Substrate transport system

Abstract

A substrate handling system is disclosed. The substrate transfer system includes: a substrate transfer robot for transferring a substrate between a plurality of substrate stations; and a lidar imaging system comprising a lidar image acquisition module located on the substrate handling robot, the lidar imaging system configured to acquire at least one 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station, and determine one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on the at least one 3D image.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application generally relates to substrate processing, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for handling substrates. Background Art

[0002] Apparatuses for processing semiconductor substrates (such as silicon wafers) typically include: a processing chamber in which the substrate is processed; a substrate handling chamber through which the substrate moves before and after being processed in the processing chamber; and one or more input / output chambers that store the substrate before and after it moves through the handling chamber. A substrate handling robot is located in the handling chamber and is configured to transfer the substrate to and from a plurality of stations. Such stations can be in the handling chamber, input / output chamber, processing chamber, or other chambers. A typical station in the processing chamber is a substrate holder, such as a wafer boat or pedestal, which supports the substrate during processing. Stations in the input / output chamber can include cassettes that hold multiple substrates. The input / output chamber can be a load chamber or a load port that contains substrate cassettes accessible by the transfer robot. The input / output chamber can also be a load lock chamber where the substrate can be isolated from the atmosphere and purged of particles before being moved into the handling chamber and ultimately into the processing chamber. Other stations that can be inside a separate chamber or even inside the substrate handling chamber can include a pre-processing station (such as a wafer pre-cleaning station) and / or a post-processing station (such as a cooling station).

[0003] Substrate handling robots typically include an actuator, one or more interconnecting arms, and an end effector attached to the arm. The actuator is configured to move the arm and the end effector. The end effector is adapted to pick up the substrate from a station, hold the substrate while the robot moves the end effector and the substrate to another station, and place the substrate at another station. There are various different types of end effectors, some of which can be multiple end effectors, such as a dual end effector capable of supporting more than one substrate simultaneously.

[0004] In some tools, the apparatus includes a plurality of processing chambers, each processing chamber typically adjacent to the substrate handling chamber. The processing chambers are capable of processing substrates simultaneously, which increases the total substrate throughput of the apparatus. The handling chamber can include more than one substrate handling robot to improve substrate handling capabilities.

[0005] The substrates processed by the apparatus may be defective before or after processing, for example, due to damage during storage or loading of the substrate into the apparatus, during processing, or during transfer by the substrate handling robot. It is not desirable to process damaged substrates because this increases the operating cost of the apparatus.

[0006] Proper placement of the substrate in a pedestal or boat carrier or other structure for supporting the substrate during processing is an important factor in obtaining high-quality processed substrates. Misalignment or cross-slotting of the substrate can result in incorrect or substandard processing of the substrate. Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a substrate handling system is provided, including: a substrate handling robot for transferring substrates between a plurality of substrate stations; and a lidar imaging system including a lidar image acquisition module located on the substrate handling robot, the lidar imaging system being configured to acquire at least one 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station, and determine one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on the at least one 3D image.

[0008] Advantages of the embodiments of the present invention are that by acquiring and analyzing one or more three-dimensional images, attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station that are difficult or impossible to obtain from two-dimensional images can be determined. Advantages of the embodiments of the present invention are that by positioning the lidar image acquisition module on the substrate handling robot, the position of the lidar image acquisition module can be controlled, which allows images to be acquired from various relative positions between the lidar image acquisition module and the substrate and / or the substrate station.

[0009] The lidar imaging system may be configured to acquire at least one 3D image when the substrate handling robot is stationary.

[0010] The lidar imaging system may be configured to acquire at least one 3D image when the substrate handling robot is in motion.

[0011] The lidar imaging system may be configured to acquire a first 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station from a first relative position, and acquire a second 3D image of the same substrate and / or the substrate station from a second relative position different from the first relative position, and determine one or more attributes of the same substrate and / or the substrate station based on the first 3D image and the second 3D image.

[0012] The lidar imaging system may be configured to combine two or more 3D images of the same substrate and / or the substrate station to create a combined image, and determine one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on the combined image. This may allow a 3D image of an object to be constructed from more than one angle, thereby providing more information than a single image from one angle.

[0013] The substrate handling system may include a substrate handling robot control module configured to receive at least one attribute determined based on at least one 3D image from the lidar imaging system, and adapt the behavior of the substrate conveying robot based on the at least one attribute.

[0014] The at least one 3D image may include at least a portion of the substrate, and the attribute may include warping of the substrate.

[0015] At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of a substrate, and the property may include a parameter indicating damage to the substrate.

[0016] At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of a substrate, and the property may include a substrate identification code.

[0017] At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of a substrate, and the property may include the position of the center of the substrate.

[0018] The substrate station may be a boat. At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of the boat, and the property may include a parameter indicating the position of the substrate in the boat.

[0019] At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of the boat, and the property may include a parameter indicating that one or more substrates in the boat are cross-slotched.

[0020] At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of the boat, and the property may include a parameter indicating the orientation of the boat relative to the horizontal plane.

[0021] At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of the boat, and the property may include a parameter indicating damage to the boat.

[0022] The substrate station may be a cassette for storing wafers. At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of the cassette for storing the substrate, and the property may include a parameter indicating the position of the substrate in the cassette.

[0023] At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of the cassette for storing the substrate, the cassette includes a door, and the property may include a parameter indicating the open or closed state of the door.

