Information processing device, substrate processing device, and information processing method

Abstract

To properly or easily determine a state of an elastic film in a substrate holding device for substrate polishing processing.SOLUTION: An information processing device comprises: an information acquisition section for acquiring device operation information including polishing processing information indicating a state of polishing processing of a substrate and transfer processing information indicating a state of transfer processing of the substrate as an operation state in a case where a substrate processing device is operated; and a state determination section for determining elastic film state information indicating a state of an elastic film in a top ring in the case where the polishing processing and / or the transfer processing is performed, indicated by the device operation information with respect to the device operation information by inputting the device operation information acquired by the information acquisition section to a learning model for which a correlation between the device operation information and the elastic film state information is learnt by machine learning.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a substrate processing apparatus, and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment is used to planarize the surface of a substrate. Substrates used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices are often disk-shaped. In addition, there is an increasing demand for flatness when planarizing the surfaces of rectangular substrates such as copper clad laminate (CCL) substrates, printed circuit board (PCB) substrates, photomask substrates, and display panels, in addition to semiconductor devices. There is also an increasing demand for planarizing the surfaces of package substrates on which electronic devices are mounted, such as PCB substrates.

[0003] In such substrate processing apparatus, a substrate holding device using an elastic membrane is used to equalize or adjust the relative pressing force between the substrate and the polishing surface of the polishing pad during polishing. As an example, a pressure chamber formed of an elastic membrane is provided under a top ring serving as a substrate holding device, and a gas such as air is supplied to this pressure chamber to press the substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing pad, thereby polishing the substrate.

[0004] After the polishing process is completed, the substrate holding device moves to a position above the transfer stage while holding the substrate, and transfers the substrate to the transfer stage. As an example, the transfer of the substrate is performed by supplying gas to a pressure chamber and injecting gas into a gap between the substrate and the elastic membrane, thereby releasing the substrate from the elastic membrane. The placement of the substrate on the transfer stage is detected by a plurality of sensors for detecting different positions of the substrate. The substrate placed on the transfer stage is transferred to a swing transporter and transported to the subsequent process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-178608 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The elastic film used in the substrate processing apparatus is worn or deteriorated by repeated substrate polishing. When the elastic film is worn or deteriorated, the substrate processing conditions such as the polishing pressure change, and the uniformity of the film thickness of the substrate after the polishing process may be lost. For this reason, in the past, the elastic film has been maintained or replaced every time a predetermined number of substrates (e.g., several hundred or several thousand) are held and polished. Here, in order to maintain the accuracy of the substrate processing, it is preferable to increase the frequency of the maintenance of the elastic film. However, the higher the maintenance frequency, the lower the processing speed per hour of the substrate processing apparatus and the higher the running cost may be. In addition, there are individual differences in the wear or deterioration of the elastic film. It is possible to provide a sensor such as an image sensor in the substrate processing apparatus to obtain the state of the elastic film and determine the time for maintenance of the elastic film, but this may cause an increase in the cost of the substrate processing apparatus and a decrease in the processing speed per hour.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to properly and easily determine the state of an elastic film in a substrate processing apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a polishing table for supporting a polishing pad, a substrate holding surface and a pressure The present invention proposes an information processing apparatus comprising: a top ring including an elastic membrane that constitutes a pressure chamber; and a transport stage configured to receive a substrate from the top ring, the information acquisition unit acquiring apparatus operation information including polishing process information indicating a state of the polishing process and transport process information indicating a state of the transport process as operating states when a substrate processing apparatus is operated, the polishing process pressing the substrate against the polishing pad in accordance with a fluid supplied to the pressure chamber, and a transport process detaching the substrate from the elastic membrane and transferring it to the transport stage; and a state determination unit that determines the elastic membrane state information for the apparatus operation information by inputting the apparatus operation information acquired by the information acquisition unit into a learning model that has been trained by machine learning to determine a correlation between the apparatus operation information and elastic membrane state information indicating the state of the elastic membrane when the polishing process and / or the transport process indicated by the apparatus operation information was performed.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an information processing method is proposed, which includes an information acquisition step of acquiring apparatus operation information including polishing process information indicating the state of the polishing process and transport process information indicating the state of the transport process as an operating state when a substrate processing apparatus is operated, the apparatus operation information including a polishing table that supports a polishing pad, a top ring that includes an elastic membrane that forms a substrate holding surface and a pressure chamber, and a transport stage configured to transfer a substrate from the top ring, and a polishing process that presses the substrate against the polishing pad in accordance with a fluid supplied to the pressure chamber, and a transport process that detaches the substrate from the elastic membrane and transfers it to the transport stage, and a state determination step of inputting the apparatus operation information acquired by the information acquisition unit into a learning model that has been trained by machine learning to determine the correlation between the apparatus operation information and elastic membrane state information indicating the state of the elastic membrane when the polishing process and / or the transport process indicated by the apparatus operation information was performed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a polishing module according to the embodiment; [Diagram 3] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a top ring constituting a substrate holding device that holds a wafer, which is an object to be polished, and presses it against a polishing surface on a polishing table. [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic view showing the substrate transfer device from above; FIG. [Figure 5A] 1 is a schematic view showing a process of transferring a wafer from a top ring to a substrate transfer device; [Figure 5B] 1 is a schematic view showing a process of transferring a wafer from a top ring to a substrate transfer device; [Figure 5C] 1 is a schematic view showing a process of transferring a wafer from a top ring to a substrate transfer device; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram of a controller according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram of a machine learning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 11 is a time chart showing an example of detection signals of the sensors when the wafer is released. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a time difference in the seating timing of each wafer. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a removal time for each wafer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of an information processing apparatus, a substrate processing apparatus, and an information processing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, identical or similar elements are given identical or similar reference symbols, and duplicated descriptions of identical or similar elements may be omitted in the description of each embodiment. Furthermore, features shown in each embodiment can be applied to other embodiments as long as they are not mutually inconsistent.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, this substrate processing apparatus has a substantially rectangular housing 1, the inside of which is partitioned by partitions 1a and 1b into a load port 2, a polishing module 3, and a cleaning module 4. The load port 2, the polishing module 3, and the cleaning module 4 are each assembled independently and evacuated independently. The substrate processing apparatus also has a controller 5 that controls the substrate processing operation.

