Systems and method for transferring a semiconductor substrate
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsPing-Yuan Chen, Chyi-Tsong Ni, Wen-Kung Cheng, Huai-Te Huang
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Abstract
In accordance with some embodiments, systems and methods for processing a semiconductor substrate are provided. The method includes loading a semiconductor substrate from a chamber to a transfer module, detecting a center and a notch of the semiconductor substrate by the transfer module, and transferring the semiconductor substrate from the transfer module to a process chamber.
Claims20
A method for processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- loading a semiconductor substrate from a chamber to a transfer module, the transfer module having a stage and a carrier, the carrier being connected to the stage and movable with respect to the stage along a first direction, the carrier having at least one groove formed therethrough;
- detecting a center and a notch of the semiconductor substrate by the transfer module, wherein at least one of the center and the notch detecting is performed through the at least one groove in the carrier;
- and
- transferring the semiconductor substrate from the transfer module to a process chamber.
A transfer module for transferring a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- a stage;
- a carrier, connected to the stage and movable with respect to the stage along a first direction, the carrier having at least one groove formed therethrough;
- a rotating member, connected to the stage and being aligned with the at least one groove of the carrier, the rotating member being movable between a retracted positon and an extended position such that, in the extended position, the rotating member extends through the at least one groove of the carrier with a distal end of the rotating member protruding beyond an upper surface of the carrier to contact a semiconductor substrate carried by the carrier for rotating the semiconductor substrate;
- a center detector, connected to the stage and configured to detect a center of the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- a notch detector, connected to the stage and configured to detect a notch of the semiconductor substrate.
A system for transferring a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- a storage chamber;
- a first process chamber;
- a station, connected to the storage chamber and the first process chamber;
- and
- a transfer module, positioned in the station, comprising:
- a stage;
- a carrier, connected to the stage and movable with respect to the stage along a first direction, the carrier having at least one groove formed therethrough;
- a rotating member, connected to the stage;
- a center detector, connected to the stage for detecting a center of the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- a notch detector, connected to the stage and aligned with the at least one groove of the carrier for detecting a notch of the semiconductor substrate through the at least one groove of the carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.