Appeal No. 2002-0465
Application No. 09/432,610 Page 2
holes only in the surface atomic layer of the graphite sheet at
the growth points and enlarging the holes in a radial direction
by heating to form the selected pattern. An understanding of the
invention can be derived from a reading of exemplary claim 28,
which is reproduced below.
28. A method of patterning a surface atomic layer of a
graphite sheet, comprising the steps of:
selecting a pattern to be formed in a surface atomic layer
of a graphite sheet;
determining growth points in the selected pattern that will
expand to form the selected pattern;
forming generally circular holes at the growth points only
in the surface atomic layer; and
radially enlarging the holes in the surface atomic layer by
heating the surface atomic layer until the selected pattern is
formed.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the
examiner in rejecting the appealed claims are:
Hoffman 5,271,917 Dec. 21, 1993
Jones, “C-Axis Microcone Formation In Nuclear Graphites Due To
Graphite Removal By Impurity-Inhibited Electronically-Excited
Oxidation Reactions,” Carbon, Vol. 8, pp. 681-83 (1970).
Brown, “The Equilateral Nature Of The Hexagonal Etch Pit
Developed During Carbon Oxidation,” Carbon, Vol. 25, No. 5,
pp. 617-19 (1987).
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