Appeal 2006-2671
Application 09/508,572
MacNaughton’s Fig. 2 also illustrate this structure. The portion of the
conductive metal layers in opening 14 are disclosed in each reference to be
continuous.
We are not convinced by Appellants’ contentions, with respect to
claims 7 and 14, that the structures illustrated in each of Merchant’s Figs.
3 and 4 and of MacNaughton’s Figs. 2 and 3 are merely intermediates in a
manufacturing process, and that openings 14 thereof would not
accommodate components of a micro hybrid integrated circuit. We
determine that one of ordinary skill in this art would have recognized that
the structures illustrated in each of the figures have a portion of opening 14
filled with a conductive metal layer which can function as contacts or vias
for semiconductor integrated circuit devices, and would have used the
structures for this purpose. Thus, this person would have recognized that the
partially filled opening 14 in the illustrated structures can function as a
contact accommodating connect wire 8 components of a micro hybrid
integrated circuit.
With respect to claim 10, we disagree with Appellants’ contention one
of ordinary skill in the art would have been led away from the claimed layer
thickness range of the metallic skin layer depression by the problem of
unevenness in the conductive metal layer in vias and contacts known in the
art as acknowledged by Merchant and MacNaughton. Indeed, Appellants do
not identify any disclosure in either reference rebutting the Examiner’s
contention that unevenness is not a problem in the continuous conductive
metal layers formed in opening 14 of the illustrated structures by the
methods disclosed in the references.
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