Substrate orienter chamber

An orienter chamber, comprising:

• a housing enclosing an interior volume;
• a rotatable stage disposed inside the housing including a substrate support surface adapted to support a substrate;
• a laser light source disposed above the stage and positioned to provide illuminating light to an outer circumference of a substrate when the substrate is loaded on the rotatable stage, wherein the illuminating light from the light source is inclined toward a center of the substrate by an angle of about 55° to about 75° from a vertical line that extends perpendicular to the substrate support surface;
• a light-receiving unit having a light-receiving surface on which are arranged a plurality of charge coupled device light-receiving elements that receive the illuminating light from the light source;
• and
• an analysis unit that analyzes the illuminating light received by the light-receiving elements.

A method of use for an orienter chamber comprising:

• supporting a substrate on a substrate support surface;
• providing illuminating light inclined at an angle between about 55° and about 75° from a vertical line to an outer circumference of the substrate;
• rotating the substrate support with the substrate supported thereon for at least one revolution;
• receiving light scattered by the outer circumference of the substrate on a light receiving surface of a light receiving unit;
• recognizing the received scattered light as a shadow zone;
• sending a change in position of the shadow zone to an analysis unit;
• analyzing the change in position of the shadow zone;
• and
• determining the orientation and eccentricity of the substrate based on the change of position of the shadow zone.