Appeal No. 1999-1286
Application No. 08/567,950
A. Findings of fact
The record supports the following findings by at least a preponderance of the
evidence.2
The invention
Appellant’s invention relates to methods of testing integrated circuits on a wafer
and destructively marking any defective circuits by laser-irradiating each circuit to be
destroyed at a plurality of locations. (Specification at 4; claim 1.) According to
Appellant, the claimed methods avoid the problems inherent in marking circuits with ink,
such as large ink-spot size, non-uniform marking and the need for subsequent re-
marking, misidentification and non-destruction of bad circuits, smudges and inadvertent
making and destruction of good circuits, inadvertent marking and contamination of the
supporting platform. (Id. at 2–3.) In particular, Appellant states that by simultaneously
marking and destroying each circuit in a plurality of locations, the circuit is rendered
useless more effectively than destruction at a single location. (Id. at 4, fifth paragraph.)
According to Appellant, the multiple loci of destruction also inhibit fraudulent use of
defective circuits. (Id.)
2 To the extent these findings of fact discuss legal issues, they may be treated as conclusions of law.
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