PAYLOAD TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Abstract

System comprising: a first manufacturing plant building (FAB building), comprising: a first set of manufacturing tools, a first overhead conveyor (OHT track) serving the first set of manufacturing tools, and a first vehicle capable of transporting a first container and moving along the first OHT track; a second FAB building, comprising: a second set of manufacturing tools, a second OHT track serving the second set of manufacturing tools, and a second vehicle capable of transporting the first container and moving along the second OHT track;and a first bridging area between the first FAB building and the second FAB building, wherein the first OHT track has a first section in the first FAB building and a second section in the first bridging area, the second OHT track has a first section in the second FAB building and a second section in the first bridging area, and the second section of the second OHT track runs at least partially parallel to the second section of the first OHT track, wherein the second vehicle is capable of receiving the first container directly from the first vehicle when both the first vehicle and the second vehicle are moving in the first bridging area.

Description

PRIORITY DATA

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 389,194, filed July 14, 2022, which is incorporated by reference into the present application. BACKGROUND

[0002] During the manufacturing of a semiconductor device, the device is typically processed at many workstations or process tools. To accommodate the workstations or process tools, many semiconductor manufacturing facilities, or "FABs," may be established. Semiconductor manufacturing facilities grouped on a site or within an industrial complex may be referred to as FAB clusters. Transporting or conveying a partially completed device or work-in-progress (WIP) part is an important aspect of the overall manufacturing process. Transporting semiconductor wafers is especially important in the manufacturing of integrated circuit (IC) chips due to the delicate nature of the chips. Furthermore, during the manufacturing of an IC product, a variety of manufacturing steps are usually performed to complete the manufacturing process.The manufacturing process often results in the need for cross-phase transfer within a single FAB and / or cross-FAB transfer between the FABs of the FAB cluster.

[0003] Automated material handling systems ("AMHSs") have been widely used by manufacturers to automatically handle groups or batches of wafers and transport them between different process tools in chip manufacturing. Although existing systems and methods have generally been suitable for their intended use, they have not been entirely satisfactory in all respects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with standard industry practice, various elements are not drawn to scale and are used for illustrative purposes only. Indeed, the dimensions of the various elements may be arbitrarily exaggerated or reduced for the sake of clarity of explanation. Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a simplified FAB cluster according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B are simplified fragmentary schematic diagrams illustrating various stages of a cross-FAB transfer process in the FAB cluster, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 3 illustrates a simplified fragmentary schematic diagram illustrating an alternative FAB cluster according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 4 shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for performing a cross-FAB transfer process in the Fig. 3 shown FAB cluster. Fig. 5 illustrates a simplified fragmentary schematic diagram illustrating another alternative FAB cluster in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 6A illustrates an exemplary vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 6B illustrates a simplified schematic representation of two vehicles operating in different modes during the cross-FAB transfer process, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 7 shows a flowchart illustrating an example method for configuring the vehicles to perform operations and perform the cross-FAB transfer process, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 8 shows a block diagram of a control system of the vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 9 is a simplified block diagram of another alternative FAB cluster according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 10 is a simplified fragmentary schematic diagram of another FAB cluster according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0005] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different features of the provided subject matter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, forming a first element over or on top of a second element in the following description may include embodiments where the first and second elements are formed in direct contact, and also embodiments where additional elements may be formed between the first and second elements such that the first and second elements may not be in direct contact. Furthermore, the present disclosure may repeat reference numbers and / or characters in the various examples.This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations described.

[0006] Spatially relative terms such as "beneath," "under," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like are used herein for ease of discussion to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass various orientations of the device during use or operation of the device, in addition to the orientation shown in the figures. The device may be oriented differently (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0007] Further, when a number or range of numbers is described with "about," "approximately," and the like, the term is intended to encompass numbers that are within a reasonable range, taking into account variations that are understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to be inherent in manufacturing. For example, the number or range of numbers encompasses a reasonable range that includes the described number, such as within + / - 10% of the described number, based on known manufacturing tolerances associated with the manufacture of an element having a property associated with the number. For example, a material layer having a thickness of "about 5 nm" may encompass a dimensional range of 4.25 nm to 5.75 nm, where the manufacturing tolerances associated with the deposition of the material layer are known to one of ordinary skill in the art to be + / - 15%.

[0008] A FAB cluster may comprise a number of FABs located on a site or industrial complex. During the manufacturing process, a payload (e.g., wafers) may be housed in a payload container / carrier (e.g., a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP)) and transferred between FABs for various steps of the manufacturing process. A "cross-FAB transfer" involves the transfer of the payload from one FAB to another. The two FABs of the FAB cluster may be connected by a bridging area (e.g., a corridor bridge or an elevated bridge). A "cross-AMHS transfer" involves the transfer of a payload from one automated material handling system (AMHS) to another AMHS, regardless of whether the AMHSs are separate systems within a single FAB or systems in separate FABs. Each FAB may have multiple phases.An "inter-phase transfer" involves the transfer of a payload from one phase to another. Each phase of a FAB has multiple bays, which may contain process tools or equipment. The equipment in each bay may be interconnected by an intra-bay overhead transport ("OHT") system. The bays may be interconnected by an inter-bay OHT system. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that intra-bay OHT systems and the inter-bay OHT system include overhead conveyors on which OHT vehicles transport payload containers (e.g., FOUPs) containing the payloads to be processed (e.g., batches of wafers) to and from the bay equipment, often via intermediate storage areas.

[0009] In some technologies, a "cross-FAB" transfer may involve placing interface devices (e.g., temporary storage) in the bridging area and selecting an interface device accessible to both OHT vehicles of a first FAB and OHT vehicles of a second FAB, configuring a vehicle of a first OHT system to transfer the payload container from the process tools or equipment of the first FAB to the selected interface device used to temporarily receive the payload container, and configuring a vehicle of a second OHT system to transfer the payload container from the selected interface device to the process tools or equipment of the second FAB. This type of "cross-FAB" transfer increases transport volume and can cause congestion.In addition, more cleanroom space is required to accommodate interface devices and implement cross-FAB transfer. Cross-AMHS transfer and cross-phase transfer also encounter similar challenges.

[0010] The present disclosure provides systems and methods for performing cross-FAB transfer. A FAB cluster comprises multiple FABs in which different process tools are configured, for example, to perform different manufacturing steps. In some embodiments, transistors may be formed in a first FAB, and testing of the transistors may occur in a second FAB. An OHT system of a first FAB includes an OHT trace that is partially parallel to an OHT trace of an OHT system of a second FAB. The partially parallel portions of the OHT traces are located in the bridging region of the first and second FABs.After manufacturing steps that should be performed in the first FAB are completed, a vehicle of the first FAB can pick up the payload and transfer it to a vehicle of the second FAB without temporarily placing the payload on the interface device arranged in the bridging area. In this way, the cross-FAB transfer process is simplified, and the efficiency of the cross-FAB transfer process can be advantageously improved. Additionally, the interface devices can reduce the amount of clean room space occupied. In some embodiments, the vehicle(s) may be operable to transport / pick up two payload containers simultaneously, thereby further improving transport efficiency and reducing congestion. The present disclosure can also be applied to cross-phase transfer and cross-AMHS transfer.

[0011] Fig. Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of a simplified FAB cluster 100. In the present embodiments, the FAB cluster 100 includes a FAB 102 and a FAB 104 connected by a bridging area 106. In some embodiments, the FAB 102 and the FAB 104 may each include one or more buildings. In one embodiment, the FAB 102 includes a first building and the FAB 104 includes a second building spaced from the first building, and the bridging area 106 is a corridor bridge connecting the first and second buildings. The FAB 102 includes a manufacturing execution system ("MES") 108, a materials control system (MCS) 110, and an automated material handling system (AMHS) 112. The FAB 104 has an MES 114, an MCS 116 and an AMHS 118. If a payload container (e.g. a Front Opening Unified Pod (“FOUP”)) is to be transported, the MES (e.g.The MES 108 or the MES 114 determines the destination in the FAB (e.g., the FAB 102 or the FAB 104) to which the payload container should be transferred. Once the decision regarding the destination has been made, the MES sends a transfer request to the MCS (e.g., the MCS 110 or the MCS 116), which calculates a detailed transport route using a route search engine and then notifies, for example, the AMHS to execute the transfer in stages. It is understood that the MES 108 and 114, the MCS 110 and 116, and the AMHS 112 and 118 may comprise a number of components as known in the art. Each of the AMHSs 112 and 118 may include, for example, a number of control modules, such as a reticule buffer controller, an intermediate buffer controller, an overhead buffer controller, a cross-field OHT controller, an intra-field OHT controller, and / or a lift controller.The AMHSs 112 and 118 may include additional, fewer, and different control modules in some embodiments. It is understood that the FAB cluster 100 may include other numbers of FABs.

