IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,258,665
Granted Patent B2
US 12,258,665 · App. 18/530,033 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Substrate inspection system and a method of use thereof

Inventor: Youngjin Choi (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: JNK TECH
C23C16/52G01N21/8851G01N21/9501G01N21/958G06T1/0014G06T7/0004G06T7/13G06T7/174H01L21/681H01L22/12G06T2207/30148
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,258,665
App. No.
18/530,033
Granted
Mar 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

This application relates to a method of inspection and an inspection system for the film deposition process for substrates that includes glass and wafer. The inspection system includes multiple camera modules positioned in a load lock unit of a process chamber, such as the camera modules that can capture images of the substrate in the load lock. The images are analyzed by a control unit of the inspection system to determine the accuracy of robots in handling the substrate, calibration of the robots based on the analysis, and defects in the substrate caused during the handling and deposition process.

Claims (18)

1. A method of inspecting a substrate, the method comprising:

causing, at a controller, one or more cameras to capture at least one first image of one or more portions of a substrate disposed inside a load lock chamber of a film deposition apparatus after the substrate is received from an outside of the film deposition apparatus and before the substrate is clamped by the load lock chamber;

causing, at the controller, the one or more cameras to capture at least one second image of the one or more portions of the substrate disposed inside the load lock chamber after the substrate is clamped by the load lock chamber and while the substrate remains clamped by the load lock chamber;

analyzing either or both of the at least one first image or the at least one second image to determine a displacement of the substrate with respect to a reference position in the load lock chamber;

causing, at the controller, the one or more cameras to capture at least one third image of one or more portions of a film-deposited substrate placed in the load lock chamber after the film-deposited substrate is received from a deposition chamber of the film deposition apparatus;

analyzing, at the controller, the at least one third image to determine whether a film on the film-deposited substrate has a defect or an error; and

displaying analysis results on a display,

wherein analyzing the at least one third image comprises:

analyzing edge lines and corner profiles of a deposited film in the at least one third image of the one or more portions of the film-deposited substrate, and

determining a status of at least one of parts in the deposition chamber, the status comprising an assembling status of a substrate fixture, sagging of an electrode, a flatness of susceptor or electrode, arc formation, or a gap between the electrode and the substrate fixture in the deposition chamber based on analysis of the edge lines and corner profiles of the deposited film, and

wherein the analysis results being displayed on the display comprise information on at least one of the corner profiles.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing, at the controller, the one or more cameras to capture at least one fourth image of the one or more portions of the film-deposited substrate disposed inside the load lock chamber after the film-deposited substrate is clamped by the load lock chamber; and

analyzing either or both of the at least one third image or the at least one fourth image to determine a displacement of the substrate with respect to the reference position in the load lock chamber,

wherein the at least one third image is captured before the film-deposited substrate is clamped by the load lock chamber, and the at least one fourth image is captured while the film-deposited substrate remains clamped by the load lock chamber to evaluate an operation accuracy of a transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate or the film-deposited substrate between the load lock chamber and the deposition chamber.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

analyzing reflectiveness and refractiveness of the deposited film in the at least one third image of the one or more portions of the film-deposited substrate; and

evaluating operation of the at least one of parts in the deposition chamber based on analysis of the reflectiveness and the refractiveness of the deposited film.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: CHOI, YOUNGJIN
To: JNK TECH
Reel/Frame 065915/0790 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 17656343 · Mar 24, 2022
Continuation 17305838 · Jul 15, 2021
Continuation 17345795 · Jun 11, 2021
Provisional Application 63175282 · Apr 15, 2021
Related Publication 20240102169A1 · Mar 28, 2024
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