Appeal No. 2000-1642
Application No. 08/104,264
Our findings with respect to the disclosures of LeComber, Madan, and
Matsumura, and the conclusions we draw therefrom, are unchanged from our opinion in
the earlier appeal. The pertinent part of our earlier opinion is reproduced below.
The abstract of LeComber discusses the characteristics of an
insulated-gate field-effect transistor made from amorphous silicon. The
description of the structure shown in Figure 1, at pages 179 and 180 of
LeComber, is limited to discussion of an IGFET. We find no suggestion
that the silicon nitride film used in the IGFET is also recommended, or
even suitable, for a device having the type of junctions in the Matsumura
device.
We agree with appellants that the teaching of LeComber would not
have been considered by the artisan as applicable to the type of device
disclosed by Matsumura, and thus would not have suggested modification
of the device... [T]he references disclose different structures, and
LeComber does not discuss the reference’s teachings as applied to other
environments. Nor has the examiner supplied evidence (i.e., explanatory
or supporting references) in support of the assertion, or provided a
convincing rationale as to why LeComber, taken with Matsumura, would
have rendered obvious the proposed modification.
....
We find...that the description of Figures 1(a) and 1(b), on pages
241 and 242 of Madan, refers to “field electrode” F and to A1, A2 as
“surface electrodes for current measurement.” Absent additional evidence
or a convincing rationale from the examiner as to why the disclosure of
Madan would be applicable to the structures disclosed by Matsumura,
including the source and drain regions with the associated boundaries, we
agree with appellants that the teachings of Madan would not have been
seen as applicable to a thin film transistor device as disclosed by
Matsumura.
Even if, as the rejection implies, Madan’s disclosure of quartz and
silicon nitride may have suggested the interchangeability of silicon dioxide
and silicon nitride, any suggestion of interchangeability would not
necessarily go beyond the specific application disclosed by Madan.
Madan compares quartz and silicon nitride to thin soda glass used in
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