[0013] The load port 2 is equipped with two or more (four in this embodiment) front load units 20 on which wafer cassettes for stocking a large number of wafers (an example of substrates) are placed. These front load units 20 are disposed adjacent to the housing 1 and are arranged along the width direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of the substrate processing apparatus. The front load units 20 are capable of mounting an open cassette, a Standard Manufacturing Interface (SMIF) pod, or a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP). Note that, in this embodiment, a circular semiconductor wafer is used as an example of a substrate, but the substrate is not limited to this example, and for example, a rectangular substrate may be used.

[0014] The load port 2 is also provided with a travel mechanism 21 that extends along the arrangement of the front load sections 20. A transfer robot (loader) 22 that is movable along the arrangement direction of the wafer cassettes is installed on this travel mechanism 21. The transfer robot 22 is capable of accessing the wafer cassettes mounted on the front load section 20 by moving on the travel mechanism 21. In this embodiment, the transfer robot 22 has two hands, one above the other. As an example, the transfer robot 22 uses the upper hand when returning a processed wafer to the wafer cassette, and uses the lower hand when removing an unprocessed wafer from the wafer cassette.

[0015] The load port 2 is a clean area, and the inside of the load port 2 is maintained at a higher pressure than the outside of the substrate processing apparatus, the polishing module 3, and the cleaning module 4. The polishing module 3 is a dirty area because it uses slurry as the polishing liquid. A negative pressure is generated inside the polishing module 3, and the pressure is maintained lower than the internal pressure of the cleaning module 4.

[0016] The polishing module 3 is an area where the wafer is polished (flattened), and includes a first polishing module 3A, a second polishing module 3B, a third polishing module 3C, and a fourth polishing module 3D. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the first polishing module 3A, the second polishing module 3B, the third polishing module 3C, and the fourth polishing module 3D are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the substrate processing apparatus. Note that one, two, three, or five or more polishing modules may be provided. The first polishing module 3A, the second polishing module 3B, the third polishing module 3C, and the fourth polishing module 3D have the same configuration, so only the first polishing module 3A will be described below.

[0017] The first polishing module 3A includes a polishing table 30 on which a polishing pad 10 having a polishing surface is attached, and a top ring (substrate holding device) 31 for holding a wafer and polishing the wafer while pressing it against the polishing pad 10 on the polishing table 30. The first polishing module 3A also includes a polishing liquid supply nozzle 32 for supplying a polishing liquid or a dressing liquid (e.g., pure water) to the polishing pad 10, a dresser 33 for dressing the polishing surface of the polishing pad 10, and an atomizer 34 for spraying a mixed fluid of a liquid (e.g., pure water) and a gas (e.g., nitrogen gas) or a liquid (e.g., pure water) in a mist onto the polishing surface.

[0018] Next, a transfer mechanism for transferring a wafer will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a first linear transporter is provided adjacent to the first polishing module 3A and the second polishing module 3B. The first linear transporter 6 is a mechanism for transporting wafers between four transfer positions (referred to as a first transfer position TP1, a second transfer position TP2, a third transfer position TP3, and a fourth transfer position TP4, in order from the load port side) along the direction in which the first polishing module 3A and the second polishing module 3B are arranged.

[0019] A second linear transporter 7 is disposed adjacent to the third polishing module 3C and the fourth polishing module 3D. The second linear transporter 7 is a mechanism for transporting wafers between three transfer positions (the fifth transfer position TP5, the sixth transfer position TP6, and the seventh transfer position TP7, in that order from the load port side) along the direction in which the third polishing module 3C and the fourth polishing module 3D are arranged.

[0020] The wafer is transported to the first polishing module 3A and the second polishing module 3B by the first linear transporter 6. The top ring 31 of the first polishing module 3A moves between the polishing position and the second transfer position TP2 by the swinging motion of the top ring head. The wafer is transferred to the top ring 31 at the second transfer position TP2. Similarly, the top ring 31 of the second polishing module 3B moves between the polishing position and the third transfer position TP3, and the wafer is transferred to the top ring 31 at the third transfer position TP3. The top ring 31 of the third polishing module 3C moves between the polishing position and the sixth transfer position TP6, and the wafer is transferred to the top ring 31 at the sixth transfer position TP6. The top ring 31 of the fourth polishing module 3D moves between the polishing position and the seventh transfer position TP7, and the wafer is transferred to the top ring 31 at the seventh transfer position TP7.

[0021] At the first transfer position TP1, a lifter 11 for receiving a wafer from the transfer robot 22 is disposed. The wafer is delivered from the transfer robot 22 to the first linear transporter 6 via the lifter 11. A shutter (not shown) is provided on the partition wall 1a between the lifter 11 and the transfer robot 22, and the shutter is opened during the transfer of the wafer so that the wafer is delivered from the transfer robot 22 to the lifter 11. A swing transporter 12 is disposed between the first linear transporter 6, the second linear transporter 7, and the cleaning module 4. The swing transporter 12 has a hand that can move between the fourth transfer position TP4 and the fifth transfer position TP5, and the transfer of the wafer from the first linear transporter 6 to the second linear transporter 7 is performed by the swing transporter 12. The wafer is transported to the third polishing module 3C and / or the fourth polishing module 3D by the second linear transporter 7. Furthermore, the wafer polished in the polishing module 3 is transported to the cleaning module 4 via the swing transporter 12 .

[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a first polishing module 3A according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the first polishing module 3A includes a polishing table 30 and a top ring 31 that holds a substrate such as a wafer as an object to be polished and presses it against a polishing surface on the polishing table. The polishing table 30 is connected to a motor (not shown) disposed below the table shaft 30A via the table shaft 30A and is rotatable about the table shaft 30A. A polishing pad 10 is attached to the upper surface of the polishing table 30, and a polishing surface 10a of the polishing pad 10 constitutes a polishing surface for polishing a wafer W. A polishing liquid supply nozzle 32 is installed above the polishing table 30, and a polishing liquid Q is supplied onto the polishing pad 10 on the polishing table 30 by the polishing liquid supply nozzle 32.

[0023] The top ring 31 includes a top ring body 202 that presses the wafer W against the polishing surface 10a, and a retainer ring 203 that holds the outer periphery of the wafer W to prevent the wafer W from jumping out of the top ring.

