Positioning system with motion compensation
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MICRO CONTRÔLE SPECTRA PHYSICS
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
Smart Images
Figure FR2026050061_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Motion-compensated positioning system Reference to related requests
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 749845 filed on January 27, 2025, entitled "Motion Compensating Positioning System", which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 749845 filed on January 24, 2025, entitled "Motion Compensating Positioning System", the contents of which are incorporated into this application. Technological background
[0002] Motion control systems are used in a wide variety of precision manufacturing applications, such as semiconductor device manufacturing. Highly accurate control of the semiconductor wafer's position relative to the processing equipment is required in many of these applications. Typically, the wafer-carrying motion equipment and the wafer processing equipment are mounted on the same structure and isolated from the manufacturing floor by passive or active vibration control methods.
[0003] Although these prior art motion control systems have proven useful in the past, separate structures are now required to support, on the one hand, the motion system and wafer, and on the other hand, the wafer processing equipment. When both structures are installed on the floor of the manufacturing facility, a kinetic energy problem can occur, causing vibration and undesired relative movement of the wafer with respect to the wafer processing equipment. For example, vibration control systems used in prior art motion control systems can cause lateral displacement of the wafer relative to the processing laser beam from the processing equipment.Given the above, there is a constant need for a kinetic energy and vibration cancellation and compensation system to cancel any movement of the wafer relative to the treatment beam when the wafer is moved. Page 25 Summary
[0004] This application relates to various embodiments of a motion-compensating positioning system configured to correct positioning errors of a part relative to an external datum. In one embodiment, the motion-compensating positioning system comprises a part positioning assembly including a movable base and a moving platform having a fixed portion and a movable portion configured to support the part, and a frame assembly supporting the part positioning assembly. The system further includes a vibration control assembly supporting the part positioning assembly, wherein the vibration control assembly includes a plurality of damping elements configured to undergo elastic deformation in response to a reaction force due to the acceleration of the moving portion of the moving platform.A first positioning measurement set, configured to measure a first position and a first displacement of the part positioning assembly in a first degree of freedom and to transmit representative data of at least one of the first position and first displacement to a controller, is attached to the part positioning assembly. A second positioning measurement set, configured to measure a second position and a second displacement of the part positioning assembly in a second degree of freedom and to transmit representative data of at least one of the second position and second displacement to the controller, is attached to the chassis assembly.The controller is configured to process representative data of at least one of the first position and first displacement and representative data of at least one of the second position and second displacement and send a control command to the part positioning assembly in order to correct errors in the position of the part relative to the external reference.
[0005] The damping elements can be formed from an elastomeric material. The first positioning measurement assembly and the second positioning measurement assembly are fixed to each other but dynamically decoupled from each other in at least one degree of freedom. The vibration control assembly comprises a plurality of vibration damping assemblies (Page 2 of 25), each vibration damping assembly having a first support, a second support, and a damping element positioned between the first and second supports, where the first support is fixed to the part positioning assembly and the second support is fixed to the frame assembly.
[0006] In another embodiment, the motion-compensated positioning system includes a workpiece positioning assembly comprising a movable base and a movable platform having a fixed portion and a movable portion configured to support the workpiece, and a frame assembly supporting the workpiece positioning assembly. The system further includes a vibration control assembly positioned between the frame assembly and the workpiece positioning assembly, the vibration control assembly comprising a plurality of vibration dampers configured to undergo elastic deformation in response to a reaction force due to the acceleration of the movable portion of the movable platform, wherein the vibration control assembly is configured to reduce the transmission of vibrations from the workpiece positioning assembly to the frame assembly.The system further includes a first position measurement set configured to measure a first position of the part positioning set in a first degree of freedom and to transmit representative data of the first position to a controller, and a second position measurement set configured to measure a second position of the part positioning set in a second degree of freedom and to transmit representative data of the second position to the controller, in which the controller is configured to process the representative data of the first position and the representative data of the second position and to send one or more control commands to the part positioning set in order to correct part position errors. Brief description of the drawings
[0007] Various embodiments of a motion compensation and vibration control positioning system will be described in more detail with the help of the attached drawings. Page 3 of 25
[0008] Figure 1 shows a schematic of an embodiment of a motion compensation and vibration control positioning system next to a wafer processing equipment.
[0009] Figure 2 shows a schematic of the embodiment of a motion compensation and vibration control positioning system shown in Figure 1.
[0010] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of a motion compensation and vibration control positioning system shown in Figure 2.
[0011] Figure 4 shows a view of the embodiment of a vibration damping assembly illustrated in Figure 2.
