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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 07/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The drawing objections of record are withdrawn in light of applicant’s amendments.
The specification objections of record are withdrawn in light of applicant’s amendments.
The objections to claim 22 of record are withdrawn in light of applicant’s amendments.
The indefiniteness rejections of record are withdrawn in light of applicant’s amendments.
The 102 rejections of record are withdrawn in light of applicant’s amendments.
Regarding 103 rejections:
Applicant argues that amended independent claims 1 and 17 now recite a clock laser configured to interrogate a clock transition, that Hsu does not disclose or suggest such interrogation, and none of Barnes, Goodman, Bowers, or Junz cures Hsu’s deficiency with respect to the amended independent claims. Applicant’s argument is not persuasive.
The recited clock laser is not a separate or unusual component beyond an ordinary atomic-clock interrogation laser. In the application itself, the “clock laser” is simply a laser within the broader laser system that is used to interrogate the ultranarrow clock transition of the trapped atoms. Barnes teaches that same substantive function. Barnes expressly discloses the optical clock transition in trapped 87Sr tweezers, stating that the tweezers operate at “the magic wave-length for the optical clock transition” from |1S0 to |3P0, and that Figure 1(e) shows a frequency scan over the clock state transition. Barnes further teaches driving population between the 1S0 ground state and the 3P0 upper clock state for shelving and readout. Thus, although Barnes may not use the exact label “clock laser,” Barnes teaches a laser performing the same clock-transition interrogation function as the claimed clock laser, and thus teaches the newly added clock-transition interrogation feature missing from Hsu.
Accordingly, Applicant’s argument is therefore not persuasive as to patentability over the combined teachings of Hsu and Barnes.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-11, 15-17, 20, and 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu, T.-W., et al., (2021). “Single-Atom Trapping in a Metasurface-Lens Optical Tweezer”. 3(3) [hereinafter Hsu] in view of Barnes, K., et al., (2021). “Assembly and coherent control of a register of nuclear spin qubits.” Nature Communications, 13(1), 2779 [hereinafter Barnes].
Regarding Claim 1:
The preamble recites “photonically integrated atomic tweezer clock.” The body of claim 1 recite a structural atom-trapping system, namely a laser system, a holographic metasurface, a vacuum chamber, and a cold atom source, and further recites that the optical tweezer array capture atoms in the vacuum chamber. However, the body of the claim does not recite any structure for time keeping operation, such as interrogation of clock transition, generating of precision spectroscopy, frequency division, or output of time information. Accordingly, the recited “clock” limitation is reasonably interpreted as stating an intended use or purpose of the claimed atom-trapping system rather than imposing a further structural limitation on claim 1.
Further, under the broadest reasonable interpretation, the recited “holographic metasurface” is interpreted as a metasurface that shapes the incident optical wavefront to generate a desired optical field pattern, here an optical tweezer array. Notably, the claims do not recite generating a hologram at any point.
Hsu teaches a metasurface optical tweezer atom-trapping system, comprising:
a laser system configured to generate one or more incident laser beams (Page 7: “A collimated 852 nm laser beam of 4 mm in diameter illuminates the metalens”);
a holographic metasurface configured to generate an optical tweezer array from the one or more incident laser beam (Fig. 1 and Fig. A2; Page 1: “we introduce the use of a high-NA dielectric metasurface lens to trap and image single atoms and obtain tight trap confinement. We form an atom array by combining the metasurface lens with tunable acousto-optic deflectors, and characterize the tweezer foci using the trapped atoms;” also “In this work, we open the use of metasurfaces to optical dipole traps, in the form of tightly-focused optical tweezers.” Fig. 1 identifies metasurface lens with multiple input beams and generate arrays of varying wavelengths, Fig. A2(b) also shows a metalens sample designed for 852 nm tweezer light);
a vacuum chamber, configured to receive a projection of the optical tweezer array generated by the holographic metasurface (Fig. 1 and Page 7: the system operating in an ultra high vacuum (UHV) science-cell environment. Fig. 1 depicts the optical tweezer beams generated by the metasurface and directed into the vaccum chamber); and
a cold atoms source configured to generate a cloud of a plurality of atoms in the vacuum chamber (Pages 7 and 9: “The atomic source is a magneto-optical trap (MOT) glass cell …connected through a differential pumping orifice with vacuum conductance of …” and “The atoms from the dispenser in the source cell are cooled in the transverse direction with MOT laser…and transported to the science cell via a push laser beam” and that the science MOT loading produces a typical MOT size
3
×
10
7
atoms),
wherein the optical tweezer array is configured to capture one or more atoms from the plurality of atoms in the vacuum chamber (Page 3: “Atoms are captured into the optical tweezers by overlapping the focus of the metalens with a magneto-optical trap (MOT) and applying polarization-gradient cooling (PGC) for 15 ms while the optical tweezer traps are on… Light assisted collisions are used to ensure only one atom remains in the trap”).
