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 .
This office action is responsive to the application N° 18/807,533 filed on August 16, 2024 in which claims 1-20 are pending and ready for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bushida et al. [US 20020141464 A1, hereafter Bushida] in view of Tojo et al. [US 20040190583 A1, hereafter Tojo].
As per Claims 1 and 20, Bushida teaches a line narrowing laser device (Para 9 and 13, a light source for exposure of a processing machine such as a stepper and a band narrowing optical component 33) comprising:
an optical element (prisms 32 and 32, a wavelength selection mirror 34) and a diffractive optical element positioned on an optical path of an optical resonator (Para 42);
a wavelength actuator (the pulse motor unit 40 and the piezoelectric element unit 41) configured to change an incident angle of light incident on the diffractive optical element by moving the optical element 30 (Para 47);
a wavelength driver configured to drive the wavelength actuator;
a processor (a laser controller 13) configured to output a wavelength control signal to the wavelength driver so that a wavelength of pulse laser light output from the optical resonator periodically changes (Para 47-49); and
Bushida does not explicitly teach a notch filter arranged in a path of the wavelength control signal and configured to operate at a notch frequency different from a drive frequency of the wavelength actuator.
Tojo teaches a nonlinear optical device for receiving a laser beam from the microchip laser crystal and emitting its harmonic light, an optical detecting means used as a monitor for detecting the intensity of the light emitted from the nonlinear optical device, and an output control circuit for driving the semiconductor laser so as to maintain the intensity of the light at a predetermined level is provided wherein the output control circuit includes a pseudo notch filter of which gain is arranged to have a local minimum at the relaxation oscillating frequency and not zero at the notch frequency (Para 38).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 2, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 1.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the notch frequency is higher than the drive frequency (Para 122).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 3, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 1.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the notch frequency is a frequency of multiplication of the drive frequency by an odd number larger than 1 (See fig. 20).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 4, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 1.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the notch frequency is set in accordance with a resonant frequency of an oscillation system of a wavelength switch mechanism which oscillates by periodic driving of the wavelength actuator (Para 20, wherein an output control circuit for driving the semiconductor laser so as to maintain the intensity of the light at a predetermined level is provided wherein the output control circuit includes either a combination of a lowpass filter and a highpass filter or a bandpass filter).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 5, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 1.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the notch filter 9f includes first and second bandpass filters connected in series (See fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 6, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 5.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the first and second bandpass filters operate at a same notch frequency (Para 44).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 7, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 6.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the first and second bandpass filters operate at a same notch gain depth (Para 44).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 8, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 1.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the notch filter is configured such that a notch parameter can be adjusted by the processor (See fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 9, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 8.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the notch parameter includes the notch frequency and a notch gain depth, and the processor adjusts the notch gain depth after adjusting the notch frequency (Para 32).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 10, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 8.
Bushida further disclosed a wavelength monitor 37 positioned on an optical path of the pulse laser light, wherein the processor 13 calculates a measurement wavelength of the pulse laser light based on an output of the wavelength monitor, and adjusts the notch parameter based on the measurement wavelength (See fig. 1, Para 44).
As per Claim 11, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 10.
Bushida further disclosed wherein the processor calculates a deviation between the measurement wavelength and a target wavelength of the pulse laser light, and adjusts the notch parameter based on the deviation (Para 43).
As per Claim 12, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 11.
Bushida further disclosed wherein the processor compares the deviation with a threshold value, and adjusts the notch parameter when the deviation is larger than the threshold value over predetermined consecutive pulses (Para 44).
As per Claims 13 and 14, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 12.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the notch parameter includes the notch frequency, and the processor calculates the deviation while increasing or decreasing the notch frequency, and searches for the notch frequency at which the deviation approaches 0 (Para 38-39).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 15, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 10.
Bushida further disclosed wherein the processor calculates a wavelength difference between the measurement wavelengths of a plurality of pulses of the pulse laser light having different target wavelengths, and adjusts the notch parameter based on the wavelength difference (Para 43).
As per Claim 16, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 15.
Bushida further disclosed wherein the processor calculates the wavelength difference a plurality of times to calculate an average value of the wavelength differences, and adjusts the notch parameter when the average value is larger than a threshold value (Para 78, reduce the wavelength deviation .DELTA..lambda).
As per Claim 17, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 1.
Tojo further disclosed wherein the notch filter includes first and second bandpass filters connected in series, and each of the first and second bandpass filters is configured such that a notch parameter thereof can be adjusted by the processor (See fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 18, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 17, wherein the processor adjusts the notch parameter so that the first and second bandpass filters operate at a same notch frequency (Para 44).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
As per Claim 19, Bushida in view of Tojo teaches the line narrowing laser device according to claim 18, wherein the processor adjusts the notch parameter so that the first and second bandpass filters operate at a same notch gain depth (Para 44).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was made to incorporate a notch filter and controlling system of Tojo in the laser apparatus of Bushida in order to provide a solid laser apparatus which can effectively attenuate optical noises.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MESFIN ASFAW whose telephone number is (571)270-5247. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm.
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, Toan Ton can be reached at 571-272-2303. 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.
/MESFIN T ASFAW/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882