US 11,786,947 B2
Semiconductor arrangement and method for making
Eason Chen, Hemei Township (TW); Yi-Fam Shiu, Toufen (TW); Sung-Chun Yang, Hsinchu (TW); Hsu-Shui Liu, Pingjhen (TW); Yang-Ann Chu, Hsinchu (TW); and Jiun-Rong Pai, Jhubei (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED, Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED, Hsin-Chu (TW)
Filed on Jul. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/874,405.
Application 17/874,405 is a division of application No. 16/887,409, filed on May 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0362819 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B08B 9/20 (2006.01); B08B 9/28 (2006.01); F26B 3/30 (2006.01); F26B 21/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/677 (2006.01)
CPC B08B 9/205 (2013.01) [B08B 9/28 (2013.01); F26B 3/30 (2013.01); F26B 21/004 (2013.01); H01L 21/6773 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of cleaning a wafer carrier that is used for semiconductor fabrication, the method comprising:
controlling a transport system to retrieve the wafer carrier from a load port;
autonomously transporting the wafer carrier between the load port and a wet chamber where the wafer carrier is to be washed;
controlling introduction of a cleaning liquid to the wafer carrier within the wet chamber as part of a washing operation;
after the washing operation, autonomously transporting the wafer carrier between the wet chamber and a dry chamber where the wafer carrier is to be dried;
suspending the wafer carrier from a top surface of the dry chamber;
lowering the top surface of the dry chamber to place the wafer carrier over a first gas nozzle within the dry chamber; and
controlling operation of a drying system to remove at least a portion of the cleaning liquid from the wafer carrier within the dry chamber.
 
13. A method of cleaning a wafer carrier that is used for semiconductor fabrication, the method comprising:
receiving the wafer carrier within a cleaning apparatus, wherein the wafer carrier comprises a cassette for receiving a plurality of wafers and a pod into which the cassette is received;
autonomously transporting the wafer carrier to a wet chamber within the cleaning apparatus;
performing a washing operation on the wafer carrier while the wafer carrier is within the wet chamber, wherein performing the washing operation comprises:
removing the cassette from the pod;
clamping the pod to a spin chuck disposed within the wet chamber using a first clamp; and
clamping the cassette to the spin chuck using a second clamp different than the first clamp;
autonomously transporting the wafer carrier to a dry chamber within the cleaning apparatus after the washing operation is complete;
performing a drying operation on the wafer carrier while the wafer carrier is within the dry chamber; and
outputting the wafer carrier from the cleaning apparatus after the drying operation is complete.