IP Library Granted Patent US 12,411,003
Granted Patent B2
US 12,411,003 · App. 18/082,572 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Apparatus for wafer placement teaching and method for wafer placement teaching using the same

Inventors: Chung Woo Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Tae Dong Park (Hwaseong-si, KR); Chang Jun Park (Pyeongtaek-si, KR); Jin Hwan Kim (Hwaseong-si, KR)
Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
G01B11/002G01B11/14H01L21/67259H01L21/6831
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,411,003
App. No.
18/082,572
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Proposed are a wafer position detection apparatus and a wafer position detection and correction method using the same. More specifically, proposed is an apparatus for wafer placement teaching for adjusting a position of a wafer disposed on an electrostatic chuck, the apparatus including a laser distance sensor disposed above the electrostatic chuck, and a controller configured to control a robot configured to transfer the wafer. The controller checks a relative position of the electrostatic chuck and the wafer disposed on the electrostatic chuck using the laser distance sensor so that the wafer is transferred to a predetermined position, and teaches the position of the wafer using the checked relative position of the electrostatic chuck and the wafer.

Claims (67)

1. An apparatus for wafer placement teaching for adjusting a position of a wafer disposed on an electrostatic chuck, the apparatus comprising:

a laser distance meter disposed above the electrostatic chuck and configured to:

measure a first distance between two points on an upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, without the wafer present on the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, using a laser; and

measure a second distance between two points on an upper surface of the wafer placed on the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, wherein a diameter of the upper surface of the wafer is greater than a diameter of the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck;

a controller configured to:

check a relative position of the electrostatic chuck and the wafer disposed on the electrostatic chuck using the first distance and the second distance measured by the laser distance meter,

teach the position of the wafer using the checked relative position of the electrostatic chuck and the wafer, so that the wafer is transferred to a predetermined position using a control robot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the laser distance meter is provided with at least three laser distance meters,

wherein each of the at least three laser distance meters measures a distance from a first point that is any one point located inside the electrostatic chuck among points on a first straight line that is an imaginary straight line passing through a center of the electrostatic chuck to an edge of the electrostatic chuck located on the first straight line,

measures a distance from the first point on the first straight line to an edge of the wafer in a state in which the wafer is disposed on the electrostatic chuck,

calculates a distance difference between the distance from the first point to the edge of the electrostatic chuck and the distance from the first point to the edge of the wafer, and

compares the distance difference measured by each of the laser distance meters to determine the second position of the wafer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 ,

wherein the distance from the first point on the first straight line to the edge of the electrostatic chuck is obtained by repeatedly measuring a distance from each point on a line segment extending from the first point to a second point, which is a point on the first straight line and is outside the electrostatic chuck, to each of the laser distance meters.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 ,

wherein the distance from the first point on the first straight line to the edge of the wafer is obtained by repeatedly measuring a distance from each point on a line segment extending from the first point to a third point, which is a point on the first straight line and is outside the wafer, to each of the laser distance meters.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the laser distance meter is configured in the form of a module in which a plurality of distance meters are combined.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 ,

wherein each of the laser distance meters is configured in the form of a module in which a plurality of distance meters are combined.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein at least three laser distance meters are installed,

wherein each of the laser distance meters checks coordinates of an edge of the electrostatic chuck by measuring a distance from a first point that is any one point located inside the electrostatic chuck among points on a first straight line that is an imaginary straight line passing through a center of the electrostatic chuck to the edge of the electrostatic chuck located on the first straight line,

checks coordinates of an edge of the wafer by measuring a distance from the first point on the first straight line to the edge of the wafer, and

calculates respective coordinates of centers of the electrostatic chuck and the wafer using the coordinates checked by each of the laser distance meters and then compares the coordinates to determine the second position of the wafer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 ,

wherein the distance from the first point on the first straight line to the edge of the electrostatic chuck is obtained by repeatedly measuring a distance from each point on a line segment extending from the first point to a second point, which is a point on the first straight line and is outside the electrostatic chuck, to each of the laser distance meters.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 ,

wherein the distance from the first point on the first straight line to the edge of the wafer is obtained by repeatedly measuring a distance from each point on a line segment extending from the first point to a third point, which is a point on the first straight line and is outside the wafer, to each of the laser distance meters.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 ,

wherein each of the laser distance meters is configured in the form of a module in which a plurality of distance meters are combined.

11. A method for wafer placement teaching for adjusting a position of a wafer disposed on an electrostatic chuck, the method comprising:

a first measurement step of measuring a position of the electrostatic chuck using a laser distance meter which measures a first distance between two points on an upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, without the wafer present on the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, using a laser;

a second measurement step of measuring a second distance between two points on an upper surface of the wafer disposed on the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck using the laser distance sensor, wherein the second measurement step is performed after the first measurement step, and wherein a diameter of the upper surface of the wafer is greater than a diameter of the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck; and

a step of adjusting the position of the wafer using the first distance of the electrostatic chuck measured in the first measurement step and the second distance of the wafer measured in the second measurement step.

12. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the first measurement step is performed by measuring a distance from a first point that is any one point located inside the electrostatic chuck among points on a first straight line that is an imaginary straight line passing through a center of the electrostatic chuck to an edge of the electrostatic chuck located on the first straight line,

the second measurement step is performed by measuring a distance from the first point on the first straight line to an edge of the wafer in a state in which the wafer is disposed on the electrostatic chuck, and

the position of the wafer is adjusted using a distance difference between the distance from the first point to the edge of the electrostatic chuck and the distance from the first point to the edge of the wafer.

13. The method of claim 12 ,

wherein the first measurement step is performed by repeatedly measuring a distance from each point on a line segment extending from the first point to a second point, which is a point on the first straight line and is outside the electrostatic chuck, to the laser distance meter.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second measurement step is performed by repeatedly measuring a distance from each point on a line segment extending from the first point to a third point, which is a point on the first straight line and is outside the wafer, to the laser distance meter.

15. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the laser distance meter is configured in the form of a module in which a plurality of distance meters are combined.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the laser distance meter is configured in the form of a module in which a plurality of distance meters are combined.

17. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein at least three laser distance meters are installed,

the first measurement step is performed by measuring a distance from a first point that is any one point located inside the electrostatic chuck among points on a first straight line that is an imaginary straight line passing through a center of the electrostatic chuck to an edge of the electrostatic chuck located on the first straight line,

the second measurement step is performed by measuring a distance from the first point on the first straight line to an edge of the wafer in a state in which the wafer is disposed on the electrostatic chuck, and

the position of the wafer is taught by calculating respective coordinates of centers of the electrostatic chuck and the wafer using the measurement results of the first measurement step and the second measurement step performed by each of the laser distance meters and then comparing the coordinates.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first measurement step is performed by repeatedly measuring a distance from each point on a line segment extending from the first point to a second point, which is a point on the first straight line and is outside the electrostatic chuck, to each of the laser distance meters.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second measurement step is performed by repeatedly measuring a distance from each point on a line segment extending from the first point to a third point, which is a point on the first straight line and is outside the wafer, to each of the laser distance meters.

20. An apparatus for wafer placement teaching for adjusting a position of a wafer disposed on an electrostatic chuck, the apparatus comprising:

a laser distance meter disposed above the electrostatic chuck and configured to:

measure a first distance between two points on an upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, without the wafer present on the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, using a laser; and

measure a second distance between two points on an upper surface of the wafer placed on the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, wherein a diameter of the upper surface of the wafer is greater than a diameter of the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck; and

a controller configured to control a robot configured to transfer the wafer,

wherein the controller checks a relative position of the electrostatic chuck and the wafer disposed on the electrostatic chuck using the first distance and the second distance measured by the laser distance meter so that the wafer is transferred to a predetermined position, and teaches the position of the wafer using the checked relative position of the electrostatic chuck and the wafer, and

at least three laser distance meters are installed,

wherein each of the laser distance meters measures a distance from a first point that is any one point located inside the electrostatic chuck among points on a first straight line that is an imaginary straight line passing through a center of the electrostatic chuck to an edge of the electrostatic chuck located on the first straight line,

measures a distance from the first point on the first straight line to an edge of the wafer in a state in which the wafer is disposed on the electrostatic chuck and then calculates a difference between the distances, and

compares the distance difference measured by each of the laser distance meters, or

each of the laser distance meters checks coordinates of the edge of the electrostatic chuck by measuring a distance from the first point that is any one point located inside the electrostatic chuck among the points on the first straight line that is the imaginary straight line passing through the center of the electrostatic chuck to the edge of the electrostatic chuck located on the first straight line,

checks coordinates of the edge of the wafer by measuring the distance from the first point on the first straight line to the edge of the wafer, and

calculates respective coordinates of centers of the electrostatic chuck and the wafer using the coordinates checked by each of the laser distance meters and then compares the coordinates to teach the position of the wafer, and

each of the laser distance meters is configured in the form of a module in which a plurality of distance meters are combined.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: LEE, CHUNG WOO; PARK, TAE DONG; PARK, CHANG JUN; KIM, JIN HWAN
To: SEMES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062118/0561 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0181570 · Dec 17, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230194239A1 · Jun 22, 2023
References Cited (18)
US 9405287B1 · Ravid et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 10777435B2 · Matsuura · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11819950B2 · Komatsu · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20190325601A1 · Chen · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20210379703A1 · Komatsu · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220126454A1 · Martin · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 113412534 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 113752399 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018206992 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2021048270 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020130058413 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020170039461 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020180033447 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020180109300 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020210151683 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
Office Action from the Japan Patent Office dated Dec. 12, 2023. [cited by applicant]
Office Action from the Korean Intellectual Property Office dated Dec. 5, 2023. [cited by applicant]
Office Action from the China National Intellectual Property Administration dated Jul. 18, 2025. [cited by applicant]