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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6, 11, 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teng et al. (USPGPUB 2018/0067259, from hereinafter "Teng") in view of Karimelahi et al. (USPGPUB 2023/0280550, from hereinafter "Karimelahi") and further in view of Geng et al. (USPGPUB 2018/0067273, hereinafter "Geng").
Regarding claims 1 and 15-16, Teng teaches a photonic integrated circuit (2700) (Abstract; Fig 27; para [0128]) comprising: a multi-waveguide coupler (2714) to couple light to the photonic integrated circuit at an edge coupling interface (Fig 27; para [0130]), the multi-waveguide coupler comprising one or more middle waveguides (the merged waveguide and the waveguides that come together into the merged waveguide), a plurality of outer waveguides comprising a first waveguide and a second waveguide, (see Figs 6B, 27 (showing planar waveguides); paragraphs [0013], [0059]).
Teng does not disclose that the plurality of middle waveguides are between a plurality of outer waveguides; that the first waveguide is planar with a plurality of thin planar waveguides; and that the second waveguide is planar with a plurality of thin planar waveguides.
Karimelahi, directed to a multi-waveguide coupler, discloses that the plurality of middle waveguides (208) are between a plurality of outer waveguides (Figs 2, 3A; paras [0082], [0085]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the circuit of Teng in accordance with the teachings of Karimelahi such that the plurality of middle waveguides are between a plurality of outer waveguides, since it would enable adiabatic coupling (see Karimelahi para [0008]. Further, Geng, directed to optical coupling, discloses planar tapered waveguides (110) (Fig 1; para [0035]). It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art to further modify the circuit of Teng in accordance with the teachings of Geng such that the first tapered waveguide is planar; such that the second tapered waveguide is planar, since it would provide high bandwidth (see Geng para [0003]).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, Teng teaches that one or more middle waveguides teach a center waveguide, and first and second side waveguides when it is taught that the plurality of middle waveguides comprising a center waveguide (merged waveguide), the center waveguide comprising an increasing taper that widens along the input direction (Fig 6B; paras [0013]).
Regarding claim 3, Teng further discloses that the plurality of middle waveguides comprises three waveguides (trident) that are joined to form a single waveguide, wherein at the edge coupling interface light propagates to the three waveguides and is joined at the coalesce point to the single waveguides (Fig 6B).
Regarding claim 5, Teng further discloses that the multi-waveguide coupler comprises a coupling interface to couple light to the photonic integrated circuit (Fig 27; para [0124]).
Regarding claim 6, Teng further discloses that the coupling interface of the multi-waveguide coupler couples light to an optical fiber 2326 (para [0124]).
Regarding claim 11, Teng discloses a method for manufacturing a multi-waveguide coupler (2714) comprising: depositing a first waveguide (2718) on a cladding layer (2704) of a photonic integrated circuit, the first waveguide extends to an edge of the photonic integrated circuit (Fig 27; paras [0129], [0132]; depositing cladding material (2706) on the first waveguide (Fig 27; para [0129]; depositing a middle waveguide (2720), each middle waveguide extends to the edge of the photonic integrated circuit (Fig 27: para [0128], [0133]); depositing additional cladding material (2708) on the plurality of middle waveguides (Fig 27; para [0129]); depositing a second waveguide (2722) on the cladding material, the second waveguide extends to as edge of the photonic integrated circuit (Fig 27; paragraph [0129], [0133]); and depositing further cladding material (2710) on the second waveguide.
Teng does not disclose a plurality of middle waveguides, that the first waveguide is planar; and that the second waveguide is planar.
However, Karimelahi. directed to a multi-waveguide coupler, discloses a plurality of middle waveguides (208) (Figs 2, 3A; paras [0082], [0085]). It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art to further modify the method of Teng in accordance with the teachings of Karimelahi to include a plurality of middle waveguides, since it would enable adiabatic coupling (see Karimelahi para [0008]). Further, Geng, directed to optical coupling, discloses planar waveguides (110) (Fig 1; para [0035]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of Teng in accordance with the teachings of Geng such that the first waveguide is planar; such that the second tapered waveguide is planar, since it would provide high handwidth (see Geng para [0003]).
