Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Shih-Chang Shih

Li-Jui Chen

Po-Chung Cheng

Chih-Tsung Shih

Zi-Wen Chen

Chia-Chen Chen

Yu-Fu Lin

Yung-Dar Chen

Shang-Chieh Chien

Jen-Yang Chung

Fu-Shun Lo

Wen-Chong Chiang

Jye-Fu Jeng

Jung-Hau Hsiue

Kun-Jin Wu

Guan-Heng Liu

Jain-Fa Lin

Wen-Hsiung Wu

An exhaust system for discharging from semiconductor manufacturing equipment a hazardous gas includes: a main exhaust pipe above the semiconductor manufacturing equipment and having a top surface on a first side and a bottom surface on a second side, a first branch pipe connected to a source of a gas mixture containing the hazardous gas on the second side and connected to the main exhaust pipe through the top surface, a second branch pipe connected to a gas box on the second side and connected to the main exhaust pipe through the bottom surface, and a detector on the second branch pipe configured to detect presence of the hazardous gas and downstream to the gas box. The first and the second branch pipes are connected to the main exhaust pipe at a first location and a second location, respectively. The first location is more upstream than the second location.

Exhaust system with U-shaped pipes

The present disclosure provides an exhaust system for discharging from semiconductor manufacturing equipment a hazardous gas. The exhaust system includes: a main exhaust pipe positioned above the semiconductor manufacturing equipment and having a top surface and a bottom surface extending parallel to the top surface; a first branch pipe including an upstream end coupled to a source of a gas mixture and a downstream end connected to the main exhaust pipe through the top surface; a second branch pipe including an upstream end and a downstream end connected to the main exhaust pipe through the bottom surface; and a detector configured to detect presence of the hazardous gas in the second branch pipe.

Exhaust system with u-shaped pipes

A lithography mask includes a substrate that contains a low thermal expansion material (LTEM). The lithography mask also includes a reflective structure disposed over the substrate. The reflective structure includes a first layer and a second layer disposed over the first layer. At least the second layer is porous. The mask is formed by forming a multilayer reflective structure over the LTEM substrate, including forming a plurality of repeating film pairs, where each film pair includes a first layer and a porous second layer. A capping layer is formed over the multilayer reflective structure. An absorber layer is formed over the capping layer.

EUV lithography mask with a porous reflective multilayer structure

The present disclosure provides an exhaust system for discharging from semiconductor manufacturing equipment a hazardous gas. The exhaust system includes: a main exhaust pipe having a top surface and a bottom surface; a first branch pipe including an upstream end coupled to a source of a gas mixture containing the hazardous gas and a downstream end connected to the main exhaust pipe through the top surface; a second branch pipe including a downstream end connected to the main exhaust pipe through the bottom surface; and a detector configured to detect presence of the hazardous gas in the second branch pipe.

A method of inspecting a reticle includes obtaining a first image of a surface of the reticle at a first height by scanning the reticle surface with a light source at the first height of the reticle surface relative to a reference surface height of the reticle surface and obtaining a second image of the reticle surface at a second height by scanning the reticle surface with the light source at the second height of the reticle surface relative to the reference surface height of the reticle surface. The second height is different from the first height. The first and the second images are then combined to obtain a surface profile image of the reticle.

Reticle backside inspection method

Embodiments described herein provide a method for cleaning contamination from sensors in a lithography tool without requiring recalibrating the lithography tool. More particularly, embodiments described herein teach cleaning the sensors using hydrogen radicals for a short period while the performance drifting is still above the drift tolerance. After a cleaning process described herein, the lithography tool can resume production without recalibration.

Methods and apparatus for removing contamination from lithographic tool

An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system includes a collector designed to collect and reflect EUV radiation, a cover integrated with the collector, a first exhaust line connected to the cover and configured to receive debris vapor from the collector, a debris trapper connected to the first exhaust line and configured to trap the debris vapor, and a second exhaust line connected to the debris trapper.

Extreme ultraviolet lithography system with debris trapper on exhaust line

A pressure differential measuring tool which includes a wafer container having a pressure difference meter provided in fluid communication therewith. In use, the wafer container is placed in the indexer of the process tool, which is operated according to normal operational parameters. The pressure difference meter measures the difference in pressure between the air in the indexer, which equalizes with pressure in the wafer container, and the ambient or atmospheric air surrounding the chamber, which equalizes with the pressure of the air in the process chamber. The air pressure in the indexer can then be adjusted to a value higher than the ambient or atmospheric air pressure to prevent influx of air and particles from the process chamber into the indexer and wafer container.

Pressure differential measuring tool

An apparatus and a method for trapping a toxic gas contained in an exhaust gas from a process chamber are disclosed. In the apparatus, two toxic gas traps are provided which are connected in series with a toxic gas sensor provided thereinbetween and in fluid communication with the two traps. When toxic gas is detected by the toxic gas sensor, i.e., an indication that the first toxic gas trap is fully consumed, the second toxic gas trap is used to replace the first toxic gas trap, while a new toxic gas trap is installed as the second toxic gas trap. The present invention novel apparatus and method enables the full use or utilization of a toxic gas trap and results in significant cost savings. Furthermore, the present invention novel apparatus and method improves the yield of a fabrication process by reducing the machine down time since the service frequency for the chamber is reduced.

Apparatus and method for trapping a toxic gas

The invention provides four sub-patterns located at the periphery of the wafer surface at 90-degree intervals. Each of the four sub-patterns is divided into four alignment scales where each alignment scale is yet again subdivided into a multiplicity of alignment marks. This multiplicity of sub-patterns and alignment scales with each scale having a multiplicity of alignment marks results in very accurate and convenient alignment capability.

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Tainan, Taiwan

Shih-Chang Shih