US5347118A
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US
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Aligning method and apparatus detecting misalignment using image signals from image pickup
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1993-11-22
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Granted: 1994-09-13
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Expires: 2013-11-22
Abstract
Abstract A method of aligning a substrate includes the steps of detecting misalignment of the substrate using an image signal from a charge coupled device (CCD) camera which receives light reflected by an alignment mark on the substrate illuminated by pulse light, and moving the substrate in accordance with the detected misalignment. If the amount of light received by the camera during a predetermined time period does not reach a predetermined value, the predetermined time period is increased. If the amount of light exceeds the predetermined value, the amount of light emitted by the source of the pulse light for each pulse is reduced. An aligning apparatus for carrying out the method includes a light source for generating pulse light for illuminating an alignment mark on a substrate, a camera for receiving light reflected by the alignment mark to generate an image signal, a signal processing circuit for detecting misalignment of the substrate based on the image signal, a driver for moving the substrate in accordance with the output from the signal processing circuit, a detector for monitoring the amount of light received by the camera, and a light modulating mechanism for adjusting the amount of light emitted by the light source in accordance with the output from the light amount detector.
Inventors
- 👤 Takehiko Iwanaga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:08
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F9/00; G03F9/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
An aligning method, comprising the steps of: detecting misalignment of a substrate using an image signal from image pickup means for receiving light reflected by an alignment mark on the substrate illuminated by pulse light; moving the substrate in accordance the detected misalignment; and if the amount of light received by the image pickup means during a predetermined time period does not reach a predetermined value, increasing the predetermined time period, and reducing the amount of light emitted by the source of the pulse light for each pulse if the amount of light exceeds the predetermined value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
An aligning method, comprising the steps of: detecting misalignment of a substrate using an image signal from image pickup means for receiving light reflected by an alignment mark on the substrate illuminated by pulse light; moving the substrate in accordance the detected misalignment; and if the amount of light received by the image pickup means during a predetermined time period does not reach a predetermined value, increasing the predetermined time period, and reducing the amount of light emitted by the source of the pulse light for each pulse if the amount of light exceeds the predetermined value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
108 words
An aligning apparatus, comprising: illuminating means comprising a light source for generating pulse light for illuminating an alignment mark on a substrate; image pickup means for receiving light reflected by the alignment mark to generate an image signal; a signal processing circuit for detecting misalignment of the substrate based on the image signal; driving means for moving the substrate in accordance with an output from said signal processing circuit; a light-amount detector for monitoring the amount of light received by said image pickup means; and a light-modulating mechanism for adjusting the amount of light emitted by said light source in accordance with an output from said light-amount detector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
108 words
An aligning apparatus, comprising: illuminating means comprising a light source for generating pulse light for illuminating an alignment mark on a substrate; image pickup means for receiving light reflected by the alignment mark to generate an image signal; a signal processing circuit for detecting misalignment of the substrate based on the image signal; driving means for moving the substrate in accordance with an output from said signal processing circuit; a light-amount detector for monitoring the amount of light received by said image pickup means; and a light-modulating mechanism for adjusting the amount of light emitted by said light source in accordance with an output from said light-amount detector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
99 words
An aligning method, comprising the steps of: detecting misalignment of a substrate illuminated by pulse light using an image signal from image pickup means for receiving light reflected by an alignment mark on the substrate; moving the substrate in accordance with the detected misalignment; and enabling the detection of the misalignment in said detecting step by intermittently generating image signals by opening an electronic shutter in synchronization with the emission of the pulse light by the image pickup means, and storing and adding a predetermined number of the image signals generated by the image pickup means in memory means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
An aligning method, comprising the steps of: detecting misalignment of a substrate illuminated by pulse light using an image signal from image pickup means for receiving light reflected by an alignment mark on the substrate; moving the substrate in accordance with the detected misalignment; and enabling the detection of the misalignment in said detecting step by intermittently generating image signals by opening an electronic shutter in synchronization with the emission of the pulse light by the image pickup means, and storing and adding a predetermined number of the image signals generated by the image pickup means in memory means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
An aligning method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of adding an image signal representing an addition reference mark which does not move relative to the image pickup means to each of the image signals, and correcting an error produced during said adding step of adding a predetermined number of image signals by the image signal representing the addition reference mark.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
A positional error detection method, comprising the steps of: detecting positional error of a substrate using an image signal from image pickup means for receiving light reflected by an alignment mark on the substrate illuminated by pulse light; and if the amount of light received by the image pickup means during a predetermined time period does not reach a predetermined value, increasing the predetermined time period, and reducing the amount of light emitted by the light source of the pulse light for each pulse if the amount of light exceeds the predetermined value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
93 words
A positional error detection method, comprising the steps of: detecting positional error of a substrate using an image signal from image pickup means for receiving light reflected by an alignment mark on the substrate illuminated by pulse light; and if the amount of light received by the image pickup means during a predetermined time period does not reach a predetermined value, increasing the predetermined time period, and reducing the amount of light emitted by the light source of the pulse light for each pulse if the amount of light exceeds the predetermined value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
95 words
