# US 9,873,132 B2 · Digital processing equipment

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- Number: US 9,873,132 B2
- Document ID: US9873132B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/730,404
- Filed: 2015-06-04
- Published: 2016-12-08
- Granted: 2018-01-23
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-04
- Assignees: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
- Applicants: LENOVO Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
- Inventors: John Dangler; Brian L. Carlson; Roger Krabbenhoft; Kevin A. Splittstoesser; Jeffrey A. Taylor
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9873132B2

## CPC

- B05B 12/122: {responsive to presence or shape of target (B05B12/124 takes precedence)}
- B05B 12/04: for sequential operation or multiple outlets
- B05B 12/1409: {the selection means being part of the discharge apparatus, e.g. part of the spray gun}
- B05B 14/00: Arrangements for collecting, re-using or eliminating excess spraying material (arrangements integral with nozzles B05B1/28)
- B05C 11/1036: {Means for supplying a selected one of a plurality of liquids or other fluent materials, or several in selected proportions, to the applying apparatus}
- H10P 72/0424: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles}
- H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring}
- H10P 72/0606: {Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection}
- H10P 72/3314: {Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers}
- B05B 13/0221: {characterised by the means for moving or conveying the objects or other work, e.g. conveyor belts (B05B13/0207 takes precedence; conveyors in general B65G)}
- 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)
- B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An apparatus includes a spray module with at least one column of spray nozzles. Each spray nozzle is configured to deliver a processing substance on a semiconductor substrate during a process for semiconductor manufacturing as the semiconductor substrate moves past the spray module. The at least one column of spray nozzles is arranged with respect to a direction of travel of the semiconductor substrate so the semiconductor substrate passes the spray nozzles. A location module identifies a location of the semiconductor substrate with respect to the spray module. A spray pattern module determines a spray pattern of where a processing substance is to be delivered to the semiconductor substrate and a nozzle control module actuates each spray nozzle independently based on the spray pattern and a location of the semiconductor identified by the location module.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a spray module comprising at least one column of spray nozzles, each spray nozzle comprising an aperture coupled to a plurality of feeds, each of the plurality of feeds supplying a different one of a plurality of processing substances to the aperture of the spray nozzle, each spray nozzle to deliver a processing substance of the plurality of processing substances through the aperture on a semiconductor substrate during a process for semiconductor manufacturing as the semiconductor substrate moves past the spray module, wherein the at least one column of spray nozzles is arranged with respect to a direction of travel of the semiconductor substrate so the semiconductor substrate passes the spray nozzles;
a location module that identifies a location of the semiconductor substrate with respect to the spray module;
a spray pattern module that determines a spray pattern of where the processing substance is to be delivered to the semiconductor substrate; and
a nozzle control module configured to actuate each spray nozzle independently based on the spray pattern and a location of the semiconductor identified by the location module and configured to select the processing substance to be delivered to the semiconductor substrate by activating a feed of the plurality of feeds.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle control module selectively turns on and off each spray nozzle in response to the location of the semiconductor substrate passing under the spray module.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spray module is to deliver multiple processing substances of the plurality of processing substances to the semiconductor substrate, each processing substance having a processing substance type and the spray pattern module further comprising a substance module that determines a type and amount of processing substance to be delivered to a particular location on the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each spray nozzle is to deliver one of the plurality of processing substances to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the nozzle control module adjusts a spray nozzle based on the determined processing substance type and turns the spray nozzle on and off based on the amount of processing substance to be delivered to the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each spray nozzle is to deliver one of the plurality of processing substances for a first part of a pass of the semiconductor substrate and to switch to another of the plurality of processing substances for a second part of the pass.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of processing substances comprises an etching substance, a masking substance, a deposit substance, a curing substance, a rinse, a cleaner, and a vacuum.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spray module comprises a plurality of columns of spray nozzles, wherein the nozzle control module controls each spray nozzle in a column of spray nozzles independently, wherein a spray nozzle of one column of spray nozzles is capable of simultaneously delivering a combination processing substances to the semiconductor substrate by activating a combination of the plurality of feeds coupled to the single aperture of the spray nozzle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein one column of spray nozzles is to spray the processing substance and another column of spray nozzles is configured to deliver a vacuum to the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each column of spray nozzles is to spray a different processing substance from the plurality of processing substance types onto the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a substance module that determines an amount of processing substance to be applied to the semiconductor substrate at a particular location on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the nozzle control module turns on an amount of columns of spray nozzles to deliver the determined amount of processing substance to the particular location.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle control module controls each spray nozzle independently such that one spray nozzle of the column of spray nozzles positioned over the semiconductor substrate is capable of delivering the processing substance while an adjacent spray nozzle of the column of spray nozzles positioned over the semiconductor substrate is one of:
off; and
delivering a different process substance.