39 results about "Semiconductor fab" patented technology

Manufacturing lines include inspection systems for monitoring the quality of parts produced. Manufacturing lines for making semiconductor devices generally inspect each fabricated part. The information obtained is used to fix manufacturing problems in the semiconductor fab plant. A machine-vision system for inspecting devices includes a light source for propagating light to the device and an image detector that receives light from the device. Also included is a light sensor assembly for receiving a portion of the light from the light source. The light sensor assembly produces an output signal responsive to the intensity of the light received at the light sensor assembly. A controller controls the amount of light received by the image detector to a desired intensity range in response to the output from the light sensor. The image detector may include an array of imaging pixels. The imaging system may also include a memory device which stores correction values for at least one of the pixels in the array of imaging pixels. To minimize or control thermal drift of signals output from an array of imaging pixels, the machine-vision system may also include a cooling element attached to the imaging device. The light source for propagating light to the device may be strobed. The image detector that receives light from the device remains in a fixed position with respect to the strobed light source. A translation element moves the strobed light source and image detector with respect to the device. The strobed light may be alternated between a first and second level.

A method for evaluating the quality of data collection in a manufacturing environment is provided. Said data are intended to be analyzed by a process control system. The method comprising the following steps (A) collecting raw data according to a Data Collection plan specifying, and for each data item, a sampling time reference indicating at which time interval it is expected, and associating to each collected data item a timestamp indicating its actual collection time, (B) for at least a part of the raw data included inside a predetermined window, determining a Data Collection Quality Value (DCQV) by: (a) reading the timestamps; (b) computing at least one quality indicator value from the relationship between each timestamp and the corresponding time reference, wherein a shift represents a malfunction of the equipment or of the data collection system; (c) after steps (b) and (c) have been performed for all data items, computing a single data collection quality value (DCQV) indicator for said time window. Application to data qualification for analysis and equipment qualification e.g. in a semiconductor fab.

Manufacturing lines include inspection systems for monitoring the quality of parts produced. Manufacturing lines for making semiconductor devices generally inspect each fabricated part. The information obtained is used to fix manufacturing problems in the semiconductor fab plant. A machine-vision system for inspecting devices includes a flipper mechanism. After being inspected at a first station, a tray-transfer device moves the tray from the first inspection station to a flipper mechanism. The flipper mechanism includes two jaws, a mover, and a rotator. The flipper mechanism turns the devices over and places the devices in a second tray so that another surface of the device can be inspected. A second tray-transfer device moves the second tray from the flipper to a second inspection station. The mover of the flipper mechanism removes the tray from the first inspection surface and places a tray at the second inspection surface.

A software mechanism is provided for inter-fab mask process management. The mechanism is used for tracking and managing a plurality of lithographic masks through a semiconductor manufacturing environment. A virtual fab is established with a plurality of entities, each entity associated with an internal process to a semiconductor fab or an external process to the semiconductor fab. A state diagram tracks the plurality of lithographic masks through the plurality of entities of the virtual fab. Each of the plurality of lithographic masks is placed at a pre-determined state of the state diagram and a future location for each of the masks in the virtual fab is determined via the state diagram.

Manufacturing lines include inspection systems for monitoring the quality of parts produced. Manufacturing lines for making semiconductor devices generally inspect each fabricated part. The information obtained is used to fix manufacturing problems in the semiconductor fab plant. A machine-vision system for imaging an object having a first side and a second side includes an imager, and an optics apparatus that images two or more views of the first side of the object and images two or more views of the second side of the object. The two or more views of the first side and the second side of the object are each from different angles. The object includes at least one major surface. A divider background surface is placed near the at least one major surface of the object to obtain separate images of features of the object on the first side of the object and features of the object on the second side of the object. In one embodiment, the divider diffuses light to back light the features on the object on the first side and back light the features on the second side of the object.

A semiconductor wafer design and process having test pads (36) reducing cracks generated during the wafer saw process from extending into and damaging adjacent die. The present invention provides a plurality of circular test pads (36) in a wafer scribe street (34) such that any cracks generated in the test pad during wafer saw self terminate in the periphery of the circular test pad. By providing a curved test pad periphery, cracks will tend to propagate along the edges of the test pads and self terminate therein. The circular test pads avoid any sharp corners as is conventional in rectangular test pads which tend to facilitate the extension of cracks from corners to extend into the adjacent wafer die (32). The present invention utilizes existing semiconductor fab processing and utilizes new reticle sets to define the curved test pads.

The invention provides a method for controlling the doping density of a doped region of a semiconductor device accurately. In the method, a silicon wafer is oxidized; a photoresist is added to a boron emulsion source in the coating process; and the boron emulsion source is mixed with the photoresist, and the mixture is placed in a stirring vessel for sufficient stirring so as to obtain an emulsion source coating liquid, wherein the photoresist is carbonized at a high temperature to so as to remove gases carried in the diffusion process, thus obtaining the required impurity density distribution in a boron region. The method is easy and convenient to operate, simple in equipment and is suitable for massive production. The diffusion parameters of the method can be controlled and adjusted freely; the doping density is adjustable; a silica oxidation layer is formed on the silicon wafer by diffusible oxidation; the thickness accuracy in oxidization is controlled so as to reach the density for controlling diffusion impurities accurately; the technological process is simplified; the production cost is reduced; and the yield of the semiconductors is improved by over 20%. The method is particularly suitable for low and medium-grade semiconductor manufacturers to produce the semiconductors massively; and the method has the advantage of remarkable economic benefit.

A system for monitoring one or more conditions of an automation system of a semiconductor factory comprising one or more instrumented substrates, one or more sealable containers, and one or more system servers is disclosed. The one or more instrumented substrates include one or more sensors. As the one or more sealable containers transport one or more instrumented substrates through the semiconductor fab, the one or more sensors measure one or more of the one or more instrumented substrates. condition. The one or more sealable containers also receive sensor data from the one or more sensors included on the one or more instrumented substrates. The one or more system servers are configured to receive the sensor data from the one or more sealable containers. The one or more servers are configured to identify one or more deviations in the one or more measurement conditions.

In the present invention there is formed a sheet-like board member 50 having conductive coating films, such as first pads 55 and die pads 59, formed thereon or a sheet-like board member 50 which has been half-etched by using conductive coating films such as first pads 55 and die pads 59. A hybrid IC can be manufactured by means of utilization of post-processing processes of a semiconductor manufacturer. Further, a hybrid IC can be manufactured without adoption of a support board, and hence there can be manufactured a hybrid IC which is of lower profile and has superior heat dissipation characteristics.

An air filter device is connected with an external water supply device and an air pipeline to filter suspended particles in the passing gas, which includes: a cavity and a water curtain generator. The cavity has a plurality of nozzles connected to the external water supply device, which continuously sprays water mist into the cavity. The water curtain generator is socketed at the gas outlet of the cavity and connected to the external water supply device. The water curtain generator has a The annular opening is formed to form a first water curtain covering the gas outlet. The invention is suitable for filtering the corrosion exhaust gas produced by semiconductor factories, and can reduce submicron silicon particles and soluble corrosion gases in the exhaust gas, so as to avoid the accumulation of silicon particles in the exhaust pipes of semiconductor factories and increase pipeline maintenance. Cost, and reduce the suspended particles discharged from the exhaust port of the semiconductor factory, so as to avoid the air pollution caused by the submicron suspended particles discharged by it, which will cause harm to the human body.