US 11,862,499 B2
Multiplexing control of multiple positional sensors in device manufacturing machines
Kiyki-Shiy Shang, Mountain House, CA (US); Mikhail Taraboukhine, Pleasanton, CA (US); and Venkata Raghavaiah Chowdhary Kode, Pflugerville, TX (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 19, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/947,822.
Prior Publication US 2022/0055219 A1, Feb. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 21/68 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01); G01B 11/27 (2006.01); G01B 11/00 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/681 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1694 (2013.01); B25J 11/0095 (2013.01); B25J 13/088 (2013.01); G01B 11/002 (2013.01); G01B 11/272 (2013.01); H01L 21/67259 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor controller comprising:
a sensor circuit comprising:
a light source driver to generate a driving signal;
a demultiplexer to produce, using the driving signal, a plurality of output driving signals, wherein each of the plurality of output driving signals is to be delivered to one of a plurality of sensors;
an amplifier coupled to each of the plurality of sensors, the amplifier to:
receive a first signal from a first sensor of the plurality of sensors, wherein the first signal is associated with a first event representative of a positioning of a substrate within a device manufacturing machine; and
generate, based on the received first signal, a second signal; and
an analog-to-digital converter to receive the second signal and generate, based on the second signal, a third signal; and
a logic circuit comprising:
a memory device storing instructions; and
a processing device coupled to the memory device, wherein the processing device is to obtain, using the stored instructions and based on the third signal, information about the positioning of the substrate within the device manufacturing machine.