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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/21/2024, 1/21/2025, 8/14/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang (Enhanced Total internal reflection using low-index nanolattice materials; Vol. 42, No.20/ October 15, 2017/ Optics Letters).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang discloses Zhang discloses a composite material (a nanolattice material integrated between high-index media comprises a composite material; Abstract) comprising: a porous periodic nanolattice layer (nanolattice materials with periodic architectures comprise a porous nanolattice layer; Abstract); and a continuous layer (a high index material of a multilayer stack comprises a continuous layer; Abstract; page 4126, first full paragraph); wherein the continuous layer is disposed on the porous periodic nanolattice layer (the high index material comprising the continuous layer.is disposed on the porous periodic nanolattice layer; page 4126, first full paragraph); wherein the porous periodic nanolattice layer has a first refractive index (the porous periodic nanolattice layer has a refractive index between 1 and 1.3, which comprises a first refractive index; page 4123, second full paragraph) and the continuous layer has a second refractive index (the high-index material has a refractive index greater than the porous periodic nanolattice layer, and the refractive index of the high-index material comprises a second refractive index; page 4123, first and second full paragraphs); wherein the first refractive index and the second refractive index are different (because the high-index material has a refractive index greater than the porous periodic nanolattice layer, the first refractive index and the second refractive index are different; page 4123, first and second full paragraphs); wherein the porous periodic nanolattice layer comprises a plurality of pores defined by a nanolattice formed of hollow members (the pores are defined by hollow members depicted in Fig. 1(b) and that are mathematically modeled as rectangular tubes; page 4124, Fig. 1(b) and fifth full paragraph), the plurality of pores being periodic; and wherein the hollow members comprise a wall defining an interior void space [e.g., arranged in an ordered array] (the nanolattice material is periodic, meaning that the plurality of pores are periodic, e.g., arranged in an orderly array; page 4123, second full paragraph).
Regarding claim 2, Zhang discloses the composite material of claim 1, wherein the first refractive index is from 1 to 1.35; the second refractive index is from 1 to 4; the difference between the first index and the second refractive index and the second refractive index is 0.5 or more; or a combination thereof (the refractive index of the porous periodic nanolattice layer (i.e., the first refractive index) is between 1 and 1.3; page 4123, second full paragraph).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20, 25, 27, 32, 38, 40, 44, 65, and 72 are 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not disclose the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Conclusion
Chang (20190369294) is being cited herein to show a reference that discloses some similar features to that of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES JONES whose telephone number is (571)270-1278. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached at (571) 270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMES C. JONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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