A positional error detection apparatus, comprising: illuminating means comprising a light source for generating pulse light for illuminating an alignment mark on a substrate; image pickup means for receiving light reflected by the alignment mark to generate an image signal; a signal processing circuit for detecting positional error of the substrate based on the image signal; a light-amount detector for monitoring the amount of light received by said image pickup means; and a light-modulating mechanism for adjusting the amount of light emitted by said light source in accordance with an output from said light-amount detector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
95 words
A positional error detection apparatus, comprising: illuminating means comprising a light source for generating pulse light for illuminating an alignment mark on a substrate; image pickup means for receiving light reflected by the alignment mark to generate an image signal; a signal processing circuit for detecting positional error of the substrate based on the image signal; a light-amount detector for monitoring the amount of light received by said image pickup means; and a light-modulating mechanism for adjusting the amount of light emitted by said light source in accordance with an output from said light-amount detector.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
95 words
A positional error detection method, comprising the steps of: detecting positional error of a substrate illuminated by pulse light using an image signal from image pickup means for receiving light reflected by an alignment mark provided on the substrate; and enabling the detection of the positional error in said detecting step by intermittently generating image signals by opening an electronic shutter in synchronization with the emission of the pulse light by the image pickup means, and storing and adding a predetermined number of the image signals generated by the image pickup means in memory means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
95 words
A positional error detection method, comprising the steps of: detecting positional error of a substrate illuminated by pulse light using an image signal from image pickup means for receiving light reflected by an alignment mark provided on the substrate; and enabling the detection of the positional error in said detecting step by intermittently generating image signals by opening an electronic shutter in synchronization with the emission of the pulse light by the image pickup means, and storing and adding a predetermined number of the image signals generated by the image pickup means in memory means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
A positional error detection method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of adding an image signal representing an addition reference mark which does not move relative to the image pickup means to each of the image signals, and correcting an error produced during said adding step of adding a predetermined number of image signals by the image signal representing the addition reference mark.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
102 words
A position detecting method comprising the steps of: illuminating a mark on a substrate by pulse light from a pulse light source; receiving light, which is reflected by the mark, with image pickup means; determining the position of the substrate by using an image signal from the image pickup means; and if the amount of light received by the image pickup means during a predetermined time period does to reach a predetermined value, increasing the predetermined time period, and reducing the amount of light emitted by the pulse light source for each pulse if the amount of light exceeds the predetermined value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
102 words
A position detecting method comprising the steps of: illuminating a mark on a substrate by pulse light from a pulse light source; receiving light, which is reflected by the mark, with image pickup means; determining the position of the substrate by using an image signal from the image pickup means; and if the amount of light received by the image pickup means during a predetermined time period does to reach a predetermined value, increasing the predetermined time period, and reducing the amount of light emitted by the pulse light source for each pulse if the amount of light exceeds the predetermined value.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
92 words
A position detecting apparatus, comprising: illuminating means comprising a light source for generating pulse light for illuminating a mark on a substrate; image pickup means for receiving light reflected by the mark to generate an image signal; a signal processing circuit for determining the position of the substrate based on the image signal; a light-amount detector for monitoring the amount of light received by said image pickup means; and a light-modulating mechanism for adjusting the amount of light emitted by said light source in accordance with an output from said light-amount detector.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
92 words
A position detecting apparatus, comprising: illuminating means comprising a light source for generating pulse light for illuminating a mark on a substrate; image pickup means for receiving light reflected by the mark to generate an image signal; a signal processing circuit for determining the position of the substrate based on the image signal; a light-amount detector for monitoring the amount of light received by said image pickup means; and a light-modulating mechanism for adjusting the amount of light emitted by said light source in accordance with an output from said light-amount detector.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
105 words
A position detecting method comprising the steps of: illuminating a mark on a substrate by pulse light; receiving light, which is reflected by the mark, with image pickup means; determining the position of the substrate by using an image signal from the image pickup means; and enabling the determination of the position in said determining step by intermittently generating image signals by opening an electronic shutter permitting light to be received by the image pickup means in synchronization with the emission of the pulse light and storing and adding a predetermined number of the image signals generated by the image pickup means in memory means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
105 words
A position detecting method comprising the steps of: illuminating a mark on a substrate by pulse light; receiving light, which is reflected by the mark, with image pickup means; determining the position of the substrate by using an image signal from the image pickup means; and enabling the determination of the position in said determining step by intermittently generating image signals by opening an electronic shutter permitting light to be received by the image pickup means in synchronization with the emission of the pulse light and storing and adding a predetermined number of the image signals generated by the image pickup means in memory means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
64 words
A position detecting method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of adding an image signal representing an additional reference mark which does not move relative to the image pickup means to each of the image signals, and correcting an error produced during said adding step of adding a predetermined number of image signals by the image signal representing the additional reference mark.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-09-12 | 1998-03-14 | 1998-09-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-09-12 | 2002-03-14 | 2002-09-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-09-12 | 2006-03-14 | 2006-09-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |