Method and apparatus for alignment of a wafer
US6038029A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 14, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 12, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B11/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A semiconductor production tool which provides alignment of a wafer at a fab station thereof includes an optical system, a wafer translation mechanism, a field of view translation unit and a unit for determining alignment. The optical system has a field of view which views the wafer. The wafer translation mechanism at least brings the wafer to a predetermined measurement location. In the present invention, the field of view translation unit translates the field of view relative to the wafer so as to view at least a portion of an edge of the wafer during an alignment operation. The unit for determining alignment is operative during the alignment operation and determines the alignment of the wafer from images produced by the optical system when the optical system views at least a portion of the marker.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.