Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080225294 | APPARATUS FOR CHECKING CONCENTRICITY AND METHOD FOR CHECKING SAME - An exemplary apparatus for checking concentricity between a holder and a lens barrel of a lens module includes a light source, a gauge, and a detecting and analyzing device. The gauge includes an inner barrel and an outer barrel. The inner barrel is capable of rotating to a predetermined angle relative to the outer barrel. The inner barrel is configured for coupling with the lens barrel of the lens module. In addition, a method for checking the concentricity is also provided. | 09-18-2008 |
20080266560 | Apparatus for angular-resolved spectroscopic lithography characterization and device manufacturing method - To inspect all portions of the substrate the substrate table can be moved rotationally and linearly. Furthermore the detector can be moved rotationally. This enables all portions of a surface of the substrate to be inspected from all angles in a plane parallel to the substrate. Less linear motion is needed, so the apparatus occupies a smaller volume and generates smaller vibrations. | 10-30-2008 |
20080266561 | OPTICAL GAIN APPROACH FOR ENHANCEMENT OF OVERLAY AND ALIGNMENT SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE - A resultant image of a grating target may be obtained by dividing an image of the target into first and second portions and optically modifying the first and/or second portion such that a final image formed from their combination is characterized by a Moiré pattern. The resultant image may be analyzed to determine a shift in the grating target from a shift in the Moiré pattern. Optical alignment apparatus may include a first beam splitter, an image transformation element optically coupled to the first beam splitter, and a second beam splitter. The first beam splitter divides an image of a grating target into first and second portions. The second beam splitter combines the first portion and the second portion. The image transformation element optically modifies the first and/or second portion such that a final image formed from their combination is characterized by a Moiré pattern. | 10-30-2008 |
20080304063 | OVERLAY MARK AND APPLICATION THEREOF - An overlay mark is described, wherein the overlay mark is used for checking the alignment accuracy between a lower layer defined by two exposure steps and a lithography process for defining an upper layer, including a part of the lower layer and a photoresist patter. The part of the lower layer includes two first x-directional, two first y-directional bar-like patterns. The first x-directional and first y-directional bar-like patterns are defined by one exposure step to define a first rectangle. The second x-directional and second y-directional bar-like patterns are defined by another exposure to define a second rectangle, wherein the second rectangle is wider than the first rectangle. The photoresist pattern, which is formed by the lithograph process, is disposed over the part of the lower layer and is surrounded by the bar-like patterns. | 12-11-2008 |
20080304064 | ALIGNMENT APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF MANUFACUTRING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE BY EXPOSURE APPARATUS CONTROLLED BY THE SAME CONTROL METHOD - An apparatus including a stage configured to be moved. A first laser interferometer measures a position of the stage in a first direction. A second laser interferometer measures a position of the stage in the first direction. A control unit (i) obtains a position of the stage based on an output of one of the first and second laser interferometers, (ii) controls a position of the stage based on the obtained position of the stage, (iii) performs switching of one of the first and second laser interferometers to the other of the first and second laser interferometers while the stage is moved at a constant velocity in the first direction, (iv) calculates a distance by which the stage is to be moved during a time interval, and (v) sets an initial value of the other of the first and second laser interferometers after the switching, based on a position measured by the one of the first and second laser interferometers at a start time of the time interval and the calculated distance. | 12-11-2008 |
20090116013 | Apparatus for alignment of optical elements in an array - Apparatus for fabricating an array of aligned optical elements. A base tool is used to receive and align a planar material such as a glass sheet. A template tool is used to deposit secondary mirrors and adhesive patches onto the glass sheet. The adhesive patches are used to receive and mount primary mirrors. The primary mirrors are selectively held by an assembly tool. The primary mirrors are brought into alignment with the glass sheet by using actuators on the base tool and by using a registration mechanism to align the assembly tool with the glass sheet. | 05-07-2009 |
