Appeal No. 1998-0856
Application 08/486,022
agree with appellant that the aforementioned rejections are not well founded. Accordingly, we reverse
these rejections.
The Schlar Reference
Schlar describes a thermoelectric infrared detector which contains p-n junctions of a thermopile
which are located on a thin layer of unsupported silicon dioxide. (Abstract and col. 4, lines 6-7). The
silicon dioxide layer spans an opening which extends through a silicon semiconductor substrate.
(Abstract and col. 3, line 50 to col. 4, line 5). The conduction of heat between the detecting p-n
junction and the reference junctions is limited by the thin insulating layer of silicon dioxide which joins
the detecting p-n junctions to the substrate under the reference junctions. (Abstract). Additionally, a
second insulating layer of silicon dioxide is deposited over the thermocouple line elements and a black
IR absorbing layer which defines the detector area is then deposited on the second insulating layer.
(Col. 4, lines 44-48). In particular, a thin oxide is formed over the thermopile on which a black
absorbing layer is deposited on and patterned to provide selective IR absorption over the hot area of
the detector. (Col. 5, lines 48-51).
The LaBaw Reference
LaBaw describes a spectral imaging system having an integrated filter and photodetector array.
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