Appeal No.2003-2001
Application No. 09/345,173
1. A method comprising etching a poly-silicon layer
during fabrication of an integrated circuit following
a first hydrofluoric acid (HF) dip to remove surface
oxides from the poly-silicon layer, an anisotropic
descumming operation to remove resist material left
over from a patterning operation on the poly-silicon
layer and a long anisotropic breakthrough etch.
In addition to alleged admitted prior art, the references of
record relied upon by the examiner in rejecting the appealed
claims are:
Chen 5,308,400 May 03, 1994
Cher et al. (Cher) 5,453,156 Sep. 26, 1995
Vogel et al. (Vogel) 5,631,178 May 20, 1997
Chung et al. (Chung) 5,930,650 Jul. 27, 1999
(filed Aug. 01, 1997)
Claims 1-11 and 13-16 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. §
103(a) as being unpatentable over Chung in view of Cher. Claims
2-5 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable
over Chung in view of Cher and Chen. Claims 8, 13-16, 19, 20 and
22 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable
over Chung in view of Cher and alleged admitted prior art in
appellants’ specification. Claims 12 and 21 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Chung in view of
Cher and Vogel.
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