# US 10,481,102 B2 · Multi-axis positioning device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,102 B2 - Document ID: US10481102B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/053,711 - Filed: 2018-08-02 - Published: 2018-11-29 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-02 - Assignees: Newport Corporation - Applicants: Newport Corporation - Inventors: Alain Jeanne; Stéphane Bailloux; Laurent Courtemanche - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481102B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/8851: {Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges (G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002)} - G01B 11/26: for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes - G01N 21/9501: {Semiconductor wafers (manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20)} - H10P 72/0616: {Monitoring of warpages, curvatures, damages, defects or the like} - H10P 72/50: for positioning, orientation or alignment - H10P 74/203: {Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A multi-axis positioning system that may be used in conjunction with an inspection system includes multiple position sensors corresponding to multiple axes in conjunction with multiple motors also corresponding to multiple axes to provide high accuracy, high load and extended travel for controllable movement of an object in up to 6 degrees of freedom. Some embodiments of the multi-axis positioning system may include an x-y stage assembly, a bottom plate assembly coupled to the x-y stage assembly, a top plate assembly coupled to the bottom plate assembly, and a chuck secured to the top plate assembly with multiple position sensors configured to measure displacement between the x-y stage assembly and top plate assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multi-axis positioning system, comprising: a translation stage configured to provide displacement in two dimensions between a base and an upper stage of the translation stage; a bottom plate rotatably coupled to the translation stage such that an axis of rotation of the bottom plate in a θ rotation direction is perpendicular to a plane defined by the two dimensions of displacement of the translation stage; at least one bottom plate motor operatively coupled between the bottom plate and the translation stage, the at least one bottom plate motor being configured to rotate the bottom plate assembly in the θ rotation direction relative to the translation stage; a top plate operatively coupled to the bottom plate with at least three Z axis motors disposed and operatively coupled between corresponding outer portions of the bottom plate and respective outer portions of the top plate and which are configured to generate displacement between the respective outer portions of the bottom plate and top plate in a Z axis direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the bottom plate; a chuck configured to releasably secure a specimen secured to the top plate; at least three Z axis position sensors which are disposed and operatively coupled between the upper stage of the translation stage and the top plate and which are configured to measure relative displacement in the Z axis direction between the upper stage and the top plate; at least three θ position sensors which are operatively coupled between the upper stage of the translation stage and the top plate and which are configured to measure relative angular displacement in the θ rotation direction between the upper stage and the top plate; and a controller which is operatively coupled to the Z axis motors, the at least one bottom plate motor, the Z axis position sensors and the θ position sensors and which is configured to control actuation of the Z axis motors and at least one bottom plate motor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The multi-axis positioning system of claim 1 wherein the three Z axis position sensors comprise optical encoder assemblies. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The multi-axis positioning system of claim 1 wherein the three θ position sensors comprise optical encoder assemblies. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The multi-axis positioning system of claim 1 wherein the at least three Z axis motors comprise voice coil motors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The multi-axis positioning system of claim 1 wherein the bottom plate motor comprises a voice coil motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The multi-axis positioning system of claim 1 wherein the three Z axis motors are separated by an angular displacement about the axis of rotation of the bottom plate of about 120 degrees from each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The multi-axis positioning system of claim 6 wherein each of the three Z axis position sensors are disposed adjacent a corresponding Z axis motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The multi-axis positioning system of claim 6 wherein each of the three θ position sensors are disposed adjacent a corresponding Z axis motor. ### Claim 9 An optical inspection system, comprising: A. an optical inspection tool including a light source, an optical objective, a detector assembly, an optical train which optically couples the light source, optical objective and detector and an inspection tool controller that is configured to process optical information received by the detector assembly; and B. a multi-axis positioning system, comprising: a translation stage configured to provide displacement in two dimensions between a base and an upper stage of the translation stage; a bottom plate rotatably coupled to the translation stage such that an axis of rotation of the bottom plate in a θ rotation direction is perpendicular to a plane defined by the two dimensions of displacement of the translation stage; at least one bottom plate motor operatively coupled between the bottom plate and the translation stage, the at least one bottom plate motor being configured to rotate the bottom plate assembly in the θ rotation direction relative to the translation stage; a top plate operatively coupled to the bottom plate with at least three