Appeal No. 96-3649
Application 08/344,509
appellants explain that when MOCVD is applied using double metal
alkoxide precursors, useful films are not produced. Appellants
explain that for all known double metal alkoxides, premature
decomposition producing individual metal oxides occurs at
temperatures much lower than the pyrolytic temperature of each
individual metal alkoxide. Thus standard chemical vapor
deposition pyrolysis reactions do not produce stoichiometric
oxide films because the M’ to M? ratio is lost prior to film
deposition. Appellants’ invention overcomes this problem by
using a vapor phase hydrolysis chemical vapor deposition
technique. Appellants contend that prior to their invention, it
was not known how to apply vapor deposition technology, notably
vapor phase hydrolysis, to double metal alkoxide precursors to
produce a film having the same stoichiometric ratio of metals as
exist in the precursor. See the specification at page 4, lines
16 through 19.
As evidence of obviousness of the claimed invention, the
examiner principally relies on Sladek and Purdy. Appellants
acknowledge (Brief, page 4) that although the combination
proposed (i.e., the use of a stoichiometric double metal alkoxide
precursor as described by Purdy in Sladek’s chemical vapor
deposition process) might be expected to produce an oxide film,
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