Wireless substrate-like sensor

• US 20030223057A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CyberOptics Semiconductor, Inc. (Nordson Corporation)
• Original Assignee: CyberOptics Semiconductor, Inc. (Nordson Corporation)
• Inventors: Gardner, DelRae H., Ramsey, Craig C., Huntzinger, Greg, Lassahn, Jeffrey K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,289,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/147
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67259 Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/135 Associated with semiconductor wafer handling

Abstract

A wireless substrate-like sensor is provided to facilitate alignment and calibration of semiconductor processing systems. The wireless substrate-like sensor includes an optical image acquisition system that acquires one or more images of targets placed within the semiconductor processing system. Analysis of images of the targets obtained by the wireless substrate-like sensor provides position and/or orientation information in at least three degrees of freedom. An additional target is affixed to a known location within the semiconductor processing system such that imaging the reference position with the wireless substrate-like sensor allows the measurement and compensation for pick-up errors.

Claims

1. A wireless substrate-like sensor comprising:

a substrate-like housing;

a power source adapted to provide power to the sensor;

an image acquisition system adapted to acquire an image of a target;

a processor operably coupled to the image acquisition system to process the image and obtain data relating a position of the target relative to a position of the sensor; and

a wireless communication module coupled to the digital signal processor to wirelessly convey the data to an external device.

2. The sensor of claim 1, and further comprising an illuminator to illuminate the target.

3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the power source is rechargeable.

4. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the data relates a position of the target to a position of the sensor in at least two degrees of freedom.

5. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the data relates a position of the target to a position of the sensor in at least three degrees of freedom.

6. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the data relates a position of the target to a position of the sensor in at least six degrees of freedom.

7. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the image is analyzed to detect a pattern in the image.

8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor is adapted to measure the distance between two predefined patterns in the image.

9. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the sensor recognizes characters.

10. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the sensor recognizes bar codes.

11. The sensor of claim 1, and further comprising a display operably coupled to the sensor to display the image.

12. The sensor of claim 1, and further comprising a component for recording the images.

13. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor is a digital signal processor.

14. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor is a microprocessor.

15. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the processor is disposed on the sensor.

16. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor is constructed from dimensionally stable materials.

17. A wireless substrate-like sensor assembly used to perform calibration of a semiconductor processing system, the sensor assembly comprising:

a wireless substrate-like sensor including;

a processor;

an internal power source; and

an image acquisition system;

an automatic calibration target including;

at least four target indicia, wherein the at least four target indicia are related to one another through a known relationship; and

wherein the automatic calibration target is mountable to at least one station of the system; and

wherein the sensor is adapted to provide location information relative to at least one automatic calibration target in at least two degrees of freedom.

18. The assembly of claim 17 additionally including an illumination source.

19. The system of claim 17 additionally including a wireless communication device.

20. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the processor is a digital signal processor.

21. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor has a diameter of about 300 mm.

22. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor has a diameter of about 200 mm.

23. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor has a diameter of about 150 mm.

24. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor has a diameter of about 450 mm.

25. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor is adapted to provide location information relative to at least one automatic calibration target in at least three degrees of freedom.

26. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor is adapted to provide location information relative to at least one automatic calibration target in at least six degrees of freedom.

27. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor provides the location information to a technician.

28. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor provides the location information to a system controller.

29. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor provides the location information to a robot controller.

30. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor is constructed from dimensionally stable materials.

31. The assembly of claim 17, and further comprising:

a holster adapted to couple to the sensor and mechanically to store the sensor when not in use.

32. The assembly of claim 31, wherein the holster charges the internal power source of the sensor when they are coupled together.

33. The assembly of claim 31, wherein the holster communicates with the sensor.

34. The assembly of claim 17, wherein each automatic calibration target includes a background with a high contrast to the indicia.

35. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the sensor records values for later transmission to a host and wherein, the sensor uses its image acquisition system to recognize when it is no longer moving and then records the time and the value of the offset.

36. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the sensor recognizes characters.

37. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the sensor recognizes bar codes.

38. A method for determining position and orientation of a flat target in three dimensions, the method comprising:

providing at least four reference indicia on the target;

digitizing an image of the target;

identifying the at least four reference indicia in the image of the target; and

solving a system of equations representing the indicia for a system of unknowns representative of the position and orientation based upon identification of the at least four reference indicia.

39. A wireless substrate-like sensor comprising:

a substrate-like housing;

a power source adapted to provide power to the sensor;

an image acquisition system adapted to acquire an image of a target; and

a wireless communication module coupled to the image acquisition system to wirelessly convey the image to an external device.

40. The sensor of claim 39, wherein the external device is a display used by a technician to adjust a semiconductor processing system.

41. The sensor of claim 39, wherein the display indicates an alignment guide on the image as an aide to technician mediated adjustments.

42. The sensor of claim 39, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect presence of a predefined pattern in the image.

43. The sensor of claim 39, wherein the sensor is adapted to measure the distance between two predefined patterns in the image.