20090161106 | Wafer lens aligning method and wafer lens manufactured by the same - Provided is a wafer lens aligning method including the steps of: preparing a lens mold that has a lens forming portion formed in the central portion thereof and a groove formed around the lens forming portion; preparing a wafer that has two or more position recognition patterns formed at arbitrary positions thereof and a plurality of minute patterns formed in array at lens formation positions; loading the wafer, searching the position recognition patterns, and setting a coordinate system; causing the coordinate system of the wafer to coincide with the coordinate system of the lens mold; causing the center among the minute patterns formed on the wafer to coincide with the center of the lens mold so as to align the wafer with the lens mold; and forming a master lens in the lens formation positions arranged on the wafer. | 06-25-2009 |
20090185183 | MONITORING STAGE ALIGNMENT AND RELATED STAGE AND CALIBRATION TARGET - Methods, apparatuses and systems for monitoring a stage alignment in a processing system are disclosed. A method for monitoring a stage alignment in a processing system may include providing a calibration target on a surface of the stage; measuring an angle of incident of a light beam to the calibration target; and monitoring the stage alignment based on the determined angle of incidence. | 07-23-2009 |
20090201504 | Hydrodynamic focusing for analyzing rectangular microbeads - A microfluidic apparatus having a one-dimensional or two-dimensional hydrodynamic flow system to control stable and proper digitally coded bead orientation through the optical detection area of a bioanalysis system. The hydrodynamic system include one core flow, which carries the rectangular barcode beads, and sheath flows, on the sides of or about or around the outer periphery of the core flow, pull the core flow into a proper orientation. The sheath flows, at much higher flow speed but lower volume flow rate, can be pushed or pulled by vacuum, gravity, or pressure. By this method, the coded bead will align themselves in line and flow reliably, without wobbling or flipping, in the core flow channel through the detection zone. By adjusting the relative flow rate of core flow and sheath flows, the coded beads flow reliably in the flow system, thus it can be decoded and detected by an optical system accurately. | 08-13-2009 |
20090201505 | Tunable Alignment Geometry - An alignment target with geometry designs provides a desired alignment offset for processes (both symmetric and asymmetric) on a wafer substrate. The alignment target includes one or more sub-targets, where each sub-target is defined as having a left portion and a right portion having a different geometric pattern, and where the left portion has a geometry density and the right portion has a geometry density. | 08-13-2009 |
20090207410 | POSITION ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR LASER OPTICS AND LASER ASSEMBLY HAVING THE SAME - A position adjustment mechanism for laser optics includes a fixed mount, a fastening member, and a position regulation device. The fixed mount is connected to a heat-dissipating mount and positioned near the optics mount. The fastening member penetrates the fixed mount and the optics mount to connect the fixed mount with the optics mount and maintains a gap between the fixed mount and the optics mount. The position regulation device is positioned in the vicinity of the fastening member and in the gap between the fixed mount and the optics mount. The position regulation device presses against the optics mount to adjust the position of the reflective element relative to the light-emitting device. | 08-20-2009 |
20090244538 | Lithographic Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method Using Overlay Measurement - A lithographic apparatus arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate includes a reference set of gratings provided in the substrate, the reference set including two reference gratings having line elements in a first direction and one reference grating having line elements in a second, perpendicular, direction. A measurement set of gratings is provided on top of the reference set of gratings, the measurement set comprising three measurement gratings similar to the reference gratings. Two of the measurement gratings are oppositely biased in the second direction relative to the respective reference gratings. An overlay measurement device is provided to measure asymmetry of the three gratings in the reference set and the measurement set, and to derive from the measured asymmetry the overlay in both the first and second direction. | 10-01-2009 |
20090257059 | Alignment apparatus - An alignment apparatus includes first and second alignment devices ( | 10-15-2009 |
20090279091 | TARGET DESIGN AND METHODS FOR SCATTEROMETRY OVERLAY DETERMINATION - Disclosed are methods and apparatus for determining overlay error. Radiation that is scattered from each of a plurality of cells of a target is measured. Each cell includes at least a first grating structure formed by a first process and a second grating structure formed by a second process and wherein each cell has a predefined offset between such each cell's first and second grating structures. The first and second grating structures of the different cells have different predefined offsets, and each predefined offset of each cell is selected to cause one or more terms to be cancelled from a periodic function that represents radiation scattered and measured from each cell. The scattered radiation of each cell is represented with a periodic function having a plurality of unknowns parameters, including an unknown overlay error, and the unknown overlay error is determined based on the plurality of periodic functions for the plurality of cells. | 11-12-2009 |
