Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Hsu-Shui Liu

Jiun-Rong Pai

Shou-Wen Kuo

Yang-Ann Chu

Sheng-Hsiang Chuang

Tsung-Sheng Kuo

Cheng-Kang Hu

Chien-Fa Lee

Chien-Ko Liao

Feng-Kuang Wu

Sing-Tsung Li

Yi-Fam Shiu

Yeh-Chieh Wang

Chih-Kuo Chang

Chih-Hung Huang

Hsuan Lee

Cheng-Lung Wu

Cheng-Hung Chen

Ya Hsun Hsueh

Yan-Han Chen

Chi-Ming Yang

Tsiao-Chen Wu

Wu-An Weng

Chia-Han Lin

Ren-Hau Wu

Guan-Wei Huang

Chieh-Chun Lin

Alan Yang

Surendra Kumar Soni

Gary Tsai

Shine Chen

Ethan Yu

Ming-Chi Tsai

Kuo-Yi Liu

Becky Liao

Vic Huang

Boris Huang

Ya-Hsun Hsueh

Chun-Wen Cheng

Shang-Ying Tsai

Kuei-Sung Chang

Yung-Yao Lee

Jui-Chun Peng

Chih-Chang Hsieh

Tien-Chen Hu

Chih-Ping Chen

Pin-Yi Hsin

Hsiang-Yin Shen

Li-Jen Ko

Chao-Keng Li

Mao-Lin Kao

Wun-Kai Tsai

Yung-Kai Lin

Sung-Chun Yang

Wei-Ting Hsiao

Eason Chen

Wen-Che Liang

Pei-Nung Chen

Kai Lo

Chin-Lin Chou

Zheng-Jie Xu

Jiao-Rou Liao

M C Lin

Jian-Hung Cheng

C C Chien

Patrick Lin

Cheng-Yi Huang

Han-Wen Liao

Chun-Jung Huang

Yung-Lin Hsu

Kuang-Huan Hsu

Chih-Shen Yang

Chang-Chen Tsao

Chien-Hsiang Chen

Jian-Hung Chen

Chung-Chieh Hsu

Chia-Liang Chueh

Ting-Yau Shiu

Chung-Hsin Chien

Yu-Yao Huang

Wen-Chin Kan

Cheng-Lung Lee

Kuang-Chung Liou

Chung-chieh Hsu

Chian-kun Chan

Chian-Kun Chan

Hsiao-Wei Chen

Cheng-Fei Yu

Fu-Zen Lin

Ya-Chieh Wen

Yin Yuan Chen

Meng-Chen Lin

Bo-Han Shih

In certain embodiments, a system includes: an inspection station configured to receive a die vessel, wherein the inspection station is configured to inspect the die vessel for defects; a desiccant station configured to receive the die vessel from the inspection station, wherein the desiccant station is configured to add a desiccant to the die vessel; a bundle station configured to receive the die vessel from the desiccant station, wherein the bundle station is configured to combine the die vessel with another die vessel as a die bundle; and a bagging station configured to receive the die bundle from the bundle station, wherein the bagging station is configured to dispose the die bundle in a die bag and to heat seal the die bag with the die bundle inside.

Integrated semiconductor die parceling platforms

The present disclosure relates to a method of programming an EFEM. The method includes placing an automatic teaching element within an EFEM chamber at a first time. The automatic teaching element is operated at a second time to measure one or more parameters corresponding to an initial position of an EFEM robot within the EFEM chamber. The automatic teaching element is removed from the EFEM chamber at a third time and then placed within the EFEM chamber at a fourth time. The automatic teaching element is operated at a fifth time to determine positional parameters describing a difference between the initial position and a new position of the EFEM robot. A second plurality of steps are determined based upon the positional parameters. The EFEM robot is configured to move along the second plurality of steps that extend along a path between first and second positions.

EFEM robot auto teaching methodology

A method of removing a particle from a pellicle includes moving a nozzle over a surface of a membrane of the pellicle to a location of the particle. A droplet of a liquid material is dispensed from the nozzle to cover the particle on the surface of the membrane. A contact of the droplet with the nozzle is monitored and maintained. The droplet carrying the particle is horizontally dragged along the surface of the membrane toward an edge thereof by the nozzle using the surface tension of the droplet. The droplet carrying the particle is sucked off from the edge of the membrane by a vacuum pump, thereby automatically and safely removing the particle without damaging the pellicle.

Method and system of removing particles from pellicle

An apparatus for inspecting wafer carriers is disclosed. In one example, the apparatus includes: a housing; a load port; a robot arm inside the housing; and a processor. The load port is configured to load a wafer carrier into the housing. The robot arm is configured to move a first camera connected to the robot arm. The first camera is configured to capture a plurality of images of the wafer carrier. The processor is configured to process the plurality of images to inspect the wafer carrier.

Apparatus and method for inspecting wafer carriers

A lithography method to pattern a first semiconductor wafer is disclosed. An optical mask is positioned over the first semiconductor wafer. A first region of the first semiconductor wafer is patterned by directing light from a light source through transparent regions of the optical mask. A second region of the first semiconductor wafer is patterned by directing energy from an energy source to the second region, wherein the patterning of the second region comprises direct-beam writing.

