Appeal No. 2000-1587
Application 09/055,254
does not provide for partially etching back of the SOG having
an etching rate lower than that of the oxide and subsequently
curing the remaining SOG. Rather, the low and high
temperature bake of the SOG is performed immediately after it
is spun for removing the solvents.
Therefore, we find that Wolf 1 and Wolf 2 neither
overcome the deficiencies discussed above with respect to
Zheng nor provide any teachings or suggestions to
realistically modify Zheng. We also note that Lur pertains to
forming trench isolation and specifically teaches the
formation of the hard mask by subsequently forming an oxide
layer and a nitride layer (col. 3, lines 32-37). Perera, on
the other hand forms trench isolation by etching a two-layer
oxide layer that fills the trench to leave a trench plug
reaching a level above the substrate surface (col. 3, lines
20-22 & 44-47) that is later removed by chemical-mechanical
polishing (CMP). Thus, Lur and Perera provide no teaching or
suggestion to overcome the deficiencies of Zheng related to
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