Granted Patent B2

US 12,642,048 · App. 18/503,133 · Granted May 26, 2026

Inventors: Chuan Wei Lin (Hsinchu, TW); Fu-Hsien Li (Taichung City, TW); Yong-Jyu Lin (Hsinchu, TW); Rong-Shen Chen (Hsinchu, TW); Chi-Feng Tung (Miaoli County, TW); Hsiang Yin Shen (Hsinchu, TW)

Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.

H10P72/50H10P72/3214H10P72/3221

Abstract

Claims (75)

1 . A system for a semiconductor fabrication facility, comprising:

a first manufacturing tool configured to perform wafer handling, photolithography, testing, or metrology operations, wherein the first manufacturing tool has a first load port configured to accept a carrier when the carrier is facing in a first direction;

a second manufacturing tool configured to perform wafer handling, photolithography, testing, or metrology operations, wherein the second manufacturing tool has a second load port configured to accept the carrier when the carrier is facing in a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction;

a third manufacturing tool configured to perform wafer handling, photolithography, testing, or metrology operations, wherein the third manufacturing tool has a third load port configured to accept the carrier when the carrier is facing in a third direction, wherein the third direction is different from both the first direction and the second direction;

an orientation tool configured to receive and adjust an orientation of the carrier, wherein the orientation tool comprises a robotic arm configured to grasp and rotate the carrier, and wherein the orientation tool is configured to rotate the carrier without performing any atmospheric front-opening unified pod door opening or closing operation; and

a transporting tool arranged above the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool, the third manufacturing tool and the orientation tool and being configured to move the carrier along a single track between the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool, the third manufacturing tool and the orientation tool;

wherein, prior to being moved to the first manufacturing tool or the second manufacturing tool or the third manufacturing tool by the transporting tool, the carrier is moved to the orientation tool by the transporting tool, and the orientation tool is adapted to rotate the carrier so that the carrier is accepted by the first manufacturing tool or the second manufacturing tool or the third manufacturing tool upon being moved to the first manufacturing tool or the second manufacturing tool or the third manufacturing tool;

wherein the transporting tool, the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool, the third manufacturing tool and the orientation tool are physically separated from each other;

wherein the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool, the third manufacturing tool and the orientation tool are substantially positioned on a common horizontal plane;

wherein the orientation tool is physically independent of and not mechanically coupled to the first manufacturing tool and the second manufacturing tool, and wherein the orientation tool is supported by a floor of the semiconductor fabrication facility;

wherein, the transporting tool is configured to:

vertically pick up the carrier from the first load port and move the carrier from the first manufacturing tool to the orientation tool along the single track, and

after the carrier is rotated to face the second direction by the orientation tool, move the carrier from the orientation tool to the second manufacturing tool along the single track and vertically release the carrier to the second port;

wherein, the transporting tool is also configured to:

vertically pick up the carrier from the second load port and move the carrier from the second manufacturing tool to the orientation tool along the single track, and

after the carrier is rotated to face the first direction by the orientation tool, move the carrier from the orientation tool to the first manufacturing tool and vertically release the carrier to the first port;

wherein the transporting tool is further configured to: move the carrier from the first manufacturing tool or the second manufacturing tool to the orientation tool; and, subsequent to the orientation tool rotating the carrier to face the third direction, move the carrier from the orientation tool to the third load port of the third manufacturing tool;

wherein, in a top view perspective, the single track extends in a generally S-shaped configuration, such that when the transporting tool transports the carrier from the first manufacturing tool to the second manufacturing tool, the transporting tool is required to change its direction of advancement during movement along the single track.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the orientation tool receives the carrier, a port of the orientation tool is below the carrier and supports the carrier.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the transporting tool transports the carrier from the first manufacturing tool to the orientation tool, the transporting tool maintains its direction of advancement during movement along the single track; and wherein, when the transporting tool transports the carrier from the orientation tool to the second manufacturing tool, the transporting tool is required to change its direction of advancement during movement along the single track.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a host configured to communicate with the orientation tool, wherein the host is configured to determine whether the carrier should be rotated after receiving the orientation information from the orientation tool.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the orientation tool comprises a sensor configured to detect and identify the orientation of the carrier, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a tag reader, an RFID reader, and a CCD camera.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a communication device configured to communicate between the orientation tool and the transporting tool, wherein the communication device is configured to instruct the transporting tool to safely move the carrier to the orientation tool.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the orientation tool comprises a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a tag disposed on a front side of the carrier to identify the orientation of the carrier.