20090284744 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING OVERLAY ERRORS USING SCATTEROMETRY - Disclosed are apparatus and methods for determining overlay between a plurality of first structures in a first layer of a sample and a plurality of second structures in a second layer of the sample. Targets A, B, C and D that each include a portion of the first and second structures are provided. The target A is designed to have an offset Xa between its first and second structures portions; the target B is designed to have an offset Xb between its first and second structures portions; the target C is designed to have an offset Xc between its first and second structures portions; and the target D is designed to have an offset Xd between its first and second structures portions. Each of the offsets Xa, Xb, Xc and Xd is different from zero, and Xa is an opposite sign and differ from Xb. Offset Xc is an opposite sign and differs from Xd. The offsets Xa, Xb, Xc and Xd are selected so that an overlay error, including the respective offset, is within a linear region of overlay values. The targets A, B, C and D are illuminated with electromagnetic radiation to obtain spectra S | 11-19-2009 |
20100007884 | Position Finding System and Method for Use in Aligning Laser Device with an Optical Fiber - A position finding system and method may be used to find an alignment position of a laser device relative to an optical fiber such as an angled optical fiber. The laser device may be positioned “off-axis” relative to the optical fiber such that light from the laser device is directed at an angle to an end of the optical fiber and coupled into the optical fiber. The position finding system and method may be used to find the alignment position by searching for relative high power positions at different angular orientations of the laser device and calculating coordinates of at least one alignment position from the coordinates of the relative high power positions. The relative high power positions may be positions at which the measured power coupled into the optical fiber by the laser is maximized. | 01-14-2010 |
20100045986 | IMAGING APPARATUS FOR IMAGING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS ON AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CARRIER - The invention provides for an imaging apparatus for imaging integrated circuits and a respective integrated circuit carrier. This enables positional analysis to be carried out on the integrated circuits and respective carrier. The imaging apparatus includes a support structure, and a bed mounted on the support structure and displaceable along an operatively horizontal axis, the bed being configured to support a nest assembly that operatively retains the integrated circuit carrier and respective integrated circuits. Also included is a support assembly operatively mountable with respect to a bed on which the integrated circuit carrier and integrated circuits are supported, in use. The apparatus further includes an image recordal device mounted on the support assembly and configured to record an image representing the integrated circuit carrier and integrated circuits, the support assembly including an adjustment mechanism to enable adjustment of a position of the image recordal device relative to the bed. | 02-25-2010 |
20100118306 | Alignment Optimization For Optical Packages - Methods of optimizing optical alignment in an optical package are provided. In one embodiment, the optical package includes a laser diode, a wavelength conversion device, coupling optics positioned along an optical path extending from the laser diode to the wavelength conversion device, and one or more adaptive actuators. The method involves adjusting the optical alignment of the wavelength conversion device in a non-adaptive degree of freedom by referring to a thermally-dependent output intensity profile of the laser diode and a thermally-dependent coupling efficiency profile of the optical package. The adjustment in the non-adaptive degree of freedom is quantified such that, over a given operating temperature range of the optical package, portions of the coupling efficiency profile characterized by relatively low coupling efficiency offset portions of the output intensity profile characterized by relatively high laser output intensity and portions of the coupling efficiency profile characterized by relatively high coupling efficiency offset portions of the output intensity profile characterized by relatively low laser output intensity. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed. | 05-13-2010 |
20100149535 | METHOD OF MEASURING NUMERICAL APERTURE OF EXPOSURE MACHINE, CONTROL WAFER, PHOTOMASK, AND METHOD OF MONITORING NUMERICAL APERTURE OF EXPOSURE MACHINE - A method of measuring a numerical aperture of an exposure machine is described. A control wafer having vernier marks thereon and an aberration mask having pinholes therein are provided, wherein each pinhole corresponds to a vernier mark in position. A lithography process using the exposure machine and the aberration mask is performed to the control wafer, so as to form over each vernier mark a photoresist pattern having the same shape of the illumination pattern of the light source of the exposure machine. The numerical aperture of the exposure machine is then derived from a graduation of the vernier mark corresponding to an outer edge of the photoresist pattern. | 06-17-2010 |
