US 12,327,743 B2
Process tool and method for handling semiconductor substrate
Fung-Chih Huang, Hsinchu County (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED, Hsin-Chu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED, Hsin-Chu (TW)
Filed on Aug. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/458,784.
Prior Publication US 2023/0069085 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/677 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67703 (2013.01) [B65G 47/90 (2013.01); H01L 21/67167 (2013.01); H01L 21/67742 (2013.01); H01L 21/67748 (2013.01); H01L 21/67778 (2013.01); H01L 21/68707 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
13. A method comprising:
controlling a transport system to retrieve a semiconductor substrate from a first chamber of a processing tool;
controlling the transport system to position the semiconductor substrate in a cooling station during a cooling operation after the semiconductor substrate has been retrieved from the first chamber, wherein the transport system is configured to position the semiconductor substrate in the cooling station by moving the semiconductor substrate in a first direction from an open end of the cooling station and by moving the semiconductor substrate between a first nozzle configured to emit cooling gas and a second nozzle configured to emit the cooling gas and spaced apart from the first nozzle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and moving the semiconductor substrate toward an exhaust port after moving the semiconductor substrate fully passed the first nozzle and the second nozzle; and
controlling the transport system to position the semiconductor substrate in a substrate carrier after the cooling operation.