The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 07, 2021
Filed:
Aug. 21, 2019
Applicant:
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Inventors:
Assignee:
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03F 7/20 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G03F 7/70725 (2013.01); G03F 7/70808 (2013.01); G03F 7/70858 (2013.01);
Abstract
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.