Maintenance devices, vacuum treatment system and maintenance methods

Abstract

The maintenance device of the present invention includes: a housing having an opening of a second door, the size of which corresponds to a first door used for moving substrates in and out of a processing container and a second door different from the first door, and the opening being hermetically mounted to the second door; a decompression mechanism for decompressing the interior of the housing; and a suction mechanism disposed inside the housing, which enters the processing container through the opening and suctions the adhering material of the object inside the processing container.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a maintenance device, a vacuum processing system, and a maintenance method. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Vacuum processing apparatuses are known for placing substrates such as semiconductor wafers (hereinafter referred to as "wafers") in a processing container under vacuum and performing various substrate processing. In such vacuum processing apparatuses, from the viewpoint of reducing downtime, it is desirable to perform cleaning inside the processing container without opening to the atmosphere.

[0003] Regarding this point, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for cleaning the processing container by installing a second door, different from the first door used for moving substrates in and out, on a maintenance device equipped with an adsorption unit, and by having the adsorption unit adsorb waste inside the processing container. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-133464 [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention provides a technology for efficiently cleaning and treating the interior of a container without requiring atmospheric exposure. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0006] A maintenance device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a housing having an opening of a size corresponding to a "vacuum processing device having a first door for moving a substrate in and out of a processing container and a second door different from the first door," and the opening being hermetically mounted to the second door; a decompression mechanism for decompressing the interior of the housing; and a suction mechanism disposed inside the housing, entering the processing container through the opening, and suctioning adhering material from the object inside the processing container. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] Through this invention, the container can be cleaned and processed efficiently without the need for atmospheric exposure.

Implementation Method

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the maintenance device, vacuum processing system, and maintenance method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are indicated by the same symbols. Also, the processing device of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0010] [Composition of the Maintenance Object Apparatus] The maintenance object apparatus, which is the object maintained by the maintenance apparatus, will be described. The maintenance object apparatus is a vacuum processing apparatus that places a substrate such as a wafer in a processing container under vacuum and performs a predetermined substrate processing. In this embodiment, the case where the maintenance object apparatus is a plasma etching apparatus that performs plasma etching on the substrate will be described as an example. However, the maintenance object apparatus is not limited to a plasma etching apparatus.

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a plasma etching apparatus according to an embodiment. The plasma etching apparatus 10 has a processing container 30 configured to be hermetically sealed and serving as an electrical ground potential. The processing container 30 is cylindrical and is made of, for example, aluminum with an anodized coating formed on its surface. The processing container 30 defines a processing space for generating plasma. Inside the processing container 30, a stage 31 is housed to horizontally support the wafer W.

[0012] The stage 31 is slightly cylindrical with its bottom surface facing up and down, and its upper surface is designated as the mounting surface 36d. The mounting surface 36d of the stage 31 is set to be slightly smaller than the size of the wafer W. The stage 31 includes a base 33 and an electrostatic chuck 36.

[0013] The base 33 is made of a conductive metal, such as aluminum. The base 33 functions as a lower electrode. The base 33 is supported by an insulator support platform 34, which is located at the bottom of the processing container 30.

[0014] The electrostatic chuck 36 has a convex substrate mounting portion formed at its upper central part, and the top surface of this substrate mounting portion is designated as the mounting surface 36d for mounting the wafer W. The electrostatic chuck 36 is located at the center of the mounting stage 31 when viewed from above. The electrostatic chuck 36 is an example of a mounting portion capable of mounting a substrate. The electrostatic chuck 36 has an electrode 36a and an insulator 36b. The electrode 36a is located inside the insulator 36b, and a DC power supply 42 is connected to the electrode 36a. The electrostatic chuck 36 adsorbs the wafer W by applying a DC voltage from the DC power supply 42 to the electrode 36a through Coulomb force. Furthermore, the electrostatic chuck 36 has a heater 36c inside the insulator 36b. Power is supplied to the heater 36c via a power supply mechanism described later to control the temperature of the wafer W.

[0015] Furthermore, around the mounting surface 36d of the mounting stage 31, there is an outer periphery formed of an insulator 36b and lower than the mounting surface 36d. The top surface of this outer periphery is provided as an ER mounting surface 36f for mounting the edge ring 35. On the ER mounting surface 36f of the mounting stage 31, there is an edge ring 35, for example, formed of monocrystalline silicon. The electrostatic chuck 36 has a pair of electrodes 36g and 36h at a position overlapping the edge ring 35 in top view. The pair of electrodes 36g and 36h are provided inside the insulator 36b. The electrostatic chuck 36 applies a DC voltage to the pair of electrodes 36g and 36h by a DC power source (not shown), and the edge ring 35 is attracted by Coulomb force. In the example of FIG1, the case where the pair of electrodes 36g and 36h are provided inside the electrostatic chuck 36 is shown, but the pair of electrodes 36g and 36h can also be provided in a ring-shaped dielectric body that is a different entity from the electrostatic chuck 36. Furthermore, in the example of Figure 1, a pair of electrodes 36g and 36h are shown to constitute a bipolar electrode, but a unipolar electrode can also be used instead of a pair of electrodes 36g and 36h. In addition, a cylindrical inner wall member 37, made of materials such as quartz, is provided around the mounting platform 31 and the support platform 34.

[0016] A power supply rod 50 is connected to the base 33. The power supply rod 50 is connected to a first RF power supply 40a via a first matching connector 41a, and to a second RF power supply 40b via a second matching connector 41b. The first RF power supply 40a is a power source for generating plasma, and from this first RF power supply 40a, radio frequency power at a predetermined frequency is supplied to the base 33 of the mounting stage 31. The second RF power supply 40b is a power source for introducing ion power (bias), and from this second RF power supply 40b, radio frequency power at a predetermined frequency lower than that of the first RF power supply 40a is supplied to the base 33 of the mounting stage 31.