However, Hsu does not expressly teach the laser system comprising a clock laser; and wherein the clock laser is configured to interrogate a clock transition of the captured one or more atoms.
Barnes teaches the laser system comprising a clock laser; and wherein the clock laser is configured to interrogate a clock transition of the captured one or more atoms (Pages 2, 3 and 9: teaches a tweezer system includes a laser “operate at λ = 813.4 nm, the magic wave-length for the optical clock transition,” and that that Figure 1(e) shows a frequency scan over the clock state transition. Barnes further teaches driving population between the 1S0 ground state and the 3P0 upper clock state for shelving and readout).
Hsu teaches a metasurface optical tweezer system for trapping neutral atoms. Barnes demonstrates that trapped 87Sr atoms in an optical tweezer array can be interrogated on their optical clock transition for state manipulation and readout. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to modify Hsu’s metasurface optical tweezer system to include the clock-transition interrogation taught by Barnes, because both references concern neutral atoms trapped in optical tweezer arrays, and applying a know clock-interrogation technique as taught by Barnes to Hsu’s compact metasurface-based trapping platform would predicably added atomic-clock functionality to the existing tweezer system without changing its basic trapping architecture.
Regarding Claim 2:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. Barnes further teaches wherein the plurality of atoms includes 87Sr atoms (Page 2: “…trap individual 87Sr atoms in an array of optical tweezers…”).
Regarding Claim 3:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. Barnes further teaches wherein the optical tweezer array has a wavelength of 813 nanometers (Page 1-Supplementary Materials: “The tweezers operate at λ= 813.4 nm, the magic wavelength for the optical clock”).
Regarding Claim 5:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. Hsu further teaches wherein the optical tweezer array is two-dimensional (Fig. 1 (d) shows a grid-like trapped atom, and the figure caption expressly says the setup is for “single atoms in an array created with multiple input beams”).
Regarding Claim 6:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. Barnes further teaches wherein the vacuum chamber includes a two-stage magneto-optical trap ("MOT") (Page 1-Supplementary Materials: “The process of initializing the qubit starts with producing a strontium atomic beam in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) system. The atomic beam is slowed by optical forces from a Zeeman slower and 2D magneto-optical trap (MOT). A second 2D MOT then directs the atoms toward a UHV glass cell… The atoms are then further cooled by a second 3D MOT”. Accordingly, the vacuum chamber includes a two-stage MTO – a 2D MOT followed by a 3D MOT).
Regarding Claim 7:
Hsu in view of Barnes teaches the system of claim 6. Barnes further teaches wherein a first stage of the MOT includes a blue 2D MOT having a wavelength of 461 nanometers (Page 1-Supplementary Materials: “A second 2D MOT then directs the 1atoms toward a UHV glass cell… all operate on the 1S0[Wingdings font/0xE0]1P1 manifold transitions at 461 nm”).
Regarding Claim 8:
Hsu in view of Barnes teaches the system of claim 6. Barnes further teaches wherein a second stage of the MOT includes a narrow-line MOT having a wavelength of 689 nanometers (Page 1-Supplementary Materials: “This second MOT operates on the narrow 1S0 [Wingdings font/0xE0] 3P1 ‘intercombination’ line…at 689 nm, with laser beams that are frequency modulated to create a sawtooth-wave adiabatic passage (SWAP) MOT”).
Regarding Claim 9:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. Hsu further teaches wherein the holographic metasurface is positioned outside the vacuum chamber (both Figs. 1 and A2 show the vacuum chamber/cell as a downstream region receiving the projected optical tweezer field, while the metasurface/metalens is shown at the outside optical side of that chamber region).
