Appeal No. 2002-1167
Application No. 09/089,445
- col. 5, line 5). “The RTN step causes an increase in the
strength of the rugged polysilicon of first conductive layer 20,
preventing grains of polysilicon from breaking apart during further
processing and causing a short or double bit failure” (col. 5,
lines 6-9).
Zahurak’s disclosure of the benefit of RTN would have fairly
suggested, to one of ordinary skill in the art, RTN of the HSG
polysilicon first conductive layers of Cho and Wu to provide this
benefit, i.e., increased strength of the rugged polysilicon of the
first conductive layer which prevents grains of polysilicon from
breaking apart during further processing and causing a short or
double bit failure. As indicated by figure 2F of Cho and figure 8
of Wu, the RTN dielectric layer would be within the inner side of
the double sided electrode.
The appellants argue that Zahurak strengthens his HSG
polysilicon layer by RTN to prevent grain detachment from a
substrate, whereas the HSG polysilicon layers of Cho and Wu are
attached to an electrode rather than being attached to a substrate
(brief, pages 7 and 9; reply brief, pages 2-4).
Zahurak teaches that “[i]n the context of this document, the
term ‘semiconductor substrate’ is defined to mean any construction
comprising semiconductive material, including but not limited to
5
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