[0024] The top ring 31 is connected to a top ring shaft 111, and this top ring shaft 111 is adapted to move up and down relative to the top ring head 110 by a vertical movement mechanism 124. By the vertical movement of this top ring shaft 111, the entire top ring 31 is raised and lowered relative to the top ring head 110 to be positioned.

[0025] The up-and-down movement mechanism 124, which moves the top ring shaft 111 and the top ring 31 up and down, includes a bridge 128 that rotatably supports the top ring shaft 111 via a bearing 126, a ball screw 132 attached to the bridge 128, a support base 129 supported by a support column 130, and a servo motor 138 provided on the support base 129.

[0026] The ball screw 132 includes a screw shaft 132a connected to a servo motor 138, and a nut 132b into which the screw shaft 132a is screwed. The top ring shaft 111 moves up and down together with the bridge 128. Therefore, when the servo motor 138 is driven, the bridge 128 moves up and down via the ball screw 132, and as a result, the top ring shaft 111 and the top ring 31 move up and down.

[0027] The top ring shaft 111 is connected to the rotating cylinder 112 via a key (not shown). The rotating cylinder 112 is provided with a timing pulley 113 on its outer periphery. A top ring rotating motor 114 is fixed to the top ring head 110, and the timing pulley 113 is connected to a timing pulley 116 provided on the top ring rotating motor 114 via a timing belt 115. Therefore, by driving the top ring rotating motor 114 to rotate, the rotating cylinder 112 and the top ring shaft 111 rotate together via the timing pulley 116, the timing belt 115, and the timing pulley 113, and the top ring 31 rotates. The top ring rotating motor 114 is provided with an encoder 140. The encoder 140 has a function of detecting the rotation angle position of the top ring 31 and a function of accumulating the number of rotations of the top ring 31. A sensor for detecting the rotation angle "reference position (0 degrees)" of the top ring 31 may be provided separately. The top ring head 110 is supported by a top ring head shaft 117 which is rotatably supported by a frame (not shown). The top ring rotary motor 114, the servo motor 138, the encoder 140 and other devices in the apparatus are controlled by a controller 5.

[0028] In the first polishing module 3A configured as shown in FIG. 2, the top ring 31 is configured to hold a substrate such as a wafer W on its lower surface. The top ring head 110 is configured to be rotatable about a top ring head shaft 117, and the top ring 31 holding the wafer W on its lower surface is moved from a receiving position of the wafer W to above the polishing table 30 by the rotation of the top ring head 110. Then, the top ring 31 is lowered to press the wafer W against the surface (polishing surface) 10a of the polishing pad 10. At this time, the top ring 31 and the polishing table 30 are rotated, and a polishing liquid is supplied onto the polishing pad 10 from a polishing liquid supply nozzle 32 provided above the polishing table 30. In this manner, the wafer W is brought into sliding contact with the polishing surface 10a of the polishing pad 10 to polish the surface of the wafer W.

[0029] Next, the top ring (substrate holding device) 31 will be described in more detail. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the top ring 31 constituting a substrate holding device that holds a wafer W, which is an object to be polished, and presses it against a polishing surface on a polishing table. Fig. 3 shows only the main components constituting the top ring 31.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, the top ring 31 includes a top ring body 202 that presses the wafer W against the polishing surface 10a, and a retainer ring 203 that directly presses the wafer W against the polishing surface 10a. The top ring body 202 is made of a roughly disk-shaped member, and the retainer ring 203 is attached to the outer periphery of the top ring body 202. The top ring body 202 is made of resin such as engineering plastic (e.g., PEEK). A membrane (elastic membrane) 204 that comes into contact with the back surface of the wafer is attached to the bottom surface of the top ring body 202. The membrane 204 defines a pressure chamber, and its bottom surface defines a substrate holding surface that comes into contact with the wafer W. The membrane 204 is made of a rubber material that has excellent strength and durability, such as ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM), polyurethane rubber, or silicone rubber.

[0031] 3, the membrane 204 has a plurality of concentric partition walls 204a, and these partition walls 204a form a circular center chamber 205, an annular ripple chamber 206, an annular outer chamber 207, and an annular edge chamber 208 between the upper surface of the elastic membrane 204 and the lower surface of the top ring body 202. That is, the center chamber 205 is formed in the center of the top ring body 202, and the ripple chamber 206, the outer chamber 207, and the edge chamber 208 are formed concentrically in this order from the center toward the outer periphery. The membrane 204 has a plurality of holes 204h in the ripple area (ripple chamber 206) that penetrate the elastic membrane for suctioning a wafer in the thickness direction. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the holes 204h are provided in the ripple area, but they may be provided outside the ripple area. In addition, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the membrane 204 has a plurality of concentric partition walls 204a, but is not limited to this example, and the partition walls may be provided so as to divide the membrane into a plurality of regions in the circumferential direction, or the membrane 204a may not be provided.

[0032] A flow passage 211 communicating with the center chamber 205, a flow passage 212 communicating with the ripple chamber 206, a flow passage 213 communicating with the outer chamber 207, and a flow passage 214 communicating with the edge chamber 208 are formed in the top ring body 202. Each of the flow passages 211 to 214 is connected via a rotary joint 225 to flow passages 221 to 224 which are connected to a vacuum source and a pressure adjustment unit (not shown).

[0033] A retainer ring pressurizing chamber 209 made of an elastic membrane is also formed directly above the retainer ring 203, and the retainer ring pressurizing chamber 209 is connected to a flow path 226 via a flow path 215 and a rotary joint 225 formed in the top ring body (carrier) 202. The flow path 226 is then connected to a vacuum source and a pressure adjusting unit (not shown).

[0034] In this top ring 31, the vacuum source and the pressure adjustment unit can independently adjust the pressure inside the center chamber 205, the ripple chamber 206, the outer chamber 207, the edge chamber 208, and the retaining ring pressurizing chamber 209. With this structure, the pressing force with which the wafer W is pressed against the polishing pad 10 can be adjusted for each area of ​​the wafer W, and the pressing force with which the retaining ring 203 presses against the polishing pad 10 can be adjusted.

