Texas Instruments Corporation

Keith W Melcher

Richard L Guldi

Michael Louis Hayden

John P Williston

Chris D Atkinson

Jeffrey Allen Hanson

Robert Mark Reynolds

Patricia Ann Constandine

Basab Chatterjee

Robin D Worley

Systems and methods and resulting compositions of matter including silicon solids from a mixture of silicon and water. The mixture is collected at a collection stage from at least one wafer abrasion process performed on a silicon surface having an impurity concentration &#x2266;0.1 ppb and extracting one portion of the water from the mixture using at least one dryer stage to form a dry cake. The dry cake includes at least 99.99% silicon by weight excluding water and non-silicon species, where a concentration of water in the dry cake is between 0.05% and 1% by weight, and where a concentration of non-silicon species in the dry cake is between 0.05% and 1% by weight.

System and method for production of high purity silicon solids and solids therefrom

The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a method () of manufacturing a semiconductor device. A conventionally formed reticle is positioned over a resist located on a substrate (). A radiation path through the reticle and a window assembly located between a radiation source and resist (), is considered. It is determined whether or not the radiation would expose a predefined blocking area of the resist within the exposure zone (). If the radiation would expose a blocking area, then the window assembly is configured to prevent radiation from exposing the blocking area in the exposure zone (). Other embodiments include a window assembly () and system () to facilitate manufacturing of the semiconductor device according to the method ().

Adjustable lithography blocking device and method

A photolithography system includes a photolithography toolthat includes a stage upon which a semiconductor wafer is mounted. The tool is operable to move the stage to automatically focus a pre-determined image on a surface of the semiconductor wafer. The tool is further operable to log movements of the stage. The system also includes an automation host computeroperable to poll the photolithography toolto obtain data reflecting the logged movements of the stage. The automation host computeris further operable to analyze the data and compare the data to pre-determined error conditions. The host computer also takes a pre-determined action, including sending an electronic mail message to the personal computersof relevant line personnel, in the event the data meets the pre-determined error conditions.

Error reduction in semiconductor processes

The marking of identification and orientation information along the edge (E) of a semiconductor wafer ( ) is disclosed. The information may be marked by way of laser marking at one or more locations ( ) along a flat portion ( ) or bevel ( ) of the edge (E) of the wafer ( ). The wafer marking ( ) may be encoded, for example by way of a 2-D bar code. A system ( ) for reading the identification information from wafers ( ) in a carrier ( ) is also disclosed. The system ( ) includes a sensor ( ) for sensing reflected light from the wafer markings ( ) along the wafer edge (E), and for decoding identification and orientation therefrom. A motor ( ), under the control of feedback (RFB) from the sensor ( ), rotates the wafers ( ) by way of a roller ( ) until the wafer marking ( ) is in view by the sensor ( ). A processing system ( ), which includes a rotatable chuck ( ) upon which the wafer ( ) is placed, is also disclosed. The processing system ( ) also includes a sensor ( ) for sensing identification and orientation information from the wafer edge (E), and a process control computer ( ) that receives signals corresponding to the identification information, for purposes of manufacturing data logging and process control.

Semiconductor wafer edge marking

A photolithography system includes a photolithography tool that includes a stage upon which a semiconductor wafer is mounted. The tool is operable to move the stage to automatically focus a pre-determined image on a surface of the semiconductor wafer. The tool is further operable to log movements of the stage. The system also includes an automation host computer operable to poll the photolithography tool to obtain data reflecting the logged movements of the stage. The automation host computer is further operable to analyze the data and compare the data to pre-determined error conditions. The host computer also takes a pre-determined action, including sending an electronic mail message to the personal computers of relevant line personnel, in the event the data meets the pre-determined error conditions.

The marking of identification and orientation information along the edge (E) of a semiconductor wafer ( ) is disclosed. The information may be marked by way of laser marking at one or more locations ( ) along a flat portion ( ) or bevel ( ) of the edge (E) of the wafer ( ). The wafer marking ( ) may be encoded, for example by way of a 2-D bar code. A system ( ) for reading the identification information from wafers ( ) in a carrier ( ) is also disclosed. The system ( ) includes a sensor ( ) for sensing reflected light from the wafer markings ( ) along the wafer edge (E), and for decoding identification and orientation therefrom. A motor ( ), under the control of feedback (RFB) from the sensor ( ), rotates the wafers ( ) by way of a roller ( ) until the wafer marking ( ) is in view by the sensor ( ). A processing system ( ), which includes a rotatable chuck ( ) upon which the wafer ( ) is placed, is also disclosed. The processing system ( ) also includes a sensor ( ) for sensing identification and orientation information from the wafer edge (E), and a process control computer ( ) that receive signals corresponding to the identification information, for purposes of manufacturing data logging and process control.

A method of detecting object scratching during robotic arm movement of the object. The method includes providing a robotic arm for grasping and placing of an object into a cassette and providing a cassette having an entrance for receiving an object therein. A vibration sensor is placed on at least one of the robotic arm or under the cassette control of the robotic arm is provided in response to a malfunction indication at least one of the vibration sensors. There can further be provided an air flow across the entrance of the cassette with placement of a particle counter at the downstream end of the air flow across cassette entrance, wherein the control of said robotic arm is provided in response to a malfunction indication at least one of the vibration sensors and the particle counter. The control can also be provided in response to both of the vibration sensors or one or both of the vibration sensors and the particle counter. The control can be one or more of making a record of the malfunction, providing an alarm signal or terminating operation of the arm. The object is preferably some form of disc or disc-shaped object.

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McKinney, TX, United States of America

Keith W Melcher