Method and apparatus for determining the position of a structure on a carrier relative to a reference point of the carrier

US8369605B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMS Ltd. · IL

Inventors

• Michael Arnz · Oberkochen, DE
• Gerd Klose · Hamburg, DE
• Michael Totzeck · Schwäbisch Gmünd, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 20, 2007
• Grant date: Feb 5, 2013
• Expiry date: Nov 24, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06V10/245
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method is provided for determining the position of a structure on a carrier, relative to a reference point of the carrier, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing an image including a reference structure; b) recording an image of the structure on the carrier by means of a recording device, with a known recording position relative to the reference points; c) superimposing the two images to form one superimposed image; d) determining the image distance of the two structures in the superimposed image; e) shifting the two structures in the superimposed image relative to one another, depending on the determined image distance; f) checking whether the determined image distance is below a predetermined maximum value; wherein, if the image distance is below the maximum value, the method is continued in step g), and, if the image distance is not below the maximum value, steps d)-f) are repeated, taking into account the determined image distance/distances: g) determining the position of the structure relative to the reference point, on the basis of the recording position in step b) and of the image distance/image distances determined in step(s) d).