[0035] A series of polishing steps by the substrate processing apparatus configured as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 will be described. The top ring 31 receives the wafer W from the first linear transporter 6 and holds it by vacuum suction. The membrane 204 has a plurality of holes 204h for vacuum suction of the wafer W, and these holes 204h are connected to a vacuum source (not shown). The top ring 31 holding the wafer W by vacuum suction is lowered to a preset position for polishing of the top ring. At this position for polishing, the retainer ring 203 is in contact with the surface (polishing surface) 10a of the polishing pad 10. However, since the top ring 31 holds the wafer W by suction before polishing, there is a slight gap (for example, about 1 mm) between the lower surface (polished surface) of the wafer W and the surface (polished surface) 10a of the polishing pad 10. Then, both the polishing table 30 and the top ring 31 are rotated. In this state, the membrane 204 on the back side of the wafer W is inflated, and the lower surface (polished surface) of the wafer W is brought into contact with the surface (polished surface) of the polishing pad 10. The polishing table 30 and the top ring 31 are brought into contact with each other and the polishing table 30 and the top ring 31 are moved relative to each other, thereby polishing the surface of the wafer W (surface to be polished) until it reaches a predetermined condition (for example, a predetermined film thickness).

[0036] After the wafer processing step on the polishing pad 10 is completed, the wafer W is attracted to the top ring 31, the top ring 31 is raised, and the wafer W is moved to a substrate transfer device 800 possessed by the first linear transporter 6 to be released. In this embodiment, the first linear transporter 6, the second linear transporter 7, or the substrate transfer device 800 possessed by them, which release the wafer W, are examples of a "transfer stage".

[0037] Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing the substrate transfer device 800 from above, and Figs. 5A to 5C are schematic views showing the process of transferring a wafer W from the top ring 31 to the substrate transfer device 800. The substrate transfer device 800 has a mounting surface 820 for mounting the wafer W. The substrate transfer device 800 also has push-up pins 801 that push up the retainer ring 203 of the top ring 31. The mounting surface 820 and the push-up pins 801 are each configured to be able to move up and down by a power source (not shown) such as an air cylinder.

[0038] The substrate transfer device 800 of this embodiment includes three sensors 811-813 for detecting that the wafer W has been transferred from the top ring 31 to the placement surface 820 (substrate transfer device 800). The sensors 811-813 are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the wafer W so as to detect different portions of the wafer W from each other. Detection signals by the sensors 811-813 are input to the controller 5. Note that the substrate transfer device 800 is not limited to having three sensors 811-812 for detecting that the wafer W has been transferred, and may have one sensor, two sensors, or four or more sensors. In addition, the sensors 811-813 are optical sensors in this embodiment, but sensors using magnetic or mechanical switches may also be used.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 5A, the sensor 811 includes, as an example, a light projecting unit 815 and a light receiving unit 816. Although the sensors 812 and 813 are not shown in Figs. 5A to 5C, the sensors 812 and 813 have the same configuration as the sensor 811. The light projecting unit 815 is, for example, a fiber sensor in which a flexible optical fiber cable is used for the light projecting unit of a photoelectron sensor and the detection head is miniaturized. The light receiving unit 816 is, for example, a fiber sensor in which a flexible optical fiber cable is used for the light receiving unit of a photoelectron sensor and the detection head is miniaturized.

[0040] The light-projecting unit 815 projects light in the direction of an arrow A1 (see FIG. 5A). When the wafer W is not peeled off from the top ring 31, the light-receiving unit 816 can receive the light projected from the light-projecting unit 815. On the other hand, when the wafer W is released from the top ring 31 and transferred to the mounting surface 820 as shown in FIG. 5C, the light projected from the light-projecting unit 815 is blocked by the wafer W, and the light-receiving unit 816 cannot detect the light. The controller 5 regards, for example, the time when the light-receiving unit 816 cannot detect light or the light intensity detected by the light-receiving unit 816 falls below a threshold as the time when the wafer W is detected. The light source of the light-projecting unit 815 may be, for example, an LED, and the color of the light may be any color (for example, red, blue, green, white, etc.).

[0041] Furthermore, the substrate transfer apparatus 800 of this embodiment has, for example, three release nozzles 802 facing inward (toward the wafer W) (see FIGS. 5A to 5C). The release nozzles 802 are connected to a pressurized fluid supply source (not shown), and the ejection of the pressurized fluid is controlled by the controller 5. However, the substrate transfer apparatus 800 may have one, two, four or more release nozzles, or may not have a release nozzle.

[0042] The operation of transferring the wafer W from the top ring 31 to the mounting surface 820 will be described below. After the wafer processing process on the polishing pad 10 is completed, the top ring 31 moves to the substrate transfer device 800 while adsorbing the wafer W (see FIG. 5A), and releases the wafer W. After the top ring 31 moves to the substrate transfer device 800, the top ring 31 may be rotated while supplying pure water or a chemical solution to the wafer W adsorbed and held by the top ring 31, for cleaning.

[0043] After the top ring 31 moves to the substrate transfer device 800, the top ring 31 descends and the mounting surface 820 rises. As a result, the mounting surface 820 approaches the underside of the wafer W, but the two do not come into contact with each other. Furthermore, as the top ring 31 descends, the push-up pins 801 push up the retainer ring 203 (see FIG. 5B). In this state, the ripple chamber 206 of the membrane 204 is inflated and the vacuum suction of the wafer W is stopped, and the wafer is released. At this time, a pressurized fluid may be sprayed from the release nozzle 802 toward the gap between the membrane 204 and the wafer W. At least one of a pressurized gas (e.g., pressurized nitrogen) and a pressurized liquid (e.g., pure water) may be used as the pressurized fluid.

[0044] When the wafer W is placed on the mounting surface 820, the sensors 811-813 detect the wafer W. When the wafer W is detected by all of the sensors 811-812, the controller 5 determines that the transfer of the wafer W from the top ring 31 to the mounting surface 820 is complete. Thereafter, the mounting surface 820 on which the wafer W is placed is lowered, and the top ring 31 is raised, completing the transfer of the wafer W (see FIG. 5C).

[0045] Next, a method for determining the state of the membrane (elastic film) 204 by the controller 5 will be described. The controller 5 may be configured as a microcomputer equipped with a CPU, a memory (storage unit 59), etc., and implementing a predetermined function using software, or may be configured as a hardware circuit performing dedicated arithmetic processing. The controller 5 is not limited to being configured as a single device, and may be configured as a plurality of devices provided separately from each other, for example. Here, in this embodiment, the controller 5 that determines the state of the membrane 204 is an example of an "information processing device", and the state determination of the membrane 204 performed by the controller 5 is an example of an "information processing method". However, the "information processing device" is not limited to the controller 5 provided in the substrate processing device, and may be configured as an external computer that is configured to be able to communicate with the controller 5, for example.