[0012] Figure 5 shows another view of the embodiment of a vibration damping assembly illustrated in Figure 4.
[0013] Figure 6A shows another view of the embodiment of a vibration control assembly illustrated in Figure 4.
[0014] Figure 6B shows another view of the vibration control assembly illustrated in Figure 4.
[0015] Figure 7 shows a detailed view of the embodiment of a motion compensation and vibration control positioning system illustrated in Figure 2.
[0016] Figure 8 shows a detailed view of another embodiment of a motion compensation and vibration control positioning system illustrated in Figure 2.
[0017] Figure 9 shows a plan view of one embodiment of a motion measurement assembly illustrated in Figure 2.
[0018] Figure 10 shows an elevation view of the embodiment of a motion measurement assembly illustrated in Figure 9.
[0019] Figure 11 shows another detailed view of the embodiment of a motion compensation and vibration control positioning system illustrated in Figure 2. Page 4 of 25
[0020] Figure 12A shows a view of the wafer processing system and a processing head emitting a processing beam propagating towards the part, as illustrated in Figure 1.
[0021] Figure 12B shows a graph representing the vibrations of the support surface illustrated in Figure 2 and the proportion of these vibrations that is transmitted to the part.
[0022] Figure 13 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of the motion compensation and vibration control positioning system illustrated in Figure 2.
[0023] Figure 14 shows a side view of the embodiment of the motion compensation and vibration control positioning system illustrated in Figure 2.
[0024] Figure 15 shows another side view of the embodiment of the motion compensation and vibration control positioning system illustrated in Figure 2.
[0025] Figure 16 shows a close-up view of the damper assemblies of the motion compensation and vibration control positioning system illustrated in Figure 2.
[0026] Figure 17 shows another close-up view of the damper assemblies of the motion compensation and vibration control positioning system illustrated in Figure 2. Detailed description
[0027] Examples of embodiments are described here with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the dimensions, positions, etc., of components, features, elements, etc., as well as the distances between them, are not necessarily to scale and may be exaggerated for clarity. In the drawings, identical numbers refer to identical elements within the assembly. Thus, identical or similar numbers may be described with reference to other drawings, even if they are neither mentioned nor described in the corresponding drawing. Similarly, even elements that are not Page 5 of 25, designated by reference numbers, can be described with reference to other drawings.
[0028] The terminology used here is intended solely to describe particular embodiments by way of example and is not meant to be exhaustive. Unless otherwise indicated, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as that commonly understood by a person skilled in the art. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include both the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the terms "at least one," "at least one," and "one or more" may include both the singular and plural forms, depending on the context.It should be noted that the terms "includes" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of the indicated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Unless otherwise specified, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, one element may be called the "first element," and similarly, another element may be called the "second element," or vice versa.
[0029] Unless otherwise specified, relative spatial terms, such as "below," "under," "lower," "above," "superior," "opposite," and the like, may be used here to facilitate the description of the relationship of one element or feature to another, as illustrated in the figures. It should be noted that relative spatial terms are intended to encompass different orientations in addition to the one shown in the figures. For example, if an object in the figures is flipped, elements described as being "below" or "under" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" those other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both an above and below orientation.An object can be oriented differently (for example, rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the relative spatial descriptors used here can be interpreted accordingly. A set of reference axes (for example, X, Y, Z), of... Page 6 of 25 directions or coordinates, and rotation about them (e.g., 0X, 0Y, 0Z) may be included in the figures to orient the reader and aid in understanding the figures and specification, and do not necessarily indicate that a particular feature or element is aligned with, or orthogonal to, another feature or element.
[0030] The paragraph numbers used here are for organizational purposes only and, unless explicitly stated otherwise, should not be construed as limiting the subject matter described. It should be noted that many different forms, implementations, and combinations are possible without departing from the spirit and teachings of this disclosure, and therefore this disclosure should not be interpreted as limited to the examples of implementations presented here. Rather, these examples and implementations are provided to make this disclosure exhaustive and complete, and to convey the scope of the disclosure to those versed in art.
