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 1-9, 23-27, 33-38 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.
Where applicant acts as his or her own lexicographer to specifically define a term of a claim contrary to its ordinary meaning, the written description must clearly redefine the claim term and set forth the uncommon definition so as to put one reasonably skilled in the art on notice that the applicant intended to so redefine that claim term. Process Control Corp. v. HydReclaim Corp., 190 F.3d 1350, 1357, 52 USPQ2d 1029, 1033 (Fed. Cir. 1999). The term “photodiode” in claims 1-8,23-27, 33-38 is used by the claim to mean “a semiconductor laser device,” while the accepted meaning is “a semiconductor device used to convert received light into a current.” The term is indefinite because the specification does not clearly redefine the term.
See for example [0045] and figure 24 which describe the operation of the device to emit lasing light produced therein, as opposed to receiving light and converting the received light to an electrical current.
For purposes of examination, the term “photodiode” is taken to mean “semiconductor laser”.
Claim 24 at line 2 refers to “a plurality of ridges”. Claim 24 depends from claim 23 which already defines the presence of “a plurality of ridges” at lines 4-5, making it unclear whether claim 24 is referring to the same ridges or new ridges.
For purposes of examination, the claim is understood to be referring to the same ridges and is read as “the plurality of ridges”.
Where applicant acts as his or her own lexicographer to specifically define a term of a claim contrary to its ordinary meaning, the written description must clearly redefine the claim term and set forth the uncommon definition so as to put one reasonably skilled in the art on notice that the applicant intended to so redefine that claim term. Process Control Corp. v. HydReclaim Corp., 190 F.3d 1350, 1357, 52 USPQ2d 1029, 1033 (Fed. Cir. 1999). The term “ion inversion” in claim 24 (and claims 25-27 by dependency) is used by the claim to mean “population inversion,” while the accepted meaning is “changing of the charge of an ion.” The term is indefinite because the specification does not clearly redefine the term.
For purposes of examination, “ion inversion” is understood to mean “population inversion”.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it refers to the term “photodiode” when instead it should be referring to the term “semiconductor laser”.
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The title of the invention is not descriptive of the described invention. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Semiconductor laser chip, Semiconductor laser, and method for controlling the wavelength of a semiconductor laser.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
With the exception of [0003], each instance of the use of term “photodiode” within the written description is understood to instead be referring to a “semiconductor laser”.
[0003] at line 1 refers to a “photodiode chip” and is understood to instead be referring to a “transceiver chip”.
Each instance of the use of term “ion inversion” within the written description is understood to instead be referring to a “population inversion”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1/2 as being anticipated by Itoh et al. (US 2016/0301193).
With respect to claim 1, Itoh discloses a photodiode chip (fig.1/2), comprising a substrate (fig.2 #21), wherein the chip comprises a grating layer (fig.2 #27s) above the substrate and a ridge waveguide layer (fig.2 plurality of #28s or #34s+#35s or #28s+#34s+#35s, as each forms a ridge type waveguide) located above the grating layer, the ridge waveguide layer comprises a plurality of ridge waveguides (fig.2 #28s or #34s+#35s or #28s+#34s+#35s), the grating layer comprises a plurality of columns of gratings (fig.2 each #27 forms a grating column), each of the plurality of ridge waveguides corresponds to one column of gratings in the plurality of columns of gratings below (fig.2 as outlined above), and at least two columns of gratings in the plurality of columns of gratings have different grating period pitches ([0027-28]).
With respect to claim 2, Itoh discloses any two columns of gratings in the plurality of columns of gratings have different grating period pitches (each is different, [0027-28]).
With respect to claim 3, Itoh discloses grating period pitches of the plurality of columns of gratings are sequentially set based on a preset change curve of a lasing wavelength and a temperature ([0027-28] each set to cover a given range over a temperature tuning range).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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(s) 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itoh in view of Matsumoto (US 6516017).
