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 .
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 18 March, 2026 is acknowledged.
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 5-6, 8, and 21-22 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: Claim 5 recites the limitations “aligning the lens structure to the unit specific position and connected to the adhesive element”. These are unclear because (1) it is unclear what is meant by (emphasis added) “aligning the lens structure to the unit specific position” and (2) it is unclear how “and connected to the adhesive element” is connected to the rest of the claim. It is grammatically incorrect, but it is unclear what the claim should say to correct the grammar issue. For the purpose of examination, this claim language is interpreted as requiring (1) placing the lens structure at the unit specific position and (2) that when the lens structure is placed at the unit specific position it contacts the adhesive element.
Regarding claim 8: Claim 8 recites the limitation “wherein adjusting the lens structure comprises moving the lens structure without moving positions of the light source module and the photonic component after providing the light source module and the photonic component over the substrate without turning on the light source module". “without turning on the light source module” can be interpreted as fitting into the rest of the claim in multiple ways. Does it mean that the light source module is off when the step of moving the lens structure is performed? Does it mean that the light source module is off when the light source module and the photonic component were provided over the substrate? Does it include the possibility that the light source module is turned on in a different step such that the light source module is on throughout this entire process? For the purpose of examination, the claim is understood to include any of these interpretations.
Regarding claim 21: Claim 21 recites (emphasis added) “wherein the light source module comprises a substrate layer, a waveguide, a photodetector optically coupled to the waveguide, a light source, and a dielectric layer, and the photonic component comprises a waveguide and a photodetector configured to detect one or more optical signals transmitted through the waveguide.” The waveguide therefore lacks proper antecedent basis. For the purpose of examination, the first instance of the waveguide is understood to refer to the waveguide of the light source module and the second instance of the waveguide is understood to refer to the waveguide of the photonic component.
Regarding claims 6 and 22: Claims 6 and 22 inherently contain all of the deficiencies of any base or intervening claims from which they depend.
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)(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 1-6, 9-10, and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hata et al. (US 2023/0059013; hereinafter Hata).
Regarding claim 1: Hata disclosesA method for manufacturing an optoelectronic structure, comprising: providing a substrate (Fig. 1, multistep base 5) and a light source module (Fig. 1, first semiconductor laser module 101) and a photonic component (Fig. 1, seventh optical element 370 is a photonic component) over the substrate (see paragraph 0208); and adjusting a lens structure (Fig. 1, fifth optical element 350) to a unit specific position related to the substrate to couple an optical signal from the light source module to the photonic component (see paragraphs 0208-0213; since the seventh optical element 370 is in the light path between the fifth optical element 350 and the optical fiber 4, which has a monitored output, the optical signal is also coupled from the light source module to the fifth optical element 350).
Regarding claim 2: Hata disclosesThe method as claimed in Claim 1 (as applied above), further comprising: determining that the lens structure is at the unit specific position when the optical signal being monitored reaches a predetermined optimization threshold (see paragraph 0213; when the optical signal intensity is maximized it is considered to reach a predetermined optimization threshold).
Regarding claim 3: Hata disclosesThe method as claimed in Claim 2 (as applied above), wherein the predetermined optimization threshold comprises a predetermined intensity, a predetermined pattern, a predetermined intensity distribution, a predetermined signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, or any combination thereof (paragraph 0213; this optimization threshold, i.e. the condition of maximized light intensity, is considered a predetermined intensity and a predetermined intensity distribution, since the relationship between lens position and intensity creates a distribution, which has a maximum at a predetermined position).
Regarding claim 4: Hata disclosesThe method as claimed in Claim 1 (as applied above), further comprising: disposing an adhesive element adjacent to the unit specific position (see paragraph 0212).
Regarding claim 5, as best understood: Hata disclosesThe method as claimed in Claim 4 (as applied above), further comprising:aligning the lens structure to the unit specific position and connected to the adhesive element (see paragraphs 0212 and 0213).
Regarding claim 6, as best understood: Hata disclosesThe method as claimed in claim 5 (as applied above), further comprising: curing the adhesive element (paragraph 0213).
