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US 8,139,219 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for semiconductor wafer alignment
AssigneeSuss Microtec Lithography GmbH
InventorGregory George
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for aligning semiconductor wafers includes equipment for positioning a first surface of a first semiconductor wafer directly opposite to a first surface of a second semiconductor wafer and equipment for aligning a first structure on the first semiconductor wafer with a second structure on the first surface of the second semiconductor wafer. The aligning equipment comprises at least one movable alignment device configured to be moved during alignment and to be inserted between the first surface of the first semiconductor wafer and the first surface of the second semiconductor wafer. The positioning equipment are vibrationally and mechanically isolated from the alignment device motion.
Claims36
An apparatus for aligning semiconductor wafers comprising:
- equipment for positioning a first surface of a first semiconductor wafer directly opposite to a first surface of a second semiconductor wafer;
- equipment for aligning a first structure on said first semiconductor wafer with a second structure on said first surface of said second semiconductor wafer and wherein said aligning equipment comprises at least one movable alignment device configured to be moved during alignment and to be inserted between said first surface of said first semiconductor wafer and said first surface of said second semiconductor wafer, wherein said movable alignment device comprises an optical microscope assembly;
- and
- wherein said alignment equipment further comprises a microscope calibration reference unit.
1 more element
A method for aligning semiconductor wafers comprising:
- positioning a first surface of a first semiconductor wafer directly opposite to a first surface of a second semiconductor wafer;
- providing alignment equipment comprising at least one movable alignment device;
- and
- aligning a first structure on said first semiconductor wafer with a second structure on said first surface of said second semiconductor wafer by inserting said movable alignment device between said first surface of said first semiconductor wafer and said first surface of said second semiconductor wafer;
- wherein said movable alignment device comprises an optical microscope assembly and wherein said alignment equipment further comprises a microscope calibration reference unit.
2 more elements
An apparatus for aligning semiconductor wafers comprising:
- equipment for positioning a first surface of a first semiconductor wafer directly opposite to a first surface of a second semiconductor wafer;
- equipment for aligning a first structure on said first semiconductor wafer with a second structure on said first surface of said second semiconductor wafer and wherein said aligning equipment comprises at least one movable alignment device configured to be moved during alignment and to be inserted between said first surface of said first semiconductor wafer and said first surface of said second semiconductor wafer;
- an inverted U-shaped frame and a vibration isolated base, wherein said inverted U-shaped frame is supported on a top surface of said base and comprises left and right vertical columns and a first horizontal beam supported upon the tops of said vertical columns;
- a second horizontal beam arranged parallel to said first horizontal beam and comprising left and right ends and being configured to support said movable alignment device;
- wherein each of said vertical column tops comprises two parallel vertical slots extending from said column top surface toward said column center and wherein said two vertical slots are separated by a center block and wherein said center block extends from the bottom of said slots toward said column top and has a height less than the height of said vertical slots thereby forming a gap between said two vertical slots near said column top surface and wherein said left and right ends of said second horizontal beam are supported upon said center blocks of said left and right vertical columns, respectively.
2 more elements
A method for aligning for aligning semiconductor wafers comprising:
- providing an apparatus for aligning semiconductor wafers;
- positioning a first surface of a first semiconductor wafer directly opposite to a first surface of a second semiconductor wafer within said apparatus;
- providing alignment equipment comprising at least one movable alignment device;
- and
- aligning a first structure on said first semiconductor wafer with a second structure on said first surface of said second semiconductor wafer by inserting said movable alignment device between said first surface of said first semiconductor wafer and said first surface of said second semiconductor wafer;
- wherein said apparatus comprises an inverted U-shaped frame and a vibration isolated base, wherein said inverted U-shaped frame is supported on a top surface of said base and comprises left and right vertical columns and a first horizontal beam supported upon the tops of said vertical columns;
- wherein said apparatus further comprises a second horizontal beam arranged parallel to said first horizontal beam and comprising left and right ends and being configured to support said movable alignment device;
- and
- wherein each of said vertical column tops comprises two parallel vertical slots extending from said column top surface toward said column center and wherein said two vertical slots are separated by a center block and wherein said center block extends from the bottom of said slots toward said column top and has a height less than the height of said vertical slots thereby forming a gap between said two vertical slots near said column top surface and wherein said left and right ends of said second horizontal beam are supported upon said center blocks of said left and right vertical columns, respectively.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.