# US 11,029,256 B2 · Apparatus for measuring wafer

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,029,256 B2
- Document ID: US11029256B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/846,978
- Filed: 2020-04-13
- Published: 2021-01-28
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-07-22
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Tae-Heung Ahn; Racine Nassau; Su Hwan Park; Ki Wan Seo; Nam Il Koo; In Keun Baek; Jong Min Yoon; Ik Seon Jeon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029256B2

## CPC

- 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}
- G01B 5/0004: {Supports (G01B5/025 takes precedence)}
- H10P 72/7618: {characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel}
- G01B 11/06: for measuring thickness {; e.g. of sheet material (thickness measurement by thermal means G01B21/085)}
- G01N 21/9505: {Wafer internal defects, e.g. microcracks}
- 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)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS

## Abstract

Provided is an apparatus for measuring a wafer. The apparatus may include a chuck disposed on a stage and a plate connected with the stage, a horizontal frame configured to support a wafer, and a vertical frame connecting the plate and the horizontal frame. The apparatus may further include first to third adsorption portions connected with the horizontal frame and configured to adsorb the wafer, a support bar penetrating through the chuck and extending in a first direction and a beam irradiator connected to the support bar and disposed between the plate and the horizontal frame. The beam irradiator may be configured to irradiate a beam on the wafer. The apparatus may further include a detector on an opposite side of the horizontal frame from the beam irradiator and configured to receive the beam after it has penetrated through the wafer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for measuring a wafer, comprising:
a stage;
a chuck disposed on the stage and comprising a plate connected with the stage, a horizontal frame configured to support a wafer, and a vertical frame connecting the plate and the horizontal frame;
first to third adsorption portions connected with the horizontal frame and configured to adsorb the wafer;
a support bar penetrating through the chuck and extending in a first direction;
a beam irradiator connected to the support bar and disposed between the plate and the horizontal frame, the beam irradiator being configured to irradiate a beam on the wafer; and
a detector on an opposite side of the horizontal frame from the beam irradiator and configured to receive the beam after it has penetrated through the wafer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a calculator configured to measure the wafer by using the beam received by the detector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the calculator is configured to:
obtain a first image of the wafer in a first state of the wafer, the first image representing measurement characteristics of the wafer,
obtain a second image of the wafer in a second state, the second image representing measurement characteristics of the wafer and wherein the second state is a rotated state with respect to the first state,
combine the first image and the second image.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the calculator is configured to:
obtain a first image of the wafer by using the beam received by the detector;
create a second image of the wafer by performing image processing of the first image, and
perform inpainting on the first image using the second image, thereby creating a combined image.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the horizontal frame comprises:
a first horizontal frame portion extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction,
a second horizontal frame portion displaced from the first horizontal frame in the first direction and extending in the second direction, and
a third horizontal frame portion connecting the first horizontal frame portion and the second horizontal frame portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the horizontal frame comprises:
a first protrusion installed on the first horizontal frame portion, the first protrusion protruding toward the wafer and connected with the first adsorption portion,
a second protrusion installed on the second horizontal frame portion, the second protrusion protruding toward the wafer and connected with the second adsorption portion, and
a third protrusion installed on the third horizontal frame portion, the third protrusion protruding toward the wafer and connected with the third adsorption portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the third horizontal frame portion connects an end of the first horizontal frame portion and an end of the second horizontal frame portion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first adsorption portion comprises:
a pad in contact with the wafer and comprising an inhalation hole,
a washer disposed between the horizontal frame and the pad and having elasticity, and
a pad cover surrounding at least a portion of a sidewall of the pad and being connected with the horizontal frame.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a first transport configured to move the stage in the first direction, and
a second transport configured to move the stage in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first to third adsorption portions is configured to adsorb the wafer by inhaling air through an inhalation hole thereby applying a suction force to the wafer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the horizontal frame comprises an inhalation line disposed therewithin along a direction in which the horizontal frame extends.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the horizontal frame has an H shape.

### Claim 13

An apparatus for measuring a wafer, comprising:
a stage;
a plate disposed on the stage;
a horizontal frame comprising a first horizontal frame portion extending in a first direction, a second horizontal frame portion displaced from the first horizontal frame portion in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and extending in the first direction, and a third horizontal frame portion connecting the first horizontal frame portion and the second horizontal frame portion, wherein the horizontal frame is configured to support a wafer;
a vertical frame connecting the plate and the horizontal frame;
a first adsorption portion connected with the first horizontal frame portion and configured to adsorb the wafer;
a second adsorption portion connected with the second horizontal frame portion and configured to adsorb the wafer;
a third adsorption portion connected with the third horizontal frame portion and configured to adsorb the wafer;
a beam irradiator disposed between the plate and the horizontal frame and configured to irradiate a beam on the wafer;
a detector on an opposite side of the horizontal frame from the beam irradiator and configured to receive the beam after the beam has penetrated through the wafer; and
a calculator configured to measure the wafer by using the beam received by the detector.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first adsorption portion comprises:
a pad in contact with the wafer and comprising an inhalation hole,
a washer disposed between the horizontal frame and the pad and having elasticity, and
a pad cover surrounding at least a portion of a sidewall of the pad and connected with the horizontal frame.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the horizontal frame comprises:
a first protrusion installed on the first horizontal frame portion, the first protrusion protruding toward the wafer and connected with the first adsorption portion,
a second protrusion installed on the second horizontal frame portion, the second protrusion protruding toward the wafer and connected with the second adsorption portion, and
a third protrusion installed on the third horizontal frame portion, the third protrusion protruding toward the wafer and connected with the third adsorption portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the first to third adsorption portions is configured to adsorb the wafer by inhaling air through an inhalation hole thereby applying a suction force to the wafer.

### Claim 17

An apparatus for measuring a wafer, comprising:
a stage;
a chuck disposed on the stage and comprising a plate connected with the stage, a horizontal frame configured to support a wafer, and a vertical frame connecting the plate and the horizontal frame;
a beam irradiator disposed between the plate and the horizontal frame and configured to irradiate a beam on the wafer;
a detector disposed above the horizontal frame and configured to receive the beam after it has penetrated through the wafer; and
a calculator configured to: measure the wafer by using the beam received by the detector; obtain a first image of the wafer by using the beam received by the detector, the first image representing measurement characteristics of the wafer; create a second image of the wafer by performing image processing of the first image, and perform inpainting on the first image using the second image thereby creating a combined image.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the calculator is configured to create the second image by utilizing a center-symmetric image process based on a center of the first image.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the calculator is configured to create the second image by utilizing an axis-symmetric image process based on a line passing through a center of the first image.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the calculator is configured to: create a third image of the wafer by performing image processing of the first image by utilizing a center-symmetric image process based on a center of the first image, create a fourth image of the wafer by performing image processing of the first image by utilizing an axis-symmetric image process based on a line passing through the center of the first image, and calculate the second image by combining the third image and the fourth image.