SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. (Suwon-si, KR)

1. Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the transfer of wafers and an approach to transfer the wafer by using the same. The present disclosure also relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the apparatus, and/or method of moving the wafer.

2. Description of related art

Photolithography is the process of creating a desired pattern on the surface of a wafer. The process of photography involves an application of a photoresist material on the wafer, an exposure of the photoresist materiallayer a light and a developing process for the photoresist layer in order to create patterns, all of that are performed in a sequence. The wafer is then transferred from one machine to the next after completing a process on it.

In the process of transferring the wafer the wafer might not be in an intended position, which could create a problem for an upcoming process to be applied to the wafer. Before you transfer the wafer be sure to check the wafer is placed in its target position.

One feature of the invention is to provide an apparatus and a method of transferring a wafer that can reduce measurement errors at a wafer’s centre due to a notch.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for transferring a wafer includes a main body; a first support installed in the main body; sensor support fixed to the first support; a finger member slidably installed along thefirst support to transfer the wafer and positioned at a lower level than the sensor support; three sensors each including a light emitter installed on the first support and a light receiver installed on the sensor support, the three sensors respectivelyconfigured to detect three points of an edge of the wafer seated on the finger member; and a controller connected to the three sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether any of the three points of the edge of the wafer is detectedform a notch of the wafer based on signals received from the sensors.

A method of transferring the wafer in accordance with an aspect of this disclosure comprises the following steps comprising detecting three distinct points along an edge, determining if at least one point is detected in the wafer’s notch, then shifting the wafer first after at least one point is detected in the notch, and finding three points in the edge of the moved wafer and then determining whether it is possible to determine a center by redetailing the three points.

A method for transferring a wafer according to one aspect of this disclosure includes steps like detecting three points on an edge portion, and determining if at most one of those points have been identified from a notch on the wafer and determining a centre ofthe wafer using two points from the edge portion when all three points have been detected from an edge portion other that the notch.

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