DETAILED ACTION
This is the first office action on the merits. Claims 1-16 are currently pending.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 1/10/2024, 4/19/2024, 9/11/2025, and 7/15/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 5, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Budnicki et al., US 20190123504 A1 (“Budnicki”).
Regarding claim 1, Budnicki discloses A pulse modification apparatus for dispersive stretching or compression of laser pulses (Fig. 1, dispersion adjustment unit 5, Paragraph [0042]), the pulse modification apparatus comprising:
at least one dispersive optical element for angle separation and combination of spectral components of laser pulses (Fig. 1, gratings 7A and 7B, Paragraph [0044]),
an actuator for setting a dispersion of the pulse modification device by influencing the spectral components of the laser pulses (Fig. 1, angle adjustment device 17, Paragraph [0047], [0071]),
at least one passive sensor having an output variable dependent on at least one ambient parameter (Fig. 1, pulse duration measuring device 15, Paragraph [0070] ; See also Paragraph [0018]: refractive index of propagating material, including air, affects pulse modification), and
a passive converter for converting a change of the output variable of the at least one passive sensor into a manipulated variable change of the actuator in order to compensate for an alteration of the dispersion of the pulse modification apparatus resulted from an alteration of the at least one ambient parameter (Fig. 1, control unit 13, angle adjustment device 17, Paragraph [0070]).
Regarding claim 2, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a plane-parallel transmissive optical element arranged such that the angle-separated spectral components of the laser pulses pass through the plane-parallel transmissive optical element and experience an incidence-angle-dependent parallel offset (Fig. 1, plane-parallel plate 11, Paragraph [0046]), the dispersion of the pulse modification apparatus being settable by a rotation of the plane-parallel transmissive optical element (Fig. 1, angle adjustment device 17, plane-parallel plate 11, Paragraph [0047]-[0048]), and the manipulated variable change corresponding to a rotation angle of the plane-parallel transmissive optical element (Fig. 1, angle adjustment device 17, plane-parallel plate 11, Paragraph [0047]-[0048]).
Regarding claim 5, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the passive converter comprises a mechanical gear mechanism (Fig. 1, angle adjustment device 17, Paragraph [0071]).
Regarding claim 8, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the passive converter is configured in accordance with an experimentally determined calibration curve, which establishes a relation between the alteration of the at least one ambient parameter and the alteration of the dispersion of the pulse modification apparatus (Figs. 2A-2B, Paragraph [0056]; See also: Paragraph [0070]: control unit 13 uses optimization algorithm to control angular position).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 3, 6-7, 11, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Budnicki in view of Murata Machinery Ltd, JP H0732530 U (“Murata”).
Regarding claim 3, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 2.
Budnicki does not teach: wherein the output variable of the passive sensor is a length of the passive sensor.
However, Murata teaches a temperature compensation device that contains a temperature sensor with a body that thermally expands due to temperature rising (Fig. 1, thermal expansion body 10, Paragraph [0005]).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Budnicki’s pulse duration measurement device by replacing it with Murata’s temperature sensing element. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to detect temperature changes for temperature correction, as suggested by Murata (Paragraph [0004]).
Regarding claim 6, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 5.
Budnicki does not teach: wherein the mechanical gear mechanism comprises a rod mechanism.
However, Murata teaches a temperature compensation device that contains a temperature sensor with a body that thermally expands due to temperature rising (Fig. 1, thermal expansion body 10, Paragraph [0005]). The body is attached to a piston rod via a piping section which rotates a wheel as the temperature changes (Fig. 1, piping section, piston rod 3C, wheel 12, Paragraph [0009]-[0010]).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Budnicki’s pulse duration measurement device and angle adjustment device by replacing it with Murata’s temperature sensing element and rod which can rotate the plane-parallel plate. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to directly compensate for temperature changes at a low cost, as suggested by Murata (Paragraph [0012]).
Regarding claim 7, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 5.
Budnicki does not teach: wherein at least one joint of the mechanical gear mechanism is a flexure.
However, Murata teaches a temperature compensation device that contains a temperature sensor with a body that thermally expands due to temperature rising (Fig. 1, thermal expansion body 10, Paragraph [0005]). The body is attached to a piston rod via a piping section. The piston is attached to a wheel which rotates as the temperature changes (Fig. 1, piping section, piston rod 3C, wheel 12, Paragraph [0009]-[0010]). The combination of the piston and wheel is effectively a flexure joint.
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Budnicki’s pulse duration measurement device and angle adjustment device by replacing it with Murata’s temperature sensing element and rod and wheel which can rotate the plane-parallel plate. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to directly compensate for temperature changes at a low cost, as suggested by Murata (Paragraph [0012]).
Regarding claim 11, Budnicki, as modified in view of Murata, discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 3.
Budnicki, as modified in view of Murata, does not teach: wherein the rotation angle of the plane-parallel transmissive optical element is approximately proportional to a change of the length of the at least one passive sensor element.
However, Murata teaches a temperature compensation device that contains a temperature sensor with a body that thermally expands due to temperature rising (Fig. 1, thermal expansion body 10, Paragraph [0005]). The body is attached to a piston rod via a piping section. The piston is attached to a wheel which rotates as the temperature changes (Fig. 1, piping section, piston rod 3C, wheel 12, Paragraph [0009]-[0010]).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Budnicki’s pulse duration measurement device and angle adjustment device by replacing it with Murata’s temperature sensing element and rod and wheel which can rotate the plane-parallel plate. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to directly compensate for temperature changes at a low cost, as suggested by Murata (Paragraph [0012]).
Regarding claim 14, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 1.
Budnicki does not teach: wherein the at least one ambient parameter is a temperature.