[0017] A flow path 33d is formed inside the base 33. One end of the flow path 33d is connected to a heat transfer fluid inlet pipe 33b, and the other end is connected to a heat transfer fluid outlet pipe 33c. The plasma etching apparatus 10 is configured to control the temperature of the stage 31 by circulating a heat transfer fluid, such as a highly insulating and low-viscosity fluorine-based inert liquid or pure water, within the flow path 33d. Furthermore, the plasma etching apparatus 10 can also be configured such that flow paths are individually provided inside the base 33 for the areas where the wafer W and edge ring 35 are respectively mounted, thereby allowing individual temperature control of the wafer W and edge ring 35. Additionally, the plasma etching apparatus 10 can also be configured to individually control the temperature by supplying heat transfer gas to the back side of the wafer W or edge ring 35. For example, a gas supply pipe for supplying heat transfer gas such as helium (back side gas) to the back side of the wafer W can be provided through the stage 31. The gas supply system is connected to the gas supply source. Through these configurations, the wafer W, which is held and held on the top surface of the stage 31 by the electrostatic chuck 36, is controlled at a predetermined temperature.

[0018] On the other hand, a spray head 46 is provided above the mounting platform 31, parallel to and facing the mounting platform 31, and functions as an upper electrode. The spray head 46 and the mounting platform 31 function as a pair of electrodes (upper electrode and lower electrode).

[0019] The spray head 46 is disposed on the top wall of the processing container 30. The spray head 46 has a body part 46a and an upper top plate 46b forming the electrode plate, and is supported on the top of the processing container 30 by an insulating member 47. The body part 46a is made of a conductive material, such as aluminum with an anodized coating formed on its surface, and the upper top plate 46b is detachably supported at its bottom.

[0020] A gas diffusion chamber 46c is provided inside the main body 46a, and a plurality of gas flow holes 46d are formed at the bottom of the main body 46a, located at the bottom of the gas diffusion chamber 46c. Furthermore, on the upper top plate 46b, a gas inlet hole 46e is provided to extend through the thickness direction of the upper top plate 46b, overlapping with the aforementioned gas flow holes 46d. With this configuration, the processing gas supplied to the gas diffusion chamber 46c is dispersed in a spray-like manner through the gas flow holes 46d and the gas inlet hole 46e and supplied to the processing container 30.

[0021] A gas inlet 46g is formed in the main body 46a for introducing the processing gas into the gas diffusion chamber 46c. One end of the gas supply pipe 45a is connected to this gas inlet 46g. The other end of the gas supply pipe 45a is connected to a processing gas supply source 45 for supplying the processing gas. A mass flow controller (MFC) 45b and an on / off valve V2 are sequentially provided from the upstream side of the gas supply pipe 45a. The processing gas for plasma etching is supplied from the processing gas supply source 45 to the gas diffusion chamber 46c via the gas supply pipe 45a, and then dispersed in a spray manner from the gas diffusion chamber 46c through the gas flow hole 46d and the gas inlet hole 46e and supplied into the processing container 30.

[0022] The spray head 46, which serves as the upper electrode, is electrically connected to a variable DC power supply 48b via a low-pass filter (LPF) 48a. This variable DC power supply 48b is configured to be powered on or off via a switch 48c. The current and voltage of the variable DC power supply 48b, as well as the on / off state of the switch 48c, are controlled by the control unit 90 described later. Furthermore, as described later, when radio frequency is applied to the stage 31 from the first RF power supply 40a and the second RF power supply 40b to generate plasma in the processing space, the control unit 90 sets the switch 48c to be on as needed to apply a predetermined DC voltage to the spray head 46, which serves as the upper electrode.

[0023] Furthermore, a cylindrical grounding conductor 30a is provided extending above the height of the spray head 46 from the side wall of the processing container 30. This cylindrical grounding conductor 30a has a top wall at its top.

[0024] An exhaust port 81 is formed at the bottom of the processing container 30, and an exhaust device 83 is connected to the exhaust port 81 via an exhaust pipe 82. The exhaust device 83 has a vacuum pump, and by activating the vacuum pump, the pressure inside the processing container 30 can be reduced to a predetermined vacuum level.

[0025] On the other hand, a first door 84 is provided on the side wall inside the processing container 30 for use when moving wafer W out and in. A gate valve G is provided on the first door 84 for opening and closing the first door 84. The first door 84 can be connected to the vacuum transport chamber in a way that maintains airtightness via the gate valve G, and the wafer W can be moved out and in from the vacuum transport chamber while maintaining a vacuum environment.

[0026] A deposit shield 86 is provided on the inner side of the processing container 30 along the inner wall surface. The deposit shield 86 prevents reaction products (deposits) generated during the etching process using plasma from adhering to the processing container 30. The deposit shield 86 is configured to be easily installed and removed.

[0027] The plasma etching apparatus 10 configured as described above is controlled by a control unit 90. The control unit 90 is, for example, a computer, and controls each part of the plasma etching apparatus 10.

[0028] Furthermore, in the plasma etching apparatus 10, reaction products and microparticles accumulate inside the processing container 30 as deposits, therefore, the processing container 30 needs to be cleaned periodically. When cleaning the processing container 30 with the atmosphere open, considerable time (downtime) is required to adjust the temperature and control the moisture inside the processing container 30 before restarting the etching process on the wafer W. As a result, the throughput of the plasma etching apparatus 10 is reduced. Therefore, from the viewpoint of reducing downtime, it is preferable to be able to clean the processing container 30 without opening the atmosphere.

[0029] Furthermore, in the plasma etching apparatus 10, there are consumable parts that are gradually consumed due to repeated etching processes using plasma. For example, the consumable part is the edge ring 35 on the outer periphery of the wafer W placed on the mounting surface 36d of the stage 31. The edge ring 35 is exposed to plasma and is etched, therefore it is replaced periodically. Such replacement of consumable parts is generally performed with the processing container 30 exposed to the atmosphere. However, in the plasma etching apparatus 10, replacing consumable parts with the processing container 30 exposed to the atmosphere results in downtime. Therefore, from the viewpoint of reducing downtime, it is preferable to replace consumable parts without exposing the atmosphere.

[0030] Therefore, in the plasma etching apparatus 10, a door is provided in the processing container 30 for cleaning the inside of the processing container 30 and for replacing consumable parts, which is different from the first door 84 used when moving wafers W in and out. For example, in the plasma etching apparatus 10, as shown in FIG1, a second door 95 is provided on the opposite side of the first door 84 with respect to the stage 31 on which the wafer W is placed. The second door 95 is hermetically closed through a cover 96. Furthermore, the second door 95 allows the maintenance device 100, described later, to be installed in a detachable manner. When the operator performs maintenance such as cleaning the inside of the processing container 30 and replacing consumable parts, the maintenance device 100 is installed on the plasma etching apparatus 100 to be maintained.