Regarding claim 9: Hata disclosesA method for manufacturing an optoelectronic structure (paragraphs 0208-0218), comprising: providing a substrate (Fig. 1, multistep base 5), and a first light source module (Fig. 1, first semiconductor laser module 101), a first photonic component (Fig. 1, seventh optical element 370 in the optical path of the first semiconductor laser module 101 is a photonic component), a second light source module (Fig. 1, second semiconductor laser module 102), and a second photonic component over the substrate (Fig. 1 shows a seventh optical element 370 in the optical path of the second semiconductor module 102); actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component by moving a first lens structure (Fig. 1, fifth optical element 350 in the optical path of the first semiconductor laser module 101) to a first unit specific position related to the first photonic component (see paragraphs 0208-0213; since the seventh optical element 370 is in the light path between the fifth optical element 350 and the optical fiber 4, which has a monitored output, the optical signal is also coupled from the light source module to the fifth optical element 350, i.e. by positioning the lens element, these components are actively aligned); and actively aligning the second light source module with the second photonic component by moving a second lens structure (Fig. 1, fifth optical element 350 in the optical path of the second semiconductor laser module 102) to a second unit specific position related to the second photonic component (see paragraphs 0214-0218; the active alignment process is also performed for the second semiconductor laser module 102).
Regarding claim 10: Hata disclosesThe method as claimed in Claim 9 (as applied above), wherein the first unit specific position related to the first photonic component is different from the second unit specific position related to the second photonic component (see Fig. 1, the first and second lenses structures, as applied above, are in different unit specific positions).
Regarding claim 28: Hata disclosesThe method as claimed in Claim 9 (as applied above), further comprising: post-aligning an optical path between the first light source module and the first photonic component by adjusting or moving the first lens structure after positioning the first lens structure on a first adhesive element (see paragraph 0212).
Claims 1 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al. (US 2022/0179159; hereinafter Wu).
Regarding claim 1: Wu discloses A method for manufacturing an optoelectronic structure (paragraph 0204), comprising: providing a substrate (Fig. 2a-b, interposer) and a light source module (Fig. 2a-b, first of laser modules 212) and a photonic component (Fig. 2a, respective guided mode resonance coupler 228 and the waveguides and photodetectors they couple light to; see paragraph 0204) over the substrate (see Fig. 2a, the laser and the PIC, containing the respective guided mode resonance coupler 228 are provided over the substrate); and adjusting a lens structure (Figs. 2a-2b, lens 220) to a unit specific position related to the substrate to couple an optical signal from the light source module to the photonic component (see paragraph 0204).
Regarding claim 9: Wu disclosesA method for manufacturing an optoelectronic structure (paragraph 0204), comprising: providing a substrate (Fig. 2a-b, interposer), and a first light source module (Fig. 2a-b, first of laser modules 212), a first photonic component (Fig. 2a, respective guided mode resonance coupler 228 and the waveguides and photodetectors they couple light to; see paragraph 0204), a second light source module (Fig. 2a-b, another of laser modules 212; while only one is represented in the cross-section of Fig. 2a, it is understood to represent the configuration of the plurality of laser modules; additionally paragraph 0204 describes a plurality of laser modules and a plurality of corresponding resonance couplers 228, as well as waveguides that they couple light to), and a second photonic component over the substrate (see paragraph 0204, respective guided mode resonance coupler 228 and the waveguides and photodetectors they couple light to); actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component by moving a first lens structure to a first unit specific position related to the first photonic component (see paragraph 0204); and actively aligning the second light source module with the second photonic component by moving a second lens structure to a second unit specific position related to the second photonic component (see paragraphs 0204).
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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hata et al. (US 2023/0059013; hereinafter Hata) in view of Takagi et al. (US 2003/0128552; hereinafter Takagi). Hata discloses the method as claimed in claim 1, as applied above. Hata fails to teach that the method further comprises: attaching a planar upper surface of the lens structure to a vacuum suction mechanism; and adjusting a position of the vacuum suction mechanism to adjust the lens structure. However, Takagi, also related to active alignment of lenses with light source modules (see paragraph 0042), teaches that the method for aligning the lens with the light source module includes attaching a planar upper surface (see Fig. 13, surface 90a of lens) of the lens structure to a vacuum suction mechanism (see Figs. 13-15, vacuum chuck device 148) and adjusting a position of the vacuum suction mechanism to adjust the lens structure (see paragraph 0083). The vacuum suction mechanism allows for precisely controlling the movement of the lens structure in order to better optimize the placement of the lens structure, compared to other methods, for example manual placement of the lens structure. In order to precisely control the movement of the lens structure, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the Hata method by attaching a planar upper surface of the lens structure to a vacuum suction mechanism and adjusting a position of the vacuum suction mechanism to adjust the lens structure, since it was previously taught by Takagi.
