Appeal No. 2006-1193 12
Application No. 09/961,036
palladium, platinum, chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten [instant
specification, page 4, lines 21-23, cont’d page 5, lines 1-3, emphasis
added]. Therefore, we agree with the examiner that Agarwala discloses the
use of refractory metals (as defined by appellants), in both non-wettable
layer 22 and wettable layer 26. See Agarwala at col. 4, lines 3-11:
The non-wettable layer 22 may be, for example, chromium (Cr),
titanium (Ti), Zirconium (Zr), molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), or
any other metal or alloy which will adhere to the surface of the
supporting substrate 20 or semiconductor chip (not shown). The
wettable layer 26 may be, for example, copper (Cu), cobalt (Co),
nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), or any other metal or alloy
which is wettable by molten solder. Phased layer 24 is a transition
layer between non-wettable layer 22 and wettable layer 26 and is
comprised of a phased combination of the two metals making up the
layers 22 and 26.
For example, we note that Agarwala’s disclosure explicitly supports the
use of chromium in non-wettable layer 22 and platinum in wettable layer 26
[see col. 4, lines 3-11]. We further note that both chromium and platinum
are listed as examples of refractory metals within the instant specification
[instant specification, page 4, lines 21-23, cont’d page 5, lines 1-3].
Therefore, we agree with the examiner that Agarwala teaches the use of two
refractory metals in phased metal layer 24, noting that Agarwala explicitly
discloses: “[p]hased layer 24 is a transition layer between not-wettable layer
22 and wettable layer 26 and is comprised of a phased combination of the
two metals making up the layers 22 and 26” [col. 4, lines 11-14, emphasis
added].
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