[0024] At least one 3D image may include at least a portion of the cassette for storing the substrate, and the property may include a parameter indicating that one or more substrates in the cassette are cross-slotched.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a substrate handling system, the substrate handling system including a substrate handling robot and a lidar imaging system, the lidar imaging system including a lidar image acquisition module located on the substrate handling robot, the method may be executed by a control module for controlling the lidar imaging system, the control module including a processor and a memory storing instructions, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the control module to execute a method including the following steps: causing the lidar image acquisition module to acquire at least one 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station, and determining one or more properties of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on the at least one 3D image.

[0026] The control module may be or may include a control module for controlling a substrate handling robot, and instructions stored in a memory may cause the control module to perform a method including the following steps when executed by a processor: controlling the substrate handling robot to adopt a first robot position such that a lidar image acquisition module has a first position relative to a substrate and / or a substrate station, causing the lidar image acquisition module to acquire at least one first 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station, controlling the substrate handling robot to adopt a second robot position such that the lidar image acquisition module has a second position relative to the same substrate and / or substrate station, causing the lidar image acquisition module to acquire at least one second 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station, a first 3D image, and at least one second 3D image.

[0027] The present invention content is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are further described in detail in the following detailed description of example embodiments of the present disclosure. The present invention content is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic top view of an example of a furnace in which embodiments of the present invention may be included;

[0030] Figure 2a is a schematic perspective view of a substrate handling robot that may be included in embodiments of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2b is a schematic perspective view of a substrate handling robot that may be included in embodiments of the present invention, the substrate handling robot supporting a wafer;

[0032] Figures 3a to 3g is a schematic perspective view of a substrate handling robot according to an embodiment of the present invention supporting a lidar image acquisition module at various positions;

[0033] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 is Figure 4 a flowchart of a modified version of the method shown.

[0035] It should be understood that the elements in the drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation Modes

[0036] Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments and / or the uses of the present invention and its obvious modifications and equivalents. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the disclosed invention not be limited by the specific disclosed embodiments described below.

[0037] As used herein, the term "substrate" can refer to any one or more underlying materials, including any one or more underlying materials that can be modified or on which devices, circuits, or films can be formed. A "substrate" can be continuous or discontinuous; rigid or flexible; solid or porous; and combinations thereof. The substrate can be in any form, such as powder, plate, or workpiece. Substrates in the form of plates can include wafers of various shapes and sizes. Substrates can be made of semiconductor materials, including, for example, silicon, silicon germanium, silicon oxide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide.

[0038] A continuous substrate can extend beyond the boundaries of the processing chamber in which the deposition process occurs. In some processes, the continuous substrate can be moved through the processing chamber such that the process continues until the end of the substrate is reached. A continuous substrate can be supplied from a continuous substrate feed system to allow for the manufacture and output of the continuous substrate in any suitable form.

[0039] The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular material, structure, or device, but are merely idealized representations for describing embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0040] The specific embodiments shown and described are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to limit the scope of the aspects and embodiments in any other way. In fact, for the sake of brevity, conventional manufacturing, connection, preparation, and other functional aspects of the system may not be described in detail. Additionally, the connecting lines shown in the various figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical couplings between various elements. Many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may exist in the actual system and / or may not exist in some embodiments.

[0041] It should be understood that the configurations and / or methods described herein are exemplary in nature and these specific embodiments or examples should not be considered limiting as many variations are possible. The specific routines or methods described herein can represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. Accordingly, the various acts shown can be performed in the order shown, in other orders, or in some cases, omitted.

[0042] The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various processes, systems, and configurations, as well as other features, functions, acts, and / or properties disclosed herein, and any and all equivalents thereof.

[0043] Reference Figure 1 , which shows a schematic top view of a substrate processing apparatus or furnace 1, which may include a substrate handling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The furnace 1 includes a housing 2 having a front wall 4 and a rear wall 6.

[0044] The furnace 1 may include a cassette module 3 having storage means for storing a plurality of wafer cassettes C, such as a cassette storage turntable 5, each wafer cassette accommodating a plurality of substrates. The cassette storage turntable 5 may include a plurality of platform carriers for supporting the cassettes. The platform carriers may be connected to a central axis, which is mounted to be rotatable about a vertical axis. Each platform carrier is configured to accommodate a plurality of cassettes C. A drive assembly is operably connected to the central axis for rotating the central axis together with the plurality of platform carriers about the vertical axis.

[0045] The cassette module 3 may have a cassette handler 7 having a cassette handler arm 8 configured to transfer the cassette C between the cassette storage turntable 5, a cassette access port 9 adjacent to the front wall 4 of the housing 2 of the furnace 1, and / or a load port 10. The cassette handler 7 may include a lifting mechanism to reach cassettes at different heights. Each platform carrier for storing a cassette may have a cutout therein, the size and shape of which are designed to allow the cassette handler arm 8 to pass vertically therethrough and to allow the platform carrier to support the cassette C thereon.

[0046] An internal wall 11 may be provided separating the cassette module 3 from the processing module 12. The internal wall 11 may have a closable substrate entry opening 13 adjacent to the load port 10, which may be constructed and arranged to also open the cassette. The load port 10 may be provided with a cassette turntable to rotate the cassette C and / or press it against the closable substrate entry 13.

[0047] The processing module 12 may include a substrate handling robot 14 provided with a substrate handling arm 15 to transfer substrates from a cassette C positioned on the load port 10 through the closable substrate access opening 13 to a substrate holder or boat and vice versa. The furnace may include a substrate handling chamber 16 in which the substrate handling robot 14 is accommodated.