[0031] This invention reduces the transmission of energy generated by a motion system (a workpiece positioning system) to its environment, thereby mitigating vibrations that could impact surrounding equipment, and vice versa. Furthermore, it ensures the precise positioning of an object (for example, a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer) transported by the turntable or other positioning system within a reference frame fixed to the floor or factory floor. This system limits the transmission of kinetic energy from a positioning system to its support. To achieve this, the granite base on which the positioning system rests is decoupled from its support frame, which is fixed to the floor. The innovation lies in the decoupling system, which effectively reduces energy transmission while ensuring the spatial positioning of a point of interest located on the moving part of the positioning system.The system incorporates elastomer components that absorb and dissipate kinetic energy by converting it into heat, thereby reducing the propagation of vibrations from the source (the positioning system) to its surroundings. These elastomers also provide damping, reducing the intensity of oscillations and minimizing any resonance within the system. Furthermore, a measurement system (e.g., an absolute encoder) is integrated to detect the displacements of the granite and the positioning system in the X and Y directions. These measurements are used to compensate for the position of the moving part of the positioning system, thus reducing or preventing any positioning errors.
[0032] When processing parts (such as semiconductor wafers) that require very high precision and a high production rate, it is necessary to isolate the part from factory floor vibrations. Furthermore, at least some of the vibrations from the factory floor must be damped before reaching the part. Vibration isolation and damping equipment typically requires the movement of some mass and the deformation of elastic elements. Therefore, vibration isolation and damping equipment can lead to positioning errors of the part relative to the processing equipment when the part and its associated motion control equipment are accelerated or decelerated. For example, when the workpiece and its support are moved from an initial position relative to a processing beam or inspection camera, they are accelerated (also known as "stepping").As they approach their second position, they are decelerated to a stop (also known as "stabilization"). For example, in high-volume semiconductor wafer processing, the stabilization time required for the workpiece and its support is measured in milliseconds. The reaction force that moves the motion base (whose mass is significantly greater than that of the workpiece and workpiece support) is longer than the stabilization time of the workpiece and workpiece support. Because the motion base is always moving, positioning errors of the wafer relative to the processing beam can occur.
[0033] Figure 1 shows a schematic of an embodiment of a motion-compensated positioning system 1000 next to a wafer processing system 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the wafer processing system 50 includes a processing head 52 configured to perform at least one processing operation on the workpiece 80. In this embodiment, the processing head 52 is a laser source that emits a processing beam 60 directed at the workpiece 80. In other embodiments of Page 8 of 25. In this embodiment, the processing head 52 can be a photographic inspection system (e.g., for lithographic inspection), a wafer bonding system, or any other equipment from a wide variety of options. The wafer processing system 50 is supported by a support surface 10 (e.g., a factory floor). In the illustrated embodiment, the motion-compensated positioning system 1000 (also referred to herein as "system 1000") comprises a part positioning assembly 100, a vibration control assembly 200, and a plurality of position measurement systems 300 (although only one position measurement system 300 is shown), all supported by a frame assembly 400, which is in turn supported by the support surface 10. The part positioning assembly 100 is supported by the vibration control assembly 200, which is supported by the frame assembly 400.The position measurement system 300 is positioned between the part positioning assembly 100 and the chassis assembly 400. The position measurement system 300 is used to measure the absolute position of the part positioning assembly 100 in several directions.
[0034] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the system 1000 illustrated in Figure 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 1000 comprises the workpiece positioning assembly 100, the vibration control assembly 200, and the position measurement systems 300, all supported by the frame assembly 400, which is in turn supported by the support surface 10. The workpiece positioning assembly 100 (also referred to as "assembly 100" in this document) includes a movable stage 120 having a moving part 124 mounted on a fixed part 122. In various embodiments, the movable stage 120 may include one or more linear motors configured to position the moving part 124 relative to the fixed part 124 with one or more degrees of freedom. The movable stage 120 may also include a rotating platform configured to position the workpiece 80 with one or more angular degrees of freedom.Those versed in the art will understand that the 120 moving plate can include any of a wide variety of motion control components or systems with a wide variety of actuators (linear, rotary, etc.). Page 9 of 25
[0035] The fixed part 122 is mounted on a movable base 110 (for example, a granite block or other structure) having a lower surface 112. A workpiece support 130 is attached to the movable part 124. In some embodiments, the workpiece 80 is attached directly to the movable part 124. The movable base 110 is supported by the vibration control assembly 200 (also referred to herein as "assembly 200") which comprises a plurality of vibration damping assemblies 220 (also referred to herein as "damper assemblies 220" or "dampers 220"), each comprising an upper support 222, a lower support 224 and a damping element 226 (illustrated in Figures 4 to 6B). In the illustrated embodiment, the part support 130 is an electrostatic mandrel configured to support a semiconductor wafer, for example for wafer processing or wafer-to-wafer bonding.In other embodiments, the part support 130 is configured to support a printed circuit board (PCB) being processed.
