Appeal No. 1997-4033
Application No. 08/589,584
claims, under 35 U.S.C. § 103. We reverse and enter a new2
ground of rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 112.
The invention
The invention is an improved Mach-Zehnder optical
modulator, which is depicted in appellant's Figure 1. A
single input is branched by a Y-shaped branching structure in
the first passive region 121, whereafter the light is conveyed
along two parallel straight phase modulator sections in the
active region 122, which sections are rejoined by a second Y-
shaped branching structure in the second passive region 123
(Brief at 2). Application of a driving voltage to one or both
electrodes 110a and 110b overlying the parallel modulator
sections in the active region allows controlled variation of
the refractive index of the waveguide material (id.). The
Brief further explains (at 2):
The present invention seeks to achieve the
conflicting objects of minimizing the driving voltage
which must be applied to the electrodes in the active
region, while also minimizing light propagation loss from
the wave-guide (see, for example, page 6, lines 10-15 [of
the specification]). That is, the necessary driving
2The new ground of rejection of claims 22-26 under
35 U.S.C. § 112 entered in the Answer (paper No. 23) was
withdrawn in paper No. 25, mailed August 20, 1997.
2
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