A semiconductor wafer transport apparatus includes a frame, a transport arm movably mounted to the frame and having at least one end effector movably mounted to the arm so the at least one end effector traverses, with the arm as a unit, in a first direction relative to the frame, and traverses linearly, relative to the transport arm, in a second direction, and an edge detection sensor mounted to the transport arm so the edge detection sensor moves with the transport arm as a unit relative to the frame, the edge detection sensor being a common sensor effecting edge detection of each wafer simultaneously supported by the end effector, wherein the edge detection sensor is configured so the edge detection of each wafer is effected by and coincident with the traverse in the second direction of each end effector on the transport arm.

An automatic teaching system for a substrate processing apparatus, the automatic teaching system comprising a frame having a workpiece load station with a predetermined load station reference location, a robot transport mounted to the frame and having a movable transport arm with an end effector having a predetermined end effector reference location, and a drive section driving the movable transport arm in at least one degree of freedom motion relative to the frame, a machine vision system including both at least one fixed imaging sensor and at least one movable imaging sensor removably connected to the frame and configured to image at least one target of the machine vision system, a load jig disposed for removable engagement with the workpiece load station, with both the at least one fixed imaging sensor and the at least one movable imaging sensor mounted to the load jig, the fixed imaging sensor.

The present document relates to a method of monitoring an overlay or alignment between a first and second layer of a semiconductor using a scanning probe microscopy system. The method comprises scanning the substrate surface using a probe tip for obtaining a measurement of a topography of the first and second layer in at least one scanning direction. At least one pattern template is generated which is matched with the topography of the first layer for determining a first candidate pattern. The first candidate pattern is matched with the measured second topography for obtaining a second candidate pattern to represent the measured topography of the second layer. Feature characteristics of device features are determined from both the first and second candidate pattern, and these are used to calculate one or more overlay parameters or alignment parameters.

A bonding apparatus and a bonding method are provided. The bonding apparatus includes: a machine base, including a movable pick-up platform; and a grating assembly, configured to determine displacement information of the movable pick-up platform along a first direction and displacement information of the movable pick-up platform along a second direction. Based on the displacement information along the first direction and the displacement information along the second direction, the grating assembly is further configured to determine coordinate information of the movable pick-up platform.

A pre-jig wafer carrier disc installation/uninstallation device and a method thereof, including a first displacement mechanism, a wafer frame installation/uninstallation mechanism, a wafer installation/uninstallation mechanism, a mask installation/uninstallation mechanism and a robotic arm arranged around the first displacement mechanism. The said mechanisms sequentially stack the wafer frame, the wafer and the mask on the first displacement mechanism to form an assembly. An installation/uninstallation mechanism is disposed at a movable end of the robotic arm. The robotic arm drives the installation/uninstallation mechanism to remove and lock the assembly on an assembly carrier section of a carrier disc for successive processing. After the wafers are processed, the robotic arm drives the installation/uninstallation mechanism to move the assembly back onto the first displacement mechanism. The said mechanisms sequentially disassemble the assembly and recover the mask, the wafer and the wafer frame.

Apparatus and methods for determining wafer characters are disclosed. In one example, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a processing tool configured to process a semiconductor wafer; a device configured to read an optical character disposed on the semiconductor wafer while the semiconductor wafer is located at the apparatus for wafer fabrication; and a controller configured to determine whether the optical character matches a predetermined character corresponding to the semiconductor wafer based on the optical character read in real-time at the apparatus.

A bonding apparatus configured to bond substrates includes a first holder configured to vacuum-exhaust a first substrate to attract and hold the first substrate on a bottom surface thereof; a second holder disposed under the first holder, and configured to vacuum-exhaust a second substrate to attract and hold the second substrate on a top surface thereof; a mover configured to move the first holder and the second holder relatively in a horizontal direction; a laser interferometer system configured to measure a position of the first holder or the second holder which is moved by the mover; a linear scale configured to measure a position of the mover; and a controller configured to control the mover based on a measurement result of the laser interferometer system and a measurement result of the liner scale.

A method for monitoring a dechucking of a wafer includes illuminating, using light generated from a light source, the wafer disposed on a wafer holder in a processing chamber. The method further includes lifting, using pins disposed in the wafer holder, the wafer, and during the lifting, collecting a portion of the light at a light detector. And the method further includes, based on the collected portion of the light, determining whether to continue the lifting to complete the dechucking.

An actuator stage, for precision positioning of a component, includes a base layer having a surface defining a z-axis normal to the surface; a set of electro-fluidic transport substrates disposed on the base layer, and a control port, coupled to a plurality of sets of electrodes in each of the electro-fluidic transport substrates, configured to measure a tilt of a carrier layer relative to the base layer and change the tilt of the carrier layer.

A processing system disclosed includes an atmosphere conveyance module, a conveyance device, and a cleaning device. The atmosphere conveyance module is capable of conveying a substrate in an atmosphere. The conveyance device includes an end effector including at least one support member on which the substrate is to be mounted. The conveyance device is provided in the atmosphere conveyance module and may convey the substrate. The cleaning device cleans the at least one support member.