Appeal No. 2002-0575
Application No. 09/477,982
Claim 18 is the only independent claim on appeal, and it reads as follows:
18. A method of producing a vertically oriented light emitting diode that is capable of
emitting light in the red, green, blue, violet and ultraviolet portions of the electromagnetic spectrum,
the method comprising:
successively growing an n-type conductive buffer layer in a hydrogen atmosphere and an n-
type gallium nitride layer in the hydrogen atmosphere on a silicon carbide substrate;
thereafter successively growing a first thin layer of undoped gallium nitride in a nitrogen
atmosphere, an indium gallium nitride quantum well in the nitrogen atmosphere, a second thin layer
of undoped gallium nitride in the nitrogen atmosphere, and a thin layer of undoped aluminum
gallium nitride in the nitrogen atmoshpere;
wherein at least the first layer of undoped gallium nitride and the quantum well are grown at
the same temperature and without a growth stop therebetween; and
thereafter successively growing a layer of p-type aluminum gallium nitride in a hydrogen
atmosphere and a layer of p-type gallium nitride in the hydrogen atmosphere.
The references relied on by the examiner are:
Sugiura et al. (Sugiura) 5,932,896 Aug. 3, 1999
(filed Sept. 5, 1997)
Yuasa et al. (Yuasa) 6,017,774 Jan. 25, 2000
(filed Dec. 23, 1996)
Amano et al. (Amano), “Fabrication and Properties of AlGaN/GaInN Double Heterostructure
Grown on 6H-SiC (0001),”Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Vol. 395, 1996, pp.
869 through 877.
Claims 18 through 23 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over
Amano in view of Sugiura and Yuasa.
Reference is made to the final rejection (paper number 9), the briefs (paper numbers 14 and
16) and the answer (paper number 15) for the respective positions of the appellants and the
examiner.
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