Patents by Inventor Daniel M.Y. YANG

Daniel M.Y. YANG has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • WAFER PROCESSING METHOD
    Publication number: 20230360977
    Abstract: A method includes: transferring a wafer from a factory interface through a load lock chamber to a buffer chamber; transferring the wafer from the buffer chamber to a process chamber; etching the wafer in the process chamber, to remove a material of the wafer; and after the wafer is etched, performing reflectance measurements to the wafer in the factory interface, the load lock chamber, the buffer chamber, or combination thereof, to identify if the material of the wafer is removed entirely according to a reflectance of the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yan-Hong LIU, Daniel M.Y. YANG, Che-Fu CHEN
  • Reflectance measurement system and method thereof
    Patent number: 11756840
    Abstract: A system includes a factory interface, an etching tool, and at least one measuring device. The factory interface is configured to carry a wafer. The etching tool is coupled to the factory interface and configured to process the wafer transferred from the factory interface. The at least one measuring device is equipped in the factory interface, the etching tool, or the combination thereof. The at least one measuring device is configured to perform real-time measurements of reflectance from the wafer that is carried in the factory interface or the etching tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yan-Hong Liu, Daniel M. Y. Yang, Che-Fu Chen
  • Systems and methods for orientator based wafer defect sensing
    Patent number: 11664260
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes: an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation fiducial on a bevel of a wafer; a pedestal configured to rotate the wafer to allow the orientation sensor to detect the orientation fiducial and place the orientation fiducial at a predetermined orientation position; and a defect sensor configured to detect a wafer defect along a surface of the wafer while rotated by the pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yan-Hong Liu, Daniel M. Y. Yang, Che-Fu Chen
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ORIENTATOR BASED WAFER DEFECT SENSING
    Publication number: 20210225680
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes: an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation fiducial on a bevel of a wafer; a pedestal configured to rotate the wafer to allow the orientation sensor to detect the orientation fiducial and place the orientation fiducial at a predetermined orientation position; and a defect sensor configured to detect a wafer defect along a surface of the wafer while rotated by the pedestal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Yan-Hong LIU, Daniel M.Y. Yang, Che-Fu Chen
  • Systems and methods for orientator based wafer defect sensing
    Patent number: 10978331
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes: an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation fiducial on a bevel of a wafer; a pedestal configured to rotate the wafer to allow the orientation sensor to detect the orientation fiducial and place the orientation fiducial at a predetermined orientation position; and a defect sensor configured to detect a wafer defect along a surface of the wafer while rotated by the pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yan-Hong Liu, Daniel M. Y. Yang, Che-Fu Chen
  • REFLECTANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF
    Publication number: 20200098648
    Abstract: A system includes a factory interface, an etching tool, and at least one measuring device. The factory interface is configured to carry a wafer. The etching tool is coupled to the factory interface and configured to process the wafer transferred from the factory interface. The at least one measuring device is equipped in the factory interface, the etching tool, or the combination thereof. The at least one measuring device is configured to perform real-time measurements of reflectance from the wafer that is carried in the factory interface or the etching tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yan-Hong LIU, Daniel M.Y. YANG, Che-Fu CHEN
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ORIENTATOR BASED WAFER DEFECT SENSING
    Publication number: 20190304826
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes: an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation fiducial on a bevel of a wafer; a pedestal configured to rotate the wafer to allow the orientation sensor to detect the orientation fiducial and place the orientation fiducial at a predetermined orientation position; and a defect sensor configured to detect a wafer defect along a surface of the wafer while rotated by the pedestal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Yan-Hong LIU, Daniel M.Y. YANG, Che-Fu CHENG