[0012] The bridging area 106 represents the connection between the FAB 102 and the FAB 104. In some embodiments, the bridging area 106 may be, for example, a corridor bridge or an elevated bridge. The length of the bridging area 106 may be greater than 10 meters. The bridging area 106 connects the FABs such that a payload container can be passed from one FAB to another. In some embodiments, therefore, the bridging area 106 is an area where two or more AMHSs can cooperate. In this way, the payload container can be transferred across multiple FABs by passing the control of the payload container from one FAB to another within the bridging area 106. The bridging area 106 can facilitate the transfer of a payload container from the FAB 102 to the FAB 104, from the FAB 104 to the FAB 102, or both.In some embodiments, the bridging region 106 may connect more than two FABs. In some other embodiments, the bridging region 106 may also represent the connection between two AMHSs. In one embodiment, the AMHSs 112 and 118 may be from different vendors.

[0013] The FAB 102 includes a number of pieces of equipment 120 (e.g., process tools, intermediate storage). The process tools in the FAB 102 can be used to perform a number of manufacturing processes (e.g., front-end-of-line (FEOL) processes associated with fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) such as transistors) on a wafer. The equipment 120 in the FAB 102 is served by the AMHS 112. The FAB 104 also includes a number of pieces of equipment 122 (e.g., process tools, intermediate storage). The process tools in the FAB 104 may be implemented to perform a set of manufacturing processes (e.g., back-end-of-line (BEOL) processes associated with fabricating a multilayer interconnect (MLI) structure that interconnects elements fabricated in the FEOL process) that are different from the manufacturing processes performed in the FAB 102.Equipment 122 in FAB 104 is served by AMHS 118.

[0014] The FAB cluster 100 also includes a unit control unit 126. In the present embodiments, the unit control unit 126 is configured to communicate with each of the FABs 102 and 104 and to facilitate and / or organize the transport of payloads between the FABs 102 and 104. In this regard, the unit control unit 126 may function as a server for receiving or providing information and / or commands from / to each of the FABs 102 to 104. The unit control unit 126 may also function as a communication link between the FABs, allowing the MES, MCS, and / or other systems of each FAB to communicate with the systems of another FAB. The unit control unit 126 may comprise hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the unit controller 126 is a standalone unit separate from the MES, MCS, and other systems of each FAB.In other embodiments, the unit controller 126 may be a component or part of at least one of the FABs. In at least some embodiments, communication between the unit controller 126 and the FABs 102-104 occurs via a Common Object Request Broker Architecture ("CORBA"). Further, communication between components of the unit controller 126 and communication between components of the FABs 102 and 104 may use CORBA. However, in other embodiments, other communication protocols and / or middleware may be used. In the present embodiments, the unit controller 126 is configured to synchronize the MESs 108 and 114, the MCSs 110 and 116, and / or the AMHSs 112 and 118 of the FABs 102 and 104 to facilitate the transport of a payload between the FAB 102 and the FAB 104.In some embodiments, the unit control unit 126 may be configured to facilitate the transport of an empty payload container between the FAB 102 and the FAB 104.

[0015] In the Fig. 1, the unit control unit 126 includes a microprocessor 130 configured to perform operations for performing the payload transfer or the payload container transfer between different FABs. The microprocessor 130 may receive and send data from and to the MCSs 110 and 116 of the FABs 102 and 104, respectively. In particular, the microprocessor 130 is configured to communicate with each of the MCSs 110 and 116 so that a cross-FAB transfer can be synchronized across the different FABs 102 and 104 by sending appropriate signals to the MCSs. For example, the microprocessor 130 determines whether a vehicle associated with the AMHS 112 in the FAB 102 can transfer the payload directly to a vehicle associated with the AMHS 118 in the FAB 104 without using interface devices in the bridging area 106.

[0016] The microprocessor 130 is coupled to a data memory 132. The data memory 132 may include program instructions for generating commands to the MCSe 110 and 116. For example, the data memory 132 may store instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor 130, cause the microprocessor 130 to perform operations to provide partial route requests to each of the MCSe. A detailed description of the operations that may be performed by the microprocessor 130 is provided with reference to Fig. 2A to Fig. 2B. Data storage 132 may include non-volatile memory (NVM), one or more databases containing information about available transfer patterns for each FAB, available transfer patterns between FABs, information about the MES and / or AMHS allocations for each FAB, and / or other information related to transferring payloads.

[0017] The transfer patterns may represent the available routes for transferring a payload between a first position in a first FAB and a second position in a second FAB. In some embodiments, the transfer patterns are dynamic and may be updated based on factors such as static and dynamic traffic conditions, lot information, lot priority, available routes, route distances, maintenance schedules, and / or other factors. In some embodiments, the route of a cross-FAB transfer may be divided into sub-routes that include transfers within a single FAB and transfers across a bridging area. Multiple sub-routes may be interconnected to create a complete transfer route. In some embodiments, the transfer patterns may be based on the available combinations of sub-routes to achieve the desired transfer.Microprocessor 130 may be configured to synchronize the multiple AMHSs to facilitate the transfer of the payload. In some embodiments, microprocessor 130 may be configured to provide a selected complete transfer route formed from a series of sub-routes and then transmit the sub-route requests associated with the corresponding sub-routes to the corresponding AMHSs for execution. By coordinating the AMHSs, the cross-FAB transfer request may be executed correctly.

[0018] The MES and AMHS mapping provides static information regarding the available routing within each FAB and AMHS, which is combined to form a global mapping across multiple MES and AMHS. In this context, the MES and AMHS mapping may include the location of various tools and equipment within the FAB and AMHS that may be used in route planning and evaluation. In some of the embodiments described below, there appears to be only a single route between positions; however, this is for clarity and as an example only and should not be considered limiting. Rather, it is entirely conceivable that there are multiple routes for transferring a payload container between AMHSs from one position to another.

[0019] While the FAB cluster 100 has been described as a particular combination of components, it should be understood that the FAB cluster 100 may include fewer or more components, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the unit controller 126 may also include a user interface engine coupled to the microprocessor 130. For example, a user may input data via a user interface to select / configure various settings or various parameters. Furthermore, the functions of some of the various components may be combined into a single component and / or the functions of a single component may be split among multiple components. In other embodiments, the FAB cluster 100 may include additional FABs in communication with the unit controller 126.A cross-FAB transfer may be extended to the additional FABs in a similar manner as described above with respect to FABs 102 and 104. A detailed description of the FAB cluster comprising additional FABs in communication with the unit controller 126 is provided with reference to FIG. Fig. 3 to Fig. 5.

[0020] The Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B are simplified fragmentary schematic diagrams illustrating various stages of a cross-FAB payload transport process. In one example, a "cross-FAB transfer job" involves the transfer of a payload container 202 from FAB 104 to FAB 102. Payload container 202 may include a front-opening unified pod (FOUP), a front-opening shipping box (FOSB), a reticle container, a tray cassette, a frame cassette, a magazine cassette, or other suitable supports. Payload container 202 may carry a payload 204. Payload 204 may include wafers, photomasks (or reticles), or other suitable payloads. In the present embodiments, payload container 202 containing payload 204 is transferred from FAB 104 to FAB 102.

