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 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.
(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, 3, 6, 15, 16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yokoyama (US2017/0033769, hereinafter Yokoyama).
Regarding claim 1, Yokoyama discloses an acoustic wave device (Fig. 6), comprising: a support (10) including a support substrate; a piezoelectric layer (14) on the support; and a functional electrode (12, 16) on the piezoelectric layer; wherein the support includes a space (22) at a position at least partially overlapping the functional electrode in plan view; and in Fig. 12B the functional electrode includes a first metal layer (12b made of ruthenium, a=6.4x10-6K-1) and a second metal layer (12a made of chromium, a=4.9x10-6K-1) on at least a portion of the first metal layer, and a linear expansion coefficient of the second metal layer is smaller than a linear expansion coefficient of the first metal layer.
Regarding claim 2, the second metal layer overlaps at least a portion of a boundary between the support and the space in plan view. See Fig. 6C.
Regarding claim 3, considering the piezoelectric layer comprises aluminum nitride (a approx.. 4-5x10-6K-1), the second metal layer comprising chromium (a=4.9x10-6K-1) and the first metal layer comprising ruthenium a=6.4x10-6K-1), the claimed relationship is met and anticipated.
Regarding claim 6, the second metal layer is not limited to a specific structure, therefore the second metal layer is considered to be a wiring electrode since it extends and could easily serve as an electrical connection.
Regarding claim 15, the generated wave is not a structural limitation, and therefore given little patentable weight.
Regarding claim 16, the functional electrode includes an upper electrode (16) and a lower electrode (12) sandwiching the piezoelectric layer (14) in the thickness direction.
Regarding claim 18, Yokoyama discloses an acoustic wave device, comprising: a support including a support substrate (10); a piezoelectric layer (14) on the support; and functional electrodes (12, 16) on the piezoelectric layer and below the piezoelectric layer; wherein the support includes a space (22) at a position at least partially overlapping the functional electrodes in plan view; and the functional electrodes (12, 16) include a first metal layer and a second metal layer laminated on at least a portion of the first metal layer, and a linear expansion coefficient of the second metal layer is smaller than a linear expansion coefficient of the first metal layer. Layers (12b and 16a) closer to the piezoelectric layer comprise ruthenium and layers (12a and 16b) farther from the piezoelectric layer comprise chromium. The linear expansion coefficient of chromium, (a=4.9x10-6K-1) is smaller than the linear expansion coefficient of ruthenium (a=6.4x10-6K-1).
Regarding claim 19, the second metal layer overlaps at least a portion of a boundary between the support and the space in plan view.
Regarding claim 20, considering the piezoelectric layer comprises aluminum nitride (a approx. 4-5x10-6K-1), the second metal layer comprising chromium (a=4.9x10-6K-1) and the first metal layer comprising ruthenium a=6.4x10-6K-1), the claimed relationship is met and anticipated.
Claims 1, 7-15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kimura (US-2022/0216848, hereinafter Kimura).
Regarding claim 1, Kimura discloses an acoustic wave device (Fig. 17), comprising: a support including a support substrate (2); a piezoelectric layer (4) on the support; and a functional electrode (51) on the piezoelectric layer; wherein the support includes a space (26) at a position at least partially overlapping the functional electrode in plan view; and the functional electrode includes a first metal layer (512, 522, titanium) and a second metal layer (511, 521, aluminum) on at least a portion of the first metal layer, and a linear expansion coefficient of the second metal layer is smaller than a linear expansion coefficient of the first metal layer.
Regarding claim 7, the support further includes a dielectric layer (7, silicon oxide) on the support substrate; and the space is provided in a portion of the dielectric layer (21).
Regarding claim 8, the functional electrode includes first electrode fingers extending in a first direction, and second electrode fingers facing corresponding ones of the first electrode fingers in a second direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first direction and extending in the first direction. (Fig. 1)
Regarding claims 9 and 12-13, Kimura shows the thickness of the piezoelectric layer less than about 2p. (paragraph [0090], Fig.10).