8 . A system for a semiconductor fabrication facility, comprising:

a first manufacturing tool configured to load a carrier when the carrier is facing in a first direction wherein the first manufacturing tool has a first load port configured to accept the carrier;

a second manufacturing tool configured to load the carrier when the carrier is facing in a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction wherein the second manufacturing tool has a second load port configured to accept the carrier;

a third manufacturing tool configured to load the carrier when the carrier is facing in a third direction, wherein the third direction is different from both the first direction and the second direction wherein the third manufacturing tool has a third load port configured to accept the carrier;

an orientation apparatus configured to change the carrier from facing the first direction to facing the second direction and to change the carrier from facing the second direction to facing the first direction, and to change the carrier to face the third direction;

wherein the orientation apparatus is configured to rotate the carrier by a robotic arm;

wherein the orientation apparatus is configured to rotate the carrier without performing any atmospheric front-opening unified pod door opening or closing operation;

a transporting tool arranged above the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool and the orientation apparatus and configured to transport the carrier between the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool and the orientation apparatus;

wherein the first manufacturing tool includes at least one of a wafer handling equipment, a wafer fabrication equipment, a wafer testing equipment and a wafer metrology equipment, and wherein the second manufacturing tool includes at least one of a wafer handling equipment, a wafer fabrication equipment, a wafer testing equipment and a wafer metrology equipment, and wherein the third manufacturing tool includes at least one of a wafer handling equipment, a wafer fabrication equipment, a wafer testing equipment and a wafer metrology equipment;

wherein the orientation apparatus has a port physically separated from the transporting tool, and wherein the carrier is arranged above the port of the orientation apparatus when the orientation apparatus changes the carrier from facing the first direction to facing the second direction or changes the carrier from facing the second direction to facing the first direction or changes the carrier to face the third direction;

wherein the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool, the third manufacturing tool, and the orientation apparatus are substantially positioned on a common horizontal plane;

wherein the orientation apparatus is supported by a floor of the semiconductor fabrication facility;

wherein the orientation apparatus is physically independent of and not mechanically coupled to the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool, and the third manufacturing tool;

wherein the transporting tool is configured to:

vertically raise the carrier loaded in the first manufacturing tool and transport the carrier to the port of the orientation apparatus;

and, after the orientation apparatus changes the carrier from facing the first direction to facing the second direction,

raise the carrier from the port of the orientation apparatus and transport and vertically lower the carrier to the second manufacturing tool, such that the carrier is loaded into the second manufacturing tool;

wherein the transporting tool is configured to:

vertically raise the carrier loaded in the second manufacturing tool and transport the carrier to the port of the orientation apparatus;

and, after the orientation apparatus changes the carrier from facing the second direction to facing the first direction,

raise the carrier from the port of the orientation apparatus and transport and vertically lower the carrier to the first manufacturing tool, such that the carrier is loaded into the first manufacturing tool;

wherein the transporting tool is further configured to:

move the carrier from the first manufacturing tool or the second manufacturing tool to the orientation apparatus; and, subsequent to the orientation apparatus rotating the carrier to face the third direction, move the carrier from the orientation apparatus to the third load port of the third manufacturing tool.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the orientation apparatus is configured to determine whether the carrier is facing the first direction or the second direction by detecting the carrier.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the orientation apparatus is configured to detect a tag of the carrier.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the transporting tool is configured to transport the carrier along a single path.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool and the orientation apparatus are located directly below the single path.

13 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a host configured to communicate with the orientation apparatus, wherein the host is configured to determine whether the carrier should be rotated after receiving orientation information from the orientation apparatus.