[0021] With reference to Fig. 2A, the FAB 102 may have a number of bays, and each bay includes equipment 120 (e.g., process tools, intermediate storage, or other equipment). The equipment 120 in each bay of the FAB 102 is interconnected by an intra-bay overhead transport (“OHT”) system, and the bays of the FAB 102 may be interconnected by a cross-bay OHT system. The FAB 104 may have a number of bays, and each bay includes equipment 122 (e.g., process tools, intermediate storage, or other equipment). Similarly, the equipment 122 in each bay of the FAB 104 is interconnected by another intra-bay overhead transport (“OHT”) system, and the bays of the FAB 104 may be interconnected by another cross-bay OHT system. The intra-bay OHT system and the cross-bay OHT system may be collectively or separately referred to as an OHT system.

[0022] In the present embodiments, the OHT system 206 of the AMHS 112 includes overhead conveyors or overhead rails (e.g., overhead conveyor 207) on which OHT vehicles of the first type (e.g., vehicle 208) transport payload containers to and from the equipment 120. The OHT system 209 of the AMHS 118 includes overhead conveyors or overhead rails (e.g., overhead conveyor 210) on which OHT vehicles of a second type (e.g., vehicle 212) transport payload containers to and from the equipment 122. The OHT system 206 and the OHT system 209 may be provided by different suppliers. In the Fig. 2A, the overhead track 207 of the OHT system 206 includes a portion 207a disposed within the FAB 102 and a portion (i.e., the combination of a portion 207b and a portion 207c) disposed within the bridging region 106. That is, the operating region of the OHT system 206 includes both the FAB 102 and a portion of the bridging region 106. The overhead track 210 of the OHT system 209 includes a portion 210a disposed within the FAB 104 and a portion (i.e., the combination of a portion 210b and a portion 210c) disposed within the bridging region 106. That is, the operating region of the OHT system 209 includes both the FAB 104 and a portion of the bridging region 106. In the present embodiments, the section 207b of the overhead track 207 is located near the section 210b of the overhead track 210.In particular, section 207b of overhead conveyor 207 is adjacent to and parallel to section 210b of overhead conveyor 210.

[0023] As described above, the FAB cluster 100 includes the unit control unit 126. To transfer the payload 204 from a piece of equipment 122 in the FAB 104 to a target equipment 120 in the FAB 102, the microprocessor 130, in response to a cross-FAB transfer request, may select an appropriate route for the transfer of the payload container 202 transporting the payload 204 from a piece of equipment 122 to the target equipment 120 and communicate the sub-routes to the MCS 110 and the MCS 116 accordingly. After receiving signals (e.g., information regarding the partial route) from the MCS 116, the vehicle 212 is configured to pick up the payload container 202 containing the payload 204 from the equipment 122 (e.g., an intermediate storage facility) in the FAB 104 and move along the overhead conveyor 210 to arrive at a predetermined location 214 at a predetermined time or within a predetermined duration.In one embodiment, the vehicle 212 includes a tray configured to receive the payload container 202. The predetermined location 214 is located within the portion 210b of the overhead track 210. After receiving commands from the MCS 110, the vehicle 208 begins traveling along the overhead track 207 to arrive at a predetermined location 216 at the same predetermined time or within the same predetermined duration. The predetermined location 216 is located within the portion 210b of the overhead track 207 and is substantially aligned with the predetermined location 214 along the Y direction.

[0024] With reference to Fig. 2B, after traveling for a duration along the respective overhead track, the vehicle 208 arrives at the predetermined location 214 at the predetermined time, and the vehicle 208 arrives at the predetermined location 216 at substantially the same time. In the present embodiments, both vehicles 208 and 212 continue traveling on their respective paths after arriving at the respective predetermined locations 214 and 216 to reduce congestion. In particular, after arriving at the respective predetermined locations 214 and 216, the vehicle 212 moves along the -X direction on portion 210b of the overhead track 210 at a first speed, and the vehicle 208 moves along the -X direction on portion 207b of the overhead track 207 at a second speed. In one embodiment, the first speed is equal to the second speed, such that the vehicle 208 and the vehicle 212 are relatively stationary.In some embodiments, a speed difference between the first speed and the second speed is less than a predetermined threshold (e.g., 0.1 m / second), such that the vehicle 208 and the vehicle 212 are considered stationary relative to each other. After both the vehicle 208 and the vehicle 212 have arrived at their respective predetermined locations and are stationary relative to each other, an alignment module on the vehicle 212 may determine whether the vehicle 208 is aligned with the vehicle 212. In some embodiments, the alignment module may include an image sensor, a laser sensor, a tilt angle sensor, other suitable devices, and / or combinations thereof. After the vehicle 208 and the vehicle 212 are aligned and stationary relative to each other, the payload container 202 containing the payload 204 is transferred directly from the vehicle 212 to the vehicle 208.In an exemplary process, the tray of the vehicle 212 may slide out from a main body of the vehicle 212, and a gripper of the vehicle 208 may pick up the payload container 202 from the tray of the vehicle 212 and place the payload container 202 onto a tray of the vehicle 208. After directly transferring the payload container 202 from the vehicle 212 to the vehicle 208, the vehicle 208 continues along the overhead conveyor 207 until it has transported the payload container 202 to the destination position in the FAB 102. The cross-FAB transfer process is therefore completed without the need for an interface device (e.g., intermediate storage) between the OHT system 206 and the OHT system 209 for temporarily receiving the payload container (e.g., FOUP) 202 (shown in FIG. Fig. 2A). This allows the effective area that can be used for placing process tools to be increased. Since the cross-FAB transfer process is simplified by reducing processes such as the temporal positioning of the payload container 202 on the interface device and the retrieval of the payload container 202 from the same interface device, congestion caused by these processes can be advantageously reduced.

[0025] Fig. 3 illustrates a simplified fragmentary schematic diagram illustrating a cross-FAB transfer process in an alternative FAB cluster 300 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. A block diagram of FAB cluster 300 is similar to FAB cluster 100, and one of the differences between FAB cluster 300 and FAB cluster 100 is that FAB cluster 300 has more FABs and more bridging areas. The equipment in each FAB is omitted for simplicity. Each FAB in FAB cluster 300 may be in communication with unit controller 126. In the present embodiments illustrated in Fig. 3, the FAB cluster 300 includes an FAB 302a, an FAB 302b, an FAB 302c, and an FAB 302d. The FAB 302a and the FAB 302b are connected by a bridging area 304a, the FAB 302b and the FAB 302c are connected by a bridging area 304b, the FAB 302c and the FAB 302d are connected by a bridging area 304c, and the FAB 302d and the FAB 302a are connected by a bridging area 304d. Each of the FABs 302a to 302d may include a building. Each of the bridging areas 304a to 304d may be a corridor bridge or an elevated bridge. In some embodiments, the FABs 302a to 302d and the bridging regions 304a to 304d have substantially the same clean room levels.In some other embodiments, the FABs 302a-302d and the bridging areas 304a-304d may have different cleanroom levels, and when a payload container is to be transferred from a FAB with a lower cleanroom level to a FAB with a higher cleanroom level, a physical cleaning process (e.g., deionized water via a shower) may be performed to clean the vehicle and the payload container. Each of the FABs 302a-302d has its own OHT lanes 308a, 308b, 308c, and 308d, respectively. In the present embodiments, the OHT lanes are not only located inside their respective FABs, but also have two additional sections in two different bridging areas. For example, the OHT traces 308a have a portion in the FAB 302a, a portion in the bridging region 304a, and a portion in the bridging region 304d.

[0026] The FABs 302a to 302d are configured to perform different manufacturing steps. In one embodiment, the FAB 302a includes process tools configured to perform advanced processes. For example, front-end-of-line (FEOL) processes, which generally include processes related to the manufacturing of integrated circuit (IC) devices, such as transistors (e.g., gate all-around transistors, fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs), complementary field-effect transistors (CFETs)), and / or middle-end-of-line (MEOL) processes, which generally include processes related to the manufacturing of contacts to conductive elements of the IC devices, such as gate vias to gate structures and / or source / drain contacts to source / drain elements, are executed by process tools in the FAB 302a.The process tools in the FAB 302a may include extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) system(s), chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tools, atomic layer deposition (ALD) tools, and other suitable tools.

