Appeal No. 95-5142
Application 08/078,917
magnetic spin alignment in the antiferromagnetic film (col. 5,
lines 46-54). Figure 2 shows an embodiment of such a
structure which includes a plurality of ferromagnetic/
antiferromagnetic layer pairs (10,11), (13, 22), (24, 25), and
27, 28) separated by nonmagnetic layers 9, 12, 23, and 26
(col. 10, lines 11-54).
In the final Office action (at 3), the examiner relies on
Figure 2 of Hempstead as follows with respect to
claim 1:"Hempstead et al[.] (US 4,103,315) disclose an
exchange layer 28 which contacts a soft adjacent layer 27 and
is on the opposite side of the soft layer from the spacer
layer 26." With respect to the particular material and
thickness limitations appearing in the dependent claims, the
examiner notes (at 3) that in Hempstead "[t]he exchange layer
is iron manganese and has a thickness of about 150-350
Angstroms; see Figure 5 and column 5, lines 48-57. Hempstead
et al[.] teach an exchange layer which comprises nickel oxide
and an exchange layer comprising cobalt oxide; see column 4,
lines 20-28." As motivation for modifying the prior art
device in view of Hempstead in a way that satisfies claim 1,
the examiner argued that
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