Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Heng-Jen Lee

Chin-Hsiang Lin

I-Hsiung Huang

Heng-Hsin Liu

Ho-Yung David Hwang

Wen-Zhan Zhou

Jui-Chun Peng

Ching-Yu Chang

Cheng-Han Wu

Hua-Tai Lin

Chih-Ming Ke

Yung-Cheng Chen

Shih-Che Wang

Yu-Chen Huang

Hsu-Yuan Liu

Chih-Wei Lin

Burn Jeng Lin

Chih-Chiang Tu

Hsien-Cheng Wang

Chun-Jen Chen

Tsung-Chih Chien

Tzung-Chen Wu

Rick Lai

Hung-Jui Kuo

Tsai-Sheng Gau

Yung-Yao Lee

Chi-Yuan Shih

Kuei Shun Chen

Sheng-Chi Chin

Yen-Liang Chen

Yao-Ching Ku

Kai-Hsiung Chen

Ko-Bin Kao

Li-Kong Turn

Bang-Chein Ho

Yu-Fu Lin

Ying Ying Wang

Tung-Li Wu

Po-Chang Huang

Jiann Yuan Huang

Chen-Ming Wang

Sophia Wang

Yu-Mei Liu

Chi-Lin Lu

Anderson Chang

Kai-Hsiung Cheng

A method of supplying a chemical solution to a photolithography system. The chemical solution is pumped from a variable-volume buffer tank. The pumped chemical solution is dispensed in a spin-coater. The variable-volume buffer tank is refilled by emptying a storage container filled with the chemical solution into the variable-volume buffer tank.

System and method for supplying and dispensing bubble-free photolithography chemical solutions

A method includes supporting a wafer on a heating element, wherein the heating element is located in a baking chamber. The method further includes heating the wafer for a first duration using the heating element. The method further includes measuring a temperature of the heating element and a temperature of the wafer during the first duration to obtain temperature information. The method further includes adjusting an amount of heat provided by the heating element during the first duration, wherein the adjusting of the amount of heat includes decreasing the amount of heat provided by the heating element as a rate of change of the temperature information versus time increases.

Adaptive baking method

A photolithography system includes a variable-volume buffer tank, a dispensing system connected to the buffer tank, and a valve configured to release gas from a head space of the buffer tank while blocking the release of liquid from the head space. A storage container has an opening at the bottom and drains to the buffer tank through that opening. The buffer tank has a storage capacity sufficient to receive the full contents of the storage container. The system supplies chemical solutions to the dispensing system while keeping the chemical solutions from contact with air and other gases.

A method for controlling semiconductor production through use of a Focus Exposure Matrix (FEM) model includes taking measurements of characteristics of a two-dimensional mark formed onto a substrate, the two-dimensional mark including two different patterns along two different cut-lines, and comparing the measurements with a FEM model to determine focus and exposure conditions used to form the two-dimensional mark. The FEM model was created using measurements taken of corresponding two-dimensional marks formed onto a substrate under varying focus and exposure conditions.

Two-dimensional marks

An adaptive baking system includes a baking chamber configured to receive a wafer, and a heating element configured to support the wafer. The adaptive baking system further includes a controller configured to receive temperature information related to the heating element and the wafer, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust an amount of heat provided by the heating element during a baking process in response to the temperature information.

Adaptive baking system and method of using the same

A method for controlling semiconductor production through use of a hybrid Focus Exposure Matrix (FEM) model includes taking measurements of a set of structures formed onto a substrate. The method further includes using a FEM model to determine focus and exposure conditions used to form the structure The model was created through use of measurements of structures formed on a substrate under varying focus and exposure conditions, the measurements being taken using both an optical measurement tool and a scanning electron microscope.

Hybrid focus-exposure matrix

The present disclosure provides for many different embodiments. An exemplary method can include providing a mask fabricated according to a design pattern; extracting a mask pattern from the mask; converting the mask pattern into a rendered mask pattern, wherein the simulated design pattern includes the design pattern and any defects in the mask; simulating a lithography process using the rendered mask pattern to create a virtual wafer pattern; and determining whether any defects in the mask are critical based on the virtual wafer pattern. The critical defects in the mask can be repaired.

Lithographic plane check for mask processing

An apparatus includes a wafer stage configured to secure a wafer; and a cleaning module including a tank adjacent to the wafer stage, and is positioned outside the region occupied by the wafer. The cleaning module is configured to receive de-ionized (DI) water into the tank and extract the DI water out of the tank. The tank is configured to hold DI water with a top surface of the DI water substantially level with a top surface of the wafer.

In-situ immersion hood cleaning

A method including bonding a process wafer having integrated circuits and a carrier wafer having at least one alignment mark to form a wafer assembly. The method further includes aligning the wafer assembly using the at least one alignment mark of the carrier wafer.

Method of making wafer assembly

The present disclosure relates to a lithographic tool arrangement for semiconductor workpiece processing. The lithographic tool arrangement groups lithographic tools into clusters, and selectively transfers a semiconductor workpiece between a plurality of lithographic tools of a first type in a first cluster to a plurality of lithographic tools of a second type in a second cluster. The selective transfer is achieved though a transfer assembly, which is coupled to a defect scan tool that identifies defects generated in the lithographic tool of the first type. The disclosed lithographic tool arrangement also utilizes shared structural elements such as a housing assembly, and shared functional elements such as gases and chemicals. The lithographic tool arrangement may consist of baking, coating, exposure, and development units configured to provide a modularization of these various components in order to optimize throughput and efficiency for a given lithographic fabrication process.

Litho cluster and modulization to enhance productivity

A wafer assembly includes a process wafer and a carrier wafer. Integrated circuits are formed on the process wafer. The carrier wafer is bonded to the process wafer. The carrier wafer has at least one alignment mark.

Wafer assembly with carrier wafer

A wafer chuck is cleaned using a cleaning cap to remove processing residue and particulate matter. The cleaning cap is configured to overlie and align with the wafer chuck and includes a base and a first roller connected to the base and having wound therearound a cleaning cloth. The cleaning cap further includes a second roller connected to the base and having attached thereto a free end of the cleaning cloth. During use, the cleaning cloth winds upon the second roller from the first roller when the second roller rotates about its axis. The cleaning cap can be positioned relative the wafer chuck by way of a manipulator to ensure the cleaning cloth contacts the wafer chuck with sufficient force. The cleaning cloth rubs the wafer chuck with both translational motion and rotational motion.

System and method for cleaning a wafer chuck

A method and system to improve scanner throughput is provided. An image from a reticle is projected onto a substrate using a continuous linear scanning procedure in which an entire column of die or cells of die is scanned continuously, i.e. without stepping to a different location. Each scan includes translating a substrate with respect to a fixed beam. While the substrate is translated, the reticle is also translated. When a first die or cell of die is projected onto the substrate, the reticle translates along a direction opposite the scan direction and as the scan continues along the same direction, the reticle then translates in the opposite direction of the substrate thereby forming an inverted pattern on the next die or cell. The time associated with exposing the substrate is minimized as the stepping operation only occurs after a complete column of cells is scanned.

Enhanced scanner throughput system and method

Growing community of inventors

Baoshan, China

Heng-Jen Lee