20100208265 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PASSIVE ALIGNMENT OF COMPONENTS IN AN OPTICAL BENCH - A system and method for facilitating passive alignment of an optical component in an optical bench. A groove is etched into the optical bench. The groove has two sections. The first section is configured to act as an optical guide. The second section is configured to receive the optical component. An optical component is inserted into the first section and moved into the second section. The optical component may be bonded to the optical bench. | 08-19-2010 |
20100265506 | Inspection Method and Apparatus, Lithographic Apparatus, Lithographic Processing Cell and Device Manufacturing Method - An overlay error between two successive layers produced by a lithographic process on a substrate is determined by using the lithographic process to form at least one periodic structure of a same pitch on each of the layers. One or more overlaid pairs of the periodic structures are formed in parallel, but offset relative to each other. A spectrum, produced by directing a beam of radiation onto the one or more pairs of periodic structures is measured. One or more portions of the spectrum are determined in which the relationship between the offset between the one or more pairs of periodic structures and the resultant variation in measured intensity of the spectrum at the one or more portions is more linear than the relationship outside the one or more portions. The offset between the one or more pairs of periodic structures on the basis of intensity measurements of the spectrum in the one or more portions of the spectrum is determined and used to determine the overlay error. | 10-21-2010 |
20110037982 | Laser Targeting Mechanism - An automated test equipment system includes a peripheral including first mechanical alignment features; a test head including second mechanical alignment features arranged in a pattern corresponding to the first mechanical alignment features and configured to engage the first mechanical alignment features. The automated test equipment system also includes a laser assisted alignment system including laser devices mounted to the peripheral and operable to emit laser beams; target plates mounted to the test head and including target symbols visible on surfaces of the target plates. The target symbols are arranged in a pattern corresponding to the laser devices such that, when laser beams from the laser devices are substantially aligned with the target symbols, the first mechanical alignment features are substantially aligned with the second mechanical alignment features. | 02-17-2011 |
20110043803 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CENTERING AND ALIGNING MANUFACTURED PARTS OF VARIOUS SIZES AT AN OPTICAL MEASUREMENT STATION - A method and system for centering and aligning manufactured parts of various sizes at an optical measurement station are provided. The system includes apparatus having a central axis substantially parallel to the measurement axis and including a plurality of members having open and closed positions. The members have holding faces which are substantially equidistant from the central axis during movement between the open and closed positions. At least one of the members applies a force on an exterior side surface of a part disposed between the holding faces during movement between the positions to reposition the part at the station. The repositioned part is centered and aligned with respect to the measurement axis at the station. The holding faces releasably hold the repositioned part in a holding position between the open and closed positions at the station. The system further includes a movable stage subsystem coupled to the apparatus for translating the apparatus relative to the repositioned part along the central axis in the open position of the members to allow the exterior side surface of the repositioned part to be measured. | 02-24-2011 |
20120086941 | Vehicular Headlight Adjustment Apparatus And Method of Use - Disclosed and claimed herein is an apparatus for the alignment of headlight beams and the method of use of the apparatus. A headlight alignment stand ( | 04-12-2012 |
20120120396 | ANGLE-RESOLVED ANTISYMMETRIC SCATTEROMETRY - A method for determining an overlay offset may include, but is not limited to: obtaining a first anti-symmetric differential signal (ΔS | 05-17-2012 |
20120162647 | Simultaneous Measurement Of Multiple Overlay Errors Using Diffraction Based Overlay - A plurality of overlay errors in a structure is determined using a target that includes a plurality of diffraction based overlay pads. Each diffraction based overlay pad has the same number of periodic patterns as the structure under test. Additionally, each diffraction based overlay pad includes a programmed shift between each pair of periodic patterns. The pads are illuminated and the resulting light is detected and used to simultaneously determine the plurality of overlay errors in the structure based on the programmed shifts. The overlay errors may be determined using a subset of elements of the Mueller matrix or by using the resulting spectra from the pads. | 06-28-2012 |
