Apparatus and method for active voltage compensation of electrostatic discharge of a substrate

Abstract

A voltage compensation assembly adapted for apparatus having a prober for contacting the electronic elements on a substrate is described. The voltage compensation assembly includes a controller connected to the prober and adapted for active voltage compensation, and a voltage measuring unit connected to the controller and for measuring a voltage on the substrate.

1 . A voltage compensation assembly adapted for a system having a prober configured to contact electronic elements on a substrate; the voltage compensation assembly comprising:
 a controller connected to the prober and adapted for active voltage compensation to the electronic elements via the prober;   a voltage measuring unit connected to the controller and configured to measure a static voltage on the substrate, wherein the controller is configured to provide, via the prober, a voltage to the electronic elements in order to actively compensate the voltage on the substrate measured by the voltage measuring unit; and   wherein the voltage measuring unit is configured to measure electronic field flux lines of the static voltage for measuring the static voltage of the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The voltage compensation assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the voltage measuring unit is adapted for measuring an absolute value of the static voltage. 
     
     
         3 . The voltage compensation assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the voltage measuring unit is a static voltmeter. 
     
     
         4 . The voltage compensation assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the voltage measuring unit includes an oscillating piezo-crystal measuring the electronic field flux lines. 
     
     
         5 . The voltage compensation assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the system is a test system for the electronic elements on the substrate. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for testing or processing a substrate with electronic elements formed thereon, comprising:
 a chamber;   a substrate support configured to support the substrate within the chamber;   a prober positioned to contact the substrate disposed on the substrate support; and   a voltage compensation assembly, wherein the voltage compensation assembly comprises:
 a controller connected to the prober and adapted for active voltage compensation to the electronic elements via the prober; and 
 a voltage measuring unit connected to the controller and configured to measure a static voltage on the substrate, wherein the controller is configured to provide, via the prober, a voltage to the electronic elements in order to actively compensate the voltage on the substrate measured by the voltage measuring unit, and wherein the voltage measuring unit is configured to measure electronic field flux lines of the static voltage for measuring the static voltage of the substrate. 
   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising one or more test columns configured to test the electronic elements on the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the one or more test columns are electron beam test systems. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the one or more test columns are light optical test systems. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the light optical test system comprises an optical modulator which capacitively couples to the electronic elements. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the prober comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of: a prober bar, a prober frame, and a prober head. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the voltage measuring unit includes an oscillating piezo-crystal measuring the electronic field flux lines. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is a PVD or CVD processing tool. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is configured to:
 load the substrate in the chamber, wherein the substrate and the substrate support are positioned distant from each other at a predetermined distance before the substrate and the substrate support approach each other;   dispose the substrate on the substrate support in a supporting position;   contact the electronic elements with the prober;   test or process the substrate;   provide a compensation voltage to the electronic elements via the prober;   break the contact of the prober and the electronic elements; and   move at least one of the substrate and the substrate support to increase the distance of the substrate and the substrate support after the compensation voltage is provided.   
     
     
         15 . A method for active voltage compensation in a chamber having a substrate support configured to support a substrate with electronic elements formed thereon, and a prober configured to contact the electronic elements, the method comprising:
 loading the substrate in the chamber, wherein the substrate and the substrate support are positioned distant from each other at a predetermined distance before the substrate and the substrate support approach each other;   disposing the substrate on the substrate support in a supporting position;   contacting the electronic elements with the prober;   testing or processing the substrate;   providing a compensation voltage to the electronic elements via the prober;   breaking the contact of the prober and the electronic elements;   moving at least one of the substrate and the substrate support to increase the distance of the substrate and the substrate support after the compensation voltage is provided, wherein contacting the electronic elements with the prober comprises contacting the electronic elements with a plurality of needles of the prober, and wherein providing an active voltage compensation to the electronic elements occurs via the plurality of needles of the prober.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprises:
 measuring a static voltage on the substrate in the supporting position.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the measuring the static voltage comprises measuring an absolute value of the static voltage on the substrate in the supporting position. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the measuring the static voltage is conducted by measuring electronic field flux lines of the static voltage. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the electronic elements are at least one element chosen from the list of the following: electrodes, connections, thin-film transistors, displays, and one or more electrically conductive layers provided on the substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the prober comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of: a prober bar, a prober frame, and a prober head.