Patents by Inventor Chih-Yuan Yao

Chih-Yuan Yao 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).

  • Publication number: 20240085808
    Abstract: A particle removal method includes loading a particle attracting member with a coating layer into a processing chamber of a processing apparatus. The processing chamber is configured to perform a lithography exposure process on a semiconductor wafer. The method also includes fixing the particle attracting member on a reticle holder in the processing chamber in a cleaning cycle, attracting particles in the processing chamber by the coating layer of the particle attracting member due to a potential difference between the particles and the coating layer, and loading the particle attracting member with the coating layer and the attracted particles out of the processing chamber, after the cleaning cycle. The method also includes loading the semiconductor wafer into the processing chamber, and performing the lithography exposure process on the semiconductor wafer in the processing chamber using a reticle fixed on the reticle holder after the cleaning cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan YAO, Yu-Yu CHEN, Hsiang-Lung TSOU
  • Patent number: 11852982
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing system includes a semiconductor processing apparatus. The semiconductor processing apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to perform a semiconductor process on a semiconductor wafer, and a transferring module configured to transfer the semiconductor wafer into and out of the processing chamber. The semiconductor manufacturing system also includes a particle attracting member. The semiconductor manufacturing system also includes a monitoring device configured to control the transferring module to load the particle attracting member into the processing chamber in a cleaning cycle while the semiconductor wafer is not in the processing chamber, and control the transferring module to load the particle attracting member out of the processing chamber after the cleaning cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan Yao, Yu-Yu Chen, Hsiang-Lung Tsou
  • Publication number: 20220299890
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing system includes a semiconductor processing apparatus. The semiconductor processing apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to perform a semiconductor process on a semiconductor wafer, and a transferring module configured to transfer the semiconductor wafer into and out of the processing chamber. The semiconductor manufacturing system also includes a particle attracting member. The semiconductor manufacturing system also includes a monitoring device configured to control the transferring module to load the particle attracting member into the processing chamber in a cleaning cycle while the semiconductor wafer is not in the processing chamber, and control the transferring module to load the particle attracting member out of the processing chamber after the cleaning cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan YAO, Yu-Yu CHEN, Hsiang-Lung TSOU
  • Patent number: 11385555
    Abstract: A particle removal method includes loading a particle attracting member with a coating layer into a processing chamber of a processing apparatus. The method also includes fixing the particle attracting member on a holder in the processing chamber in a cleaning cycle. The method also includes attracting particles in the processing chamber by the coating layer of the particle attracting member due to a potential difference between the particles and the coating layer. The particles are attracted to the surface of the coating layer. The method further includes loading the particle attracting member with the coating layer and the attracted particles out of the processing chamber, after the cleaning cycle. In addition, the method includes loading a semiconductor wafer into the processing chamber, and performing a semiconductor process on the semiconductor wafer in the processing chamber. The semiconductor process is performed after the cleaning cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan Yao, Yu-Yu Chen, Hsiang-Lung Tsou
  • Publication number: 20210349405
    Abstract: A particle removal method includes loading a particle attracting member with a coating layer into a processing chamber of a processing apparatus. The method also includes fixing the particle attracting member on a holder in the processing chamber in a cleaning cycle. The method also includes attracting particles in the processing chamber by the coating layer of the particle attracting member due to a potential difference between the particles and the coating layer. The particles are attracted to the surface of the coating layer. The method further includes loading the particle attracting member with the coating layer and the attracted particles out of the processing chamber, after the cleaning cycle. In addition, the method includes loading a semiconductor wafer into the processing chamber, and performing a semiconductor process on the semiconductor wafer in the processing chamber. The semiconductor process is performed after the cleaning cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan YAO, Yu-Yu CHEN, Hsiang-Lung TSOU
  • Patent number: 10669625
    Abstract: One or more pumping liners are provided for use in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). A pumping liner encircles a deposition chamber within which a wafer is placed and into which a precursor is introduced to form a thin film on a surface of the wafer. The pumping liner regulates a rate and uniformity at which a gas is removed from the deposition chamber, which in turn affects a duration or degree to which different portions of the wafer are exposed to the precursor. Controlling exposure of the wafer to the precursor promotes uniformity of the film formed on the wafer as well an ability to regulate the thickness of the film formed on the wafer. In an embodiment, a pumping liner has at least one of relatively small liner apertures, an increased number of liner apertures or a non-uniform distribution of liner apertures within a body of the pumping liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsiung Liu, Chun-Hao Hsu, Yu-Yun Peng, Chih-Yuan Yao, Chia-I Shen, Keng-Chu Lin
  • Publication number: 20140261176
    Abstract: One or more pumping liners are provided for use in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). A pumping liner encircles a deposition chamber within which a wafer is placed and into which a precursor is introduced to form a thin film on a surface of the wafer. The pumping liner regulates a rate and uniformity at which a gas is removed from the deposition chamber, which in turn affects a duration or degree to which different portions of the wafer are exposed to the precursor. Controlling exposure of the wafer to the precursor promotes uniformity of the film formed on the wafer as well an ability to regulate the thickness of the film formed on the wafer. In an embodiment, a pumping liner has at least one of relatively small liner apertures, an increased number of liner apertures or a non-uniform distribution of liner apertures within a body of the pumping liner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsiung Liu, Chun-Hao Hsu, Yu-Yun Peng, Chih-Yuan Yao, Chia-I Shen, Keng-Chu Lin
  • Patent number: 8537719
    Abstract: A wireless communication network, including a destination node, a first node transmitting a first routing message, wherein the first node has a first routing table including a first entry for the destination node, and the first entry includes a first list field for child node(s). The network further includes a second node generating and transmitting a second routing message according to the first routing message, wherein the second routing message includes a second parent node field, and the second parent node field is marked as the first node that transmitted the first routing message. The first node further receives the second routing message and stores a first mark in the first list field for child node(s) of the first entry after determining that the second parent node field of the second routing message is marked as the first node, and the first mark denotes the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Shu-Hsin Chang, Pin-Chuan Liu, Chih-Yuan Yao, Wei-Lun Tsai
  • Publication number: 20100165885
    Abstract: A wireless communication network, including a destination node, a first node transmitting a first routing message, wherein the first node has a first routing table including a first entry for the destination node, and the first entry includes a first list field for child node(s). The network further includes a second node generating and transmitting a second routing message according to the first routing message, wherein the second routing message includes a second parent node field, and the second parent node field is marked as the first node that transmitted the first routing message. The first node further receives the second routing message and stores a first mark in the first list field for child node(s) of the first entry after determining that the second parent node field of the second routing message is marked as the first node, and the first mark denotes the second node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Shu-Hsin CHANG, Pin-Chuan Liu, Chih-Yuan Yao, Wei-Lun Tsai