METHOD FOR INCREASING THE ACCURACY OF THE POSITIONING OF A FIRST OBJECT RELATIVE TO A SECOND OBJECT
First Claim
1. A method for increasing the accuracy of the positioning of a first object relative to a second object by utilizing a recognition of structures on the second object that have a minimum structure width, the method comprising the steps of(1) acquiring images of an observation region that encompasses at least the first object and a desired position on the second object;
- (2) at a first instant To, by means of a first recognition method having a resolution accuracy that is higher or better than the minimum structure width, determining the position of the first object relative to a second object; and
(3) repositioning the first object relative the second object to the desired position at a second instant,wherein at least one of the first and the second objects are movable using a positioning device, wherein before about the second instant, by means of a second recognition method, a relative displacement of the first object with respect to the second object is determined with respect to their positions at the first instant, and wherein step (3) further comprises correcting for the relative displacement of the first object with respect to the second object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for increasing the accuracy of the positioning of a first object relative to a second object. The method overcomes the disadvantageous influence of thermal drift between a first and a second object during a positioning of a first object on a second object. The method finds applications in manufacturing, for example, in the manufacturing of semiconductor components. The method utilizes recognition of structures on the second object which have a minimum structure width. At a first instant, using one recognition procedure, the first object is positioned on the second object in a desired position. The relative displacement of the two objects is determined at the first instant and on at least one subsequent instant. A second recognition procedure may be used for this purpose. The second recognition procedure may have a resolution accuracy which is different than the resolution accuracy of the first resolution procedure. The second recognition procedure may be a pattern recognition method. The relative displacement determined at the second instant is used to correct the positioning of the first and second objects as necessary to maintain a desired position of the two objects.
15 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method for increasing the accuracy of the positioning of a first object relative to a second object by utilizing a recognition of structures on the second object that have a minimum structure width, the method comprising the steps of
(1) acquiring images of an observation region that encompasses at least the first object and a desired position on the second object; -
(2) at a first instant To, by means of a first recognition method having a resolution accuracy that is higher or better than the minimum structure width, determining the position of the first object relative to a second object; and (3) repositioning the first object relative the second object to the desired position at a second instant, wherein at least one of the first and the second objects are movable using a positioning device, wherein before about the second instant, by means of a second recognition method, a relative displacement of the first object with respect to the second object is determined with respect to their positions at the first instant, and wherein step (3) further comprises correcting for the relative displacement of the first object with respect to the second object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification