Method of processing a substrate

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of processing a substrate by using a substrate processing apparatus that generates plasma in a processing space by applying microwaves, the method including: a plasma processing operation in which the substrate is processed with the plasma; a replacement operation in which the plasma processing operation is performed a predetermined number of times and a component included in the substrate processing apparatus is replaced; and a backup operation in which the substrate processing apparatus is backed up after the replacement operation, wherein the backup operation includes a bake purge operation for removing byproducts present in the component.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a substrate processing method, and more particularly to a method of processing a substrate using plasma. Background Technology

[0002] Plasma is generated by extremely high temperatures, strong electric fields, or high-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF electromagnetic fields), and refers to an ionized gaseous state composed of ions, electrons, free radicals, etc. In semiconductor device manufacturing, plasma is used to perform various processes. For example, the etching process is performed by colliding free radicals and ion particles contained in the plasma with the substrate.

[0003] In substrate processing equipment that generates plasma by generating microwaves, the durability of components included in the equipment decreases during the process. Therefore, after a predetermined number of plasma treatments of the substrate, maintenance work, such as component replacement, is performed periodically. When a component's durability reaches a critical point and it is replaced, the replaced component, containing pre-existing byproducts, is placed inside the substrate processing equipment. When plasma treatment is performed on the substrate with byproducts (e.g., moisture and / or particles) on the surface of the replaced component, the contamination level inside the processing space where the substrate treatment is performed increases, leading to substrate processing defects. Furthermore, byproducts adhere to the substrate surface, thereby preventing effective plasma treatment of the substrate.

[0004] Furthermore, when using a purging operation to remove byproducts included in the component surface, there is a problem of increased maintenance time. When maintenance is lengthy, this leads to reduced substrate processing efficiency. Additionally, it is difficult to easily remove byproducts adhering to tiny recesses on the component surface simply by performing a purging operation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention aims to provide a substrate processing method that can effectively perform maintenance work on substrate processing equipment.

[0006] The present invention also aims to provide a substrate processing method that can quickly perform maintenance work on substrate processing equipment.

[0007] The present invention also aims to provide a substrate processing method that can effectively remove byproducts included on the surface of components after replacing components included in a substrate processing apparatus.

[0008] The purpose of this invention is not limited thereto, and other purposes not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0009] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus that generates plasma in a processing space by applying microwaves. The method includes: a plasma processing operation, wherein the substrate is processed with the plasma; a replacement operation, wherein the plasma processing operation is performed a predetermined number of times and components included in the substrate processing apparatus are replaced; and a backup operation, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is backed up after the replacement operation, wherein the backup operation includes a baking and purging operation for removing byproducts present in the components.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment, in the baking and purging operation, the atmosphere of the processing space can be set to atmospheric pressure, and the temperature of the processing space can be set to 100 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment, in the baking and purging operation, purging gas can be supplied to the processing space.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment, the backup operation may include: a first purging operation to purge the processing space; and a second purging operation to perform a second purging operation on the processing space after the first purging operation.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment, the baking and purging operation can be performed before the first purging operation.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment, in the first purging operation, purging gas can be supplied to the processing space formed at room temperature to check for leaks in the processing space, and the purging gas supplied to the processing space is discharged to purge the processing space once. In the second purging operation, purging gas is supplied to the processing space formed at a high temperature by increasing the temperature of the processing space to check for leaks in the processing space, and the purging gas supplied to the processing space is discharged to purge the processing space a second time.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment, byproducts may include moisture contained in the component and / or particles attached to the component.

[0016] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate processing method for replacing components included in a substrate processing apparatus and backing up the substrate processing apparatus, wherein the backing up of the substrate processing apparatus includes a baking and purging operation for removing byproducts including moisture contained in the components and / or particles attached to the components, and the baking and purging operation includes forming a processing space for processing the substrate at a high temperature, and purging the processing space by supplying purging gas to the processing space at a high temperature.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment, the backup of the substrate processing apparatus may further include a purging operation, which supplies purging gas to the processing space formed at room temperature to check for leaks in the processing space, and discharges the purging gas supplied to the processing space to purge the processing space once, and the purging operation may be performed after the baking purging operation.

[0018] According to an exemplary embodiment, the backup of the substrate processing apparatus may further include a secondary purging operation, which involves supplying purging gas to the processing space formed at a high temperature by raising the temperature of the processing space to check for leaks in the processing space, and discharging the purging gas supplied to the processing space to purge the processing space a second time.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment, in the baking and purging operation, the pressure in the processing space can be atmospheric pressure, and in the baking and purging operation, the temperature of the processing space can be set to 100 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius.

[0020] According to an exemplary embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus may be an apparatus for processing a substrate by applying microwaves to generate plasma in the processing space.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, maintenance work on the substrate processing equipment can be performed effectively.

[0022] Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, maintenance work on the substrate processing equipment can be performed quickly.

[0023] Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, byproducts included on the surface of a component can be effectively removed after replacing the component included in the substrate processing apparatus.

[0024] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand from this specification and the accompanying drawings the effects not mentioned. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 It is a schematic representation of the basis Figure 2 A graph illustrating the temperature of the space during maintenance operations in an exemplary embodiment.

[0028] Figure 4 It is one of the bases Figure 2 A schematic illustration of a substrate processing apparatus performing plasma processing operations, as shown in an exemplary embodiment.

[0029] Figure 5 It is shown schematically according to Figure 2 An enlarged view of the surface of the replaced component after the replacement operation is completed in the exemplary embodiment.

[0030] Figure 6 It is a schematic illustration of what is based on Figure 2 An illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus performing a baking and purging operation.

[0031] Figure 7 It is a schematic illustration of what is based on Figure 2 An illustration of a substrate processing apparatus performing a single purging operation, as shown in an exemplary embodiment.

[0032] Figure 8 It is a schematic illustration of what is based on Figure 2 An illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus performing a secondary purging operation. Detailed Implementation

[0033] In the following description, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various modifications to the exemplary embodiments of the invention are possible, and the scope of the invention should not be construed as limited by the exemplary embodiments described below. These exemplary embodiments are provided to explain the invention more fully to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the shapes of the components in the drawings are enlarged for clearer description.

[0034] Terms such as "first" and "second" are used to describe various component elements, but the component elements are not limited by the terms. The terms are merely used to distinguish one component element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the invention, a first component element may be referred to as a second component element, and similarly, a second component element may be referred to as a first component element.

[0035] In the following text, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 8 Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the following, reference will be made to... Figure 1 The substrate processing apparatus will be described in detail, wherein a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is performed.

[0037] Substrate processing apparatus 10 processes substrate W. According to an exemplary embodiment, substrate processing apparatus 10 can process substrate W using plasma. For example, substrate processing apparatus 10 can perform an etching process for removing a thin film on substrate W using plasma, an ashing process for removing a photoresist film, a deposition process for forming a thin film on substrate W, or a dry cleaning process. Optionally, substrate processing apparatus 10 can perform an annealing process on substrate W using hydrogen plasma. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and the plasma processing process performed in substrate processing apparatus 10 can be modified in various ways to known plasma processing processes. The substrate W loaded in substrate processing apparatus 10 can be a substrate W to which a processing step has already been performed. For example, the substrate W loaded in substrate processing apparatus 10 can be a substrate W to which an etching process or an optical process has previously been performed.

[0038] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus 10, a maintenance process can be performed after a predetermined number of plasma treatments on the substrate W. For example, the substrate processing apparatus 10 can perform the maintenance process after processing a predetermined number of substrates W. A detailed description of this will be given later.

[0039] refer to Figure 1 The substrate processing equipment 10 may include a controller 20, a process chamber 100, a support unit 200, an exhaust baffle 300, a gas supply unit 400, a microwave application unit 500, and a radiation unit 600.

[0040] Additionally, the controller 20 may include a process controller formed by a microprocessor (computer) that performs control over the substrate processing apparatus 10; a user interface formed by a keyboard through which an operator inputs commands to manage the substrate processing apparatus 10; a display for visualizing and displaying the operating status of the substrate processing apparatus 10; and a storage unit therein storing control programs for executing actions performed in the substrate processing apparatus 10 under the control of the process controller, or various data and programs (i.e., action plans) for executing actions in each configuration according to action conditions. Furthermore, the user interface and storage unit may be connected to the process controller. The action plans may be stored in a storage medium in the storage unit, and the storage medium may be a hard disk, or a portable disk such as a CD-ROM or DVD, or a semiconductor memory such as flash memory.