[0048] The housing 2 may have first and second side walls 17 extending along the entire length of the furnace 1. Maintenance of the furnace 1 may be performed from the rear side 6 or the front side 4 of the furnace, such that no doors in the side walls 16 may be required.

[0049] With the construction of the side wall 17 without a door, multiple furnaces 1 can be positioned side by side in a semiconductor manufacturing plant. Thus, the side walls of adjacent furnaces can be positioned very close to each other, or even against each other. Advantageously, multiple furnaces can form a wall, where the front side 4 of the furnace 1 interfaces with a cassette transfer device in a very clean environment of a so-called "clean room" with very strict requirements for particles. The rear side 6 of the furnace 1 can interface with a maintenance passage, which can have less strict particle requirements than the front side 4.

[0050] The furnace 1 can be provided with first and second reactors 18 for processing multiple substrates. Using two reactors can increase the productivity of the furnace 1. The substrate processing system in a top view can be configured to be generally U-shaped. The first and second reactors 18 can be constructed and arranged in the legs. The maintenance area 19 can be constructed and arranged between the legs of the U-shape.

[0051] In Figure 2a and Figure 2b A substrate handling robot 14 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in more detail. The robot 14 includes an end effector 20, which is configured to pick up a wafer 21, support the wafer 21 during a wafer transfer step, and then transport the wafer 21 to a target station. The target station can be, for example, a substrate rack or boat, a cassette, a pedestal, etc. In some embodiments, the end effector 20 can be a dual end effector or a multi-end effector capable of transporting more than one substrate at the same time.

[0052] The robot 14 also includes arms 22 and 23. The arm 22 has one end rotatably linked to the end effector 20 and another end rotatably linked to one end of the arm 23. The arm 23 has an opposite end rotatably linked to a lift 24, and the lift 24 is configured to translate the arms 22, 23 and the end effector 20 in a vertical direction. The lift 24 can be configured to rotate about a vertical axis to facilitate the rotation of the arms 22, 23 and the end effector 20. The translation and / or rotation can be achieved by setting the lift 24 to be supported by a support 30 in a base 31, such that the support 30 can be vertically translated relative to the base 31 and rotated relative to the base 31. It should be understood that although the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has two rotatably linked arms, the substrate handling robot 14 according to an embodiment of the present invention can have three or more rotatably linked arms.

[0053] The substrate handling robot 14 is included in the substrate handling system 25. The substrate handling system 25 includes the substrate handling robot 14 and the lidar imaging system 26. The lidar imaging system 26 includes the lidar image acquisition module 27 disposed on the substrate handling robot 14. The lidar image acquisition module 27 can be disposed, for example, on the elevator 24 or on one of the arms 22 and 23 or on the end effector 20. In embodiments where the substrate handling robot 14 includes more than two rotatable link arms, the lidar imaging system can be disposed on any one of these arms. "On the elevator" or "on the arm" means that the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be disposed on any surface of the mentioned element. As an example, it is possible to understand other positions of the lidar image acquisition module 27 on the substrate handling robot 14. Refer to Figure 3a that, in an embodiment, the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be located on the upper surface of the elevator 24. Refer to Figure 3b that, in an embodiment, the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be located on the lower surface of the arm 22. Refer to Figure 3c that, in an embodiment, the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be located on the lower surface of the arm 23. Refer to Figure 3d that, in an embodiment, the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be located on the upper surface of the arm 22. Refer to Figure 3e that, in an embodiment, the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be located on the upper surface of the arm 23. By positioning the lidar image acquisition module 27 on the elevator 24, the vertical position of the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be changed by moving the elevator in the vertical direction. By positioning the lidar image acquisition module 27 on the arms 22 and 23, the vertical position of the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be changed by moving the elevator in the vertical direction, and the position of the lidar image acquisition module 27 in the horizontal plane can be changed by rotating the arms 22 and 23. Compared with positioning the lidar image acquisition module 27 on the arm 23 directly linked to the elevator 24, positioning the lidar image acquisition module 27 on the arm 22 directly linked to the end effector can provide more control over the position of the lidar image acquisition module 27 in the horizontal plane.

[0054] Refer to Figure 3f that the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be located on the upper surface of the arm 22. Due to the positioning closer to the end effector 20, this can provide more detailed imaging of the wafer held by the end effector 20. Refer to Figure 3g that the lidar image acquisition module 27 can be located on the upper surface of the arm 23. Figure 3f And Figure 3g shows the substrate handling system 25 in a retracted position compared to the extended position shown in Figures 3a to 3e .

[0055] The lidar image acquisition module 27 includes one or more light sources (such as lasers) for scanning the field of view and one or more light detectors (such as photodetectors, photodiodes, CCDs, or other light detectors) for detecting the light emitted from the one or more light sources, which has been scattered and / or reflected by an object in the field of view. The light source can be configured to emit continuous or pulsed light. The time between the emission of the light and the detection by the light detector is related to the distance between the lidar module 27 and the object through which the emitted light is scattered and / or reflected.

[0056] For example, scanning of the field of view can be achieved by changing the orientation of a mirror onto which light from the light source is incident so as to deflect the transmission direction of the light. For example, by rotating the mirror about an axis in the vertical plane, horizontal line scanning can be performed, and vice versa. By performing successive horizontal (or vertical) line scans with varying vertical (or horizontal) deflections, the field of view can be mapped in three dimensions. A single three-dimensional image acquired by the lidar image acquisition module 27 includes depth information. This information is not present in a two-dimensional image.

