US 8,149,404 B2Granted

Method for aligning wafer and alignment apparatus using the method

AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

InventorsYoung-shin Choi, Ki-kwon Jeong

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Abstract

A method of aligning a wafer includes recognizing images of the wafer accommodated on a work table and a notch of the wafer using a camera, designating at least one notch point of the notch in a recognized image, producing at least one reference line using the designated notch point in the recognized image, designating a center point of the reference line in the recognized image, producing an imaginary line having an angle with respect to the reference line from the center point of the reference line in the recognized image, producing a center line of the wafer using the imaginary line in the recognized image, and aligning the wafer using an alignment apparatus to allow the center line of the wafer and an alignment line of the work table to be matched.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of aligning a wafer, the method comprising:

recognizing images of the wafer accommodated on a work table and a notch of the wafer using a camera;
designating at least one notch point of the notch in a recognized image;
producing at least one reference line using the designated notch point in the recognized image;
designating a center point of the reference line in the recognized image, wherein the center point of the reference line is located in the notch;
producing a first imaginary line making an angle to the left side of the wafer from the center point of the reference line in the recognized image with respect to the reference line;
and a second imaginary line making an angle to the right side of the wafer from the center point of the reference line in the recognized image with respect to the reference line;
producing a center line of the wafer using the imaginary line in the recognized image;
and aligning the wafer using an alignment apparatus to allow the center line of the wafer and an alignment line of the work table to be matched.

5 more elements

A wafer alignment apparatus comprising:

an image recognition portion recognizing images of the wafer accommodated on a work table and a notch of the wafer using a camera;
a notch point designating portion designating at least one notch point of the notch in a recognized image;
a reference line production portion producing at least one reference line using the designated notch point in the recognized image;
a center point designating portion designating a center point of the reference line in the recognized image, wherein the center point of the reference line is located in the notch;
an imaginary line production portion producing a first imaginary line making an angle to the left side of the wafer from the center point of the reference line in the recognized image with respect to the reference line;
and a second imaginary line making an angle to the right side of the wafer from the center point of the reference line in the recognized image with respect to the reference line;
a center line production portion producing a center line of the wafer using the imaginary line in the recognized image;
and
a control portion aligning the wafer using an alignment apparatus to allow the center line of the wafer and an alignment line of the work table to be matched.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.