[0041] The controller 20 can control the substrate processing apparatus 10 to perform the substrate processing method described below. For example, the controller 20 can control components disposed in the substrate processing apparatus 10 to perform the substrate processing method described below.

[0042] The process chamber 100 has a processing space 101. The processing space 101 is configured to be a space in which processing of the substrate W is performed. The processing space 101 can be used as a space in which process gas G1 is supplied and plasma is formed when plasma processing operation S10, which will be described later, is performed. In addition, the processing space 101 can be used as a purging space to which purge gas G2 is supplied when maintenance operation S20 is performed.

[0043] The process chamber 100 may include a body 110 and a cover 120. The body 110 may have an open upper surface and an internal space. For example, the body 110 may have an internal space and a cylindrical shape with an open upper surface. The cover 120 may be placed on top of the body 110. The cover 120 may seal the open upper surface of the body 110. For example, the cover 120 may be configured as a cylindrical shape with an open lower surface. The inner side and lower end of the cover 120 may be stepped, such that the upper space has a larger radius compared to the lower space. The body 110 and the cover 120 may be combined with each other to define the process chamber 100. Furthermore, since the body 110 and the cover 120 are combined with each other, the internal space of the body 110 can be used as the aforementioned processing space 101.

[0044] An opening (not shown) may be formed in one sidewall of the process chamber 100. The opening (not shown) serves as a channel through which the substrate W is removed from or loaded into the process space 101. The opening (not shown) may be selectively opened / closed by a door (not shown). For example, an opening (not shown) may be formed in one sidewall of the body 110. The inner wall of the process chamber 100 may be coated. For example, the inner wall of the process chamber 100 may be coated with a material including quartz.

[0045] A discharge port 130 is formed on the bottom surface of the process chamber 100. For example, the discharge port 130 may be formed on the bottom surface of the body 110. The discharge port 130 is connected to a discharge line 140. The discharge line 140 discharges byproducts flowing inside the processing space 101 to the outside of the processing space 101. For example, byproducts may include moisture, process gases, and / or particles.

[0046] One end of the discharge line 140 is connected to the discharge port 130, and the other end of the discharge line 140 is connected to the decompression unit 150. The decompression unit 150 provides a negative voltage to the processing space 101. The decompression unit 150 may be a pump. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and the decompression unit 150 may be modified in various ways and provided as a known device for providing a negative voltage. Because the discharge is carried out through the discharge port 130 and the discharge line 140, the inside of the process chamber 100 can be maintained at a pressure below atmospheric pressure during plasma processing operation S10.

[0047] The support unit 200 is located inside the processing space 101. The support unit 200 supports the substrate W within the processing space 101. For example, the support unit 200 may be an ESC capable of clamping the substrate W using electrostatic force. Optionally, the support unit 200 may physically support the substrate W using mechanical clamping. Optionally, the support unit 200 does not provide means for fixing the substrate W, and the substrate W may be placed on the support unit 200.

[0048] The support unit 200 may include a body 210, a support shaft 220, and a heating unit 230. The body 210 supports a substrate W. The upper surface of the body 210 is configured as a support surface for supporting the substrate W. The substrate W is located on the upper surface of the body 210. According to one example, the body 210 may be provided with a dielectric material. The body 210 may be configured as a dielectric plate having a generally disc-shaped form. The diameter of the upper surface of the body 210 may be configured to be relatively larger than the diameter of the substrate W.

[0049] A pin hole (not shown) can be formed inside the body 210 to serve as a channel for the movement of a lifting pin (not shown). Multiple pin holes (not shown) can be formed inside the body 210 and extending to the upper end of the body 210. The lifting pin (not shown) is provided in a number corresponding to the number of pin holes (not shown) and moves in a vertical direction along the longitudinal direction of the pin holes (not shown) to load the substrate W onto the body 210 or remove the substrate W placed on the body 210.

[0050] Support shaft 220 supports body 210. Support shaft 220 is connected to body 210 at the lower portion of body 210. Support shaft 220 can be connected to process chamber 100. For example, support shaft 220 can be connected to the bottom surface of body 110.

[0051] A heating unit 230 is disposed inside the main body 210. The heating unit 230 heats the substrate W. The heating unit 230 heats the substrate W supported on the upper surface of the main body 210. The heating unit 230 heats the substrate W by increasing the temperature of the main body 210. For example, the heating unit 230 can be configured as a heating element that generates heat by resisting the flow of current from an externally applied power source. The heating unit 230 can be a heating element, such as tungsten. However, the type of heating unit 230 is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made and it can be configured as a known heating element.

