Storage for extreme ultraviolet light lithography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12169369-B2
Application number	US-202117461703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2021
Priority date	Aug 30, 2021
Publication date	Dec 17, 2024
Grant date	Dec 17, 2024

Abstract

An EUV stocker and an EUV pod device is disclosed. The EUV stocker includes an AI driven dynamic control circuitry, an AI controlled safety interlock, and an independent air return control device. The EUV stocker includes a Mass Flow Control (MFC) that operates in conjunction with one or more valves. The EUV stocker further includes a hydrocarbon detecting assembly, oxygen detecting assembly, pressure detecting assembly, and temperature detecting assembly and more to maintain the required condition within the EUV stocker. The EUV stocker also includes automated transportation devices such as AMHS, OHT, MR, AGV, RGV, or the like to provide a safe EUV mask storage environment for operators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stocker system, comprising:
a storage pod configured to store one or more masks, the storage pod contained in a stocker;
a controller operatively coupled to the stocker system, the controller is configured to control at least one of air flow supply to the storage pod, hydrocarbon concentration in the stocker, oxygen concentration in the storage pod, humidity within the storage pod, pressure within the storage pod, or temperature in the storage pod;
an artificial intelligence training circuitry operatively connected to the controller, the artificial intelligence training circuitry configured to recognize data patterns of at least one of the air flow supply to the storage pod, the hydrocarbon concentration in the stocker, the oxygen concentration in the storage pod, the humidity within the storage pod, the pressure within the storage pod or the temperature in the storage pod;
an automated machinery configured to transfer the storage pod into and out of the stocker; and
a safety interlock assembly operatively coupled to the controller, the safety interlock assembly including:
an operator equipment scanning assembly configured to determine whether equipment for operators entering into the stocker system is functionally operating; and
an operator identifier scanning assembly configured to scan an identification of operators entering the stocker system.

2. The stocker system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to automatically control the automated machinery based on the data patterns recognized by the artificial intelligence training circuitry.

3. The stocker system according to claim 1 , wherein the data patterns include fluctuations in measurements with respect to a period of time of at least one of the air flow supply to the storage pod, the hydrocarbon concentration in the stocker, the oxygen concentration in the storage pod, the humidity within the storage pod, the pressure within the storage pod or the temperature in the storage pod.

4. The stocker system according to claim 1 , further comprising a hydrocarbon detection assembly, the hydrocarbon detection assembly configured to detect a concentration of hydrocarbon in the stocker,
wherein the controller is configured to maintain a hydrocarbon concentration in the stocker to below about 10 ppm by controlling the air flow supply to the storage pod, including nitrogen gas, in response to the concentration of hydrocarbon detected by the hydrocarbon detection assembly.

5. The stocker system according to claim 1 , wherein the safety interlock assembly further includes:
an oxygen pressure detector configured to detect pressure of an oxygen supply.

6. The stocker system according to claim 5 , wherein the oxygen pressure detector is configured to detect whether a pressure of the oxygen supply is above about 5 MPa.

7. The stocker system according to claim 1 , further comprising an independent air supply subsystem operatively coupled to the controller, the independent air supply subsystem including:
an air source configured to supply air for the stocker system;
a filtering assembly configured to filter the air supplied from the air source before supplying the air to the stocker;
a temperature adjusting assembly configured to adjust the temperature of a gas that will flow into the stocker; and
one or more oxygen sensors configured to detect the oxygen concentration in the stocker,
wherein the controller controls the air supply so that the oxygen concentration in the storage pod is increased.

8. The stocker system according to claim 7 , wherein, in response to the one or more oxygen sensors detecting that the oxygen concentration in the storage pod is less than a threshold level, the controller controls a flow rate of air from the air source to the storage pod so that the concentration of oxygen in the storage pod is increased.

9. The stocker system according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure level within the stocker, the pressure sensor operatively coupled to the controller,
wherein the controller is configured to adjust the flow of air from the air source to the stocker when the detected pressure level in the stocker is below a threshold level.

10. The stocker system according to claim 7 , wherein the temperature adjusting assembly is configured to adjust temperature of the gas that will flow into the stocker such that the temperature of the stocker is between about 21° C. and about 25° C.

11. The stocker system according to claim 10 , wherein, in response to detecting that the temperature in the stocker is either below about 21° C. or above about 25° C., the temperature adjustment assembly either heats the gas that will flow into the stocker so that the temperature of the gas increases above 21° C. or cools the gas that will flow into the stocker so that the temperature of the gas decreases below 25° C.

12. The stocker system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a humidity sensor configured to detect a humidity level in the stocker, the humidity sensor operatively coupled to the controller,
wherein the controller is configured to adjust a flow of nitrogen to the storage pod when the humidity level falls below a threshold level.

13. A method, comprising:
operatively coupling a controller to one or more storage units;
controlling, using a controller, at least one of air flow supply to the storage units, hydrocarbon concentration in the storage units, oxygen concentration in the storage units, humidity within the storage units, pressure within the storage units, or temperature in the storage units;
operatively connecting an artificial intelligence training circuitry to the controller;
recognizing, using the artificial intelligence training circuitry, data patterns of at least one of the air flow supply to the storage units, the hydrocarbon concentration in the storage units, the oxygen concentration in the storage units, the humidity within the storage units, the pressure within the storage units, or the temperature in the storage units;
determining whether equipment for operators entering into the storage units is functionally operating; and
scanning an identification of operators entering the storage units.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
operatively coupling an independent air supply subsystem to the controller;
supplying air for the storage units using an air source of the independent air supply subsystem;
filtering the air supplied from the air source before supplying the air to the storage units using a filtering assembly of the independent air supply subsystem;
adjusting temperature of gas that will flow into the storage units using a temperature adjusting assembly of the independent air supply subsystem;
detecting the oxygen concentration in the storage units using one or more oxygen sensors of the independent air supply subsystem; and
increasing the oxygen concentration in the storage units by controlling the air source using the controller.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
in response to the one or more oxygen sensors detecting that an oxygen concentration in the storage units is less than a threshold level, increasing the concentration of oxygen in the storage units by controlling a flow rate of air from the air source using the controller.

16. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
operatively coupling a humidity sensor to the controller;
detecting, using the humidity sensor, a humidity level in the storage units; and
adjus

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Guancyun
• Chang Ching-Jung
• Tung Chi-Feng
• Shen Hsiang-Yin

Classifications

• G06N20/00

  Machine learning · CPC title

• G05B2219/39147

  Group transport, transfer object, ant problem · CPC title

• G05B19/4155

  characterised by program execution, i.e. part program or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a program · CPC title

• G05B2219/45031

  Manufacturing semiconductor wafers · CPC title

• G03F7/70491

  Information management, e.g. software; Active and passive control, e.g. details of controlling exposure processes or exposure tool monitoring processes · CPC title