# US 10,864,533 B2 · Integrated circuit, system for and method of forming an integrated circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,533 B2 - Document ID: US10864533B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/904,903 - Filed: 2018-02-26 - Published: 2018-12-27 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-27 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Channing Chan; Chun-Chih Lin; Kuo-Shu Tseng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864533B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/0404: {for general liquid treatment, e.g. etching followed by cleaning} - B05B 1/30: designed to control volume of flow, e.g. with adjustable passages {(B05B11/0094 takes precedence)} - B05B 13/0431: {with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces} - B08B 3/024: {Cleaning by means of spray elements moving over the surface to be cleaned} - B08B 3/08: the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect - H10P 72/0414: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles} - H10P 72/0424: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles} - B08B 3/10: with additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned, e.g. by heat, by electricity or by vibration - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract A nozzle assembly for use in liquid-dispensing system, the nozzle assembly including: a body configured to receive a pipe; and the pipe, an end of the pipe being mounted on the body. The pipe includes multiple lumens correspondingly terminated in multiple orifices such that a liquid is escapable from each lumen through the corresponding orifice and is thereby dispensable from the nozzle assembly. The pipe has a first flow-capacity to supply a first volume of the liquid at a first flow-rate and at a first pressure. Each orifice and corresponding lumen has a second flow-capacity to supply a second volume of the liquid at a second flow-rate and at a second pressure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nozzle assembly for use in liquid-dispensing system, the nozzle assembly comprising: a pipe having lumens; and a body configured to receive the pipe such that an end of the pipe is mounted on the body; the pipe having a first long axis and a first cross-sectional area orthogonal to the first long axis of the pipe, wherein each of the lumens has a second cross-sectional area and a shape of each second cross-sectional area of each lumen includes a substantially planar portion and wherein the lumens are correspondingly terminated in orifices such that a liquid is escapable from each lumen through the corresponding orifice and is thereby dispensable from the nozzle assembly; the pipe having a first flow-capacity to supply a first volume of the liquid at a first flow-rate and at a first pressure; each orifice and corresponding lumen having a second flow-capacity to supply a second volume of the liquid at a second flow-rate and at a second pressure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein: the nozzle assembly is mounted to a movable arm; and the second cross-sectional area of each lumen is sized such that, for a circumstance in which the liquid has a given chemical composition, flow of the liquid has been stopped, and the pipe is being subjected to movement by the movable arm, the second cross-sectional area of each of the lumens produces a corresponding surface tension of the liquid which is sufficient to substantially prevent drippage of liquid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein: the pipe includes a first portion having a first length, a manifolding portion and a second portion that includes the lumens and has a second length; and the manifolding portion being disposed between the first portion and the second portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The nozzle assembly of claim 3, wherein the lumens are greater than two. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The nozzle assembly of claim 3, wherein: the pipe is of unitary construction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The nozzle assembly of claim 3, wherein: each lumen has a second long axis orthogonal to the second cross-sectional area; and the shape of each second cross-sectional area of each lumen is a half-circle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein: a shape of the first cross-sectional area of the pipe is a bisected circle. ### Claim 8 A system for dispensing a liquid, the system comprising: a movable arm; and a nozzle assembly mounted on the movable arm, the nozzle assembly being configured to dispense a liquid; a pipe for the liquid, wherein the pipe has lumens; and a body configured to receive the pipe; and wherein: the pipe has a first long axis and a first cross-sectional area orthogonal to the first long axis of the pipe, wherein each lumen has a second cross-sectional area and a shape of each second cross-sectional area of each lumen is a substantially planar portion and wherein the lumens are correspondingly terminated in orifices such that the liquid is escapable from each lumen through the corresponding orifice and is thereby dispensable; the nozzle assembly has a first flow-capacity to supply a first volume of the liquid at a first flow-rate and at a first pressure; and each orifice and corresponding lumen has a second flow-capacity to supply a second volume of the liquid at a second flow-rate and at a second pressure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: the second cross-sectional area of each lumen is sized such that, for a circumstance in which the liquid has a given chemical composition, flow of the liquid has been stopped, and the pipe is being subjected to movement by the movable arm, the second cross-sectional area of each of the lumens produces a corresponding surface tension of the liquid which is sufficient to substantially prevent drippage of liquid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: a surface tension of the liquid is at least in part a function of a chemical composition of the liquid; and the second cross-sectional area of each lumen is determined according to the chemical composition of the liquid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising: a source of the liquid; and wherein: the pipe is directly fluidically connected to the nozzle assembly and at least indirectly fluidically connected to the source of the liquid; and the lumens of the pipe are included in a multi-lumen portion which terminates in a multi-lumen end, the multi-lumen end of the pipe including the orifices of the nozzle assembly; and the pipe further includes: a single-lumen portion including a single lumen terminating in a single-lumen end; and a manifolding portion fluidically connecting the multi-lumen end to the single-lumen end. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the pipe is of unitary construction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the pipe is a conduit assembly; the single-lumen portion is a discrete element of the conduit assembly; the multi-lumen portion and the manifolding portion are of unitary construction representing a manifold; and the manifold is a discrete element of the conduit assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the multi-lumen portion includes a shape of the first cross-sectional area of the pipe that forms the lumens. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: each lumen has a second long axis orthogonal to the second cross-section area; and the shape of each second cross-sectional area of each lumen is a half-circle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: a shape of the first cross-sectional area of the pipe is a bisected circle. ### Claim 17 A nozzle assembly comprising: a body mounted on a movable arm; and a pipe having lumens, an end of the pipe being mounted on the body, the pipe having a first long axis and a first cross-sectional area orthogonal to the first long axis of the pipe, wherein each lumen defines a second cross-sectional area and a shape of each second cross-sectional area of each lumen includes a substantially planar portion and wherein the lumens are correspondingly terminated in orifices such that a liquid is escapable from each lumen through the corresponding orifice and is thereby dispensable from the nozzle assembly; wherein, for a circumstance in which the liquid has a given chemical composition, flow of the liquid has been stopped, and the pipe is being subjected to movement by the movable arm, the second cross-sectional area of each of the lumens produces a corresponding surface tension of the liquid which is sufficient to substantially prevent drippage of liquid from the orifices. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The nozzle assembly of claim 17, wherein: the pipe is formed of an extrudable material so as to be of unitary construction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The nozzle assembly of claim 17, wherein the pipe includes: a first portion having a first length, a manifolding portion and a second portion having the lumens and having a second length; and the manifolding portion being disposed between the first portion and the second portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The nozzle assembly of claim 17, wherein: each lumen has a second long axis orthogonal to the second cross-sectional area; and at least one of the following is true: a first circumstance in which the shape of each second cross-sectional area of each lumen is a half-circle; or a second circumstance in which a shape of the first cross-sectional area of the pipe is a bisected circle.