Patent ID: 7876432
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting a position of a defect on a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: detecting, at a first detecting device, an outer peripheral shape of a semi-conductor wafer with a sensor while rotating the semiconductor wafer placed on an alignment stage; determining a center position of the semiconductor wafer from an amount of deviation of the center position with respect to a center of the alignment stage on the basis of a result of the detection by the first detecting device; emitting a light beam perpendicularly to the semiconductor wafer, emission light beam transmitting the beam splitter being totally reflected on a back face of the semiconductor wafer, the reflected light beam passing back to a optical path identical to the emission optical path, the reflected light beam being reflected orthogonally to the optical path during transmitting the beam splitter, and consequently the reflected light beam being detected by an imaging device disposed on the optical path; detecting an alignment part on the basis of a result of the detection by the imaging device in order to determine a position of the alignment part; estimating a candidate of the defect based on a comparison of an area obtained from the image data about the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer acquired by the imaging device and a reference area obtained in advance, capturing again an image of the estimated portion with the imaging device, and performing pattern matching of the acquired image data with the reference image data acquired in advance to determine the defect position; and determining a direction of joining an adhesive tape to the semiconductor wafer based on information of the defect position.