Semiconductor lithography system and/or method

A load port receives a wafer carrier. An equipment front end module (EFEM) transfers semiconductor wafers to and from the wafer carrier via an access opening of a housing of the EFEM, and also transfers wafers to and from a semiconductor processing or characterization tool. A gas flow device disposed inside the housing of the EFEM is connected to receive a low humidity gas having relative humidity of 10% or less, and is positioned to flow the received low humidity gas across the access opening. A saturated pressure layer of the gas flow device has a permeability for the low humidity gas that increases with increasing distance from a gas inlet edge of the saturated pressure layer, for example due to holes of varying diameter and/or density passing through the saturated pressure layer. A filter layer of the gas flow device uniformizes the gas exiting the saturated pressure layer.

Humidity control device for equipment front end module of semiconductor processing or characterization tool

A cooling controller receives, from one or more sensors, wafer information associated with a wafer. The cooling controller determines a pattern mask area for the wafer based on the wafer information. The cooling controller determines a cooling time for the wafer based on the pattern mask area. The cooling controller causes a cooling plate to cool the wafer for a time duration equal to the cooling time. Determining the cooling time for a wafer based on a pattern mask area provides stable and consistent wafer temperatures for wafers having different mask and layout properties, which reduces mask overlay variation and increases wafer yield.

Semiconductor wafer cooling

Disclosed is a vacuum chuck and a method for securing a warped semiconductor substrate during a semiconductor manufacturing process so as to improve its flatness during a semiconductor manufacturing process. For example, a semiconductor manufacturing system includes: a vacuum chuck configured to hold a substrate, wherein the vacuum chuck comprises, a plurality of vacuum grooves located on a top surface of the vacuum chuck, wherein the top surface is configured to face the substrate; and a plurality of flexible seal rings disposed on the vacuum chuck and extending outwardly from the top surface, wherein the plurality of flexible seal rings are configured to directly contact a bottom surface of the substrate and in adjacent to the plurality of vacuum grooves so as to form a vacuum seal between the substrate and the vacuum chuck, and wherein each of the plurality of flexible seal rings has a zigzag cross section.

Vacuum wafer chuck for manufacturing semiconductor devices

An apparatus for handling semiconductor part carriers includes: a mechanical arm and an imaging system coupled to the mechanical arm, wherein the mechanical arm is configured for holding a semiconductor part carrier, and the imaging system is configured for automatically locating a goal position on a surface onto which the semiconductor part carrier is to be placed.

Apparatus and methods for handling semiconductor part carriers

A system and method for cleaning ring frames is disclosed. In one embodiment, a ring frame processing system includes: a plurality of blades for mechanically removing tapes and tape residues from surfaces of a ring frame; a plurality of wheel brushes for conditioning the surfaces of the ring frame; and a transport mechanism for transporting the ring frame.

System and method for ring frame cleaning and inspection

In an embodiment a system includes: an automated vehicle configured to traverse a first predetermined path; and a sensor system located on the automated vehicle, the sensor system configured to detect a vertical obstacle along the first predetermined path along one or two floorboards ahead of the automated vehicle, wherein the automated vehicle is configured to traverse a second predetermined path in response to detecting the vertical obstacle.

Systems and methods for raised floor automated sensor vehicles

A system comprises a front opening universal pod (FOUP) configured to hold one or more semiconductor wafers and a load dock having a stage and a receiving portion extending above the stage. The FOUP is positioned on the stage. A fan filter unit (FFU) positioned above the load dock. An air flow optimizer device is disposed on the receiving portion and under the FFU. The air flow optimizer device has an inlet opening and an outlet opening and a channel extends between the inlet opening and the outlet opening.

Systems and methods for air flow optimization in environment for semiconductor device

In certain embodiments, a workstation includes: a cleaning station configured to clean a die vessel, wherein the die vessel is configured to secure a semiconductor die; an inspection station configured to inspect the die vessel after cleaning to determine whether the die vessel is identified as passing inspection; and a conveyor configured to move the die vessel between the cleaning station and the inspection station.

Integrated semiconductor die vessel processing workstations

A fabrication system for fabricating IC is provided. A processing tool includes at least one electrode and a RF sensor. The electrode is configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal from an RF signal generator during first and second semiconductor manufacturing processes. The RF sensor wirelessly detects intensity of the RF signal. A computation device extracts statistical characteristics with a sampling rate based on the detected intensity of the RF signal. A fault detection and classification (FDC) system includes a processor. The processor is configured to determine whether or not the detected intensity of the RF signal exceeds a threshold value or a threshold range according to the extracted statistical characteristics. When the detected intensity of the RF signal exceeds the threshold value or the threshold range, the processor notifies the processing tool to adjust the RF signal or stop tool to check parts damage.

Arcing protection method, processing tool and fabrication system

The present disclosure relates to an equipment front end module (EFEM) teaching element. The EFEM teaching element includes a memory element configured to store data describing an initial position of an EFEM robot within an EFEM chamber. A position measurement device is configured to take measurements describing a new position of the EFEM robot within the EFEM chamber that is different than the initial position of the EFEM robot. A controller is configured to determine a set of new movement commands describing a path of the EFEM robot based upon the data describing the initial position of the EFEM robot and the measurements.

Growing community of inventors

Pingjhen, Taiwan

Hsu-Shui Liu