Abstract: A semiconductor equipment management method applicable to an electronic device for managing multiple pieces of semiconductor equipment is provided. The pieces of semiconductor equipment are respectively controlled through multiple control hosts, and the control hosts and the electronic device are connected to a switch device. The method includes: receiving real-time image information of each control host through the switch device; determining whether the real-time image information of each control host includes a triggering event by performing an image recognition on the real-time image information; executing a macro corresponding to the triggering event, where the macro includes at least one self-defined operation; generating at least one input command according to the self-defined operation of the executed macro; and controlling the control hosts to execute the self-defined operation of the executed macro by transmitting the input command to the control hosts through the switch device.

Abstract: A method includes: receiving a defect map from a defect scanner, wherein the defect map comprises at least one defect location of a semiconductor workpiece; annotating the defect map with a reference fiducial location of the semiconductor workpiece; determining a detected fiducial location within image data of the semiconductor workpiece; determining an offset correction based on comparing the detected fiducial location with the reference fiducial location; producing a corrected defect map by applying the offset correction to the defect map, wherein the applying the offset correction translocates the at least one defect location; and transferring the corrected defect map to a defect reviewer configured to perform root cause analysis based on the corrected defect map.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an equipment front end module (EFEM) teaching element. The EFEM teaching element includes a memory element configured to store data describing an initial position of an EFEM robot within an EFEM chamber. A position measurement device is configured to take measurements describing a new position of the EFEM robot within the EFEM chamber that is different than the initial position of the EFEM robot. A controller is configured to determine a set of new movement commands describing a path of the EFEM robot based upon the data describing the initial position of the EFEM robot and the measurements.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for compacting indirect blocks. For example, an object is represented as a structure comprising data blocks within which data of the object is stored and indirect blocks comprising block numbers of where the data blocks are located in storage. Block numbers within a set of indirect blocks are compacted into a compacted indirect block comprising a base block number, a count of additional block numbers after the base block number in the compacted indirect block, and a pattern of the block numbers in the compacted indirect block. The compacted indirect block is stored into memory for processing access operations to the object. Storing compacted indirect blocks into memory allows for more block numbers to be stored within memory. This improves the processing of access operations because reading the block numbers from memory is faster than loading the block numbers from disk.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for substrate inspection, including a chamber, a movable holder in the chamber and configured to hold a substrate and transfer the substrate between a first position and a second position, a first inspector under the first position and the second position in the chamber, and configured to inspect a backside of the substrate, a lifter under the second position in the chamber, and configured to support the substrate and move the substrate from the second position to a third position, and a second inspector near the third position in the chamber and configured to inspect an edge of the substrate at the third position.

Abstract: A system and method for inline detection of defects on a semiconductor wafer surface during a semiconductor device manufacturing process is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes: automatically transporting the wafer from a first processing station to an inspection station; scanning a wafer surface using a camera in the inspection station; generating at least one image of the wafer surface; analyzing the at least one image to detect defects on the wafer surface based on a set of predetermined criteria; if the wafer is determined to be defective, automatically transporting the wafer from the inspection station to a stocker; and if the wafer is determined to be not defective, automatically transporting the wafer to a second processing station for further processing in accordance with the semiconductor device manufacturing process.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of automatically re-programming an EFEM to account for positional changes of the EFEM robot. In some embodiments, the method is performed by determining an initial position of an EFEM robot within an EFEM chamber. The EFEM robot at the initial position moves along a first plurality of steps defined relative to the initial position and that extend along a path between a first position and a second position. Positional parameters are determined, which describe a change between an initial position and a new position of the EFEM robot that is different than the initial position. A second plurality of steps are determined based upon the positional parameters. The EFEM robot at the new position moves along the second plurality of steps defined relative to the new position and that extend along the path between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A semiconductor equipment management method applicable to an electronic device for managing multiple pieces of semiconductor equipment is provided. The pieces of semiconductor equipment are respectively controlled through multiple control hosts, and the control hosts and the electronic device are connected to a switch device. The method includes: receiving real-time image information of each control host through the switch device; determining whether the real-time image information of each control host includes a triggering event by performing an image recognition on the real-time image information; executing a macro corresponding to the triggering event, where the macro includes at least one self-defined operation; generating at least one input command according to the self-defined operation of the executed macro; and controlling the control hosts to execute the self-defined operation of the executed macro by transmitting the input command to the control hosts through the switch device.

Abstract: Asynchronous snapshot invalidation techniques are described. According to various such techniques, an enhanced file handle structure may be defined that includes a snapshot generation ID that is to comprise a value that singularly identifies a snapshot performed at a particular point in time. In some embodiments, when a snapshot ID assigned to that snapshot is reused at a subsequent point in time, a different snapshot generation ID may be assigned to that subsequent snapshot. With respect to an in-core cache, the differing snapshot generation IDs may eliminate unacceptable ambiguity regarding respective file information sets corresponding to the initial and subsequent snapshots sharing the same snapshot ID. As a result, obsolete file information sets may be cleared from the in-core cache asynchronously, enabling improved performance. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for compacting indirect blocks. For example, an object is represented as a structure comprising data blocks within which data of the object is stored and indirect blocks comprising block numbers of where the data blocks are located in storage. Block numbers within a set of indirect blocks are compacted into a compacted indirect block comprising a base block number, a count of additional block numbers after the base block number in the compacted indirect block, and a pattern of the block numbers in the compacted indirect block. The compacted indirect block is stored into memory for processing access operations to the object. Storing compacted indirect blocks into memory allows for more block numbers to be stored within memory.