Z axis motors disposed and operatively coupled between corresponding outer portions of the bottom plate and respective outer portions of the top plate and which are configured to generate displacement between the respective outer portions of the bottom plate and top plate in a Z axis direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the bottom plate; a chuck secured to the top plate which is configured to releasably secure a specimen thereto and which is disposed in communication with an optical path of the optical objective of the optical inspection tool; at least three Z axis position sensors which are disposed and operatively coupled between the upper stage of the translation stage and the top plate and which are configured to measure relative displacement in the Z axis direction between the upper stage and the top plate; at least three θ position sensors which are operatively coupled between the upper stage of the translation stage and the top plate and which are configured to measure relative angular displacement in the θ rotation direction between the upper stage and the top plate; and a positioning system controller which is operatively coupled to the Z axis motors, the at least one bottom plate motor, the Z axis position sensors and the θ position sensors and which is configured to control actuation of the Z axis motors and at least one bottom plate motor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The inspection system of claim 9 wherein the three Z axis position sensors comprise optical encoder assemblies. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The inspection system of claim 9 wherein the three θ position sensors comprise optical encoder assemblies. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The inspection system of claim 9 wherein the at least three Z axis motors comprise voice coil motors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The inspection system of claim 9 wherein the bottom plate motor comprises a voice coil motor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The inspection system of claim 9 wherein the three Z axis motors are separated by an angular displacement about the axis of rotation of the bottom plate of about 120 degrees from each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The inspection system of claim 14 wherein each of the three Z axis position sensors are disposed adjacent a corresponding Z axis motor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The inspection system of claim 14 wherein each of the three θ position sensors are disposed adjacent a corresponding Z axis motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The inspection system of claim 9 wherein the inspection tool controller is operatively coupled to the positioning system controller and configured to transmit Z axis position data of the chuck from the optical objective to the positioning system controller. ### Claim 18 A method of inspecting a specimen, comprising: loading the specimen into a chuck of a multi-axis positioning system, the multi-axis positioning system including a translation stage, a bottom plate rotatably coupled to the translation stage, a top plate operatively coupled to the bottom plate such that the top plate may be displaced relative to the bottom plate along a Z axis, a tip axis, a tilt axis and along a θ rotation direction, and the chuck being secured to the top plate; measuring a position of one or more test features disposed on the specimen to generate test feature position data, the test feature position data including a Z axis position of the one or more test features along an optical axis of an objective of an optical inspection tool; storing the test feature position data in a memory storage device; generating a look up chart of a surface orientation of the specimen from the test feature position data; and translating the specimen relative to the objective in an x-y plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective while positioning the specimen with the multi-axis positioning system according to the look up chart using theta position data feedback from a plurality of θ position sensors disposed and operatively coupled between the translation stage and top plate of the multi-axis positioning system and using Z axis position feedback from a plurality of Z axis position sensors disposed and operatively coupled between the translation stage and top plate of the multi-axis positioning system, the specimen being translated such that an upper surface of the specimen remains perpendicular to an optical axis of the objective and the upper surface of the specimen remains at a constant distance from the objective. ### Claim 19 A method of inspecting a specimen, comprising: loading the specimen into a chuck of a multi-axis positioning system, the multi-axis positioning system including a translation stage, a bottom plate rotatably coupled to the translation stage, a top plate operatively coupled to the bottom plate such that the top plate may be displaced relative to the bottom plate along a Z axis, a tip axis, a tilt axis and along a θ rotation direction, and the chuck being secured to the top plate; translating the specimen relative to an optical inspection tool while positioning the specimen with the multi-axis positioning system using theta position data feedback from a plurality of θ position sensors disposed and operatively coupled between the translation stage and top plate of the multi-axis positioning system and using Z axis position feedback from a plurality of Z axis position sensors disposed and operatively coupled between the translation stage and top plate of the multi-axis positioning system, wherein translating the specimen comprises translating the specimen such that an upper surface of the specimen remains perpendicular to an optical axis of an objective of an optical inspection tool and the upper surface of the specimen remains at a constant distance from the objective along an optical axis of the objective; and transmitting Z axis position data of the specimen from an inspection tool controller of the inspection tool to a positioning system controller of the multi-axis positioning system.