Appeal 2006-2564
Application 10/259,743
I. APPEALED SUBJECT MATTER
The subject matter on appeal is directed to an integrated circuit wafer
cleaning apparatus. See the Specification, 1. Details of the appealed subject
matter are recited in representative claim 13, which is reproduced below:
13. A wafer cleaning apparatus, comprising:
a tank for holding a chemical bath liquid and at least one integrated
circuit wafer to be cleaned by the liquid;
producing means, located within the tank, for producing a physical
action within the liquid to assist in the cleaning of the at least one wafer; and
a programmable controller, coupled to the producing means, and
programmed to control the producing means to activate the physical action
for a selected duration while the at least one integrated circuit wafer is in the
tank and ceasing the physical action while the at least one wafer is still
present in the liquid.
II. PRIOR ART
As evidence of unpatentability of the claimed subject matter, the
Examiner has relied upon the following references:
Aigo US 5,014,727 May 14, 1991
Stadler US 5,451,267 Sep. 19, 1995
Skrovan US 5,849,091 Dec. 15, 1998
Calio US 6,054,062 Apr. 25, 2000
III. REJECTIONS
The Examiner has rejected the claims on appeal as follows:
1) Claims 13 and 17 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) as anticipated by the
disclosure of Calio;
2) Claims 14 and 15 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over the
combined disclosures of Calio and Stadler; and
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