IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,959,610
Granted Patent B2
US 9,959,610 · App. 14/882,122 · Granted May 1, 2018

System and method to detect substrate and/or substrate support misalignment using imaging

Inventors: Leonid M. Tertitski (Los Gatos, CA); Schubert S. Chu (San Francisco, CA); Shay Assaf (Gilroy, CA); Kim R. Vellore (San Jose, CA); Zhepeng Cong (Vancouver, WA)
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
G06T7/0004G06T2207/10024G06T2207/30148
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,959,610
App. No.
14/882,122
Granted
May 1, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting substrate misalignment (i.e., position displacement error) and/or substrate support misalignment. According to certain aspects, a method for detecting a misalignment of an object in a processing system is provided. The method generally includes obtaining a first image of the object, determining first values associated with pixels in at least one region of the first image, calculating at least one of a center of gravity value of the pixels in the at least one region or an average weight of the pixels in the at least one region, and detecting a misalignment of the object based on at least one of the calculated center of gravity or average weight of the pixels in the at least one region.

Claims (48)

1. A method for detecting a misalignment of an object in a processing system, comprising:

obtaining a first image of a semiconductor processing object;

obtaining a second image of the semiconductor processing object subsequent to obtaining the first image;

determining first values associated with pixels in at least one region of the first image;

determining second values associated with pixels in a least one region of the second image;

calculating at least one of:

a center of gravity value of the pixels in the at least one region of the first image; and

an average weight of the pixels in the at least one region of the first image;

detecting a misalignment of the semiconductor processing object based on at least one of:

the calculated center of gravity; and

the calculated average weight of the pixels in the at least one region of the first image; and

comparing the second values associated with pixels in the at least one region of the second image to the first values associated with pixels in the at least one region of the first image, wherein the detecting a misalignment of the semiconductor processing object is further based on the comparison of the second values and the first values in the at least one region between the first image and the second image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor processing object comprises a substrate, a mask, an edge, or a substrate support.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining first values associated with pixels comprises determining an RGB value associated with each pixel.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image is obtained using a video camera comprising at least one of: a CMOS, SVGA, XGTA, or MEGA pixel type sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image is obtained while the object is rotating.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one region of the first and second images comprises:

at least a first region and a second region.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the determining second values associated with pixels in the at least one region of the second image comprises:

determining values associated with pixels in the first region and pixels in the second region.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining a first phase of the values associated with pixels in the first region; and

determining a second phase of the values associated with pixels in the second region.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

comparing the first phase with the second phase, and wherein

detecting a misalignment of the semiconductor processing object is further based on the comparison of the first phase and the second phase.

10. A method for correcting a misalignment of an object in a processing system, comprising:

obtaining an image of a semiconductor processing object, wherein the image is obtained while the semiconductor processing object is rotating;

determining values associated with pixels in at least one region of the image;

detecting a misalignment of the semiconductor processing object based on the determined values, comprising:

calculating at least one of:

a center of gravity value of the pixels in the at least one region; or

an average weight of the pixels in the at least one region; and

detecting a misalignment of the semiconductor processing object based on at least one of:

the calculated center of gravity; or

the calculated average weight of the pixels in the at least one region; and

comparing the determined values; and

correcting the misalignment.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the semiconductor processing object comprises a substrate, a mask, an edge, or a substrate support.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining values associated with pixels comprises determining an RBG value associated with each pixel.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the image is obtained using a video camera comprising at least one of: a CMOS, SVGA, XGTA, or MEGA pixel type sensor.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the image comprises a raw image.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the image comprises a filtered image.

16. A method for correcting a misalignment of an object in a processing system, comprising:

obtaining an image of a semiconductor processing object, wherein the image is obtained while the semiconductor processing object is rotating;

determining values associated with pixels in at least one region of the image;

detecting a position change of the semiconductor processing object based on the values by multiplying a center of gravity deviation value of the pixels in the at least one region by a weight of the pixels in the at least one region and comparing the determined values; and

correcting a misalignment of the semiconductor processing object based on the position change.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2016
From: TERTITSKI, LEONID M.; CHU, SCHUBERT S.; ASSAF, SHAY; VELLORE, KIM R.; CONG, ZHEPENG
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 037486/0339 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62072488 · Oct 30, 2014
Related Publication 20160125589A1 · May 5, 2016