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
Summary of the Claims
The present application (18/692,734) was filed on March 15, 2024 as a 371 of PCT/EP2022/073083 filed on August 18, 2022 and claims priority to DE 10201124129.4 filed on September 17, 2021. Claims 1-7 and 9-21 are pending. Claims 1 and 21 are the independent claims.
References and Documents Cited in this Action
Kim (US 2013/0243020 A1)
Singer (US 2018/0301873 A1)
Behfar (US 2007/0045637 A1)
Lell (DE 102017119664 A1; see English-language equivalent document US 2020/0295534 A1)
Sanders (US 2017/0055365 A1)
Summary of Rejections and Objections in this Action
Examiner objects to the drawings.
Claims 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 10-12, 14, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim.
Claims 3-7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Singer.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Behfar.
Claims 16, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Lell.
Claims 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Lell as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Sanders.
Claim 13 contains allowable subject matter.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the output coupling facet oriented parallel to the mounting side recited in claim 15 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites “which a second connection structure” but parent claim 1 does not previously recite a first connection structure. Claim 4 is indefinite because it is unclear how many connection structures are included. Examiner suggests claim 4 may depend on claim 3 instead.
Claims 5 and 6 depend on claim 4 and are indefinite for the same reason.
Claim 7 recites “the electrical connection.” The claim is indefinite because there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 10-12, 14, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim.
Regarding independent claim 1, Kim discloses an optoelectronic semiconductor component (Figures 2A-B and 3) comprising:
a semiconductor body having a first region 203 of a first conductivity, a second region 201 of a second conductivity and an active region 202 which is configured to emit coherent electromagnetic radiation, wherein
the second region 201 has a p-type conductivity and the first region 203 has an n-type conductivity (paragraph [0035]),
an optical resonator is formed in the semiconductor body along a resonator axis (i.e., Kim discloses that the laser is an edge-emitting laser with a resonator axis that extends between edge facets 215; paragraph [0035]),
the semiconductor body has a mounting side and side faces extending transversely to the mounting side (i.e., the upper mounting side and side faces of semiconductor laser ridge 303a as shown in Figure 3),
a side of the second region 201 facing away from the first region 203 forms the mounting side (i.e., the upper mounting side of semiconductor laser ridge 303a is a side of the p-type second region 201),
side faces extending parallel to the resonator axis are covered by an electrically insulating passivation (i.e., insulating dielectric layer 225 shown in Figure 2 or SiN insulating film 303c shown in Figure 3; paragraphs [0037] and [0042]), and
on a side of the passivation facing away from the semiconductor body a cooling layer is arranged, which is configured to dissipate at least some of the power loss generated in the semiconductor body during operation (i.e., heat spreading e-Au layer element 206 in Figure 2 or element 301 in Figure 3; paragraphs [0038]-[0040]).
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Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses that the resonator axis is aligned parallel to the mounting side (i.e., Kim discloses that the laser is an edge-emitting laser with a resonator axis that extends between edge facets 215; paragraph [0035]).
Regarding claim 4, as well as the claim may be understood with respect to 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as discussed above, Kim discloses a connection structure is arranged on the mounting side, which contacts the second region 201 electrically (i.e., top metal layer 302 contacts second region 201; paragraph [0040]).
Regarding claim 7, as well as the claim may be understood with respect to 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as discussed above, Kim discloses that an electrical connection is made exclusively via the mounting side at least in the sense that Kim discloses an electrical connection made though top contact metal 302 via the mounting side as shown in Figure 3.
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses that the cooling layer is formed with an electrically conductive material (e.g., electroplated gold e-AU; paragraphs [0037]-[0040]).
Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses an optoelectronic semiconductor component as discussed above with regard to claim 1, including a second region 201 has a p-type conductivity and a first region 203 has an n-type conductivity (paragraph [0035]) and a side of the second region 201 facing away from the first region 203 forms the mounting side (i.e., the upper mounting side of semiconductor laser ridge 303a is a side of the p-type second region 201). Alternatively, Kim specifically discloses that “other diode lasers may have the p(+) and n(-) regions inverted” (paragraph [0035]), in which case the second region would be a p-type region 203 (contrary to what is shown in Figure 2A) and the first region would be a n-type region 201 (contrary to what is shown in Figure 2A); and a bottom side of the second region 203 facing away from the first region 201 forms the mounting side (i.e., the bottom side of region 203 and substrate 204). In other words, Figure 2A shows a second p-type region 201 on top of a first n-type region 203 in Figure 2A but Kim also discloses in paragraph [0035] that it can instead be a first n-type region 201 on top of a second p-type region 203. Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses that in this embodiment, the first region 201 is electrically contacted by the cooling layer 301 (Figures 2A-B and 3).