[0057] The substrate handling system 25 can be configured to acquire at least one 3D image while the substrate handling robot 14 is in motion. For example, the substrate handling system 25 can include a robot control module configured to control the motion of the substrate handling robot 14. The robot control module can be configured to control the substrate handling robot 14 such that the substrate handling robot 14 transfers a substrate from one substrate station to another substrate station, and the robot control module can be configured to send a signal to the lidar imaging system 26 to cause the lidar imaging system 26 to acquire one or more 3D images while the substrate handling robot 14 transfers a substrate from one substrate station to another substrate station.

[0058] The substrate handling system 25 can be configured to acquire at least one 3D image while the substrate handling robot 14 is stationary. For example, the robot control module can be configured to control the substrate handling robot 14 to be stationary, and the robot control module can be configured to send a signal to the lidar imaging system 26 to cause the lidar imaging system 26 to acquire one or more 3D images while the substrate handling robot is stationary.

[0059] The substrate handling system 25 can be configured to acquire at least one 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station when the lidar image acquisition module 27 has a first position relative to the substrate and / or the substrate station, and to change the relative position of the lidar image acquisition module 27 relative to the substrate and / or the substrate station by controlling the substrate handling robot 14 such that the lidar image acquisition module 27 has a second position relative to the substrate and / or the substrate station that is different from the first position, and to acquire at least one 3D image when the lidar image acquisition module 27 has the second position relative to the substrate and / or the substrate station. This can allow a series of images of an object to be acquired, such that a more complete view of the object is provided. In some embodiments, the 3D images can be combined to form a combined image of the same substrate and / or substrate station, thereby providing a more comprehensive view from multiple angles. This can help detect damage that is visible from only one angle, for example, and would be missed if images were acquired only from different angles. It should be understood that more than two images can be acquired and combined.

[0060] In some embodiments, the substrate handling system 25 can be configured to acquire a first 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station to move the lift of the substrate handling robot 14 in the vertical direction and to acquire a second 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station. This can allow a series of 3D images of the same substrate and / or substrate station to be taken from different positions along the same vertical axis. In some embodiments, the substrate handling system can be configured to acquire a first 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station to change the position of the arm 22 and / or the arm 23 and to acquire a second 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station. This can allow a series of 3D images to be taken from different positions in the same horizontal plane. In some embodiments, the substrate handling system 25 can be configured to acquire a first 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station to move the lift of the substrate handling robot 14 in the vertical direction to change the position of the arm 22 and / or the arm 23 and to acquire a second 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station. This can allow a series of 3D images to be taken from different horizontal and vertical positions. Thus, a combined image of the substrate and / or the substrate station can be constructed by combining 3D images taken from different angles. One or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station can be determined based on the combined 3D images using the methods described herein with respect to non-combined 3D images.

[0061] For example, in some embodiments, the substrate station can be a boat, and the substrate handling system 25 can be configured to acquire a series of 3D images of the boat, where for each 3D image, the lidar image acquisition module 27 has a different position relative to the boat. This can provide a more comprehensive view of the boat compared to a single 3D image, for example, damage that may be visible only from one side of the boat can be identified. It should be understood that in the embodiments described herein, if 3D images are mentioned, more than one 3D image can also be used.

[0062] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may include a control module 28. The control module 28 may be configured to control the lidar image acquisition module 27, for example, to cause the lidar image acquisition module 27 to perform a scanning event. The control module 28 may be configured to provide parameters for the scanning event to the lidar image acquisition module 27, such as scanning angle, scanning duration, and scanning speed. The lidar image acquisition module 27 may be configured to provide lidar image data to the control module 28 or one or more other control and / or processing modules of the furnace system 1 for further processing. The control module 28 for the lidar image acquisition module and the substrate transfer robot control module may be combined in a single control module for the substrate transfer system. It should be understood that the position of the control module 28 shown in the figure does not necessarily represent the physical relative position of the control module 28 and the substrate handling robot 14. In this document, when referring to a control module, such a control module may include a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause operations to be performed. For example, the control module for the lidar image acquisition module may store instructions in the memory that, when executed by the processor, cause the lidar image acquisition module to perform one or more of the following operations: acquire a 3D image; send the acquired 3D image to another module; determine an attribute based on the 3D image; receive a 3D image; store a 3D image, etc. The control module for the substrate transfer robot may store instructions in the memory that, when executed by the processor, cause the substrate transfer robot to change its orientation, pose, and / or position, pick up or place a substrate, remain stationary, etc.

[0063] The control module 28 may include a processing module configured to receive and process 3D image data received from the lidar acquisition module. The processing module 28 may be configured to determine one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on the 3D image data. In some embodiments, the processing module 28 may be configured to compare one or more attributes with one or more reference values, reference data, or reference images. Determining one or more attributes may include identifying the substrate or a portion thereof and / or the substrate station or a portion thereof based on at least one 3D image using computer vision methods such as object detection, object recognition, 3D reconstruction, 3D pose estimation. Determining one or more attributes may include generating a model, profile, overview, map, or other representation of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on at least one 3D image.

[0064] In some embodiments, a control module 28 including a processing module may be configured to send data indicating one or more attributes of a substrate and / or a substrate station to a central control module of, for example, a furnace system 1 and / or one or more peripheral control modules of the furnace system 1 for further evaluation, such as comparison with reference values, data, or images. The central control module may store one or more attributes in a memory (such as a database of wafers). In some embodiments, a control module of the furnace system, such as control module 28 or the central control module or a peripheral control module (such as a reactor control module, an airflow control module, etc.), may be configured to receive data indicating one or more attributes of a substrate and / or a substrate station and perform one or more further actions based on the data.

