CTNF 18/629,970 CTNF 80571 DETAILED ACTION Election/Restrictions 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A in the reply filed on 05/13/2026 is acknowledged. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 21, 22, 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. PGPub 2019/0033520 A1 by Lin et al . Regarding claim 21, Lin teaches a photonic structure, comprising: a polarization-splitter-rotator (PSR device, Fig. 6) comprising: a combined section (inlet waveguide 608 prior to polarization modes being split); and a splitting section extended from the combined section and comprising: a first waveguide (WG1) extended from the combined section; a second waveguide (WG2) separated from the first waveguide by a cladding layer (not illustrated but described in ¶[0080] as a SiO2 cladding disposed over the waveguides WG1, WG2 and in a gap 102 between the waveguides, corresponds to a cover material 310 in Fig. 3D); and a connecting strip (cladding portion disposed between WG1 and WG2) disposed between the first waveguide and the second waveguide, wherein a material of the connecting strip is substantially identical to a material of the cladding layer (it is a continuous part of the cladding layer); and two ports (outlets 634, 674) surrounded by the cladding layer and respectively extended from the first waveguide and the second waveguide, wherein a thickness of the splitting section is less than a thickness of the combined section, less than a thickness of the first port, and less than a thickness of the second port (as shown in Figs. 6, 6A, the inlet and outlets are of full thickness/600nm while the splitting section therebetween is partially etched/350nm). Regarding claim 22, Lin further teaches a ratio of the thickness of the splitting section to the thickness of the combined section is from about 1:3 to about 1:1.1 (i.e., 600nm:350nm). Regarding claim 25, Lin further teaches the cladding layer includes oxide, and the combined section, the splitting section, the first port and the second port include silicon (see Fig. 3) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 16, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. PGPub 2019/0033520 A1 by Lin et al. further in view of U.S. PGPub 2017/0075063 A1 by Brouckaert et al. and further in view of JP H10206665 A patent publication . Regarding claim 16, Lin teaches a method for manufacturing a photonic structure (Fig. 3), comprising: forming a silicon layer (Si waveguide layer, Fig. 3A) over a cladding layer (SiO2 layer); removing portions of an upper portion of the silicon layer (etching the Si waveguides as in Fig. 3B); patterning the silicon layer to form a combined section (inlet section at 608) and a splitting section (splitting section where waveguides WG1, WG2 diverge) of a polarization-splitter-rotator (Fig. 6), and a first port and a second port (outlets 634, 674); and reducing a thickness of the splitting section (having a thickness corresponding to a partially etched region) of the polarization-splitter-rotator. Lin does not teach using a further waveguide transition. Brouckaert also teaches a polarization splitter and rotator comprising a waveguide (2) that has, on its input side (Fig. 9), a transition region (8), which include short tapers, extended from the waveguide transition along a first direction (longitudinal direction of the waveguide 2), as shown in the embodiment of Fig. 3, the transition loss due to reflection of electromagnetic wave is negligible. It thus would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Lin’s invention, by adding a tapered waveguide transition at the inlet (608), in the manner suggested by Brouckaert, for the same reason/advantage. Lin further does not teach using a dummy layer for forming the Si waveguide layer and removing portions of the dummy layer along with the Si waveguide layer. The ‘665 publication also discloses a method of forming a silicon waveguide on the surface of a quartz film (26), wherein a dummy layer (20) including a Si waveguide layer (28) is formed on the quartz film (26) forming a core layer, and an optical waveguide pattern (34a) is formed by creating pattern of a resist film (34), and the dummy layer (20) and the Si waveguide layer (28) are etched using the waveguide pattern (34a) as a mask. Using the dummy layer allows the waveguide pattern to be sequentially transferred one-by-one to a lower layer and allows the pattern of high resolution to be accurately formed. It thus would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a dummy layer as part of the etching process for the Si waveguide layer in Lin’s invention, so as to accurately reproducing the waveguide pattern from the mask as suggested in the ‘665 publication. Regarding claim 19, Lin further teaches a thickness of the splitting section is less than a thickness of the combined section (as shown in Figs. 6, 6A, the inlet and outlets are of full thickness/600nm while the splitting section therebetween is partially etched/350nm) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 23, 24, 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. PGPub 2019/0033520 A1 by Lin et al . as applied to claim 21 above, and further in view of U.S. PGPub 2017/0075063 A1 by Brouckaert et al . Regarding claim 23, Lin teaches PSR device but not a further waveguide transition. Brouckaert also teaches a polarization splitter and rotator comprising a waveguide (2) that has, on its input side (Fig. 9), a transition region (8), which include short tapers, extended from the waveguide transition along a first direction (longitudinal direction of the waveguide 2), as shown in the embodiment of Fig. 3, the transition loss due to reflection of electromagnetic wave is negligible. It thus would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Lin’s invention, by adding a tapered waveguide transition at the inlet (608), in the manner suggested by Brouckaert, for the same reason/advantage. Regarding claim 24, a ratio of the thickness of the splitting section to a thickness of the waveguide transition is from about 1:2.5 to about 1:1 (the tapered transition is formed as a part of the waveguides as illustrated in Fig. 3 of Brouckaert, and therefore would have the same thickness as the waveguide, which results in the same thickness ratio of 350nm:600nm). Regarding claim 27, Brouckaert further suggests that the combined section has a symmetric shape from a top view (a tapered section symmetric about a center line, Fig. 9); and the splitting section has an asymmetric shape from the top view (two waveguides of different width, Fig. 9), which provides a low transition loss, high performance and easy to fabricate polarization dependent mode converter . Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-8 are allowed. Relevant prior art fails to further teach or suggest a waveguide coupler surrounded by a cladding layer, and a waveguide transition surrounded by the cladding layer and formed underneath the waveguide coupler, when considered in view of a PSR having a lower thickness in its splitting section and the rest of the limitations of the claimed invention. Claim 26 is 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. Relevant prior art fails to further teach or suggest the PSR having a lower thickness in its splitting section and two waveguides, each having a plurality of turns and regions defined about and between the turns in the manner claimed, when considered in view of the rest of the limitations of the claimed invention. Claim 17 is 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. Relevant prior art fails to further teach or suggest a waveguide coupler surrounded by a cladding layer, and a waveguide transition surrounded by the cladding layer and formed underneath the waveguide coupler, when considered in view of a PSR having a reduced thickness in its splitting section and the rest of the limitations of the claimed invention. Claim 18 is 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. Relevant prior art fails to further teach or suggest the PSR formed with a patterned a contact-etch-stop layer (CESL) exposing the waveguide transition, the polarization-splitter-rotator and the first port and the second port, when considered in view of the rest of the limitations of the claimed invention, specifically the usage of a dummy layer in the etching process. Claim 20 is 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. Relevant prior art fails to further teach or suggest the PSR formed with a thickness of the waveguide transition is less than a thickness of the combined section and is greater than a thickness of the splitting section, when considered in view of the rest of the limitations of the claimed invention. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US20240385376 discloses a polarization beam splitter rotator . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLIE PENG whose telephone number is (571)272-2177. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 6PM. 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, Thomas Hollweg can be reached at (571)270-1739. 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. /CHARLIE Y PENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874 Application/Control Number: 18/629,970 Page 2 Art Unit: 2874 Application/Control Number: 18/629,970 Page 3 Art Unit: 2874 Application/Control Number: 18/629,970 Page 4 Art Unit: 2874 Application/Control Number: 18/629,970 Page 5 Art Unit: 2874
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