Reticle rack system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9786536-B2
Application number	US-201615355289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2016
Priority date	Dec 7, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor manufacturing, in particular to reticle rack systems. The teachings of the present disclosure may be embodied in a reticle rack unit including a frame with four uprights and multiple crossbars and four turnstiles. The frame may have a longest dimension defining a front side and a back side. The four turnstiles may be mounted to the frame to pivot around a respective rotational axis parallel to the four uprights. Each turnstile may define a plurality of reticle nests sized to hold reticles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reticle rack unit comprising:
a frame with four uprights and multiple crossbars, the frame having a longest dimension defining a front side and a back side;
four turnstiles mounted to the frame to pivot around a respective rotational axis parallel to the four uprights;
wherein each turnstile defines a plurality of reticle nests sized to hold reticles.

2. A reticle rack unit according to claim 1 , wherein each turnstile comprises four stacks of slots, each stack including 28 slots.

3. A reticle rack unit according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reticle nests comprises 448 reticle nests.

4. A reticle rack unit according to claim 1 , wherein each turnstile comprises a rectangular tower.

5. A reticle rack unit according to claim 1 , wherein each turnstile comprises a rectangular tower including four stacks of reticle nests, and wherein a reticle can be removed from a stack only when the respective stack faces the front side of the frame.

6. A reticle rack unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
two static emitters; and
two fan filter units protecting any reticles stored in the reticle rack unit from particles in air surrounding the reticle rack unit.

7. A reticle rack unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
four brakes, each brake associated with one turnstile; and
an electronic controller only allowing one brake to be disengaged at any time.

8. A reticle rack unit according to claim 7 , further comprising four override switches, each switch associated with one turnstile and operable to override the electronic controller and allow the associated turnstile to turn.

9. A reticle rack unit according to claim 7 , further comprising a set of visual signals indicating whether each brake is engaged or disengaged.

10. A reticle rack unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a handheld scan gun for reading a label on reticles replaced in or removed from a reticle nest of the reticle rack unit; and
a monitor displaying an identifying code read from the label.

11. A system of reticle rack units for storing reticles in a semiconductor fab, the system including multiple reticle rack units, each reticle rack unit comprising:
a frame with four uprights and multiple crossbars, the frame having a longest dimension defining a front side and a back side;
four turnstiles mounted to the frame to pivot around a respective rotational axis parallel to the four uprights;
wherein each turnstile defines a plurality of reticle nests sized to hold reticles.

12. A system according to claim 11 , wherein each turnstile comprises four stacks of slots, each stack including 28 slots.

13. A system according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of reticle nests comprises 448 reticle nests.

14. A system according to claim 11 , wherein each turnstile comprises a rectangular tower.

15. A system according to claim 11 , wherein each turnstile comprises a rectangular tower including four stacks of reticle nests, and wherein a reticle can be removed from a stack only when the respective stack faces the front side of the frame.

16. A system according to claim 11 , further comprising:
two static emitters; and
two fan filter units protecting any reticles stored in the reticle rack unit from particles in air surrounding the reticle rack unit.

17. A system according to claim 11 , further comprising:
four brakes, each brake associated with one turnstile; and
an electronic controller only allowing one brake to be disengaged at any time.

18. A system according to claim 17 , further comprising four override switches, each switch associated with one turnstile and operable to override the electronic controller and allow the associated turnstile to turn.

19. A system according to claim 17 , further comprising a set of visual signals indicating whether each brake is engaged or disengaged.

20. A system according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a handheld scan gun for reading a label on reticles replaced in or removed from a reticle nest of the reticle rack unit; and
a monitor displaying an identifying code read from the label.

Assignees

• Microchip Tech Inc

Inventors

• Kudel Sean
• Escandon Andy
• Read Spencer
• Hernandez Gilbert
• Irish Ryan
• Valestin Joanne

Classifications

• H10P72/3404 Primary

  Storage means · CPC title

• G03F7/70741

  Handling masks outside exposure position, e.g. reticle libraries · CPC title

• A47B49/004

  Cabinets with compartments provided with trays revolving on a vertical axis · CPC title

• A47B81/00

  Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis · CPC title

• A47B49/008

  with motorisation means · CPC title