Appeal No. 2006-3405
Application No. 10/631,858
OPINION
In the rejection of instant claim 1 over Nakamura and Fukaya, the examiner
finds that Nakamura shows (e.g., col. 4, ll. 36-67 and Fig. 1(a)) most aspects of the
invention, but does not “explicitly” show the first electrode surface terminated by
the fluorine atoms. The rejection turns to Fukaya (col. 4, l. 64 - col. 5, l. 2), and
finds that the reference teaches that etching with halogen atoms, such as fluorine,
terminates the material being etched. It would have been obvious, according to the
rejection, to terminate the surface of the first electrode of Nakamura since Fukaya
teaches that etching with halogen atoms, such as fluorine, terminates the material
being etched. (Answer at 3-4.)
Appellants argue that while Fukaya discloses an electrode exposed to
fluorine, Fukaya fails to teach or suggest that the electrode contains at least one
element selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ir, Pd, and Ru that is terminated
by fluorine. We find that Fukaya teaches, in the section relied upon in the
rejection, termination of dangling bonds by halogen atoms such as fluorine
remaining on the surface of “a-Si photoconductive layer” during plasma etching.
We do not find a response to appellants’ argument in the Answer.
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