Appeal No. 2001-0130
Application No. 09/050,491
metallization; (b) completely embedding the chip in a pre-mixed
pack of 30% by weight of Ni powder, 3% by weight of NH4I, and the
balance alumina powder4 in a cylindrical workboat; (c) heating
the chip to 850°C for one hour in a flowing stream of argon
maintained at 2 SCFH; (d) cooling the workboat to about 50°C;
(e) removing the chip carrier from the pack; (f) cleaning the
chip carrier in flowing distilled water at room temperature; and
(g) cleaning the chip carrier ultrasonically in alcohol.
(Example 1.)
The examiner’s position is succinctly stated as follows
(answer, page 5):
The inert alumina filler is an inert material in
contact with the receiving metal. At least some of
the alumina will physically separate some of the
receiving metal and nickel. As it is disclosed in the
examples that the deposited nickel coating is uniform
and essentially pore free, the alumina filler is
clearly in “floating contact” with the receiving metal
surface, given appellants’ definition for floating
contact at page 10, line 16 to page 11, line 6 of
their specification...
We are in complete agreement with the examiner’s analysis.
On this point, we note that 67% by weight of the “pre-mixed
pack” described in Example 1 of Park ‘095 is alumina, one of the
appellants’ preferred inert materials. Thus, it was reasonable
4 The specification enlightens one skilled in the relevant
art that alumina is a preferred “inert material.” (P. 8, ll.
20-23.)
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