Transfer Blade Contact Layout for Defect-Safe Workpiece Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional workpiece carriers in semiconductor manufacturing, such as transfer blades, face limitations in speed due to inertial forces and damage from debris that cause defects such as scratches and indentations on the surface of the workpiece, which are not addressed by existing vacuum and electrostatic retention methods, leading to defects in sensitive areas like EUV frames.

Innovation Solution

The transfer blade design includes recessed surfaces that do not contact the workpiece's sensitive areas, combined with hooks to prevent movement and vacuum retention, reducing contact-induced defects by maintaining the workpiece's position without direct surface contact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the transfer blade uses direct contact surfaces to support the workpiece, then the workpiece can be securely held during transfer, but defects such as scratches and indentations occur on the workpiece surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkpiece holding stabilityVSAvoidsurface defects

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The transfer blade is divided into distinct functional zones: raised contact regions for secure gripping and recessed non-contact regions for avoiding sensitive areas. This segmentation allows the blade to simultaneously achieve reliable workpiece holding while preventing surface defects by spatially separating contact and non-contact functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the transfer blade have different geometric properties - raised surfaces in contact regions provide secure gripping, while recessed surfaces in non-contact regions prevent damage to sensitive workpiece areas. This local differentiation of geometric quality enables the blade to perform multiple functions with a single structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If the critical region size on the workpiece is increased, then more semiconductor devices can be processed per wafer, but the likelihood of defects increases due to direct contact with the transfer blade

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevices per waferVSAvoiddefect probability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The transfer blade design adds a vertical dimension to the contact geometry by creating raised and recessed regions. This dimensional change allows critical regions to be enlarged on the workpiece surface without increasing the probability of defects, as the recessed regions provide clearance that prevents contact-related damage even when critical regions occupy more of the wafer surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If the transfer blade speed is increased to improve productivity, then manufacturing efficiency increases, but inertial forces cause the workpiece to shift position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransfer speedVSAvoidworkpiece position accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The transfer blade design incorporates dynamic considerations through its raised and recessed geometry that optimizes the distribution of contact forces. This dynamic optimization allows higher transfer speeds while maintaining workpiece position accuracy, as the raised contact regions provide secure gripping that counteracts inertial forces during acceleration and deceleration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design minimizes defects on sensitive workpiece surfaces, ensuring higher manufacturing precision and reducing defects in semiconductor devices by avoiding contact with critical regions.

Implementation Method 1

the robot blade utilizes the vacuum source to maintain the position of the workpiece relative to the robot blade. For example, the vacuum source is plumbed to the robot blade in order to selectively provide a vacuum to an interface between the workpiece and the robot blade

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Implementation Method 2

Typically, gravity maintains the position of the workpiece with respect to the robot blade

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 3

electrostatic forces are used to attract a workpiece to a workpiece retaining surface of a robot blade

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic forces: Electrostatics

Data Source

PatentUS12623358B2Transfer blade for robot

Publication Date: 2026.05.12 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

Z The present disclosure is directed to a transfer blade including a first end segment, a second end segment opposite to the first end segment, and an intermediate segment extending from the first end segment to the second end segment. The first end segment includes a first contact region and the second end segment includes a second contact region. The first and second contact regions are configured to contact locations of a surface of a workpiece that do not overlap or are not aligned with a sensitive area of the workpiece. The sensitive area of the workpiece may be an EUV frame or a reticle of the workpiece. A non-contact region extends continuously along the first end segment, the intermediate segment, and the second end segment, and the non-contact region overlaps the sensitive area of the workpiece and is spaced apart from the sensitive area of the workpiece.