20120188543 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING OVERLAY - A method of measuring an overlay includes generating an original signal using first and second overlay measurement keys that are spaced apart from each other, generating a first spectrum signal by performing Fourier transform of the original signal, generating a second spectrum signal by filtering the first spectrum signal, and generating a corrected signal by performing inverse Fourier transform of the second spectrum signal. | 07-26-2012 |
20130044319 | Method and System for Aligning Color Filter Array - A method and system of aligning color filter array are disclosed. Other embodiments are disclosed herein. | 02-21-2013 |
20130063724 | Motion Control Systems and Methods For Biosensor Scanning - Motion control system and method for biosensor scanning that include inputting to a multi-axis motion controller move commands associated with the scan path as defined by multiple axes. The multiple axes including an x-baseline coordinate x | 03-14-2013 |
20130128270 | LATERAL SHIFT MEASUREMENT USING AN OPTICAL TECHNIQUE - Alignment of layers during manufacture of a multi-layer sample is controlled by applying optical measurements to a measurement site in the sample. The measurement site includes two diffractive structures located one above the other in two different layers, respectively. The optical measurements include at least two measurements with different polarization states of incident light, each measurement including illuminating the measurement site so as to illuminate one of the diffractive structures through the other. The diffraction properties of the measurement site are indicative of a lateral shift between the diffractive structures. The diffraction properties detected are analyzed for the different polarization states of the incident light to determine an existing lateral shift between the layers. | 05-23-2013 |
20130162997 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REDUCING A WEDGE ERROR - A device for aligning a first surface of a first substrate with a second surface of a second substrate as the first and the second surfaces move toward each other across a gap. The device is comprised of:
| 06-27-2013 |
20130201480 | Integrated Laser Alignment Aid Using Multiple Laser Spots Out Of One Single laser - The present invention relates to light curtains, in particular safety light curtains, for monitoring a protective field. Furthermore, the present invention relates to optical units which are part of such a light curtain. An optical unit for an alignment system of a light curtain monitoring a protective field comprises an optical processing element for generating a defined radiation pattern from the radiation emitted by an alignment radiation source, and at least one optical wave guide for guiding radiation from at least one display radiation source to a surface of the optical element which is visible to an observer. | 08-08-2013 |
20130258337 | Integrated Laser Alignment Aid Using Multiple Laser Spots Out Of One Single Laser - The present invention relates to light curtains, in particular safety light curtains, for monitoring a protective field. Furthermore, the present invention relates to optical units which are part of such a light curtain. An optical unit for an alignment system of a light curtain monitoring a protective field comprises an optical processing element for generating a defined radiation pattern from the radiation emitted by an alignment radiation source, and at least one additional optical functional element being formed integrally with the optical processing element. | 10-03-2013 |
20130314707 | Arrangement For Placement And Alignment Of Opto-Electronic Components - An arrangement for providing passive alignment of optical components on a common substrate uses a set of reference cavities, where each optical device is positioned within a separate reference cavity. The reference cavities are formed to have a predetermined depth, with perimeters slightly larger than the footprint of their associated optical components. The reference cavity includes at least one right-angle corner that is used as a registration corner against which a right-angle corner of an associated optical component is positioned. The placement of each optical component in its own reference cavity allows for passive optical alignment to be achieved by placing each component against its predefined registration corner. | 11-28-2013 |
20130342842 | METHOD FOR MONITORING ALIGNMENT BETWEEN CONTACT HOLES AND POLYCRYSTALLINE SILICON GATE - The present invention is related to the semiconductor manufacturing field, especially a method for monitoring alignment between contact holes and polycrystalline silicon gate by setting a plurality of equidistant contact holes with same sharp on poly-silicon and residual active area, and then obtain the process alignment profile of the quantized values in the plane in order to have a better control of process quality, thereby have a better control of the quality of the process. | 12-26-2013 |
