WIRELESS SUBSTRATE-LIKE TEACHING SENSOR FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING

A wireless substrate-like sensor (100) for teaching transfer coordinates to a robotic substrate handling system is provided. The sensor (100) includes a base portion (104) sized and shaped like a substrate handled by the robotic substrate handling system. An electronics housing (102) is coupled to the base portion (104). A power module (200) disposed within the electronics housing (102) and configured to power components of the sensor (100). At least one edge camera (108, 110, 112, 114, 222, 224) is disposed near an edge (116) of the base portion (104). The at least one edge camera (108, 110, 112, 114, 222, 224) has a field of view that images an edge of a process chuck configured to receive a semiconductor wafer within the field of view of the at least one edge camera of the wireless substrate-like sensor. At least one structured illuminator is mounted relative to the base portion and operably coupled to the at least one edge camera, the at least one structured illuminator is being configured to generate structured illumination in the field of view of the at least one edge camera. A controller (206) is disposed within the electronics housing (102) and is coupled to the at least one edge camera (108, 110, 112, 114, 222, 224) and the at least one structured illuminator. The controller (206) is configured to obtain an image from the at least one edge camera (108, 110, 112, 114, 222, 224) having the structured illumination and perform a calibration operation to calibrate apparent range based on the structured illumination, and to compensate for lateral shift caused by slight changes in range using the apparent range between the wireless substrate-like sensor and the process chuck and transmits the compensated location of the process chuck to the robotic substrate handling system to teach the robotic substrate handling system the determined position.