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US5684599A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Wafer notch dimension measuring apparatus

Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co Ltd
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Filing: 1996-07-01
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Granted: 1997-11-04
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Expires: 2016-07-01
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus capable of concurrently measuring the depth and angle of a notch in the peripheral edge of a wafer includes: a unit for rotating the wafer; a wafer edge detector, including a light-emitting unit and a photo-detecting unit arranged to read the shape of the peripheral edge of the wafer, for outputting a wafer edge detecting signal corresponding to the shape of the peripheral edge of the wafer; a wafer rotational angular position detector for detecting the rotational angular position of the wafer being rotated and outputting a wafer rotational angular position detecting signal; and an arithmetical unit for computing the dimensions of the notch from the wafer edge detecting signal and the wafer rotational angular position detecting signal.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shigetoshi Shimoyama
  • 👤 Kaneyoshi Aramaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 18:05
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P74/00; H10P74/20; H10P74/203

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 164 words
An apparatus for measuring the dimensions of a notch in the peripheral edge of a wafer including a radial depth of said notch and an opening angle of said notch, comprising: (a) means for rotating the wafer; (b) wafer edge detecting means, including a light emitting unit and a photo-detecting unit arranged to read the shape of the peripheral edge of the wafer, for outputting a wafer edge detecting signal corresponding to the shape of the peripheral edge of the wafer; (c) wafer rotational angular position detecting means for detecting the rotational angular position of the wafer being rotated and outputting a wafer rotational angular position detecting signal; (d) means receiving said wafer edge detecting signal and producing a differential signal therefrom; and (e) arithmetical means for computing the dimensions of the notch including said radial depth of said notch and said opening angle of said notch from said wafer edge detecting signal, said wafer rotational angular position detecting signal and said differential signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 164 words
An apparatus for measuring the dimensions of a notch in the peripheral edge of a wafer including a radial depth of said notch and an opening angle of said notch, comprising: (a) means for rotating the wafer; (b) wafer edge detecting means, including a light emitting unit and a photo-detecting unit arranged to read the shape of the peripheral edge of the wafer, for outputting a wafer edge detecting signal corresponding to the shape of the peripheral edge of the wafer; (c) wafer rotational angular position detecting means for detecting the rotational angular position of the wafer being rotated and outputting a wafer rotational angular position detecting signal; (d) means receiving said wafer edge detecting signal and producing a differential signal therefrom; and (e) arithmetical means for computing the dimensions of the notch including said radial depth of said notch and said opening angle of said notch from said wafer edge detecting signal, said wafer rotational angular position detecting signal and said differential signal.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

AU47811A Cited
US4097158A Cited
US4639604A Cited
US4907035A Cited
EP0435057A1 Cited
US5438209A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-11-03 2001-05-05 2001-11-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-11-03 2005-05-05 2005-11-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-11-03 2009-05-05 2009-11-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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