Appeal No. 2005-2522 Page 2
Application No. 09/841,453
least one oligomer or polymer reactive with silanol groups on the
silica film. According to appellants (specification, page 4),
their surface modification results in a treated film with
enhanced mechanical strength while achieving desirable dielectric
values. Also, see page 34, Table 7 and numbered lines 9-13 of
the specification. A further understanding of the invention can
be derived from a reading of exemplary claim 20, which is
reproduced below:
20. A nanoporous silica film produced by a process
comprising the steps of reacting a suitable silica film with
a composition comprising a surface modification agent,
wherein said silica film is present on a substrate and
wherein said reaction is conducted under conditions and for
a period of time sufficient for said surface modification
agent to form a hydrophobic coating on said film and said
surface modification agent comprises at least one type of
oligomer or polymer reactive with silanol groups on said
silica film.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the
examiner in rejecting the appealed claims are:
Grainger et al. (Grainger) 5,686,549 Nov. 11, 1997
Burns et al. (Burns) 5,750,610 May 12, 1998
Smirnov et al. (Kotelnikov ) 2,089,499 Sep. 10, 19971
(published Russian Patent Application)
1The examiner and appellants refer to this reference as
Kotelnikov. Our references to Kotelnikov in this decision are to
the English language translation of the published Russian patent
application that is of record.
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007