Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Jeng-Ding Tseng

Chi-Wei Chang

Hsueh-Chin Lu

Philip Jan Lin

Tain-Jenn Hu

An apparatus and a method for calibrating the position of a cassette indexer in a semiconductor process machine are described. The apparatus is constructed by a base plate, a top plate and at least two support members rigidly attaching the top plate to the base plate in a parallel relationship. On the bottom side of the top plate, is mounted at least two spaced-apart rows of distance sensors each having at least five sensors capable of sensing a distance in the cavity of the calibration apparatus. After a wafer blade is extended into the cavity of the apparatus, a sensor in the front row and a sensor in the back row can be used to sense a front-to-back tilt of the wafer blade, while two adjacent sensors in the same row can be used to sense a side-to-side tilt of the wafer blade. The signals from the distance sensors are then sent to a processor for calculating the front-to-back and side-to-side levelness of the wafer blade such that a levelness of the cassette indexer can be determined and adjusted, if necessary.

Apparatus and method for calibrating the position of a cassette indexer

A modified air activated pressure valve is described, together with a method for its manufacture, that has a pressure sensitive switch located in the inlet chamber and in the outlet chamber. These pressure sensitive switches are preset by the user to output a finite voltage (typically about 5 volts) only when they are exposed to a pressure that exceeeds some value. The outputs of both switches may then be displayed, as needed. Additionally, a display circuit is provided that gives an output signal only when both the inlet and the outlet chambers are at or above their intended pressures.

Check device for air activated pressure valve

A heat pedestal is described for use in a physical vapor deposition/chemical vapor deposition system in which cooling gas, cooling water and heated gas are used to bring a semiconductor wafer to the desired low or high temperature. Use of the apparatus and method described leads to a very rapid transition from one temperature to another. Also achieved is a precise temperature control over a wide range yielding increased flexibility of process control.

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Hsin-Chu, Taiwan

Jeng-Ding Tseng