Appeal No. 2001-0646
Application No. 09/227,935
hole wall being etched away by the hydrofluoric acid and that the
use of anti-HF material coating the connection hole would have
corrected this problem. This recognition is also disclosed by
the Kuroda reference at Figure 5 and the accompanying description
at column 8, line 58 through column 9, line 23. We agree with
the Examiner’s position because we, like the Examiner, find that
the stated citation in Kuroda teaches the use of an anti-HF layer
20 which protects the connection hole from being degraded by the
etching process which employs an HF solution.
Appellants further argue (Brief at page 7) that “[t]he
Office Action does not specify the manner in which the side wall
structure of prior art Fig. 15 is to be modified, nor identify
what disclosure in Kuroda would have impelled modification.” The
Examiner responds (Answer pages 6 and 7) that the insulating film
(20) made of silicon dioxide and covered with the inside layer
(21A) made of polycrystalline silicon prevents the wall of the
connection hole from being damaged by the hydrofluoric acid.
Kuroda further discloses that in the absence of the silicon
dioxide film (20) the diameter of the opening portion of the
capacitor would be enlarged during the etching step using the
hydrofluoric acid. Therefore, the Examiner concludes (id. at
6
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