Patent · US Active

Leveling algorithm for semiconductor manufacturing equipment and related apparatus

US7704826B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
5References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 10, 2006
Grant dateApr 27, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 7, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F9/7034
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of reading surface levels of a field defined on a substrate using a sensing apparatus having at least one cell array composed of a plurality of cells, in which some of the cells constituting the at least one cell array are selected and designated as available cells. Light is radiated onto a surface of the field. Light reflected to the available cells from the surface is sensed to extract available level signals. The available level signals may be calculated to read the surface level of the field. The surface level of the field are used in a method of controlling the level of an exposure apparatus controlling the substrate mounted on a leveling stage in up, down, right, left, front, back, and rotational directions using the surface level.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.