Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Che-Fu Chen

Yan-Hong Liu

Kai-Chin Wei

Chien-Chih Wu

Daniel M Y Yang

Bo-Ru Chen

Hung-Wen Chen

Li-Shi Liu

Ming-Feng Chen

Yan-hong Liu

A workstation includes: a processing chamber configured to process a workpiece; a load port configured to interface with an environment external to the workstation; a robotic arm configured to transfer the workpiece between the load port and the processing chamber; and a defect sensor configured to detect a defect along a surface of the workpiece when transferred between the load port and the processing chamber.

Systems and methods for inspection stations

In an embodiment, a system includes: a gas distributor assembly configured to dispense gas into a chamber; and a chuck assembly configured to secure a wafer within the chamber, wherein at least one of the gas distributor assembly and the chuck assembly includes: a first portion comprising a convex protrusion, and a second portion comprising a concave opening, wherein the convex protrusion is configured to engage the concave opening.

Screwless semiconductor processing chambers

A semiconductor process system includes a semiconductor process chamber having an interior volume. A pump extracts gases from the semiconductor process chamber via an outlet channel communicably coupled to the semiconductor process chamber. The system includes a plurality of fluid nozzles configured to prevent the backflow of particles from the outlet channel to interior volume by generating a fluid barrier within the outlet channel responsive to the pump ceasing to function.

Semiconductor process chamber contamination prevention system

In an embodiment, a workstation includes: a processing chamber configured to process a workpiece; a load port configured to interface with an environment external to the workstation; a robotic arm configured to transfer the workpiece between the load port and the processing chamber; and a defect sensor configured to detect a defect along a surface of the workpiece when transferred between the load port and the processing chamber.

A semiconductor processing system processes semiconductor wafers in a process chamber. The process chamber includes semiconductor process equipment for performing semiconductor processes within the chamber. The process chamber includes a heat pipe integrated with one or more components of the process chamber. The heat pipe effectively transfers heat from within the chamber to an exterior of the chamber.

Semiconductor process chamber with heat pipe

In an embodiment, a system includes: an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation fiducial on a bevel of a wafer; a pedestal configured to rotate the wafer to allow the orientation sensor to detect the orientation fiducial and place the orientation fiducial at a predetermined orientation position; and a defect sensor configured to detect a wafer defect along a surface of the wafer while rotated by the pedestal.

Systems and methods for orientator based wafer defect sensing

Disclosed is a gas injector for a semiconductor processing system comprising a tube, and at least one nozzle head mounted on a downstream end of the tube wherein the at least one nozzle allows a fluid communication to discharge a gas from a upstream end of the tube through the at least one nozzle of the gas injector to ambient atmosphere surrounding the downstream end of the tube, wherein the at least one nozzle comprises: a body, and at least one adaptor comprising a plurality of flow regulation components to alter a flow direction of the gas at the downstream end, wherein the plurality of flow regulation components are each constructed and arranged such that a film buildup on inner surfaces of the gas injector is reduced.

Gas injector

In an embodiment, a system includes: an airlock; a first semiconductor processing chamber, a second semiconductor processing chamber; and a transfer module configured to move a sensor into and out of the first semiconductor processing chamber and the second semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the sensor is configured to: collect sensor data characterizing the first semiconductor processing chamber when within the first semiconductor processing chamber; and collect sensor data characterizing the second semiconductor processing chamber when within the second semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the transfer module, the first semiconductor processing chamber, and the second semiconductor processing chamber are within a controlled internal atmosphere on a first side of the airlock and separated by the airlock from an uncontrolled external atmosphere on a second side of the airlock.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Che-Fu Chen