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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amini (“Toward scalable ion traps for quantum information processing”, J M Amini et al 2010 New J. Phys. 12 033031) in view of Makotyn (US11037776B1).
Regarding claim 1, Amini teaches a quantum object confinement apparatus (Figure 1, reproduced below) comprising:
one or more data bus confinement corridors, each data bus confinement corridor of the one or more data bus confinement corridors defined at least in part by respective corridor sequences of control electrodes (Figure 1(c), see below, also see Figure 2, reproduced below. Experiment regions #1-2, as well as the raceways from the loading slot to the Y-junctions, can be data bus confinement corridors [one or more data bus confinement corridors]. In Figure 2, the “rf” and “Control electrodes” are labeled which, see Figure 1, form the corridor(s) [each data base confinement corridor of the one or more data bus confinement corridors defined at least in part by respective corridor sequences of control electrodes]),
the one or more data bus confinement corridors are configured for transport of one or more quantum objects there along (See Figure 2, “Ponderomotive equipotential” and “Ion(s)” [the one or more data bus confinement corridors are configured for transport of one or more quantum objects there along]),
at least one of the data bus confinement corridors configured to provide access to or at least partially define one or more quantum operation locations configured for performance of one or more quantum operations on one or more quantum objects located thereat (Figure 1, “, §3, “Storage zones”, “Separation zone”, which are on the corridors within “Experimental zone” [provide access to or at least partially define one or more quantum operation locations], “Inserted into two legs of the hexagon are components that can combine and separate pairs of ions for entangling and distributing the ions…the experimental regions are configured to independently hold and manipulate other ions” [for performance of one or more quantum operations on one or more quantum objects located thereat]); and
one or more storage bus confinement corridors, each one of the one or more storage bus confinement corridors coupled to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors via one or more junctions (§3, “Except for the loading regions, the outward legs of the hexagon are terminated in this design. However, these legs could be extended in future designs to integrate more hexagonal rings or other components such as memory storage regions.”[one or more storage bus confinement corridors], See Figure 1, where a memory storage region coupled to the external leg would be coupled to respective data bus confinement corridors via one or more of the Y-junctions [each one of the one or more storage bus confinement corridors coupled to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors via one or more junctions]).
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Amini, Figure 1
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Amini, Figure 2
While Amini teaches one or more storage bus confinement corridors, Amini does not teach one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors, each cyclic storage bus confinement corridor of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors defined at least in part by respective cyclic sequences of control electrodes, each of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors coupled to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors via one or more junctions such that one or more quantum objects may be transported from one or more data bus confinement corridors to one or more respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridors and from one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors, the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors are configured for storage of a plurality of quantum objects therein and for transport of the plurality of stored quantum objects there along in unison to transport a desired one of the plurality of stored quantum objects to a desired one of the one or more junctions to enable transport of the desired one of the plurality of stored quantum objects to a desired one of the one or more data bus confinement corridors for transport to one of the one or more quantum operation locations.
Makotyn teaches:
one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors, each cyclic storage bus confinement corridor of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors defined at least in part by respective cyclic sequences of control electrodes (Figure 5, reproduced below. 540A and 540B with electrodes 116A and 118A. See ¶30, “In various embodiments, the ion trap 110 comprises a plurality of wide TT electrodes 116 and a plurality of narrow TT electrodes 118.” [one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors, each cyclic storage bus confinement corridor of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors defined at least in part by respective cyclic sequences of control electrodes] – The cyclic nature of the sequences can be 116A appearing both at the beginning and end of 540A),
each of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors coupled to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors via one or more junctions such that one or more quantum objects may be transported from one or more data bus confinement corridors to one or more respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridors and from one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors (¶47, “In various embodiments, an intermediary zone 520 is disposed between adjacent actions zones 530, between an action zone 530 and an adjacent storage zone 540, and/or between the loading zone 550 and an adjacent action zone 530 and/or storage zone 540.” [each of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors coupled to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors via one or more junctions], “In other words, when an ion is transported out of an action zone 530, storage zone 540, and/or loading zone 550, the ion enters an intermediary zone 520 prior to entering any other action zone 530 and/or storage zone 540.” [one or more quantum objects may be transported from one or more data bus confinement corridors to one or more respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridors and from one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors]),
the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors are configured for storage of a plurality of quantum objects therein and for transport of the plurality of stored quantum objects there along in unison to transport a desired one of the plurality of stored quantum objects to a desired one of the one or more junctions to enable transport of the desired one of the plurality of stored quantum objects to a desired one of the one or more data bus confinement corridors for transport to one of the one or more quantum operation locations. (¶50, “In various embodiments, a storage zone 540 is configured for stabilizing and/or storing an ion therein, swapping and/or separating two ions (e.g., dividing two ions that were in the same potential well into two distinct and/or separate potential wells), and for transporting the ion at least partially therethrough. In various embodiments, a storage zone 540 is configured and/or designed to accommodate storage and/or stabilization of one or more ions during various ion transport steps. For example, an ion trapped within the ion trap 110 may be stored in a storage zone 540 while a plurality of actions are being applied to other ions trapped within the ion trap 110.” [the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors are configured for storage of a plurality of quantum objects therein and for transport of the plurality of stored quantum objects there along in unison to transport a desired one of the plurality of stored quantum objects to a desired one of the one or more junctions] “In other words, when an ion is transported out of an action zone 530, storage zone 540, and/or loading zone 550, the ion enters an intermediary zone 520 prior to entering any other action zone 530 and/or storage zone 540.” [enable transport of the desired one of the plurality of stored quantum objects to a desired one of the one or more data bus confinement corridors for transport to one of the one or more quantum operation locations].