With respect to claim 4, Itoh teaches the device outlined above, including electrodes (fig.2 #39s) covering the ridge waveguide layer, but does not teach a first insulating dielectric film covering the electrodes, and electrode connection lines disposed on the first insulating dielectric film, wherein the first insulating dielectric film defines a first opening at a position above each of the plurality of ridge waveguides, and each of the electrode connection lines is connected to a corresponding electrode through a corresponding first opening. Matsumoto teaches a related thermally controlled laser array (fig.25) which includes electrodes (fig.22 portions of #34a’s on ridges) covering a ridge waveguide layer (fig.22b), a first insulating dielectric film (fig.23b #35, col.12 line 32) covering the electrodes (fig.23b), and electrode connection lines (fig.24a #34b) disposed on the first insulating dielectric film, wherein the first insulating dielectric film defines a first opening at a position above each of the plurality of ridge waveguides (fig.24a openings formed in layer of #35 to enable connection of #34b to #34a there below), and each of the electrode connection lines is connected to a corresponding electrode through a corresponding first opening (fig.24a/25). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the instant application to adapt the device of Itoh to make use of the dielectric and electrode structuring of the device of Matsumoto in order to layout the interconnections in a compact manner from the sides to enable a longitudinally shorter device.
With respect to claim 5, Itoh, as modified, teaches a first opening above each of the plurality of ridge waveguides and a first opening above a ridge waveguide adjacent to said each of the plurality of ridge waveguides are staggered from each other (see Matsumoto fig.25 with staggered connections).
With respect to claim 6, Itoh, as modified, teaches a second insulating dielectric film disposed between each of the plurality of ridge waveguides and each of the electrodes (Matsumoto, fig.21b #33), wherein the second insulating dielectric film wraps and covers the plurality of ridge waveguides and defines a second opening at a position above each of the plurality of ridge waveguides (Matsumoto, as seen in fig.21b/22b), and each of the electrodes is in contact with a corresponding ridge waveguide through a corresponding second opening (Matsumoto, see opening in #33 in fig.21b/22b).
With respect to claim 7, Itoh, as modified, teaches a plurality of pads (Matsumoto, fig.22a square pad portions of #34a), wherein the plurality of pads are in a one-to-one correspondence with first openings above the ridge waveguide layer (Matsumoto, fig.25), and each of the electrode connection lines connects an electrode at a first opening to a corresponding pad through the first opening (Matsumoto, fig.25).
With respect to claim 8, Itoh, as modified, teaches a buffer layer (fig.2 #22), a lower waveguide layer (fig.2 #23 forms guide based on refractive index, see fig.3), a quantum well layer (fig.2 #24), and an upper waveguide layer (fig.2 #25 forms guide based on refractive index, see fig.3) that are sequentially distributed from bottom to top above the substrate and below the grating layer (see fig.2), wherein the chip further comprises a corrosion stop layer (fig.2 #26; #26 would necessarily reduce contaminants from entering surfaces there below) between the grating layer and the ridge waveguide layer.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itoh in view of Nakamura et al. (US 2020/0328575).
With respect to claim 9, Itoh teaches the device outlined above, including a light-emitting end (fig.1 right side) and a backlight end (fig.1 left side), but does not teach an antireflective film is evaporated at the light-emitting end, and a reflective film is evaporated at the backlight end. Nakamura teaches a related laser array (fig.2) which includes an AR film (fig.2 #107) on the emitting end and an HR film (fig.2 #108) on a backlight end ([0027]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the instant application to adapt the device of Itoh to use an AR front coat and an HR back coat as demonstrated by Nakamura in order to ensure a reduction of spurious front reflections and a reduction of unwanted light emerging from the rear of the device.
Claim(s) 23-24, 33-37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itoh in view of Pezeshki et al. (US 10782472).