[0065] Determining one or more attributes of a substrate based on a 3D image may include comparing the 3D image with a reference image. The reference image may be an image acquired by a lidar image acquisition module 27 or an image received from an external source and stored in the control module 28. For example, the substrate may be imaged using the lidar image acquisition module 27 before and after processing in a reactor included in the furnace 1, and the image taken after processing may be compared with the image taken before processing to determine, for example, whether damage to the substrate has occurred.

[0066] One or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station may include one or more attributes of the substrate. At the time of image acquisition, in some embodiments, the substrate may be located in the substrate station. In some embodiments, at the time of image acquisition, the substrate may be supported by an end effector of a substrate transfer robot 14. In some embodiments, at the time of image acquisition, the substrate may be partially supported by a slot or other support in the substrate station and partially supported by the substrate transfer robot 14, for example if the image is acquired during the process of transferring the substrate to / from the substrate station.

[0067] In some embodiments, the lidar image acquisition module 27 may be configured to acquire a 3D image of a substrate or a wafer (a portion thereof), and the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine the amount of warping of the wafer based on the acquired 3D image. The amount of warping of the substrate or wafer may be provided to a user of the furnace 1, such as displayed on a display screen of the furnace or stored in a memory unit of the furnace. Determining the amount of warping of the wafer may include, for example, identifying the wafer (such as using computer vision techniques) and determining the amount of warping based on the identified wafer shape and a reference wafer profile. Other warping determination methods may be used based on the 3D image of the wafer. When the image is acquired, the wafer may be located at the substrate station, such as in a boat or a pedestal or a cassette, or may be supported by an end effector.

[0068] In some embodiments, the lidar image acquisition module 27 may be configured to acquire a 3D image of a substrate or a (portion of a) wafer, and the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine the thickness of the wafer based on the acquired 3D image. The thickness of the substrate or wafer may be provided to the user of the furnace 1, such as being displayed on a display screen of the furnace or stored in a memory unit of the furnace. Determining the thickness of the wafer may include, for example, identifying the wafer (e.g., using computer vision techniques) and determining the thickness based on the identified wafer shape. When acquiring the image, the wafer may be located at the substrate station, such as in a boat or a pedestal or a cassette, or may be supported by an end effector.

[0069] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine the position of a notch in the wafer based on the acquired 3D image. The notch position information may be used to correctly orient the wafer. The notch position information may be provided by the control module 28 to a control module for controlling a substrate handling robot. The control module for controlling the substrate handling robot may be configured to control the movement of the substrate handling robot based on the notch position information, such as to cause the substrate handling robot to rotate the substrate such that the notch has a specific orientation relative to the substrate station or the end effector. Determining the notch position may include, for example, identifying the wafer in the 3D image, extracting the wafer profile of the wafer, comparing the wafer profile with a reference wafer profile, and determining the notch position as the position where the wafer profile deviates from the reference profile.

[0070] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine a wafer identification code on the wafer based on the acquired 3D image. The wafer identification code may be provided to the control module of the furnace 1, such as to be stored / updated in a database of the control module of the furnace module, which correlates the wafer identification code with the wafer location / position. The wafer identification code may be, for example, a text and / or numeric code or a barcode. Determining the wafer identification code may include, for example, performing a text recognition method on the 3D image. The text recognition may be limited to a defined region of the image where the wafer is known to be present, such as by identifying the wafer in the 3D image, e.g., using computer vision techniques, and restricting the text search to that region of the image containing the wafer.

[0071] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine the position of the center point of the wafer based on the acquired 3D image. By locating the center of the wafer, it can be checked whether the wafer is correctly positioned on the end effector. The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to adjust the position of the wafer based on the center point of the wafer determined from the 3D image. Determining the center point may include, for example, identifying the wafer in the 3D image, extracting the wafer contour, and using geometric relationships to determine the center position. Using the 3D image to determine the wafer center may allow for the determination of the wafer center of wafers having non-circular or non-elliptical shapes, which may be incompatible with standard wafer center detectors using beam interruption methods calibrated to circular wafers.

[0072] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine the damaged state of the wafer based on the acquired 3D image, such as classified as damaged or undamaged, or a parameter indicating the degree of damage. The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to transfer the wafers classified as damaged based on the acquired 3D image to a substrate storage station, such as a cassette, rather than transferring the wafers to a substrate processing station, such as a boat. This can help avoid processing wafers that are already damaged. Wafer damage may include cracking, such as a portion of the wafer being missing. Determining wafer damage may include identifying the wafer in the 3D image, extracting the wafer contour, and comparing the wafer contour with an expected contour (such as circular or elliptical) to determine the locations where the wafer deviates from the expected contour. Wafer damage may include, for example, scratches on the wafer surface. Determining wafer damage includes identifying the wafer in the 3D image and identifying any irregularities in the wafer surface that may otherwise be expected to be smooth.

[0073] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine the degree of alignment of the wafer relative to the substrate holder based on the acquired 3D image. For example, the wafer may be placed in a ring holder, and the ring holder may be placed in a boat, and the degree of alignment of the wafer in the ring holder may be determined. The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to adjust the position of the wafer in the substrate holder according to the determined degree of alignment. Determining the degree of alignment may include identifying the ring holder and the wafer in the 3D image, determining the centers of both the ring holder and the wafer, and comparing the center positions.

