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US-12622215-B2 - Turntable for wafer transport system

US12622215B2US 12622215 B2US12622215 B2US 12622215B2US-12622215-B2

Abstract

A system according to the present disclosure includes a first fixed rail segment, a second fixed rail segment aligned with the first fixed rail segment along a first direction, a rotatable rail joint disposed between the first fixed rail segment and the second fixed rail segment along the first direction, a hanger mechanically coupled to the rotatable rail joint, a powered rotational mechanism housed in the hanger. The rotatable rail joint includes at least one rotational rail that is aligned with the first fixed rail segment and the second fixed rail segment when the rotatable rail joint rotates to an alignment position is not aligned with the first fixed rail segment and the second fixed rail segment when the rotatable rail joint rotates out of the alignment position.

Inventors

  • GUANCYUN LI
  • Ching-Jung Chang
  • Chi-Feng Tung

Assignees

  • TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20220826

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An overhead transport turntable system, comprising: a first fixed rail segment; a second fixed rail segment aligned with the first fixed rail segment along a first direction; a rotatable rail joint disposed between the first fixed rail segment and the second fixed rail segment along the first direction; a hanger mechanically coupled to the rotatable rail joint; and a powered rotational mechanism housed in the hanger, wherein the rotatable rail joint comprises at least one rotational rail that is aligned with the first fixed rail segment and the second fixed rail segment when the rotatable rail joint rotates to an alignment position, and is not aligned with the first fixed rail segment and the second fixed rail segment when the rotatable rail joint rotates out of the alignment position, wherein the at least one rotational rail is attached to a bottom side of the rotatable rail joint, wherein at least one support member is attached to a top side of the rotatable rail joint, and wherein the at least one support member comprises a set of support wheels.
  2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the powered rotational mechanism comprises an electric motor.
  3. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first fixed rail segment comprises a first pair of power cables, wherein the second fixed rail segment comprises a second pair of power cables, wherein the at least one rotational rail comprises a third pair of power cables, wherein the first pair of power cables and the second pair of power cables are powered by a first power source, wherein the third pair of power cables are powered by a second power source different from the first power source.
  4. 4 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising a vehicle that includes: at least one wheel to engage the first fixed rail segment, the second fixed rail segment, and the at least one rotational rail; and a first core block and a second core block configured to inductively engage the first pair of power cables, the second pair of power cables, and the third pair of power cables.
  5. 5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein each of the first core block and the second core block is U-shaped, wherein a pickup coil is wound around a portion of the first core block and a portion of the second core block.
  6. 6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable rail joint comprises a circular shape, wherein the at least one rotational rail comprises: a straight rail that extends along a diameter of the rotatable rail joint to divide the rotatable rail joint into a first half and a second half; a first curved rail disposed on the first half of the rotatable rail joint; and a second curved rail disposed on the second half of the rotatable rail joint.
  7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a third fixed rail segment; and a fourth fixed rail segment aligned with the third fixed rail segment along a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the rotatable rail joint is disposed between the third fixed rail segment and the fourth fixed rail segment along the second direction.
  8. 8 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising: a first sensor attached to the first fixed rail segment; a second sensor attached to the second fixed rail segment; and a third sensor attached to the rotatable rail joint, wherein the first sensor and the third sensor detect whether the first fixed rail segment and the at least one rotational rail are aligned, wherein the second sensor and the third sensor detect whether the second fixed rail segment and the at least one rotational rail are aligned.
  9. 9 . An overhead transport turntable system, comprising: a first interbay rail and a second interbay rail extending parallel with one another; a first rail branch stemming from the first interbay rail; a second rail branch stemming from the second interbay rail and aligned with and spaced apart from the first rail branch along a first direction; a third rail branch stemming from the first interbay rail; a fourth rail branch stemming from the second interbay rail and aligned with and spaced apart from the third rail branch along a second direction different from the first direction; a circular turntable disposed between the first rail branch and the second rail branch along the first direction and between the third rail branch and the fourth rail branch along the second direction, the circular turntable comprising a nonstationary rail branch extending along a diameter of the circular turntable; and a hanger mechanically coupled to the circular turntable, wherein the circular turntable is disposed between the first interbay rail and the second interbay rail along a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction, wherein the circular turntable is configured to rotate around the hanger, wherein the circular turntable comprises a first rotational position where the nonstationary rail branch is aligned with the first rail branch and the second rail branch, wherein the circular turntable comprises a second rotational position where the nonstationary rail branch is aligned with the third rail branch and the fourth rail branch.
  10. 10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein each of the first rail branch, the second rail branch, the third rail branch, and the fourth rail branch comprises two rail members.
  11. 11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the circular turntable further comprises a first curved nonstationary rail branch and a second curved nonstationary rail branch, wherein the nonstationary rail branch is disposed between the first curved nonstationary rail branch and the second curved nonstationary rail branch.
  12. 12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the circular turntable comprises a third rotational position where the first curved nonstationary rail branch connects the first rail branch and the third rail branch and the second curved nonstationary rail branch connects with second rail branch and the fourth rail branch.
  13. 13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein, at the third rotational position, the nonstationary rail branch is not aligned with any of the first rail branch, the second rail branch, the third rail branch, and the fourth rail branch.
  14. 14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first rail branch comprises a first pair of power cables, wherein the second rail branch comprises a second pair of power cables, wherein the nonstationary rail branch comprises a third pair of power cables, wherein the first pair of power cables and the second pair of power cables are powered by a first power source, wherein the third pair of power cables are powered by a second power source different from the first power source.
  15. 15 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising a vehicle that includes: at least one wheel to engage the first rail branch, the second rail branch, and the nonstationary rail branch; and a first core block and a second core block configured to inductively engage the first pair of power cables, the second pair of power cables, and the third pair of power cables.
  16. 16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein each of the first core block and the second core block is U-shaped, wherein a pickup coil is wound around a portion of the first core block and a portion of the second core block.
  17. 17 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising: a first sensor attached to the first rail branch; a second sensor attached to the third rail branch; and a third sensor attached to the circular turntable adjacent to the nonstationary rail branch, wherein the first sensor and the third sensor detect whether the first rail branch and the nonstationary rail branch are aligned, wherein the second sensor and the third sensor detect whether the third rail branch and the nonstationary rail branch are aligned.
  18. 18 . An overhead transport turntable system, comprising: a first rail branch; a second rail branch aligned with and spaced apart from the first rail branch along a first direction; a third rail branch; a fourth rail branch aligned with and spaced apart from the third rail branch along a second direction different from the first direction; a circular turntable disposed between the first rail branch and the second rail branch along the first direction and between the third rail branch and the fourth rail branch along the second direction, the circular turntable comprising a nonstationary rail branch extending along a diameter of the circular turntable; a hanger mechanically coupled to the circular turntable; a first sensor attached to the first rail branch; a second sensor attached to the third rail branch; and a third sensor attached to the circular turntable adjacent to the nonstationary rail branch, wherein the circular turntable is configured to rotate around the hanger, wherein the circular turntable comprises a first rotational position where the nonstationary rail branch is aligned with the first rail branch and the second rail branch, wherein the circular turntable comprises a second rotational position where the nonstationary rail branch is aligned with the third rail branch and the fourth rail branch, wherein the first sensor and the third sensor detect whether the first rail branch and the nonstationary rail branch are aligned, wherein the second sensor and the third sensor detect whether the third rail branch and the nonstationary rail branch are aligned, wherein the nonstationary rail branch is attached to a bottom side of the circular turntable, wherein at least one support member is attached to a top side of the circular turntable, and wherein the at least one support member comprises a set of support wheels.
  19. 19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the circular turntable further comprises a first curved nonstationary rail branch and a second curved nonstationary rail branch, wherein the nonstationary rail branch is disposed between the first curved nonstationary rail branch and the second curved nonstationary rail branch.
  20. 20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the circular turntable comprises a third rotational position where the first curved nonstationary rail branch connects the first rail branch and the third rail branch and the second curved nonstationary rail branch connects with second rail branch and the fourth rail branch.