[0031] [Composition of the Maintenance Device] Next, the composition of the maintenance device 100 according to the embodiment will be described. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the maintenance device 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 2 shows the state in which the maintenance device 100 has been installed in the plasma etching apparatus 10. In the following figures, the plasma etching apparatus 10 will be simplified. Furthermore, the composition of the maintenance device 100 will be appropriately described below following the process of cleaning the table 31, which serves as the object to be processed in the processing container 30, and replacing the edge ring 35, which serves as a consumable part.

[0032] The maintenance device 100 has a housing 101 having an opening 101A whose size corresponds to the second gate 95 of the plasma etching apparatus 10. The size corresponding to the second gate 95 refers to the size through which the suction mechanism 110 or the edge ring 35 (described later) can be moved or moved in and out of the housing 101 and the processing container 30. Furthermore, any size corresponding to the second gate 95 is acceptable, as long as it allows the suction mechanism 110 or the edge ring 35 to be moved or moved in and out of the housing 101 and the processing container 30. The housing 101 has an O-ring or similar sealing member around the opening 101A where it contacts the plasma etching apparatus 10. The housing 101 is mounted on a transport vehicle 102. The maintenance device 100 is transported by the transport vehicle 102 to the position of the plasma etching apparatus 10, and the opening 101A of the housing 101 is positioned to correspond to the second gate 95. Furthermore, the opening 101A of the housing is airtightly installed on the second door 95 by means of screws or the like.

[0033] The housing 101 is composed of a first housing 101B and a second housing 101C which is connected to the first housing 101B via an openable and closable gate member 101D. The first housing 101B houses the suction mechanism 110, which will be described later. An opening 101A is formed in the second housing 101C.

[0034] A first pipe 103A, equipped with a first valve 104A, is connected to the first housing 101B. A second pipe 103B, equipped with a second valve 104B, is connected to the second housing 101C. The first pipe 103A and the second pipe 103B are connected to the vacuum pump 103 via a common pipe 103C. The vacuum pump 103 is mounted on a platform 102A of the transport vehicle 102. The second pipe 103B branches off into a venting pipe 103D on its way to the common pipe 103C. A venting valve 104D is provided on the venting pipe 103D. The vacuum pump 103, the first pipe 103A, the second pipe 103B, and the common pipe 103C constitute a pressure-reducing mechanism for reducing pressure inside the housing 101. The maintenance device 100 can reduce the pressure inside the housing 101 to a predetermined vacuum level through a pressure reduction mechanism, so as to achieve the same pressure as inside the processing container 30 and remove the cover 96, thereby allowing the housing 101 and the processing container 30 to communicate through the opening 101A and the second door 95.

[0035] Furthermore, the maintenance device 100 has a suction mechanism 110 inside the housing 101 (first housing 101B) for suctioning the attachments of the loading platform 31 inside the treatment container 30.

[0036] Figure 3 is a detailed diagram showing the suction mechanism 110 according to the embodiment. The suction mechanism 110 has a robotic arm 111, a suction port 112 provided at the front end of the robotic arm 111, a supply port 113, an irradiation section 114 and a photography section 115.

[0037] The robotic arm 111 comprises an arm 121 with two arm components connected by joints, a support 122 that supports the arm 121 in a rotatable and height-adjustable manner, and a head 123 located at the front end of the arm 121. The robotic arm 111 can extend and retract by extending the two arm components of the arm 121 into a straight line or overlapping each other. The robotic arm 111 can raise and lower the arm 121 by the support 122, thereby moving the head 123 at the front end of the arm 121 in a vertical direction. The robotic arm 111 can extend the two arm components of the arm 121 toward the opening 101A, allowing the head 123 to approach the platform 31 through the opening 101A. The robotic arm 111 is controlled by a control unit (not shown). The control unit has a user interface for receiving various operation instructions and displaying the operation status. The operator provides operation instructions through the user interface. Operation instructions can be, for example, individual operation instructions specifying the actions of the robotic arm 111. Alternatively, operation instructions can specify a series of actions. For instance, an operation instruction could specify a series of actions of the robotic arm 111 when it is suctioning the attached object onto the loading platform 31 as a suction instruction.

[0038] A suction port 112, a supply port 113, an irradiation section 114, and a photography section 115 are provided at the head 123. The arrangement of the suction port 112, the supply port 113, the irradiation section 114, and the photography section 115 will be described later.

[0039] By approaching the platform 31 with the head 123, the suction port 112 attracts the attached material from the platform 31. That is, the suction port 112 is connected to the exhaust device 131 on the platform 102A through the exhaust pipe 131A which is provided with a valve 131B and passes through the robotic arm 111, and attracts the attached material from the platform 31 based on the exhaust action performed by the exhaust device 131.

[0040] By bringing the head 123 close to the mounting stage 31, the supply port 113 supplies gas to the mounting stage 31. The gas supplied from the supply port 113 is an inactive gas, a gas that reacts with the deposits to facilitate the attraction of deposits from the mounting stage 31, or a gas that reacts with the deposits to gasify them. Examples of inactive gases include Ar, N2, or dry air. When using an inactive gas, the gas flow rate is appropriately set to blow away the deposits adhering to the mounting stage 31. Examples of gases that react with the deposits to facilitate the attraction of deposits from the mounting stage 31, or that react with the deposits to gasify them, include nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and fluorine (F2). The suction port 112 draws in the deposits along with the gas supplied from the supply port 113. The supply port 113 is connected to a gas supply source (not shown) via a pipe passing through the robotic arm 111, and supplies gas from the gas supply source to the mounting platform 31.

