Appeal No. 1997-3514 Page 2
Application No. 08/303,566
THE INVENTION
According to Appellants, the invention relates to a process of depositing amorphous silicon
onto a glass substrate by plasma chemical vapor deposition (plasma CVD) (specification, page 1, lines
5-9). The process is conducted at specific pressures and temperatures in a variable spacing CVD
reactor. Appellants indicate that the use of those pressures and temperatures in the specified reactor
results in deposition rates of about 500-3000 angstroms per minute, rates which are said to be an order
of magnitude higher than prior art processes (specification, page 9, lines 2-8). Claim 1 is illustrative of
the process on appeal:1
1. A plasma chemical vapor deposition process comprising depositing an amorphous
silicon layer from a precursor gas mixture of silane and hydrogen onto a glass substrate at a
temperature in a range of about 270-350 C and a pressure of at least about 0.8 torr in ao
vacuum chamber while maintaining a spacing between the gas inlet mainfold and the substrate
so that the silicon deposition rate is optimized.
THE EVIDENCE
As evidence of unpatentability, the Examiner relies upon the following prior art
references:
1We note that claim 1 was incorrectly reproduced in the Appendix to the Brief. Therefore, we
reproduce the claim as set forth in the Response under 37 CFR § 1.115 filed, according to the
certification of mailing, on May 6, 1996 (Paper No. 31) as further amended by the Response under 37
CFR § 1.116 filed, according to the certificate of mailing, on October 9, 1996 (Paper No. 34) entered
as per the Advisory Action mailed November 4, 1996 (Paper No. 35).
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