Regarding claim 13, Teng further discloses that the cladding layer is deposited on a silicon substrate (2702) (para [0129]).
Regarding claims 17-18, although Teng, Karimelahi and Geng fail to particularly teach wherein the first and second planar waveguides are formed by alternating a deposition of thin planar waveguides and with a deposition of cladding layers that separate the thin planar waveguides, they do teach the well-known steps of adding cladding layers.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ this method so that there can be waveguides of additional height.
Claim(s) 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teng et al. (USPGPUB 2018/0067259, from hereinafter "Teng") in view of Karimelahi et al. (USPGPUB 2023/0280550, from hereinafter "Karimelahi") and Geng et al. (USPGPUB 2018/0067273, hereinafter "Geng"), and further in view of Pan et al. (USPGPUB No. 2015/0285997, from hereinafter “Pan”).
Regarding claim 7, Teng in view of Karimelahi and Geng does not disclose that at the coupling interface the optical fiber has a first mode size. Regarding claim 8, Teng in view of Karimelahi and Geng do not teach of a second mode size and for claim 9, that the first mode size corresponds to a width of the optical fiber at the coupling interface.
However, regarding claim 7, Pan discloses that at the coupling interface the optical fiber has a first mode size (Fig 1; paras [0004], [0021]-[0022]). Pan further discloses regarding claim 8 that at the coupling interface the multi-waveguide coupler has a second mode size (Fig 1; paras [0004], [0021]-[0022]) and regarding claim 9, Pan further discloses that the first mode size corresponds to a width of the optical fiber at the coupling interface (Fig 1; paras [0004], [0021]-[0022]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the circuit of Teng in accordance with the teachings of Pan such that at the coupling interface the optical fiber has a first mode size, since it would provide improved edge coupling (see Pan para [0014]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teng et al. (USPGPUB 2018/0067259, from hereinafter "Teng") in view of Karimelahi et al. (USPGPUB 2023/0280550, from hereinafter "Karimelahi") and further in view of Geng et al. (USPGPUB 2018/0067273, hereinafter "Geng") and Thomson et al. (USPGPUB No. 2022/0214498, from hereinafter “Thomson”).
Regarding claim 12, Teng in view of Karimelahi and Geng does not disclose that the plurality of middle waveguides are deposited without polishing the cladding material that is deposited on the first planar waveguide, wherein the polishing comprises chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), wherein the method further comprises: polishing the additional cladding material that is deposited on the plurality of middle waveguides.
However, Thomson discloses selectively polishing the cladding and cores of various waveguides (paras [0017], [0020], [0062], [0088]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of Teng in accordance with the teachings of Thomson and through routine experimentation such that the plurality of middle waveguides are deposited without polishing the cladding material that is deposited OR the first planar waveguide, wherein the polishing comprises chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), wherein the method further comprises: polishing the additional cladding material that is deposited on the plurality of middle waveguides, since it would enable waveguides of different height (see Thomson para [0087]).
Claim(s) 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teng et al. (USPGPUB 2018/0067259, from hereinafter "Teng") in view of Karimelahi et al. (USPGPUB 2023/0280550, from hereinafter "Karimelahi") and Geng et al. (USPGPUB 2018/0067273, hereinafter "Geng"), and further in view of Horth (USPGPUB 2021/0026074).
Teng in view of Karimelahi and Geng discloses the method of Claim 11, but does not disclose that the first planar waveguide and the second planar waveguide are deposited using vapor deposition. However, Horth discloses planar waveguides that are deposited using vapor deposition (para [0017], [0057]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of Teng in accordance with the teachings of Horth such that the first planar waveguide and the second planar waveguide are deposited using vapor deposition, since it would enable matching mode size (see Horth para [0035]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 10, and 20 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: For example, regarding claim 10, none of the prior art discloses the second mode size corresponding to a composite width of the multi-waveguide coupler at the coupling interface. Further, the prior art, whether taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest the particular arrangement of these parts as required by the claim limitations in claims 4 and 20.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: USPGPUB No. 2012/0224813 to Chen et al.
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/LISA M CAPUTO/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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