Appeal No. 95-3936
Application 08/135,324
other "ambients". Nothing save the ability of the "ambient"
or media to prevent neutralization of the photoacids is
described. There are no working examples in the
specification. Nevertheless, the nature of the neutralization
and the mechanism by which appellants prevent or inhibit
neutralization is not described. We recognize that an
applicant for patent need not understand or even know how the
claimed invention functions. But, in this scenario, we find
understanding the mechanism of how nitrogen, a gas present in
approximately 80 volume percent in ambient air, or water, a
liquid, each function to inhibit neutralization would have
presented the ordinarily skilled person a starting point for
selecting other candidates for preventing neutralization.
Moreover, appellants state in their specification
that they are preventing neutralization of the photoacids
caused by some undisclosed, undescribed agent or agents in the
ambient atmosphere of a "clean" room after generation of
photoacids in the resist but before the post etching baking.
Appellants have conceded in their brief that the routineer
would be left to a trial and error technique in order to find
other "ambients" capable of preventing neutralization of the
photoacids. Additionally, there is no disclosure in the
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