[0052] The heat generated by the heating unit 230 is transferred to the substrate W through the body 210. The substrate W can be maintained at the set temperature required by the process by the heat generated by the heating unit 230. In addition, the heating unit 230 can increase the temperature of the body 210 to prevent byproducts (e.g., various oxide films) that separate from the substrate W during processing from re-adhere to the substrate W.

[0053] Although not explicitly stated, by example, heating unit 230 may be provided with multiple helical coils. Heating units 230 may be respectively provided in different regions of body 210. For example, heating units 230 that heat the region including the center of body 210 and heating units 230 that heat the region surrounding the region including the center of body 210 (e.g., the edge region of body 210) may be provided separately, and the heating levels of heating units 230 may be controlled independently of each other.

[0054] Furthermore, when performing maintenance operation S20, which will be described later, the heating unit 230 can adjust the temperature of the processing space 101. When performing maintenance operation S20, since maintenance operation S20 is performed in a state where the substrate W is not present on the main body 210, the heat generated by the heating unit 230 can be transferred to the processing space 101 via the main body 210.

[0055] The discharge baffle 300 uniformly discharges the airflow inside the processing space 101 into the discharge line 140. For example, the discharge baffle 300 uniformly discharges the plasma generated in each region of the processing space 101 during the plasma processing operation S10, which will be described later. Furthermore, the discharge baffle 300 induces the easy discharge of byproducts included in the replaced components during the maintenance operation S20, which will be described later, into the discharge line 140.

[0056] Viewed from above, the discharge baffle 300 has an annular shape. The discharge baffle 300 is located between the inner wall of the process chamber 100 and the support unit 200 in the processing space 101. For example, the discharge baffle 300 may be positioned between the inner wall of the body 110 and the outer surface of the body 210. A plurality of discharge holes 310 are formed in the discharge baffle 300. The discharge holes 310 are configured as through holes extending from the upper end to the lower end of the discharge baffle 300. The discharge holes 310 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the discharge baffle 300.

[0057] The gas supply unit 400 supplies gas to the processing space 101. The gas supply unit 400 may include a process gas supply component 420 and a purge gas supply component 440.

[0058] Process gas supply member 420 supplies process gas G1 into process space 101. Process gas supply member 420 can supply process gas G1 into process space 101 through process gas supply port 160 formed on the sidewall of process chamber 100. According to an example, process gas G1 may include fluorine or hydrogen. For example, process gas G1 may be nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) or ammonia (NH3).

[0059] The purge gas supply member 440 supplies purge gas G2 into the processing space 101. The purge gas supply member 440 can supply purge gas G2 into the processing space 101 through a purge gas supply port 170 formed on the side wall of the process chamber 100. According to an example, the purge gas G2 may include argon (Ar).

[0060] Unlike the examples above, only one gas supply port is formed on the side wall of the process chamber 100, and the gas supply line connected to the gas supply port can be branched to supply each of the process gas and the purge gas into the processing space 101.

[0061] The microwave application unit 500 applies microwaves to the radiation unit 600, which will be described later. The microwave application unit 500 may include a microwave generator 510, a first waveguide 520, a second waveguide 530, a phase shifter 540, and a matching network 550.

[0062] Microwave generator 510 generates microwaves. Microwave generator 510 is connected to a first waveguide 520, which will be described later. According to an exemplary embodiment, microwave generator 510 may be disposed outside process chamber 100.

[0063] The first waveguide 520 is connected to the microwave generator 510, and a channel is formed therein. The microwaves generated by the microwave generator 510 are transmitted along the first waveguide 520 to the phase converter 540, which will be described later.

[0064] The second waveguide 530 may include an outer conductor 532 and an inner conductor 534.

[0065] The outer conductor 532 extends vertically downward from the distal end of the first waveguide 520 and forms a channel therein. The upper end of the outer conductor 532 can be connected to the lower end of the first waveguide 520, and the lower end of the outer conductor 532 can be connected to the upper end of the cover 120.

