Patent ID: 7821614
Filing Date: 2010-10-26
Classification: G01B,G01N,G03F,H01L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for photolithography processing substrates, comprising: a loading station in which the substrates are loaded from at least one first cassette; a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material; a developing station in which the latent image is developed; an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded; and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process and before being unloaded in at least one second cassette at said unloading station, said monitoring station comprising: a supporting plate for handling substrates to be monitored; an optical monitoring system for monitoring substrates on said supporting plate, the optical monitoring system comprising a low-magnification channel for aligning said optical monitoring system with respect to a substrate on said supporting plate; and a high-magnification channel for measuring said predetermined parameters of the photolithography process after the substrate has passed through said developing station and before reaching the unloading station; and an alignment system for providing monitoring a pre-determined locations of substrates.