Appeal No. 1998-2761
Application No. 08/586,587
expansion of the aluminum layer of the metal line. The
invention is further illustrated by the following claim.
1. An improved integrated circuit structure wherein at
least an aluminum layer portion of metal lines is
inhibited from lateral distortion which comprises:
a) an integrated circuit structure having a surface
formed of an insulation material;
b) one or more metal lines comprising an aluminum
layer portion formed over said surface of said
insulation material; and
c) silicon nitride metal line sidewall retention
structures formed on the sidewalls of said metal
lines to inhibiting [sic] lateral distortion of said
aluminum layer portion of said metal lines.
The references relied on by the Examiner are:
Jones, Jr. (Jones) 4,980,752 Dec. 25, 1990
Lin 5,498,555 Mar. 12,
1996
(Filed on Nov. 7, 1994)
Nishioka et al. (Nishioka) 5,605,858 Feb. 25, 1997
(Filed on Jun. 7, 1995)
Claims 1, 9 and 11 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103
over Jones, Lin and Nishioka.
Reference is made to Appellants’ briefs and the 2
Examiner's answer for their respective positions.
2There was a reply brief, paper no. 14 which is considered
in making this decision.
3
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