Regarding Claim 10:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. Hsu further teaches wherein the cold atoms source comprises a dispenser configured to release the plurality of atoms into the vacuum chamber (Page 9: “atoms from the dispenser in the source cell are cooled…and transported to the science cell via a push laser beam”).
Regarding Claim 11:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. Hsu further teaches a measurement system configured to collect and measure atom flux of the trapped plurality of atoms (Fig. 2 shows measurement results obtained from the trapped atoms, including a fluorescence image of the atom array, trap-frequency measurement data, and extracted Gaussian-waist data determined from the trapped atoms, thereby showing Hsu includes a system that collects signals from the trapped atoms and measures properties of the trapped atoms).
Regarding Claim 15:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. Hsu further teaches wherein the optical tweezer array comprises a plurality of traps for atoms at multiple wavelengths (Page 5: “polarization multiplexing provides a method to trap and collect fluorescence at the diffraction limit for two different wavelengths using a singlet metasurface lens, and may find utility in combing additional multifunctional beams in complex trapping experiments).
Regarding Claim 16:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. Barnes further teaches wherein the clock laser is adapted to manipulate the vibrations and transitions of trapped atoms for a readout of the photonically integrated atomic tweezer clock (Page 2: “…trap individual 87Sr atoms in an array of optical tweezers, prepare a uniformly-filled register of spin-polarized atoms, then individually manipulate and read out the spin state of the qubits”).
Regarding Claim 17:
The preamble recites “a method for constructing a photonically integrated atomic tweezer clock.” However, the body of claim 17 does not recite any actual clock construction or timekeeping step. Thus, the claim is directed to a method of forming an atom trapping optical tweezer system, rather than to any method of constructing a clock or perform clock operation. Therefore, the recited “photonically integrated atomic tweezer clock” in the preamble is reasonably interpreted as stating an intended use or purpose of the recited atom trapping method, not as adding a further limiting method step.
Hsu teaches a method for constructing a photonically integrated atomic tweezer system, comprises:
inducing one or more incident laser beams (Page 7: “A collimated 852 nm laser beam of 4 mm in diameter illuminates the metalens”),
generating an optical tweezer array from the one or more incident laser beams via a holographic metasurface (Fig. 1 and Fig. A2; Page 1: “we introduce the use of a high-NA dielectric metasurface lens to trap and image single atoms and obtain tight trap confinement. We form an atom array by combining the metasurface lens with tunable acousto-optic deflectors, and characterize the tweezer foci using the trapped atoms;” also “In this work, we open the use of metasurfaces to optical dipole traps, in the form of tightly-focused optical tweezers.” Fig. 1 identifies metasurface lens with multiple input beams and generate arrays of varying wavelengths, Fig. A2(b) also shows a metalens sample designed for 852 nm tweezer light),
projecting the optical tweezer array into a vacuum chamber (Fig. 1 and Page 7: the system operating in an ultra high vacuum (UHV) science-cell environment. Fig. 1 depicts the optical tweezer beams generated by the metasurface and directed into the vaccum chamber); and, and
trapping a plurality of atoms using the optical tweezer array in the vacuum chamber (Page 3: “Atoms are captured into the optical tweezers by overlapping the focus of the metalens with a magneto-optical trap (MOT) and applying polarization-gradient cooling (PGC) for 15 ms while the optical tweezer traps are on… Light assisted collisions are used to ensure only one atom remains in the trap”),
wherein the plurality of atoms is generated by a cold atoms source (Pages 7 and 9: “The atomic source is a magneto-optical trap (MOT) glass cell …connected through a differential pumping orifice with vacuum conductance of …” and “The atoms from the dispenser in the source cell are cooled in the transverse direction with MOT laser…and transported to the science cell via a push laser beam” and that the science MOT loading produces a typical MOT size
3
×
10
7
atoms).
However, Hsu does not expressly teach the laser system comprising a clock laser; and wherein the clock laser is configured to interrogate a clock transition of the captured one or more atoms.
Barnes teaches the laser system comprising a clock laser; and wherein the clock laser is configured to interrogate a clock transition of the captured one or more atoms ((Pages 2, 3 and 9: teaches a tweezer system includes a laser “operate at λ = 813.4 nm, the magic wave-length for the optical clock transition,” and that that Figure 1(e) shows a frequency scan over the clock state transition. Barnes further teaches driving population between the 1S0 ground state and the 3P0 upper clock state for shelving and readout).