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 storage bus confinement corridors of Amini such that they are one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors, each cyclic storage bus confinement corridor of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors defined at least in part by respective cyclic sequences of control electrodes, each of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors coupled to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors via one or more junctions such that one or more quantum objects may be transported from one or more data bus confinement corridors to one or more respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridors and from one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors to one or more respective data bus confinement corridors, the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors are configured for storage of a plurality of quantum objects therein and for transport of the plurality of stored quantum objects there along in unison to transport a desired one of the plurality of stored quantum objects to a desired one of the one or more junctions to enable transport of the desired one of the plurality of stored quantum objects to a desired one of the one or more data bus confinement corridors for transport to one of the one or more quantum operation locations in order to provide a holding place for ions while other ions are being operated on.
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Makotyn, Figure 5
Regarding claim 2, Amini as modified teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, wherein
a same first analog signal is applied to each of the control electrodes in a cyclic sequence of control electrodes of a respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridor to cause transport of the plurality of stored quantum objects in unison along the respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridor in a first direction (Makotyn, ¶30 and ¶35, “In various embodiments, RF signals may be applied to the RF rails 112 to generate an electric and/or magnetic field that acts to maintain an ion trapped within the ion trap 110 in directions transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ion trap 110 (e.g., the x- and z-directions). In various embodiments, TT voltages may be applied to the TT electrodes 116, 118 to maintain and/or cause transport of an ion trapped in the ion trap 110 in the longitudinal direction of the ion trap 110 (e.g., in the y-direction).”, “The at least one ion can be trapped in variable locations in the ion trap 110 by the electrical and/or magnetic fields being controlled by one or more connected devices (e.g., a controller 30 as shown in FIG. 2 and/or the like) via leads 122, 124. For example, depending on the positive or negative charge on the at least one ion, TT voltages may be raised or lowered for TT electrodes 116, 118 on either side of a particular TT electrode to promote transit of the at least one ion to the particular TT electrode and/or to form an electrical potential well that resists further transit of the at least one ion.” [a same first analog signal is applied to each of the control electrodes in a cyclic sequence of control electrodes of a respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridor], ¶50, “In other words, when an ion is transported out of an action zone 530, storage zone 540, and/or loading zone 550, the ion enters an intermediary zone 520 prior to entering any other action zone 530 and/or storage zone 540.” [to cause transport of the plurality of stored quantum objects in unison along the respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridor in a first direction]).
Regarding claim 3, Amini as modified teaches all of the limitations of claim 2, wherein
a same second analog signal is applied to each of the control electrodes in a cyclic sequence of control electrodes of a respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridor to cause transport of the plurality of stored quantum objects in unison along the respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridor in a second direction opposite the first direction (Makotyn, ¶35, “The at least one ion can be trapped in variable locations in the ion trap 110 by the electrical and/or magnetic fields being controlled by one or more connected devices (e.g., a controller 30 as shown in FIG. 2 and/or the like) via leads 122, 124. For example, depending on the positive or negative charge on the at least one ion, TT voltages may be raised or lowered for TT electrodes 116, 118 on either side of a particular TT electrode to promote transit of the at least one ion to the particular TT electrode and/or to form an electrical potential well that resists further transit of the at least one ion.” [a same second analog signal is applied to each of the control electrodes in a cyclic sequence of control electrodes of a respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridor] ¶50, “In other words, when an ion is transported out of an action zone 530, storage zone 540, and/or loading zone 550, the ion enters an intermediary zone 520 prior to entering any other action zone 530 and/or storage zone 540.” [to cause transport of the plurality of stored quantum objects in unison along the respective cyclic storage bus confinement corridor in a second direction opposite the first direction]).