Claims 8, 11, 23-24, 26-27, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hata et al. (US 2023/0059013; hereinafter Hata).
Regarding claim 8: Hata discloses the method of claim 1, as applied above, wherein adjusting the lens structure comprises moving the lens structure (see paragraph 0209) without moving positions of the light source module and the photonic component after providing the light source module and the photonic component over the substrate (see paragraph 0208, these components were previously fixed to the substrate). Hata further teaches that the light source module is turned on in the step prior to adjusting the lens structure by moving the lens structure (see paragraph 0212), and that the light intensity is monitored throughout the process of adjusting the lens structure (see paragraph 0213). Based on this, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to adjust the lens structure by moving the lens structure without turning on the light source module, since the light source module is already on before this step is completed.
Regarding claim 11: Hata disclosesThe method as claimed in Claim 9 (as applied above), further comprising: curing a first adhesive element to affix the first lens structure to the first unit specific position (see paragraph 0213). Hata further describes fixing the lens structures to their respective unit specific positions in a single operation (see paragraph 0218). Hata fails to disclose that the second lens structure is affixed to the second unit specific position with a second adhesive element. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the Hata method by using a second adhesive element for the purpose of fixing the second lens structure to the second unit specific position based on the disclosed method for fixing the first lens structure to the first unit specific position, in order to manufacture a more uniform device.
Regarding claim 23: Hata discloses the method as claimed in Claim 9, as applied above. Hata fails to disclose that actively aligning the second light source module with the second photonic component is performed after actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component is completed. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to actively align the first/second light source modules with first/second photonic components, respectively, in any order, since they correspond to different light paths for which one alignment process does not depend on the other, so the device could be expected to work equally well no matter which order the active alignment steps are performed. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the Hata method by actively aligning the second light source module with the second photonic component after actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component is completed, in order to carry out the steps disclosed by Hata on the first and second lens structures in sequence, for example in circumstances where the active alignment is required to be monitored or carried out by an individual who can only perform one active alignment process at a time.
Regarding claim 24: Hata discloses the method as claimed in Claim 9, as applied above. Hata fails to disclose that a time duration for actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component at least partially overlaps a time duration for actively aligning the second light source module with the second photonic component. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to actively align the first/second light source modules with first/second photonic components, respectively, in any order, since they correspond to different light paths for which one alignment process does not depend on the other, so the device could be expected to work equally well no matter which order the active alignment steps are performed. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the Hata method by overlapping the time duration for actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component at least partially with the time duration for actively aligning the second light source module with the second photonic component, in order to more efficiently manufacture the device by completing the active alignment processes in parallel.
Regarding claim 26: Hata discloses the method as claimed in claim 9, as applied above. Manufacturing the Hata device also includes disposing the first light source module, the first photonic component, the second light source module, and the second photonic component over the substrate, as shown in Fig. 1 and as applied above). Hata fails to disclose that these steps are performed without turning on the first light source module and the second light source module. However, Hata teaches that the light source modules are turned on in the step before the active alignment of the lens structures (see paragraph 0212). Based on the Hata disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art could expect the final structure of the device to be unaffected by whether or not the first and second light source modules are turned on when the first light source module, the first photonic component, the second light source module, and the second photonic component are disposed over the substrate. Since it is not disclosed to be necessary or advantageous to do so, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to perform this part of the Hata method, in particular the step of disposing the first light source module, the first photonic component, the second light source module, and the second photonic component over the substrate without turning on the first light source module and the second light source module, in order to save energy while manufacturing these components.
Regarding claim 27: Hata discloses the method as claimed in claim 9, as applied above. Hata fails to teach that the method further comprises: after actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component, removing the first lens structure from the first unit specific position; disposing a first adhesive element adjacent to the first unit specific position; and disposing the first lens structure on the first unit specific position through the first adhesive element, since Hata discloses that at least the first adhesive element is applied at predetermined positions on the base, after which the active alignment is performed (see paragraph 0212). However, in circumstances where the adhesive element will be induced to cure more quickly than the active alignment process can be completed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method disclosed by Hata by after actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component, removing the first lens structure from the first unit specific position; disposing a first adhesive element adjacent to the first unit specific position; and disposing the first lens structure on the first unit specific position through the first adhesive element, in order to better ensure that the active alignment processes can be carried out before the curing is finished.
