# US 2025/0149352 A1 · Wafer transfer system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0149352 A1 - Document ID: US20250149352A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/010,984 - Filed: 2025-01-06 - Published: 2025-05-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-19 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited - Inventors: Kai-Chin WEI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250149352A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P 72/0466: {characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber} - C23C 16/458: characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber - H10P 72/0414: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles} - H10P 72/0436: {mainly by radiation} - H10P 72/0602: {Temperature monitoring} - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - H10P 72/3306: {Horizontal transfer of a single workpiece} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract A wafer transfer system includes a transfer chamber defining a volume. The transfer chamber includes a wafer support within the volume to support a wafer. A first input gas nozzle is disposed above the wafer support and inputs a first flow of gas into the transfer chamber at a first flow speed. A second input gas nozzle is disposed below the wafer support and inputs a second flow of gas into the transfer chamber at a second flow speed different than the first flow speed. A first output gas structure guides the gas from the transfer chamber due to the second flow speed being different than the first flow speed such that suspended particles within the transfer chamber are at least one of directed away from the wafer support or directed toward the first output gas structure to guide the suspended particles from the transfer chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of shielding in a wafer transport system, comprising: inputting, by a first input gas nozzle, a first flow of first gas into a transfer chamber comprising a wafer support to support a wafer that is above the wafer support; inputting, by a second input gas nozzle, a second flow of second gas into the transfer chamber below the wafer support; guiding, by a first output gas nozzle, at least one of the first gas or the second gas from the transfer chamber; and controlling, by a controller, at least one of a first flow speed of the first flow of the first gas input into the transfer chamber by the first input gas nozzle or a second flow speed of the second flow of the second gas input into the transfer chamber by the second input gas nozzle, wherein the first flow speed is controlled to be different than the second flow speed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: guiding, by a second output gas nozzle, at least one of the first gas or the second gas from the transfer chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, comprising: inputting, by a third input gas nozzle, a third flow of third gas into the transfer chamber; and guiding, by a third output gas nozzle, at least one of the first gas, the second gas, or the third gas from the transfer chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, comprising: inputting, by a fourth input gas nozzle, a fourth flow of fourth gas into the transfer chamber; and guiding, by a fourth output gas nozzle, at least one of the first gas, the second gas, the third gas, or the fourth gas from the transfer chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the first input gas nozzle, the first output gas nozzle, the third input gas nozzle, and third output gas nozzle define a first set of gas nozzles, and the second input gas nozzle, the second output gas nozzle, the fourth input gas nozzle, and the fourth output gas nozzle define a second set of gas nozzles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first flow speed is controlled to be less than the second flow speed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: controlling, by the controller, a pressure within the transfer chamber below the wafer support to be lower than a pressure within the transfer chamber above the wafer support. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the pressure comprises controlling the pressure by controlling the at least one of the first flow speed or the second flow speed such that the first flow speed is less than the second flow speed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: controlling, by the controller, a first direction of the first input gas nozzle about a first axis of rotation and a second direction of the first input gas nozzle about a second axis of rotation to control a direction of the first flow of the first gas within the transfer chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein controlling the first direction of the first input gas nozzle and the second direction of the first input gas nozzle comprises controlling the first direction of the first input gas nozzle and the second direction of the first input gas nozzle such that suspended particles within the transfer chamber are at least one of directed away from the wafer support or directed toward the first output gas nozzle to guide the suspended particles from the transfer chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the at least one of the first flow speed or the second flow speed comprises controlling the at least one of the first flow speed or the second flow speed such that suspended particles within the transfer chamber are at least one of directed away from the wafer support or directed toward the first output gas nozzle to guide the suspended particles from the transfer chamber. ### Claim 12 A method of shielding in a wafer transport system, comprising: inputting, by a first input gas nozzle, a first flow of gas into a transfer chamber comprising a wafer support to support a wafer that is above the wafer support; inputting, by a second input gas nozzle, a second flow of the gas into the transfer chamber below the wafer support; and controlling, by a controller, a first direction of the first input gas nozzle about a first axis of rotation and a second direction of the first input gas nozzle about a second axis of rotation to control a direction of the first flow of the gas within the transfer chamber such that suspended particles within the transfer chamber are at least one of directed away from the wafer support or directed toward a first output gas structure to guide the suspended particles from the transfer chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising: guiding, by a first output gas nozzle of the first output gas structure, the gas from the transfer chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the first output gas nozzle is disposed on an opposite side of the transfer chamber relative to the first input gas nozzle and the second input gas nozzle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising: controlling, by the controller, at least one of a first flow speed of the first flow of the gas input into the transfer chamber by the first input gas nozzle or a second flow speed of the second flow of the gas input into the transfer chamber by the second input gas nozzle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the at least one of the first flow speed or the second flow speed comprises controlling the at least one of the first flow speed or the second flow speed such that the first flow speed is less than the second flow speed. ### Claim 17 A method of shielding in a wafer transport system, comprising: inputting, by a first input gas nozzle, a first flow of first gas into a transfer chamber comprising a wafer support to support a wafer that is above the wafer support; inputting, by a second input gas nozzle, a second flow of second gas into the transfer chamber below the wafer support; and controlling, by a controller, a pressure within the transfer chamber below the wafer support to be lower than a pressure within the transfer chamber above the wafer support using at least one of the first input gas nozzle or the second input gas nozzle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein controlling the pressure within the transfer chamber below the wafer support to be lower than the pressure within the transfer chamber above the wafer support comprises controlling a first flow speed of the first flow to be less than a second flow speed of the second flow. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, comprising: controlling, by the controller, a first direction of the first input gas nozzle about a first axis of rotation and a second direction of the first input gas nozzle about a second axis of rotation to control a direction of the first flow of the first gas within the transfer chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein controlling the pressure comprises controlling the pressure such that suspended particles within the transfer chamber are at least one of directed away from the wafer support or directed toward a first output gas nozzle to guide the suspended particles from the transfer chamber.