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 18Page: Previous 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007