Wafer alignment with restricted visual access

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11305378-B2
Application number	US-202016773759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2020
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

Wafer alignment with restricted visual access has been disclosed. In an example, a method of processing a substrate for fabricating a solar cell involves supporting the substrate over a stage. The method involves forming a substantially opaque layer over the substrate. The substantially opaque layer at least partially covers edges of the substrate. The method involves performing fit-up of the substantially opaque layer to the substrate. The method involves illuminating the covered edges of the substrate with light transmitted through the stage, and capturing a first image of the covered edges of the substrate based on the light transmitted through the stage. The method further includes determining a first position of the substrate relative to the stage based on the first image of the covered edges. The substrate may be further processed based on the determined first position of the substrate under the substantially opaque layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium storing instructions executable by a computing device to perform:
supporting a substrate over a stage;
forming a substantially opaque layer over the substrate, the substantially opaque layer at least partially covering edges of the substrate, wherein forming the substantially opaque layer over the substrate comprises placing a metal sheet over the substrate;
performing fit-up of the substantially opaque layer to the substrate, wherein the substantially opaque layer extends beyond the edges of the substrate outside of a perimeter of the substrate following the fit-up, wherein performing fit-up comprises applying pressure to the metal sheet;
illuminating the at least partially covered edges of the substrate with light transmitted through the stage;
capturing a first image of the at least partially covered edges of the substrate based on the light transmitted through the stage;
determining a first position of the substrate relative to the stage based on the first image of the at least partially covered edges;
processing the substrate based on the determined first position of the substrate under the substantially opaque layer, wherein processing the substrate based on the determined first position comprises applying a laser to at least the metal sheet or a metal layer of the substrate;
capturing a second image of the at least partially covered edges of the substrate after said applying the laser; and
determining a second position of the substrate relative to the stage based on the second image of the at least partially covered edges.

2. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 1 , wherein capturing the first image of the at least partially covered edges of the substrate comprises capturing the first image through one or more substantially transparent windows in the stage.

3. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 1 , wherein capturing the first image of the at least partially covered edges of the substrate comprises capturing the first image through the stage.

4. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 1 , wherein capturing the first image of the at least partially covered edges comprises capturing the first image with an image sensor located below the stage.

5. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 1 , wherein illuminating the at least partially covered edges of the substrate with light transmitted through the stage comprises illuminating with dark field illumination.

6. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 1 , wherein illuminating the at least partially covered edges of the substrate comprises illuminating the at least partially covered edges with one or more light sources located in the stage.

7. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 1 , wherein illuminating the at least partially covered edges of the substrate comprises illuminating the at least partially covered edges with one or more light sources located below the stage.

8. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 1 , wherein capturing the first image comprises capturing an image of each of the at least partially covered edges of the substrate.

9. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 1 , wherein capturing the first image comprises capturing an image of each of a plurality of comers of the substrate.

10. A non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium storing instructions executable by a computing device to perform:
supporting a substrate over a stage;
forming a substantially opaque layer over the substrate, the substantially opaque layer at least partially covering edges of the substrate, wherein forming the substantially opaque layer over the substrate comprises placing a metal sheet over the substrate;
performing fit-up of the substantially opaque layer to the substrate, wherein the substantially opaque layer extends beyond the edges of the substrate outside of a perimeter of the substrate following the fit-up, wherein performing fit-up comprises applying pressure to the metal sheet;
illuminating the at least partially covered edges of the substrate with light transmitted through the stage;
capturing a first image of the at least partially covered edges of the substrate based on the light transmitted through the stage;
determining a first position of the substrate relative to the stage based on the first image of the at least partially covered edges;
processing the substrate based on the determined first position of the substrate under the substantially opaque layer, wherein processing the substrate based on the determined first position comprises applying a laser to at least the metal sheet or a metal layer of the substrate;
patterning the metal sheet;
capturing a second image of the at least partially covered edges of the substrate after patterning the metal sheet;
determining a second position of the substrate relative to the stage based on the second captured image of the at least partially covered edges; and
trimming the patterned metal sheet.

11. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 10 , wherein capturing the first image of the at least partially covered edges of the substrate comprises capturing the first image through one or more substantially transparent windows in the stage.

12. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 10 , wherein capturing the first image of the at least partially covered edges of the substrate comprises capturing the first image through the stage.

13. The non-transitory machine-accessible storage medium of claim 10 , wherein capturing the first image of the at least partially covered edges comprises capturing the first image with an image sensor located below the stage.

Assignees

• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Pass Thomas

Classifications

• H10P72/0606

  Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection · CPC title

• H10P72/53 Primary

  using optical controlling means · CPC title

• H10F71/134

  Irradiation with electromagnetic or particle radiation · CPC title

• H10F77/169

  Thin semiconductor films on metallic or insulating substrates · CPC title

• H10F71/00 Primary

  Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title