Appeal No. 1998-0970
Application 07/995,325
oxide layer by a low temperature process (Br7). It is argued
that Allman is concerned with preparing a substrate surface
for deposition of a silicon nitride layer, whose purpose is to
mask active regions during the growth of silicon dioxide
dielectric to separate the active regions, not to serve as a
source of an impurity component (Br8). Thus, the purpose of
Allman is said to be so totally different that one skilled in
the art would have found no suggestion in Allman to modify the
steps in Tsunashima (Br8). It is argued that the references
do not relate to efforts to solve a common problem, and
therefore the selection of a step from one reference and the
conclusion that it could be employed in the method of another
reference is based on hindsight (Br10).
The Examiner states it is not necessary for Allman to
disclose removing the native oxide for the same purpose as
Applicants (EA4). Otherwise, the Examiner does not respond to
Appellants' arguments.
In our opinion, it would have been obvious to one of
ordinary skill in the art to use other known native oxide
removal processes in the art, such as those disclosed in
either Nickl or Allman, in place of the disclosed removal
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