Appeal No. 2002-1025 Page 7
Application No. 09/454,354
through a conduit onto the planarizing surface to heat the surface, such that “[t]he
temperature of the planarizing liquid 244 is regulated to heat the waste matter
accumulations 264 on the planarizing surface 242 to the point at which they soften
and/or become more soluble in the planarizing liquid 244" so that the waste is more
easily removed (column 9, lines 7-23). Brunelli also discloses that instead of slurry, “de-
ionized water, which does not contain expensive abrasive or chemical additives, may be
used during conditioning, resulting in additional cost savings” (column 7, lines 60-67).
Based on the foregoing, it is our opinion that one of ordinary skill in the art would
have been taught by Brunelli that planarizing solutions, or de-ioninzed water as a
substitute therefor, can be heated in a vessel and directed through a conduit onto the
abrasive planarizing pads during the process of conditioning the pads, in order to soften
the waste accumulation so it is more easily removed during the conditioning process.
This being the case, the subject matter recited in claim 17 is taught by Brunelli and we
shall affirm the examiner’s rejection of claim 17,1 as well as claim 18, which depends
from claim 17 and has been grouped therewith.
Claim 19 adds to claim 17 the requirement that there be a controller for
maintaining the water at a temperature of about 95° to about 100°C. Brunelli does not
explicitly disclose heating the solution to a temperature within this range, but the
1With regard to claim 17, anticipation is the epitome of obviousness. In re Fracalossi, 681 F.2d
792, 794, 215 USPQ 569, 571 (CCPA 1982).
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