Regarding claim 4, Amini as modified teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, wherein
the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors comprise at least a first cyclic storage bus confinement corridor and a second cyclic storage bus confinement corridor; and wherein the first cyclic storage bus confinement corridor is coupled to a first end of a respective data bus confinement corridor and the second cyclic storage bus confinement corridor is coupled to a second end of the respective data bus confinement corridor (see Amini, Figure 1, §3, “Except for the loading regions, the outward legs of the hexagon are terminated in this design. However, these legs could be extended in future designs to integrate more hexagonal rings or other components such as memory storage regions.” See Figure 1, where a memory storage region coupled to the external leg would be coupled to respective data bus confinement corridors via one or more of the Y-junctions. Per the rejection of claim 1, each leg could instead include a cyclic storage bus confinement corridor, thereby providing [the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors comprise at least a first cyclic storage bus confinement corridor and a second cyclic storage bus confinement corridor]. Furthermore, see Amini Figure 1, where data bus confinement corridors connect to each leg via Y-junctions, thereby in Amini as modified providing [wherein the first cyclic storage bus confinement corridor is coupled to a first end of a respective data bus confinement corridor and the second cyclic storage bus confinement corridor is coupled to a second end of the respective data bus confinement corridor] because the data bus confinement corridor(s) are coupled via Y-junctions to any two of the cyclic storage bus confinement corridors in Amini as modified).
Regarding claim 5, Amini as modified teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, further comprising:
a linear storage site configured for storage of quantum objects therein, the linear storage site defined at least in part by respective linear sequences of control electrodes; and wherein one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors is coupled to a first end of a respective data bus confinement corridor and the linear storage site is coupled to a second end of the respective data bus confinement corridor (Figures 1-2 of Amini, “Storage zones” [a linear storage site configured for storage of quantum objects therein], and “Control electrodes” [the linear storage site defined at least in part by respective linear sequences of control electrodes], where in Amini as modified the legs of Figure 1 of Amini have cyclic storage bus confinement corridors on them such that the cyclic storage bus would connect to the Y-junction which connects to a data bus confinement corridor which then connects to the storage zone [one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors is coupled to a first end of a respective data bus confinement corridor and the linear storage site is coupled to a second end of the respective data bus confinement corridor])
Regarding claim 6, Amini as modified teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, wherein
the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors each have a shape selected from the group consisting of circular, oval, elliptical, square, and rectangular (Figure 5 of Makotyn, [wherein the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors each have a shape selected from…rectangular]).
Regarding claim 7, Amini as modified teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, further comprising at least two data bus confinement corridors; and wherein one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors is coupled to the two data bus confinement corridors via one junction (see Figure 1 of Amini, in Amini as modified, where a data bus confinement corridor is located at each leg of a Y-junction not connected to a cyclic storage bus [at least two data bus confinement corridors; and wherein one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors is coupled to the two data bus confinement corridors via one junction].)
Regarding claim 8, Amini as modified teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, further comprising
at least two data bus confinement corridors; and wherein one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors is coupled to each of the two data bus confinement corridors via a different respective junction (see Figure 1 of Amini, in Amini as modified, where a data bus confinement corridor is located at each leg of a Y-junction not connected to a cyclic storage bus [at least two data bus confinement corridors; and wherein one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors is coupled to each of the two data bus confinement corridors via a different respective junction].)
Regarding claims 11-18, Amini as modified according to claims 1-8 perform the method of claims 11-18, respectively, under normal operation.
Claim(s) 10 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amini (“Toward scalable ion traps for quantum information processing”, J M Amini et al 2010 New J. Phys. 12 033031) in view of Makotyn (US11037776B1) as applied to claim 1, further in view of Deslauriers (Phys. Rev. A 70, 043408 – Published 18 October, 2004).
Regarding claim 10, Amini as modified teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose one or more lasers projecting a laser beam at the quantum objects in at least one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors to cool the quantum objects in the at least one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors.
However, it is known to utilize one or more lasers projecting a laser beam at the quantum objects to cool the quantum objects, see Deslauriers, Page 3, Column 1, “Ground-state cooling is achieved in two steps: First, the ion is Doppler cooled with laser beams D1 and D2. “ [one or more lasers projecting a laser beam at the quantum objects in order to cool the quantum objects] in order to provide a stable state or to reach the ground state, see Page 1, Column 1, “Many entangling schemes require the ions to be initialized to near the n=0 ground state of motion [3–9], and motional decoherence caused by anomalous heating of trapped ion motion [10] can be a limiting factor in the fidelity of quantum logic gates. Effective zero-point cooling of trapped ion motion and suppression of motional heating are thus crucial to many applications of trapped ions to quantum information science.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Amini to include one or more lasers projecting a laser beam at the quantum objects in at least one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors to cool the quantum objects in the at least one of the one or more cyclic storage bus confinement corridors in order to keep the quantum objects within the storage buses in their appropriate quantum state.
Regarding claim 20, Amini as modified according to claim 10 performs the method of claim 20 under normal operation.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, the specification of the relative height difference of quantum objects with respect to the structures in which they travel/reside would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. As shown herein, Amini and Makotyn disclose several features of the claimed invention but are silent as to the relative height of a quantum object to the corridor based on which corridor it is in, as claimed in claims 9 and 19.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nordquist (US10984976B1) discloses a microfabricated ion trap based on principles similar to the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SCHYLER S SANKS whose telephone number is (571)272-6125. The examiner can normally be reached 06:30 - 15:30 Central Time, M-F.
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/SCHYLER S SANKS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2129
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