Appeal No. 2000-1402
Application No. 08/755,052
substrate 12 nor formed on a substrate that serves as an
isolation area. Appellants point out that the layer below layer
36a does not function as an isolation area and that metal layer
36a is electrically coupled to metal layer 32 formed in that
layer [brief-page 6].
With regard to the metal layer 36a, it clearly is formed on
the surface of the substrate 12. As explained supra, the claim
does not require that the contact layer be formed directly on the
surface. Layer 36a is formed on the surface of substrate 12 via
layers 32, and doped region 10. Further, substrate 12 does,
indeed, serve as “an isolation area,” as broadly claimed, because
of its insulative properties.
Accordingly, having responded to all of appellants’
arguments regarding claim 5, we also will sustain the rejection
of this claim under 35 U.S.C. 102(e) over Stolmeijer.
Finally, we turn to the rejection of claims 3, 7-9 and 13-15
under 35 U.S.C. 103.
It is the examiner’s position that Stolmeijer teaches the
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007