[0066] The inner conductor 534 is located inside the outer conductor 532. The inner conductor 534 is configured as a cylindrical rod, and its longitudinal direction can be parallel to the vertical direction. The upper end of the inner conductor 534 can be inserted into and fixed to the lower end of the phase shifter 540, which will be described later. The inner conductor 534 extends in a downward direction such that its lower end can be located inside the process chamber 100. The lower end of the inner conductor 534 can be fixedly connected to the center of the antenna plate 620, which will be described later. The inner conductor 534 can be configured perpendicular to the upper surface of the antenna plate 620.

[0067] The inner conductor 534 can be provided by sequentially coating a first electroplated film and a second electroplated film onto a rod made of copper. For example, the first electroplated layer can be made of nickel (Ni). For example, the second electroplated layer can be made of gold (Au). In this case, microwaves can propagate to the antenna plate 620 primarily through the first electroplated film. Microwaves phase-shifted by the phase shifter 540 described below can be transmitted to the antenna plate 620 along the second waveguide 530.

[0068] Phase shifter 540 can be positioned at the point where the first waveguide 520 and the second waveguide 530 connect to each other. Phase shifter 540 changes the phase of the microwave oven. Phase shifter 540 can be configured as a cone shape with a pointed bottom. Phase shifter 540 propagates microwaves transmitted from the first waveguide 520 to the second waveguide 530 in a mode switching state. Phase shifter 540 can convert microwaves from TE mode to TEM mode.

[0069] A matching network 550 can be provided to the first waveguide 520. The matching network 550 will match the microwaves propagating through the first waveguide 520 to a predetermined frequency.

[0070] The radiating unit 600 transmits microwaves generated by the microwave application unit 500 to the processing space 101. The radiating unit 600 may include an antenna plate 620, a slow-wave plate 640, and a dielectric plate 660.

[0071] Antenna plate 620 can emit microwaves. Antenna plate 620 can be disposed between slow wave plate 640 and dielectric plate 660, which will be described later. For example, antenna plate 620 can be disposed below slow wave plate 640 and above dielectric plate 660.

[0072] The antenna plate 620 can be configured as a plate shape. For example, the antenna plate 620 can be configured as a circular plate with a thin thickness. The antenna plate 620 is disposed above the support unit 200 and faces the main body 210. A plurality of slots 622 can be formed on the inner side of the antenna plate 620. The slots 622 can be configured as a single (one) shape, but are not limited thereto, and the shape and arrangement of the slots 622 can be varied.

[0073] The slow-wave plate 640 can be positioned above the antenna plate 620. The slow-wave plate 640 can be configured as a disk with a predetermined thickness. The slow-wave plate 640 can have a radius corresponding to the inner side of the cover 120. Microwaves propagating vertically through the inner conductor 534 propagate radially through the slow-wave plate 640. The wavelength of the microwaves propagating to the slow-wave plate 640 is compressed and resonates. Furthermore, the slow-wave plate 640 can re-reflect microwaves reflected from the dielectric plate 660 and return the reflected microwaves to the dielectric plate 660.

[0074] The dielectric plate 660 can be used as the upper wall of the processing space 101. For example, the dielectric plate 660 is located below the antenna plate 620 and can be configured as a disk shape with a predetermined thickness. The bottom surface of the dielectric plate 660 can be configured as an inwardly recessed surface. The lower surface of the dielectric plate 660 can be located at the same height as the lower end of the cover 120. The side portions of the dielectric plate 660 can be formed as stepped, such that their upper ends have a larger radius compared to their lower ends. The upper end of the dielectric plate 660 can be placed on the stepped lower end of the cover 120. The lower end of the dielectric plate 660 has a smaller radius compared to the lower end of the cover 120 and can maintain a predetermined distance from the lower end of the cover 120. The dielectric plate 660 can be made of a material containing dielectric material.

[0075] Microwaves are radiated into the processing space 101 via dielectric plate 660. The process gas supplied to the processing space 101 can be excited into a plasma state by the electric field of the radiated microwaves. The ions, electrons and / or free radicals included in the plasma can act on the substrate W located inside the processing space 101 to process the substrate W.

[0076] The substrate processing method described below according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be executed in the substrate processing apparatus 10 described above. Furthermore, the controller 20 can control the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 10 so that the substrate processing apparatus 10 can execute the substrate processing method described below.

[0077] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 It is a schematic representation of the basis Figure 2 A graph illustrating the temperature of the space during maintenance operations in an exemplary embodiment. Figures 4 to 8 This is a diagram illustrating each operation of the substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in sequence.