[0041] By bringing the head 123 close to the mounting stage 31, the irradiation unit 114 irradiates the mounting stage 31 with plasma and removes the adhering material from the mounting stage 31. The irradiation unit 114 can reduce the adhesion of the adhering material by reacting ions and free radicals in the plasma with the adhering material, or by gasifying the adhering material. The adhering material with reduced adhesion or the adhering material that has been gasified detaches from the mounting stage 31 and is sucked in by the suction port 112. The irradiation unit 114 can, for example, irradiate the mounting stage 31 with plasma obtained by applying radio frequency power to gases such as oxygen-containing gases (O2, CO2, etc.), gases containing oxygen and rare gases (gases containing O2 and Ar, etc.), and gases containing fluorine (CF4, etc.). Alternatively, the irradiation unit 114 can also irradiate the mounting stage 31 with laser, or irradiate the mounting stage 31 with both plasma and laser. The laser can be a laser that heats the adhering material to reduce its adhesion. The laser can also be a laser with a wavelength that vaporizes the deposited material. For example, a semiconductor laser with a wavelength of 808 nm, a laser dot area of ​​0.5 to 3 mm, and a laser power of 200 W can be used. Furthermore, the irradiation unit 114 can also irradiate the mounting stage 31 with laser in an environment where a gas (such as ozone gas) exists that has the effect of reducing the adhesion of the deposited material or vaporizing the deposited material.

[0042] The imaging unit 115, for example, is an image sensor that takes pictures of the platform 31 by approaching it with the head 123. Alternatively, the imaging unit 115 can also take pictures of the platform 31 while illuminating it, as needed. The imaging unit 115 is controlled by a control unit (not shown). The imaging unit 115 outputs the photographic image obtained from photographing the platform 31 to the control unit. The control unit detects whether there are any attached objects on the platform 31 from the photographic image. When the control unit detects attached objects from the photographic image, it controls the exhaust device 131 to start sucking up the attached objects from the suction port 112.

[0043] Furthermore, a measuring device 132 is provided in the exhaust pipe 131A. The measuring device 132 measures the diameter and number of microparticles flowing in the exhaust pipe 131A, and outputs information on the number of each predetermined particle size class and the total number of microparticles to a control unit (not shown). When suction is performed from the suction port 112, the control unit monitors whether the number of each predetermined particle size class and the total number of microparticles obtained from the measuring device 132 are below a predetermined critical value. When the number of each predetermined particle size class and the total number of microparticles are below the predetermined critical value, the control unit controls the exhaust device 131 to stop suction from the suction port 112.

[0044] Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the suction port 112, supply port 113, illumination section 114, and imaging section 115 according to an embodiment. In Figure 4, a view of the head 123 of the robotic arm 111 from below is shown. The head 123 is rectangular in shape arranged such that the arm 121 is sandwiched between a pair of short sides in a top view. The suction port 112 is provided along each of the short sides of the head 123, inside the pair of short sides. The supply port 113 is provided adjacent to one of the two suction ports 112, and the illumination section 114 is provided adjacent to the other of the two suction ports 112. The imaging section 115 is provided corresponding to the long side of the head 123 that is opposite to the arm 121. Furthermore, the arrangement of the suction port 112, supply port 113, illumination section 114, and imaging section 115 shown in Figure 4 is an example and is not limited to this. For example, the suction port 112 can also be located inside a pair of short sides of the head 123, as shown in FIG. 5, and surround the outer periphery of the supply port 113 and the irradiation section 114 respectively. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of the arrangement of the suction port 112, supply port 113, irradiation section 114 and imaging section 115 according to an embodiment.

[0045] Returning to Figure 2. The maintenance device 100 has a conveying mechanism 140 inside the housing 101 for removing the edge ring 35 from the processing container 30 and inserting the edge ring 35 into the processing container 30. The conveying mechanism 140 consists of a multi-jointed arm 141, a support 142 that supports the arm 141 in a rotatable and height-adjustable manner, and a fork 143 located at the front end of the arm 141. The conveying mechanism 140 can be extended or retracted by extending the arm 141 into a straight line or overlapping each other. The conveying mechanism 140 can be raised and lowered by the support 142, thereby causing the fork 143 at the front end of the arm 141 to move in a vertical direction. The conveying mechanism 140 is uniformly controlled by a control unit (not shown). The control unit has a user interface for receiving various operation instructions and displaying the operation status. The operator gives operation instructions through the user interface. The operation instructions are, for example, operation instructions that individually specify the operation of the conveying mechanism 140. Furthermore, the operation instruction may also specify a series of actions. For example, the operation instruction may specify a series of actions of the conveying mechanism 140 when the edge ring 35 is moved in and out as the conveying instruction.

[0046] Inside the housing 101, as an example, three support platforms 105 are provided at predetermined intervals. Two of the three support platforms 105 respectively hold replacement edge rings 35. The remaining support platform 105 is left empty to hold used edge rings 35. The replacement edge ring 35 may be, for example, a new, unused edge ring. Alternatively, the replacement edge ring 35 may be an old edge ring that has been used but has been consumed in small quantities.

[0047] Next, referring to FIG6, the specific processing operations performed by the vacuum processing system having plasma etching apparatus 10 and maintenance apparatus 100 will be described. FIG6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operations of the vacuum processing system according to an embodiment. The processing operations shown in FIG6 are mainly executed according to the control of the control unit (not shown).

[0048] First, the processing container 30 is dry-cleaned with the edge ring 35 placed on the loading stage 31 (step S101).

[0049] After the dry cleaning is completed, the maintenance device 100 is installed on the plasma etching device 10 (step S102).

[0050] After the installation of the maintenance device 100 is completed, the edge ring 35 is removed from the processing container 30 (step S103).

[0051] Next, the platform 31 inside the treatment container 30 is cleaned by the maintenance device 100 (step S104).

[0052] After cleaning is completed, the replacement edge ring 35 is moved into the processing container 30 (step S105).

[0053] Next, the position of the edge ring 35 is corrected (step S106).

[0054] Next, referring to Figures 7A, 7B, and 8, an example of the operation when removing the edge ring 35 from the processing container 30 and cleaning the mounting table 31 will be described. Figures 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation when removing the edge ring 35 from the processing container 30 and cleaning the mounting table 31. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the process of cleaning the mounting table 31. Furthermore, Figure 8 corresponds to step S104 in Figure 6.

[0055] The operator moves the transport vehicle 102 and delivers the maintenance device 100 to the plasma etching apparatus 10. At this time, the first valve 104A is opened. Then, the vacuum pump 103 depressurizes the interior of the first housing 101B with the gate member 101D closed. Alternatively, the maintenance device 100 can be automatically delivered to the plasma etching apparatus 10 based on an instruction from the control unit 90 or a remote control. Next, the opening 101A of the housing 101 (second housing 101C) is hermetically installed on the second door 95. After the opening 101A of the housing 101 (second housing 101C) is installed on the second door 95, the first valve 104A is switched from the open state to the closed state, and the second valve 104B is opened. Then, the vacuum pump 103 depressurizes the interior of the second housing 101C. This depressurizes the entire interior of both the first housing 101B and the second housing 101C, i.e., the interior of housing 101. Next, the gate member 101D is opened, connecting the first housing 101B and the second housing 101C. Then, the second valve 104B is switched from the open state to the closed state.

