US 6,721,037 B2Granted

Device for exposure of a peripheral area of a wafer

AssigneeUshiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsYoshinori Nagai, Kazumoto Tochihara

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Abstract

A device for exposing a peripheral area of a wafer, in which the area which is located within the wafer (and which need not be exposed) is prevented from being exposed regardless of the orientation the wafer which bears a notch in its periphery. The device includes an exposure light irradiation part, a wafer edge determination part, and a notch determination part are arranged integrally with each other. The wafer edge determination part moves such that it follows the edge of the wafer. The peripheral area of the edge of the wafer is exposed by exposure light emitted by the exposure light irradiation part. When the exposure sequence begins irradiation with exposure light is not immediately done, even if the means for wafer edge determination has determined the wafer edge. Instead, the wafer is rotated by a given amount and then exposure is begun. When the area irradiated with exposure light reaches the notch starting position, wafer edge determination is stopped until the end position of the notch is reached.

Claims7

Dependent claims

Device for exposing by irradiation a peripheral area of a wafer having a notch in the peripheral area and a photoresist to be irradiated on a surface of the wafer in the peripheral area, comprising:

a means for rotating the wafer;
a means for irradiating the peripheral area of the wafer with exposure light;
a means for moving the irradiated peripheral area;
a means for wafer edge determination by detection of sensor light;
a means for moving the means for wafer edge determination in a back and forth direction from a central position of the wafer to a peripheral edge of the wafer;
a means for determining the location of the notch in the peripheral edge of the wafer located upstream of the means for wafer edge determination and formed integrally with the means for wafer edge determination;
and
a controller for detecting sensor light and adapted to control the means for moving the means for edge determination such that the amount of sensor light becomes constant, and which is adapted to control the means for moving the irradiation area such that the irradiation area is moved in the same direction as the direction of motion of the means for wafer edge determination and by the same amount as the amount of motion thereof,
wherein the controller is adapted to perform the following steps:
prior to exposure of the peripheral area of the wafer and after determining the wafer edge, the wafer is rotated such that the peripheral area of the wafer to be irradiated is moved at least by a distance equal to a distance between the means for wafer edge determination and the means for determining the location of the notch,
if, during the rotation of the wafer, an output signal from the means for determining the location of the notch changes from a preset starting signal, irradiation with the exposure light begins, and the position at which the notch starts is determined;
when, after the notch start is determined, the peripheral irradiated area reaches the notch start, operation of the means for movement of the peripheral irradiated area is stopped;
when, after the notch start is determined, an output signal from the means for determining the location of the notch again changes, the position at which the notch ends is determined and when the peripheral irradiation area reaches the notch end, operation of the means for movement of the peripheral irradiated area is restarted;
when, during rotation of the wafer, the output signal from the means for determining the location of the notch does not change, irradiation with exposure light begins after completion of the rotation;
and
if, prior to the rotation of the wafer, a signal from the means for determining the location of the notch indicates a notch start is present then the position at which the notch starts is determined.

13 more elements

Process for exposing by irradiation a peripheral area of a wafer having a notch in the peripheral area of the wafer and a photoresist to be irradiated on a surface of the wafer in the peripheral area using a device comprising:

a means for rotating the wafer;
a means for irradiating the peripheral area of the wafer with exposure light;
a means for moving the irradiated peripheral area;
a means for wafer edge determination by detection of sensor light;
a means for moving the means for wafer edge determination in a back and forth direction from a central position of the wafer to a peripheral edge of the wafer;
a means for determining the location of the notch in the peripheral edge of the wafer, means for determining the location of the notch being located upstream of the means for wafer edge determination and being formed integrally with the means for wafer edge determination;
and
wherein the process comprises using a controller for detecting sensor light and to control the means for moving the wafer edge determination means such that an amount of light from a sensor becomes constant, and to control the means for moving the irradiation area such that the irradiation area is moved in the same direction as the direction of motion of the wafer edge determination means and by the same amount as the amount of motion thereof, to perform the following steps:
prior to exposure of the peripheral area of the wafer and after determining the wafer edge, the wafer is rotated such that the peripheral area of the wafer to be irradiated is moved at least by a distance equal to a distance between the means for wafer edge determination and the means for determining the location of the notch in the wafer,
if, during the rotation of the wafer, an output signal from the means for determining the location of the notch changes from a preset starting signal, irradiation with the exposure light begins, and the position at which the notch starts is determined;
when, after the notch start is determined, the peripheral irradiated area reaches the notch start, operation of the means for movement of the peripheral irradiated area is stopped;
when, after the notch start is determined, an output signal from the means for determining the location of the notch again changes, the position at which the notch ends is determined, and when the peripheral irradiation area reaches the notch end, operation of the means for movement of the peripheral irradiated area is restarted;
when, during rotation of the wafer, the output signal from the means for determining the location of the notch does not change, irradiation with exposure light begins after completion of the rotation;
and
if, prior to the rotation of the wafer, a signal from the means for determining the location of the notch indicates a notch start is present, then the position at which the notch starts is determined.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.