Semiconductor carrier storage system, semiconductor fabrication system including the same, and semiconductor fabrication method using the same

A semiconductor fabrication system, comprising:

• a semiconductor process chamber;
• a transfer system configured to transfer a semiconductor carrier to the semiconductor process chamber;
• and
• a semiconductor carrier storage system configured to store the semiconductor carrier transferred from the transfer system,
• wherein the semiconductor carrier storage system includes:
• a plurality of storage ports each of which is configured to accommodate a semiconductor carrier;
• a shuttle rail that extends in a horizontal direction on a side of the plurality of storage ports and relative to a ground;
• an internal carrier shuttle configured to move along the shuttle rail and to transfer the semiconductor carrier to at least one of the plurality of storage ports;
• an upper transfer port configured to receive the semiconductor carrier from an overhead hoist transport (OHT), the upper transfer port (i) extending in a direction that intersects with the shuttle rail and (ii) overlapping with the shuttle rail in plan view,
• an internal transfer device that extends in a direction that intersects the horizontal direction and that is configured to move and transfer the semiconductor carrier on the upper transfer port to a location below the shuttle rail, and
• a lower transfer port below the plurality of storage ports and configured to receive the semiconductor carrier from the transfer system,
• wherein the internal carrier shuttle includes:
• a shuttle body configured to couple to the shuttle rail;
• a transfer wheel configured to connect the shuttle body to the shuttle rail;
• a gripper configured to hold the semiconductor carrier;
• and
• a hoist configured to vertically extend between the shuttle body and the gripper and to drive the gripper to vertically move,
• wherein, the internal carrier shuttle is configured to, based on the internal carrier shuttle moving along the shuttle rail in the horizontal direction to a first position, pick up the semiconductor carrier that has been received by the upper transfer port and transferred to the internal transfer device, and
• wherein, the internal carrier shuttle is configured to, based on the internal carrier shuttle moving along the shuttle rail in the horizontal direction to a second position, transfer the semiconductor carrier, that has been received by the upper transfer port and transferred to the internal transfer device, to at least one of the plurality of storage ports.

A semiconductor fabrication method, comprising:

• using a transfer system to pick up a semiconductor carrier from a semiconductor process chamber and load the semiconductor carrier on a semiconductor carrier storage system,
• wherein the semiconductor carrier storage system comprises:
• a plurality of storage ports each of which is configured to accommodate a semiconductor carrier;
• a shuttle rail that extends in a horizontal direction on a side of the plurality of storage ports and relative to a ground;
• an internal carrier shuttle configured to move along the shuttle rail and to transfer the semiconductor carrier to at least one of the plurality of storage ports;
• an upper transfer port configured to receive the semiconductor carrier from an overhead hoist transport (OHT), the upper transfer port (i) extending in a direction that intersects with the shuttle rail and (ii) overlapping with the shuttle rail in plan view, and
• an internal transfer device that extends in a direction that intersects the horizontal direction and that is configured to move and transfer the semiconductor carrier on the upper transfer port to a location below the shuttle rail,
• wherein the internal carrier shuttle includes:
• a shuttle body configured to couple to the shuttle rail;
• a transfer wheel configured to connect the shuttle body to the shuttle rail;
• a gripper configured to hold the semiconductor carrier;
• and
• a hoist configured to vertically extend between the shuttle body and the gripper and to drive the gripper to vertically move, and
• wherein, the internal carrier shuttle is configured to, based on the internal carrier shuttle moving along the shuttle rail in the horizontal direction to a first position, pick up the semiconductor carrier that has been received by the upper transfer port and transferred to the internal transfer device, and
• wherein, the internal carrier shuttle is configured to, based on the internal carrier shuttle moving along the shuttle rail in the horizontal direction to a second position, transfer the semiconductor carrier, that has been received by the upper transfer port and transferred to the internal transfer device, to at least one of the plurality of storage ports;
• using the internal carrier shuttle of the semiconductor carrier storage system to pick up the semiconductor carrier;
• and
• causing the internal carrier shuttle to move along a shuttle rail and to place the semiconductor carrier on a storage port of the semiconductor carrier storage system,
• wherein using the internal carrier shuttle to pick up the semiconductor carrier includes:
• using the hoist of the internal carrier shuttle to cause a gripper to descend from a shuttle body;
• using the descended gripper to hold the semiconductor carrier;
• and
• ascending the gripper that holds the semiconductor carrier.