the fourth group III nitride epitaxial layer are parallel to a thickness direction.
However, Kiyoku teaches:
a patterned second mask layer (Fig. 6a-c mask 113a-f) on the second group III nitride epitaxial layer (Fig. 6a-c mask 113a-f is on nitride semiconductor crystal 16 )
wherein the second mask layer is configured to restrict the second group III nitride epitaxial layer to grow laterally only (paragraph [0075] states “the selective growth mask 113 is formed to cover the surface of the portions, of the nitride semiconductor crystal 16, on which the crystal defects produced from the interface between the support member 10 and the nitride semiconductor crystal 16 and extending from the windows 14a to 14f of the first selective growth mask 13”) to form a third group III nitride epitaxial layer (Fig. 6a-c nitride semiconductor crystal 16 formed on windows 14b-e)
a fourth group III nitride epitaxial layer (Fig. 6c nitride semiconductor crystal 116) on the third group III nitride epitaxial layer and the second mask layer (Fig. 6c nitride semiconductor crystal 116 is on nitride semiconductor crystal 16 which includes windows 14b-e).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Kamikawa’s device in the view of Kiyuko, Ikedo and Kim as per claim 1 to have second mask layer on the second group III nitride epitaxial layer and a fourth group III nitride epitaxial layer as further taught by Kyuko above because because the mask would allow to control the initial growth period of the epitaxial layers would result in very few defects if the crystals grows thick (from Kiyuko paragraph [0096]).
Kamikawa’s modified device above fails to teach a [0001] crystal orientations of the third group III nitride epitaxial layer and the fourth group III nitride epitaxial layer are parallel to a thickness direction.
However, Ikedo teaches [0001] crystal orientations of epitaxial GaN based layers are respectively parallel to a thickness direction (Fig. 1c substrate 1 and multilayer structure 20 direction “c”; where crystals are grown on the (0001) crystal orientation parallel to the thickness direction; [0035] “the inventive semiconductor laser device, a principal surface of the substrate preferably has a {0001} crystal plane orientation” [0057] states “ the semiconductor laser device according to this embodiment includes a multilayer structure 20 on the (0001) oriented principal surface of a substrate 1 made of n-type gallium nitride (GaN)”; [0070] “a silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) film is deposited to a thickness of 600 nm on the (0001) oriented principal surface of the substrate 1 made of n-type GaN”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kamikawa’s device as above to have a [0001] crystal orientations of the third group III nitride epitaxial layer and the fourth group III nitride epitaxial layer are parallel to a thickness direction (e.g. having layers 16 and 116 in a [0001] crystal orientations and parallel to a thickness direction) as taught by Ikedo because growing nitride epitaxial layers with [0001] crystal orientations parallel to the thickness direction would allow to grow easily and with high crystals qualities associated with the reduction of defects (from Kim paragraph [0009]).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamikawa (US Patent US-20080309218-A1) in the view of Kiyoku (US Patent US-20030037722-A1), Ikedo (US Patent US-20100027575-A1), Kim (US Patent US-20150001556-A1) and Yang (Foreign Patent CN-108807609-A), as per claim 1, in further view of Wang (US Patent US-5729563-A), hereinafter Wang.
Regarding claim 2, Kamikawa’s modified device teaches the GaN-based laser according to claim 1.
However, Kamikawa device fails to teach wherein isolation structures are provided on remaining sidewalls of the light- emitting unit.
However, Wang teaches isolation structures are provided on remaining sidewalls of the light- emitting unit (Fig. 2-3 trenches 125-128 are form on the walls of the SEL 104; SEL stands for surface emitting lasers, see column 1 lines 22-23).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Kamikawa’s device in the view of Kiyuko, Ikedo, Kim and Yang with isolation structures are provided on remaining sidewalls of the light- emitting unit (e.g providing isolation structures from Wang on the remaining walls of the laser in Fig. 5b different form sidewalls “A” and “B” in Fig. 5b from Kamikawa) as taught by Wang because having isolation structures would allow to create plurality of the laser devices avoiding cross talking between the lasers.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-11, 13-18 and 19-20 are allowed.
Claim 10:
Kimikawa (US Patent US-20080309218-A1) in the view of Wang teaches the method in claim 10 as per Non Final Rejection from 02/13/2026.
Kimikawa’s device in the view of Wang (US Patent US-5729563-A) failed to teach a transfer carrier, removing the epitaxial substrate unit to expose the N-type semiconductor layer unit; removing the epitaxial substrate unit to expose the P-type semiconductor layer unit.
Other relevant prior art does not remedy the deficiencies of Kimikawa’s modified device.
Claim 19:
Kamikawa modified device in the view of Kiyuko, Ikedo, Kim and Jang teaches the device as described in claim 1 above.
Kamikawa’s modified device fail to teach a third mask layer between a bottom wall of the fifth group III nitride epitaxial layer and the first group III nitride epitaxial layer, wherein side walls of the fifth group III nitride epitaxial layer are connected to the first group III nitride epitaxial layer; a sixth group III nitride epitaxial layer, which is located on the fifth group III nitride epitaxial layer and the patterned first mask layer.
Claims 11, 13-18 and 20 are allowed for being dependent claims 10 and 19.
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ueno (US Patent US-20110073888-A1) teaches epitaxial layers, Sugahara (US Patent US-6855571-B1) teaches a mask in between epitaxial layers, and Vakhshoori (US Patent US-5390209-A) teaches epitaxial layers grown on the C-axis.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FERNANDA ADRIANA CAMACHO ALANIS whose telephone number is (703)756-1545. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:30pm Friday off.
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.
/FERNANDA ADRIANA CAMACHO ALANIS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2828 /MINSUN O HARVEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2828
Prosecution Insights