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US 2004/0167640 A1Published application
Method and system for improving the efficiency of a mechanical alignment tool
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsUwe Knappe, Jan Raebiger, Uwe Schulze, Rolf Seltmann
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Abstract
A technique is disclosed that allows alignment of substrates on a run-to-run basis by using the position data of one or more previously aligned substrates to determine a setpoint of a pre-alignment process for one or more subsequent substrates. The setpoint may also be determined on the basis of a predefined characteristic of the substrates to be aligned.
Claims27
A method of aligning a substrate, the method comprising:
- obtaining first position data indicating a position of a first substrate having a predefined characteristic after an alignment act of said first substrate;
- determining a setpoint for aligning a second substrate on the basis of said first position data and said predefined characteristic;
- and
- aligning said second substrate on the basis of said determined setpoint.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- obtaining an input value of a first variable indicating a motion of a first substrate during an alignment act of said first substrate;
- determining a setpoint for a second variable on the basis of said first variable, said setpoint of said second variable determining a motion of said second substrate during an initial phase of aligning said second substrate;
- and
- aligning said second substrate on the basis of said determined setpoint.
1 more element
An automatic alignment system, comprising:
- a substrate stage configured to receive and hold in place a substrate;
- a drive assembly mechanically coupled to said substrate stage and configured to initiate a motion of said substrate stage in response to a control signal;
- and
- a control unit configured to provide said control signal to said drive assembly, and further configured to establish said control signal on the basis of a predefined characteristic of a substrate to be aligned and position data obtained from one or more substrates previously aligned by said alignment tool.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.