Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation

Paul Doyle

Alexander Belyaev

Christian Wolters

Mehdi Vaez-Iravani

Guoheng Zhao

Anatoly Romanovsky

Alexander Slobodov

Aleksey Petrenko

Zhongping Cai

Howard Dando

Tyler Trytko

J Rex Runyon

Jingyi Xiong

Howard W Dando

A system for substrate tilt and focus control in an inspection system includes a dynamically actuatable substrate stage assembly including a substrate stage for securing a substrate; a tilt-height detection system including: a height detection sub-system and a tilt detection sub-system. The system further includes a first actuator configured to selectably actuate the substrate along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate at a location of the substrate stage assembly; and an additional actuator configured to selectably actuate the substrate along a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate at an additional location of the substrate stage assembly; and a MIMO tilt-focus controller communicatively coupled to the height detection sub-system, the tilt detection sub-system, the first actuator and the additional actuator.

Method and system for simultaneous tilt and height control of a substrate surface in an inspection system

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for providing passive correction for thermal effects on a mounted mechanical component. Further disclosed is a wafer inspection system employing the passive thermal effect correction apparatus.

Passive position compensation of a spindle, stage, or component exposed to a heat load

A tool for investigating a substrate, where the tool has a tool head for investigating the substrate, a chuck for disposing an upper surface of the substrate in proximity to the tool head, and an air bearing disposed on the tool head adjacent the substrate. The air bearing has a pressure source and a vacuum source, where the vacuum source draws the substrate toward the air bearing and the pressure source prevents the substrate from physically contacting the air bearing. The pressure source and the vacuum source work in cooperation to dispose the upper surface of the substrate at a known distance from the tool head. By using the air bearing as part of the tool in this manner, registration of the substrate to the tool head is accomplished relative to the upper surface of the substrate, not the back side of the substrate.

Air bearing for substrate inspection device

An edge-handling chuck, a system for holding and rotating a test substrate at a high speed and a method for chucking a rotating substrate are disclosed. The Chuck includes a plate having a central axis, a fluid opening and a top surface with a varied topography characterized by symmetry about the central axis. The topography is such that a volume flow rate of fluid between the fluid opening and a periphery of the top surface sufficient to counteract substrate sagging is significantly less than a volume flow rate needed for a similar but flat-surfaced chuck to similarly counteract such sagging. The system may further include a spindle motor and a gas system that supplies gas through the fluid opening to a gap between the top surface and a back surface of the substrate. A radial velocity of the fluid through the gap is approximately constant.

Method for improving edge handling chuck aerodynamics

Substrate processing method and apparatus are disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a non-contact air bearing chuck with a vacuum preload.

Stabilizing a substrate using a vacuum preload air bearing chuck

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Paul Doyle