Appeal No. 1997-3635
Application No. 08/498,357
performing different steps of processing. Therefore, we find
that Japan '414 is generally concerned with preventing
unwanted surface oxidation which eliminates the need for
additional cleaning steps. However, we do not find any
teachings or suggestions to prevent exposure of a
metallization layer to oxygen, and in particular, in-situ
deposition of a silicon layer over a metal layer.
We do not find any reason or suggestion to combine Yu and
Japan '414 to form the silicon overlayer without exposing the
barrier metallization layer to oxygen as recited in
Appellant’s claim 1. Although Japan '414 teaches process
steps that prevent surface oxidation, Yu is silent with regard
to the need for protecting the metallization layer from oxygen
during the formation of amorphous silicon layer. Therefore,
we do not agree with the Examiner that one of ordinary skill
in the art would have combined Japan '414 teachings to avoid
exposure of the metallization layer to oxygen.
We do not find that the Examiner has provided sufficient
reason to combine Yu and Japan '414 to form the silicon layer
without oxidizing the metal layer and substantially reducing
its resistivity. We note that the other independent claim
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