A precision edge detection system and sensor assembly is provided that uses a reflection technique to provide an energy efficient device that can be achieved using a relatively small form factor. There is provided an optical reflective sensor assembly that includes a light source, an optical element positioned to collimate and focus light from the light source to generate a focused beam, and at least one photodetector positioned adjacent the light source. The at least one photodetector is configured to detect light from the focused beam that has been reflected by an object positioned opposite the light source.

A micro camera is placed in an appropriate image capturing position therefor on the basis of a center-to-center distance depending on a rotational angle of a holding table. Even in the case where the center C0 of a holding surface and the center C1 of a wafer are displaced out of alignment with each other, allowing a position in X-axis directions of an outer circumference of the wafer to vary as the holding table rotates, a control unit can make an image capturing range of the micro camera follow the varying position of the outer circumference of the wafer. Therefore, the image capturing range of the micro camera can be determined with ease. Both a surface of the wafer and the outer circumference of the wafer can be inspected simply when two cameras are moved along the X-axis directions by a single X-axis moving mechanism.

A semiconductor inspection tool system is disclosed. The system comprises a first illumination setup for generating at least one first illumination radiation and for directing the at least one first illumination radiation to at least one bonding region non-filled volume formed between two layers of a multi-layer stack. The system also comprises a second illumination setup being for generating at least one second illumination radiation and for directing the at least one second illumination radiation at multi-layer stack edges. The second illumination radiation is configured for illuminating at least a normal edge of at least two layers, the second illumination setup has different radiation parameters than the first illumination setup. The system further includes a bonding region sensor unit for collecting reflected electromagnetic radiation from a bonding region volume and generating at least one sensing data being indicative of the bonding region.

A semiconductor wafer evaluation method includes acquiring a reflection image as a bright-field image by receiving reflected light which is obtained when irradiating one surface side of a semiconductor wafer to be evaluated with light; acquiring a scattered image as a dark-field image by receiving scattered light which is obtained when irradiating the surface side of the semiconductor wafer with light; and obtaining a distance between a bright zone that is observed in the reflection image and a bright zone that is observed in the scattered image. The semiconductor wafer to be evaluated is a semiconductor wafer in which a chamfered surface is formed in a wafer outer peripheral edge section, and the method includes evaluating a shape of a boundary part between a main surface on the surface side irradiated with the light of the semiconductor wafer to be evaluated and a chamfered surface adjacent to the main surface.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for substrate inspection, including a chamber, a movable holder in the chamber and configured to hold a substrate and transfer the substrate between a first position and a second position, a first inspector under the first position and the second position in the chamber, and configured to inspect a backside of the substrate, a lifter under the second position in the chamber, and configured to support the substrate and move the substrate from the second position to a third position, and a second inspector near the third position in the chamber and configured to inspect an edge of the substrate at the third position.

A method for photoluminescence measurement of a sample that includes a front face and a rear face linked by a contour, the sample resting, via the rear face of same, on a receiving face of an active base. The sample also includes a first region partially delimited by the contour and that emits a photoluminescence signal of an intensity, referred to as the first intensity, that is lower at any point to the average intensity of the photoluminescence signal of the sample referred to as the reference intensity, the active base emitting a photoluminescence signal of an intensity, referred to as the secondary intensity, that is at least equal to the reference intensity. The active base includes an edge that is set apart from the contour by an overlap distance and that delimits, with said contour, a peripheral section of the active base.

A method includes generating a primary radiation beam from a radiation source; splitting the primary beam into a first radiation beam and a second radiation beam; directing the first radiation beam onto a front side of a wafer; directing the second radiation beam onto a back side of a wafer; generating an image of the front side of the wafer by receiving a reflection of the first radiation beam reflected from the wafer; and generating an image of the back side of the wafer by receiving a reflection of the second radiation beam reflected from the wafer.

An inspection method for semiconductor substrates using slope data and corresponding inspection apparatus are provided. The inspection method includes recording, by using an inspection apparatus, first data from measuring points in an inspection area of a main surface of a semiconductor substrate. The inspection area winds around a center point of the main surface. The first data includes information about a slope of the main surface at the measuring points along a first direction that deviates from a direction tangential to a circle that contains the measuring point and that has its center in the center point by not more than 60. A data processing apparatus analyzes the first data to obtain position data of locations on the main surface, at which the first data fulfills predetermined criteria. The position data is output through a data interface unit.

A method for inspecting a wafer includes: transferring the wafer from a transfer chamber to an annealing station by a robot arm; and monitoring at least one portion of an edge bevel removal area of the wafer over the robot arm when the wafer is transferred from the transfer chamber to the annealing station. The at least one portion of the edge bevel removal area includes a first portion and a second portion different from the first portion. When the wafer is passing through a predetermined location between the transfer chamber and the annealing station, a first charge-coupled device sensor located over the first portion of the edge bevel removal area is used to capture an image of the first portion, and a second charge-coupled device sensor located over the second portion of the edge bevel removal area is used to capture an image of the second portion.

A method includes generating a primary radiation beam from a radiation source; splitting the primary beam into a first radiation beam and a second radiation beam; directing the first radiation beam onto a front side of a wafer; directing the second radiation beam onto a back side of a wafer; generating an image of the front side of the wafer by receiving a reflection of the first radiation beam reflected from the wafer; and generating an image of the back side of the wafer by receiving a reflection of the second radiation beam reflected from the wafer.