Photoresist edge bead removal measurement

1. An edge bead removal measurement method comprising:

determining an edge of a wafer about a circumference of the wafer, further comprising:

acquiring a set of digital images capturing the circumference of the wafer;

acquiring a vertical image projection on a first frame of the digital images;

determining an image gradient in the vertical image projection based upon peak detection; and

determining a wafer edge tracking routine; and

determining a distance from the edge of the wafer to an edge bead removal line about the circumference of the wafer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the image gradient further comprises:

utilizing a Canny-type edge detection filter to determine the image gradient.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the wafer edge tracking routine further comprises:

identifying a series of pixels in front of and behind a peak on each row of a digital image;

converting the series of pixels from a bayer color image to a green color palette;

determining a maximum gradient in the line region interest of the series of pixels for each digital image; and

determine a centerline in a new process line region of interest based upon the previous wafer edge location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the distance from the edge of the wafer to the edge bead removal line further comprises:

determining a distance from the edge of the wafer to a plurality of edge bead removal lines, each edge bead removal line representing a distinct fabrication layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

determining a location of a wafer notch on the edge of the wafer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the location of the wafer notch further comprises:

measuring a direction of a gradient vector at each pixel location;

determining digital images which contain a series of pixels having a gradient vector in one of two preferred ranges;

utilizing a series of pixel locations to form two straight intersecting lines; and

determining the intersection of the two straight lines.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein utilizing the series of pixel locations further comprises:

removing points of high noise from the two equations of a straight line.

8. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

determining a location of a center of the wafer.

9. An edge bead removal measurement method comprising:

determining an edge of a wafer about a circumference of the wafer;

acquiring a set of digital images capturing the circumference of the wafer;

determining a location of a wafer notch on the edge of the wafer, further comprising:

measuring a direction of a gradient vector at each pixel location;

determining digital images which contain a series of pixels having a gradient vector in one of two preferred ranges;

utilizing a series of pixel locations to form two straight intersecting lines; and

determining the intersection of the two straight lines;

determining a distance from the edge of the wafer to an edge bead removal line about the circumference of the wafer.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein utilizing the series of pixel locations further comprises:

removing points of high noise from the two equations of a straight line.

11. The method of claim 9 , and further comprising:

determining a location of the center of the wafer.