[0036] The workpiece positioning assembly 100 is used to position the workpiece 80 in any one of six degrees of freedom (DoF) (e.g., ±X, ±Y, ±Z, 9X, 9Y, and 9Z) relative to the processing beam or another external datum, with reference to the illustrated coordinate system. Positioning the workpiece 80 is often performed at high speeds, which requires that the workpiece 80 and the components of the assembly 100 undergo significant accelerations that result in reaction forces between the assembly 100 and the frame assembly 400. These accelerations and other movements of the assembly 100 cause vibrations that must not be communicated or transmitted to the support surface 10.The vibration isolation and damping functions of the vibration control assembly 200 prevent the transmission of vibrations between the chassis assembly 400 and the part positioning assembly 100, while ensuring the damping of these vibrations.
[0037] The position measurement system 300 comprises a first position measurement assembly 310 fixed to the surface 112 and a second position measurement assembly 330 fixed to one or more support surfaces 412 described in more detail below. The measurement assemblies 310 and 330 are configured and operate to measure the position, displacement, velocity, or acceleration of assembly 100 and to send representative data of these measurements to a controller 500 via a conduit 510.
[0038] The chassis assembly 400 can be supplied in several configurations. In one embodiment, the chassis assembly 400 comprises a chassis 410 supported by a base support 420, which is in turn supported by the support surface 10. In one embodiment, the chassis 410 can be supplied as a solid block of granite or as a honeycomb-core optical tray. In other embodiments, the frame 410 can be supplied as vertical metal tubular sections with plates or caps 412 (see the examples of embodiments of this frame 410 with a plate / cap 412 shown in Figures 6 to 11, 16, and 17). The plates / caps 412 may also be referred to here as "support plates 412" or "support surfaces 412."
[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the vibration control assembly 200 is configured or operates to perform one or more functions. For example, in one embodiment, the assembly 200 can prevent the transmission of vibrations (i.e., perform a vibration isolation function) from the assembly 100 to the support surface 10 and, by extension, to the insert processing system 50, and vice versa.
[0040] Figure 3 shows another view of the system 1000, comprising the workpiece positioning assembly 100 with the moving platform 120 supported by the moving base 110. In this embodiment, the fixed part 122 is the stator and the moving part 124 is the rotor of a linear motor 126 configured to move the workpiece support 130 (illustrated in Figures 1 and 2) in order to position the workpiece support 130. The position measuring assemblies 310 and 330 are located between the multiple vibration damping assemblies 220, as illustrated. Figure 3 shows the vibration control assemblies located under each corner of the moving base 110.In the illustrated embodiment, the first position measurement set 310 is configured to measure the displacement and position of the moving base 110 in the degree of freedom ±X, and the second position measurement set 330 is configured to measure the displacement and position of the moving base 110 in the degree of freedom ±Y. The measured positions can be... Page 1 of 25 relative or absolute positions. The position measurements can be used to calculate the accelerations of the moving base 110. In some embodiments, the position measurement assemblies 310, 330 can also support the weight of the part positioning assembly 100, by transmitting the load from the part positioning assembly to the frame 410.
[0041] Figure 4 shows a view of an example embodiment of the vibration damping assembly 220 positioned between the mobile base 110 and the chassis 410 before the weight of the assembly 100 rests upon it. In the illustrated example, the vibration damping assembly 220 comprises an upper support 222, a lower support 224, and a damping element 226 mechanically fixed to the supports 222 and 224 and in thermal communication with them. The upper support 222 is fixed to the surface 112 of the mobile base 110, and the lower support 224 is fixed to the bearing surface 412 of the chassis 410.In the illustrated embodiment, the damping element 226 has a cylindrical cross-section with a radius 228 and is formed from an elastomeric material configured to deform in any one of the six degrees of freedom described above relative to the assembly 100 in response to the forces from the weight of the workpiece 80 and the assembly 100, and to the acceleration of the assembly 100 when the assembly 100 moves the workpiece 80 relative to the processing beam 60 or any other external datum. In other embodiments, the damping element may have a rectangular cross-section or a cross-section of any shape from a wide variety of shapes. The damping element 226 is configured to deform elastically when subjected to these mechanical forces. The elastic properties of the damping element 226 include the ability to absorb and dissipate mechanical energy as thermal energy that radiates into the surrounding environment or is conducted to and absorbed by the supports 222 and 224.
[0042] Figure 5 shows a view of the vibration damping assembly 220 supported by the plate / surface 412 as it deforms under the force (in the -Z direction) exerted by the weight of the assembly 100, resulting in a vertical displacement 230 (e.g., in the -Z direction) of the upper support 222. The upper support 222 transmits the force through the damping element 226 and the lower support 224 to the frame 410. The vertical displacement of the upper element 222 causes a bulge 232 (illustrated by an increase in radius 228) and an increase in the cross-sectional area of the damping element 226.
