Reticle Transfer System and Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016196994-A1
Application number	US-201615069479-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 14, 2016
Priority date	Oct 9, 2012
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fabrication system comprises placing an internal buffer at a default position of a local system, wherein the default position is a first boundary between a first service area and a second service area, loading a reticle from a first apparatus into a first carrier, wherein the first apparatus and the first carrier is located in the first service area, determining whether a conflicting reticle transfer event occurs in the second service area and transporting the reticle to a second apparatus in the second service area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
transporting wafers and reticles between a global system and a local system, wherein an input terminal of the local system is connected to the global system, and wherein the local system comprises:
a first buffer at a boundary between the global system and the local system;
a second buffer at a default position of the local system, wherein the default position is a boundary between a first service area and a second service area; and
a third buffer at an end of the local system, wherein the first service area is from the first buffer to the second buffer and the second service area is from the second buffer to the third buffer;
transporting a reticle from a first scanner in the first service area to a second scanner in the second service area; adjusting the boundary between the first service area and the second service area by moving the second buffer, wherein the second scanner is in the first service area as a result of performing the step of adjusting the boundary between the first service area and the second service area; and transporting the reticle to the second scanner.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the global system includes a rail transportation system, a plurality of stockers and a main aisle.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
storing a wafer at a stocker when the wafer is out of a processing apparatus; and retrieving the wafer from the stocker before sending the wafer into the processing apparatus.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the local system comprises a plurality of lithography apparatuses, and wherein the plurality of lithography apparatuses are coupled to each other through a local transportation system comprising a plurality of overhead rails and carriers.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
moving a reticle between a conveyor and a lithography apparatus using a robot, wherein the conveyor is between the local system and the plurality of lithography apparatuses, and wherein the robot is coupled between the conveyor and a reticle port embedded in the lithography apparatus.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
loading a wafer into a carrier using a robot.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing an empty pod in the first buffer, wherein the empty pod is a closed container for carrying reticles.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing an empty pod in an overhead region, wherein the empty pod is a closed container for carrying reticles.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the local system comprises:
an aisle, wherein a first terminal of the aisle is connected to the first buffer; a first rail coupled between the first buffer and a first group of lithography apparatuses; a second rail coupled between the first buffer and a second group of lithography apparatuses, wherein the first group of lithography apparatuses and the second group of lithography apparatuses are on opposite sides of the aisle; the third buffer connected to a second terminal of the aisle; and the second buffer located between the first buffer and the second buffer, wherein the second buffer is adjustable.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
placing a first carrier on the first rail, wherein the first carrier is located in the first service area; placing a second carrier on the first rail, wherein the second carrier is located in the second service area; placing a third carrier on the second rail, wherein the third carrier is located in the first service area; and placing a fourth carrier on the second rail, wherein the fourth carrier is located in the second service area.

11 . A method comprising:
moving reticles in a local fabrication system comprising:
a plurality of lithography apparatuses;
a first service area configured to serve a first group of lithography apparatuses;
a second service area configured to serve a second group of lithography apparatuses; and
an internal buffer located at a boundary between the first service area and the second service area;
transporting a first reticle from the first service area and a second reticle from the second service area to a lithography apparatus in the second service area; and loading the first reticle into the internal buffer when the second reticle is processed in the lithography apparatus.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
moving the first reticle from the internal buffer to the lithography apparatus after the second reticle has been moved out of the lithography apparatus.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
placing a first buffer at an input terminal of the local fabrication system, wherein the input terminal of the local fabrication system is connected to a global fabrication system; and placing a second buffer at an end of the local fabrication system.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the local fabrication system comprises:
an aisle, wherein a first terminal of the aisle is connected to the first buffer and a second terminal of the aisle is connected to the second buffer; a first rail coupled between the first buffer and a first group of lithography apparatuses; and a second rail coupled between the first buffer and a second group of lithography apparatuses, wherein the first group of lithography apparatuses and the second group of lithography apparatuses are on opposite sides of the aisle.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
adjusting the internal buffer to change the boundary between the first service area and the second service area.

16 . A method comprising:
placing an internal buffer at a default position of a local system, wherein the default position is a first boundary between a first service area and a second service area; loading a reticle from a first apparatus into a first carrier, wherein the first apparatus and the first carrier is located in the first service area; determining whether a conflicting reticle transfer event occurs in the second service area; and transporting the reticle to a second apparatus in the second service area.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
after the step of determining whether a conflicting reticle transfer event occurs in the second service area, adjusting a position of the internal buffer to set a second boundary between the first service area and the second service area; and transporting the reticle to the second apparatus by the first carrier.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
after the step of determining whether a conflicting reticle transfer event occurs in the second service area, storing the reticle in the internal buffer; and transporting the reticle to the second apparatus by a second carrier located in the second service area.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
loading the reticle from a stocker of a global system; transporting the reticle to a first buffer by a global transportation system, wherein the first buffer is located at a boundary between the global system and the local system; and transporting the reticle from the first buffer to the first apparatus by using the first carrier.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
moving the reticle from the first carrier to a conveyor connected to the first apparatus; loading the reticle from the conveyor to a reticle port embedded in the first apparatus by a 3-axis reticle handling arm; and moving the reticle f

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg

Inventors

• Chang Ching-Jung

Classifications

• H10P72/3404

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/3402

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/3221 Primary

  Overhead conveying · CPC title

• H10P72/3216

  using a general scheme of a conveying path within a factory · CPC title

• H10P72/3202

  Mechanical details, e.g. rollers or belts · CPC title