With respect to claim 23, Itoh discloses a photodiode (fig.1/2), comprising a photodiode chip (fig.1/2 chip type structure), a semiconductor temperature controller (fig.5 #103 controls temperature of semiconductor laser, [0055]), and a driver electronic device (fig.5 #202), wherein the photodiode chip comprises a substrate, wherein the chip comprises a grating layer above the substrate and a ridge waveguide layer located above the grating layer, the ridge waveguide layer comprises a plurality of ridge waveguides, the grating layer comprises a plurality of columns of gratings, each of the plurality of ridge waveguides corresponds to one column of gratings in the plurality of columns of gratings below, and at least two columns of gratings in the plurality of columns of gratings have different grating period pitches (see claim 1 rejection above); wherein the semiconductor temperature controller is located on one side of the photodiode chip (fig.5 surrounds bottom side) and configured to regulate a temperature of the photodiode chip to a target temperature ([0055-57]), and the driver electronic device is configured to perform energization control on the photodiode chip that is at the target temperature ([0057]), to make the photodiode chip at the target temperature emit target laser light having a wavelength comprising a corresponding target wavelength ([0057]), wherein the target wavelength is related to the target temperature ([0055-57]), and the target laser light has a spectrum width ([0027-28] necessarily having a spectrum width based on gain profile of the active region limited by the feedback from the DFB grating). Itoh does not specify the driver electronic device is a chip. Pezeshki teaches a related laser array device (fig.3a/4a) which includes a control electronic device in the form of an integrated circuit type chip (fig.3a #321). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the instant application to adapt the driver of Itoh to be in the form of an integrated circuit type chip as taught by Pezeshki in order to create a compact device with modular form for the driver for ease of assembly and replacement.
With respect to claim 24, Itoh, as modified, teaches the photodiode chip comprises a quantum well layer (fig.2 #24, [0029]) and a plurality of ridge waveguides (fig.2 #28s or #34s+#35s or #28s+#34s+#35s), and the driver electronic chip is configured to perform energization control on a ridge waveguide corresponding to the target temperature, to make the quantum well layer be energized by the ridge waveguide to form ion inversion (note population inversion is necessarily achieved in order to create sufficient gain to overcome loss and produce coherent lasing output), to emit the target laser light having the wavelength comprising the corresponding target wavelength ([0055-57]).
With respect to claim 33, Itoh teaches a method for controlling a wavelength of a photodiode (fig.1/2), applied to a laser apparatus (fig.5), the laser apparatus comprising a photodiode (fig.5 #100), a semiconductor temperature controller (fig.5 #103, controls temperature of semiconductor laser), and a driver electronic device (fig.5 #202), wherein the photodiode comprises a photodiode chip (fig.1/2 in chip form); wherein the photodiode chip comprises a substrate, wherein the chip comprises a grating layer above the substrate and a ridge waveguide layer located above the grating layer, the ridge waveguide layer comprises a plurality of ridge waveguides, the grating layer comprises a plurality of columns of gratings, each of the plurality of ridge waveguides corresponds to one column of gratings in the plurality of columns of gratings below, and at least two columns of gratings in the plurality of columns of gratings have different grating period pitches (see rejection of claim 1 above); wherein the semiconductor temperature controller is located on one side of the photodiode chip (fig.5 surrounds bottom side) and configured to regulate a temperature of the photodiode chip to a target temperature ([0055-57]), and the driver electronic device is configured to perform energization control on the photodiode chip that is at the target temperature ([0057]), to make the photodiode chip at the target temperature emit target laser light having a wavelength comprising a corresponding target wavelength ([0057]), wherein the target wavelength is related to the target temperature ([0055-57]), and the target laser light has a spectrum width ([0027-28] necessarily having a spectrum width based on gain profile of the active region limited by the feedback from the DFB grating); wherein the photodiode chip is provided with a plurality of light-emitting strips (fig.1/2 #11-1-N) and a plurality of pairs of electrodes (fig.2 each device has an upper electrode #39 paired with lower electrode #40), each light-emitting strip corresponds to one pair of electrodes, and the method comprises: receiving a user instruction, and controlling, according to the user instruction, the semiconductor temperature controller to control a temperature of the photodiode chip, to make the temperature of the photodiode chip reach a current target temperature at a current moment; determining a corresponding target light-emitting strip on the photodiode chip based on the current target temperature; controlling the driver electronic device to energize one pair of electrodes corresponding to the target light-emitting strip, to make the pair of electrodes corresponding to the target light- emitting strip act on the target light-emitting strip, to enable the target light emitting strip to emit target laser light having a wavelength comprising a target wavelength ([0055-57]), the target laser light having a spectrum width ([0027-28] necessarily having a spectrum width based on gain profile of the active region limited by the feedback from the DFB grating). Itoh does not specify the driver electronic device is a chip. Pezeshki teaches a related laser array device (fig.3a/4a) which includes a control electronic device in the form of an integrated circuit type chip (fig.3a #321). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the instant application to adapt the driver of Itoh to be in the form of an integrated circuit type chip as taught by Pezeshki in order to create a compact device with modular form for the driver for ease of assembly and replacement.
