IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,504,383
Granted Patent B2
US 12,504,383 · App. 18/461,960 · Granted Dec 23, 2025

Substrate test apparatus and method

Inventor: Gyunam Park (Cheonan-si, KR)
Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
G01N21/9501H01L21/67288H01L22/12H01L22/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,504,383
App. No.
18/461,960
Granted
Dec 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a substrate test apparatus and method capable of testing or measuring a substrate such as a wafer by obtaining an optical image from the substrate, the substrate test apparatus including a lighting device for irradiating illumination light to a substrate, a substrate image detection device for forming an image of the substrate by receiving light reflected from the substrate, and a substrate tilt measurement device for measuring a tilt of the substrate based on a normal angle.

Claims (74)

1 . A substrate test apparatus comprising:

a lighting device configured to irradiate illumination light on a substrate;

a substrate image detection device configured to form an image of the substrate by receiving light reflected from the substrate;

a substrate tilt measurement device configured to measure a tilt of the substrate based on a horizontal position of the substrate; and

a controller configured to receive tilt information from the substrate tilt measurement device and configured to correct an optical path of the light reflected from the substrate.

2 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate tilt measurement device comprises:

a measurement light source configured to generate measurement light;

at least one measurement light lens configured to adjust a focus of the measurement light; and

a first reflection mirror configured to reflect at least a portion of the measurement light toward the substrate.

3 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the substrate tilt measurement device further comprises a measurement light image detection device configured to receive reflected measurement light of the measurement light reflected from the substrate, and configured to form an image using the reflected measurement light.

4 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the measurement light image detection device comprises a 4-slice image sensor comprising at least four slices configured to detect a first-direction deviation and a second-direction deviation of the reflected measurement light from the horizontal position.

5 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the measurement light image detection device comprises:

a first image sensor comprising at least two slices in a first direction and configured to detect a first-direction deviation of the reflected measurement light from the horizontal position; and

a second image sensor comprising at least two slices in a second direction and configured to detect a second-direction deviation of the reflected measurement light from the horizontal position.

6 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an optical path correction device configured to correct the optical path of the light reflected from the substrate based on the tilt of the substrate, wherein

the controller is configured to apply an optical path correction control signal to the optical path correction device to correct the optical path of the light reflected from the substrate.

7 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the optical path correction device comprises:

an optical path correction reflector configured to reflect the light reflected from the substrate image detection device; and

a reflector angle adjustment device configured to incline the optical path correction reflector in a first axis direction or a second axis direction.

8 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the reflector angle adjustment device comprises:

a first reflector actuator in the first axis direction from a joint connected to the optical path correction reflector, and configured to move a portion of the optical path correction reflector forward or backward; and

a second reflector actuator in the second axis direction from the joint connected to the optical path correction reflector, and configured to move another portion of the optical path correction reflector forward or backward.

9 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive first-direction tilt information from the substrate tilt measurement device and apply a first-direction optical path correction control signal to the first or second reflector actuator to compensate for the first-direction tilt information; and

receive second-direction tilt information from the substrate tilt measurement device and apply a second-direction optical path correction control signal to the first or second reflector actuator to compensate for the second-direction tilt information.

10 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate mounting angle correction device configured to correct a mounting angle of the substrate based on the tilt of the substrate, wherein

the controller is configured to apply a substrate angle correction control signal to the substrate mounting angle correction device to correct the optical path of the light reflected from the substrate.

11 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the substrate mounting angle correction device comprises:

a substrate stage on which the substrate is mounted; and

a stage angle adjustment device configured to incline the substrate stage in a first axis direction or a second axis direction.

12 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the stage angle adjustment device comprises:

a first stage actuator in the first axis direction from a joint connected to the substrate stage, and configured to move a portion of the substrate stage forward or backward; and

a second stage actuator in the second axis direction from the joint connected to the substrate stage, and configured to move another portion of the substrate stage forward or backward.

13 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive first-direction tilt information from the substrate tilt measurement device and apply applies a first-direction substrate angle correction control signal to the first or second stage actuator to compensate for the first-direction tilt information; and

receive second-direction tilt information from the substrate tilt measurement device and apply a second-direction substrate angle correction control signal to the first or second stage actuator to compensate for the second-direction tilt information.

14 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lighting device comprises:

an illumination light source configured to generate the illumination light;

at least one illumination light lens configured to adjust a focus of the illumination light; and

a second reflection mirror configured to reflect at least a portion of the illumination light toward the substrate.

15 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an autofocus device configured to automatically focus the image of the substrate.

16 . The substrate test apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the autofocus device comprises:

an autofocus light source configured to generate autofocus light;

at least one autofocus lens configured to adjust a focus of the autofocus light;

a third reflection mirror configured to reflect the autofocus light toward the substrate;

a fourth mirror configured to reflect the autofocus light reflected from the substrate; and

an autofocus test device configured to test an autofocus image by receiving the autofocus light reflected by the fourth mirror.

17 . A substrate test method comprising:

irradiating illumination light to a substrate;

forming an image of the substrate by receiving light reflected from the substrate;

measuring a tilt of the substrate based on a horizontal position of the substrate to obtain a measured tilt of the substrate; and

correcting an optical path of the light reflected from the substrate based on the measured tilt of the substrate.

18 . The substrate test method of claim 17 , wherein

the correcting the optical path of the light reflected from the substrate includes correcting the optical path of the light reflected from the substrate toward a substrate image detection device, the light reflected from the substrate being deviated from a normal path due to the tilt of the substrate.

19 . The substrate test method of claim 17 , wherein

the correcting the optical path of the light reflected from the substrate includes correcting a mounting angle of the substrate to correct the optical path of the light reflected from the substrate, and wherein the substrate is deviated from the horizontal position due to the tilt of the substrate.

20 . A substrate test apparatus comprising:

a lighting device configured to irradiate illumination light to a substrate;

a substrate image detection device configured to form an image of the substrate by receiving light reflected from the substrate;

an autofocus device configured to automatically focus the image of the substrate;

a substrate tilt measurement device configured to measure a tilt of the substrate based on a horizontal position of the substrate;

an optical path correction device configured to correct an optical path of the light reflected from the substrate, based on the tilt of the substrate; and

a first controller configured to receive tilt information from the substrate tilt measurement device and apply an optical path correction control signal to the optical path correction device,

wherein the substrate tilt measurement device comprises:

a measurement light source configured to generate measurement light;

at least one measurement light lens configured to adjust a focus of the measurement light;

a first reflection mirror configured to reflect at least a portion of the measurement light toward the substrate; and

a measurement light image detection device configured to receive reflected measurement light of the measurement light reflected from the substrate, and configured to form an image using the reflected measurement light, and

wherein the measurement light image detection device comprises:

a 4-slice image sensor comprising at least four slices configured to detect a first-direction deviation and a second-direction deviation of the measurement light from the horizontal position; or

a first image sensor comprising at least two slices in a first direction configured to detect a first-direction deviation of the measurement light from the horizontal position; and

a second image sensor comprising at least two slices in a second direction configured to detect a second-direction deviation of the measurement light from the horizontal position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2023
From: PARK, GYUNAM
To: SEMES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064856/0927 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0126559 · Oct 4, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240110879A1 · Apr 4, 2024
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