Appeal No. 1999-1466
Application No. 08/371,486
Matsumura et al. (Matsumura), a-Si FET IC integrated on a glass substrate (partial
translation), National Convention Record, The Institute of Electronics and Communication
Engineers of Japan, p. 2-287 (Mar. 1980).
Claims 101-135 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over
Matsumura, Weitzel, Ovshinsky, LeComber, and Madan.
We refer to the Final Rejection (Paper No. 63) and the Examiner's Answer (Paper
No. 66) for a statement of the examiner's position and to the Brief (Paper No. 65) and the
Reply Brief (Paper No. 67) for appellants’ position with respect to the claims which stand
rejected.
OPINION
According to the Answer, pages 3 and 4, Matsumura “shows the basic thin film
transistor structure” that is claimed. However, the examiner relies upon additional
references to show obviousness of the claimed subject matter as a whole. Matsumura is
recognized as disclosing an SiO film as a gate insulator. The rejection turns to LeComber
2
(Figure 1) and Madan (Figure 1(b)) for suggestion of substituting a silicon nitride gate film
for the silicon dioxide film disclosed by Matsumura.
Appellants contend that there is no suggestion in LeComber for the substitution that
is contemplated by the rejection. Appellants add, on pages 8 and 12-13 of the Brief, that
the LeComber device utilizes a Schottky junction, “that is, a semiconductor-oxide-metal
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