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 .
Preliminary Amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of the preliminary amendments filed 2/29/24 and 3/7/24. Claims 1-19 and 23-24 are pending, with claim 24 being newly added.
Claim Objections
Applicant is advised that should claim 1 be found allowable, claim 23 will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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)(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) 1-19 and 23-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kharel et al. (USPGPub No. 2021/0157177, from hereinafter “Kharel”).
Regarding claims 1, 17-19, and 23-24, Kharel teaches an electro-optic modulator (Figures 1A 1E showing an electro optic modulator 100), comprising : a substrate (Figure 1B, reference sign 101) an isolation layer located on the substrate (Figure 1B and paragraph 57, disclosing a silicon dioxide underlayer on a substrate, aimed to reduce dielectric interference and isolate microwave signals); a thin film layer configured to form a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide (Figures 1B, 1D showing a thin film layer 114 forming a waveguide 110' and 150); an arrangement of the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide causing the thin film layer to comprise a first edge region, the first optical waveguide, an intermediate region, the second optical waveguide, and a second edge region (Figures 7 and 8, paragraph 87, showing optical waveguides with a first edge region, an intermediate region and a second edge region as well as Figure 12A, waveguides 1210A and 1250A. paragraphs 92-93); an electrode, the electrode comprising a first ground electrode, a signal electrode, and a second ground electrode that are sequentially arranged at intervals (Figure 12A, where the first ground electrode is 1232A, the signal electrode is 1222A, and the second ground electrode being 1242A); the first ground electrode comprising at least a first main electrode, the second ground electrode comprising at least a second main electrode (Figure 12A, where the first ground electrode 1232A includes an extension 1234A, used as the first main electrode; the second ground electrode 1242A, includes extensions 1244A), and the signal electrode comprising at least a third main electrode (Figure 12A, where the signal electrode 1222A includes extensions 1224A on either side, which act as the third main electrode), the extensions including terminals, the first optical waveguide being arranged in a first gap between the first main electrode and the third main electrode (Figure 12A, where the first optical waveguide 1220A is positioned between the first main electrode 1234A of the first ground electrode 1232A and the third main electrode 1224A of the signal electrode 1222A), the second optical waveguide being arranged in a second gap between the second main electrode and the third main electrode (Figure 12A, where waveguide 1210A is between 1232A and 1224A), the first main electrode and the second main electrode being arranged on a horizontal plane having a first height (Figures 12B, 12C, and 12D) the third main electrode being arranged on a horizontal plane having a second height (Figures 12B, 12C and 12D where the third main electrode corresponds to the extensions 1224B, 1224C, and 1224D of the central signal electrode 1222B, 1222C, and 1222D, respectively), the first height being different from the second height (Figures 12B, 12C, and 12D show the first main electrode extensions 1234B, 1234C, 1234D of the first ground electrode and the second main electrode extensions 1244B, 1244C, 1244D of the second ground electrode located on a lower horizontal plane at a first height, and the third main electrode extensions 1224B, 1224C, 1224D of the signal electrode are positioned on a horizontal plane at a different height) (see paragraphs 57-60, 85-87,98-99).
Regarding claim 2, Kharel teaches wherein the electrode is formed on a side of the thin film layer away from the substrate (see Figures 12A and 12B).
Regarding claim 3, Kharel teaches wherein the first main electrode 1234A and the second main electrode 1244A are embedded into the thin film layer 114, and penetrate through the thin film layer to be in direct contact with the isolation layer; or the first main electrode and the second main electrode are embedded into the thin film layer, and do not penetrate through the thin film layer (see Figures 12A and 12B).
Regarding claims 4-5, Kharel teaches wherein the third main electrode 1224A is embedded into the thin film layer, and penetrates through the thin film layer to be in direct contact with the isolation layer. Regarding claim 5, further comprising a covering layer (126), the covering layer at least partially covering an upper surface of the thin film layer, and a refractive index of the covering layer being lower than a refractive index of the thin film layer (see Figure 12B and paragraphs 60 and 77).
Regarding claims 6-7, Kharel teaches wherein the covering layer covers an upper surface of the intermediate region, wherein the first main electrode (1234A) and the second main electrode (1244A) are located on the thin film layer, and the third main electrode (1224A) is located on the covering layer (126) and further regarding claim 7, wherein the third main electrode is embedded into the covering layer, and penetrates through the covering layer to be in direct contact with the thin film layer (see Figure 13B and paragraph 99 showing a layer covering regions adjacent to the waveguide, interlayer 1302B).
Regarding claims 8-12, Kharel teaches in paragraphs 63-65 in conjunction with figure 12A that electrode extension portions extend into gaps (claim 8), covering layer with electrode extensions over waveguides (claim 9), and extensions from both ground and signal electrodes positioned in respective gaps (claims 10-12).
Regarding claims 13-14, Kharel teaches in Figure 13G and paragraph 104, disclosing multiple layers being positioned over the waveguide, including a ridge layer 1312G and a thin film portion 1314G, where the electrodes 1320G and 1330G extend through the thin film portion.
Regarding claims 15-16, Kharel teaches wherein the signal electrode further comprises at least one electrode extension portion that extends into the first gap and the second gap respectively from a side of the third main electrode facing the first main electrode and a side of the third main electrode facing the second main electrode (see claim 1 of Kharel regarding extensions and Figure 13B and paragraph 99 showing a layer covering regions adjacent to the waveguide).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: USPUGPub No. 2022/0334419-A1 to Liang et al.
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/LISA M CAPUTO/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874