[0027] In some embodiments, after performing some or all of the FEOL and / or MEOL processes in FAB 302a, processed wafers may be transferred to other FABs (e.g., FAB 302b, FAB 302c, and / or FAB 302d) for further processing. In one embodiment, FAB 302b includes process tools configured to perform back-end-of-line (BEOL) processes, which generally include processes related to the fabrication of a multilayer interconnect (MLI) structure that interconnects IC elements fabricated by FEOL and MEOL processes, thereby enabling the operation of the IC devices. The process tools in FAB 302b may include chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tools, etching tools, and other suitable tools. In one embodiment, the process tools in the FAB 302b do not include any extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems.To transfer the IC components formed in FAB 302a to FAB 302b, FAB 302a and FAB 302b may communicate with unit controller 126. The inter-FAB transfer between FAB 302a and FAB 302b is similar to that described above with respect to FABs 102 and 104. In some embodiments, to ensure that sufficient payload containers are present in FAB 302a, the vehicles of FAB 302a may not only send payload containers containing payloads to vehicles of FAB 302b, but may also receive unoccupied / empty payload containers from vehicles of FAB 302b. The payload containers transferred between FAB 302a and FAB 302b may include FOUP, FOSB, or Recticle containers. The vehicles in FAB 302a and FAB 302b are designed to be compatible with all these different types of payload containers.

[0028] In some embodiments, after performing some or all of the BEOL processes in FAB 302b, IC components may be transferred from FAB 302b to other FABs (e.g., FAB 302c and / or FAB 302d) for further processing. In one embodiment, FAB 302c includes process tools configured to perform dicing, wafer bonding, wiring, injection molding, and / or other packaging processes. The wafer dicing process enables manufacturers of integrated circuits (ICs) and other semiconductor devices to obtain many individual dies from a single wafer. The process tools in FAB 302c may include wafer dicing machine(s), wire bonding machine(s), die attach machine(s), injection molding equipment for encapsulating integrated circuits, and / or other suitable equipment.In one embodiment, the process tools in FAB 302c do not include chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tools, etching tools, or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems. To transfer the IC components formed in FAB 302b to FAB 302c, FAB 302b and FAB 302c may communicate with unit controller 126. The inter-FAB transfer between FAB 302b and FAB 302c is similar to that described above with respect to FABs 102 and 104. In some embodiments, FAB 302b vehicles may not only send payload containers containing payloads to FAB 302c vehicles, but may also receive unused payload containers from FAB 302c vehicles. Payload containers transferred between the FAB 302b and the FAB 302c may include FOUPs, reticle containers, storage cassettes, frame cassettes, magazine cassettes, and / or other suitable payload containers.The vehicles in FAB 302b and FAB 302c are designed to be compatible with all these different types of payload containers.

[0029] In some embodiments, after performing some or all of the packaging processes in FAB 302c, the packaged IC components may be transferred from FAB 302c to FAB 302d for testing to determine whether the packaged IC components are functioning properly. In one embodiment, FAB 302d includes process tools configured to perform tests, such as electrical and functional properties and performance tests of the packaged IC components, to detect defects. The process tools in FAB 302d may include automated test equipment (ATE), a wafer test fixture, a probe card, and / or other suitable test tools. In one embodiment, the process tools in FAB 302d do not include chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tools, etching tools, photolithography systems, wafer singulation machines, wire bonding machines, die attach machines, or injection molding equipment.To transfer the packaged IC components formed in FAB 302c to FAB 302d, FAB 302c and FAB 302d may communicate with unit controller 126. The inter-FAB transfer between FAB 302c and FAB 302d is similar to that described above with respect to FABs 102 and 104. In some embodiments, FAB 302c vehicles may not only send payload containers containing payloads to FAB 302d vehicles, but may also receive unused payload containers from FAB 302d vehicles. Payload containers transferred between FAB 302c and FAB 302d may include FOUPs, tray cassettes, or other suitable payload containers. The vehicles in FAB 302c and FAB 302d are designed to be compatible with all these different types of payload containers.

[0030] In some other embodiments, after performing some or all of the FEOL processes and / or MEOL processes in FAB 302a, the processed wafers may be transferred by vehicles 306g and 306h to FAB 302d for testing, instead of transferring them to FAB 302b. In some embodiments, after performing some or all of the BEOL processes in FAB 302b, the processed wafers may be transferred to FAB 302d for testing before packaging. In some embodiments, after performing some processes in FAB 302c, the wafers may also be transferred to FAB 302d for testing, and the tested wafers may then be transferred from FAB 302d to FAB 302c to complete the remaining processes in FAB 302c.

[0031] Fig. 4 shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 400 for executing the cross-FAB transfer process in the FAB cluster 300 in Fig. 3. In one embodiment, the method 400 includes, at block 402, sending a signal to a unit controller (e.g., the unit controller 126) when processes (e.g., FEOL and / or MEOL processes) executed in a first FAB (e.g., the FAB 302a in Fig. 3) are completed and a payload (e.g. wafer) is ready for the next steps, which are carried out in a second FAB (e.g. FAB 302b in Fig. 3). In some embodiments, the signal may be sent from FAB 302a. In some embodiments, after receiving the signal, unit controller 126 may determine an appropriate route for transferring the payload between its current position in FAB 302a and its next position in FAB 302b.

[0032] The method 400 also includes, at block 404, receiving, respectively, a command from the unit controller 126 by the FAB 302a and the FAB 302b to transfer the payload from the FAB 302a to the FAB 302b. The command may include a first sub-route that includes transfers within the FAB 302a and across the bridging area 304a and is received by the MCS of the FAB 302a, and a second sub-route that includes transfers within the FAB 302b and across the bridging area 304a and is received by the MCS of the FAB 302b.

[0033] The method 400 further includes, at block 406, configuring (e.g., by the MCS of the FAB 302a) a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306a) of the FAB 302a to bring the payload from the current position of the payload to a bridging area (e.g., bridging area 304a) connecting the FAB 302a and 302b, and optionally transferring the payload to a corresponding vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306b) of the FAB 302b, and, at block 408, configuring (e.g., by the MCS of the FAB 302b) the corresponding vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306b) of the FAB 302b to arrive at the bridging area (e.g., bridging area 304a) and to pick up the payload from the vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306a) of the FAB 302a if necessary (e.g.when the two vehicles 306a and 306b are aligned, travel along a same direction and at the same speed, and travel on adjacent and parallel portions of OHT tracks, as described with reference to FIG. Fig. 2A to Fig. 2B).

[0034] The method 400 also includes, at block 410, performing the payload transfer between the vehicle 306a of the FAB 302a and the vehicle 306b of the FAB 302b when certain predetermined conditions are met (e.g., that the two vehicles are aligned, traveling along a same direction at the same speed, and on adjacent and parallel sections of OHT trajectories). The payload transfer between the two vehicles is similar to that described above with respect to the Fig. 2A to Fig. 2B. After receiving the payload by the vehicle 306b, the vehicle 306b may transport the payload and deliver it to a predetermined piece of equipment (e.g., a machining tool or an intermediate storage area). The payload may then undergo some manufacturing processes in the FAB 302b. Inter-field and / or intra-field payload transfer processes may further be performed within the FAB 302b.

[0035] The method 400 includes, at block 412, sending a signal to the unit controller (e.g., unit controller 126) once the processes (e.g., BEOL processes) that were to be executed in the FAB 302b have finished and the payload is ready for the next steps to be executed in the FAB 302c. In some embodiments, the signal may be sent by the FAB 302b. The signal may also be a manual request. In some embodiments, after receiving the signal, the unit controller 126 may determine an appropriate route for transferring the payload between its current position in the FAB 302b and its desired next position in the FAB 302c.