[0043] Figure 6A shows a view of the vibration damping assembly 220 when it deforms under the weight of the workpiece 80 and the assembly 100, and when it deforms under the effect of a reaction force F caused by an acceleration of the assembly 100. In this illustration, the reaction force F is exerted in the +X direction by the movable base 110 in response to the acceleration of the workpiece 80 and the assembly 100 in the -X direction. The reaction force F causes a lateral deflection of the damping element 226, creating an offset 234 between the upper support 222 and the lower support 224, in addition to the bulge 232 of the damping element 226.
[0044] Figure 6B shows a view of the vibration damper assembly 220 when it deforms under the effect of a reaction force F caused by an acceleration of the workpiece 80 and the assembly 100 in embodiments where the mass of the assembly 100 is supported by the vibration control assemblies 200. As also described above with reference to Figure 6A, in this illustration the reaction force F is exerted in the +X direction by the moving base 110 in response to the acceleration of the workpiece 80 and the assembly 100 in the -X direction. The reaction force F causes a lateral deflection and elastic deformation of the damping element 226, creating a displacement 234 between the upper support 222 and the lower support 224. As the weight of the assembly 100 is supported by the position measuring system 300, there is no bulge in the damping element 226.
[0045] Figure 7 shows a plan view of the surface 412 of the frame 410 with an embodiment of the vibration control assembly 200 installed on it. In the illustrated embodiment, the assembly 200 comprises three groups of three damper assemblies 220. In other embodiments, the assembly 200 may comprise three groups of four damper assemblies 220. Two groups of three damper assemblies 220 are located in the respective corners of the support 410, while a third damper assembly 220 is located in an inside corner and offset from one side of the surface 412. This Page 3 of 25 may be chosen as the arrangement because three points define a plane, so that, strictly speaking, a fourth group of three damper assemblies 220 may not be necessary or may prove redundant. In other embodiments, the vibration control assembly 200 may comprise three groups of two damper assemblies 220 or a total of three vibration damper assemblies 220, depending on the requirements for weight support and energy dissipation, dynamic response to reaction forces, vibration damping, or vibration isolation. In other embodiments, the damper assemblies 220 may be positioned anywhere between the mobile base 110 and the chassis 410. In this embodiment, the weight of the assembly 100 is supported by three position measurement assemblies 300 located between the damper assemblies 220.
[0046] In other embodiments, to focus on motion compensation and kinetic energy dissipation, it is desirable to avoid the Z forces applied to the damping elements 226. This allows the damper assemblies 220 to apply only stiffness to the lateral kinetic energy dissipation (e.g., ±X and ±Y). This is achieved by stacking the first and second position measuring assemblies 310 and 330 in perpendicular directions, e.g., X and Y, to support the weight of the motion equipment carrying the workpiece 80. These position measuring assemblies 310 and 330 can be placed between the damper assemblies 220, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.
[0047] Figure 8 shows a plan view of the frame 410 with an alternative embodiment of the vibration control assembly 200 installed on it. In this embodiment, the assembly 200 comprises four groups of three damper sets 220 located in the respective corners of the frame 410 and supported by the surfaces 412. This arrangement can be chosen so that each corner of the part positioning assembly 100 is supported identically. In other embodiments, the vibration control assembly 200 can comprise four groups of two damper sets 220 or four groups of four damper sets 220 (located in the respective corners of the surface 412), depending on the requirements for load capacity, dynamic response to reaction forces, vibration damping, or vibration isolation.In other embodiments, the shock absorber assemblies 220 can be positioned at any location between the mobile base 110 and the chassis 410. In the illustrated embodiment, a position measurement system 300 is located on each of the support surfaces 412.
