Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Agricultural Technology Research Institute

Hung-Chih Wang

Yuan-Hsin Chi

Sheng-Yuan Lin

Hon-Lin Huang

Yin-Tun Chou

Yu-Chi Liu

Chih-Wei Chou

Yao-Hsiang Liang

Chia-Wei Lu

Yao Hsiang Liang

Ming-Sze Chen

Chih-Ming Wang

Shih-Chi Lin

Su-Yu Yeh

Jiunn-Horng Lin

Jyh-Perng Wang

Zeng-Weng Chen

Chi-Yu Chou

Kuei-Pin Lee

Yu-Ting Tsai

Shih-Ling Hsuan

Chen-Kuang Lien

Hong-Ming Lo

Wen-Zheng Huang

Hsin-Kai Chen

Chen-Bin Chiang

Wei-Rong Chen

Shao-Shuo Wu

A wafer storage elevator and method for detecting wafer position shift. The elevator includes a first storage elevator sidewall, a second storage elevator sidewall, and a storage seat positioned between the first and second storage elevator sidewalls. A first mirror block is coupled to a front side of the storage seat having a mirror positioned on a top surface of the block, and a second mirror block is coupled to the front side of the storage seat having a mirror that is positioned on the top surface of the second mirror block. The mirror of the first mirror block reflects a laser beam from an emission sensor to the second mirror block, and the mirror of the second mirror block reflects the laser beam from the mirror of the first mirror block to a receive sensor. A wafer misalignment is determined based upon an output of the receive sensor.

Wafer shift detection

A system and method for cleaning a preclean process chamber in between wafer processing. The internal pressure of the preclean process chamber is reduced to a first pressure and a first gas that consists of oxygen and an inert or noble gas, is introduced into the chamber. Plasma is generated within the preclean process chamber using the first gas at the first pressure. Internal pressure is then reduced to a second pressure, less than the first, and the first gas is continued into the chamber. Plasma is then generated using the first gas at the second pressure. Thereafter, a second gas, consisting of an oxygen-free inert or noble gas, is introduced into the chamber at the second pressure, following which plasma is generated within the chamber using only the second gas.

System and method for cleaning a pre-clean process chamber

A clamp ring including an inner periphery of increased diameter at locations where inwardly extending tabs are not located reduces the risk a workpiece that is placed in close proximity to the clamp ring or which contacts the clamp ring during processing will stick to the clamp ring.

Clamp ring and method of using clamp ring

A connect structure for semiconductor processing equipment includes a housing configured to mate a deformable pipe with a non-deformable pipe. The housing includes a first annular sidewall to receive the deformable pipe and a second annular sidewall defining a first thread structure. An annular bead is connected to the first annular sidewall to flexibly deform the deformable pipe toward the non-deformable pipe structure when the first thread structure rotatably engages a second thread structure of the non-deformable pipe.

Connect structure for semiconductor processing equipment

A deposition tool includes a power cable pedestal including a pedestal body with a first surface and a second surface and a guide hole that extends through the pedestal body from the first surface to the second surface, where at least a portion of a sidewall of the guide hole has a slanted surface, and where the pedestal body is formed from a first material with a melting point that is higher than a melting point of Polyoxymethylene (POM). The deposition tool includes a bushing arranged over the guide hole, where the bushing is formed from a second material with a melting point that is higher than the melting point of POM.

Power alarm and fire loading risk reduction for a deposition tool

A wafer pod transfer assembly includes a wafer pod port to receive a wafer pod, a transfer axle coupled to the wafer pod port, a shaft receiver, a shaft coupled to the transfer axle and to the shaft receiver, a pin through the shaft receiver and through the shaft, wherein the pin comprises a first end and a second end, opposite the first end, and a pin buckle including a first loop and a second loop. The pin buckle is coupled to the pin, the first loop encircles the first end of the pin, and the second loop encircles the second end of the pin.

Wafer pod transfer assembly

A semiconductor processing station includes first and second chambers, and a cooling stage. The second chamber includes a cooling pipe disposed inside the second chamber, and an external pipe. The cooling pipe includes a first segment disposed along a sidewall of the second chamber, and a second segment disposed perpendicular to the first segment and located above a wafer carrier in the second chamber. An end of the second segment is connected to an end of the first segment. The external pipe is connected to the second segment distal from the end of the second segment to provide a fluid to flow through the cooling pipe from an exterior to an interior of the second chamber. The fluid discharges toward the wafer carrier through the first segment. The first chamber is surrounded by the second chamber and the cooling stage, and communicates between the cooling stage and the second chamber.

Semiconductor processing station

A shuttle vector is provided which can be manipulated in various kinds of host cells, thereby providing a novel tool for the field of genetic engineering. Also provided are a prokaryotic host cell and a kit including said shuttle vector, so as to construct expression vectors which contain the target gene using the shuttle vector, thereby producing proteins in various host cells with one single vector.

Shuttle vector, prokaryotic host cells, kit, and method for producing proteins

A semiconductor processing station including a central transfer chamber, a load lock chamber disposed adjacent to the central transfer chamber, and a cooling stage disposed adjacent to the load lock chamber and the central transfer chamber is provided. The load lock chamber is adapted to contain a wafer carrier including a plurality of wafers. The central transfer chamber communicates between the cooling stage and the load lock chamber to transfer a wafer of the plurality of wafers between the cooling stage and the load lock chamber.

A chamber includes a sidewall, a cooling pipe, and an external pipe. The cooling pipe includes a first segment extending along the sidewall of the chamber, and includes multiple purge nozzles. The external pipe extends to inside the chamber and is connected to the first segment of the cooling pipe. A semiconductor processing station includes a central transfer chamber, a load lock chamber, and a cooling stage. The load lock chamber and the cooling stage are disposed adjacent to the central transfer chamber. The load lock chamber is adapted to contain a wafer carrier having multiple wafers. The central transfer chamber communicates between the cooling stage and the load lock chamber to transfer a wafer between the cooling stage and the load lock chamber. A semiconductor process using the semiconductor processing station is also provided.

Chamber, semiconductor processing station, and semiconductor process using the same

A connective structure for bonding semiconductor devices and methods for forming the same are provided. The bonding structure includes an alpad structure, i.e., a thick aluminum-containing connective pad, and a substructure beneath the aluminum-containing pad that includes at least a pre-metal layer and a barrier layer. The pre-metal layer is a dense material layer and includes a density greater than the barrier layer and is a low surface roughness film. The high density pre-metal layer prevents plasma damage from producing charges in underlying dielectric materials or destroying subjacent semiconductor devices.

Semiconductor device with advanced pad structure resistant to plasma damage and metnod for forming same

Semiconductor device with advanced pad structure resistant to plasma damage and method for forming the same

A semiconductor baking apparatus includes a load lock chamber, a process chamber, a transfer chamber, a first interior door, and a controller. The process chamber has a first accommodating space therein. The transfer chamber has a second accommodating space therein, and the transfer chamber is connected to the load lock chamber and the process chamber. The first interior door is between the process chamber and the transfer chamber. When the first interior door is opened, the first accommodating space is communicated with the second accommodating space. The controller is programmed to open the first interior door when the semiconductor baking apparatus idles.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Hung-Chih Wang