阅读说明：本技术 用于衬底传送机械手自动校正的器具 (Apparatus for automatic calibration of substrate transfer robot ) 是由 理查德·布兰克 阿拉温德·阿勒万 贝赫纳姆·贝赫兹 彼得·塔拉德 马克·E·爱默生 于 2020-02-27 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种机械手校正系统包含校正器具,其被配置成安装在衬底处理室上。所述校正器具包含至少一个相机,所述至少一个相机被设置成捕捉包含测试衬底的外缘和围绕所述测试衬底的边缘环的图像。控制器被配置成接收所捕捉的所述图像,分析所捕捉的所述图像以测量所述测试衬底的所述外缘与所述边缘环之间的距离,基于所测量出的所述距离而计算所述测试衬底的中心,并且基于所计算出的所述测试衬底的中心而校正机械手,所述机械手被配置成将衬底往返于所述衬底处理室传送。(A robot calibration system includes a calibration fixture configured to be mounted on a substrate processing chamber. The calibration fixture includes at least one camera configured to capture an image including an outer edge of a test substrate and an edge ring surrounding the test substrate. A controller is configured to receive the captured image, analyze the captured image to measure a distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring, calculate a center of the test substrate based on the measured distance, and calibrate a robot configured to transfer substrates to and from the substrate processing chamber based on the calculated center of the test substrate.)

1. A robot calibration system, comprising:

a calibration fixture configured to be mounted on a substrate processing chamber, wherein the calibration fixture comprises at least one camera configured to capture an image comprising an outer edge of a test substrate and an edge ring surrounding the test substrate; and

a controller configured to receive the captured image, analyze the captured image to measure a distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring, calculate a center of the test substrate based on the measured distance, and calibrate a robot configured to transfer substrates to and from the substrate processing chamber based on the calculated center of the test substrate.

2. The robot calibration system of claim 1, wherein the at least one camera corresponds to three cameras.

3. The robot calibration system of claim 1, wherein the robot calibration system comprises a seal compressed between the calibration fixture and the substrate processing chamber, and wherein the controller is configured to evacuate the substrate processing chamber to a vacuum when the calibration fixture is mounted on the substrate processing chamber.

4. The robot calibration system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control the at least one camera to capture the image while the substrate processing chamber is under vacuum.

5. The robot calibration system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a width of a pixel in a field of view of the at least one camera and measure the distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring based on the determined width of the pixel.

6. The robot calibration system of claim 5, wherein the test substrate includes at least one reference mark located in the field of view of the at least one camera, wherein the at least one reference mark has a known dimension, and wherein the controller is configured to determine a width of the pixel based on the known dimension.

7. The robot correction system of claim 6, wherein the at least one reference mark is a square and the known dimension is a width of the square.

8. The robot calibration system of claim 1, wherein the test substrate includes a reference line aligned with a radius of the test substrate, and wherein the controller is configured to measure the distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring at a location corresponding to the reference line.

9. The robot correction system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a correction amount based on the calculated center of the test substrate, and correct the robot based on the correction amount.

10. The robot correction system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the correction amount based on the calculated offset between the center of the test substrate and the center of the edge ring.

11. The robot calibration system of claim 1, wherein the robot is calibrated by updating a plurality of coordinates of the robot.

12. A method for calibrating a robot configured to transfer substrates to and from a substrate processing chamber having a calibration fixture mounted thereon, the calibration fixture having at least one camera, the method comprising:

capturing an image with the at least one camera, the image including an outer edge of a test substrate and an edge ring surrounding the test substrate;

analyzing the captured image to measure a distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring;

calculating a center of the test substrate based on the measured distance; and

correcting the robot based on the calculated center of the test substrate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one camera corresponds to three cameras.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising evacuating the substrate processing chamber to a vacuum.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising controlling the at least one camera to capture the image while the substrate processing chamber is under vacuum.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a width of a pixel in a field of view of the at least one camera and measuring the distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring based on the determined width of the pixel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the test substrate includes at least one reference mark located in the field of view of the at least one camera, wherein the at least one reference mark has a known dimension, and wherein a width of the pixel is determined based on the known dimension.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one reference mark is a square and the known dimension is a width of the square.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the test substrate includes a reference line aligned with a radius of the test substrate, and wherein the distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring is measured at a location corresponding to the reference line.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising calculating a correction amount based on the calculated center of the test substrate, and correcting the robot based on the correction amount.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising calculating the correction amount based on the calculated offset between the center of the test substrate and the center of the edge ring.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for calibrating a robot in a substrate processing system.

