Appeal 2007-2510
Application 10/389,456
1 B. Statement of the Case
2 The dispositive issue on appeal is whether the Examiner's claim
3 interpretation is correct; more precisely, whether the term "in contact with,"
4 in the words of the Examiner, "allows for an intervening layer."
5 Claim 36 and Figures 16 and 17 provide sufficient context to
6 understand the claimed invention and the critical issues in this appeal.
7 Claim 36 reads (indentation and citations to figures added):
8 A method of forming a liner [138] in a trench in a germanium
9 containing layer [114], the method comprising:
10 selectively etching the germanium containing layer [114]
11 to form the trench;
12 providing a semiconductor layer [126] in the trench and
13 in contact with the germanium containing layer [114] in a
14 low temperature process below approximately 600°C;
15 [Fig. 16] and
16 forming an oxide liner [128] from the semiconductor layer, the
17 oxide liner in contact with the germanium containing
18 layer [114]. [Fig. 17]
3
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