Method and system for offset estimation and alignment
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsDuncan Stewart, Carl Picciotto, Jun Gao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for determining an offset vector. The method includes obtaining an image of a first feature. An image of a second feature is also obtained. Also, a combination image of the first feature and the second feature is obtained. A plurality of composite images is utilized to determine an accurate offset vector between the first feature and the second feature in the combination image. The plurality of composite images is based on the image of the first feature and the image of the second feature.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method for determining an offset vector, said method comprising:
- obtaining an image of a first feature using a computer system;
- obtaining an image of a second feature using said computer system;
- obtaining a combination image of said first feature and said second feature using said computer system;
- and
- utilizing a plurality of composite images based on said image of said first feature and said image of said second feature using said computer system to determine using said computer system an accurate offset vector between said first feature and said second feature in said combination image.
A computer-implemented method for determining alignment, said method comprising:
- obtaining an image of a first alignment marker on a first layer using a computer system;
- obtaining an image of a second alignment marker on a second layer using said computer system;
- obtaining a live combination image of said first alignment marker and said second alignment marker when said first layer is overlaid with said second layer using said computer system;
- utilizing a first plurality of composite images based on said image of said first alignment marker and said image of said second alignment marker using said computer system to determine using said computer system an accurate offset alignment vector between said first alignment marker and said second alignment marker in said live combination image;
- obtaining a reference alignment combination image of said first alignment marker and said second alignment mark using said computer system;
- and
- utilizing a second plurality of composite images based on said image of said first alignment marker and said image of said second alignment marker using said computer system to determine using said computer system an accurate reference alignment vector between said first alignment marker and said second alignment marker in said reference alignment combination image;
- and
- comparing said accurate offset alignment vector and said accurate reference alignment vector to derive an accurate difference alignment vector using said computer system.
A system for aligning a plurality of layers, comprising:
- an imaging system configured to obtain an image of a first alignment marker on a first layer, an image of a second alignment marker on a second layer, and a live combination image of said first alignment marker and said second alignment marker when said first layer is overlaid with said second layer;
- and
- an accurate offset vector generator configured to utilize a first plurality of composite images based on said image of said first alignment marker and said image of said second alignment marker to determine an accurate offset alignment vector between said first alignment marker and said second alignment marker in said live combination image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.