[0048] Figures 9 and 10 show detailed views of a position measurement system 300. To best describe the operation of the position measurement system 300, the vibration damping assemblies 220 are not shown. The position measurement system 300 comprises a first position measurement assembly 310 and a second position measurement assembly 330. In the illustrated embodiment, the first position measurement assembly 310 comprises a first linear guide rail 312, a first carriage 314, and a first encoder 316. In this embodiment, the first encoder 316 is provided as an absolute linear encoder. In other embodiments, the first encoder 316 is provided as a relative linear encoder. The first guide rail 312 is fixed to the surface 112 of the movable base 110 (as optimally illustrated in Figure 10). The first carriage 314 is slidably connected to the first guide rail 312 and is operational to slide along the first guide rail 312 in the degree of freedom ±X when the moving part 122 of the assembly 100 (as described above with reference to Figures 2-3 and below with reference to Figures 13-15) accelerates in the degree of freedom ±X relative to the chassis 410.The first encoder 316 is fixed to the surface 112 of the moving base 110 (as optimally illustrated in Figure 10) and serves to detect the position and displacement of the first carriage 314, either in absolute terms or relative to another object or reference point (e.g., the first guide rail 312). The first encoder 316 is further configured to transmit representative position data (e.g., Pi, P2, P3, P4, etc.) and / or displacement data (e.g., D1, D2, D3, D4, etc.) of the first carriage 314 to the controller 500. The representative position / displacement data of the first carriage 314 can be used by the controller 500 to calculate the velocities or accelerations of any of the components, assemblies, or systems of the system 1000.In other embodiments, moreover, if the part positioning assembly 100 includes a rotating stage (for example, moving the insert 80 in the degree of freedom ±0Z), a rotation measurement is. On page 5 of 25, a rotary encoder (not shown) can be positioned between the moving base 110 and the frame 410 if, for example, a rotary stage or similar device is included in the moving part 124 of the part positioning assembly 100 to position the part 80 in the degree of freedom ±0Z and the reaction forces resulting from the acceleration ±0Z of the part 80 and the part support 130 cause residual movements of the moving base 110 that must be measured and canceled. Figures 3 and 12 to 15 show several position measuring systems 300 (for example, one between each corner of the moving base 110 and the frame 410), although in other embodiments, only one position measuring system 300 is required for correct operation.
[0049] The second position measurement assembly 330 comprises a second linear guide rail 332, a second carriage 334, and a second encoder 336. In this embodiment, the first encoder 316 is provided as an absolute linear encoder. In other embodiments, the first encoder 316 is provided as a relative linear encoder. In this embodiment, the second guide rail 332 is fixed to the surface 412 of the frame 410. The second carriage 334 is slidably connected to the second guide rail 332 and is configured to slide along the second guide rail 332 in the degree of freedom ±Y when the fixed part 122 of the assembly 100 accelerates in the degree of freedom ±Y relative to the frame 410.The second encoder 336 is fixed to the surface 412 of the chassis 410 and is configured to detect the position and displacement of the second carriage 334, either in absolute terms or with respect to another object or reference (for example, the second guide rail 332). The second encoder 336 is further configured to transmit data representing the position (e.g., Pi, P2, P3, P4, etc.) and / or displacement (e.g., D1, D2, D3, D4, etc.) of the second carriage 334 to the controller 500. The position / displacement data of the first carriage 334 can be used by the controller 500 to calculate the velocities or accelerations of any of the components, assemblies, or systems of the system 1000. The first carriage 314 and the second carriage 334 are not driven by actuators: they are free to slide along their linear guide rails.The carriages 314 and 334 are mechanically fixed to each other, but due to the configuration of the first position measuring set 310 and the second measuring set. Page 6 of position 330, they are "dynamically decoupled" from each other (that is, they are both free to move along their linear guide rails while being coupled together). Thus, when the first carriage 314 moves along the first guide rail 312 only in the degree of freedom ±X, the second carriage 334 does not move along the second guide rail 332, and when the second carriage 334 moves along the second guide rail 332 only in the degree of freedom ±Y, the first carriage 314 does not move along the second guide rail. When the assembly 100 moves in both degrees of freedom ±X and ±Y, the first and second carriages 314, 334 can move respectively along their respective guide rails 312, 332 and move respectively relative to their respective encoders 316, 336.
[0050] In embodiments of the system 1000 where the mass of the part positioning assembly 100 is supported by the vibration damping assemblies 220 (which causes the bulges 232 of the damping elements 226), the first carriage 314 and the second carriage 334 are coupled in the degrees of freedom ±X and ±Y, but are decoupled in the degree of freedom ±Z, so that no vibration is communicated or transmitted between the part positioning assembly 100 and the chassis assembly 400 (and on the support surface 10). In embodiments of system 1000 where the mass of the part positioning assembly 100 is supported by the positioning measurement systems 300, which does not cause any bulging of the damping elements 226, as illustrated in Figure 6B, the first carriage 314 and the second carriage 334 are coupled in the degrees of freedom ±X, ±Y and ±Z.In this embodiment, the damping elements 226 are used to dissipate the energy due to the XY movement of the part positioning assembly 100, and the vibrations are transmitted between the part positioning assembly 100 and the chassis assembly 400 (and into the support surface 10).
