IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,622,219
Granted Patent B2
US 12,622,219 · App. 18/761,829 · Granted May 5, 2026

Substrate processing apparatus

Inventors: Byoung Min Yun (Suwon-si, KR); Youn Sok Choi (Suwon-si, KR); Ho Hyun Lee (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H10P72/53H10P72/0606H10P72/7606
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,622,219
App. No.
18/761,829
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus may include a substrate support unit in a lower portion of a process chamber; an edge ring on and along an edge of an upper surface of the substrate support unit and protruding from the upper surface of the substrate support unit; and a substrate alignment sensor on the substrate support unit. The substrate alignment sensor may include a body, an imaging unit, and a control unit. The imaging unit may be on a bottom surface of the body and configured to image a sidewall of the edge ring and a sidewall of the body. The control unit may be configured to control the imaging unit and calculate a spacing between the sidewall of the edge ring and the sidewall of the body. The control unit may be configured to align the substrate alignment sensor with the substrate support unit based on the spacing.

Claims (95)

1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process chamber configured to have a substrate loaded therein;

a substrate support unit in a lower portion of the process chamber, the substrate support unit being configured to support the substrate;

an edge ring along an edge of the substrate support unit and spaced apart from a sidewall of the substrate support unit; and

a substrate alignment sensor on the substrate support unit,

wherein an upper surface of the edge ring includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion and the second portion extend parallel to each other, the third portion is between the first portion and the second portion, and the third portion is inclined,

wherein, based on a bottom surface of the process chamber, a vertical level of the first portion is lower than a vertical level of the second portion,

wherein the substrate alignment sensor includes a body, an imaging unit, and a control unit,

the imaging unit is on a bottom surface of the body and configured to image an upper surface of the edge ring and a sidewall of the body, and

the control unit is configured to control the imaging unit and calculate a calculated spacing from the sidewall of the body to a boundary between the first portion of the edge ring and the third portion of the edge ring, and

wherein the control unit is configured to align the substrate alignment sensor with the substrate support unit based on the calculated spacing.

2 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the substrate alignment sensor includes a groove,

the groove is recessed from the bottom surface of the body toward an upper surface of the body, and

the imaging unit is in the groove.

3 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein

the substrate alignment sensor includes an illuminator installed in the groove,

the illuminator is configured to irradiate light toward the edge ring.

4 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the imaging unit includes at least two imaging units in the groove.

5 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the imaging unit includes a first unit and a second unit, and

the first unit and the second unit are opposite each other in a first direction.

6 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein

the control unit is configured to align the substrate alignment sensor with the substrate support unit based on a first spacing and a second spacing,

the calculated spacing includes the first spacing and the second spacing,

the first spacing is a distance from the sidewall of the body to the boundary between the first portion of the edge ring and the third portion of the edge ring based on an image captured by the first unit,

the second spacing is a distance from the sidewall of the body to the boundary between the first portion of the edge ring and the third portion of the edge ring based on an image captured by the second unit.

7 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the imaging unit includes a first unit and a second unit,

an angle defined by the first unit and the second unit around a center of the substrate alignment sensor is not 180°.

8 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the imaging unit includes a first unit, a second unit, and a third unit,

wherein the first unit, the second unit, and the third unit are spaced from each other by a same angular spacing from a common reference point.

9 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the imaging unit further includes a first unit, a second unit, a third unit, and a fourth unit,

the first unit and the second unit are opposite each other in a first direction,

the third unit and the fourth unit are opposite each other in a second direction, and

the second direction intersects the first direction.

10 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the substrate alignment sensor includes a reference mark on the body,

wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the calculated spacing based on a distance from the sidewall of the body to the boundary between the first portion of the edge ring and the third portion of the edge ring using the reference mark.

11 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process chamber configured to have a substrate loaded therein;

a substrate support unit in a lower portion of the process chamber, the substrate support unit being configured to support the substrate;

an edge ring on and along an edge of an upper surface of the substrate support unit and protruding from the upper surface of the substrate support unit; and

a substrate alignment sensor on the substrate support unit,

wherein the substrate alignment sensor includes a body, an imaging unit, and a control unit,

the imaging unit is on a bottom surface of the body and configured to image a sidewall of the edge ring and a sidewall of the body,

the control unit is configured to control the imaging unit and calculate a calculated spacing between the sidewall of the edge ring and the sidewall of the body, and

the control unit is configured to align the substrate alignment sensor with the substrate support unit based on the calculated spacing.

12 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein

the substrate alignment sensor includes a groove,

the groove is recessed from the bottom surface of the body toward an upper surface of the body,

the imaging unit is in the groove.

13 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein

the substrate alignment sensor includes an illuminator in the groove,

the illuminator is configured to irradiate light in a first direction toward the edge ring,

the imaging unit faces a second direction, and

the second direction intersects the first direction.

14 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein

the imaging unit includes at least two imaging units in the groove, and

angles of view (AOV) of the at least two imaging units in the groove are different from each other.

15 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein

the imaging unit includes a first unit and a second unit, and

the first unit and the second unit are opposite each other in a first direction.

16 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein

the control unit is configured to align the substrate alignment sensor with the substrate support unit based on a first spacing and a second spacing,

the calculated spacing includes the first spacing and the second spacing,

the first spacing is a distance between the sidewall of the edge ring and the sidewall of the body based on an image captured by the first unit,

the second spacing is a distance between the sidewall of the edge ring and the sidewall of the body based on an image captured by the second unit.

17 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first spacing is equal to the second spacing.

18 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein

the imaging unit includes a first unit and a second unit, and

an angle defined by the first unit and the second unit around a center of the substrate alignment sensor is not 180°.

19 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein

the substrate alignment sensor includes a reference mark on the body,

the control unit is configured to calculate the calculated spacing between the sidewall of the edge ring and the sidewall of the body using the reference mark.

20 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process chamber configured to have a substrate loaded therein;

a substrate support unit in a lower portion of the process chamber, the substrate support unit being configured to support the substrate;

an edge ring along an edge of the substrate support unit and spaced apart from a sidewall of the substrate support unit; and

a substrate alignment sensor on the substrate support unit,

wherein an upper surface of the edge ring includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion and the second portion extend parallel to each other, and the third portion is between the first portion and the second portion and the third portion is inclined,

wherein, based on a bottom surface of the process chamber, a vertical level of the first portion is lower than a vertical level of the second portion,

wherein the substrate alignment sensor includes a body, a groove recessed from a bottom surface of the body toward an upper surface of the body, an illuminator, an imaging unit, and a control unit,

the illuminator in the groove and configured to irradiate light in a first direction toward the edge ring,

the imaging unit is in the groove and configured to image an upper surface of the edge ring and a sidewall of the body,

the control unit is configured to control the imaging unit and calculate a calculated spacing from the sidewall of the body to a boundary between the first portion and the third portion of the edge ring,

the imaging unit faces a second direction,

the second direction intersects the first direction,

wherein the imaging unit includes a first unit and a second unit,

the first unit and the second unit are opposite each other in the first direction,

wherein the control unit is configured to align the substrate alignment sensor with the substrate support unit by equalizing a first spacing and a second spacing,

wherein the first spacing is a distance from the sidewall of the body to the boundary between the first portion and the third portion of the edge ring on an image captured by the first unit, and

wherein the second spacing is a distance from the sidewall of the body to the boundary between the first portion and the third portion of the edge ring on an image captured by the second unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2024
From: YUN, BYOUNG MIN; CHOI, YOUN SOK; LEE, HO HYUN
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 067980/0028 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2024-0000399 · Jan 2, 2024 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250218842A1 · Jul 3, 2025
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