[0056] The maintenance device 100 has a removal unit (not shown) inside the housing 101 for removing the cover 96 of the plasma etching device 10. When the edge ring 35 is removed from the processing container 30, as shown in FIG7A, the removal unit removes the cover 96 from the second door 95 and moves the removed cover 96 to a clearance position inside the housing 101. In this way, the housing 101 and the processing container 30 are connected through the opening 101A and the second door 95. After the housing 101 and the processing container 30 are connected, a lifting pin (not shown) protrudes from the mounting platform 31 and positions the edge ring 35 above the mounting platform 31. Furthermore, if the edge ring 35 is electrostatically attracted, the electrostatic attraction is released, causing the lifting pin to protrude and positioning the edge ring 35 above the mounting platform 31. The transport mechanism 140 moves the fork 143 at the front end of the arm 141 to a height corresponding to the opening 101A via the support 142. The conveying mechanism 140 extends the arm 141 toward the opening 101A and moves the fork 143 through the opening 101A to below the edge ring 35. After the lifting pin descends, the conveying mechanism 140 uses the fork 143 to retrieve the edge ring 35 supported on the lifting pin. While holding the edge ring 35, the conveying mechanism 140 retracts the arm 141 and removes the edge ring 35 from the processing container 30.

[0057] Next, as shown by the dotted line in FIG7A, the conveying mechanism 140 moves the fork 143 of the retaining edge ring 35 to a height corresponding to the vacated support platform 105. The conveying mechanism 140 moves the arm 141 toward the vacated support platform 105 and moves the edge ring 35 above the vacated support platform 105. The conveying mechanism 140 lowers the arm 141 and stores the edge ring 35 in the vacated support platform 105.

[0058] Next, as shown in FIG7B, the robotic arm 111 moves the head 123 at the front end of the arm 121 to a height corresponding to the opening 101A via the support 122. The robotic arm 111 extends the arm 121 toward the opening 101A and brings the head 123 close to the mounting table 31 through the opening 101A. As shown in FIG8, the imaging unit 115 takes pictures of the mounting table 31 from above and outputs the obtained photographic images to the control unit (not shown) (step S111). That is, the imaging unit 115 outputs the photographic images obtained by taking pictures of the mounting surface 36d, outer peripheral surface 36e, and ER mounting surface 36f of the electrostatic chuck 36 to the control unit. The control unit detects whether there are any attached objects on the mounting table 31 by comparing the photographic images with a reference image obtained by taking pictures of the cleaned or brand-new mounting table 31 in advance (step S112). When the control unit detects deposits from the photographic image (step S113: Yes), it moves the suction port 112 to the location of the deposits and controls the exhaust device 131 to begin suction from the suction port 112. This allows the suction port 112 to draw away the deposits on the stage 31 (i.e., the deposits remaining on the mounting surface 36d, outer peripheral surface 36e, and ER mounting surface 36f of the electrostatic chuck 36) (step S114). For example, when dry cleaning is performed with the edge ring 35 mounted on the stage 31, reaction products may not be completely removed from the outer peripheral surface 36e of the electrostatic chuck 36, leaving deposits. In this case, the control unit may, for example, draw away the deposits remaining on the outer peripheral surface 36e of the electrostatic chuck 36 from the suction port 112.

[0059] Furthermore, the suction port 112 can also suction the deposits on the stage 31 while supplying inactive gas from the spray head 46 of the plasma etching apparatus 10 into the processing container 30 and the interior of the housing 101. Inactive gas can be, for example, Ar, N2, or dry air. Also, the source of the inactive gas supply is not limited to the spray head 46; for example, it can be a purge port (not shown) that supplies gas when the atmosphere inside the processing container 30 is opened.

[0060] When the suction is performed from the suction port 112, the control unit monitors whether the number of microparticles of each predetermined particle size classification and the total number of microparticles obtained from the measuring instrument 132 are below a predetermined critical value. When the number of microparticles is below the predetermined critical value, the control unit controls the exhaust device 131 to stop the suction from the suction port 112.

[0061] After the suction from the suction port 112 is stopped, the imaging unit 115 takes another picture of the platform 31 from above and outputs the obtained image to the control unit (step S115). The control unit detects whether there are any adhering objects on the platform 31 by comparing the image with a reference image obtained by taking a picture of the cleaned or brand-new platform 31 beforehand (step S116). When the control unit detects adhering objects again from the image (step S117: Yes), it controls the exhaust device 131 to start the suction from the suction port 112. At this time, the supply port 113 supplies gas to the platform 31 (step S118). The suction port 112 sucks up the adhering objects together with the gas supplied from the supply port 113. When the number of microparticles of each predetermined particle size classification and the total number of microparticles obtained from the measuring device 132 are below the critical value, the control unit controls the exhaust device 131 to stop the suction from the suction port 112.

[0062] After suction from the suction port 112 stops, the imaging unit 115 takes another photograph of the platform 31 from above and outputs the obtained photographic image to the control unit (step S119). The control unit detects whether there are any attached objects on the platform 31 by comparing the photographic image with a reference image obtained by taking a photograph of the cleaned or brand-new platform 31 beforehand (step S120). When the control unit detects attached objects again from the photographic image (step S121: Yes), it controls the exhaust device 131 to start suction from the suction port 112. At this time, the irradiation unit 114 irradiates the platform 31 with plasma, laser, or both plasma and laser, and removes the attached objects from the platform 31 (step S122). The suction port 112 sucks up the attached objects removed from the platform 31. Alternatively, the control unit can also suck up the attached objects through the suction port 112 after irradiating the platform 31 with either plasma or laser through the irradiation unit 114. When the number of microparticles obtained from the measuring device 132 is below a critical value, the control unit controls the exhaust device 131 to stop the suction from the suction port 112.

