US 2025/0149360 A1 · SEMICONDUCTOR STORAGE APPARATUS WITH INTEGRATED SORTER

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for storing die carriers and transferring a semiconductor die between the die carriers. A die stocker includes a rack enclosure with an integrated sorting system. The rack enclosure includes storage cells configured to receive and store die carriers having different physical configurations. A transport system transports first and second die carriers between a first plurality of storage cells and a first sorter load port, where the transport system introduces the first and second die carriers to a first sorter. The transport system transports third and fourth die carriers between a second plurality of storage cells and a second sorter load port, where the transport system introduces the third and fourth die carriers to a second sorter. The first and second die carriers have a first physical configuration, and the third and fourth die carriers have a second physical configuration, different than the first physical configuration.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A semiconductor die fabrication system, comprising:

tray cassettes that store a first tray and a second tray;
boat magazines that store a first boat and a second boat;
a rack enclosure, comprising:
a first plurality of storage cells configured to receive and store the tray cassettes;
and
a second plurality of storage cells configured to receive and store the boat magazines;
and
a sorting system, comprising:
a first sorter that transfers the first tray or the second tray between the tray cassettes, wherein the first sorter comprises:
a shuttle configured to retrieve at least one of the first tray or the second tray from a donor tray cassette of the tray cassettes installed on a first guide, and
a shuttle rail configured to move the shuttle from a first location proximate the first guide to a second location proximate a second guide having installed thereon a recipient tray cassette of the tray cassettes, wherein the shuttle is configured to deliver the at least one of the first tray or the second tray to the recipient tray cassette, and
a second sorter that transfers the first boat or the second boat between the boat magazines.

9 more elements

A method of storing tray cassettes, the method comprising:

in response to receiving an instruction to transfer a first semiconductor die from a donor tray cassette of the tray cassettes to a recipient tray cassette of the tray cassettes, controlling a transport system to transport the donor tray cassette and the recipient tray cassette from first storage cells of a rack enclosure to a first sorter load port of the rack enclosure through which the donor tray cassette and the recipient tray cassette are delivered to a first sorter that transfers a first tray comprising the first semiconductor die between the donor tray cassette and the recipient tray cassette, wherein transferring the first tray comprising the first semiconductor die between the donor tray cassette and the recipient tray cassette comprises:
retrieving, using a shuttle, the first tray from the donor tray cassette installed on a first guide;
and
moving, using a shuttle rail, the shuttle from a first location proximate the first guide to a second location proximate a second guide having installed thereon the recipient tray cassette to deliver the first tray to the recipient tray cassette.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Semiconductor storage apparatus with integrated sorter

Life of this patent

Semiconductor storage apparatus with integrated sorter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20