Appeal No. 1998-0036 Page 5
Application No. 08/431,203
Sartor describes a process of subjecting a polymeric substrate to glow treatment before
vacuum metallizing a metal layer onto the polymeric substrate (col. 1, lines 6-10). We note that glow
treatment is a process of bombarding with plasma. Sartor specifically describes a step of degassing the
substrate before plasma treatment to remove once absorbed water from the polymer or plastic. Sartor
states at col. 4, lines 1-11:
This degassing treatment removes once absorbed water from the composite plastic
member. More significantly this degassing process removes more volatile components
which are present in small quantities either already in the resin or in the setting agent, or
which are present in the composite due to an incomplete reaction between resin and
setting agent. The above-described degassing treatment assures that these annoying
components which could be present under vapor-deposition conditions, are removed
from the composite plastic substance beforehand.
The degassing is performed for several hours under a vacuum of 0.0001 to 0.000001 millibar (0.075 to
0.00075 mTorr) and a temperature which is above room temperature and between the curing
temperature and 20/C below the curing temperature of the polymer.
Ho is also directed to forming vacuum metallized coatings on organic substrates. Like Swisher,
Ho exemplifies the formation of polyimide-copper laminates. Ho recognizes that placing a polyimide
film within an ultra high vacuum chamber and heating results in desorbing water present in the polyimide
film (col. 7, lines 39-42).
Appellants’ specification indicates that it was known that polyimide absorbs about 3-4% by
weight of water (specification, page 3, lines 49-50). Together, the references suggest that those of
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