[0063] After suction from suction port 112 stops, the imaging unit 115 takes another photograph of the platform 31 from above and outputs the obtained photographic image to the control unit (step S123). The control unit detects whether there are any attached objects on the platform 31 by comparing the photographic image with a reference image obtained by taking a photograph of the cleaned or brand-new platform 31 beforehand (step S124). When the control unit detects attached objects again from the photographic image (step S125: Yes), it notifies the operator of the vacuum processing system of a warning (step S126). Upon receiving the warning, the operator opens the processing container 30 to the atmosphere and performs maintenance including cleaning of the platform 31.

[0064] Furthermore, if no attachment is detected from the photographic image (step S113: No, step S117: No, step S121: No, step S125: No), the control unit ends the cleaning process of the cleaning platform 31. The platform 31 is cleaned in this way.

[0065] After the robotic arm 111 finishes cleaning the platform 31, it retracts the arm 121 and returns the suction port 112, supply port 113, irradiation unit 114 and photography unit 115 to their original positions inside the housing 101.

[0066] Next, referring to Figures 9A to 9C, an example of the operation when moving the replacement edge ring 35 into the processing container 30 will be described. Figures 9A to 9C are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation when moving the edge ring 35 into the processing container 30. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the process of correcting the position of the edge ring 35 after it has been moved in. Furthermore, Figure 10 corresponds to step S106 in Figure 6.

[0067] When the replacement edge ring 35 is moved into the processing container 30, as shown in FIG9A, the transport mechanism 140 moves the fork 143 to a height corresponding to the support platform 105 on which the replacement edge ring 35 is placed. The transport mechanism 140 moves the arm 141 toward the replacement edge ring 35 and holds the replacement edge ring 35 with the fork 143. While holding the replacement edge ring 35, the transport mechanism 140 moves the arm 141 toward the opening 101A.

[0068] Next, as shown by the dotted line in FIG9A, the transport mechanism 140 moves the fork 143 to a height corresponding to the opening 101A. The transport mechanism 140 extends the arm 141 toward the opening 101A and transports the replacement edge ring 35 above the platform 31 via the opening 101A.

[0069] After the fork 143 holding the replacement edge ring 35 reaches above the mounting platform 31, a lifting pin (not shown) protrudes from the mounting platform 31 and transfers the replacement edge ring 35 from the fork 143 to the lifting pin. After the replacement edge ring 35 is transferred from the fork 143 to the lifting pin, the conveying mechanism 140 retracts the arm 121, returning the fork 143 to its original position inside the housing 101. The lifting pin supporting the replacement edge ring 35 descends and places the replacement edge ring 35 on the outer periphery of the mounting platform 31.

[0070] Next, as shown in FIG9B, the robotic arm 111 moves the head 123 to a height corresponding to the opening 101A. The robotic arm 111 extends the arm 121 toward the opening 101A, and the head 123 approaches the mounting stage 31 through the opening 101A. As shown in FIG10, the imaging unit 115 takes pictures of the gap between the replacement edge ring 35 and the electrostatic chuck 36 of the mounting stage 31 at multiple positions in the circumferential direction (step S131). For example, the imaging unit 115 takes pictures of the gap between the replacement edge ring 35 and the electrostatic chuck 36 of the mounting stage 31 at multiple imaging positions set at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the mounting stage 31 in sequence.

[0071] Figure 11 is a diagram showing one example of the photographing position of the photographing unit 115. Figure 11 is a top view of the replacement edge ring 35 and the electrostatic chuck 36 of the mounting platform 31 from above. In Figure 11, the mounting surface 36d of the mounting platform 31 is shown as a circular plate, and the replacement edge ring 35 is shown as a ring around the mounting surface 36d. The photographing position P of the photographing unit 115 is set at four equal intervals at 90-degree angles along the circumference of the mounting platform 31. Alternatively, the photographing positions can be set at three or fewer, or five or more, along the circumference of the mounting platform 31. Furthermore, the photographing unit 115 can also photograph the entire gap between the replacement edge ring 35 and the electrostatic chuck 36 of the mounting platform 31 at one time.

[0072] Returning to Figure 9B. The photographic unit 115 takes photographs of the gap between the replacement edge ring 35 and the electrostatic chuck 36 of the mounting stage 31 at multiple positions in the circumferential direction, and outputs the resulting photographic images to a control unit (not shown). As shown in Figure 10, the control unit compares the photographic images with a correction reference image obtained by photographing the edge ring 35 in a pre-existing, unbiased state (step S132), and calculates the deviation between the gap width and the reference width for each of the multiple positions in the circumferential direction (step S133). The reference width, for example, is the gap width pre-measured when the center of the replacement edge ring 35 is aligned with the center of the electrostatic chuck 36.

[0073] Next, the control unit determines whether the calculated deviation is within the allowable value (step S134). When the calculated deviation is outside the allowable value (step S134: No), the control unit controls the transport mechanism 140 to correct the position of the replacement edge ring 35 according to the calculated deviation (step S135). That is, after the lifting pin (not shown) protrudes from the platform 31 and the replacement edge ring 35 is positioned above the platform 31, the transport mechanism 140, as shown in FIG. 9C, moves the fork 143 to a height corresponding to the opening 101A. Then, the transport mechanism 140 extends the arm 141 toward the opening 101A and moves the fork 143 through the opening 101A to below the replacement edge ring 35. After the lifting pin descends, the transport mechanism 140 uses the fork 143 to retrieve the replacement edge ring 35 supported on the lifting pin. The transport mechanism 140 moves the arm 141 horizontally while holding the replacement edge ring 35 in order to make the calculated deviation zero. After the replacement edge ring 35 moves and the deviation becomes zero, the lifting pin protrudes from the mounting table 31 and transfers the replacement edge ring 35 from the fork 143 to the lifting pin. After the replacement edge ring 35 is transferred from the fork 143 to the lifting pin, the transport mechanism 140 retracts the arm 121 and returns the fork 143 to its original position inside the housing 101. The lifting pin supporting the replacement edge ring 35 descends and places the replacement edge ring 35 on the outer periphery of the mounting table 31. The control unit can also return to step S131 after correcting the deviation, and take a picture of the gap between the replacement edge ring 35 and the electrostatic chuck 36 of the mounting table 31 through the camera unit 115 to confirm whether the deviation is within the allowable value (steps S131 to S134). Furthermore, when the deviation is outside the allowable value, the control unit can also perform correction again in the manner described above, so that the deviation of the replacement edge ring 35 is 0 (step S135).