Background

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

Substrate processing systems may be used to process substrates such as semiconductor wafers. Exemplary processes that may be performed on the substrate include, but are not limited to, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), conductor etching, and/or other etching, deposition, or cleaning processes. The substrate may be disposed on a substrate support, such as a pedestal, an electrostatic chuck (ESC), or the like, in a process chamber of a substrate processing system. During etching, a gas mixture including one or more precursors may be introduced into the process chamber, and a plasma may be used to initiate chemical reactions.

Disclosure of Invention

A robot calibration system includes a calibration fixture configured to be mounted on a substrate processing chamber. The calibration fixture includes at least one camera configured to capture an image including an outer edge of a test substrate and an edge ring surrounding the test substrate. A controller is configured to receive the captured image, analyze the captured image to measure a distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring, calculate a center of the test substrate based on the measured distance, and calibrate a robot configured to transfer substrates to and from the substrate processing chamber based on the calculated center of the test substrate.

In other features, the at least one camera corresponds to three cameras. The robot alignment system includes a seal compressed between the alignment fixture and the substrate processing chamber, and the controller is configured to evacuate the substrate processing chamber to a vacuum when the alignment fixture is mounted on the substrate processing chamber. The controller is configured to control the at least one camera to capture the image while the substrate processing chamber is under vacuum.

In other features, the controller is configured to determine a width of a pixel in a field of view of the at least one camera and measure the distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring based on the determined width of the pixel. The test substrate includes at least one reference mark located in the field of view of the at least one camera, the at least one reference mark having a known dimension, and the controller is configured to determine a width of the pixel based on the known dimension. The at least one reference mark is a square and the known dimension is a width of the square.

In other features, the test substrate includes a reference line aligned with a radius of the test substrate, and the controller is configured to measure the distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring at a location corresponding to the reference line. The controller is configured to calculate a correction amount based on the calculated center of the test substrate, and update coordinates of the robot based on the correction amount. The controller is configured to calculate the correction amount based on the calculated offset between the center of the test substrate and the center of the edge ring. The manipulator is calibrated by updating a plurality of coordinates of the manipulator.

A method for aligning a robot (the robot configured to transfer substrates to and from a substrate processing chamber having an alignment fixture mounted thereon, the alignment fixture having at least one camera) comprising: capturing an image with the at least one camera, the image including an outer edge of a test substrate and an edge ring surrounding the test substrate. The method further comprises: analyzing the captured image to measure a distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring; calculating a center of the test substrate based on the measured distance; and calibrating the robot based on the calculated center of the test substrate, the robot configured to transfer the substrate to and from the substrate processing chamber.

In other features, the at least one camera corresponds to three cameras. The method also includes evacuating the substrate processing chamber to a vacuum. The method also includes controlling the at least one camera to capture the image while the substrate processing chamber is under vacuum.

In other features, the method further comprises determining a width of a pixel in a field of view of the at least one camera and measuring the distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring based on the determined width of the pixel. The test substrate includes at least one reference mark located in the field of view of the at least one camera, the at least one reference mark having a known dimension, and a width of the pixel is determined based on the known dimension. The at least one reference mark is a square and the known dimension is a width of the square.

In other features, the test substrate includes a reference line aligned with a radius of the test substrate, and wherein the distance between the outer edge of the test substrate and the edge ring is measured at a location corresponding to the reference line. The method also includes calculating a correction amount based on the calculated center of the test substrate, and correcting the robot based on the correction amount. The method also includes calculating the correction amount based on the calculated offset between the center of the test substrate and the center of the edge ring.

Further scope of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Drawings

The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary substrate processing system according to the present disclosure;

2A, 2B, 2C and 2D illustrate an exemplary calibration fixture and manipulator calibration system according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates steps of an exemplary method for calibrating a robot according to the present disclosure; and

4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D show diagrams of an exemplary corrective appliance according to the present disclosure.

In the drawings, reference numbers may be repeated to identify similar and/or identical elements.

