Appeal No. 1996-2702
Application No. 08/093,983
invention since none of the references disclose the claimed step
of “patterning the second photoresist film by photolithography to
form an opening over the gate electrode.”
After careful review of the Taji, Gandhi, and Kameyama
references in light of the arguments of record, we are in
agreement with the Examiner’s position as stated in the Answer.
With regard to Taji, it is our view that, although Taji is silent
about the manner of patterning the deposited metal layer to form
contacts 72 and 74, the skilled artisan would appreciate that, in
order to remove undesired portions of the metal layer to form the
illustrated opening over gate 26 between contacts 72 and 74
(Taji, Figure 1h), the desired resultant contact portions must be
protected from removal. We remain convinced that the skilled
artisan, seeking guidance on implementing the metallization
patterning operation in Taji would be led to the protective
masking techniques in the photolithographic processes disclosed
by Gandhi and Kameyama for all of the reasons articulated by the
Examiner.
With regard to Ghandhi, while the Examiner has made
particular reference to pages 547-48 which describe the process
illustrated in Figure 7, we also find the description at pages
542-46 relating to the illustration in Figure 6 to be
7
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