[0036] The method 400 also includes, at block 414, receiving, by the FAB 302b and the FAB 302c, a command from the unit controller 126 to transfer the payload from the FAB 302b to the FAB 302c. The method 400 further includes, at block 416, configuring (e.g., by the MCS of the FAB 302b) a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306c) of the FAB 302b to bring the payload from the current position of the payload to a bridging area (e.g., bridging area 304b) connecting the FAB 302b and 302c, and optionally transferring the payload to a corresponding vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306d) of the FAB 302c, and, at block 418, configuring (e.g., by the MCS of the FAB 302c) the corresponding vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306d) of the FAB 302c to arrive at the bridging area (e.g., bridging area 304b) and to pick up the payload from the vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306c) of the FAB 302b where appropriate (e.g.when the two vehicles 306c and 306d are aligned, travel along a same direction and at the same speed, and travel on adjacent and parallel portions of OHT tracks, as described with reference to the . Fig. 2A to Fig. 2B).

[0037] The method 400 also includes, at block 420, performing the payload transfer between the vehicle 306c of the FAB 302b and the vehicle 306d of the FAB 302c. The payload transfer between the two vehicles is similar to that described above with respect to the Fig. 2A to Fig. 2B. After receiving the payload by the vehicle 306d, the vehicle 306d may transport the payload and deliver it to a predetermined piece of equipment (e.g., a machining tool or an intermediate storage area). The payload may then undergo some manufacturing processes (e.g., dicing, wire bonding) in the FAB 302c. Inter-field and / or intra-field payload transfer processes may further be performed within the FAB 302c.

[0038] The method 400 includes, at block 422, sending a signal to the unit controller (e.g., the unit controller 126) once the processes that should be executed in the FAB 302c have completed and the payload is ready for the next steps to be executed in the FAB 302d. In some embodiments, the signal may be sent by the FAB 302c. The signal may also be a manual request. In some embodiments, after receiving the signal, the unit controller 126 may determine an appropriate route for transferring the payload between its current position in the FAB 302c and its desired next position in the FAB 302d.

[0039] The method 400 also includes, at block 424, receiving, by the FAB 302c and the FAB 302d, a command from the unit controller 126 to transfer the payload from the FAB 302c to the FAB 302d. The method 400 further includes, at block 426, configuring (e.g., by the MCS of the FAB 302c) a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306e) of the FAB 302c to bring the payload from the current position of the payload to a bridging area (e.g., bridging area 304c) connecting the FAB 302c and 302c, and optionally transferring the payload to a corresponding vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306f) of the FAB 302d, and, at block 428, configuring (e.g., by the MCS of the FAB 302d) the corresponding vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306f) of the FAB 302d to arrive at the bridging area (e.g., bridging area 304c) and to pick up the payload from the vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306e) of the FAB 302c where appropriate (e.g.when the two vehicles 306e and 306f are aligned, travel along a same direction and at the same speed, and travel on adjacent and parallel portions of OHT tracks, as described with reference to the . Fig. 2A to Fig. 2B).

[0040] The method 400 also includes, at block 430, performing the payload transfer between the vehicle 306e of the FAB 302c and the vehicle 306f of the FAB 302d. The payload transfer between the two vehicles is similar to that described above with respect to the Fig. 2A to Fig. 2B. After receiving the payload by the vehicle 306f, the vehicle 306f may transport the payload and deliver it to predetermined equipment (e.g., a processing tool or an intermediate storage area). The payload may undergo some manufacturing processes in the FAB 302d. Inter-field and / or intra-field payload transfer processes may further be performed in the FAB 302d. In the above embodiments, payload transfers (e.g., wafers) are performed between FAB 302a and FAB 302b, between FAB 302b and FAB 302c, and between FAB 302c and 302d in a sequential order. In some alternative embodiments, multiple inter-FAB transfers between these FABs may be performed simultaneously, and different types of payloads may be transferred. In some other embodiments, the payload may be transferred directly between the FAB 302a and FAB 302d.Similar operations can be performed and for simplicity, a corresponding description is omitted.

[0041] Fig. 5 illustrates a simplified fragmentary schematic of an alternative FAB cluster 300'. The FAB cluster 300' is similar to the FAB cluster 300. One of the differences between the FAB cluster 300' and the FAB cluster 300 is that the FABs 302a to 302d in the FAB cluster 300' are arranged in different ways. In particular, the FABs 302a to 302d in the FAB cluster 300' are connected by a bridging region 304. Each of the OHT systems of the FABs 302a to 302d has a portion of its OHT track in the bridging region 304. Two adjacent portions of the OHT tracks are at least partially parallel to achieve the Fig. 2A to Fig. 2B to enable the cross-FAB transfer described above. For simplicity, a repeated description is omitted.

[0042] In the cases referred to above with reference to the Fig. 1 to Fig. 5, the cross-FAB transfer can be performed without placing payloads on interface devices (e.g., intermediate storage), thereby increasing transport efficiency and reducing congestion. In some other embodiments described in the Fig. 6A to Fig. 6B, the vehicles used in the OHT system(s) of the FAB(s) are capable of carrying more than one payload container to increase transport efficiency and reduce congestion. Fig. Figure 6A shows a cross-sectional view along line AA' of an exemplary vehicle as shown in Fig. 3, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 6B shows a cross-sectional view of exemplary vehicles along line B-B', as in Fig. 3. With reference to Fig. 6A, the vehicle 306a is connected to the tracks 308a of the OHT system of the FAB 302a such that the vehicle 306a may be operable to be moved along the tracks 308a. The vehicle 306a includes a housing (or main body) 610 and at least one (e.g., one, two, or more) upper grippers 620a and at least one (e.g., one, two, or more) lower grippers 620b configured to extend from the housing 610 to grip one or more payload containers from the process tool, the interface equipment, another vehicle (such as the vehicle 306b), and / or other devices. The upper gripper 620a and the lower gripper 620b may be mechanically connected to an outer surface of the housing 610 or an inner surface of the housing 610.In one example, when the vehicle 306a is configured to pick up a payload container from an interface device, the upper gripper 620a or the lower gripper 620b may extend laterally (e.g., along the Y direction) and then vertically (along the Z direction) to grip the payload container. The upper gripper 620a and the lower gripper 620b may perform their respective functions independently of each other. For example, in some embodiments, to pick up a payload container, only one of the upper gripper 620a and the lower gripper 620b is configured to be operable to pick up the payload container.

[0043] The vehicle 306a also includes a first tray 630a configured to hold or transport a payload container grasped by the upper gripper 620a, and a second tray 630b configured to hold or transport a payload container grasped by the lower gripper 620b. For example, after the upper gripper 620a picks up a reticle container from equipment in the FAB 302a, the upper gripper 620a may place the reticle container onto the first tray 630a. During the inter-FAB transfer process, the first tray 630a may be operable to slide out from the main body 610 of the vehicle 306a to facilitate the transfer process. Similarly, after the lower gripper 620b picks up a FOUP from equipment in the FAB 302a, the lower gripper 620b may place the FOUP onto the second tray 630b.The second tray 630b may be operable to slide out of the main body 610 of the vehicle 306a during the cross-FAB transfer process. In some embodiments, the tray (e.g., the first tray 630a, the second tray 630b) may be configured to include anti-skid mechanisms to prevent the payload carrier from falling out of the tray. In one embodiment, dampers may be attached to the upper surface of the tray.

[0044] The first tray 630a and the sidewall surfaces and top surfaces of the housing 610 form an upper cavity. The second tray 630b, the sidewall surfaces of the housing 610, and a bottom surface of the first tray 630a form a lower cavity. In some embodiments, a volume of the upper cavity is smaller than a volume of the lower cavity, and the first tray 630a and the second tray 630b are configured to accommodate payload containers with different volumes. For example, the first tray 630a can accommodate a payload container 640a (e.g., a tray cassette or a reticle container) whose volume is smaller than that of a payload container 640b (e.g., FOUP or FOSB) accommodated in the second tray 630b.By providing vehicles capable of transporting more than one payload container, more payload containers can be transferred and / or fewer vehicles are required, increasing transport efficiency and reducing congestion. Furthermore, temporarily storing the payload container on one of the vehicle's shelves can reduce the time required to unload the payload container, rather than using a warehouse that temporarily houses the payload container. Advantageously, less clean room space is required to accommodate interface devices (e.g., intermediate storage) for implementing the cross-FAB transfer.