[0046] 6 is a schematic functional block diagram of the controller 5 in this embodiment. The controller 5 includes a state variable acquisition unit 52 that acquires a state variable (apparatus operation information SV1), a storage unit 59 in which a learning model is stored, and a decision-making unit 58 that outputs (makes a decision on) the state of the membrane 204 based on the acquired state variable (apparatus operation information SV1) and the learning model. Here, in this embodiment, the state variable acquisition unit 52 corresponds to an example of an "information acquisition unit", and the decision-making unit 58 corresponds to an example of a "state determination unit".

[0047] In this embodiment, the learning model stored in the storage unit 59 is constructed by a machine learning device. As an example, the substrate processing apparatus acquires the learning model constructed by machine learning in the machine learning device via wired or wireless communication and stores it in the storage unit 59. Alternatively, the substrate processing apparatus may be equipped with a storage unit 59 in which the learning model constructed by the machine learning device is stored in advance. In this embodiment, the machine learning device is shown as a separate configuration from the controller 5, but the controller 5 may perform at least a part of the functions of the machine learning device. The machine learning device may be configured as a microcomputer that includes a CPU, memory, etc. and realizes a predetermined function using software, or may be configured as a hardware circuit that performs dedicated arithmetic processing. FIG. 7 is a schematic functional block diagram of the machine learning device in this embodiment. The machine learning device includes a state variable acquisition unit 152 that acquires state variables (apparatus operation information SV1, elastic film state information SV2) as learning data, and a state variable acquisition unit 153 that acquires state variables (apparatus operation information SV1, elastic film state information SV2) based on the acquired state variables. and a learning model generation unit 154 that learns and generates a learning model based on the learning model.

[0048] The state variable acquisition unit 152 of the machine learning device acquires apparatus operation information SV1 of the substrate processing apparatus, and elastic membrane state information SV2 indicating the state of the membrane 204 used in the top ring (substrate holding device) 31 when the top ring 31 operates in accordance with the operation indicated by the apparatus operation information SV1. The apparatus operation information SV1 can be acquired through the controller 5. The apparatus operation information SV1 includes polishing process information SVp by the top ring 31, and transport process information SVt by the top ring 31. Here, each of the polishing process information SVp and the transport process information SVt may be measured by various sensors, or may indicate a control command by the controller 5.

[0049] The polishing process information SVp by the top ring 31 may include the number of wafers W processed using the membrane 204 or the usage time of the membrane 204. The polishing process information SVp may also include the pressure of at least one of the center chamber 205, the ripple chamber 206, the outer chamber 207, and the edge chamber 208 (in the polishing process) (hereinafter simply referred to as the "pressure chamber of the membrane 204") when the top ring 31 presses the wafer W against the polishing pad 10, or the flow rate of fluid supplied to the pressure chamber of the membrane 204. Furthermore, the polishing process information SVp may include at least one of the following: the rotation speed of the top ring 31 during the polishing process, the rotation torque of the top ring 31 during the polishing process, the swing position (movement position) of the top ring 31 during the polishing process, the height position of the top ring 31 during the polishing process (the height position of the top ring 31 relative to the polishing table 30), the power for vertical movement (raising and lowering) of the top ring 31 by the vertical movement mechanism 124, the pressure of the retaining ring pressurizing chamber 209 during the polishing process, and the flow rate of fluid supplied to the retaining ring pressurizing chamber 209 during the polishing process. The polishing process information SVp may also include at least one of the rotation speed of the polishing pad 10 during the polishing process, the rotation torque of the polishing pad 10 during the polishing process, the surface temperature of the polishing pad 10, and the surface properties of the polishing pad 10. The surface temperature of the polishing pad 10 and the surface properties of the polishing pad 10 may be information detected by a contact or non-contact sensor. The polishing process information SVp includes at least one of the amount of polishing liquid supplied by the polishing liquid supply nozzle 32 during the polishing process, the supply position, and the temperature of the polishing liquid. The polishing process information SVp is information that indicates the state of the polishing process using the membrane 204. Here, as the polishing process information SVp, a polishing recipe (control command value) by the controller 5 may be used, or detection values ​​detected by various sensors provided in the substrate processing apparatus may be used. The use of the polishing process information SVp is based on the fact that the state of the membrane 204 is thought to change depending on the conditions of the polishing process, and that the state of the membrane 204 is thought to affect the state of the polishing process.

[0050] The transport processing information SVt by the top ring 31 may include at least one of the following: a time required for the wafer W to be removed from the top ring 31 per wafer, the number of times the wafer W is removed using the membrane 204, and the pressure in the pressure chamber of the membrane 204 during the wafer W removal. In this embodiment, the time required for the wafer W removal detected by each of the sensors 811-813 is referred to as the "removal time" or the "seating time". Here, the removal time for the wafer W removal may be, for example, the time from when the pressurized fluid is ejected from the release nozzle 802 until the seating of the wafer W is detected by the multiple sensors 811-813. In this case, the seating time detected by each of the sensors 811-813 may be used, or the average of the seating times detected by each of the sensors 811-813 (also referred to as the "average seating time tm") may be used. Furthermore, the transport processing information SVt may include a time difference Δt between the seating timings detected by each of the sensors 811-813. The time difference Δt between the contact timings may be obtained by calculating the difference between the separation times detected by the sensors 811 to 813, or may be obtained by calculating the difference between the contact timings detected by the sensors 811 to 813. The information may include at least one of the ejection flow rate, the ejection pressure, the ejection time, and the ejection angle of the pressurized fluid ejected from the release nozzle 802. In the top ring 31 of this embodiment, the membrane 204 is used for transporting the wafer W. The transport processing information SVt is information indicating the state of the transport processing of the wafer W using the membrane 204. Here, as the transport processing information SVt, a transport recipe (control command value) by the controller 5 may be used, or detection values ​​detected by various sensors provided in the substrate processing apparatus may be used. The use of the transport processing information SVt is based on the fact that the state of the membrane 204 is considered to change depending on the conditions of the transport processing, and that the state of the membrane 204 is considered to affect the state of the transport processing.

