Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Yu-Ying Lu

Ding-I Liu

Kuo-Shu Tseng

Chih-Chiang Chiu

Sung-Po Yang

Chung-Wen Chang

An Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) having a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) dock and a tool access port, includes a robotic wafer handling system configured to transfer silicon wafers between a FOUP coupled to the FOUP dock and a process tool positioned for access via the tool access port. An air curtain system inside the EFEM is positioned to produce an air curtain across the tool access port while the port is open, acting to isolate the interior of the EFEM from the tool environment, and prevent passage of airborne contaminants into the EFEM via the access port.

Equipment module with enhanced protection from airborne contaminants, and method of operation

A UV curing system includes an enclosure defining an interior, a UV radiation source disposed within the interior of the enclosure, and a first window disposed within the interior of the enclosure. The first window creates a barrier that separates the UV radiation source and a processing chamber. A second window is disposed within the interior of the enclosure at a distance from the first window to define a gas channel. The second window defines a plurality of openings such that the gas channel is in fluid communication with the processing chamber. A gas inlet conduit is in fluid communication with the gas channel and is configured to introduce a cooling gas into the gas channel. A gas outlet is in fluid communication with the processing chamber and is configured to remove gas from the processing chamber.

Growing community of inventors

Zhubei, Taiwan

Yu-Ying Lu