Wafer notch positioning detection
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsKai-An Chuang, Kuang-Wei Hsueh, Shih-Huan Chen, Yung-Shu Kao
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Abstract
An optical system may include a light source to provide a beam of light. The optical system may include a reflector to receive and redirect the beam of light. The optical system may include a light gate having an opening to permit the beam of light, from the reflector, to travel through the opening. The optical system may include a light sensor to receive a portion of the beam of light after the beam of light travels through the opening, and convert the portion of the beam of light to a signal. The optical system may include a processing device to determine whether a notch of a wafer is in an allowable position based on the signal.
Claims20
A device, comprising:
- a reflector to direct a beam of light;
- a light gate comprising a partial enclosure comprising an opening to permit the beam of light, reflected from the reflector, to travel through the opening, wherein the partial enclosure resides at least partially over the reflector;
- and
- a light sensor to convert at least a portion of the beam of light, received from the opening of the light gate, into an electrical signal.
A method, comprising:
- directing, by a reflector, a beam of light towards an opening, of a partial enclosure of a light gate at least partially residing over the reflector, that permits the beam of light to travel toward a light sensor;
- receiving, by the light sensor, a portion of the beam of light;
- and
- converting, by the light sensor, the portion of the beam of light to an electrical signal.
A system, comprising:
- a light source to provide a beam of light;
- a reflector to direct the beam of light;
- a light gate comprising a partial enclosure comprising an opening to permit the beam of light, reflected from the reflector, to travel through the opening, wherein the partial enclosure at least partially encloses the reflector;
- and
- a light sensor to convert at least a portion of the beam of light, received from the opening of the light gate, into an electrical signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.