[0078] refer to Figure 2 The substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a plasma processing operation S10 and a maintenance operation S20. The maintenance operation S20 may include a replacement operation S30 and a backup operation S40. The backup operation S40 may include a baking and purging operation S410, a primary purging operation S430, and a secondary purging operation S450.

[0079] In plasma processing operation S10, substrate W can be processed. According to an example, in plasma processing operation S10, substrate W can be processed using plasma P. In maintenance operation S20, maintenance operations are performed on the configurations (collectively referred to below as components) included in the substrate processing equipment 10. In replacement operation S30, a replacement operation is performed on severely damaged components. In backup operation S40, after the component replacement work is completed, the substrate processing equipment 10 performs a task to create an environment suitable for performing plasma processing operation S10. In backup operation S40, the internal environment of the processing space 101 can be created as an environment in which plasma processing operation S10 is performed. For example, in backup operation S40, it is possible to check whether the process chamber 100 is leaking and / or whether byproduct B in the processing space 101 has been removed.

[0080] Figure 4 It is based on Figure 2 A schematic illustration of a substrate processing apparatus performing plasma processing operations according to an exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 2 and Figure 4 In plasma processing operation S10, process gas supply member 420 supplies process gas G1 into process space 101 through process gas supply hole 160 formed on the side wall of process chamber 100. The process gas G1 supplied to processing space 101 can be excited into plasma state P by the electric field of microwaves radiated into processing space 101 from microwave application unit 500 and radiation unit 600. Plasma P formed in processing space 101 can process substrate W by acting on substrate W supported on the upper surface of body 210.

[0081] The plasma processing operation S10 can be performed a predetermined number of times. In the plasma processing operation S10, the substrate W can be processed by plasma P a predetermined number of times. For example, in the plasma processing operation S10, plasma P processing can be performed on a predetermined number of substrates W. After processing the predetermined number of substrates W in the plasma processing operation S10, a maintenance operation S20 can be performed. According to an exemplary embodiment, the predetermined number of substrates W to be processed in the substrate processing apparatus 10 can be approximately 5,000 or more.

[0082] refer to Figure 2 The replacement operation S30 is performed after the plasma processing operation S10. As described above, the replacement operation S30 can be performed after a predetermined number of substrates W have been processed in the plasma processing operation S10.

[0083] In the replacement operation S30 according to the exemplary embodiment, a component replacement operation is performed. For example, in the replacement operation S30, a component that has been exposed to plasma P during plasma processing operation S10 and is severely damaged (e.g., worn) is replaced. In the replacement operation S30 according to the exemplary embodiment, the component to be replaced may be at least one of the components included in the substrate processing apparatus 10. For example, the component to be replaced in the replacement operation S30 may be at least one of the heating unit 230, the exhaust baffle 300, and the radiation unit 600. Hereinafter, for ease of description, the case where the component to be replaced in the replacement operation S30 is the dielectric plate 660 will be described as an example.

[0084] Figure 5 It is shown schematically according to Figure 2 An enlarged view of the surface of the replaced component after the replacement operation is completed, as shown in the exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 5 A fine recess with a depth of 1 micrometer or less can be formed on the surface of the dielectric plate 660 to be replaced. Such a fine recess can be placed inside the substrate processing apparatus 10 with the fine recess formed not only on the dielectric plate 660 but also on the component to be replaced within the substrate processing apparatus 10. The fine recess on the component can be generated during the component manufacturing process (e.g., polishing process). That is, the component to be replaced can be placed on the substrate processing apparatus 10 with the fine recess originally formed on the surface of the component to be replaced.

[0085] Byproduct B can adhere to tiny recesses formed on the surface of the component. In the replacement operation S30, byproduct B is placed on the substrate processing apparatus 10 in a state of being included in the component. According to one example, byproduct B may include moisture, particles, and / or permeate.

[0086] Figure 6 It is shown that according to Figure 2 A schematic illustration of a substrate processing apparatus performing a baking and purging operation, as described in an exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 In the baking purging operation S410 according to an exemplary embodiment, the processing space 101 formed under high temperature and atmospheric pressure is purged. For example, in the baking purging operation S410, purging gas G2 can be supplied to the processing space 101 formed under high temperature and atmospheric pressure using a purging gas supply member 440, and the purging gas G2 supplied to the processing space 101 can be discharged to the outside of the processing space 101 using a decompression unit 150. The baking purging operation S410 can be performed for a preset time. For example, the baking purging operation S410 can be performed for 30 minutes to 150 minutes.