Regarding claim 29: Hata discloses the method as claimed in claim 9, as applied above. Hata also discloses that the method further comprises disposing a first adhesive element before actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component (see paragraph 0212), and further teaches that the active alignment process can be carried out for the plurality of fifth optical elements (see paragraph 0218). In order to perform the active alignment steps in parallel for the first and second lens structures, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to perform the Hata method such that it includes disposing a first adhesive element and a second adhesive element over the substrate before actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component and before actively aligning the second light source module with the second photonic component, since the first adhesive element is disclosed to be disposed before actively aligning the first light source module with the first photonic component, and since such a process would be unaffected by the presence of the second adhesive element (i.e. they could be performed in parallel or one after another), and the parallel operation would allow one of ordinary skill in the art to save time in the manufacturing process.
Claims 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 2022/0179159; hereinafter Wu) in view of Lam et al. (US Patent No. 10,107,975; hereinafter Lam).
Regarding claim 21: Wu discloses the method as claimed in claim 1, as applied above. Wu further discloses that the photonic component comprises a waveguide and a photodetector configured to detect one or more optical signals transmitted through the waveguide (see paragraph 0204). Additionally, the Wu device appears to show that the laser module includes a substrate layer and a waveguide (see Fig. 2c, laser 212 and submount 214). However, Wu fails to explicitly disclose that the light source module comprises a substrate layer and a waveguide, and additionally fails to disclose that the light source module further comprises a photodetector optically coupled to the waveguide. However, Lam, also related to optoelectronic assemblies using lenses to couple from laser modules to other photonic components (see abstract), does teach using a waveguide-based diode laser as a light source (Fig. 3E, optical die 302 and col. 6, lines 10-30) and additionally include a photodetector optically coupled to the waveguide (Fig. 3E, monitoring photodetector 304 and col. 6, lines 50-65) for fault detection. Since waveguide-based diode lasers were known in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use a waveguide-based diode laser including a waveguide and a substrate as the laser in the Wu device, since waveguide-based diode lasers have a low beam divergence, which promotes high coupling efficiency. It would have also been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to further modify the Wu device based on Lam’s teaching of providing a monitoring photodiode which is optically coupled to the waveguide, in order to detect faults in the waveguide-based diode laser.
Regarding claim 22: Modified Wu teachesThe method as claimed in Claim 21 (as applied above), wherein adjusting the lens structure comprises moving the lens structure in multiple directions to maximize or optimize the optical signal received and monitored by the photonic component (see paragraph 0204, the plane transverse to the beam propagation axis includes multiple directions, and the coupled light is received, monitored, and optimized with a photodetector of the photonic component).
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hata (US 2023/0059013; hereinafter Hata) in view of Schwarz et al. (US 2009/0232170; hereinafter Schwarz).
Hata discloses the method as claimed in claim 9, as applied above. Hata fails to teach that the method further comprises performing a singulation operation on the substrate to form a first singulated structure comprising the first light source module, the first photonic component, and the first lens structure, and a second singulated structure comprising the second light source module, the second photonic component, and the second lens structure. However, Schwarz, also related to methods of manufacturing light source modules, teaches that a singulation operation may be performed on a substrate to separate a plurality of semiconductor laser chips in order to enable a multiplicity of small light source modules (see paragraph 0016). Since wafer-scale manufacturing, followed by singulation, enables the efficient production of a multiplicity of semiconductor chips with a high degree of uniformity, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the Hata method by preparing a multiplicity of such devices on a wafer and performing a singulation operation which separates a first singulated structure comprising the first light source module, the first photonic component, and the first lens structure and a second singulated structure comprising a second light source module, a second photonic component, and a second lens structure (as claimed in claim 9, with the second light source module, second photonic component, and second lens structure being interpreted as second light source modules, etc. of another singulated structure), in order to manufacture a multiplicity of such devices in parallel and in a uniform fashion.
Conclusion
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/KIRSTEN D. ENDRESEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/THOMAS A HOLLWEG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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