Detailed Description

In a substrate processing system, a robot/handling device (e.g., vacuum transfer module, or VTM, robot) may be used to transfer substrates to and from a substrate support within a processing chamber. Some substrate processing systems may implement a dynamic alignment system to align a substrate on a substrate support using a robot. The substrate is aligned on the susceptor to enable more accurate grasping and/or transfer (e.g., to a processing unit) of the substrate using a robot or other tool. A notch formed in the outer edge of the substrate may be utilized to achieve substrate alignment. Various types of substrate aligners may be used to detect the position of the notch as the substrate rotates. For example, the sensor may detect the notch when the substrate is rotated slowly using the chuck. A notch position offset from the substrate is calculated based on the detected notch and provided to the robot.

The robot may be further configured to transfer the edge ring to and from the substrate support. The robot may be controlled to center the edge ring on the substrate support according to predetermined calibration data. Accurate placement of the edge ring on the substrate support can be difficult. For example, the desired position of the edge ring may be a centered position relative to the substrate support. In some examples, the robot may be configured to transfer the edge ring to a predetermined known centered position relative to the substrate support. However, placement of components of the substrate support, maintenance within the process chamber, and the like may cause the center position of the substrate support to change.

Therefore, the robot must be periodically calibrated to achieve accurate placement of the transferred substrate, edge ring, and/or other components of the substrate processing chamber. Conventional robot calibration methods may be prone to human error and system and/or process variations, such as vacuum excursions.

Robot calibration systems and methods according to the present disclosure provide a robot calibration fixture configured to measure a distance between a substrate (e.g., a test substrate) disposed on a substrate support and an edge ring and calibrate the robot accordingly. For example, the robot calibration fixture may include three or more imaging devices (e.g., cameras) configured to measure a distance from an edge of the test substrate to an edge (e.g., inner edge) of the edge ring. In one example, the robot calibration fixture contains three cameras mounted in a triangular arrangement. The test substrate may include reference marks to assist in calculating the position of the test substrate relative to the edge ring. Based on the calculation of the position of the test substrate relative to the edge ring, the system is configured to calculate adjustment information and control the robot to retrieve and replace the test substrate. The retrieval and replacement operations may be iteratively repeated until the test substrate is in the desired position to complete the calibration of the robot.

Referring now to fig. 1, an exemplary substrate processing system 100 is shown. By way of example only, the substrate processing system 100 can be used to perform etching using RF plasma and/or to perform other suitable substrate processing. Substrate processing system 100 includes a process chamber 102, process chamber 102 enclosing other components of substrate processing system 100 and containing an RF plasma. The substrate processing chamber 102 includes an upper electrode 104 and a substrate support 106, such as an electrostatic chuck (ESC). During operation, the substrate 108 is disposed on the substrate support 106. Although a particular substrate processing system 100 and chamber 102 are shown as examples, the principles of the present disclosure may be applied to other types of substrate processing systems and chambers, such as substrate processing systems that generate plasma in situ, substrate processing systems that implement remote plasma generation and delivery (e.g., using plasma tubes, microwave tubes), and so forth.

For example only, the upper electrode 104 may include a gas distribution device, such as a showerhead 109, that introduces and distributes process gas. The showerhead 109 may include a stem that includes an end configured to receive a process gas. The base portion is generally cylindrical and extends radially outward from the opposite end of the stem portion at a location spaced from the top surface of the process chamber 102. The substrate-facing surface or face plate of the base portion of the showerhead 109 includes a plurality of holes for the process or purge gas to flow through. Alternatively, the upper electrode 104 may comprise a conductive plate and the process gas may be introduced in another manner.

The substrate support 106 includes a conductive base plate 110 that serves as a lower electrode. The substrate 110 supports a ceramic layer 112. In some examples, the ceramic layer 112 may include a heating layer, such as a ceramic multi-zone heating plate. A thermal resistance layer 114 (e.g., a bonding layer) may be disposed between the ceramic layer 112 and the substrate 110. The base plate 110 may include one or more coolant channels 116 for flowing coolant through the base plate 110.

The RF generation system 120 generates and outputs an RF voltage to one of the upper electrode 104 and the lower electrode (e.g., the base plate 110 of the substrate support 106). The other of the upper electrode 104 and the substrate 110 may be DC grounded, AC grounded, or floating. By way of example only, the RF generation system 120 may include an RF voltage generator 122 that generates an RF voltage that is fed to the upper electrode 104 or the substrate 110 by a matching and distribution network 124. In other examples, the plasma may be generated inductively or remotely. Although shown for purposes of example, the RF generation system 120 corresponds to a Capacitively Coupled Plasma (CCP) system, the principles of the present disclosure may also be implemented in other suitable systems, such as, for example only, Transformer Coupled Plasma (TCP) systems, CCP cathode systems, remote microwave plasma generation and delivery systems, and the like.