Itoh does not specify each laser is selected and operated as outlined above such that the following is met: and controlling, according to the user instruction, the semiconductor temperature controller to control the temperature of the photodiode chip, to make the temperature of the photodiode chip reach a next-moment target temperature at a next moment of the current moment, and performing, by using the next-moment target temperature as the current target temperature, determining the corresponding target light-emitting strip on the photodiode chip based on the current target temperature, until all target laser light having different target wavelengths are emitted. Itoh makes abundantly clear the purpose of the device is to enable production of particular wavelengths of laser light from each of the arrayed devices to enable DWDM type connections ([0005, 25-28]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the instant application to adapt the method of Itoh (outlined above) to apply the laser selection, driving, and temperature control to teach of the disposed lasers in turn in order to enable production of the full range of output light for DWDM connections using all the wavelengths as taught by Itoh.
With respect to claim 34, Itoh, as modified, teaches after the target light-emitting strip is enabled to emit the target laser light having the wavelength comprising the target wavelength, the method further comprises: controlling the photodiode chip to perform wavelength screening on the target laser light, to make a spectrum width of the target laser light reach a preset spectrum width (necessarily occurs based on the DFB grating formed within each laser).
With respect to claim 35, Itoh, as modified, teaches determining the corresponding target light-emitting strip on the photodiode chip based on the current target temperature comprises: searching for a light-emitting strip corresponding to the current target temperature in a preset comparison list, and using the found light-emitting strip as the target light-emitting strip ([0056-57], noting [0056] specifies use of a look up table with the corresponding data).
With respect to claim 36, Itoh, as modified, teaches controlling the driver electronic chip to energize the pair of electrodes corresponding to the target light-emitting strip (fig.2 #39 on top with #40 on bottom), to make the pair of electrodes corresponding to the target light-emitting strip act on the target light-emitting strip, to enable the target light-emitting strip to emit the target laser light having the wavelength comprising the target wavelength comprises: controlling the driver electronic chip to energize the pair of electrodes corresponding to the target light-emitting strip (necessarily occurs in order to enable the selected laser to produce light), to make the pair of electrodes corresponding to the target light-emitting strip perform energization modulation on a quantum well layer (fig.2 #24) of the target light- emitting strip by using a ridge waveguide (fig.2 #28 or #34+#35 or #28+#34+#35) on the target light-emitting strip, to enable the target laser light having the wavelength comprising the target wavelength to be emitted from the target light-emitting strip ([0056-57]).
With respect to claim 37, Itoh, as modified, teaches controlling the photodiode chip to perform the wavelength screening on the target laser light, to make the spectrum width of the target laser light reach the preset spectrum width comprises: controlling a grating corresponding to the ridge waveguide on the target light-emitting strip to perform the grating screening on the target laser light, to make the spectrum width of the target laser light after the grating screening reach the preset spectrum width ([0027-28, 56-57]; position of grating is controlled to be within each device such that feedback from the DFB grating necessarily limits spectrum width).
