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:
May. 09, 2017
Filed:
Jun. 17, 2015
Kla-tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Lena Nicolaides, Castro Valley, CA (US);
Ben-ming Benjamin Tsai, Saratoga, CA (US);
Prashant A. Aji, San Jose, CA (US);
Michael Gasvoda, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Stanley E. Stokowski, Danville, CA (US);
Guoheng Zhao, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Youxian Wen, Fremont, CA (US);
Mohan Mahadevan, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Paul D. Horn, Milpitas, CA (US);
Wolfgang Vollrath, Burbach, DE;
Isabella T. Lewis, San Jose, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for inspecting and processing semiconductor wafers. The system includes an edge detection system for receiving each wafer that is to undergo a photolithography process. The edge detection system comprises an illumination channel for directing one or more illumination beams towards a side, top, and bottom edge portion that are within a border region of the wafer. The edge detection system also includes a collection module for collecting and sensing output radiation that is scattered or reflected from the edge portion of the wafer and an analyzer module for locating defects in the edge portion and determining whether each wafer is within specification based on the sensed output radiation for such wafer. The photolithography system is configured for receiving from the edge detection system each wafer that has been found to be within specification. The edge detection system is coupled in-line with the photolithography system.