Substrate Alignment Without Fiducial Marks Using Surface Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional alignment methods for substrates require pre-designed fiducial marks and limited space for precise alignment, which increases costs and complexity, and are not flexible enough for substrates of different specifications.
Innovation Solution
An alignment method that uses existing surface shape characteristics of substrates as fiducial marks, captured by image processing units, to calculate movement compensation values without pre-designed marks, allowing for precise alignment in limited spaces and varying substrate specifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If pre-designed fiducial marks and alignment holes are used for substrate alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but substrate space is occupied and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate's own surface shape characteristics serve as the reference for alignment, eliminating the need for separate fiducial marks. The existing structural features of the substrate itself are utilized to provide alignment information, making the substrate self-sufficient for alignment purposes without requiring additional space-consuming elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment reference function is extracted from dedicated fiducial marks and transferred to the substrate's inherent surface shape characteristics. By removing the requirement for separate alignment elements, the solution eliminates the space occupation problem while maintaining alignment precision through image processing of the substrate's own features.
2Manufacturing precision
If pre-designed fiducial marks are used for alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but manufacturing costs and work procedures increase
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate's existing surface features are utilized for alignment purposes, eliminating the need for separate fiducial mark fabrication and installation processes. This self-service approach reduces manufacturing steps and associated costs while maintaining alignment precision through digital image processing of the substrate's inherent characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment reference function is extracted from dedicated fiducial marks and transferred to the substrate's inherent surface shape characteristics. By removing the requirement for separate alignment elements, the solution eliminates additional manufacturing steps and associated costs while maintaining alignment precision through image processing of the substrate's own features.
3Manufacturing precision
If fiducial marks are pre-designed on substrates, then alignment can be performed, but the substrate design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate's own surface shape characteristics serve as the reference for alignment, eliminating the need for separate fiducial marks. The existing structural features of the substrate itself are utilized to provide alignment information, making the substrate self-sufficient for alignment purposes without requiring additional design elements that would increase complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate's surface shape characteristics serve dual purposes: maintaining the substrate's primary functional design and simultaneously providing alignment reference information. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate fiducial marks, simplifying the overall substrate design while preserving alignment capability through image processing of the substrate's inherent features.
Data Source
AI summary
An alignment method for assembling substrates in different spaces without fiducial mark and its system are provided, and the alignment method has steps of: pre-defining partially standard character regions of two substrates; capturing at least two partially actual images of two substrates in different waiting spaces, respectively; comparing to obtain at least two partially actual character regions of the two substrates, respectively; building actual coordinate systems of the two substrates, respectively; comparing the actual coordinate systems of the two substrates with each other to obtain a set of offset values; moving the two substrates from the different waiting spaces to an alignment-and-installation space based on the set of offset values and a predetermined movement value, respectively; and stacking the two substrates with each other to finish the alignment and installation in the alignment-and-installation space.