Claim(s) 25-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itoh in view of Pezeshki and Matsumoto.
With respect to claim 25, Itoh, as modified, teaches the device outlined above, but does not teach the photodiode chip further comprises a plurality of pads, a plurality of electrode connection lines, and a plurality of electrodes that are in a one-to-one correspondence with each other, each of the plurality of pads is connected to a corresponding ridge waveguide by sequentially using a corresponding electrode connection line and a corresponding electrode, and the driver electronic chip is further configured to perform energization control on the corresponding ridge waveguide by sequentially using a corresponding pad, a corresponding electrode connection line, and a corresponding electrode that are in a one-to-one correspondence with each other. Matsumoto teaches a related thermally controlled laser array (fig.25) which includes a plurality of pads (fig.22a square portions of #34a), a plurality of electrode connection lines (fig.24a #34b), and a plurality of electrodes (fig.22a portion of #34a on ridge) that are in a one-to-one correspondence with each other (fig.25), each of the plurality of pads is connected to a corresponding ridge waveguide by sequentially using a corresponding electrode connection line and a corresponding electrode (fig.25), and is energized by: on the corresponding ridge waveguide by sequentially using a corresponding pad, a corresponding electrode connection line, and a corresponding electrode that are in a one-to-one correspondence with each other (necessary function to enable current injection to teach device as designed). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the instant application to adapt the device of Itoh to make use of the dielectric and electrode structuring of the device of Matsumoto in order to layout the interconnections in a compact manner from the sides to enable a longitudinally shorter device.
With respect to claim 26, Itoh, as modified, teaches the photodiode chip further comprises the plurality of columns of gratings (fig.2 #27s), each of the plurality of ridge waveguides corresponds to one column of gratings in the plurality of columns of gratings (fig.2), and a corresponding grating is configured to perform grating screening on target laser light corresponding to the corresponding ridge waveguide, to make a spectrum width of the corresponding target laser light reach a target spectrum width ([0027-28, 56-57]; position of grating is configured to be within each device such that feedback from the DFB grating necessarily limits spectrum width).
With respect to claim 27, Itoh, as modified, teaches a first opening (Matsumoto, fig.23a openings in front of or next to each #35) and a second opening (Matsumoto, fig.21b opening in #33) are defined above each of the plurality of ridge waveguides (Matsumoto, fig.25), and each of the plurality of pads is connected to the corresponding electrode by using the corresponding electrode connection line passing through a corresponding first opening (Matsumoto, fig.24a), wherein there is no contact between any two electrode connection lines, between any two ridge waveguides, between any two electrodes, and between any two pads (Matsumoto, fig.25 connections to each ridge are independent).
Claim(s) 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itoh in view of Pezeshki and Nakamura.
With respect to claim 38, Itoh, as modified, teaches the device outlined above, but does not teach the controlling the grating corresponding to the ridge waveguide on the target light-emitting strip to perform the grating screening on the target laser light comprises: controlling the grating corresponding to the ridge waveguide on the target light-emitting strip to perform total reflection on the target laser light through a rear edge of the grating, and to perform semi-transmission and semi-reflection on the target laser light through a front edge of the grating, to make carriers of the target laser light oscillate in the grating to obtain laser light having a specific wavelength. Nakamura teaches a related laser array (fig.2) which includes an AR film (fig.2 #107) performing semi-transmission and semi-reflection on the emitting end and an HR film (fig.2 #108) performing up to total reflection on a backlight end ([0027]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the instant application to adapt the device of Itoh to use an AR front coat and an HR back coat as demonstrated by Nakamura in order to ensure a reduction of spurious front reflections and a reduction of unwanted light emerging from the rear of the device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Please see the included pto892 form for a list of related art teaching thermally tuned DFB laser arrays and/or devices with similar contact structures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TOD THOMAS VAN ROY whose telephone number is (571)272-8447. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8AM-430PM.
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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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/TOD T VAN ROY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2828