Hsu teaches a metasurface optical tweezer system for trapping neutral atoms. Barnes demonstrates that trapped 87Sr atoms in an optical tweezer array can be interrogated on their optical clock transition for state manipulation and readout. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to modify Hsu’s metasurface optical tweezer system to include the clock-transition interrogation taught by Barnes, because both references concern neutral atoms trapped in optical tweezer arrays, and applying a know clock-interrogation technique as taught by Barnes to Hsu’s compact metasurface-based trapping platform would predicably added atomic-clock functionality to the existing tweezer system without changing its basic trapping architecture.
Regarding Claim 20:
The claimed limitation “to enhance robustness” merely states an intended result of the arrangement and does not impose a further limitation on claim 20.
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the method of claim 17. Hsu further teaches wherein the one or more laser beams are manipulated on the holographic metasurface to enhance robustness (Hsu teaches laser beams incident on/operated through/transformed by the metasurface to generate the optical tweezer array).
Regarding Claim 23:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the method of claim 17. Barnes further teaches manipulating vibrations and transitions of the trapped plurality of atoms within an atomic array (Page 2: “…trap individual 87Sr atoms in an array of optical tweezers, prepare a uniformly-filled register of spin-polarized atoms, then individually manipulate and read out the spin state of the qubits”).
Regarding Claim 24:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the method of claim 17. Barnes further teaches outputting a readout of the atomic tweezer clock (Page 2: “…trap individual 87Sr atoms in an array of optical tweezers, prepare a uniformly-filled register of spin-polarized atoms, then individually manipulate and read out the spin state of the qubits”).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Barnes, and further in view of Goodman T., et al., (2022-06). Measurement of a blue magic wavelength for the fermionic-strontium clock transition. Bulletin of the American Physical Society, Volume 67, Number 7 [hereinafter Goodman].
Regarding Claim 4:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach claim 1. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the optical tweezer array has a wavelength of 497 nanometers. Goodman teaches wherein the optical tweezer array has a wavelength of 497 nanometers (Goodman states “Strontium has been shown to have a magic wavelength at 813.4 nm for its clock transition…We measure a new theoretically-predicted magic wavelength around 497 nm for this clock transition. This new blue-regime magic wavelength has five times the polarizability, and allows for smaller spot sizes… This new magic wavelength will facilitate our creation of more closely spaced 2D optical fermionic tweezer arrays”).
Hsu teaches a metasurface optical tweezer system for trapping neutral atoms. Goodman teaches that about 497 nm is the magic wavelength for the strontium clock transition and explains benefits of adopting such a magic wavelength in optical tweezer array. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to use a 497 nm optical tweezer wavelength in the Hsu system because 497 nm was known to be a suitable tweezer wavelength for strontium clock trapping, making its use in an otherwise similar optical tweezer array a predictable selection of a known operating wavelength for its known trapping benefit.
Claims 12-14 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Barnes, and further in view of US 2022/0121084 A1 [hereinafter Bowers].
Regarding Claim 12:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 1. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the laser system is chip-scale integrated with frequency combs. Bowers teaches wherein the laser system is chip-scale integrated with frequency combs (Figs. 8a-8b and paras. [0051]: “The chip-scale laser frequency comb 120 shown in FIG. 8a includes a distributed feedback (DFB) laser 122, a thermo-optic phase tuner 124, and a high-Q nonlinear microresonator 126, combined by leveraging multilayer heterogeneous integration (as shown in FIG. 8b)”).
Hsu teaches a metasurface optical tweezer system for trapping neutral atoms. Bowers teaches an integrated laser device with frequency comb. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to incorporate the chip scale integrated laser device of Bowers into the Hus system because Bowers explicitly explains that frequency combs are useful for spectroscopy and timekeeping and further states that conventional separate-chip laser arrangements increase size, cost, and power consumption (paras. [0002-0003]), such that same-chip integration would have predictably provided a more compact and efficient photonic implementation.
Regarding Claim 13:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the system of claim 5. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the laser system is integrated with a SiN chip. Bowers teaches wherein the laser system is integrated with a SiN chip (paras. [0005 and 0018]: “Utilization of photonic integration to assemble laser and nonlinear device on a same chip would therefore be beneficial”; and “dielectric materials (included silicon nitride…) may be utilized to fabricate nonlinear devices”).