[0074] In some embodiments, the substrate station can be a substrate holder. The 3D image can include at least a portion of the substrate holder, and one or more attributes can include one or more attributes of the substrate holder. The substrate holder can be a boat for supporting a substrate during processing. The substrate holder can be a pedestal for supporting a substrate during processing. The substrate holder can be a cassette for storing substrates. Determining an attribute of the substrate holder based on at least one 3D image can include identifying the substrate holder in the image. Identifying the substrate holder can include identifying one or more features known to be included in the substrate holder in the image. For example, a boat can include a plurality of, e.g., three, boat rods extending in a vertical direction, a top plate and a bottom plate to which the boat rods are attached at their top and bottom ends, and a series of slots in the boat rods at regular intervals in the vertical direction for receiving wafers. Identifying the boat in the image can include, e.g., identifying the boat rods through an image recognition or object detection process. Identifying the boat in the image can include identifying the slots in the boat rods.

[0075] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 can be configured to determine the damage state of the boat, such as a damaged / undamaged classification, or a damage degree classification, and / or a damage location, based on the acquired 3D image. If a damaged boat is used to support a substrate during processing, the substrate and / or the reactor may also be damaged. Therefore, it is advantageous to identify boat damage as soon as possible. The substrate handling system 25 can be configured to send data indicating the damage state of the boat to the central control module of the furnace 1, and the central control module can be configured to stop the processing operation of the furnace 1 and / or display a boat damage state message to the user according to the boat damage state. Determining the damage state can include identifying the boat in the image, extracting the contour of the boat, and comparing the contour with a reference contour to identify any deviations. The reference contour can be a straight line, e.g., when determining whether damage has occurred in the boat rods. Determining the damage state can include identifying the boat in the image and identifying surface inconsistencies in the boat, such as scratches or cracks.

[0076] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 can be configured to determine the position of the boat relative to the substrate handling robot based on the acquired 3D image. This can help optimize the movement of the substrate handling robot to accurately place the wafer in the boat. Since the acquired image is three-dimensional, the distance between the lidar image acquisition module and the object in the image can be accurately determined. The substrate handling system 25 can be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to transfer the substrate to a position in the boat determined according to the boat position obtained from the 3D image.

[0077] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine the boat level measurement based on the acquired 3D image. The boat may include a boat support for a substrate, such as a notch in a boat rod, a protrusion attached to the boat rod, a ring retainer support, a ring retainer, or other devices for supporting the substrate during processing. If the boat is not level, the placement / retrieval of the substrate in such supports may be affected because slippage may occur during pick / place if the end effector and the boat are not aligned in the same plane. The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to send data indicating the boat level status to the central control module of the furnace 1, which may be configured to stop the processing operation of the furnace 1 and / or display a boat level status message to the user of the furnace 1 depending on the boat damage status. For example, determining the boat level may include identifying the boat as described above, identifying features for which leveling is expected, such as a top plate or a bottom plate or one or more slots, generating a line or a plane collinear or coplanar with the feature, and comparing the line or the plane with a horizontal line or plane to determine any deviation.

[0078] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine the boat part number based on the acquired 3D image, such as by taking a 3D image including the location where the boat part number is set, performing a text recognition process on the 3D image, and identifying the part number. The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to send the boat part number to the central control module of the furnace 1, which may store the boat part number and optionally display the boat part number to the user of the furnace 1.

[0079] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine the position of one or more wafers or substrates in the boat based on the acquired 3D image. For example, the lidar imaging system 26 may acquire a 3D image of the boat, identify the boat in the image, identify a series of slots in the boat, and determine which slots or positions in the boat contain wafers. The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to unload wafers only from positions containing wafers and / or load wafers only into positions not containing wafers. This may save time for loading / unloading the boat.

[0080] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 can be configured to acquire a 3D image of the susceptor and, based on the 3D image, determine whether any wafers are cross-slot in the susceptor, i.e., whether any wafers are supported by slots or notches that are not in the same horizontal plane. The substrate handling system 25 can be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to remove any cross-slot wafers and replace them in the susceptor in the correct slot positions. Determining whether a wafer is cross-slot can include identifying the susceptor and slots as described above, identifying the wafers in the susceptor, e.g., by generating a line or plane collinear (e.g., if the image is to the side of the wafer plane) or coplanar with the wafer to determine whether the wafer is horizontal, and comparing the line or plane with a reference horizontal line or plane. If the deviation between the wafer line or plane and the reference line or plane is greater than a predetermined value, the lidar imaging system 26 can classify the wafer as cross-slot.

[0081] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 can be configured to acquire a 3D image of the susceptor after loading the substrate into the susceptor but before processing the wafer and, based on the 3D image, determine the depth of the wafer in the susceptor support (e.g., slot or notch). The substrate handling system 25 can be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to reposition any wafers having an incorrect depth in the susceptor support. Determining the wafer depth can include identifying the susceptor and one or more slots or notches in the susceptor as described above, identifying the center of the susceptor support, e.g., by using the positions of the slots or notches as points on the circumference of a circle and determining the center of the circle, identifying the center of the wafer in the slot, e.g., as described above, and comparing the positions of the center of the susceptor support and the center of the wafer. Determining the center of the susceptor support can be used in the process of correctly placing the wafer in the susceptor support. For example, the substrate handling system can be configured to acquire a 3D image including the susceptor support, identify the susceptor and one or more slots or notches in the susceptor as described above, identify the center of the susceptor support, e.g., by using the positions of the slots or notches as points on the circumference of a circle and determining the center of the circle, acquire an image of the wafer held on the end effector of the substrate handling robot, identify the center of the wafer, e.g., as described above, and position the wafer in the susceptor support such that the center of the wafer and the center of the susceptor support coincide.