[0074] Furthermore, when the calculated deviation is within the allowable value (step S134: Yes), the control unit ends the process. In this way, the replacement edge ring 35 is moved into the processing container 30.

[0075] Furthermore, after the edge ring 35 is moved into the processing container 30, the maintenance device 100 controls the removal unit to install the cover 96 onto the second door 95. Then, with the gate member 101D closed, the vent valve 104D is opened to allow the second housing 101C to be exposed to the atmosphere. After the operator has performed maintenance within the processing container 30 in this sequence, the transport vehicle 102 is moved, causing the maintenance device 100 to separate from the plasma etching unit 10. Furthermore, the maintenance device 100 can also automatically separate from the plasma etching unit 10 and be automatically transported to a predetermined position based on instructions from the control unit 90 or the remote control.

[0076] Thus, the maintenance device 100 according to the embodiment includes an opening 101A with a size corresponding to the second door 95 of the plasma etching apparatus 10, and the opening 101A can be hermetically installed in the housing 101 of the second door 95. Furthermore, the maintenance device 100 has a suction mechanism 110 disposed inside the housing 101, entering the processing container 30 through the opening 101A, and suctioning away any adhering material from the object (taking the stage 31 as an example) inside the processing container 30. In this way, the maintenance device 100 can efficiently clean the inside of the processing container 30 without requiring atmospheric ventilation.

[0077] Furthermore, the suction mechanism 110 has a robotic arm 111, the tip of which can approach the object inside the processing container 30 through the opening 101A. The suction mechanism 110 also has a suction port 112 located at the tip of the robotic arm 111 (taking the head 123 as an example) to suction the attached material from the object inside the processing container 30. Thus, the maintenance device 100 can suction the attached material near the object inside the processing container 30 through the suction port 112.

[0078] Furthermore, the suction port 112 suctions the deposited material while an inactive gas is being supplied into the treatment container 30. In this way, the maintenance device 100 can suction the deposited material and the inactive gas together through the suction port 112.

[0079] Furthermore, the suction mechanism 110 has a supply port 113 located at the front end of the robotic arm 111, which supplies gas to the object inside the processing container 30. In this way, the maintenance device 100 can blow away the adhering material from the object inside the processing container 30 with inactive gas, while simultaneously suctioning the adhering material and inactive gas together through the suction port 112.

[0080] Furthermore, the suction mechanism 110 further includes an irradiation section 114 located at the front end of the robotic arm 111, which irradiates the object inside the processing container 30 with either plasma or laser light, thereby removing the adhering material from the object inside the processing container 30. In this way, the maintenance device 100 can suction the adhering material removed from the object inside the processing container 30 through the suction port 112.

[0081] Furthermore, the suction mechanism 110 has a camera unit 115 located at the front end of the robotic arm 111, which takes pictures of the objects inside the processing container 30. In this way, the maintenance device 100 can obtain photographic images for detecting the presence or absence of attached objects.

[0082] Furthermore, the maintenance device 100 further includes an exhaust device 131 connected to the suction port 112 via an exhaust pipe 131A, and a measuring device 132 for measuring the number of microparticles flowing within the exhaust pipe 131A. The exhaust device 131 stops suction from the suction port 112 when the number of microparticles of each predetermined particle size class and the total number of microparticles, as measured by the measuring device 132, are below a predetermined critical value. Thus, the maintenance device 100 can stop suction from the suction port 112 at an appropriate time.

[0083] Furthermore, the object inside the processing container 30 has an electrostatic chuck 36 for holding the wafer W and a mounting stage 31 for holding the outer periphery of the edge ring 35. The maintenance device 100 also has a conveying mechanism 140. The conveying mechanism 140 is disposed inside the housing 101 and moves the edge ring 35 out of the processing container 30 and into the processing container 30 through the opening 101A. In this way, the maintenance device 100 can clean the inside of the processing container 30 and replace the edge ring 35 without opening to the atmosphere.

[0084] Furthermore, the suction port 112 suctions away any adhering material from the outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion of the platform 31 (for example, the electrostatic chuck 36) after the edge ring 35 has been removed from the processing container 30 by the conveying mechanism 140. In this way, the maintenance device 100 can clean the outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion of the platform 31 that has been exposed after the edge ring 35 has been removed.

[0085] Furthermore, the transport mechanism 140 transports the replacement edge ring 35 into the processing container 30 and places it on the outer periphery of the mounting table 31. The maintenance device 100 further includes a control unit. The control unit takes photographs of the gap between the replacement edge ring 35 and the mounting portion of the mounting table 31 at multiple positions in the circumferential direction using a camera unit 115 located at the front end of the robotic arm 111. Based on the acquired photographic images, the control unit calculates the deviation between the gap width and the reference width at each of the multiple positions in the circumferential direction. The control unit controls the transport mechanism 140 to correct the position of the replacement edge ring 35 using the calculated deviation. In this way, the maintenance device 100 can appropriately correct the position of the replacement edge ring 35 placed on the outer periphery of the mounting table 31.

[0086] (Modification) The above embodiment is illustrated by example of cleaning the mounting platform 31, which is the object inside the processing container 30, but the technology of the present invention is not limited thereto. The maintenance device 100 can also clean parts other than the mounting platform 31, as long as the parts are located inside the processing container 30. Furthermore, the control unit can compare the photographic images obtained by photographing the parts inside the processing container 30 through the photographic unit 115 with the photographic images obtained by photographing brand-new parts through the photographic unit 115, and determine the abnormality of the parts inside the processing container 30 based on at least one of surface condition, shape, and size. Furthermore, the control unit can also output an instruction to replace the parts when it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the parts inside the processing container 30.

[0087] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the example of replacing the edge ring 35 as a consumable part is used for explanation, but the technology of the present invention is not limited to this. In addition to the edge ring 35, the consumable part to be replaced may also be a cover ring (not shown) disposed on the outer periphery of the edge ring 35, or any part that can be moved into the processing container 30 and removed from the processing container 30 by a handling mechanism such as a robotic arm.

[0088] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, it is described that the suction mechanism 110 has a suction port 112, a supply port 113, an irradiation section 114, and a photography section 115 at the front end of the robotic arm 111. However, the supply port 113, the irradiation section 114, and the photography section 115 may not be grouped with the suction port 112. For example, any combination of "suction port 112 and supply port 113", "suction port 112 and irradiation section 114", "suction port 112 and photography section 115", "suction port 112, supply port 113 and irradiation section 114", "suction port 112, supply port 113 and photography section 115", and "suction port 112, irradiation section 114 and photography section 115" can be provided at the front end of the robotic arm 111.