Description

BACKGROUND The manufacture of semiconductor devices involves the performance of a series of process steps using a variety of high-tech production and metrology tools in a certain order and often within a certain period of time. The primary function of a wafer logistics system in a wafer fabrication facility, or “fab,” is to deliver the wafers to each of the tools at the right time, as well as to track the location and status of the wafers throughout the process. Automated material handling systems (“AMHS”) are implemented to wafer fabs to carry out the automated functions more efficiently, consistently, and safely than can be done via manual means. An AMHS includes an overhead transport (“OHT”) system that includes rails that are mounted to the ceiling of a fab floor. OHT vehicles can travel along the rails to transport wafers among different loading ports of different tools. Because the rails of the OHT system are fixed, the routes and travel directions of OHT vehicles are also fixed unless they can transfer to a different rail. Therefore, although existing OHT systems have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been entirely satisfactory in all respects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale and are used for illustration purposes only. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary factory automation system, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example rail plan in a fab, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of an interbay rail segment where turntables are implemented, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of an intrabay rail segment where turntables are implemented, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of a first type turntable, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of a second type turntable, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an OHT vehicle having position sensors at a first location, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of an induction power supply system, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second type turntable having position sensors at a first location, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an OHT vehicle having position sensors at a second location, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second type turntable having position sensors at a second location, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIGS. 12-23 are schematic top views of a first type turntable or a second type turntable in different modes of operation, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 24 is a flowchart of a method for using turntables of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the disclosure. 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, the formation of a feature on, connected to, and/or coupled to another feature in the present disclosure that follows may include embodiments in which the features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed interposing the features, such that the features may not be in direct contact. In addition, spatially relative terms, for example, “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “over,” “below,” “beneath,” “up,” “down,” “top,” “bottom,” etc. as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) are used for ease of the present disclosure of one features relationship to another feature. The spatially relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device including the features. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify and thus clarify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In many instances, the features of one embodiment may be combined with the features of other embodiments.