[0082] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 can be configured to acquire a 3D image of the susceptor containing a ring wafer support and determine a measure of ring sag based on the 3D image. Determining the measure of ring sag can include, for example, identifying the ring wafer support, determining or generating a surface profile of the ring wafer support, and comparing the surface profile with a horizontal plane to determine any deviation from the horizontal plane.

[0083] In some embodiments, the acquired 3D image may include at least a portion of the cassette, and the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to determine attributes of the cassette based on the 3D image. The cassette may include an openable door through which access to the substrate is provided. The cassette may include a series of slots or other supports for supporting wafers within the cassette.

[0084] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to acquire a 3D image of the cassette and determine the open / closed state of the door of the cassette based on the 3D image. The substrate handling system may be configured to pause the substrate transfer operation of the substrate handling robot 14 based on the open / closed state of the door of the cassette. This can help avoid collisions of the end effector with the cassette door in case the cassette door is not opened when starting the substrate transfer operation to / from the cassette. The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to provide the open / closed state to the control module of the furnace 1, which may be configured to store the open / closed state and optionally display the open / closed state to a user of the furnace 1. Determining the open / closed state may include identifying the cassette in the image, such as using image recognition or object detection based on known attributes of the cassette, such as the shape of the cassette, identifying that the door of the cassette is open, and determining whether the door is open or closed based on distance measurements from the 3D image data. If the door is closed, the light emitted by the lidar image acquisition module will scatter at a smaller distance from the lidar image acquisition module compared to the case where the door is open, where the light is scattered by elements within the cassette, such as the back wall of the cassette, the substrate holder in the cassette, the wafers in the cassette, which are located at a greater distance from the lidar image acquisition module.

[0085] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to acquire a 3D image of the cassette and determine the state of the door seal of the door on the cassette. The substrate handling system may be configured to provide the door seal state to the control module of the furnace 1, which may be configured to store the door seal state and optionally display the door seal state to a user of the furnace 1. The seal may be an inflatable seal which should retract into a housing for the seal when the door is opened and should be flat and shiny. Deviations from this state may indicate damage to the seal. Determining the state of the door seal may include identifying the seal in one or more 3D images. Identifying the seal may include first identifying the cassette and then identifying the seal based on the region of the image that includes the cassette. Determining the state of the door seal may include determining a measure of flatness of the seal based on distance measurements to various points on the seal. Determining the state of the door seal may include identifying surface inconsistencies in the seal, such as scratches.

[0086] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to acquire a 3D image of the cassette and determine the positions of one or more wafers in one or more storage locations within the cassette. For example, the lidar imaging system 26 may acquire a 3D image of the cassette, identify the cassette in the image, identify a series of slots in the cassette, and determine which of the slots or locations in the cassette contain wafers. The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to unload substrates only from those positions within the cassette that contain substrates as determined from the 3D image. This can help save time in unloading the cassette by preventing the substrate handling robot 14 from attempting to unload substrates from positions within the cassette that do not contain substrates. The substrate handling system may be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to place substrates only in those positions within the cassette that currently do not contain substrates as determined from the 3D image. This can help avoid damaging substrates when transferring substrates to the cassette by preventing substrates from being placed directly on top of one another.

[0087] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to acquire a 3D image of the cassette and determine the position of a substrate within a cassette storage slot, such as how far a wafer is positioned within the storage slot. Other measurements for determining wafer depth or wafer position may include identifying the cassette and one or more slots or other storage locations within the cassette as described above, identifying the center of the cassette slot or support, such as by using the positions of the slot or support as points on the circumference of a circle and determining the center of the circle, identifying the center of the wafer within the slot, and comparing the positions of the center of the cassette support and the center of the wafer.

[0088] The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to change the position of a substrate within a cassette slot based on the substrate position as determined from the 3D image or the relative position with respect to the cassette support. This can avoid damage to substrates within the cassette that can be caused by closing the door of the cassette when the substrate is not fully inserted into the slot in the cassette and can collide with the door.

[0089] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to acquire a 3D image of the cassette and, based on the 3D image, determine whether any of the wafers in the cassette are cross-slot, i.e., whether any of the wafers are supported by slots or notches that are not in the same horizontal plane. Determining whether a wafer is cross-slot may include identifying the cassette and the slots or wafer supports as described above, identifying the wafers within the cassette, such as by generating a line or plane that is collinear (e.g., if the image is to the side of the wafer plane) or coplanar with the wafer to determine whether the wafer is horizontal, and comparing the line or plane with a reference horizontal line or plane. If the deviation between the wafer line or plane and the reference line or plane is greater than a predetermined value, the lidar imaging system 26 may classify the wafer as cross-slot. The substrate handling system 25 may be configured to cause the substrate handling robot 14 to remove any cross-slot wafers and replace them in the cassette in the correct slot position.

[0090] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may be configured to acquire a 3D image of the cassette and determine the wafer size of the wafers in the cassette based on the 3D image. In some embodiments, the cassette may contain wafers of different sizes, such as one or more 200 mm wafers and one or more 300 mm wafers. It is important to identify which wafer has which size so that the wafers can be properly processed. For example, attempting to place a 300 mm wafer in a substrate holder designed for a 200 mm wafer will result in damage to the wafer. Determining the wafer size may include identifying the wafer in the 3D image, acquiring the contour of the wafer or identifying one or more points on the circumference of the wafer, and determining the size of the wafer based on the identified points. For example, if an image is taken at a side position where the plane of the wafer is normally not visible, determining the size of the wafer may include identifying the two extremes of the wafer and separating them to determine the diameter of the wafer.