[0087] The baking and purging operation S410 can be performed by setting the temperature of the processing space 101 to a high temperature. For example, in the baking and purging operation S410, the temperature of the processing space 101 can be set to a first temperature T1. The first temperature T1 can be a temperature between 100 and 200 degrees Celsius. In the baking and purging operation S410, the heating unit 230 generates heat equal to or higher than the first temperature T1 to raise the temperature of the processing space 101 to the first temperature T1.

[0088] The baking and purging operation S410 can be performed by creating an atmosphere in the processing space 101 at atmospheric pressure. For example, the pressure in the baking space 101 during the baking and purging operation S410 can be set to 1 to 600 Torr. More preferably, the pressure in the baking space 101 during the baking and purging operation S410 can be set to 200 Torr. During the baking and purging operation S410, the decompression unit 150 can discharge the internal atmosphere of the processing space 101 to set the pressure in the processing space 101 to atmospheric pressure.

[0089] In the baking and purging operation S410 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the flowability of the internal airflow of the processing space 101 can be improved by setting the pressure of the processing space 101 to atmospheric pressure and the temperature of the processing space 101 to a high temperature. Therefore, byproduct B adhering to the micro-recesses formed on the surface of the replaced component can be induced to separate from the micro-recesses into the processing space 101. Thus, the byproduct B separated into the processing space 101 is carried on the airflow of the purge gas G2 inside the processing space 101 during the process of supplying purge gas G2 to the processing space 101 and discharging the purge gas G2 to be discharged to the outside of the process chamber 100. Therefore, byproduct B included in the component being replaced in the replacement operation S30 can be easily and quickly removed from the component.

[0090] Figure 7 It is a schematic illustration of what is based on Figure 2 An illustration of a substrate processing apparatus performing a single purging operation, as shown in the exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 A single purging operation S430 purifies the processing space 101. This purging operation S430 can be performed after the baking purging operation S410 is completed. In this purging operation S430, the processing space 101, formed at room temperature, is purged. For example, in this purging operation S430, the heating unit 230 can adjust the heat generation level to lower the temperature of the processing space 101 from a first temperature T1 to a second temperature T2. According to an exemplary embodiment, the second temperature T2 can be room temperature. For example, the second temperature T2 can be a temperature between 0 and 50 degrees Celsius.

[0091] In a purging operation S430, purge gas G2 is supplied to the processing space 101 at room temperature. The purge gas G2 supplied to the processing space 101 is discharged to the outside of the process chamber 100 by the decompression unit 150. Whether a leak occurs in the process chamber 100 can be detected by the purge gas G2 supplied to the processing space 101. Furthermore, since the processing space 101 is purged by the purge gas G2 supplied to the processing space 101, byproducts B adhering to components disposed inside the processing space 101 are removed a second time.

[0092] Figure 8 It is schematically shown in which, according to Figure 2 An illustration of a substrate processing apparatus performing a secondary purging operation, as shown in the exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 8 In the secondary purging operation S450, the processing space 101 is purged. The secondary purging operation S450 can be performed after the primary purging operation S430. In the secondary purging operation S450, the processing space 101 formed at a high temperature is purged. For example, in the secondary purging operation S450, the heating unit 230 can increase the temperature of the processing space 101 to a temperature higher than the second temperature T2 by adjusting the heat generation level. According to an example, in the secondary purging operation S450, the temperature of the processing space 101 can be a first temperature T1. Optionally, in the secondary purging operation S450, the temperature of the processing space 101 can be higher than the second temperature T2 and lower than the first temperature T1.

[0093] In the secondary purging operation S450, purging gas G2 is supplied to the processing space 101, which has a relatively higher temperature compared to the primary purging operation S430. The purging gas G2 supplied to the processing space 101 is discharged to the outside of the processing space 101 by the decompression unit 150. Whether a leak has occurred in the process chamber 100 can be detected by the purging gas G2 supplied to the process space 101, and byproducts B adhering to components located inside the processing space 101 can eventually be removed.