[0051] FIG. 8 is a time chart showing an example of the detection signals of the sensors when the wafer is released. In FIG. 8, the detection signals Sg1 to Sg3 from the sensors 811 to 813 are shown. In this embodiment, the detection signals Sg1 to Sg3 are "OFF" when the wafer W is not detected by the sensors 811 to 813, and are "ON" when the wafer W is detected by the sensors 811 to 813. In FIG. 8, when the wafer W is detected by all the sensors 811 to 813, the light projection from the light projection unit 815 is stopped, and the detection signals Sg1 to Sg3 are "OFF". As shown in the figure, in a normal transfer of the wafer W, after the time t0 when the release operation of the wafer W is started, the detection signal Sg3 first becomes "ON" (timing t3), and the detection signals Sg1 and Sg2 become "ON" a little later (timings t1 and t2). FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the time difference between the seating timings of the wafers. In FIG. 9, the horizontal axis indicates the number of wafers W handled after a new membrane 204 is used. The vertical axis indicates the time difference Δt between the timings of seating when each wafer is transferred from the top ring 31 to the transfer device 800. The time difference Δt between the timings of seating is the time difference Δt between the timing at which the wafer W is detected earliest by the sensors 811-813 (an example of the "first timing") and the timing at which the wafer W is detected latest (an example of the "second timing"). Alternatively, the time difference Δt between the timings of seating detected by any two of the sensors 811-813 may be the time difference between the timings of seating detected by any two of the sensors 811-813. As shown in the figure, the inventors' research has revealed that when the condition of the membrane 204 is poor, the time difference Δt between the timings t1-t3 detected by the sensors 811-813 tends to be large.

[0052] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the desorption time for each wafer. In FIG. 10, the horizontal axis indicates the number of wafers W handled after a new membrane 204 is used. The vertical axis indicates the seating time (average desorption time tm) when each wafer is transferred from the top ring 31 to the transfer device 800. Research by the present inventors has revealed that as the number of handled wafers W increases and the condition of the membrane 204 deteriorates, the time required for the desorption operation of the wafer W from the top ring 31 gradually becomes longer or shorter. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the time required for the desorption operation of the wafer W from the top ring 31 (average desorption time tm) gradually becomes longer as the number of handled wafers W increases.

[0053] The elastic membrane state information SV2 is information indicating the state of the membrane 204 resulting from the operation of the top ring 31 in accordance with the operation indicated by the above-mentioned apparatus operation information SV1. The elastic membrane state information SV2 may use the state of the membrane 204 detected by various sensors provided in the controller 5. The elastic membrane state information SV2 may also be acquired by providing a separate sensor or the like in the substrate processing apparatus, or by measuring the membrane 204 during or after use at a manufacturing plant or a dedicated learning location.

[0054] The elastic membrane state information SV2 may include at least one of the imaging data of the membrane 204 captured by the imaging unit, the surface roughness of the membrane 204, and the elastic modulus of the membrane 204. Here, various imaging units including known imaging units can be used as the imaging unit. The surface roughness and elastic modulus of the membrane 204 can be measured by contacting or non-contacting the membrane 204. The elastic membrane state information SV2 may be acquired over the entire area of ​​the membrane 204, or may be acquired for a predetermined portion.

[0055] The learning model generation unit 154 learns a learning model (correlation between the device operation information SV1 and the elastic membrane state information SV2) according to an arbitrary learning algorithm collectively called machine learning. The learning model generation unit 154 repeatedly executes learning based on the state variables (the device operation information SV1 and the elastic membrane state information SV2) acquired by the state variable acquisition unit 142. The learning model generation unit 154 acquires a plurality of state variables, identifies the characteristics of the state variables, and interprets the correlation.

[0056] In this embodiment, the learning model generation unit 154 constructs a learning model by supervised learning. The learning model generation unit 154 may also learn the learning model by executing reinforcement learning. Reinforcement learning is a technique for generating a learning model that gives a reward to an action (output) executed for a current state (input) in a certain environment and obtains a maximum reward. As an example of performing reinforcement learning, the learning model generation unit 154 has an evaluation value calculation unit 155 that calculates an evaluation value based on a state variable SV, and a learning unit 156 that learns the learning model based on the evaluation value. As an example, the evaluation value calculation unit 155 may give a larger reward as the time required for processing the wafer W in the substrate processing apparatus is shorter. As an example, the evaluation value calculation unit 155 may give a larger reward as the polishing process of the wafer W is more constant.

[0057] Description will be given again with reference to Fig. 6. The decision-making unit 58 of the controller 5 determines the state of the membrane 204 based on a learning model constructed by machine learning and the device operation information SV1 acquired by the state information acquisition unit 52 of the controller 5. Here, the state information acquisition unit 52 of the controller 5 can acquire the device operation information SV1 in the same way as the state variable acquisition unit 152 of the machine learning device. However, the device operation information SV1 acquired by the state information acquisition unit 52 of the controller 5 may be different from the device operation information SV1 acquired by the state variable acquisition unit 152 of the machine learning device.

[0058] The decision-making unit 58 can output information similar to the elastic membrane state information SV2 input to the machine learning device as the state of the membrane 204. Furthermore, instead of or in addition to the elastic membrane state information SV2, the decision-making unit 58 may indicate the degree of deterioration of the membrane 204 in numbers or the like based on the elastic membrane state information SV2 so that the user of the substrate processing apparatus can easily understand. Alternatively, the decision-making unit 58 may output the service life or the number of times the membrane 204 can be used until replacement is recommended based on the elastic membrane state information SV2.

[0059] As described above, the apparatus operation information SV1 including the polishing process information SVp and the transport process information SVt by the top ring 31, and the elastic film state information SV2 indicating the state of the membrane 204 when the top ring 31 operates according to the operation indicated by the apparatus operation information SV1 are input, and a learning model is constructed by machine learning. Then, the controller 5 of the substrate processing apparatus inputs the apparatus operation information SV1 to the learning model stored in the storage unit 59, and causes the learning model to output the elastic film state information SV2, thereby determining the state of the membrane 204. In this way, the state of the membrane 204 can be determined appropriately or easily, and substrate processing can be performed in the substrate processing apparatus.

