Back to results
US 11,901,202 B2Granted
Substrate inspection system and method of use thereof
AssigneeJnk Tech
InventorYoungjin Choi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of inspection and an inspection system for the film deposition process for substrates that includes glass and wafer are disclosed. The inspection system includes multiple camera modules positioned in a load lock unit of a process chamber, such as the camera modules that can capture images of the substrate in the load lock. The images are analyzed by a controller of the inspection system to determine the accuracy of robots in handling the substrate, calibration of the robots based on the analysis, and defects in the substrate caused during the handling and deposition process.
Claims20
A method of depositing a film on a substrate, the method comprising:
- providing a film deposition apparatus comprising:
- a load lock chamber configured to receive and clamp a substrate, the load lock chamber comprising one or more viewport windows disposed to pass through a wall of the load lock chamber,
- a deposition chamber configured to deposit a film over the substrate to output a film-deposited substrate,
- a transfer robot configured to move the substrate and the film-deposited substrate between the load lock chamber and the deposition chamber, and
- one or more cameras coupled to an exterior portion of the one or more viewport windows of the load lock chamber and configured to capture at least one image of the substrate and/or the film-deposited substrate, disposed inside the load lock chamber, through the one or more viewport windows;
- loading the substrate, using a loading-unloading robot, from an outside of the load lock chamber to an inside of the load lock chamber to place the substrate in the load lock chamber;
- moving the substrate, by the transfer robot, from the load lock chamber to the deposition chamber;
- depositing a film over the substrate in the deposition chamber to output the film-deposited substrate;
- moving the film-deposited substrate, by the transfer robot, from the deposition chamber to the load lock chamber to place the film-deposited substrate in the load lock chamber;
- after the film-deposited substrate is placed in the load lock chamber, capturing, by the one or more cameras, at least one image of one or more portions of the film-deposited substrate such that the film is included in the at least one image;
- unloading, by the loading-unloading robot, the film-deposited substrate from the load lock chamber;
- analyzing, by at least one controller, the at least one image to determine whether a film deposited over the film-deposited substrate has a defect;
- and
- displaying the at least one image and analysis results on a display,
- wherein analyzing the at least one image comprises:
- obtaining pixel values of pixels in the at least one image;
- and
- processing the pixel values to determine whether the film has a defect or an error,
- determining at least one of components in the deposition chamber related to the defect of the film, and
- wherein the analysis results being displayed on the display comprise information on the at least one component related to the defect.
17 more elements
A method of depositing a film on a substrate, the method comprising:
- providing a film deposition apparatus comprising:
- a load lock chamber configured to receive and clamp a substrate,
- a deposition chamber configured to deposit a film over the substrate to output a film-deposited substrate,
- a transfer robot configured to move the substrate and the film-deposited substrate between the load lock chamber and the deposition chamber, and
- one or more cameras attached to an exterior of the load lock chamber and configured to capture at least one image of the substrate and/or the film-deposited substrate disposed inside the load lock chamber;
- loading the substrate, using a loading-unloading robot, from an outside of the load lock chamber to an inside of the load lock chamber to place the substrate in the load lock chamber;
- moving the substrate, by the transfer robot, from the load lock chamber to the deposition chamber;
- depositing a film over the substrate in the deposition chamber to output the film-deposited substrate;
- moving the film-deposited substrate, by the transfer robot, from the deposition chamber to the load lock chamber to place the film-deposited substrate in the load lock chamber;
- capturing, by the one or more cameras, at least one image of one or more portions of the film-deposited substrate such that the film is included in the at least one image;
- unloading, by the loading-unloading robot, the film-deposited substrate from the load lock chamber;
- and
- analyzing, by at least one controller, the at least one image to determine whether a film over the film-deposited substrate has a defect,
- wherein analyzing the at least one image comprises:
- defining a target area in pixels of the at least one image;
- processing pixel values of the pixels in the target area to divide the pixels into a first group of pixels having the pixel values greater than a predetermined value and a second group of pixels having the pixel values smaller than the predetermined value;
- and
- determining whether the film has a defect based on a ratio of the first group of pixels to the second group of pixels.
15 more elements
A method of depositing a film on a substrate, the method comprising:
- providing a film deposition apparatus comprising:
- a load lock chamber configured to receive and clamp a substrate,
- a deposition chamber configured to deposit a film over the substrate to output a film-deposited substrate,
- a transfer robot configured to move the substrate and the film-deposited substrate between the load lock chamber and the deposition chamber, and
- one or more cameras attached to an exterior of the load lock chamber and configured to capture at least one image of the substrate and the film-deposited substrate disposed inside the load lock chamber;
- loading the substrate, using a loading-unloading robot, from an outside of the load lock chamber to an inside of the load lock chamber to place the substrate in the load lock chamber;
- capturing, by the one or more cameras, at least one first image of one or more portions of the substrate;
- analyzing the at least one first image;
- clamping the substrate in the load lock chamber;
- capturing, by the one or more cameras, at least one second image of the one or more portions of the substrate;
- analyzing the at least one second image;
- moving the substrate, by the transfer robot, from the load lock chamber to the deposition chamber;
- depositing a film over the substrate in the deposition chamber to output the film-deposited substrate;
- moving the film-deposited substrate, by the transfer robot, from the deposition chamber to the load lock chamber to place the film-deposited substrate in the load lock chamber;
- capturing, by the one or more cameras, at least one third image of the one or more portions of the film-deposited substrate placed in the load lock chamber such that the film is included in the at least one third image;
- analyzing the at least one third image;
- unloading, by the loading-unloading robot, the film-deposited substrate from the load lock chamber;
- analyzing, by at least one controller, the at least one third image to determine whether a film over the film-deposited substrate has a defect;
- and
- displaying the at least one third image and analysis results on a display,
- wherein analyzing the at least one third image comprises:
- obtaining pixel values of pixels in the at least one third image;
- and
- defining a target area in the pixels of the at least one image;
- processing the pixel values of the pixels in the target area to define a width of an edge of the film;
- and
- determining whether the width of the edge of the film is greater than a threshold to determine whether the film has a defect.
24 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.