Regarding claim 12, Kim discloses that the optical resonator is delimited by an output coupling facet and an end facet (i.e., the laser is an edge-emitting laser with a resonator axis that extends between edge facets 215; paragraph [0035]).
Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses that output coupling facet is oriented transversely to the mounting side (i.e., the laser is an edge-emitting laser with a resonator axis that extends between edge facets 215; paragraph [0035]).
Regarding independent claim 21, Kim discloses an optoelectronic semiconductor component as discussed above with regard to claim 1 and also claim 11. However, Kim also specifically discloses that “other diode lasers may have the p(+) and n(-) regions inverted” (paragraph [0035]), in which case the second region would be a p-type region 203 (contrary to what is shown in Figure 2A) and the first region would be a n-type region 201 (contrary to what is shown in Figure 2A); and a bottom side of the second region 203 facing away from the first region 201 forms the mounting side (i.e., the bottom side of region 203 and substrate 204). In other words, Figure 2A shows a second p-type region 201 on top of a first n-type region 203 in Figure 2A but Kim also discloses in paragraph [0035] that it can instead be a first n-type region 201 on top of a second p-type region 203. Therefore, Kim discloses an optoelectronic semiconductor component (Figures 2A-B and 3, with p and n regions inverted as disclosed in paragraph [0035]) comprising:
a semiconductor body having a first region 201 of a first conductivity, a second region 203 of a second conductivity, and an active region 202 which is configured to emit coherent electromagnetic radiation, wherein
the second region 203 has a p-type conductivity and the first region 201 has an n-type conductivity (again, contrary to the labels in Figure 2A; see paragraph [0035]),
an optical resonator is formed in the semiconductor body along a resonator axis (i.e., Kim discloses that the laser is an edge-emitting laser with a resonator axis that extends between edge facets 215; paragraph [0035]),
the semiconductor body has a mounting side and side faces extending transversely to the mounting side (i.e., the bottom mounting side under the substrate 204 and side faces of semiconductor laser ridge 303a as shown in Figure 3),
a side of the second region 203 facing away from the first region 201 forms the mounting side (i.e., the bottom side of substrate 204),
side faces extending parallel to the resonator axis are covered by an electrically insulating passivation (i.e., insulating dielectric layer 225 shown in Figure 2 or SiN insulating film 303c shown in Figure 3; paragraphs [0037] and [0042]),
the passivation is arranged on the side of the semiconductor body facing away from the mounting side (i.e., the layer 225 in Figure 2A and film 303c is on the top of the figures and the mounting side is on the bottom),
on a side of the passivation facing away from the semiconductor body a cooling layer is arranged, which is configured to dissipate at least some of the power loss generated in the semiconductor body during operation (i.e., heat spreading e-Au layer element 206 in Figure 2 or element 301 in Figure 3; paragraphs [0038]-[0040]).
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, 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.
Claims 3-7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Singer.
Regarding claims 3-7, and 9, as well as claims 4-7 may be understood with respect to 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as discussed above, Kim discloses an optoelectronic semiconductor component as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Kim generally discloses a top contact 302 that contacts second region 201 and a bottom contact 304 that contacts the first region 203 (Figures 2A and 3) and does not disclose the arrangement recited in claims 3, 5, 6, and 9.1 However, Singer teaches a system that is related to the one disclosed by Kim, including a laser 1 with a semiconductor body having a first n-type region 23 and a second p-type region 21 and an active region 22, a side of the second region 21 facing away from the first region forms the mounting side (i.e., the bottom side of Figure 1A; paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 3, Singer teaches a first connection structure (n-contact 43) is arranged on the mounting side, which contacts the first region 23 electrically (paragraphs [0066]-[0070]. Regarding claim 4, Singer teaches a second connection structure 41 is arranged on the mounting side, which contacts the second region 21 electrically (paragraphs [0066]-[0070]). Regarding claim 5, Singer teaches the semiconductor body has a waveguide 33 and an insulation region 74, wherein an electrical contacting of the second region 21 is made exclusively via the waveguide (paragraphs [0064]-[0066] and [0070]-[0071]). Regarding claim 6, Singer teaches the lateral extension of the waveguide is congruent with the active region (paragraphs [0064]-[0066] and [0070]-[0071]). Regarding claim 7, Singer teaches that electrical connections of the first and second connection structures 43 and 41 are made exclusively via the mounting side (i.e., the bottom side of Figure 1). Regarding claim 9, Singer teaches a via 43 completely penetrates the second region 21 and electrically contacts the first region 23 (paragraph [0009]).
