Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chien-Ling Huang

Chin-Hsin Peng

Sunny Wu

Ping-Hsu Chen

Chien-Kuo Lu

Chih-Tien Chang

Jui-Cheng Lo

Chao-Jung Chang

Chung-Hao Tseng

Hsiao-Yi Li

Cheng-Shun Chan

Jiann-Sheng Chang

Hsueh-Chang Wu

Mei-Seng Zhou

A DMHC (dual mode hybrid control) system and method which facilitates enhanced control in the delivery of polishing slurry to a CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) apparatus. The DMHC comprises a linear table and a PID (proportional integrated differential) controller operably connected to a slurry pump provided in a slurry flow conduit which delivers the polishing slurry to the CMP apparatus. A bubble trap and a flowmeter provided in the slurry flow conduit downstream of the slurry pump are operably connected to the PID controller, and the CMP apparatus is located downstream of the flowmeter.

Dual mode hybrid control and method for CMP slurry

An automatic sensing wafer blade for picking up wafers that is equipped with a sensor capable of self-diagnosing potential failure conditions of the blade and a method for using the wafer blade are described. The automatic sensing wafer blade is equipped with a V-shaped seal ring on a top surface, and a sensor of either a limit switch or a capacitance sensor for sensing the presence or absence of a wafer on top of the wafer blade. The automatic sensing wafer blade is further capable of self-diagnosing any potential failure conditions of the function of the wafer blade due to contaminating particles, or contaminating liquid on the wafer surface, or due to an aged or malfunctioning seal ring on top of the wafer blade.

Automatic sensing wafer blade and method for using

A new and improved, multi-phase pressure control valve for facilitating quick and accurate attainment and stabilization of gas pressure inside a semiconductor fabrication process chamber such as an etch chamber or CVD chamber. In one embodiment, the multi-phase pressure control valve is a butterfly-type valve which includes outer and inner vanes that independently control flow of gases from a process chamber to a vacuum pump. The larger-diameter outer vane stabilizes gas pressures within a large range, whereas the inner vane stabilizes pressure within a smaller range. In another embodiment, the multi-phase pressure control valve is a gate-type valve which may include a pivoting outer vane and an inner vane slidably disposed with respect to the outer vane for exposing a central gas flow opening in the outer vane.

Multi-phase pressure control valve for process chamber

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Chien-Ling Huang