Wafer carrier handling methods, systems and apparatus for semiconductor wafer fabrication

Abstract

A system and method is provided for transporting wafers in wafer carriers to a fabrication tool. The system provides an incoming carrier location adapted to receive a wafer lot carrier containing a wafer lot, a divider mechanism adapted to divide and place the wafers into a plurality of sublot carriers wherein each sublot carrier includes a fewer number of wafers than the wafer lot carrier, and a transfer mechanism adapted to transfer the plurality of sublot carriers. Inventive wafer handling methods, which divide a wafer lot into wafer sublots and distributes the sublots among tools configured to perform processes on the wafers is provided. Apparatus adapted to divide the wafer lot into sublots are also provided, as are other aspects.

1 . A method of handling wafers in semiconductor fabrication, comprising:
 receiving a wafer carrier containing a first plurality of wafers at an incoming wafer carrier location;   dividing the first plurality of wafers contained in the wafer carrier into a plurality of sublot carriers; and   delivering the sublot carriers each containing an number of wafers, which is less in amount than the first plurality of wafers.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the plurality of sublot carriers to a plurality of tools. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of tools are included in a tool set wherein each tool is adapted to perform a same process. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of tools are included in a tool set wherein each tool is adapted to perform a different process. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of wafers consists of a wafer lot. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the wafer lot is divided equally between a number of tools in a tool set to which the wafer lot is destined. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the plurality of sublot carriers to a plurality of tools with a local transfer mechanism. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the wafer carrier containing a first plurality of wafers to the plurality of tools via a factory transport. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sublot carriers comprise empty carriers prior to dividing the wafer lot into the sublot carriers. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining with a control program if any tools in a tool set are operational and in need of wafers; and   delivering the sublot carriers to the tools which are operational and in need of wafers.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 processing the plurality of sublots; and   recombining the sublots into a wafer carrier.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 processing the sublots; and   transporting the sublots to a next tool in sublot carriers.   
   
   
       13 . A wafer handling system, comprising:
 an incoming carrier location adapted to receive wafer lot carrier containing a wafer lot consisting of a first plurality of wafers;   a divider mechanism adapted to divide and place the first plurality of wafers into a plurality of wafer sublots in a plurality of sublot carriers wherein each sublot carrier includes a fewer number of wafers than the first plurality of wafers; and   a transfer mechanism adapted to transfer the plurality of sublot carriers.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the incoming carrier location interfaces with the factory transport. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the transfer mechanism is a local transfer mechanism adapted to deliver the sublot carriers to a tool set. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the divider mechanism comprises a front end loader robot. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a controller adapted to execute a control program to determine if any tools in a tool set are operational and in need of wafers, and prompting delivery of the sublot carriers to the tools which are operational and in need of wafers. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the transfer mechanism transfers the plurality of sublet carriers to a plurality of tools included in a tool set. 
   
   
       19 . A wafer handling apparatus, comprising:
 a divider mechanism adapted to divide and place a first plurality of wafers contained in a wafer carrier into a plurality of wafer sublots contained in a plurality of sublet carriers, wherein each sublet carrier includes a fewer number of wafers than the first plurality of wafers; and   a transfer mechanism adapted to transfer the plurality of sublet carriers.   
   
   
       20 . The wafer handling apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising a local transfer mechanism adapted to deliver the plurality of sublet carriers to a plurality of tools.