However, Murata teaches a temperature compensation device that contains a temperature sensor with a body that thermally expands due to temperature rising (Fig. 1, thermal expansion body 10, Paragraph [0005]).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Budnicki’s pulse duration measurement device by replacing it with Murata’s temperature sensing element. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to detect temperature changes for temperature correction, as suggested by Murata (Paragraph [0004]).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Budnicki in view of Kaneko et al., JP H02116183 A (“Kaneko”).
Regarding claim 4, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 1.
Budnicki does not teach: wherein the at least one passive sensor comprises at least two passive sensors connected in series with one another, and wherein changes of the output variables of the at least two passive sensors are added together.
However, Kaneko teaches a high power pulsed laser oscillator consisting of a circuit where the inductors are made of a bimetallic strip that expands and contracts with temperature (Fig. 2C, Page 8 of description). The inductors are connected in series and the sum of the inductances increase value with temperature (Fig. 2A-B, inductors 6, 7, 8, inductance 20, Page 8 of description). Thus, the inductors act as a passive sensor of temperature changes.
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Budnicki’s pulse duration measurement device by replacing it with a series of bimetallic strips that expands and contracts with temperature, which is taught by Kaneko. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to compensate for the change in temperature rise, as suggested by Kaneko (Page 7 of description).
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Budnicki in view of Eggleton et al., US 6108474 A (“Eggleton”).
Regarding claim 9, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 1.
Budnicki does not teach: wherein the passive converter is configured in accordance with a mathematical relationship of a form
dβ2=F(β3,β4,…,βm,ω0,dn),
wherein dn is an alteration of a refractive index within the pulse modification apparatus, which results from the alteration of the at least one ambient parameter, β2 is a group delay dispersion, β3,β4,…,βm are higher-order dispersions, and ω0 is a central frequency of the laser pulses, and wherein the alternation of the dispersion of the pulse modification apparatus comprises an alternation of the group delay dispersion dβ2.
However, Eggleton teaches an optical pulse compressor which uses a transmission grating. Eggleton notes that near the band edge, high order dispersion terms cannot be neglected. Eggleton teaches a relation where the second order dispersion is a function of the third order dispersion β’’’, the central frequency ωB, and the refractive index n (Equation 6, Col. 5 line 66 – Col. 6 line 11). One could achieve the same form of the equation shown in claim 9 by taking the differential of the second order dispersion and the refractive index.
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Budnicki’s angle adjustment device by configuring the angle tuning according to the relationship between higher order dispersion coefficients and the refractive index. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to compensate for pulse distortion from higher order dispersion, as suggested by Eggleton (Col. 6 lines 60-63).
Regarding claim 10, Budnicki, as modified in view of Eggleton, discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the mathematical relationship is as follows:
dβ2=β3ω0dn (Eggleton, Equation 6, Col. 5 line 66 – Col. 6 line 11).
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Budnicki in view of Qin et al., CN 2420631 Y (“Qin”).
Regarding claim 12, Budnicki discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 1.
Budnicki does not teach: wherein the at least one ambient parameter is an ambient pressure.
However, Qin teaches a femtosecond laser that stretches a pulse using a dispersion prism. A light pulse from the laser travels through gas chamber with a pressure sensor attached (Fig. 1, pressure sensor 12, Paragraph [0009]).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Budnicki’s pulse duration measurement device by replacing it with Qin’s pressure sensor. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to detect the time delay due to pressure, as suggested by Qin (Paragraph [0012]).
Regarding claim 13, Budnicki, as modified in view of Qin, discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one passive sensor comprises a pressure measuring cell (Qin, Fig. 1, pressure sensor 12, Paragraph [0009]).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Budnicki in view of Murata in further view of Kaneko.
Regarding claim 15, Budnicki, as modified in view of Murata, discloses The pulse modification apparatus according to claim 14.
Budnicki, as modified in view of Murata, does not teach: wherein the at least one passive sensor comprises a bimetallic element or a component part, which has a greater coefficient of expansion than component parts of the passive converter.
However, Kaneko teaches a high power pulsed laser oscillator consisting of a circuit that is made of a bimetallic strip that expands and contracts with temperature (Fig. 2C, Page 8 of description) .
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the temperature sensing element, disclosed by Budnicki as modified in view of Murata, by replacing the chamber with a bimetallic strip that expands and contracts with temperature, which is taught by Kaneko. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to compensate for the change in temperature rise, as suggested by Kaneko (Page 7 of description).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Budnicki in view of Schimpf et al., US 20110242646 A1 (“Schimpf”).
Regarding claim 16, Budnicki discloses
[…],
at least one of the pulse stretching apparatuses or at least one of the pulse compression apparatuses being a pulse modification apparatus according to claim 1 (Fig. 1, dispersion adjustment unit 5, Paragraph [0042]).
Budnicki does not teach: A chirped pulse amplification system for amplifying laser pulses, the chirped pulse amplification system comprising:
one or more pulse stretching apparatuses for dispersive stretching of the laser pulses,
a pulse amplifying device for amplifying the stretched laser pulses, and
one or more pulse compression apparatuses for dispersive compression of the amplified laser pulses.
However, Schimpf teaches a chirp-modulated pulse amplifier that consists of a pulse stretcher, an amplifier, and a pulse compressor (Fig. 1, stretcher 4, amplifier 5, compressor 6, Paragraph [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to try using Budnicki’s dispersion adjustment unit in Schimpf’s chirp-modulated pulse amplifier as the pulse stretcher or compressor as a potential improvement to a chirped pulse amplifier with a reasonable expectation of success (MPEP2143 I KSR Rationale E).
Conclusion
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/RACHEL NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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