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:
Nov. 08, 2016
Filed:
Jan. 15, 2015
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abraham Ravid, San Jose, CA (US);
Todd Egan, Fremont, CA (US);
Paul Connors, San Mateo, CA (US);
Sergey Starik, Kyiv, UA;
Ganesh Balasubramanian, Fremont, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and systems for alignment of substrate-scale masks are described. The alignment methods presented may improve the uniformity and repeatability of processes which are impacted by the relative lateral position of a substrate-scale mask and a substrate. The methods involve measuring the 'overhang' of the substrate at multiple locations around the periphery of the substrate-scale mask. Based on the measurements, the relative position of the substrate relative to the substrate-scale mask is modified by adjustment of the substrate and/or mask position. The adjustment of the relative position is made in one adjustment in embodiments. A feature of hardware and methods involves the capability of making measurements and adjustments while a substrate processing system is fully assembled and possibly under vacuum.