System and method for leveling semiconductor wafers
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorRicky A. Jackson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A leveling system (10 and 50) with adjustable light beams (38, 53, 55, 59 and 61) is provided for photolithography processes used in manufacturing integrated circuits. The beams (38, 53, 55, 59 and 61) used to assist with positioning wafer (12) relative to the projection camera lens (90) of the step and repeat camera (92) are adjusted for the exposure field (22 and 70) and the desired chip size. For large beam systems (10), the beam width is modified to match the exposure field (22) dimensions which correspond to the desired chip dimensions. For multiple beam systems (50), the geometric relationship of the beams (53, 55, 57, 59 and 61) relative to each other and the desired exposure field (70) are adjusted to provide optimum leveling of the wafer (12) with respect to the projection camera lens (90).
Claims20
A system for leveling a semiconductor wafer during fabrication of integrated circuits on the wafer using photolithography techniques comprising:
- a light source for projecting a beam of light onto an exposure field on the wafer;
- a detector to receive the beam reflected from the exposure field and determine the location of the exposure field relative to a first lens;
- and
- means for adjusting the light beam for the desired exposure field.
A method for leveling a semiconductor wafer relative to the projection lens of a step-and-repeat camera used to fabricate integrated circuits on the semiconductor wafer using projection lithography techniques comprising the steps of:
- projecting a light source onto the desired exposure field on the wafer;
- detecting the reflected light beam from the exposure field and determining the location of the exposure field relative to the projection lens or first lens;
- and
- adjusting the beam from the light source to match the desired exposure field.
A system for leveling a semiconductor wafer with the projection lens used in a step-and-repeat camera for fabricating integrated circuits on the wafer using projection lithography techniques comprising:
- a light source for projecting a beam of light onto the exposure field on the wafer;
- a detector to receive the beam from the exposure field and determine the location of the exposure field relative to the projection lens or first lens;
- and
- means for adjusting the light beam to match the desired exposure field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.