The gas delivery system 130 includes one or more gas sources 132-1, 132-2, …, and 132-N (collectively gas sources 132), where N is an integer greater than zero. The gas source provides one or more precursors and mixtures thereof. The gas source may also supply a purge gas. Vaporized precursors may also be used. Gas source 132 is connected to manifold 140 by valves 134-1, 134-2, …, and 134-N (collectively referred to as valves 134) and mass flow controllers 136-1, 136-2, …, and 136-N (collectively referred to as mass flow controllers 136). The output of the manifold 140 is supplied to the process chamber 102. By way of example only, the output of the manifold 140 is supplied to the showerhead 109.

The temperature controller 142 may be connected to a plurality of heating elements 144, such as Thermal Control Elements (TCEs) disposed in the ceramic layer 112. For example, the heating elements 144 may include, but are not limited to, large heating elements corresponding to respective zones in a multi-zone heating plate and/or an array of micro-heating elements disposed across multiple zones of a multi-zone heating plate. The temperature controller 142 may be used to control a plurality of heating elements 144 to control the temperature of the substrate support 106 and the substrate 108.

The temperature controller 142 may be in communication with a coolant assembly 146 to control the flow of coolant through the passage 116. For example, coolant assembly 146 may include a coolant pump and a reservoir. The temperature controller 142 operates the coolant assembly 146 to selectively flow coolant through the channels 116 to cool the substrate support 106.

A valve 150 and pump 152 can be used to evacuate the reactants from the process chamber 102. The system controller 160 can be used to control the components of the substrate processing system 100. The robot 170 may be used to transfer substrates onto the substrate support 106 and remove substrates from the substrate support 106. For example, the robot 170 may transfer substrates between the substrate support 106 and the load lock 172. Although the temperature controller 142 is shown as a separate controller, the temperature controller 142 may be implemented within the system controller 160. In some examples, a protective seal 176 may be provided between the ceramic layer 112 and the substrate 110 around the outer perimeter of the bonding layer 114.

The substrate support 106 includes an edge ring 180. The edge ring 180 is movable (e.g., movable up and down in a vertical direction) relative to the substrate support 106. For example, the edge ring 180 may be controlled by actuators and lift pins in response to the system controller 160. In some examples, the system controller 160 and the robot 170 may be further configured to retrieve and replace the edge ring 180.

The system controller 160 according to the present invention is configured to perform calibration of the robot 170, as explained in more detail below. For example, the process chamber 102 may include a removable lid 184. The lid 184 and the spray head 109 may be separately removable. In some examples, the showerhead 109 or other upper electrode and gas distribution apparatus may be integrated into the lid 184 such that when the lid 184 is removed, the showerhead 109 is also removed from the process chamber 102. During calibration of the robot 170, a calibration fixture (not shown in FIG. 1; described in more detail below) containing an imaging device (e.g., a camera) is mounted on the process chamber 102. The imaging device is configured to measure the distance between the substrate 108 (e.g., a test substrate) and the edge ring 180 and calibrate the robot 170 accordingly.

Referring now to fig. 2A, 2B, and 2C with continued reference to fig. 1, an exemplary rectification appliance 200 according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of imaging devices, such as cameras 202. For example, each of the cameras 202 may correspond to a high resolution charge coupled device (or CCD), camera array. In this example, the rectification appliance 200 includes three cameras 202 disposed 120 degrees apart, as shown in plan view in fig. 2B.

The calibration fixture 200 is configured to be mounted on the process chamber 204 in place of the lid 184 to perform calibration of the robot 170. The calibration fixture 200 may seal the process chamber 204 with a seal (e.g., an O-ring) 206. The process chamber 204 may be evacuated to a vacuum or other desired pressure for calibration. For example, the process chamber 204 is evacuated to a vacuum pressure that is consistent with the pressure in the process chamber 204 during processing of the substrate therein. Thus, measurements for performing the corrections are taken while the process chamber 204 is under vacuum, and there are any structural deviations due to vacuum pressure (e.g., vacuum deflection of various components and surfaces within the process chamber 204). In this manner, the calibration of the robot 170 according to the present disclosure more accurately corresponds to the state of the processing chamber 204 during the actual transfer of the substrate to and from the processing chamber 204 for processing.