Regarding claims 3-7, and 9, it would have been obvious to include the features and arrangement of electrical connections taught by Singer in the system disclosed by Kim to advantageously further conduct heat away from the laser efficiently (Singer, paragraph [0002]).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Behfar.
Regarding claim 15, Kim discloses a optoelectronic semiconductor component as discussed above with regard to claims 1 and 12 but does not disclose the output coupling facet is oriented parallel to the mounting side. However, Behfar teaches a system that is related to the one disclosed by Kim including an edge-emitting laser with a semiconductor body and an output coupling facet 16 oriented transverse to a mounting side (Figure 1A; paragraph [0041]). Behfar further teaches that the output coupling facet can be alternatively oriented parallel to the mounting side (Figure 1D; paragraphs [0058] and [0060]). Regarding claim 15, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide an output coupling facet oriented parallel to the mounting side as taught by Behfar in the system disclosed by Kim in order to effectively direct the light vertically instead of horizontally as desired with predictable results.
Claims 16, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Lell.
Since Lell (DE 102017119664 A1) is in German, all references to its disclosure below including paragraph numbers are made to the English-language equivalent document US 2020/0295534 A1.
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses an optoelectronic semiconductor component as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Kim further generally discloses at least two optoelectronic semiconductor components in an array (paragraph [0015]) but does not disclose details as to how at least two optoelectronic semiconductor components would be arranged.
Lell teaches a system that is related to the one disclosed by Kim, including edge emitting optoelectronic semiconductor components (i.e., emitters 2; Figure 1A; paragraph [0075]). Lell further teaches that the resonator axes of the optoelectronic semiconductor components 2 are oriented parallel to each other (i.e., the emitters 2 have resonator axes in direction Y oriented parallel to each other as shown in Figure 1B; paragraphs [0075]-[0082]), and a heat spreading element is arranged between each two optoelectronic semiconductor components (i.e., elements including cooling elements 30; paragraphs [0075]-[0082]). Regarding claim 16, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to arrange at least two optoelectronic semiconductor components with heat spreading elements in between as taught by Lell in the system disclosed by Kim in order to advantageously provide multiple light outputs reliably without failures due to excessive heat (Lell; paragraph [0038]).
Regarding claim 18, in the system taught by Kim in view of Lell, Lell further teaches that the heat spreading element comprises electrical connection lines (i.e., contacts 20; paragraphs [0080]-[0082]; see also Figure 3 and paragraph [0084]); .
Regarding claim 20, in the system taught by Kim in view of Lell, Lell further teaches that the module comprises a shaped body which absorbs and dissipates heat from the heat spreading element (i.e., heat sink 200; Figure 19; paragraphs [0064]-[0065] and [0104]).
Claims 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Lell as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Sanders.
Regarding claims 17 and 19, Kim in view of Lell teaches an optoelectronic module as discussed above with regard to claim 16 but does not teach that the heat spreading element has an anisotropic head conductivity, the thermal conductivity being higher parallel to the mounting side of the semiconductor body than in a direction transverse thereto; or that the heat spreading element is formed with graphene. However, Sanders teaches a system that is related to the one taught by Kim in view of Lell, including a laser diode 114 having a semiconductor body and a heat spreading element 118 (Figure 1; paragraphs [0004] and [0039]). Sanders further teaches heat spreading element 118 has an anisotropic head conductivity, the thermal conductivity being higher parallel to a mounting side of the semiconductor body than in a direction transverse thereto (paragraphs [0039]-[0058]); and that the heat spreading element may be made of graphene (paragraphs [0054] and [0057]). Regarding claims 17 and 19, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use a heat spreading element having an anisotropic head conductivity and made of graphene as taught by Sanders in the system taught by Kim in view of Lell in order to efficiently remove heat from the laser elements.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 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.
The prior art does not specifically disclose or fairly suggest an optoelectronic semiconductor component including the combination of all of the elements, steps, and limitations recited in claims 13 (including all of the limitations of any respective parent claims), particularly wherein the passivation is arranged on the end facet.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christina Leung at telephone number (571) 272-3023. If attempts to reach the examiner are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Patricia Engle can be reached at (571) 272-6660.
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/CHRISTINA Y. LEUNG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3991
1 As discussed under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), Kim discloses claims 4 and 7 at least under certain interpretations of the claims, which are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). However, claims 4 and 7 are also rejected as being obvious over Kim in view of Singer based on other interpretations.
Prosecution Insights