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 .
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 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
US 2023/0055077 (“SHI”).
Regarding claim 1, SHI teaches an electro-optical modulator (100), comprising: a substrate (101); an optical waveguide (135) comprising an electro-optical thin film (155) disposed on the substrate, the optical waveguide having an input end coupled to receive an optical signal and an output end opposite the input end (FIG. 3A); first and second electrodes (120) disposed on the substrate along opposite sides of the waveguide; and a differential driver (560) having first and second differential outputs coupled to apply a differential electrical signal between the first and second electrodes to modulate a polarization of the optical signal propagating in the waveguide (FIGs. 6).
Regarding claim 2, SHI teaches that the optical waveguide has a waveguide axis along which the optical signal propagates, and the electro-optical thin film comprises a uniaxial crystal, which is disposed on the substrate with a crystal Z-axis oriented perpendicularly to the substrate and a crystal Y-axis oriented parallel to the waveguide axis (FIGs. 1; par. [0050]).
Regarding claim 3, SHI teaches that the optical signal at the input end of the optical waveguide has a linear polarization, and the modulator comprises a controller coupled to control the differential driver to modulate a rotation of the linear polarization of the optical signal exiting the output end of the optical waveguide (par. [0019]).
Regarding claim 4, SHI teaches third and fourth electrodes disposed on the substrate on opposite sides of the waveguide between the input end and the first and second electrodes, wherein the controller is coupled to apply a DC voltage between the third and fourth electrodes to adjust an input angle of the linear polarization of the optical signal prior to modulation of the polarization (FIGs. 6).
Regarding claim 5, SHI teaches third and fourth electrodes disposed on the substrate alongside the first and second electrodes, respectively, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed between the third and fourth electrodes and the waveguide, wherein the third and fourth electrodes are grounded, and the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes define a differential transmission line extending along the waveguide (FIGs. 6).
Regarding claim 6, SHI teaches an optical polarizer coupled to receive the optical signal from the output end of the optical waveguide to generate, in response to the differential signal, an amplitude-modulated output beam responsively to the modulated polarization (par. [0065]).
Regarding claim 7, SHI teaches that the electro-optical thin film is selected from a set of materials consisting of lithium niobate (LiNbO3), lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), and barium titanate (BaTiO3) (par. [0050]).
Regarding claim 8, SHI teaches that the substrate comprises a silicon photonics circuit (FIGs. 1).
Regarding claim 9, SHI teaches that the substrate comprises the electro-optical thin film (FIGs. 1; par. [0021]).
Regarding claim 10, SHI teaches a dual-polarization coherent modulator (100) comprising: a substrate (101); at least first and second electro-optical modulators, each electro-optical modulator comprising: an optical waveguide (135) comprising an electro-optical thin film (155) disposed on the substrate; first and second electrodes (120) disposed on the substrate along opposite sides of the waveguide; a differential driver (560) having first and second differential outputs coupled to apply a differential signal between the first and second electrodes to rotate a polarization of optical signals propagating in the waveguide (par. [0067]); and an optical polarizer (par. [0019]) coupled to receive the optical signals from the waveguide to generate an amplitude-modulated output beam; a splitter (501) coupled to divide a coherent input beam between respective input ends of the at least first and second electro-optical modulators; and a combiner (509) coupled to combine respective amplitude-modulated output beams generated by the at least first and second modulators while rotating a polarization of at least one of the amplitude-modulated output beams to generate a combined beam including dual polarizations (par. [0067]).
Regarding claim 11, SHI teaches that the at least first and second electro-optical modulators comprise first, second, third and fourth modulators, wherein the first, second, third and fourth modulators are configured to apply an in-phase modulation and a quadrature modulation to each of the dual polarizations (FIGs. 1; par. [0050]).
Regarding claim 12, SHI teaches a method for producing an electro-optical modulator (100), comprising: depositing an optical waveguide (135) comprising an electro-optical thin film (155) disposed on a substrate; coupling an input end of the optical waveguide to receive an optical signal (FIG. 3A); depositing first and second electrodes (120) on the substrate along opposite sides of the waveguide; and coupling a controller (560) to apply a differential electrical signal between the first and second electrodes to modulate a polarization of the optical signal propagating in the waveguide (FIGs. 6).
Regarding claim 13, SHI teaches that depositing the optical waveguide comprises depositing a uniaxial electro-optical thin film on the substrate with a crystal Z-axis of the uniaxial electro-optical thin film oriented perpendicularly to the substrate and a crystal Y-axis oriented parallel to a waveguide axis of the optical waveguide (FIGs. 1; par. [0050]).
Regarding claim 14, SHI teaches depositing third and fourth electrodes on the substrate alongside the first and second electrodes, respectively, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed between the third and fourth electrodes and the waveguide, wherein the third and fourth electrodes are grounded, and the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes define a differential transmission line extending along the waveguide (FIGs. 6).
Regarding claim 15, SHI teaches coupling an optical polarizer to receive the optical signal from the output end of the optical waveguide to generate, in response to the differential
signal, an amplitude-modulated output beam responsively to the modulated polarization
(par. [0065]).
Regarding claim 16, SHI teaches that depositing the optical waveguide comprises depositing a uniaxial electro-optical thin film selected from a set of materials consisting of lithium niobate (LiNbO3), lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), and barium titanate (BaTiO3) (par. [0050]).
Regarding claim 17, SHI teaches that depositing the optical waveguide comprises forming the optical waveguide on a silicon photonics circuit (FIGs. 1).
Regarding claim 18, SHI teaches that depositing the optical waveguide comprises forming the substrate from the uniaxial electro-optical thin film (FIGs. 1; par. [0021]).
Regarding claim 19, SHI teaches a method for modulating an optical signal (via modulator 100), the method comprising: providing an electro-optical modulator (100) comprising an optical waveguide (135), which comprises an electro-optical thin film (155) disposed on a substrate (101) and first and second electrodes (120) disposed on the substrate along opposite sides of the waveguide (FIGs. 1); inputting the optical signal to an input end of the optical waveguide (FIG. 3A); and applying a differential electrical signal between the first and second electrodes to modulate a polarization of the optical signal propagating in the optical waveguide (via element 560).
Regarding claim 20, SHI teaches that inputting the optical signal comprises receiving the optical signal at the input end of the optical waveguide with a linear polarization, and wherein applying the differential electrical signal comprises controlling a rotation of the linear polarization of the optical signal exiting an output end of the optical waveguide (par. [0019]).
Regarding claim 21, SHI teaches applying a DC voltage between third and fourth electrodes on opposite sides of the waveguide between the input end and the first and second electrodes to adjust an input angle of the linear polarization of the optical signal prior to modulation of the polarization (FIGs. 6).
Regarding claim 22, SHI teaches coupling an optical polarizer to receive the optical signal from the output end of the optical waveguide to generate, in response to the differential signal, an amplitude-modulated output beam responsively to the modulated polarization
(par. [0065]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 2023/0213792 (“GUO”); US 2024/0184149 (“HOLZGRAFE”);
US 2021/0373364 (“ZHANG”); and US 2003/0002766 (“PRUNERI”).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY M BLEVINS whose telephone number is (571)272-8581. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday.
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.
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/JERRY M BLEVINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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