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US 12,154,808 B2Granted
System and method for wafer manufacturing process management
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsMei-Hsuan Lin, Rong Syuan Fan, Jen-Yuan Chang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor processing system includes a first semiconductor processing site and a second semiconductor processing site. The system includes an unmanned electric vehicle configured to carry a portable cleanroom stocker between the first and second semiconductor processing sites. The portable cleanroom stocker is configured to maintain cleanroom conditions within the portable cleanroom stocker during transportation.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- storing a transport case in a portable cleanroom stocker;
- driving, with a vehicle guidance module of the portable cleanroom stocker, the portable cleanroom stocker into an unmanned electric vehicle;
- transporting, with the unmanned electric vehicle, the portable cleanroom stocker including the transport case from a first semiconductor processing site to a second semiconductor processing site;
- and
- maintaining a cleanroom environment within the portable cleanroom stocker while transporting the transport case from the first semiconductor processing site to the second semiconductor processing site.
2 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a portable cleanroom stocker including:
- a plurality of ports each configured to hold a respective transport case for sensitive semiconductor equipment;
- and
- an interior environment management system configured to maintain cleanroom conditions within the clean-room stocker during transport of the portable cleanroom stocker;
- wheels;
- a vehicle guidance module configured to drive the portable cleanroom stocker;
- and
- an unmanned electric vehicle including:
- a cargo bay configured to hold the portable cleanroom stocker;
- and
- a control module configured to execute one or more programs to control the unmanned electric vehicle to transport the portable cleanroom stocker from a first semiconductor processing site to a second semiconductor processing site, the vehicle guidance module of the portable cleanroom stocker configured to maneuver the portable cleanroom stocker into the unmanned electric vehicle.
8 more elements
A method, comprising:
- generating, with a manufacturing execution system associated with a first semiconductor processing site, a command for an unmanned electric vehicle to carry a portable cleanroom stocker to a second semiconductor processing site;
- storing, with the portable cleanroom stocker, a transport case holding a semiconductor wafer;
- driving, with a vehicle guidance module of the portable cleanroom stocker, the portable cleanroom stocker into the unmanned electric vehicle;
- and
- transporting, with the unmanned electric vehicle, the portable cleanroom stocker from the first semiconductor processing site to the second semiconductor processing site responsive to the command.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.