Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for aligning masks with substrates are provided. A method can include receiving a carrier having a substrate disposed thereon at an alignment stage of an alignment module, transferring a mask from a mask cassette of a mask stocker of the alignment module to a position over the alignment stage, and positioning the mask on the carrier. The method also includes acquiring one or more images of the mask and the substrate, where the mask contains one or more alignment holes passing through the mask and the substrate contains one or more alignment elements disposed on an upper surface of the substrate, analyzing the one or more images to determine one or more differences between one or more alignment holes of the mask and one or more alignment elements of the substrate, and aligning the mask with the substrate based on the differences.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for aligning masks with substrates are provided. A method can include receiving a carrier having a substrate disposed thereon at an alignment stage of an alignment module, transferring a mask from a mask cassette of a mask stocker of the alignment module to a position over the alignment stage, and positioning the mask on the carrier. The method can also include acquiring one or more images of the mask and the substrate, where the mask contains one or more alignment holes passing through the mask and the substrate contains one or more alignment dots disposed on an upper surface of the substrate, analyzing the one or more images to determine one or more differences between one or more alignment holes of the mask and one or more alignment dots on the substrate, and aligning the mask with the substrate based on the differences.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for aligning masks with substrates are provided. A method can include receiving a carrier having a substrate disposed thereon at an alignment stage of an alignment module, transferring a mask from a mask cassette of a mask stocker of the alignment module to a position over the alignment stage, and positioning the mask on the carrier. The method can also include acquiring one or more images of the mask and the substrate, where the mask contains one or more alignment holes passing through the mask and the substrate contains one or more alignment dots disposed on an upper surface of the substrate, analyzing the one or more images to determine one or more differences between one or more alignment holes of the mask and one or more alignment dots on the substrate, and aligning the mask with the substrate based on the differences.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a semiconductor structure that includes a discontinuous non-planar sub-collector having a different polarity than the underlying substrate. In addition, this structure includes an active area (collector) above the sub-collector, a base above the active area, and an emitter above the base. The distance between the discontinuous portions of the discontinuous sub-collector tunes the performance characteristics of the semiconductor structure. The performance characteristics that are tunable include breakdown voltage, unity current gain cutoff frequency, unity power gain cutoff frequency, transit frequency, current density, capacitance range, noise injection, minority carrier injection and trigger and holding voltage.