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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 1-7, 10, 12-16, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Strobelt et al. [Direct Laser Writing of Micrograting Arrays using a Spatial Light Modulator, SPIE 12433].
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Strobelt et al. discloses a laser optical lithography system (Fig. 1) / a method configured for generating a pattern on an azopolymer film surface (Abstract teaches photoresponsive azopolymer films patterned using a SLM), comprising:
a motorized stage configured to: position an azopolymer film; and move in an XY direction (Fig. 1, page 2 paragraph 2 teaches the film is mounted in an XY motor stage capable of translational movement with sub-micron accuracy);
a computing device, comprising a processor and a memory, configured to enable a user to set a desired period, amplitude, and size of surface relief grating to be printed onto a surface of the azopolymer film (page 2 paragraph 2 teaches programming the SLM, optical exposure time, and the XY stages, the film surface can be tiled with a 2D matrix of surface relief gratings, where the period, amplitude, and orientation of each SRG element can be defined by the user);
a laser source (DPSSL) configured to generate spatially uniform linearly polarized light; one or more lenses configured to expand and collimate the linearly polarized light (as shown in Fig. 1a); a first quarter wave plate (λ/4) configured to convert the linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light; a spatial light modulator (SLM) configured to convert the circularly polarized light to elliptically polarized light; a second quarter wave plate (λ/4) configured to convert the elliptically polarized light from the SLM to a final desired linearly polarized light; and a focusing objective lens configured to focus the linearly polarized light onto the surface of the azopolymer film, wherein: the azopolymer film is positioned approximately at a focal plane of the objective lens, and the motorized stage is configured to move the azopolymer film in relation to the final desired linearly polarized light to print an image onto the surface of the azopolymer film (page 1 paragraph 1-page 3 paragraph 3 teaches structured polarized light is focused on film surface with 40X objective, white light source, dichroic filter and camera enable realtime viewing of film surface Grayscale addressed to SLM (top) generates linear polarization distribution (red) at film surface), and the motorized stage is configured to move the azopolymer film in relation to the final desired linearly polarized light to print an image onto the surface of the azopolymer film, as shown in Figs. 1a and 1b).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Strobelt et al. discloses further comprising the azopolymer film, wherein the azopolymer film comprises azobenzene chromophores coupled to a polymer (page 1 paragraph 2 teaches the orientational response of the azobenzene ultimately exerts a periodic torque on the polymer, mediated by the azo-polymer coupling interaction, see also Abstract).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Strobelt et al. discloses wherein the final desired linearly polarized light is configured to orient at least some of the azobenzene chromophores, causing a topographical surface pattern to form on the azopolymer film, generating a processed azopolymer film(page 1 paragraph 2 teaches the orientational response of the azobenzene ultimately exerts a periodic torque on the polymer, mediated by the azo-polymer coupling interaction).
Regarding claim 4, Strobelt et al. discloses wherein the azopolymer film is positioned on a substrate (page 6 paragraph 1 teaches the film-substrate combination of a glass substrate).
Regarding claims 5, 6 and 15, Strobelt et al. discloses wherein: the period is a spatial period of a sinusoidal grating, and the amplitude is a physical height of a sinusoidal surface relief (page 2 paragraph 3 teaches resulting in a surface relief grating of the same period and with an approximately sinusoidal depth profile).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Strobelt et al. discloses further comprising, using the computing device, setting a film speed at which the film is to be moved in relation to the final desired linearly polarizing light (page 1 paragraph 1-page 2 paragraph 1 teaches using a programmable XY stage with micron-scale resolution, micrograting arrays of order 100 X 100 elements each with unique period, amplitude, and orientation can be patterned with a 488 nm laser source with exposure times of 5 sec or less per element The SLM can project user-defined spatial distributions of polarized light, which when combined with XY-raster movement of the film result in a system capable of tiling a surface with microgratings. The period, amplitude, and orientation of each micrograting element can be uniquely defined and requires no optomechanical realignment between exposures).
Regarding claims 10 and 19, Strobelt et al. discloses wherein a grayscale value addressed to each pixel of the SLM is configured to generate a unique ellipticity at a spatial location of the pixel, as determined by a desired final polarization pattern to be projected onto the azopolymer film (as shown in Fig. 1b, Grayscale addressed to SLM (top) generates linear polarization distribution (red) at film surface, driving sinusoidal surface relief pattern as shown in SEM image).
Regarding claim 18, Strobelt et al. discloses further comprising a camera configured to generate an image of the surface of the azopolymer film (as shown in Fig. 1a, white light source, dichroic filter and camera enable realtime viewing of film surface).
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.
Claims 8, 9 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Strobelt et al. in view of Collins et al. [US 2006/0146284 A1].
Regarding claims 8, 9 and 17, Strobelt et al. discloses the laser optical lithography system / a method, as applied above.
Strobelt et al. does not explicitly teach wherein: the first quarter wave plate is configured to convert the linearly polarized light to the circularly polarized light at +45 degrees, and the second quarter wave plate is configured to convert the elliptically polarized light from the SLM to the final desired linearly polarized light at −45 degrees.
However, Collins et al. discloses wherein rays (3c) are transmitted through achromatic quarter wave plate retarder oriented at plus 45 degrees (as shown in Fig. 26A item 5, see also paragraph [0107]) and wherein rays (3h) pass through (6) whose fast axis is oriented at minus 45 degrees (as shown in Fig. 26B item 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the quarter wave plate to convert the light at plus 45 degrees or at minus 45 degrees, as taught by Collins et al. in the system of Strobelt et al. because such a modification allows for controlling of the light (paragraph [0012] of Collins et al.).
Claims 11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Strobelt et al. in view of Bhakta et al. [US 2021/0247610 A1].
Regarding claims 11 and 20, Strobelt et al. discloses the laser optical lithography system / a method, as applied above.
Strobelt et al. does not teach wherein printing the image comprises printing surface structures on the azopolymer film that diffract incident white light into red, green, and blue components.
However, Bhakta et al. discloses wherein the gratings diffract incident white light into red, green, and blue components (paragraph [0040] teaches each of the gratings may be formed in a single layer that is optimized to diffract white light (e.g., a single layer that includes gratings
that diffract red light, gratings that diffract green light, and gratings that diffract blue light)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide gratings to diffract incident white light into red, green, and blue components, as taught by Bhakta et al. in the system of Strobelt et al. because such a modification allows for broadening the application of the method (paragraph [0004] of Bhakta et al.).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEORAM PERSAUD whose telephone number is (571)270-5476. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM-5PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached at 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DEORAM PERSAUD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882