[0051] During the operation of system 1000, when the mobile base 110 accelerates in both the ±X and ±Y degrees of freedom relative to the chassis 410, the position and displacement data from the encoders 316 and 336 are sent to the controller 500 so that it can calculate the correction factors used by the controller 500 to control the entire system. Page 7 of 25 part positioning 100 to ensure correct positioning of part 80 relative to the processing beam 60 or to another external reference.
[0052] Figure 11 shows a perspective view of the plurality of damper assemblies 220, the first position measuring assembly 310, and the second position measuring assembly 330 of the system 1000. As illustrated, the damper assemblies 220 include the upper support 222 fixed to the surface 112 of the moving base 110 and the lower support 224 fixed to the surface 412 of the frame 410. The first position measuring assembly 310 includes the first linear guide rail 312 fixed to the surface 112 and the first carriage 314 slidably mounted on the first guide rail 312. The first encoder 316 is not shown.The components of the second position measurement assembly 330 are shown, with the second linear guide rail 332 fixed to the surface 412 of the frame 410, the second carriage 334 slidably mounted on the first guide rail 312, and the second encoder 336 mounted on the surface 412 adjacent to the second carriage 334 in order to collect data concerning the position and displacement of the second carriage 334 along the second guide rail 332. Figures 12A to 17 show views of the various assemblies described above with respect to system 1000.
[0053] Figure 12A shows a view of the wafer processing system 50 and the processing head 52 emitting a processing beam 60 propagating towards the workpiece 80 supported by the system 1000. Figure 12B shows a graph of the vibrations communicated or transmitted between the workpiece positioning assembly 100 and the support surface 10 (and vice versa). The communicated or transmitted vibrations are less than the vibration criteria curve VC-C represented by the dashed line. As is known in the art, vibration criteria (VC) curves are based on a set of absolute velocity spectra per one-third-octave band. The VC-C curve represents the amount of vibration appropriate for lithographic inspection and other semiconductor wafer manufacturing processes.
[0054] Figure 13 shows a perspective view of the system 1000, in particular of the part positioning assembly 100 which includes the mobile base 110, the mobile plate 120 comprising the fixed part 122 and the mobile part 124 mounted on the Page 8 of 25 mobile base 110, wherein the workpiece positioning assembly 100 is configured to position the workpiece support 130 and, thus, the workpiece 80 relative to an external reference such as the processing beam 60 or the inspection camera, as described above. The vibration control assembly 200, mounted on top of the frame assembly 400, supports the workpiece positioning assembly 100, and the position measurement system 300, installed between the frame assembly 400 and the workpiece positioning assembly 100, measures the position (absolute and / or relative) and displacement of the workpiece positioning assembly 100 relative to the frame assembly 400 when the moving part 124 accelerates during the positioning of the workpiece 80.
[0055] Figure 14 shows a side view of the system 1000 in which the moving part 124 of the moving plate 120 accelerates in the +X direction relative to the fixed part 122 (accelerated by the linear motors of the workpiece positioning assembly 100) during the positioning of the workpiece 80 (supported by the workpiece support 130) relative to the machining beam 60 emitted by the machining head 52. The force accelerating the moving part 124 in the +X direction results in a reaction force exerted on the workpiece positioning assembly 100 in the -X direction. This reaction force causes elastic deformation of the damping elements 226 of the vibration damping assemblies 220. The elastic deformation of the damping elements 226 results in a restoring force exerted on the workpiece positioning assembly 100 in the +X direction by the vibration damping assemblies 220.
[0056] Figure 15 shows a side view of the workpiece positioning assembly 100, the vibration control assembly 200, and the position measurement systems 300. For example, the fixed part 122 and the moving part 124 of the workpiece positioning assembly 100 are shown as they position the workpiece 80 relative to the machining beam 60. The vibration control assembly 200 absorbs the energy generated by the strong acceleration (e.g., in the degrees of freedom ±X and ±Y) of the moving part 124 of the workpiece positioning assembly 100 relative to the fixed part 122.The positioning system 300 can be described as a "dual feedback loop system" because it uses the first positioning assembly 310 and the second positioning assembly 330 to generate real-time Pagel 9 position data to adjust the position of the workpiece 80 to compensate for the residual movement of the moving base 110 under the restoring force exerted by the damper assemblies 220 (as also described above with reference to Figures 13 and 14). Thus, the workpiece 80 maintains an exact relative position with respect to the external reference (the machining beam 60 or the inspection camera). This allows for rapid settling times for the workpiece positioning assembly 100.
