Appeal No. 1997-3695
Application No. 08/097,526
50 nm apart in existing multiple layers and form the diodes.
Randall on page 2896, section V. further teaches that
tunneling is present only in the vertical direction in each of
the quantum dot diodes.
We do not agree with the Examiner that Johnson’s sidewall
mask may be combined with the epitaxy mask used in Nishida and
Galeuchet to provide the step of “forming one or more
quantized regions by selective deposition of one or more
epitaxial layers” as recited in Appellants’ claim 1. Johnson
is concerned with etching small features using conventional
lithography systems and uses the sidewall mask to etch the
underlying layer except for a gate portion in the area covered
by the mask. Therefore, Johnson’s use of sidewall mask would
have merely provided for a method of etching small features in
the existing layers in Nishida and Galeuchet and not the
epitaxy mask itself. Additionally, we find that Randall’s
diode pair is separated by
a gap of about 50 nm which does not allow electron tunneling
through the gap as recited in Appellants’ independent claim 2.
In view of the analysis above, we fail to find any reason
or suggestion for combining Nishida and Galeuchet with Johnson
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