公开(公告)号：US11756840B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-12

申请号：US16444792

申请日：2019-06-18

申请人： TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.

发明人： Yan-Hong Liu ,  Daniel M. Y. Yang ,  Che-Fu Chen

IPC分类号： H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  G01N21/55 ,  H05K3/06

CPC分类号： H01L22/12 ,  G01N21/55 ,  H01L21/32137 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  H05K3/068

摘要： A system includes a factory interface, an etching tool, and at least one measuring device. The factory interface is configured to carry a wafer. The etching tool is coupled to the factory interface and configured to process the wafer transferred from the factory interface. The at least one measuring device is equipped in the factory interface, the etching tool, or the combination thereof. The at least one measuring device is configured to perform real-time measurements of reflectance from the wafer that is carried in the factory interface or the etching tool.

公开(公告)号：US10978331B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-13

申请号：US15941585

申请日：2018-03-30

申请人： Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

发明人： Yan-Hong Liu ,  Daniel M. Y. Yang ,  Che-Fu Chen

IPC分类号： H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/687 ,  G01N21/95 ,  H01L21/67

摘要： In an embodiment, a system includes: an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation fiducial on a bevel of a wafer; a pedestal configured to rotate the wafer to allow the orientation sensor to detect the orientation fiducial and place the orientation fiducial at a predetermined orientation position; and a defect sensor configured to detect a wafer defect along a surface of the wafer while rotated by the pedestal.

公开(公告)号：US20190139801A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-09

申请号：US15869074

申请日：2018-01-12

申请人： Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

发明人： Yan-Hong Liu ,  Che-Fu Chen ,  Meng-Chu Li

IPC分类号： H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/687

摘要： A wafer carrying fork includes a fork body, a plurality of wafer suction holes, a plurality of gas purging elements, a plurality of gas purging pipes, a plurality of gas suction elements, and a plurality of gas suction pipes. The fork body has a top surface, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, and a plurality of lateral surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface. The wafer suction holes are located on the top surface of the fork body. The gas purging elements are located on the lateral surfaces of the fork body. The gas purging pipes are connected to the gas purging elements. The gas suction elements are located on the bottom surface of the fork body. The gas suction pipes are connected to the gas suction elements.

公开(公告)号：US11456203B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-27

申请号：US16445870

申请日：2019-06-19

申请人： Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

发明人： Yan-Hong Liu ,  Che-Fu Chen

IPC分类号： H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/687 ,  G01L5/00 ,  H01L21/683

摘要： The present disclosure describes a method that prevents pre-mature de-chucking in processing modules. The method includes placing a wafer onto a chuck equipped with lift pins. One or more of the lift pins include a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure exerted by the wafer. The method further includes measuring a first pressure applied to the one or more lift pins by the wafer, lowering the lift pins to place the wafer on the chuck, and processing the wafer. The method also includes removing the wafer from the chuck by pressing the one or more lift pins against the wafer to measure a second pressure exerted by the wafer. If the measured second pressure is equal to the first pressure, the method raises the wafer using the lift pins above the chuck.

公开(公告)号：US11177183B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-16

申请号：US16505360

申请日：2019-07-08

申请人： TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.

发明人： Yan-Hong Liu ,  Chien-Chih Wu ,  Che-Fu Chen

IPC分类号： H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/687

摘要： A system includes a factory interface, a deposition tool, and at least one measuring device. The factory interface is configured to carry a wafer. The deposition tool is coupled to the factory interface and configured to process the wafer transferred from the factory interface. The at least one measuring device is equipped in the factory interface, the deposition tool, or the combination thereof. The at least one measuring device is configured to perform real-time measurements of a thickness of a material on the wafer that is carried in the factory interface or the deposition tool.

公开(公告)号：US20210035834A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-04

申请号：US17074191

申请日：2020-10-19

申请人： Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

发明人： Yan-Hong Liu ,  Chien-Chih Wu ,  Che-Fu Chen

IPC分类号： H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/687 ,  G06T7/00

摘要： In an embodiment, a workstation includes: a processing chamber configured to process a workpiece; a load port configured to interface with an environment external to the workstation; a robotic arm configured to transfer the workpiece between the load port and the processing chamber; and a defect sensor configured to detect a defect along a surface of the workpiece when transferred between the load port and the processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US12040205B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-16

申请号：US17074191

申请日：2020-10-19

申请人： Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

发明人： Yan-Hong Liu ,  Chien-Chih Wu ,  Che-Fu Chen

IPC分类号： H01L21/67 ,  G06T7/00 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H04N25/71

CPC分类号： H01L21/67288 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  H01L21/67742 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  H01L21/68764 ,  G06T2207/10061 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  G06T2207/30164 ,  H04N25/71

摘要： In an embodiment, a workstation includes: a processing chamber configured to process a workpiece; a load port configured to interface with an environment external to the workstation; a robotic arm configured to transfer the workpiece between the load port and the processing chamber; and a defect sensor configured to detect a defect along a surface of the workpiece when transferred between the load port and the processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US11837484B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-05

申请号：US17228204

申请日：2021-04-12

申请人： TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.

发明人： Wei-Hua Houng ,  Che-Fu Chen

IPC分类号： H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/687 ,  G01N29/04 ,  H01L21/66

CPC分类号： H01L21/67706 ,  G01N29/04 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  H01L22/10

摘要： A method includes positioning an end effector at a height lower than a height of a wafer. The end effector is moved to a position under the wafer. A wafer backside property of the wafer is detected by using a sensor on the end effector. The wafer backside property is analyzed to obtain an analysis result.

公开(公告)号：US11139149B2

公开(公告)日：2021-10-05

申请号：US16104816

申请日：2018-08-17

申请人： Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

发明人： Yan-Hong Liu ,  Ming-Feng Chen ,  Li-Shi Liu ,  Che-Fu Chen

IPC分类号： H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/455

摘要： Disclosed is a gas injector for a semiconductor processing system comprising a tube, and at least one nozzle head mounted on a downstream end of the tube wherein the at least one nozzle allows a fluid communication to discharge a gas from a upstream end of the tube through the at least one nozzle of the gas injector to ambient atmosphere surrounding the downstream end of the tube, wherein the at least one nozzle comprises: a body, and at least one adaptor comprising a plurality of flow regulation components to alter a flow direction of the gas at the downstream end, wherein the plurality of flow regulation components are each constructed and arranged such that a film buildup on inner surfaces of the gas injector is reduced.

公开(公告)号：US10283393B1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-07

申请号：US15869074

申请日：2018-01-12

申请人： Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

发明人： Yan-Hong Liu ,  Che-Fu Chen ,  Meng-Chu Li

IPC分类号： H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/677

摘要： A wafer carrying fork includes a fork body, a plurality of wafer suction holes, a plurality of gas purging elements, a plurality of gas purging pipes, a plurality of gas suction elements, and a plurality of gas suction pipes. The fork body has a top surface, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, and a plurality of lateral surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface. The wafer suction holes are located on the top surface of the fork body. The gas purging elements are located on the lateral surfaces of the fork body. The gas purging pipes are connected to the gas purging elements. The gas suction elements are located on the bottom surface of the fork body. The gas suction pipes are connected to the gas suction elements.