Samsung electronics co., ltd. (20240128102). APPARATUS AND METHOD MONITORING SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT simplified abstract

APPARATUS AND METHOD MONITORING SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT

Organization Name

samsung electronics co., ltd.

Inventor(s)

SUNGHO Jang of SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO (KR)

HYUNGJIN Kim of SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO (KR)

MINHWAN Seo of SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO (KR)

AKINORI Okubo of SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO (KR)

SANGMIN Lee of SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO (KR)

SINYONG Lee of SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO (KR)

WONDON Joo of SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO (KR)

SANGJOON Hong of SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO (KR)

APPARATUS AND METHOD MONITORING SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240128102 titled 'APPARATUS AND METHOD MONITORING SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes an apparatus for monitoring semiconductor manufacturing equipment using optical detectors and gratings to determine the positional attributes of a semiconductor substrate in relation to specific patterns.

• The apparatus includes an optical detector, a light generator, first and second grating reticles with different pitches, and patterns corresponding to different portions of light passing through the slits.
• The optical detector determines the positional attributes of the semiconductor substrate based on the patterns formed by the light passing through the slits on the grating reticles.

Potential Applications

This technology can be applied in semiconductor manufacturing processes to monitor and control the positioning of substrates during production.

Problems Solved

This technology helps in accurately determining the position of semiconductor substrates, ensuring precise manufacturing processes and reducing errors.

Benefits

The use of optical detectors and gratings improves the efficiency and accuracy of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, leading to higher quality products and increased productivity.

Potential Commercial Applications

This technology can be utilized in the semiconductor industry for the development of advanced manufacturing equipment with enhanced monitoring capabilities.

Possible Prior Art

Prior art in the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment may include similar systems using optical detectors and gratings for monitoring substrate positioning.

How does this technology impact the overall efficiency of semiconductor manufacturing processes?

This technology improves the efficiency of semiconductor manufacturing processes by providing accurate positional information of substrates, leading to reduced errors and increased productivity.

What are the potential cost implications of implementing this technology in semiconductor manufacturing facilities?

The implementation of this technology may involve initial costs for acquiring and integrating the monitoring apparatus into existing manufacturing equipment. However, the long-term benefits of improved accuracy and productivity may outweigh the initial investment.

Original Abstract Submitted

an apparatus monitoring semiconductor manufacturing equipment includes; an optical detector, a light generator generating light along a first optical path towards a semiconductor substrate, wherein upon irradiating the semiconductor substrate, the light becomes reflected light along a second optical path away from the semiconductor substrate and towards the optical detector, a first grating reticle between the light generator and the semiconductor substrate and including first slits having a first pitch and second slits having a second pitch different from the first pitch, a second grating reticle between the semiconductor substrate and the optical detector and including third slits having a third pitch different from the first pitch and the second pitch, wherein the optical detector determines a positional attribute of the semiconductor substrate in relation to a first pattern and a second pattern, the first pattern corresponds to a first portion of light/reflected light sequentially passing through the first slits and the third slits, and the second pattern corresponds to a second portion of light/reflected light sequentially passing through the second slits and the third slits.