Sensorized Wafer Transport Case for Misalignment Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The storage and transport of semiconductor wafers pose risks of damage due to misalignment, tilting, and collisions during loading, unloading, and transfer between processing steps.

Innovation Solution

A wafer transport case equipped with a sensor system and a communication system that detects misalignment, tilting, and collisions, and transmits alerts to an external control system to prevent damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If wafers are stored and transported in a transport case during transfers between processing steps, then the wafers can be moved between tools and storage locations, but the wafers are at risk of damage due to misalignment, tilting, and collisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewafer transfer efficiencyVSAvoidwafer integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by detecting potential damage conditions (misalignment, tilting, collisions) before they actually damage the wafers. Sensors monitor wafer position and transport case orientation continuously during loading, unloading, and transport operations, allowing the system to identify risky conditions and take preventive measures before wafer damage occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback through a sensor system that continuously monitors wafer position, transport case orientation, and potential collision conditions. The sensor data is fed back to the control system, which can then adjust operations to prevent damage. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring and corrective action to maintain wafer integrity during transport.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If a sensor system is added to the transport case to detect misalignment, tilting, and collisions, then wafer damage can be detected and prevented, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewafer integrityVSAvoidtransport case complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing a sensor system that performs multiple functions: detecting wafer misalignment, monitoring transport case tilting, identifying collision conditions, and tracking wafer position. Rather than using separate specialized sensors for each function, the system uses multi-functional sensing capabilities that can detect various damage risks with a unified sensor array, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the sensor system with the existing transport case structure and control system. Sensors are integrated into the transport case framework rather than being separate add-on components. The sensor data processing is combined with the existing control system that manages wafer transport operations, eliminating the need for separate dedicated control hardware and simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250191945A1Smart wafer transport case with sensor system

Publication Date: 2025.06.12 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

A transport case is configured to hold a plurality of wafers for transport of the wafers. The transport case includes a plurality of slots each configured to receive and hold a respective wafer. The transport case includes a sensor system configured to measure the positions or orientations of wafers within the slots or during loading into the slots. The transport case includes a communication system configured to transmit sensor data from the sensor system to an external control system.