14 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a communication device configured to communicate between the orientation apparatus and the transporting tool, wherein the communication device is configured to instruct and guide the transporting tool to safely lower and release the carrier onto the port of the orientation apparatus.

15 . The system of claim 8 , wherein, when the orientation apparatus receives the carrier, the port of the orientation apparatus is positioned beneath the carrier and is configured to support the carrier.

16 . A system located in a semiconductor fabrication plant, comprising:

a first semiconductor manufacturing tool for performing fabrication, testing, or metrology operations, wherein the first semiconductor manufacturing tool is disposed on a floor of the semiconductor fabrication plant and has a first port configured to load a carrier when the carrier is facing in a first direction;

a second semiconductor manufacturing tool for performing fabrication, testing, or metrology operations, wherein the second semiconductor manufacturing tool is disposed on the floor of the semiconductor fabrication plant and has a second port configured to load the carrier when the carrier is facing in a second direction different from the first direction;

a third semiconductor manufacturing tool for performing fabrication, testing, or metrology operations, wherein the third semiconductor manufacturing tool is disposed on the floor of the semiconductor fabrication plant and has a third port configured to load the carrier when the carrier is facing in a third direction, wherein the third direction is different from both the first direction and the second direction;

an orientation tool arranged within the semiconductor fabrication plant and configured to adjust an orientation of the carrier;

wherein the orientation tool comprises a robotic arm configured to grasp and rotate the carrier;

wherein the orientation tool is configured to rotate the carrier without performing any atmospheric front-opening unified pod door opening or closing operation; and

a transporting tool suspended from a ceiling of the semiconductor fabrication plant and configured to move the carrier between the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool, the third manufacturing tool and the orientation tool along a track;

wherein the orientation tool is configured to rotate the carrier to face the first direction before the carrier is moved by the transporting tool to the first load port, and to rotate the carrier to face the second direction before the carrier is moved by the transporting tool to the second load port, and to rotate the carrier to face the third direction before the carrier is moved by the transporting tool to the third load port;

wherein the orientation tool is physically independent of the first manufacturing tool, the second manufacturing tool, the third manufacturing tool, and the transporting tool, and supported by the floor of the semiconductor fabrication plant;

wherein the track comprises a first section and a second section, wherein the first section extends substantially parallel to the first direction above the first manufacturing tool, and wherein the second section extends substantially parallel to the second direction above the second manufacturing tool;

wherein the track further comprises a third section which extends substantially parallel to the third direction above the third manufacturing tool;

wherein the transporting tool is configured to:

vertically pick up the carrier from the first port of the first semiconductor manufacturing tool and move the carrier to the orientation tool; and, after the orientation tool rotates the carrier to face the second direction, move the carrier from the orientation tool to the second semiconductor manufacturing tool and vertically release the carrier to the second port of the second semiconductor manufacturing tool; and

wherein the transporting tool is configured to:

vertically pick up the carrier from the second port of the second semiconductor manufacturing tool and move the carrier to the orientation tool; and, after the orientation tool rotates the carrier to face the first direction, move the carrier from the orientation tool to the first semiconductor manufacturing tool and vertically release the carrier to the first port of the first semiconductor manufacturing tool;

wherein the transporting tool is further configured to move the carrier from the first manufacturing tool or the second manufacturing tool to the orientation tool, and subsequent to the orientation tool rotating the carrier to face the third direction, move the carrier from the orientation tool to the third load port of the third manufacturing tool.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the orientation tool comprises a port that is free from any physical connection to the transporting tool and is positioned beneath the carrier when the orientation tool rotates the carrier.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first section of the tack extends above the orientation tool.

19 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising a host configured to communicate with the orientation tool, wherein the host is configured to monitor and manage the operation of the system and the transporting tool, and wherein the orientation tool is configured to receive an instruction from the host to drive the robotic arm.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the orientation tool further comprises a communication device configured to communicate with the transporting tool, and wherein the communication device is configured to instruct and guide the transporting tool to safely lower and release the carrier onto the orientation tool.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (21)