The cameras 202 are each positioned to capture images of the outer edge of the test substrate 208 and the inner edge of the edge ring 212 in a respective camera field of view (FOV) 216. By way of example only, the FOV216 of each of the cameras 202 is a rectangle of 18 × 22 mm. The captured images are then analyzed (e.g., by the system controller 160) to determine the distance between the test substrate 208 and the edge of the edge ring 212 in each image. The test substrate 208 may comprise the same material (e.g., silicon) as the substrate to be processed in the process chamber 204. Thus, the characteristics, weight, surface friction, etc. of the test substrate 208 under vacuum are consistent with a typical substrate to be processed in the process chamber 204. Although shown outside of the rectification appliance 200 and the camera 202, in some examples the system controller 160 and/or dedicated functional components of the system controller 160 may be integrated within one or more of the camera 202, the rectification appliance 200, and/or the like.

In some examples, the test substrate 208 may contain one or more reference marks 220 (e.g., lines aligned with radii of the test substrate 208) to assist in the analysis performed by the system controller 160. The test substrate 208 may also include a notch 224 for determining the alignment/positioning of the test substrate 208 using a suitable substrate alignment system.

The calibration fixture 200 may also include one or more measurement devices 228 and 232 for measuring the distance between the calibration fixture 200 and the test substrate 208 (and/or the upper surface of the substrate support 236) and the edge ring 212, respectively. For example, the measurement devices 228 and 232 may implement a laser transmission and sensor system. The system controller 160 may adjust measurements performed for calibration of the robot 170 to account for variations in the height, tilt, etc. of the substrate support 236 and/or edge ring 212. In some examples, the orthotic appliance 200 may include a handle 240 to assist in installing and removing the orthotic appliance 200.

In FIG. 2C, test substrate 208 is shown in a non-centered position relative to edge ring 212. The cameras 202 capture images in respective FOVs 216, and the system controller 160 analyzes the images to determine distances d1, d2, and d3 between various points on the outer periphery of the test substrate 208 and the edge ring 212. In one example, the system controller 160 determines coordinates (e.g., x, y coordinates) of various points on the outer perimeter of the test substrate 208. For example, if camera 202 is disposed at a known fixed position in calibration fixture 200, then each FOV216 of camera 202 corresponds to a known portion of the x, y coordinate system. In other words, the distances d1, d2, and d3 are measured, and thus the corresponding coordinates of three points on the outer edge of the test substrate 208 can be easily determined. The system controller 160 may then calculate the center 244 (e.g., x, y coordinates) of the circle corresponding to the test substrate 208 based on the distances d1, d2, and d3 and the coordinates of the respective points. For example, the coordinates x, y of the center 244 are calculated from (x, y) ═ f (d1, d2, d3), where f (d1, d2, d3) corresponds to any function that uses three known points on a circle to calculate the center of the circle.

The center 248 of the edge ring 212 may be known (and/or calculated in a similar manner as the center 244 of the test substrate 208). The system controller 160 calculates a correction amount dR, dT based on the difference between the coordinates x, y of the center 244 of the test substrate 208 and the center 248 of the edge ring 212. For example, the correction amount dR, dT may be calculated from (dR, dT) ═ f (x, y, R, T), where R, T corresponds to the target center position in the robot coordinate system. In other words, the system controller 160 correlates the difference between the coordinates x, y of the center 244 of the test substrate and the center 248 of the edge ring 212 with the correction amount dR, dT to be applied to the target center position R, T of the robot 170. The system controller 160 provides the corrected R, T coordinates to the robot 170. The robot 170 may then retrieve the test substrate 208 and utilize the corrected R, T coordinates to place the test substrate 208 back onto the substrate support. The determination of the center 244 of the test substrate 208, the correction of the R, T coordinates, and the retrieval and replacement of the test substrate 208 may be repeated until the center 244 of the test substrate 208 matches the center 248 of the edge ring 212.

