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:
Mar. 28, 2017
Filed:
Sep. 17, 2015
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Toshiaki Kodama, Yamanashi, JP;
TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An alignment apparatus for aligning a wafer by optically detecting an alignment mark includes an imaging unit configured to image an imaging region extending across a circumferential edge of the wafer, an irradiation unit configured to irradiate light toward the imaging region, a reflection part configured to reflect toward the imaging region the light that is irradiated from the irradiation unit upwardly, and a control unit configured to detect the circumferential edge. The reflection part has a reflectance making a luminance difference between the outside of the wafer and the circumferential edge of the wafer in a luminance distribution pattern obtained by imaging the imaging region. The control unit detects the alignment mark and the circumferential edge based on the luminance distribution pattern.