# US 11,309,178 B2 · Treatment systems with repositionable nozzle useful in the manufacture of microelectronic devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,309,178 B2 - Document ID: US11309178B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/677,016 - Filed: 2019-11-07 - Published: 2020-05-21 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-15 - Assignees: Tel Manufacturing and Engineering of America, Inc. - Applicants: Tel Manufacturing and Engineering of America, Inc. - Inventors: Kevin L. Siefering - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309178B2 ## CPC - H10P 70/00: Cleaning of wafers, substrates or parts of devices - B08B 3/02: Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays - H10P 72/0414: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/3306: {Horizontal transfer of a single workpiece} - H10P 72/7604: {the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support} - H10P 72/7618: {characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel} - B05B 15/68: Arrangements for adjusting the position of spray heads (B05B15/628, B05B15/652, B05B15/656 take precedence) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - 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) ## Abstract The invention provides treatment systems useful to treat microelectronic workpieces with one or more treatment fluids dispensed onto a workpieces from one or more nozzle assemblies. The nozzle assemblies are easily moveable and positionable to change distance and/or angle of nozzle orientation relative to the substrates being treated. The nozzle assemblies are easily and quickly adjustable on demand. Adjustment may be manual or automated. The present invention is based at least in part upon coupling the nozzle directly or indirectly to a flexible bellows. As the bellows is flexed up or down or tilted, etc., the nozzle is moved in a corresponding manner. For example, the nozzle outlet can be moved closer or further away from the surface of the substrate being processed. The angle of the nozzle assembly, and hence the angle of the spray dispensed from the nozzle, with respect to the substrate can also be altered if desired. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for treating a microelectronic substrate with at least one treatment fluid, said system comprising: a) a housing enclosing a sealed chamber, wherein the housing includes an egress in an upper wall; b) a chuck comprising a substrate holding portion in the sealed chamber, wherein the microelectronic substrate is positioned on the substrate holding portion during a process treatment; c) a flexible and/or resizable enclosure coupled to the sealed chamber and mounted onto the housing over the egress, said flexible and/or resizable enclosure comprising a flexible bellows coupled to a moveable and positionable support member in a manner such that actuation of the flexible bellows moves the moveable and positionable support member; d) a moveable and positionable nozzle assembly coupled to the support member in a manner effective to allow the nozzle assembly to be moved and positioned relative to the substrate holding portion in response to movement and positioning of the moveable and positionable support member in response to actuation of the flexible bellows, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises at least one inlet to receive at least one fluid from at least one fluid supply and at least one outlet to introduce at least one fluid into the sealed chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the substrate holding portion is translatable while holding the microelectronic substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the substrate holding portion is rotatable while holding the microelectronic substrate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible and/or resizable enclosure further includes a base plate coupled to the flexible bellows, and wherein the base plate is coupled to a housing that encloses at least a portion of the sealed chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the base plate includes an aperture that provides open communication between an interior of the flexible and/or re-sizeable enclosure and the rest of the sealed chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the flexible bellows couples the base plate to the moveable and positionable support member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein at least one tie rod interconnects the base plate and the moveable and/or positionable support member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein at least one tie rod threadably engages the base plate in a manner such that rotation of the at least one tie rod moves the moveable and/or positionable support member relative to the substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein a hinged gimbal mechanism interconnects the base plate and the moveable and/or positionable support member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible bellows is a formed metal bellows. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible bellows is a welded metal bellows. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible bellows is configured to allow a distance between a nozzle tip of the nozzle assembly and an upper surface of the microelectronic substrate to be adjusted in at least a range from 1 mm to 150 mm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible bellows is configured to allow a distance between a nozzle tip of the nozzle assembly and an upper surface of the microelectronic substrate to be adjusted in at least a range from 2 mm to 50 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible bellows is configured to allow the moveable and positionable support member to be tilted with respect to an upper surface of the substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible bellows is configured to allow the moveable and positionable support member to be raised and/or lowered with respect to an upper surface of the substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a pressurized and cooled fluid or fluid admixture is supplied to the inlet of the nozzle assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the pressurized and cooled fluid as supplied to the nozzle assembly is at a temperature in the range from 70 K to 150 K. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the pressurized and cooled fluid as supplied to the nozzle assembly is at a pressure in the range from 10 psig to 100 psig. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the pressurized and cooled fluid comprises nitrogen and/or argon. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the pressurized and cooled fluid comprises one or more of He, H2, Xe, CO2, Ne, Kr, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the pressurized and cooled fluid comprises He and CO2. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the pressurized and cooled fluid comprises H2 and CO2. ### Claim 23 A system for treating a microelectronic substrate with at least one treatment fluid, said system comprising: a) a sealed chamber; b) a chuck comprising a substrate holding portion in the sealed chamber, wherein the microelectronic substrate is positioned on the substrate holding portion during a process treatment; c) a flexible and/or resizable enclosure coupled to the sealed chamber, said flexible and/or resizable enclosure comprising a flexible bellows coupled to a moveable and positionable support member in a manner such that actuation of the flexible bellows moves the moveable and positionable support member, wherein at least one tie rod supports the moveable and positionable support member; and d) a moveable and positionable nozzle assembly coupled to the support member in a manner effective to allow the nozzle assembly to be moved and positioned relative to the substrate holding portion in response to movement and positioning of the moveable and positionable support member in response to actuation of the flexible bellows, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises at least one inlet to receive at least one fluid from at least one fluid supply and at least one outlet to introduce at least one fluid into the sealed chamber.