[0094] According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention described above, the airflow within the processing space 101 can be improved by forming a processing space 101 with an atmosphere of atmospheric pressure and high temperature during the baking and purging operation S410. Therefore, by inducing the separation of byproduct B originally included in the component replaced in the replacement operation S30 into the processing space 101, the byproduct B originally included in the component can be smoothly removed from the substrate processing apparatus 10. Therefore, since a clean processing space 101 is formed and byproducts interfering with the surface of the substrate W are removed when the substrate W is treated with plasma, the defect rate of the substrate W can be reduced.

[0095] Furthermore, since the byproduct B included in the component can be removed from the substrate processing apparatus 10 before performing the subsequent purging operations S430 and S450, the time required to create the process environment in the subsequent purging operations S430 and S450 can be shortened. Therefore, the processing efficiency of the substrate W can be improved by reducing the time required for the maintenance operation S20, which is necessarily involved in processing the substrate W.

[0096] Furthermore, byproducts can be removed from the surface of components (such as the replaced dielectric plate 660), allowing the microwave electric field to be uniformly formed inside the processing space 101. Therefore, since the plasma density acting on the substrate W is uniformly formed, the yield of processing the substrate W can be improved.

[0097] The foregoing detailed description illustrates the present invention. Furthermore, while exemplary embodiments of the invention have been shown and described above, the invention can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, modifications or alterations can be made to the foregoing within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed herein, its equivalents, and / or within the scope of the art or knowledge. The foregoing exemplary embodiments describe the optimal state for realizing the technical spirit of the invention, and various variations are possible for specific fields of application and uses of the invention. Therefore, the above detailed description of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. Furthermore, the appended claims should be interpreted to include other exemplary embodiments as well.

Claims

1. A method for processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus, wherein the substrate processing apparatus generates plasma in a processing space by applying microwaves, the method comprising: Plasma processing operation, wherein the plasma processing substrate is used; The replacement operation, wherein the plasma processing operation is performed a preset number of times and components included in the substrate processing equipment are replaced; and Backup operation, wherein the substrate processing equipment is provided as a backup after the replacement operation. The backup operations include a baking and purging operation for removing byproducts present in the component, a primary purging operation performed after the baking and purging operation to purge the processing space, and a secondary purging operation performed after the primary purging operation to purge the processing space a second time. In the baking and purging operation, the atmosphere in the processing space is atmospheric pressure, and the temperature in the processing space is a first temperature, which is between 100 and 200 degrees Celsius. In the baking and purging operation, purging gas is supplied to the processing space at the first temperature to purge the processing space. In the first purging operation, purging gas is supplied to the processing space formed at a second temperature to check for leaks in the processing space, and the purging gas supplied to the processing space is discharged to purge the processing space once, wherein the second temperature is room temperature. In the secondary purging operation, purging gas is supplied to the processing space formed at a temperature higher than the second temperature and equal to or lower than the first temperature by increasing the temperature of the processing space to check for leaks in the processing space, and the purging gas supplied to the processing space is discharged to purge the processing space a second time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the byproducts include moisture contained in the component and / or particles attached to the component.

3. A method for replacing components included in a substrate processing apparatus and re-equipping the substrate processing apparatus with the substrate processing equipment. The backup of the substrate processing equipment includes a baking and purging operation for removing byproducts, including moisture contained in the component and / or particles adhering to the component. The baking and purging operation includes forming a processing space for processing the substrate at a first temperature, and purging the processing space by supplying purging gas to the processing space at the first temperature. In the baking and purging operation, the pressure in the processing space is atmospheric pressure, and the temperature in the processing space is a first temperature, which is between 100 and 200 degrees Celsius. The backup of the substrate processing apparatus further includes a primary purging operation, which supplies purging gas to the processing space formed at a second temperature (room temperature) to check for leaks in the processing space, and discharges the purging gas supplied to the processing space to purge the processing space once, wherein the second temperature is room temperature. The first purging operation is performed after the baking purging operation. The backup of the substrate processing apparatus further includes a secondary purging operation, which involves supplying purge gas to the processing space formed at a temperature higher than the second temperature and equal to or lower than the first temperature by raising the temperature of the processing space to check for leaks in the processing space, and discharging the purge gas supplied to the processing space to purge the processing space a second time. The secondary purging operation is performed after the primary purging operation.

4. The substrate processing method according to claim 3, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is an apparatus for processing the substrate by applying microwaves to generate plasma in the processing space.

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