In examples where test substrate 208 includes reference marks 220, system controller 160 is configured to analyze images captured within each FOV216 to compensate for mechanical tolerances associated with the relative positioning of calibration fixture 200, camera 202, edge ring 212, and the like. The exemplary reference mark 220 includes a reference line 252 and a reference square 256, as shown in FIG. 2D. Reference lines 252 correspond to lines on various radii of the test substrate 208. Thus, the reference line 252 intersects the center 244 of the test substrate 208. The system controller 160 analyzes the captured image to identify the reference line 252 and measures a corresponding distance d from an end point of the reference line 252 at the edge of the test substrate 208 to the edge ring 212. The system controller calculates (e.g., in an x, y coordinate system) the center 244 of the test substrate 208 based on the identified reference line 252 position and the measured distances d1, d2, and d 3.

Reference squares 256 are provided to correct the pixel size of cameras 202 within respective FOVs 216. For example, the reference square 256 has a known width (e.g., 1 × 1mm, 2 × 2mm, etc.). As shown, the reference square 256 includes a 1X 1mm square and a 2X 2mm square. In other examples, more than two reference squares 256 may be provided. In addition, shapes other than the reference square 256 may be used.

The system controller 160 analyzes the captured images to determine the number of pixels in the width of each reference square 256. Since the size of the reference square 256 is known, the width of a single pixel can be determined accordingly. For example, if a 1 × 1mm reference square contains 116.46 pixels, the width of one pixel can be calculated as 1,000/116.46 or 8.587 microns. Similarly, if a 2 × 2mm reference square contains 234.313 pixels, the width of one pixel can be calculated as 2,000/234.313 or 8.536 microns. The distances d1, d2, and d3 may then be accurately measured based on the calculated width of each pixel.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an exemplary method 300 for calibrating a robot of a substrate processing system begins at 304. At 308, a calibration fixture is mounted on the process chamber. For example, the calibration fixture includes one or more cameras configured to capture images of the process chamber area including the edge of the test substrate and the edge ring. At 312, the test substrate is transferred to a substrate support in the processing chamber using a robot. At 316, the process chamber is evacuated to a vacuum pressure. At 320, a correction appliance (e.g., responsive to a controller, such as system controller 160) captures one or more images of the edge of the test substrate and the adjacent edge of the edge ring. By way of example only, the calibration instrument captures three images with respective cameras.

At 324, the method 300 analyzes the captured image (e.g., with the system controller 160) to determine a distance between the edge of the test substrate and the edge ring. At 328, the method 300 (e.g., with the system controller 160) determines a center of the test substrate based on the determined distance. For example, the method 300 determines coordinates (e.g., in an x-y plane) of three points on the edge of the test substrate based on the determined distances and calculates the center of the test substrate based thereon. At 332, the method 300 (e.g., the system controller 160) determines whether the calculated center of the test substrate matches the center of the edge ring. If so, the method 300 determines that the calibration of the robot is complete and ends at 336. If not, method 300 continues to 340.

At 340, method 300 determines a correction amount dR, dT (e.g., using system controller 160) to correct the R, T coordinate of the robot corresponding to the nominal center point. For example, the method 300 determines the correction amount dR, dT based on the calculated difference between the center of the test substrate and the center of the edge ring. At 344, method 300 updates the R, T coordinates of the manipulator according to the determined correction amount. At 348, the method 300 (e.g., the system controller 160) controls the robot to retrieve and replace the test substrate using the corrected R, T coordinates. The method 300 then continues to 320 to repeat steps 320 through 332 until the calibration is complete (i.e., until the calculated center of the test substrate matches the center of the edge ring).

Referring now to fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D, diagrams of an exemplary corrective appliance 400 according to the present disclosure are shown. In FIG. 4D, calibration fixture 400 is shown mounted on an exemplary process chamber 404. The calibration fixture 400 includes a bottom cover plate 408 configured to be mounted to an upper end of the process chamber 404. For example, the cover plate 408 may include bolt holes configured to align with respective holes in the process chamber 404 and receive mounting bolts. The cover plate 408 may include a groove 416 configured to compress and accommodate an annular seal (e.g., an O-ring) between the cover plate 408 and the process chamber 404. The bottom surface of the cover 408 includes openings 420 corresponding to respective ones of the cameras 424. The camera 424 is disposed between the bottom cover plate 408 and the upper plate 428 of the calibration fixture 400.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps of the method may be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of the present disclosure. Furthermore, while each embodiment is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented in and/or combined with the features of any other embodiment, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and substitutions of one or more embodiments with one another remain within the scope of the present disclosure.

