Substrate Alignment via Optical Corner Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for aligning and transporting substrates often damage fragile edges due to direct contact during alignment and require additional process steps for quality control, which is inefficient and increases the risk of edge damage.
Innovation Solution
A substrate pick-up system that moves and rotates the substrate in the XY-plane relative to reference coordinates, using an image detecting means to determine position and angular differences, allowing precise alignment and edge inspection without contacting the edges, and a line scanning camera for cost-efficient reception control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the substrate pick-up contacts the side surface of the substrate for alignment, then the alignment precision is improved, but the substrate edges are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical contact-based alignment with optical measurement. Image detecting means capture substrate images, and evaluating means calculate position and orientation data to determine alignment deviations. The substrate pick-up then adjusts position based on these calculations, achieving precise alignment without mechanical contact with the edges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces image detecting means and evaluating means as intermediaries between the substrate pick-up and the substrate. Instead of direct mechanical contact for alignment, the system uses optical images to measure substrate position and orientation, then calculates required adjustments. This intermediary measurement system enables precise alignment while preventing edge damage.
2Reliability
If additional process steps are added for edge inspection and quality control, then the quality control capability is improved, but the production efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the alignment function and quality inspection function into a single integrated process. The same image detecting means used for alignment also captures substrate images for quality inspection. The evaluating means simultaneously determine both alignment data and quality status, eliminating the need for separate inspection process steps and maintaining high production efficiency while ensuring quality control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the image detecting means and evaluating means multi-functional. These components serve dual purposes: they enable precise alignment by measuring substrate position and orientation, and simultaneously perform quality inspection by detecting edge defects and substrate integrity. This multi-functionality eliminates redundant equipment and process steps.
3Reliability
If the substrate is rotated multiple times for complete edge inspection, then the inspection completeness is improved, but the transport time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous substrate transport while performing rotation and inspection. The substrate pick-up rotates the substrate during transport without stopping the production flow. Image detection and evaluation occur continuously during the rotation and transport process, ensuring complete edge inspection while minimizing additional time. The substrate is laid down immediately after inspection without separate handling steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise alignment and quality control of substrates during transport, avoiding edge damage and eliminating the need for additional process steps, with the ability to detect defects and sort out unusable substrates efficiently.
Implementation Method 1
An image detecting means detects a corner of the substrate. Then, the position coordinates and the angular position of the corner of the substrate are determined.
Implementation Method 2
A substrate pick-up (e.g. a suction device) can hold (suck) a polygonal, flat (preferably square) substrate in the center.
Implementation Method 3
the substrates are illuminated from the bottom by means of an illuminating device. A line scanning camera can detect hairline cracks and defective areas on the substrate based on the shining through light.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a device for aligning substrates (2) in an XY-plane. A polygonal, flat substrate (2), the substrate plane of which is parallel to the XY-plane or lies in the XY-plane, is aligned with respect to reference coordinates and a reference angular position in the XY-plane. A corner (12) of the substrate (2) is detected using image detecting means (9). In addition, the position coordinates of the substrate (2) are determined. Using evaluating means (10), the angular position of the corner (12) of the substrate (2) in the XY-plane is determined, and the position differences between the reference coordinates and the position coordinates as well as the angle difference between the reference angular position and the angular position of the substrate corner (12) are calculated. The substrate (2) is moved and/or rotated in the XY-plane according to the determined position difference or the angle difference. By rotating the substrate (2) several times, each corner (12) and edge (13, 14) of the substrate (2) can be detected using the image detecting means (9). This enables an edge inspection during the substrate transport so that additional process steps such as laying the substrate (2) down and picking the substrate back up can be omitted.