Regarding claim 10, the piezoelectric layer includes lithium niobate or lithium tantalate. (Paragraph [0092])
Regarding claim 11, the acoustic wave device is structured to generate a bulk wave in a thickness shear mode. (Paragraph [0074])
Regarding claims 12 -14, please refer to fig. 10, paragraph [0090].
Regarding claim 15, Kimura discloses plate waves in lithium niobate and lithium tantalate piezoelectric layers.
Regarding claim 17, Kimura discloses Euler angles (φ, θ, ψ) of the piezoelectric layer are about (0°±10°, 0°±10°, ψ). (Paragraph [0150])
Claims 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hirabayashi (JP-2010-062642, hereinafter Hirabayashi).
Regarding claim 1, Hirabayashi discloses an acoustic wave device (Fig. 1), comprising: a support including a support substrate (20); a piezoelectric layer (31) on the support; and a functional electrode (41, 42) on the piezoelectric layer; wherein the support includes a space (22) at a position at least partially overlapping the functional electrode in plan view; and the functional electrode includes a first metal layer (44, Pt) and a second metal layer (42, Al) on at least a portion of the first metal layer, and a linear expansion coefficient of the second metal layer is smaller than a linear expansion coefficient of the first metal layer.
Regarding claim 2, the second metal layer overlaps at least a portion of a boundary between the support and the space in plan view. See Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 3, a difference in linear expansion coefficient between the piezoelectric layer and the second metal layer is smaller than a difference in linear expansion coefficient between the piezoelectric layer and the first metal layer.
Regarding claim 5, the first metal layer includes Al.
Regarding claim 7, the support further includes a dielectric layer (21) on the support substrate; and the space (22) is provided in a portion of the dielectric layer.
Regarding claim 16, the functional electrode includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode sandwiching the piezoelectric layer in a thickness direction. See Fig. 1.
Claims 1, 2, 5, 6, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Irieda et al. (US20200212865, hereinafter Irieda).
Regarding claim 1, Irieda discloses an acoustic wave device (Fig. 1B, 12B), comprising: a support (10) including a support substrate; a piezoelectric layer (14) on the support; and a functional electrode (12) on the piezoelectric layer; wherein the support includes a space (30) at a position at least partially overlapping the functional electrode in plan view; and in Fig. 12B the functional electrode includes a first metal layer (12a) and a second metal layer (12b) on at least a portion of the first metal layer, and a linear expansion coefficient of the second metal layer is smaller than a linear expansion coefficient of the first metal layer. Please refer to paragraph [0068].
Regarding claim 2, the second metal layer overlaps at least a portion of a boundary between the support and the space in plan view. See Fig. 1B.
Regarding claim 5, the first metal layer (12a) includes aluminum (paragraph [0070]).
Regarding claim 6, the second metal layer is not limited to a specific structure, therefore the second metal layer as a wiring electrode is anticipated by Irieda.
Regarding claim 15, the generated wave is not a structural limitation, and therefore given little patentable weight.
Regarding claim 16, the functional electrode includes an upper electrode (16) and a lower electrode (12) sandwiching the piezoelectric layer (14) in the thickness direction.
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 of this title, 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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Irieda, Kimura, Yokoyama or Hirabasyashi.
Regarding claim 4, the references disclose an acoustic wave device as explained above, comprising: a support including a cavity; a piezoelectric layer, functional electrodes on the piezoelectric layer and below the piezoelectric layer; and one of the functional electrodes including a first metal layer and a second metal layer laminated on the first metal layer, and the linear expansion coefficient of the second metal layer is smaller than a linear expansion coefficient of the first metal layer.
However, the references fail to disclose the second metal layer including gold or copper. Selection from among the well-known, suitable materials has long been held to be within the skill expected of the routineer and therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. The references, disclose forming the electrodes having two metallic layers having different linear expansion coefficients to address the issue of bucking due to heat generation. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to select specific metals to form the first and second layers as necessitated by the specific requirements of the particular application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jaydi San Martin whose telephone number is (571)272-2018. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th 7:45-6:00pm.
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/J. San Martin/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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