Ex parte PATEL - Page 6




          Appeal No. 96-0471                                                           
          Application 07/995,582                                                       

          Dr. Blanchard's explanation agrees with our own independent                  
          analysis of the specification.  The specification, as filed,                 
          discloses a modification to the structure of figure 1 wherein                
          the buffer region is added underneath the P+ base region.  The               
          examiner's response (EA8-10) is that the portions of the                     
          specification relied on by Dr. Blanchard can be interpreted in               
          such a way that the lightly doped buffer region extends up the               
          sidewall and the P+ region extends to the buffer region.                     
               While we understand the examiner's argument, we consider                
          the interpretation strained.  For example, page 4 of the                     
          specification states:  "The primary, or metallurgical junction               
          is moved away from the surface dielectric into the bulk                      
          silicon by adding a lightly doped layer adjacent to the deep                 
          trench."  We agree with Dr. Blanchard that this would be                     
          interpreted to mean that "[a] new P-doped region is added                    
          adjacent to the P+ doped region already present" (Blanchard                  
          declaration, para. 6i).  That is, a metallurgical PN junction                
          exists at the sidewall, such as shown in figure 1, to which a                
          lightly doped region is added to move the metallurgical                      
          junction away from the sidewall.  Accordingly, we find written               
          description support for the limitations that "the base region                

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