Patent ID: 10128140

Abstract:
Automatically correcting for rotational misalignment of a wafer improperly mounted on a film frame includes capturing an image of portions of the wafer using an image capture device, prior to initiation of a wafer inspection procedure by an inspection system; digitally determining a rotational misalignment angle and a rotational misalignment direction of the wafer relative to the film frame and/or a set of reference axes of a field of view of the image capture device; and correcting for the rotational misalignment of the wafer by way of a film frame handling apparatus separate from the inspection system, which is configured for rotating the film frame across the rotational misalignment angle in a direction opposite to the rotational misalignment direction. Such film frame rotation can occur prior to placement of the film frame on the wafer table, without decreasing film frame handling throughput or inspection process throughput.