Ex parte DAO - Page 9




          Appeal No. 95-3017                                                          
          Application 07/952,061                                                      


          This feature argued by the examiner is a stated feature in the              
          abstract of the invention of Smith as well as one developed at              
          columns 1 and 2 of Smith.                                                   
               There are, however, more compelling reasons for the combin-            
          ability of the references maintained within both references in a            
          complementary manner.  The alternative embodiments heading at               
          the bottom of column 7 of Pease indicates its appropriateness to            
          masking utilizing masks appropriate to X-ray methodologies as               
          well as to the optical-light methodologies which are the basis              
          of the principal disclosure in Pease.  In a complementary sense,            
          Smith’s teachings focus upon X-ray lithographic replication                 
          approaches in most of the figures and columns.  However, Figure             
          7 and the discussion beginning at column 5 to the end of this               
          patent focus upon optical and ultraviolet radiation approaches.             
          Note the discussion beginning at column 5, line 56 of Smith.                
          Thus, it is clear to us that the artisan would have considered              
          the teachings of Smith as applicable as an obvious enhancement              
          to those of Pease and vice-versa.                                           
               This combinability was necessary by the examiner to reach              
          the phase-shifting feature at the end of independent claim 7 on             
          appeal.  Clearly, both embodiments of Smith teach that phase-               
          shifting is a normal part of the lithographic mask fabrication              

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