Abstract: A wafer alignment system includes an imaging sub-system, a controller, and a stage. The controller receives image data for reference point targets and determines a center location for each of the reference point targets. The center location determination includes identifying sub-patterns within a respective reference point target and identifying multiple center location candidates for the respective reference point target. The step of identifying the multiple center location candidates for the respective reference point target includes: applying a model to each identified sub-pattern of the respective reference point target, wherein the model generates a hotspot for each sub-pattern that identifies a center location candidate for the respective reference point target.

Abstract: A wafer alignment system includes an imaging sub-system, a controller, and a stage. The controller receives image data for reference point targets and determines a center location for each of the reference point targets. The center location determination includes identifying sub-patterns within a respective reference point target and identifying multiple center location candidates for the respective reference point target. The step of identifying the multiple center location candidates for the respective reference point target includes: applying a model to each identified sub-pattern of the respective reference point target, wherein the model generates a hotspot for each sub-pattern that identifies a center location candidate for the respective reference point target.

Abstract: Notch detection methods and modules are provided for efficiently estimating a position of a wafer notch. Capturing an image of specified region(s) of the wafer, a principle angle is identified in a transformation, converted into polar coordinates, of the captured image. Then the wafer axes are recovered from the identified principle angle as the dominant orientations of geometric primitives in the captured region. The captured region may be selected to include the center of the wafer and/or certain patterns that enhance the identification and recovering of the axes. Multiple images and/or regions may be used to optimize image quality and detection efficiency.

Abstract: Notch detection methods and modules are provided for efficiently estimating a position of a wafer notch. Capturing an image of specified region(s) of the wafer, a principle angle is identified in a transformation, converted into polar coordinates, of the captured image. Then the wafer axes are recovered from the identified principle angle as the dominant orientations of geometric primitives in the captured region. The captured region may be selected to include the center of the wafer and/or certain patterns that enhance the identification and recovering of the axes. Multiple images and/or regions may be used to optimize image quality and detection efficiency.

Abstract: Automated comparison of tool recipes is described. A target recipe is digitally translated from a tool language to a standard language format to produce a translated recipe. The translated recipe is digitally compared to a source recipe that is also in the standard language format.