Appeal No. 1999-1286
Application No. 08/567,950
between two successive exposures. On the whole, following the above-
mentioned assumptions, the marking of the circuit will last about 100
milliseconds.
Conspicuous by its absence is any discussion in any of these passages of a method of
varying the focus of the marking laser beam while marking a single integrated circuit in
multiple places. Moreover, the drawings are devoid of any indication that such a
method was contemplated when the application was filed. Accordingly, because we
find that the preponderance of substantial evidence supports the examiner’s position
that there is an inadequate written description of the method claimed in claims 5 and 6,
we affirm this rejection.
Rejections 2 and 3
The critical limitation in claim 1 is: “marking the defective integrated circuit at a
plurality of locations by exposing the surface of the defective integrated circuit to laser
radiation of sufficient magnitude such that the defective integrated circuit will not
operate” (emphasis added). The corresponding critical limitation in claim 17 is:
“exposing a surface of each of the defective integrated circuits to laser radiation of
sufficient magnitude such that the defective integrated circuit will not operate, the step
of exposing including a step of creating a mark on the surface of each of the defective
integrated circuits at a plurality of locations” (emphasis added.) Thus, the claims
require destructive laser marking of the defective integrated circuit(s) at a plurality of
locations.
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