DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 measurement device configured to measure a voltage-current dependency of the sensor component, as recited in claim 6, must be shown or the feature canceled from the claim. 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.
Specification
The specification is objected to because of the following informalities:
The specification does not disclose “at least 105 µm3” as recited in claim 10.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, --,-- should be added before “and” in line 8; and “titanium tungsten” should be changed to --titanium-tungsten-- in line 12.
In claim 2, --and-- should be added after “layers,” in line 4.
In claim 3, --and-- should be added after “layer,” in line 2.
In claim 4, --and-- should be added after “layer,” in line 2; --the-- should be added after “and” in line 4; “comprises other” should be changed to --comprises another-- in line 4; “titanium tungsten” should be changed to --titanium-tungsten-- in line 7; and “other” should be changed to --another-- in the last line.
In claim 5, “being” should be changed to --is-- in line 2; and “the reduced” should be changed to --a reduced-- in line 3.
In claim 6, --a-- should be added after “measure” in line 2.
In claim 7, --the-- should be added after “wherein” in line 2.
In claim 8, --an-- should be added before “inverse” in line 2.
In claim 9, --,-- should be added before “and” in line 3.
In claim 10, “at least 105 µm3” is not stated in the specification.
In claim 12, --a-- should be added before “coupling” in line 1.
In claim 13, “comprising” should be changed to --further comprising a-- in line 1.
In claim 14, there is lack of relationship between the step recited in lines 2-3 (measuring a first derivative of a current-voltage curve using a Coulomb blockade thermometer) with the remining steps of the claim; --a-- should be added after “measure” in line 8; --,-- should be added before “and” in line 13; and “titanium tungsten” should be changed to --titanium-tungsten-- in line 17.
In claim 15, “the reduced” should be changed to --a reduced-- in line 2.
In claim 16, --,-- should be added after “temperature” in line 3.
In claim 17, “the aluminum” should be changed to --an aluminum-- in line 2; and --and-- should be added after “layers,” in line 4.
In claim 18, --and-- should be added after “layer,” in line 2.
In claim 19, “the aluminum” should be changed to --an aluminum-- in line 2; --and-- should be added after “layer,” in line 2; --the-- should be added after “and” in line 4; “comprises other” should be changed to --comprises another-- in line 4; “titanium tungsten” should be changed to --titanium-tungsten-- in line 7; and “other” should be changed to --another-- in the last line.
Claim 11 is objected to for being dependent on an objected base claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 14-19 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.
In claim 14, there is lack of antecedent basis in the claim for “the measured differential conductance dip” in lie last line (it is not clear how the measured differential conductance dip is obtained).
Claims 15-19 are rejected for being dependent on a rejected base claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, and the objections set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record does not disclose or suggest the following in combination with the remaining limitations of the claims:
A Coulomb blockade thermometer, wherein the absence of superconductivity in the two electrically conducting volumes is achieved by using titanium tungsten layers or scandium layers; and at least a first heat sink and a second heat sink, wherein the first heat sink is coupled to the first tunnel junction and the second tunnel junction, and the second heat sink is coupled to the second tunnel junction and the third tunnel junction, the first heat sink and the second heat sink being arranged to provide heat dissipation via electron-phonon coupling (claim 1).
A method, wherein the absence of superconductivity in the two electrically conducting volumes is achieved by using titanium tungsten layers or scandium layers; and at least a first heat sink and a second heat sink, wherein the first heat sink is coupled to the first tunnel junction and the second tunnel junction, and the second heat sink is coupled to the second tunnel junction and the third tunnel junction, the first heat sink and the second heat sink being arranged to provide heat dissipation via electron-phonon coupling (claim 14).
Conclusion
The references made of record and not relied upon by the examiner are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure by each disclosing a Coulomb blockade thermometer, but do not disclose the allowable subject matter stated above.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MIRELLYS JAGAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2247. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday-Friday 8-6.
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/MIRELLYS JAGAN/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2855
9/29/26
