The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 25, 2003
Filed:
May. 14, 2001
Konrad Heinle, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Ultratech Stepper, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for performing alignment of a substrate using alignment marks on the backside of a substrate supported by a movable chuck is disclosed. The system includes an imaging optical system arranged such that the movable chuck can position one end of the optical system either adjacent the front surface of the substrate or near the front surface but outside the perimeter of the substrate. In one embodiment, secondary optical systems are arranged within the chuck at the chuck perimeter so as to be in optical communication with corresponding alignment marks. The chuck is movable so that the imaging optical system can be placed in optical communication with the second optical system and image the alignment marks onto a detector. The detector converts the alignment mark images into digital electronic images, which are stored in a computer system and processed. The chuck then moves the substrate to exposure locations based on the result of processing the images.