[0060] The present invention can also be described in the following forms. [Mode 1] According to mode 1, a polishing table for supporting a polishing pad, a top ring including an elastic membrane forming a substrate holding surface and a pressure chamber, and a substrate receiving unit for receiving a substrate from the top ring are provided. The present invention provides an information processing apparatus including: an information acquisition unit that acquires apparatus operation information including polishing process information indicating a state of the polishing process and transport process information indicating a state of the transport process as an operating state when a substrate processing apparatus is operated, the polishing process being performed by pressing the substrate against the polishing pad in response to a fluid supplied to the pressure chamber, and a transport process being performed by detaching the substrate from the elastic film and transferring it to the transport stage; and a state determination unit that inputs the apparatus operation information acquired by the information acquisition unit into a learning model that has been trained by machine learning to determine a correlation between the apparatus operation information and elastic film state information indicating a state of the elastic film when the polishing process and / or the transport process indicated by the apparatus operation information were performed. According to the first embodiment, the state of the elastic film can be determined appropriately or easily.

[0061] [Mode 2] According to Mode 2, in Mode 1, the elastic membrane state information includes at least one of imaging data of the elastic membrane captured by an imaging unit, a surface roughness of the elastic membrane, and an elastic modulus of the elastic membrane. According to Mode 2, the state of the elastic membrane can be appropriately determined.

[0062] [Mode 3] According to mode 3, in mode 1 or 2, the elastic membrane state information includes a service life or number of times the elastic membrane can be replaced. According to mode 3, the service life or number of times the elastic membrane can be replaced can be determined.

[0063] [Mode 4] According to mode 4, in modes 1 to 3, the transport process information includes at least one of the following: a removal time per substrate in the transport process, the number of times the transport process is performed, and the pressure in the pressure chamber during the transport process. According to mode 4, the state of the elastic film can be appropriately determined.

[0064] [Mode 5] According to Mode 5, in Mode 4, the substrate processing apparatus includes a first sensor and a second sensor that detect that the substrate has been transferred to the transfer stage, the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged to detect different portions of the substrate, and the transfer processing information includes a first separation time at which the first sensor detects that the substrate has been transferred to the transfer stage, and a second separation time at which the second sensor detects that the substrate has been transferred to the transfer stage. According to Mode 5, the state of the elastic film can be determined based on detection information from a plurality of sensors that detect that the substrate has been transferred to the transfer stage.

[0065] [Mode 6] According to Mode 6, in Mode 4 or 5, the substrate processing apparatus includes a first sensor and a second sensor that detect that the substrate has been transferred to the transfer stage, the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged to detect different portions of the substrate, and the transfer processing information includes a time difference between a first timing at which the first sensor detects that the substrate has been transferred to the transfer stage and a second timing at which the second sensor detects that the substrate has been transferred to the transfer stage. According to Mode 6, the state of the elastic film can be determined based on detection information from a plurality of sensors that detect that the substrate has been transferred to the transfer stage.

[0066] [Mode 7] According to mode 7, in modes 4 to 6, the substrate processing apparatus includes a release nozzle configured to inject a pressurized fluid into a gap between the substrate holding surface and the substrate during the transfer process, and the transfer process information includes at least one of an injection flow rate, an injection pressure, an injection time, and an injection angle of the pressurized fluid injected from the release nozzle. According to mode 7, the state of the elastic film can be determined based on the operation information of the release nozzle.

[0067] [Mode 8] According to mode 8, in modes 1 to 7, the apparatus operation information includes usage history information of the elastic film, and the usage history information of the elastic film includes information on a substrate processed using the elastic film. and the usage time of the elastic membrane. According to the seventh aspect, the condition of the elastic membrane can be appropriately determined.

[0068] According to the 9th aspect, in any one of the 1st to 8th aspects, the polishing process information includes at least one of a pressure in the pressure chamber when the top ring presses the substrate against the polishing pad and a flow rate of a fluid supplied to the pressure chamber. According to the 9th aspect, the state of the elastic film can be appropriately determined.

[0069] [Mode 10] According to Mode 10, in Mode 9, the top ring is configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad with rotation and / or movement of the substrate holding surface, and the polishing process information includes at least one of the following: a rotation speed of the substrate holding surface, a rotation torque for rotating the substrate holding surface, a movement position of the substrate holding surface, a power for moving the substrate holding surface, a height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table, a lifting and lowering power of the top ring, a pressure in a pressure chamber of a retaining ring provided in the top ring, and a supply flow rate into the pressure chamber of the retaining ring. According to Mode 9, the state of the elastic film can be appropriately determined.

[0070] According to the embodiment 11, in the embodiments 1 to 10, the polishing process information includes at least one of a polishing liquid supply flow rate, a polishing liquid supply position, and a polishing liquid temperature by a polishing liquid supply nozzle configured to supply a polishing liquid to the polishing pad. According to the embodiment 11, the state of the elastic film can be appropriately determined.

[0071] According to the embodiment 12, in the embodiment 1 to 11, the top ring is configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad with rotation of the polishing table, and the polishing process information includes at least one of a rotation speed of the polishing table, a rotation torque for rotating the polishing table, a surface temperature of the polishing pad, and a surface property of the polishing pad. According to the embodiment 12, the state of the elastic film can be appropriately determined.

[0072] [Mode 13] According to Mode 13, there is proposed a substrate processing apparatus including a polishing table supporting a polishing pad, a top ring including an elastic membrane forming a substrate holding surface and a pressure chamber, a transfer stage configured to transfer a substrate from the top ring, and the information processing apparatus of Modes 1 to 12. According to Mode 13, the substrate processing apparatus can achieve the same effects as those of Modes 1 to 12.

[0073] [Mode 14] According to mode 14, an information processing method is proposed, which includes an information acquisition step of acquiring polishing processing information indicating the state of the polishing processing and apparatus operation information including transport processing information indicating the state of the transport processing as an operating state when a substrate processing apparatus is operated, the apparatus operation information including a polishing table supporting a polishing pad, a top ring including an elastic membrane forming a substrate holding surface and a pressure chamber, and a transport stage configured to receive a substrate from the top ring, and a polishing process in which the substrate is pressed against the polishing pad in response to a fluid supplied to the pressure chamber, and a transport process in which the substrate is detached from the elastic membrane and transported to the transport stage, and a state determination step of inputting the apparatus operation information acquired by the information acquisition unit into a learning model that has been trained by machine learning to determine the correlation between the apparatus operation information and elastic membrane state information indicating the state of the elastic membrane when the polishing process and / or the transport process indicated by the apparatus operation information are performed. According to mode 11, the state of the elastic membrane can be determined appropriately or easily.