[0057] Figure 16 shows a close-up view of the plurality of shock absorber assemblies 220 that support the movable base 110. The bulge 232 of the damping element 226 is clearly visible, as well as the offset 234 between the central axes of the upper support 222 and the lower support 224 due to the reaction force exerted by the part positioning assembly 100 on the shock absorber assemblies 220. The first guide rail 312, the second guide rail 332 and the second encoder 336 of the position measurement system 300 are also shown.
[0058] Figure 17 shows a close-up view of a vibration damping assembly 200 with the damping element 226 which provides the damping. The position measurement system 300 with the encoder 336 which measures the position of the mobile base 110 relative to the chassis 410 is also shown.
[0059] The foregoing illustrates embodiments and examples of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting. Although some specific embodiments and examples have been described with reference to the drawings, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications to the described embodiments and examples, as well as to other embodiments, are possible without significantly departing from the innovative teachings and advantages of the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications to the subject matter described herein are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.For example, those skilled in the art will understand that the object of any sentence, paragraph, example, or embodiment can be combined with the object of some or all of the other sentences, paragraphs, examples, or embodiments, except where such combinations are mutually exclusive. The scope of the present invention must therefore... Page 20 of 25 to be determined by the following claims, the equivalents of the claims to be included therein. Page 21 of 25
Claims
Demands 1. A motion-compensating positioning system (1000) configured to correct positioning errors of a part (80) relative to an external reference, comprising: a part positioning assembly (100) comprising: a mobile base (110); and a mobile plate (120) comprising a fixed part (124) and a mobile part (122) configured to support the part (80); a vibration control assembly (200) supporting the part positioning assembly (100), in which the vibration control assembly (200) comprises a plurality of damping elements (226) configured to undergo elastic deformation in response to a reaction force due to the acceleration of the moving part (122) of the moving plate (120); a chassis assembly (400) supporting the vibration control assembly (200); a first positioning measurement set (310) attached to the part positioning set (100) and configured to measure a first position (Pi) and a first displacement (Di) of the part positioning set (100) in a first degree of freedom (±X) and provide representative data of at least one of the first position (Pi) and the first displacement (Di) to a controller (500); and a second position measurement assembly (330) fixed to the chassis assembly (400) and configured to measure a second position (P2) and a second displacement (D2) of the part positioning assembly (100) in a second degree of freedom (±Y) and to transmit representative data of at least one of the second position (P2) and the second displacement (D2) to the controller (500), in which the controller (500) is configured to process representative data of at least one of the first position (Pi) and the first displacement (D1) and representative data of at least one of the second position (P2) and the second displacement (D2) and send a command of Page 22 of 25 control to the part positioning assembly (100) in order to correct errors in the position of the part (80) relative to the external reference.
2. Motion compensation positioning system according to claim 1, in which the damping element(s) (226) are formed from an elastomeric material.
3. Motion-compensated positioning system according to claim 1, wherein the first positioning measurement set (310) and the second positioning measurement set (330) are fixed to each other but dynamically decoupled from each other with at least one degree of freedom.
4. Motion compensation positioning system according to claim 1, wherein the vibration control assembly (200) comprises a plurality of vibration damping assemblies (220), each vibration damping assembly (220) comprising a first support (222), a second support (224) and a damping element (226) positioned between the first support (222) and the second support (224), wherein the first support (222) is fixed to the part positioning assembly (100) and the second support (224) is fixed to the chassis assembly (400).
5. Positioning system (1000), comprising: a part positioning assembly (100) comprising: a mobile base (110); and a mobile plate (120) comprising a fixed part (124) and a mobile part (122) configured to support a part (80); a vibration control assembly (200) supporting the part positioning assembly (100), in which the vibration control assembly (200) comprises a plurality of vibration dampers (220) configured to undergo elastic deformation in response to a reaction force due to the acceleration of the moving part (122) of the moving plate (120), Page 23 of 25 in which the vibration control assembly (200) is configured to reduce the transmission of vibrations from the part positioning assembly (100) to the chassis assembly (400); a chassis assembly (400) supporting the vibration control assembly (200); a first position measurement assembly (310) configured to measure a first position (Pi) of the part positioning assembly (100) along a first degree of freedom and to transmit data representative of the first position (Pi) to a controller (500); and a second position measurement assembly (330) configured to measure a second position (P2) of the part positioning assembly (100) according to a second degree of freedom and to transmit data representative of the second position (P2) to the controller (500), in which the controller (500) is configured to process the representative data of the first position (Pi) and the representative data of the second position (P2) and send one or more control commands to the part positioning assembly (100) in order to correct errors in the position of the part (80). Page 24 of 25