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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 11, 12 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sui et al. (US 20210281243).
As to claim 1, Sui et al.’s figure 1 shows a piezoelectric bulk wave device comprising: a support (10 and/or 11) that includes a support substrate (10); a piezoelectric layer (14) including a first main surface on a support side and a second main surface opposite from the first main surface; and at least one functional electrode (13 and/or 15) at least a portion of which is on at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the piezoelectric layer; wherein the at least one functional electrode is supported by the support and includes a functional electrode including a portion on the first main surface of the piezoelectric layer; a cavity portion (11a) is provided in the support, the cavity portion is superposed on a portion of the functional electrode and an entirety or substantially an entirety of the piezoelectric layer in plan view; the piezoelectric layer is supported by the functional electrode supported by the support; and at least a portion (12b and/or 12b) of the functional electrode is not superposed on the piezoelectric layer in plan view.
As to claim 2, Sui et al.’s figure 1 shows that the support includes an insulating layer (11) on the support substrate (12); and a portion of the functional electrode is on the insulating layer.
As to claim 11, Sui et al.’s figure1 shows that the functional electrode includes a lower electrode (13) including a portion on the first main surface of the piezoelectric layer and another portion on the support, and an upper electrode (15) on the second main surface; and the upper electrode and the lower electrode are opposite to each other with the piezoelectric layer interposed therebetween.
As to claim 12, Sui et al.’s figure 1 shows that the piezoelectric layer is supported only by the functional electrode.
As to claim 19, Sui et al.’s figure 1 show that the functional electrode supported by the support includes a supported portion on the support, a support portion on the first main surface of the piezoelectric layer and supporting the piezoelectric layer, and a connection portion positioned between the support portion and the supported portion; and the connection portion does not include an irregularity in either of a thickness direction or a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the thickness direction.
As to claim 20, Sui et al.’s figures show a frequency adjustment film (15) on the second main surface of the piezoelectric layer and superposed on the functional electrode (13) in plan view.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kimura et al. (US 20190068155).
Kimura et al.’s figures 2A-4C show a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric bulk wave device, the method comprising: providing an interdigital transducer electrode (5 in figures 1B and 2A) and including a pair of busbars (see figure 1B) and a plurality of electrode fingers on a third main surface (lower surface) of a piezoelectric substrate (4) including the third main surface and a fourth main surface (4A) opposite from each other; forming a multilayer body (2 and 3 in figure 3A) including the piezoelectric substrate and a support (2 and 3) including a support substrate (3); forming a piezoelectric layer (4) including a first main surface corresponding to the third main surface and a second main surface opposite from the first main surface by grinding a fourth main surface side of the piezoelectric substrate so as to reduce a thickness of the piezoelectric substrate (figure 3B); and forming a cavity portion (9 in figure 4A) in the support; wherein in plan view, the piezoelectric substrate includes a first portion superposed on a portion of the support in which the cavity portion is provided and a second portion not superposed on the portion of the support in which the cavity portion is provided; and in the forming of the piezoelectric layer, at least an entirety or substantially an entirety of the second portion (in 11 and 12) of the piezoelectric substrate is removed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10, 13-18, 22 and 23 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to the arguments regarding the rejection of claim 21, Kimura’s figures 2A-4C shows that in plan view, the piezoelectric substrate (4) includes a first portion (above 6 and 7) superposed on a portion of the support (2 and 3) in which the cavity portion (9) is provided and a second portion (directly above cavity 9) not superposed on the portion of the support in which the cavity portion is provided; and in the forming of the piezoelectric layer, at least an entirety or substantially an entirety of the second portion (parts of the second portion are removed by through holes 11 and 12, figures 3D) of the piezoelectric substrate is removed.
Conclusion
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/QUAN TRA/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2843
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