[0074] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention is for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention includes its equivalents. Furthermore, within the scope of being able to solve at least a part of the above-mentioned problems or to achieve at least a part of the effects, any combination of the embodiments and modifications is possible, and any combination or omission of the components described in the claims and the specification is possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] W…wafer 2. Loading port 3 (3A~3D)…Polishing module 4. Cleaning module 5. Controller 6…First Linear Transporter 7…2nd Linear Transporter 10...Polishing pad 10a…Polished surface 22...Transport robot 30…Polishing table 31...Top ring (substrate holding device) 32...Polishing liquid supply nozzle 52...Status variable acquisition unit 58…Decision making department 59...Storage section 152...Status variable acquisition unit 154...Learning model generation unit 155...Evaluation value calculation unit 156…Learning Department 202…Top ring body 203…Retainer ring 204...Membrane (elastic membrane) 205…Center room 206…Ripple Room 207…Outer room 208…Edge Room 209…Retainer ring pressurization chamber 800...Substrate transfer device 801...push-up pin 802...Release nozzle 811~813…Sensor 820…Placement surface

Claims

1. an information acquisition unit that acquires apparatus operation information including polishing process information indicating a state of the polishing process and transport process information indicating a state of the transport process as an operating state of a substrate processing apparatus that is provided with a polishing table that supports a polishing pad, a top ring including an elastic membrane that constitutes a substrate holding surface and a pressure chamber, and a transport stage configured to receive and deliver a substrate from the top ring, and that performs a polishing process in which the substrate is pressed against the polishing pad in response to a fluid supplied to the pressure chamber, and a transport process in which the substrate is detached from the elastic membrane and delivered to the transport stage; a state determination unit that determines the elastic membrane state information for the apparatus operation information by inputting the apparatus operation information acquired by the information acquisition unit into a learning model that has been trained by machine learning to determine a correlation between the apparatus operation information and elastic membrane state information that indicates the state of the elastic membrane when the polishing process and / or the transport process indicated by the apparatus operation information is performed. Information processing device.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic membrane condition information includes at least one of imaging data of the elastic membrane, a surface roughness of the elastic membrane, and an elastic modulus of the elastic membrane.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic membrane status information includes a service life or a service count until the elastic membrane is replaced.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport process information includes at least one of a removal time per substrate in the transport process, a number of times the transport process is performed, and a pressure in the pressure chamber during the transport process.

5. the substrate processing apparatus includes a first sensor and a second sensor that detect when the substrate is transferred to the transfer stage; the first sensor and the second sensor are positioned to sense different portions of the substrate; the transport processing information includes a first departure time at which the first sensor detects that the substrate has been transferred to the transport stage, and a second departure time at which the second sensor detects that the substrate has been transferred to the transport stage. The information processing device according to claim 4.

6. the substrate processing apparatus includes a first sensor and a second sensor that detect when the substrate is transferred to the transfer stage; the first sensor and the second sensor are positioned to sense different portions of the substrate; the transport processing information includes a time difference between a first timing at which the first sensor detects that the substrate has been transferred to the transport stage and a second timing at which the second sensor detects that the substrate has been transferred to the transport stage. The information processing device according to claim 4.

7. the substrate processing apparatus includes a release nozzle configured to inject a pressurized fluid into a gap between the substrate holding surface and the substrate during the transfer process; the transport process information includes at least one of an ejection flow rate, an ejection pressure, an ejection time, and an ejection angle of the pressurized fluid ejected from the release nozzle; The information processing device according to claim 4.

8. The device operation information includes usage history information of the elastic membrane, The usage history information of the elastic film includes at least one of the number of substrates processed using the elastic film and the usage time of the elastic film. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

9. the polishing process information includes at least one of a pressure in the pressure chamber when the top ring presses the substrate against the polishing pad and a flow rate of a fluid supplied to the pressure chamber; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

10. the top ring is configured to rotate and / or move the substrate support surface to press the substrate against the polishing pad; the polishing process information includes at least one of a rotation speed of the substrate holding surface, a rotation torque for rotating the substrate holding surface, a movement position of the substrate holding surface, a power for moving the substrate holding surface, a height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table, a lifting and lowering power of the top ring, a pressure in a pressurizing chamber of a retaining ring provided in the top ring, and a supply flow rate into the pressurizing chamber of the retaining ring. The information processing device according to claim 9.

11. The polishing process information includes at least one of a polishing liquid supply flow rate by a polishing liquid supply nozzle configured to supply a polishing liquid to the polishing pad, a polishing liquid supply position, and a polishing liquid temperature. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

12. the top ring is configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad in association with rotation of the polishing table; the polishing process information includes at least one of a rotation speed of the polishing table, a rotation torque for rotating the polishing table, a surface temperature of the polishing pad, and a surface property of the polishing pad; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

13. a polishing table supporting a polishing pad; a top ring including an elastic membrane that defines a substrate holding surface and a pressure chamber; a transfer stage configured to receive and deliver a substrate from the top ring; The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, Substrate processing equipment.

14. an information acquiring step of acquiring apparatus operation information including polishing process information indicating a state of the polishing process and transport process information indicating a state of the transport process as an operating state of a substrate processing apparatus that is provided with a polishing table that supports a polishing pad, a top ring including an elastic membrane that constitutes a substrate holding surface and a pressure chamber, and a transport stage configured to receive and deliver a substrate from the top ring, and that performs a polishing process in which the substrate is pressed against the polishing pad in response to a fluid supplied to the pressure chamber, and a transport process in which the substrate is detached from the elastic membrane and delivered to the transport stage; and a state determination process for determining the elastic membrane state information for the apparatus operation information by inputting the apparatus operation information acquired by the information acquisition unit into a learning model that has been trained by machine learning to determine a correlation between the apparatus operation information and elastic membrane state information indicating the state of the elastic membrane when the polishing process and / or the transport process indicated by the apparatus operation information has been performed. Information processing methods.

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