Multiple field of view calibration plate for use in semiconductor manufacturing

• US 5,978,081 A
• Filed: 06/22/1998
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cognex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cognex Corporation
• Inventors: Michael, David, Wallack, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STAFIRA, MICHAEL PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US09/102,409
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 356/243.1, 356/237.6, 356/394, 356/398, 356/384, 356/387, 356/400, 356/401, 356/73, 250/560, 250/572, 250/252.1, 445/3, 445/30, 445/4, 445/64, 445/68, 358/101, 358/107, 33/286, 33/293, 29/574, 29/583, 29/148, 364/559, 382/152, 382/284, 355/203, 348/159, 348/95
• US Class Current: 356/243.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/245 using a plurality of fixed, simultaneously operating transducers G01B11/2408 - G01B11/2425, G01B11/255 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/706 Aberration measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/70 for microlithography measuring printed patterns for monitoring overlay G03F7/70633 or focus G03F7/70641; projection system adjustment G03F7/70258; position control G03F7/70775

Abstract

An article of manufacture is provided both for coordinating multiple fields of view of a plurality of cameras so as to facilitate determining the distance between features on a semiconductor wafer, each feature being disposed within a different field of view, and for correcting image distortion within each field of view. The article of the invention includes a substantially rigid dimensionally-stable substrate, such as a plate, having a plurality of image distortion calibration targets, that are each located at a known relative position. In semiconductor wafer applications, each calibration target is disposed on the substrate so the target is in the field of view of a camera positioned to include a portion of the edge of the semiconductor wafer at run-time. In a preferred embodiment, each calibration target is disposed at an orientation angle such that a first principle axis of the calibration target is perpendicular to a tangent to the perimeter of the semiconductor wafer. In semiconductor wafer applications, it is preferred that a surface of the substrate be of a size and shape such that each calibration target disposed on the substrate can be in the field of view of a camera positioned to include a portion of the edge of the semiconductor wafer at run-time. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate includes physical alignment features that facilitate coordination of the multi-camera coordinate system of the article of the invention with the coordinate system of a semiconductor manufacturing machine.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture both for coordinating multiple fields of view of a plurality of cameras so as to facilitate determining a distance between features of a semiconductor wafer, each feature disposed within a different field of view, and for correcting image distortion in each field of view, the article comprising:

a substantially rigid dimensionally-stable substrate having a plurality of image distortion calibration targets,

each of said image distortion calibration targets being for correcting image distortion within a field of view, and being disposed within a different field of view at a known relative position so as to facilitate determining the distance between features of a semiconductor wafer.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein each calibration target includes an element that indicates an origin of the calibration target.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein said substantially rigid dimensionally-stable substrate includes at least one planar surface, each planar surface including at least one calibration target.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein each calibration target is disposed at a position on said surface so as to facilitate direct viewing by a camera.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein said substantially rigid dimensionally-stable substrate includes a substantially planar surface having a plurality of calibration targets.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein said substrate includes a calibration target for each possible camera location.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein said substrate includes markings that communicate relative displacement information regarding at least a linear displacement of each said calibration target with respect to each other said calibration target.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein said substrate includes markings that communicate relative displacement information regarding both linear displacement and relative angular displacement of each said calibration target with respect to each other said calibration target.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein each calibration target is disposed on said substrate so said calibration target is in the field of view of a camera positioned to include a portion of the edge of the semiconductor wafer at run-time.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein each calibration target on the substrate is disposed at an orientation angle such that a first principle axis of said calibration target is perpendicular to a tangent of the perimeter of said semiconductor wafer.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein a surface of the substrate is of a size and shape such that each calibration target disposed on the substrate can be in the field of view of a camera positioned to include a portion of the edge of said semiconductor wafer at run-time.

12. The article of claim 1, wherein the surface of the substrate is of a size that is larger than the major surface of the semiconductor wafer such that each calibration target disposed on the substrate can extend across a portion of the edge of the semiconductor wafer when it is in position at run-time.

13. The article of claim 1, wherein the surface of the substrate is of a size that is larger than the major surface of the semiconductor wafer such that each calibration target disposed on the substrate can extend across a portion of the edge of the semiconductor wafer in position at run-time, and the surface of the substrate is sufficiently large and misaligned of the wafer with respect to the position of the plate of the train-time can be accommodated.

14. The article of claim 11, wherein the substrate includes physical alignment features that facilitate coordination of a multi-camera coordinate system of the article of manufacture of the invention with the coordinate system of a semiconductor manufacturing machine.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein said physical alignment features include one of a notch and a flat formed anywhere on the perimeter of a surface of the substrate.

16. The article of claim 14, wherein said physical alignment features include one of a pair of holes sized to receive a pair of pegs that project from the stage of a semiconductor processing machine, and a pair of pegs sized to be received by a pair of holes formed in the stage of a semiconductor processing machine.