[0045] Fig. 6B illustrates a simplified schematic representation of vehicle 306a and vehicle 306b during the cross-FAB transfer process. Vehicles 306a through 306h and vehicles 208 through 210 have substantially the same structure, and a repeated description of the structure of vehicle 306b is omitted for simplicity. In this illustrated example, the first tray 630a of vehicle 306a receives the payload container 640a, and the second tray 630b of vehicle 306a receives the payload container 640b. After vehicle 306a and vehicle 306b are ready for payload transfer, the upper gripper 620a' and the lower gripper 620b' of vehicle 306b extend from the main body of vehicle 306b and then extend laterally and / or vertically. The first tray 630a and the second tray 630b of the vehicle 306a can slide out from the main body 610 of the vehicle 306a.The upper gripper 620a' and the lower gripper 620b' of the vehicle 306b can then extend downward to respectively pick up and lift the payload container 640a and the payload container 640b from the first tray 630a and the second tray 630b of the vehicle 306a, and respectively place the payload container 640a and the payload container 640b onto the first tray 630a' and the second tray 630b' of the vehicle 306b. In some other embodiments, the payload container 640a can be transferred from the vehicle 306a to the vehicle 306b, and the payload container 640b can be transferred from the vehicle 306a to another vehicle. That is, the destinations of the payload container 640a and the payload container 640b can be the same or different. In some other embodiments, vehicle 306a may include a payload container with payload therein and vehicle 306b may include an empty payload container.After vehicle 306a and vehicle 306b are aligned and ready for transfer, vehicle 306a may receive the empty payload container from vehicle 306b, and vehicle 306b may receive the filled payload container from vehicle 306a. In some other embodiments, the vehicle may include two empty payload containers. Vehicles capable of transporting two payload containers may be used in FABs 102-104 and / or FABs 302a-302d for cross-FAB transfers, cross-phase transfers within a same FAB, and / or cross-AMHS transfers.

[0046] Fig. 7 shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 700 for performing the cross-FAB transfer process by vehicles 306a and 306b, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The method 700 includes, at block 702, receiving a command by a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306a) to pick up a first payload container (e.g., payload container 640a) at a first FAB (e.g., FAB 302a), transferring the payload container 640a to a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306b) of another FAB (e.g., FAB 302b), and receiving a second payload container from the vehicle 306b. The method 700 includes, at block 704, traveling along the rails 308a of the FAB 302a until the current position of the payload container 640a is reached. The payload container 640a can transport payloads such as wafers or reticles.The method 700 includes, at block 706, gripping the payload container 640a with a gripper (e.g., the upper gripper 620a) of the vehicle 306a and placing it on the corresponding tray (e.g., the first tray 630a). The method 700 includes, at block 708, traveling along the rails 308a of the FAB 302a and arriving at a predetermined location of the bridging area between the two FABs (e.g., the bridging area 304a) at a predetermined time.

[0047] The method 700 also includes, at block 710, receiving a command by a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306b) to obtain a second payload container (not shown) in a second FAB (e.g., FAB 302b), transferring the second payload container to a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 306a) of the first FAB (e.g., FAB 302a), and obtaining the first payload container (e.g., payload container 640a) from the vehicle 306a. The method 700 includes, at block 712, traveling along the rails 308b of the FAB 302b until the current position of the second payload container is reached. The second payload container in the FAB 302b that is transferred to the FAB 302a may be an empty payload container that is not transporting any payloads. The method 700 includes, at block 714, gripping the empty payload container by a gripper (e.g., the lower gripper 620b) of the vehicle 306b and placing it on the corresponding tray (e.g., the second tray 630b).The method 700 includes, at block 716, traveling along the rails 308b of the FAB 302b and arriving at a corresponding predetermined location of the bridging area, the bridging area 304a, at a predetermined time. The vehicle 306a and the vehicle 306b may then begin the alignment process and determine whether the vehicle 306a and the vehicle 306b are ready for the transfer (e.g., whether the first and second vehicles 306a-306b are aligned and moving in the same direction and at the same speed). If not, the vehicle 306a and the vehicle 306b may configure their respective speeds or perform other operations until they are ready for the transfer. If so, method 700 proceeds to block 720 where the empty payload container is transferred from vehicle 306b to vehicle 306a and the payload container 640a is transferred from vehicle 306a to vehicle 306b.The two transfers may be performed simultaneously. It is understood that vehicle 306a and vehicle 306b may perform fewer or more operations, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art.

[0048] Fig. 8 shows a block diagram of a control system of the vehicle 306a according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the present embodiments, the vehicle 306a includes a processing unit 810 configured to perform operations to perform the cross-FAB transfer. The processing unit 810 may, for example, determine the operation of the grippers 620a and 620b and the operation of the trays 630a and 630b. The processing unit 810 is coupled to a data storage (e.g., a non-volatile memory (NVM)) 820. The data storage 820 may store instructions that, when executed by the processing unit 810, cause the processing unit 810 to perform operations, for example, to perform operations to control the movement and speed of the vehicle, the operation of the grippers, or the movement of the trays.The data store 820 may also include lookup tables (LUTs) for storing one or more parameters / operations associated with one or more predetermined criteria. The predetermined criteria may include criteria corresponding to, for example, monitored or detected status parameters. The vehicle 306a also includes a network interface 830 connected to the processing unit 810 to provide a connection between the vehicle 306a and the MCS of the FAB 302a. The processing unit 810 may send information, such as the location and availability status of the vehicle's bins, to the MCS via the network interface 830. The processing unit 810 may receive signals, such as partial route requests, via the network interface 830.

[0049] The vehicle 306a also includes a location sensor 840 operably connected to the processing unit 810. During operation, the location sensor 840 may provide information about the location of the vehicle 306a to the processing unit 810. Based on the location information, the processing unit 810 may perform various operations. The vehicle 306a further includes an alignment module 850 coupled to the processing unit 810 to determine whether the vehicle 306a is aligned with the predetermined object (e.g., the vehicle 306b). In some embodiments, the alignment module 850 may include an image sensor, a laser sensor, a tilt angle sensor, other suitable devices, and / or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the vehicle 306a may also include a contact detector 860 configured to determine whether the vehicle 306a is aligned with the predetermined object (e.g., the vehicle 306b).the grippers of the vehicle are in full contact with the payload carrier. It is understood that the vehicle 306a may have fewer or more components, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, the vehicle 306a may have a display configured to display a barcode, an image, a QR code, or other suitable information, so that the other vehicle can use an alignment module to detect or scan the information shown on the display ("alignment mark") to determine the alignment between these two vehicles.

[0050] In the cases referred to above with reference to the Fig. 1 to Fig. In the embodiments described in Figure 8, the operations performed by vehicles of the FAB are controlled by the MCS of the FAB, regardless of whether the vehicles travel along rails in the FAB or in the bridging areas. In some other embodiments, another MCS may assume responsibility for controlling the operations performed by the vehicles once the vehicles enter the bridging area.

[0051] Fig. 9 illustrates a block diagram of a simplified FAB cluster 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The FAB cluster 900 is similar to the FAB cluster 100. One of the differences between the FAB cluster 900 and the FAB cluster 100 is that the bridging portion 106 of the FAB cluster 900 includes an MCS 113. An exemplary process for cross-FAB transfer in the FAB cluster 900 includes receiving a command by the vehicle 212 (shown in Fig. 2A) to pick up the payload container 202 from equipment in the FAB 104 and transfer the payload container 202 to the vehicle 208 as the vehicle 212 moves along the section 210b. In some embodiments, the command may include one of the partial route requests received from the microprocessor 130. Upon receiving the command, the vehicle 212 is configured to move along the path 210 of the OHT system 209 to arrive at a location proximate the equipment holding the payload container 202. The vehicle 212 is then configured to grab the payload container 202 from the equipment and transport the payload container 202. After picking up the payload container 202, the vehicle 212 is configured to move along the path 210 and arrive at the predetermined location 214.In some embodiments, one or more sensors may be installed near the boundary of FAB 104 to detect the entry / exit of vehicles 212. Once the sensors detect the exit of vehicle 212, a signal may be sent to MCS 116 of FAB 104 and MCS 113 of bridging area 106, and MCS 113 of bridging area 106 may then have control of vehicle 212. Once sensors detect the exit of vehicle 208 from FAB 102, MCS 113 of bridging area 106 may have control of vehicle 208. MCS 113 of bridging area 106 may instruct vehicle 212 and vehicle 208 to perform operations to complete the payload transfer in bridging area 106.

[0052] Fig. 10 is a simplified perspective fragmentary view of a FAB cluster 1000. In some semiconductor FAB clusters, each FAB may have a building configured to contain different equipment, and different FABs may have different heights. That is, a height of the OHT lanes of a first FAB may differ from the height of the OHT lanes of a second FAB. To enable cross-FAB transport using the methods described above with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 9, the configurations of the OHT paths of the first and second FABs can be improved. Fig. Figure 10 shows an example of improved OHT lanes to facilitate efficient cross-FAB transport. As shown in Fig.10, the first FAB 1100 has the OHT traces 1300 in the first FAB 1100 and in a bridging region 1150 and the second FAB 1200 has the OHT traces 1400 in the second FAB 1200 and in the bridging region 1150. The height H1 of the section of the OHT tracks 1300 in the first FAB 1100 differs from the height H2 of the section of the OHT tracks 1400 in the second FAB 1200. In order to carry out efficient cross-FAB transport in the bridging area 1150, each of the OHT tracks 1300 and 1400 is configured such that at least one section of the OHT tracks 1300 and one section of the OHT tracks 1400 run parallel and have the same height in the bridging area 1150.In the present embodiments, the section of OHT tracks 1300 of the first FAB 1100 comprises three parts: a first part 1300a having a height H1 in the first FAB 1100, a second part 1300b having a sloped rail and therefore unequal heights in the bridging region 1150, and a third part 1300c in the bridging region 1150 having a height H3 less than the height H1. Similarly, the section of OHT tracks 1400 of the second FAB 1200 has three parts: a first part 1400a having a height H2 in the second FAB 1200, a second part 1400b having a sloped rail and therefore non-uniform heights in the bridging region 1150, and a third part 1400c in the bridging region 1150 having a height H3 that is greater than the height H2.To ensure that the payload carriers held by the vehicles can maintain stability along the second parts 1300b and 1400b, the angular difference between an angle A1 of a first part 1300b1 of the second part 1300b and an angle A2 of a second part 1300b2 adjacent to the first part 1300b1 of the second part 1300b is less than 10° every meter. If the angular difference is greater than 10°, the payload carrier may fall off the vehicle. If the angular difference is less than 10°, the bridging area may not be able to accommodate the long OHT tracks. This also applies to the second parts 1400b of the OHT tracks 1400 of the second FAB 1200.By configuring the heights of the OHT lanes 1300 and the OHT lanes 1400, the vehicles of the two FABs can be aligned while traveling along the third parts 1300c and 1400c of the OHT lanes, and cross-FAB transportation can be efficiently performed using the methods described above.

[0053] Although not intended to be limiting, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide many advantages to cross-FAB transfer. For example, the present disclosure provides a method for performing cross-FAB transfer without requiring a payload carrier to be temporarily placed on intermediate storage or other interface devices. As such, cross-FAB transfer is simplified. Additionally, the fabrication facility does not require interface devices to be located in a bridging area. Also, the congestion caused by temporarily placing the wafer carrier on the interface devices and then picking the wafer carrier up from the interface devices can be reduced. In some embodiments, vehicles of the FAB(s) can be operated to transport one or more (e.g.,two) include payload containers to further increase transport efficiency and reduce congestion. One or more embodiments of the present disclosure may also be applied to cross-phase transport, cross-AMHS transport.

[0054] The present disclosure provides many different embodiments. Semiconductor systems and embodiments thereof are disclosed herein. In one example aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system. The system comprises a first manufacturing facility (FAB) building including a first set of manufacturing tools, a first overhead conveyor (OHT) track serving the first set of manufacturing tools, and a first vehicle operable to transport a first container and move along the first OHT track. The system also comprises a second FAB building including a second set of manufacturing tools, a second OHT track serving the second set of manufacturing tools, and a second vehicle operable to transport the first container and move along the second OHT track.The system further comprises a first bridging area between the first FAB building and the second FAB building, the first OHT lane having a first portion in the first FAB building and a second portion in the first bridging area, the second OHT lane having a first portion in the second FAB building and a second portion in the first bridging area, the second portion of the second OHT lane running at least partially parallel to the second portion of the first OHT lane, the second vehicle being operable to receive the first container directly from the first vehicle when both the first vehicle and the second vehicle are moving in the first bridging area.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first set of manufacturing tools may be configured to perform front-end-of-line (FEOL) processes, and the second set of manufacturing tools may be configured to perform back-end-of-line (BEOL) processes. In some embodiments, the first container may be configured to contain wafers or reticles. In some embodiments, the first container may comprise a front-opening unified pod (FOUP), a front-opening shipping box (FOSB), or a reticle container.In some embodiments, the system may also include a main control system configured to organize the transport of payloads between the first FAB building and the second FAB building, wherein the first FAB building may also include a first control system configured to communicate directly with the first vehicle and the main control system, and the second FAB building may also include a second control system configured to communicate directly with the second vehicle and the main control system.In some embodiments, the system may also include a third control system, wherein the first control system may be configured to control operations performed by the first vehicle when the first vehicle moves along the first portion of the first OHT path, the second control system may be configured to control operations performed by the second vehicle when the second vehicle moves along the first portion of the second OHT path, and the third control system may be configured to control operations performed by the first vehicle when the first vehicle moves along the second portion of the first OHT path and to control operations performed by the second vehicle when the second vehicle moves along the second portion of the second OHT path. In some embodiments, the first vehicle may be operable to transport two containers simultaneously.In some embodiments, the first vehicle may be further operable to receive another container directly from the second vehicle when both the first and second vehicles are moving within the first bridging area. In some embodiments, the system may also include a third FAB building with a third set of manufacturing tools, a third OHT lane serving the third set of manufacturing tools, and a third vehicle operable to transport the first container and move along the third OHT lane.The system may also include a second bridging area between the second FAB building and the third FAB building, wherein the second OHT lane may include a third portion in the second bridging area, the third OHT lane may include a first portion in the third FAB building and a second portion in the second bridging area, the third portion of the second OHT lane is parallel to the second portion of the third OHT lane, and the third vehicle is operable to receive the first container directly from a vehicle of the second FAB building. In some embodiments, the third set of manufacturing tools may be configured to perform processes including singulating, wiring, or injection molding. In some embodiments, a vehicle of the third FAB building may be operable to transfer an unoccupied container to a vehicle of the second FAB building.In some embodiments, a height of the first portion of the first OHT track in the first FAB building may be different from a height of the first portion of the second OHT track in the second FAB building.

[0056] In another exemplary aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system. The system includes a first automated material handling system (AMHS) having a first overhead conveyor (OHT) and a first vehicle movable along the first OHT, the first vehicle capable of transporting a first payload container and a second payload container simultaneously.

[0057] In some embodiments, the first payload container may comprise a storage cassette or a reticle container. In some embodiments, the second payload container may comprise a front-opening unified pod (FOUP) or a front-opening shipping box (FOSB).In some embodiments, the system may also include a second AMHS having a second OHT track and a second vehicle movable along the second OHT track and operable to transport two payload containers simultaneously, wherein the first OHT track has a first portion parallel and adjacent to a second portion of the second OHT track, and provided that the first vehicle is within the first portion of the first OHT track and the second vehicle is within the second portion of the second OHT track, the first vehicle is operable to transfer at least one of the first payload container and the second payload container to the second vehicle.In some embodiments, the first vehicle may include a first gripper configured to grip the first payload container, a first container holder configured to hold the first payload container, a second gripper configured to grip the second payload container, and a second container holder configured to hold the second payload container, wherein the second container holder is arranged below the first container holder.