[0091] It should be understood that determining an attribute based on one or more 3D images may include directly determining the attribute from one or more 3D images and may additionally or alternatively include determining the attribute based on one or more post-processed 3D images (e.g., images that have been filtered, cropped, rotated, combined with one or more other 3D images acquired by the lidar image acquisition module 27, etc.).

[0092] In some embodiments, the lidar imaging system 26 may include more than one lidar image acquisition module 27, and both lidar image acquisition modules are located on the substrate handling robot 14, not necessarily on the same element of the substrate handling robot 14, such as an arm or a lift.

[0093] Reference Figure 4 presents a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method is a method of operating a substrate handling system 25, which includes a substrate handling robot 14 and a lidar imaging system, and the lidar imaging system includes a lidar image acquisition module located on the substrate handling robot 14. The method may be executed by a control module for controlling the lidar imaging system. The control module includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control module to execute a method including the following steps. In step S101, the lidar image acquisition module is caused to acquire at least one 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station. In step S102, one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station are determined based on the at least one 3D image.

[0094] In some embodiments, the control module may be or may include a control module for controlling a substrate handling robot. The control module may include a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control module to perform a method including the following steps. In step S201, control the substrate handling robot to adopt a first robot position such that the lidar image acquisition module has a first position relative to the substrate and / or the substrate station. In step S202, cause the lidar image acquisition module to acquire at least one first 3D image. In step S203, control the substrate handling robot to adopt a second robot position such that the lidar image acquisition module has a second position relative to the same substrate and / or the substrate station. In step S204, cause the lidar image acquisition module to acquire at least one second 3D image. In step S205, determine one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on at least one first 3D image and at least one second 3D image.

[0095] Step S205 may be modified to include combining at least one first 3D image and at least one second 3D image to form a combined 3D image, and then determining one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on the combined 3D image.

[0096] Although the illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described in part above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. By studying the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, those skilled in the art can understand and implement variations of the disclosed embodiments when practicing the claimed invention.

[0097] References to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" throughout this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. Additionally, note that the particular features, structures, or characteristics of one or more embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner to form new, not explicitly described embodiments. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various processes, systems, and configurations, as well as other features, functions, acts, and / or characteristics disclosed herein, and any and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A substrate handling system, comprising: - A substrate handling robot configured to transfer substrates between a plurality of substrate stations; and - A lidar imaging system, which includes a lidar image acquisition module located on the substrate handling robot, and the lidar imaging system is configured to acquire at least one 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station, and determine one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on the at least one 3D image.

2. The substrate handling system according to claim 1, wherein, The lidar imaging system is configured to acquire at least one 3D image when the substrate handling robot is stationary.

3. The substrate handling system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The lidar imaging system is configured to acquire at least one 3D image when the substrate handling robot is moving.

4. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The lidar imaging system is configured to acquire a first 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station from a first relative position, and acquire a second 3D image of the same substrate and / or the substrate station from a second relative position different from the first relative position, and determine one or more attributes of the same substrate and / or the substrate station based on the first and second 3D images.

5. The substrate handling system according to claim 4, wherein, The lidar imaging system is configured to at least combine the first 3D image and the second 3D image of the same substrate and / or the substrate station to create a combined image, and determine one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on the combined image.

6. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a substrate handling robot control module configured to receive at least one attribute determined based on at least one 3D image from the lidar imaging system, and adapt the behavior of the substrate conveying robot based on the at least one attribute.

7. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the substrate, and the attribute includes warping of the substrate.

8. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the substrate, and the attribute includes a parameter indicating substrate damage.

9. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the substrate, and the attribute includes a substrate identification code.

10. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the substrate, and the attribute includes the position of the center of the substrate.

11. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the boat, and the attribute includes a parameter indicating the position of the substrate in the boat.

12. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the boat, and the attribute includes a parameter indicating that one or more substrates in the boat are cross-slotched.

13. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the boat, and the attribute includes a parameter indicating the orientation of the boat relative to the horizontal plane.

14. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the boat, and the attribute includes a parameter indicating boat damage.

15. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the cassette for storing substrates, and the attribute includes a parameter indicating the position of the substrate in the cassette.

16. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the cassette for storing substrates, the cassette includes a door, and the attribute includes a parameter indicating the open or closed state of the door.

17. The substrate handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The at least one 3D image includes at least a portion of the cassette for storing substrates, and the attribute includes a parameter indicating that one or more substrates in the cassette are cross-slotched.

18. A method of operating a substrate handling system, the substrate handling system including a substrate handling robot and a lidar imaging system, the lidar imaging system including a lidar image acquisition module located on the substrate handling robot, the method being executable by a control module for controlling the lidar imaging system, the control module including a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control module to perform a method including the following steps: causing the lidar image acquisition module to acquire a 3D image of the substrate and / or the substrate station, and determining one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on at least one 3D image.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The control module is or further includes a control module for controlling the substrate handling robot, wherein the instructions stored in the memory, when executed by the processor, cause the control module to perform a method including the following steps: controlling the substrate handling robot to adopt a first robot position such that the lidar image acquisition module has a first position relative to the substrate and / or the substrate station, causing the lidar image acquisition module to acquire at least one first 3D image, controlling the substrate handling robot to adopt a second robot position such that the lidar image acquisition module has a second position relative to the same substrate and / or the substrate station, causing the lidar image acquisition module to acquire at least one second 3D image, and determining one or more attributes of the substrate and / or the substrate station based on at least one first 3D image and at least one second 3D image.

Images