Method and apparatus for on the fly positioning and continuous monitoring of a substrate in a chamber

A method of positioning a substrate in a substrate processing chamber, the method comprising:

• placing the substrate on a substrate transfer blade;
• moving the substrate transfer blade to a first position located in a transfer chamber;
• capturing at least one image that comprises at least a portion of the substrate transfer blade and at least a portion of the substrate;
• and
• processing the at least one image to determine a position of a predetermined portion of the substrate transfer blade and a position of predetermined portion of the substrate;
• determining an offset between the position of the predetermined portion of the substrate transfer blade and the position of the predetermined portion of the substrate;
• moving the substrate transfer blade to a second position located in the substrate processing chamber, wherein the second position is adjusted to account for the offset.

A method for positioning a substrate in a substrate processing chamber, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate support disposed in the substrate processing chamber;
• providing a plurality of fiducial marks disposed on the substrate support;
• placing the substrate on the substrate support;
• capturing a first image comprising at least one of the plurality of fiducial marks disposed on the substrate support and at least a portion of the substrate;
• determining an offset between a predetermined position of the substrate support and a predetermined position of the substrate;
• and
• repositioning the substrate on the substrate support in response to the offset.