Various terms are used to describe spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, between semiconductor layers, etc.), including "connected," joined, "" coupled, "" adjacent, "" immediately adjacent, "" on top, "" above, "" below, "and" disposed. Unless a relationship between first and second elements is explicitly described as "direct", when such a relationship is described in the above disclosure, the relationship may be a direct relationship, in which no other intermediate elements are present between the first and second elements, but may also be an indirect relationship, in which one or more intermediate elements are present (spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, the phrase "at least one of A, B and C" should be interpreted to mean logic (a OR B OR C) using a non-exclusive logic OR (OR), and should not be interpreted to mean "at least one of a, at least one of B, and at least one of C".

In some implementations, the controller is part of a system, which may be part of the above example. Such systems may include semiconductor processing equipment including one or more processing tools, one or more chambers, one or more platforms for processing, and/or specific processing components (wafer susceptors, gas flow systems, etc.). These systems may be integrated with electronics for controlling the operation of semiconductor wafers or substrates before, during, and after their processing. The electronic device may be referred to as a "controller," which may control various components or subcomponents of one or more systems. Depending on the process requirements and/or type of system, the controller can be programmed to control any of the processes disclosed herein, including the delivery of process gases, temperature settings (e.g., heating and/or cooling), pressure settings, vacuum settings, power settings, Radio Frequency (RF) generator settings, RF matching circuit settings, frequency settings, flow rate settings, fluid delivery settings, position and operation settings, wafer transfer in and out of tools and other transfer tools, and/or load locks connected or interfaced with specific systems.

In general terms, a controller may be defined as an electronic device having various integrated circuits, logic, memory, and/or software to receive instructions, issue instructions, control operations, enable cleaning operations, enable endpoint measurements, and the like. An integrated circuit may include a chip in firmware that stores program instructions, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a chip defined as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and/or one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers that execute program instructions (e.g., software). The program instructions may be instructions that are sent to the controller in the form of various individual settings (or program files) that define operating parameters for performing specific processes on or for a semiconductor wafer or system. In some embodiments, the operating parameters may be part of a recipe defined by a process engineer to complete one or more process steps during fabrication of one or more layer(s), material, metal, oxide, silicon dioxide, surface, circuitry, and/or die of a wafer.

In some implementations, the controller can be part of or coupled to a computer that is integrated with, coupled to, otherwise networked to, or a combination of the systems. For example, the controller may be in the "cloud" or all or part of a fab (fab) host system, which may allow remote access to wafer processing. The computer may implement remote access to the system to monitor the current progress of the manufacturing operation, check the history of past manufacturing operations, check trends or performance criteria for multiple manufacturing operations, change parameters of the current process, set processing steps to follow the current process, or begin a new process. In some examples, a remote computer (e.g., a server) may provide the process recipe to the system over a network (which may include a local network or the internet). The remote computer may include a user interface that enables parameters and/or settings to be entered or programmed and then transmitted from the remote computer to the system. In some examples, the controller receives instructions in the form of data specifying parameters for each process step to be performed during one or more operations. It should be understood that the parameters may be specific to the type of process to be performed and the type of tool with which the controller is configured to interface or control. Thus, as described above, the controllers can be distributed, for example, by including one or more discrete controllers networked together and operating toward a common purpose (e.g., the processes and controls described herein). An example of a distributed controller for such a purpose is one or more integrated circuits on a chamber that communicate with one or more integrated circuits that are remote (e.g., at a platform level or as part of a remote computer), which combine to control a process on the chamber.

Example systems can include, but are not limited to, a plasma etch chamber or module, a deposition chamber or module, a spin rinse chamber or module, a metal plating chamber or module, a cleaning chamber or module, a bevel edge etch chamber or module, a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) chamber or module, a Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) chamber or module, an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) chamber or module, an Atomic Layer Etch (ALE) chamber or module, an ion implantation chamber or module, a track chamber or module, and any other semiconductor processing system that can be associated with or used in the manufacture and/or preparation of semiconductor wafers.

As described above, depending on the process step or steps to be performed by the tool, the controller may communicate with one or more other tool circuits or modules, other tool components, cluster tools, other tool interfaces, neighboring tools, tools located throughout the factory, a host computer, another controller, or a tool used in the material transport that transports wafer containers to and from tool locations and/or load ports in a semiconductor manufacturing facility.