Hsu teaches a metasurface optical tweezer system for trapping neutral atoms. Bowers teaches an integrated laser device can be made of silicon nitride. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to incorporate the SiN chip scale integrated laser device of Bowers into the Hus system because silicon nitride is known material to make chips, and Bowers states that conventional separate-chip laser arrangements increase size, cost, and power consumption (para. [0003]), such that same-chip integration would have predictably provided a more compact and efficient photonic implementation.
Regarding Claim 14:
Hsu in view of Barnes teaches the system of claim 5. However, However, the combined references do not specially note wherein a plurality of frequency combs are configured to have spectral overlap with a line of the plurality of atom.
Barnes in view of Bowers teaches wherein the frequency combs are configured to have spectral overlap with a line of the plurality of atom (Bowers-para. [0002]: “Frequency combs are useful in a number of applications, including … spectroscopy, and timekeeping”; Barnes teaches interrogation of the tapped atoms on the 1S0 to 3P1 optical clock transition, and identifies relevant optical wavelength in the Sr trapped atom system).
Hsu teaches a metasurface optical tweezer system for trapping neutral atoms. Barnes teaches the trapped atom optical clock system and the relevant atomic optical transitions used in the system. Bowers teaches an integrated frequency-comb source having many sharp spectral liens over a broad spectral range and being useful for spectroscopy and timekeeping. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to configure the integrated comb of Bowers so that at least some of its comb lines spectrally overlap a line of the trapped atoms in the known atomic clock system of Hsu/Barnes, yielding predicable results using known methods.
Regarding Claim 18:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the method of claim 17. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the one or more laser beams are generated by a chip-scale laser system. Bowers teaches wherein the one or more laser beams are generated by a chip-scale laser system (Figs. 8a-8b and paras. [0051]: “The chip-scale laser frequency comb 120 shown in FIG. 8a includes a distributed feedback (DFB) laser 122, a thermo-optic phase tuner 124, and a high-Q nonlinear microresonator 126, combined by leveraging multilayer heterogeneous integration (as shown in FIG. 8b)”).
Hsu teaches a metasurface optical tweezer system for trapping neutral atoms. Bowers teaches an integrated laser device with frequency comb. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to incorporate the chip scale integrated laser device of Bowers into the Hus system because Bowers explicitly explains that frequency combs are useful for spectroscopy and timekeeping and further states that conventional separate-chip laser arrangements increase size, cost, and power consumption (paras. [0002-0003]), such that same-chip integration would have predictably provided a more compact and efficient photonic implementation.
Regarding Claim 19:
Hsu in view of Barnes and Bowers teaches the method of claim 18. Bowers further teaches wherein the chip-scale laser system is integrated with frequency combs (Figs. 8a-8b and paras. [0051]: “The chip-scale laser frequency comb 120 shown in FIG. 8a includes a distributed feedback (DFB) laser 122, a thermo-optic phase tuner 124, and a high-Q nonlinear microresonator 126, combined by leveraging multilayer heterogeneous integration (as shown in FIG. 8b)”).
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Barnes, further in view of US 2022/0091312 A1 [hereinafter Junz].
Regarding Claim 21:
Hsu in view of Barnes teach the method of claim 17. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the plurality of atoms are released by at least heating a dispenser in the cold atoms source. Junz teaches wherein the plurality of atoms are released by at least heating a dispenser in the cold atoms source (paras: [0047 and 0050]: “…The heated, vaporized source material atoms (or small atom clusters) diffuse throughout the source cell 103 …”; and “Atoms produced in the source cell 103 pass through…and ultimately to the experimentation cell 106…Various experiments can be carried out in the experimentation cell 106, in such areas as…atomic clocks”).
Hsu teaches a metasurface optical tweezer system for trapping neutral atoms. Junz teaches that source material in the source cell is heated and vaporized, and the resulting atoms pas to an experimentation cell for uses including atomic clocks. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to use Junz’s known heated source atom release technique in Hsu to provide atoms from the source cell for downstream trapping, yielding a known predictable results using known methods.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JING WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-2504. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-17:00.
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/JING WANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2881
/DAVID E SMITH/Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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