[0058] In yet another exemplary aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method. The method includes providing a first FAB building and a second FAB building connected via a bridging area, wherein the first FAB building has a first set of manufacturing tools configured to perform a first plurality of manufacturing processes, and the second FAB building has a second set of manufacturing tools configured to perform a second plurality of manufacturing processes; performing one or more manufacturing processes of the first plurality of manufacturing processes on a wafer in the first FAB building; configuring a first vehicle of the first FAB building to travel along a first overhead conveyor (OHT) path and deliver the wafer to the bridging area, wherein a first portion of the first OHT is located in the bridging area;Configuring a second vehicle of the second FAB building to travel along a second overhead conveyor (OHT) track and arrive in the bridging area, wherein a second section of the second OHT is located in the bridging area and parallel to the first section of the first OHT track, under the condition that the first vehicle and the second vehicle are aligned and travel at a same speed along a same direction along the first section of the first OHT track and the second section of the second OHT track, respectively, Configuring the first vehicle to transfer the wafer to the second vehicle, and performing one or more of the second plurality of manufacturing processes on the wafer in the second FAB building.

[0059] In some embodiments, the first plurality of manufacturing processes may include front-end-of-line (FEOL) processes configured to form isolation elements, gate structures, and source / drain elements, while the second plurality of manufacturing processes may include back-end-of-line (BEOL) processes configured to form a multilayer interconnect (MLI) structure that interconnects IC elements fabricated by FEOL processes. In some embodiments, the method may also further comprise configuring the second vehicle to transfer a payload container to the first vehicle, provided that the first vehicle and the second vehicle are aligned and traveling at the same speed in the same direction along the first portion of the first OHT trajectory and the second portion of the second OHT trajectory, respectively.

[0060] The foregoing describes features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art can better understand aspects of the present disclosure. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that they can readily use the present disclosure as a basis to design or modify other processes and structures to carry out the same purposes and / or achieve the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and modifications herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 63 / 389194

[0001]

Claims

[1] System, exhibiting: a first manufacturing plant building (FAB building), featuring: a first set of manufacturing tools, a first overhead conveyor (OHT conveyor) serving the first set of manufacturing tools, and a first vehicle that is operational, to transport a first container and to move along the first OHT track; a second FAB building, featuring: a second set of manufacturing tools, a second OHT track serving the second set of manufacturing tools, and a second vehicle that is operational, capable of transporting the first container and moving along the second OHT track; and a first bridging area between the first FAB building and the second FAB building, wherein the first OHT track has a first section in the first FAB building and a second section in the first bridging area, the second OHT track has a first section in the second FAB building and a second section in the first bridging area, and the second section of the second OHT track runs at least partially parallel to the second section of the first OHT track. where the second vehicle is operational, to receive the first container directly from the first vehicle when both the first vehicle and the second vehicle are moving within the first bridging area. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein the first set of manufacturing tools is set up to perform front-end-of-line processes (FEOL processes) and the second set of manufacturing tools is set up to perform back-end-of-line processes (BEOL processes). [3] System according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first container is configured to contain wafers or reticles. [4] System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first container comprises a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP), a Front Opening Shipping Box (FOSB) or a Reticle container. [5] System according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a main control system that is set up to organize the transport of payloads between the first FAB building and the second FAB building, wherein the first FAB building further includes a first control system which is set up to communicate directly with the first vehicle and the main control system, and the second FAB building further includes a second control system which is set up to communicate directly with the second vehicle and the main control system. [6] System according to claim 5, further comprising: a third tax system, wherein the first control system is configured to control operations performed by the first vehicle as the first vehicle moves along the first section of the first OHT track, the second control system is configured to control operations performed by the second vehicle as the second vehicle moves along the first section of the second OHT track, and the third control system is configured to control operations performed by the first vehicle as the first vehicle moves along the second section of the first OHT track, and to control operations performed by the second vehicle as the second vehicle moves along the second section of the second OHT track. [7] System according to any of the preceding claims, the first vehicle is capable of transporting two containers simultaneously. [8] System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first vehicle is further capable of receiving a further container directly from the second vehicle when both the first vehicle and the second vehicle are moving in the first bridging area. [9] System according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising: a third FAB building, featuring: a third set of manufacturing tools, a third OHT track serving the third set of manufacturing tools, and a third vehicle that is operational, capable of transporting the first container and moving along the third OHT track; and a second bridging area between the second FAB building and the third FAB building, wherein the second OHT track furthermore has a third section in the second bridging area, the third OHT track has a first section in the third FAB building and a second section in the second bridging area, and the third section of the second OHT track runs parallel to the second section of the third OHT track; and where the third vehicle is operational, to receive the first container directly from a vehicle of the second FAB building. [10] System according to claim 9, wherein the third set of manufacturing tools is set up to perform processes comprising singulation, wiring or injection molding. [11] System according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a vehicle of the third FAB building is operational to transfer an empty container to a vehicle of the second FAB building. [12] System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the height of the first section of the first OHT track in the first FAB building differs from the height of the first section of the second OHT track in the second FAB building. [13] System, comprising: a first automated material handling system (AMHS), comprising: a first suspended monorail (OHT cableway) and a first vehicle that can be moved along the first OHT track, the first vehicle being operational, simultaneously transporting a first payload container and a second payload container. [14] System according to claim 13, wherein the first payload container comprises a storage cassette or a reticle container. [15] System according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the second payload container has a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) or a Front Opening Shipping Box (FOSB). [16] System according to any one of the preceding claims 13 to 15, further comprising: a second AMHS, showing: a second OHT line and a second vehicle that can be moved along the second OHT track and is operational, capable of transporting two payload containers simultaneously, wherein the first OHT line has a first section which is parallel to and adjacent to a second section of the second OHT line, where, provided that the first vehicle is within the first section of the first OHT track and the second vehicle is within the second section of the second OHT track, and the first vehicle is operational, at least one of the first payload container and the second payload container is transferred to the second vehicle. [17] System according to any one of the preceding claims 13 to 16, wherein the first vehicle comprises: a first grabber that is set up to grab the first payload container; a first container holder that is set up to hold the first payload container; a second grabber set up to grab the second payload container; and a second container holder which is configured to hold the second payload container, the second container holder being arranged below the first container holder. [18] Procedures, including: Providing a first FAB building and a second FAB building connected via a bridging area, the first FAB building having a first set of manufacturing tools set up to perform several manufacturing processes, and the second FAB building having a second set of manufacturing tools set up to perform several manufacturing processes; Executing one or more of the first several manufacturing processes on a wafer in the first FAB building; Configuring a first vehicle of the first FAB building so that it travels along a first overhead conveyor (OHT track) and brings the wafer to the bridging area, with a first section of the first OHT located in the bridging area; Configuring a second vehicle of the second FAB building so that it travels along a second overhead line (OHT line) and arrives in the bridging area, with a second section of the second OHT located in the bridging area and parallel to the first section of the first OHT line; provided that the first vehicle and the second vehicle are aligned and traveling at the same speed in the same direction along the first section of the first OHT lane and the second section of the second OHT lane, the first vehicle is configured to transfer the wafer to the second vehicle; and Executing one or more manufacturing processes from the second multiple manufacturing processes on the wafer in the second FAB building. [19] Method according to claim 18, wherein the first several manufacturing processes comprise front-end-of-line processes (FEOL processes) configured to form isolation elements, gate structures and source / drain elements, and the second several manufacturing processes comprise back-end-of-line processes (BEOL processes) configured to form a multilayer interconnect structure (MLI structure) that connects IC elements manufactured by FEOL processes. [20] Method according to claim 18 or 19, further comprising: provided that the first vehicle and the second vehicle are aligned and traveling at the same speed along the same direction along the first section of the first OHT track and the second section of the second OHT track, furthermore configuring the second vehicle to transfer a payload container to the first vehicle.