[0089] Furthermore, the above embodiment describes a case where both the suction mechanism 110 and the conveying mechanism 140 are housed inside the housing 101, but the technology of the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, only the suction mechanism 110 may be housed inside the housing 101, and a portion of the robotic arm 111 of the suction mechanism 110 may be replaced with a picking member for replacing the edge ring. Alternatively, only the suction mechanism 110 may be housed inside the housing 101, and the picking member for replacing the edge ring may be installed on the robotic arm 111 of the suction mechanism 110. In this case, the edge ring 35 can be replaced using the picking member for replacing the edge ring. Furthermore, the replacement or installation of the picking member can be performed by an operator or by an automatic replacement method.

[0090] Furthermore, it should be understood that all embodiments of the present invention are illustrative and not intended to limit. The above embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended patent applications. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the plasma etching apparatus according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the maintenance device according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a detailed diagram of the suction mechanism according to the embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the suction port, supply port, irradiation section, and imaging section according to the embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram showing another example of the arrangement of the suction port, supply port, irradiation section, and imaging section according to the embodiment. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the vacuum processing system according to the embodiment. Figure 7A is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation when removing the edge ring from the processing container and cleaning the mounting stage. Figure 7B is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation when removing the edge ring from the processing container and cleaning the mounting stage. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the cleaning of the mounting stage. Figure 9A is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation when moving the edge ring into the processing container. Figure 9B is a diagram illustrating one example of the action of moving the edge ring into the processing container. Figure 9C is a diagram illustrating one example of the action of moving the edge ring into the processing container. Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating one example of the process of correcting the position of the edge ring after it has been moved in. Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating one example of the photographic position of the photographic unit.

Claims

1. A maintenance device detachably mounted on a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate processing apparatus including a substrate processing container, a substrate support disposed within the substrate processing container, a first door for transporting substrates, and a second door different from the first door, the substrate support including a substrate support portion and a ring support portion surrounding the substrate support portion, the maintenance device including: a pressure-reducing housing having an opening detachably mounted to the second door; a sensor disposed within the pressure-reducing housing and configured to move between the pressure-reducing housing and the substrate processing container; a conveying unit disposed within the pressure-reducing housing and configured to convey an edge ring between the pressure-reducing housing and the substrate processing container through the opening, the conveying unit being configured to place a replacement edge ring on the ring support portion of the substrate support; and a control unit configured to: The sensor is controlled to detect multiple gaps in the circumferential direction between the replacement edge ring on the ring support and the substrate support; and the transport unit is controlled based on the output from the sensor to correct the position of the replacement edge ring.

2. The maintenance device as described in claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed on a robotic arm, and the robotic arm is disposed on the maintenance device.

3. The maintenance device as described in claim 2, wherein the sensor is disposed at the front end of the robotic arm.

4. The maintenance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed on a robotic arm, which is different from the arm of the handling unit.

5. The maintenance device as described in claim 1, wherein the sensor is an image sensor.

6. The maintenance device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the image sensor is configured to acquire an image of the plurality of gaps in the circumferential direction, and the control unit is configured to control the transport unit to correct the position of the replacement edge ring based on the acquired image.

7. The maintenance device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to control the transport unit to correct the position of the replacement edge ring based on the acquired image and a pre-acquired reference image of the plurality of gaps in the circumferential direction between the substrate support and the edge ring mounted relative to the substrate support in a state of no deviation.

8. The maintenance device as described in claim 2, wherein the sensor is an image sensor.

9. The maintenance device as described in claim 3, wherein the sensor is an image sensor.

10. The maintenance device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the image sensor is configured to acquire images of the plurality of gaps in the circumferential direction.

11. A substrate processing system, comprising: a substrate processing apparatus, including: a substrate processing container; a substrate support disposed within the substrate processing container, the substrate support including a substrate support portion and a ring support portion surrounding the substrate support portion; a first door for transporting substrates; and a second door different from the first door; and a maintenance device, including: a pressure-reducing housing having an opening detachably mounted to the second door; a sensor disposed within the pressure-reducing housing and configured to move between the pressure-reducing housing and the substrate processing container; a transport unit disposed within the pressure-reducing housing and configured to transport an edge ring between the pressure-reducing housing and the substrate processing container through the opening, the transport unit being configured to place a replacement edge ring on the ring support portion of the substrate support; and a control unit configured to: The sensor is controlled to detect multiple gaps in the circumferential direction between the replacement edge ring on the ring support and the substrate support; and the transport unit is controlled based on the output from the sensor to correct the position of the replacement edge ring.

12. The substrate processing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensor is disposed on a robotic arm, which is disposed on the maintenance device.

13. The substrate processing system as described in claim 12, wherein the sensor is disposed at the front end of the robotic arm.

14. The substrate processing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensor is disposed on a robotic arm, which is different from the arm of the handling unit.

15. The substrate processing system as described in claim 14, wherein the sensor is an image sensor.

16. The substrate processing system of claim 15, wherein the image sensor is configured to acquire an image of the plurality of gaps in the circumferential direction, and the control unit is configured to control the transport unit to correct the position of the replacement edge ring based on the acquired image.

17. The substrate processing system of claim 16, wherein the control unit is configured to control the transport unit to correct the position of the replacement edge ring based on the acquired image and a pre-acquired reference image of the plurality of gaps in the circumferential direction between the substrate support and the edge ring mounted relative to the substrate support in a state of no deviation.

18. The substrate processing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to instruct the maintenance device to automatically move to the position of the substrate processing device.

19. The substrate processing system as described in claim 12, wherein the sensor is an image sensor.

20. The substrate processing system as described in claim 13, wherein the sensor is an image sensor.

21. A maintenance device comprising: a decompression housing having an opening, the size of which corresponds to a second door of a vacuum processing device provided in a processing container for a first door used for moving substrates in and out and a second door different from the first door, and the opening being hermetically mounted to the second door. as well as A suction mechanism, disposed inside the housing, enters the processing container through the opening and attracts the attached material of the object inside the processing container.

Images