Abstract: A method includes: receiving a defect map from a defect scanner, wherein the defect map comprises at least one defect location of a semiconductor workpiece; annotating the defect map with a reference fiducial location of the semiconductor workpiece; determining a detected fiducial location within image data of the semiconductor workpiece; determining an offset correction based on comparing the detected fiducial location with the reference fiducial location; producing a corrected defect map by applying the offset correction to the defect map, wherein the applying the offset correction translocates the at least one defect location; and transferring the corrected defect map to a defect reviewer configured to perform root cause analysis based on the corrected defect map.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting wafer carriers is disclosed. In one example, the apparatus includes: a housing; a load port; a robot arm inside the housing; and a processor. The load port is configured to load a wafer carrier into the housing. The robot arm is configured to move a first camera connected to the robot arm. The first camera is configured to capture a plurality of images of the wafer carrier. The processor is configured to process the plurality of images to inspect the wafer carrier.

Abstract: A conductive textile according to the invention includes a fabric, a wire conductor and a metal sheet. The wire conductor is integrated with the fabric, and has a connection end. The metal sheet has a main body and a bent portion. The bent portion extends from the main body and is bent downward. The leading edge of the bent portion is flat or jagged. The metal sheet is pressed against an upper surface of the fabric and placed on the connection end. The main body is welded together with the connection end of the wire conductor by a welding process. The main body serves as a bonding pad.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for compacting indirect blocks. For example, an object is represented as a structure comprising data blocks within which data of the object is stored and indirect blocks comprising block numbers of where the data blocks are located in storage. Block numbers within a set of indirect blocks are compacted into a compacted indirect block comprising a base block number, a count of additional block numbers after the base block number in the compacted indirect block, and a pattern of the block numbers in the compacted indirect block. The compacted indirect block is stored into memory for processing access operations to the object. Storing compacted indirect blocks into memory allows for more block numbers to be stored within memory. This improves the processing of access operations because reading the block numbers from memory is faster than loading the block numbers from disk.

Abstract: A surveillance method using multi-dimensional sensor data for use in a surveillance system is provided. The surveillance system includes a plurality of sensors installed within a scene, and the plurality of sensor are classified into a plurality of types. The surveillance method includes the steps of: obtaining each type of sensor data from the scene using the sensors; performing a local-object process on each type of sensor data to generate local-object-feature information for each type; performing a global-object process according to the local-object-feature information of each type to generate global-object-feature information; and performing a global-object recognition process on the global-object-feature information to generate a global-recognition result.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a process solution is provided. In this method, a process solution is disposed on a surface of a substrate. A liquid of the process solution is removed to form an inspection sample by a spinning method. The surface of the substrate of the inspection sample is inspected by the surface inspection device to identify whether a residue of the process solution is left on the surface of the substrate after removing the liquid of the process solution. Further, an apparatus for inspecting a process solution and a sample preparation apparatus in inspection are also provided herein.

Abstract: The system is configured for performing scanning electrochemical microscopy via non-local continuous line probes. The continuous line probes include an insulating probe substrate, an insulating layer, and a conductive band electrode. The system includes a sample stage for positioning a sample substrate to be imaged so as to enable contact with the insulting probe substrate at an angle ?CLP. The continuous line probe is translated across the sample substrate and changes in the signal generated at the continuous line probe are identified to indicate the presence of features on the sample substrate. A plurality of scans are performed at different angles via rotating the sample stage or the continuous line probe, the results of which are combined and analyzed to produce an image of the sample substrate via compressed sensing reconstruction.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip processing tool. The integrated chip processing tool includes a first transfer module and a second transfer module. The first transfer module has a first robotic arm disposed within a housing. The first transfer module is configured to receive a single and unitary first die tray configured to hold a plurality of integrated chip (IC) die and to concurrently transfer all of the plurality of IC die held by the single and unitary first die tray to a single and unitary die boat. The second transfer module has an additional robotic arm disposed within the housing and configured to concurrently transfer all of the plurality of IC die from the single and unitary die boat to a single and unitary second die tray.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a system. The system includes a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to output a RF signal. A transmission line is coupled to the RF generator. A plasma chamber is coupled to RF generator via the transmission line, wherein the plasma chamber is configured to generate a plasma based on the RF signal. A micro-arc detecting element is configured to determine whether a micro-arc has occurred in the plasma chamber based on the RF signal.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a processing tool for processing a singulated semiconductor die. The tool includes an evaluation unit, a drying unit, and a die wipe station. The evaluation unit is configured to subject the singulated semiconductor die to a liquid to detect flaws in the singulated semiconductor die. The drying unit is configured to dry the liquid from a frontside of the singulated semiconductor die. The die wipe station includes an absorptive drying structure configured to absorb the liquid from a backside of the singulated semiconductor die after the drying unit has dried the liquid from the frontside of the singulated semiconductor die.