Appeal No. 1997-3172
Application 08/045,989
oblique deposition, but, rather, teaches that the shields
collect sputtered particles so as to reduce particulate
contamination of adjacent processing stations. If, when the
Flint apparatus is used, the only particles which have a
direction which is oblique to the substrate are those which
emanate from the outer portion of the sputtering sources and
travel toward the shields, then Flint’s shields may shield
substrates located in adjacent processing stations from
obliquely incident deposition. Flint, however, does not
describe his sputtering sources. Appellants’ figure 27A
indicates that it is possible for a sputtering source to
produce particles which travel obliquely from the central
portion of the target. Flint does not indicate that his
apparatus excludes such a sputtering source. The examiner has
not established that at the time of appellants’ invention, a
sputtering source was available which did not produce
particles which travel obliquely from the central portion of
the target. Even if, however, such a sputtering source were
available, it does not appear that Flint would have led one of
ordinary skill in the art to select it because Flint does not
disclose that oblique deposition is a problem. If a
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