Apparatus and method for handling wafer carrier doors
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsTsung-Sheng Kuo, Yang-Ann Chu, Alan Yang, Vic Huang, Hsu-Shui Liu, Jiun-Rong Pai
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Abstract
An apparatus for handling wafer carriers in a semiconductor fabrication facility (FAB) is disclosed. In one example, the apparatus includes: a table configured to receive a wafer carrier having a first door and operable to hold a plurality of wafers; an opening mechanism configured to open the first door of the wafer carrier; and a door storage space configured to store the first door. The apparatus may be either located on a floor of the FAB or physically coupled to a ceiling of the FAB.
Claims20
An apparatus for handling wafer carriers in a semiconductor fabrication facility (FAB), comprising:
- a table configured to receive a wafer carrier having a first door and operable to hold a plurality of wafers;
- an opening mechanism configured to open the first door of the wafer carrier;
- a door storage space configured to store the first door;
- and
- a transport tool configured to transport the wafer carrier to a load port located on a floor of the FAB, wherein the apparatus is physically coupled to a ceiling of the FAB and is located lower than the transport tool and higher than the load port.
A method for handling wafer carriers by a device located on a floor of a FAB, comprising:
- receiving a wafer carrier having a first door and operable to hold a plurality of wafers;
- opening the first door of the wafer carrier along a first direction;
- storing the first door in a door storage space of the device;
- loading the wafer carrier whose door has been stored in the door storage space, into a processing tool to process at least one wafer in the wafer carrier;
- moving the wafer carrier, along at least one of:
- the first direction and a second direction that is different from the first direction, into a buffering space in the device;
- and
- buffering the wafer carrier, whose door has been opened and stored in the door storage space, in the buffering space before any wafer in the wafer carrier is processed.
A method for handling wafer carriers by a device in a FAB, comprising:
- receiving a wafer carrier having a first door and operable to hold a plurality of wafers;
- opening the first door of the wafer carrier;
- storing the first door in a door storage space of the device;
- and
- sending the wafer carrier, via a transport tool, to a load port located on a floor of the FAB, wherein the device is physically coupled to a ceiling of the FAB and is located lower than the transport tool and higher than the load port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.