20140233031 | Substrate and Patterning Device for Use in Metrology, Metrology Method and Device Manufacturing Method - A pattern from a patterning device is applied to a substrate by a lithographic apparatus. The applied pattern includes product features and metrology targets. The metrology targets include large targets and small targets which are for measuring overlay. Some of the smaller targets are distributed at locations between the larger targets, while other small targets are placed at the same locations as a large target. By comparing values measured using a small target and large target at the same location, parameter values measured using all the small targets can be corrected for better accuracy. The large targets can be located primarily within scribe lanes while the small targets are distributed within product areas. | 08-21-2014 |
20150009498 | Apparatus for Detecting a Pre-Aligning Element at a Wafer - An apparatus detects a pre-aligning element at a wafer. The wafer has the pre-aligning element at a wafer edge. The apparatus includes a sensor arrangement and an evaluation unit. The sensor arrangement is configured to illuminate subsequent edge portions of the wafer edge, to receive transmitted fractions and reflected fractions of the illumination from the illuminated edge portions with an illumination sensor, and to output a first and a second sensor signal. The first sensor signal is based on the transmitted fractions of the illumination and the second sensor signal is based on the reflected fractions of the illumination. The evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the first sensor signal and to determine a first position information with respect to a coarse position of the pre-aligning element if the first sensor signal indicates that the transmitted fractions of the illumination has reached a predetermined threshold value. | 01-08-2015 |
20150015883 | APERTURE ALIGNMENT IN SCATTEROMETRY METROLOGY SYSTEMS - Methods and algorithms are provided, as well as new metrics for misalignment of apertures with respect to the optical axis of a metrology system. The methods comprise aligning aperture(s) to an optical axis of a scatterometry metrology tool using correction term(s) derived by minimizing an overlay variation measure calculated with respect to overlay measurements of a periodic structure. These methods result in highly sensitive misalignment metrics, which may be used in calibration stages or on the fly to align the system's apertures, and enable reducing target size due to the resulting enhanced alignment accuracy. | 01-15-2015 |
20150042994 | PAIRED EDGE ALIGNMENT - Among other things, one or more systems and techniques for scanner alignment sampling are provided. A set of scan region pairs are defined along a periphery of a sampling area associated with a semiconductor wafer. Alignment marks are formed within scan regions of the set of scan region pairs, but are not formed within other regions of the sampling area. In this way, scan region pairs are scanned to determine alignment factors for respective scan region pairs. An alignment for the sampling area, such as layers or masks used to form patterns onto such layers, is determined based upon alignment factors determined for the scan region pairs. | 02-12-2015 |
20150124255 | LATERAL SHIFT MEASUREMENT USING AN OPTICAL TECHNIQUE - Alignment of layers during manufacture of a multi-layer sample is controlled by applying optical measurements to a measurement site in the sample. The measurement site includes two diffractive structures located one above the other in two different layers, respectively. The optical measurements include at least two measurements with different polarization states of incident light, each measurement including illuminating the measurement site so as to illuminate one of the diffractive structures through the other. The diffraction properties of the measurement site are indicative of a lateral shift between the diffractive structures. The diffraction properties detected are analyzed for the different polarization states of the incident light to determine an existing lateral shift between the layers. | 05-07-2015 |
20160033877 | Metrology Method and Inspection Apparatus, Lithographic System and Device Manufacturing Method - Methods are disclosed for measuring target structures formed by a lithographic process on a substrate. A grating structure within the target is smaller than an illumination spot and field of view of a measurement optical system. The optical system has a first branch leading to a pupil plane imaging sensor and a second branch leading to a substrate plane imaging sensor. A spatial light modulator is arranged in an intermediate pupil plane of the second branch of the optical system. The SLM imparts a programmable pattern of attenuation that may be used to correct for asymmetries between the first and second modes of illumination or imaging. By use of specific target designs and machine-learning processes, the attenuation patterns may also be programmed to act as filter functions, enhancing sensitivity to specific parameters of interest, such as focus. | 02-04-2016 |
20160084639 | Periodic Patterns and Technique to Control Misalignment Between Two Layers - A method and system to measure misalignment error between two overlying or interlaced periodic structures are proposed. The overlying or interlaced periodic structures are illuminated by incident radiation, and the diffracted radiation of the incident radiation by the overlying or interlaced periodic structures are detected to provide an output signal. The misalignment between the overlying or interlaced periodic structures may then be determined from the output signal. | 03-24-2016 |