Substrate processing apparatus, method for controlling substrate processing apparatus, program, and article manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a technique advantageous for enhancing protection against unauthorized use of a substrate processing apparatus.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus comprises: a substrate processing unit that processes a substrate; a storage unit that stores a control program for executing substrate processing by the substrate processing unit; and a processor that executes the control program. The processor measures the time elapsed from when the power is turned off until when it is turned on, and when the elapsed time exceeds a threshold, rejects a received request for starting the control program.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a control method for the substrate processing apparatus, a program, and an article manufacturing method.

Background Art

[0002] Use of a substrate processing apparatus such as an exposure apparatus or an imprint apparatus by a user is generally made possible by performing license authentication (activation) of a control program under a license agreement concluded with a manufacturing and selling company.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a software management system that manages the usage rights of software via a server. Patent Document 2 discloses a system in an offline environment that sets a time limit for a license and cancels the license when the time limit has elapsed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, since it is necessary to connect to an authentication server and perform license authentication every time the content is started, it imposes a burden of labor and communication costs on the user. Further, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, when the information processing apparatus is resold or the power is cut off for a certain period of time, it can be used as long as it is within the license period.

[0006] The present invention provides an advantageous technology for strengthening protection against unauthorized use of a substrate processing apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate processing unit that processes a substrate; a storage unit that stores a control program for executing the substrate processing by the substrate processing unit; and a processor that executes the control program, wherein the processor measures an elapsed time from when the power is turned off until it is turned on, and when the elapsed time exceeds a threshold value, rejects a start request for the received control program.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an advantageous technique for strengthening protection against unauthorized use of a substrate processing apparatus.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these plurality of features are essential to the invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 in an embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 1 may include one or more substrate processing units 10 that process a substrate, and a host computer 11 (host control device) that controls the substrate processing unit 10. The substrate processing unit 10 may be a device used for semiconductor manufacturing. For example, the substrate processing unit 10 may be any one of a lithography apparatus (exposure apparatus, imprint apparatus, charged particle beam lithography apparatus, etc.), a film forming apparatus (CVD apparatus, etc.), a processing apparatus (laser processing apparatus, etc.), and an inspection apparatus (overlay inspection apparatus, etc.). In addition, a coating / development apparatus (coater / developer) that performs a coating process of a resist material (adhesive material) on a substrate as a pre-process of lithography processing and a development process as a post-process of lithography processing may be included in a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses. Note that an exposure apparatus forms a latent image corresponding to the pattern of a reticle on a photoresist by exposing the photoresist supplied onto a substrate through the reticle (mask). An imprint apparatus forms a pattern on a substrate by curing an imprint material in a state where a mold (reticle) is in contact with the imprint material supplied onto the substrate. A charged particle beam lithography apparatus forms a latent image on a photoresist by drawing a pattern on the photoresist supplied onto a substrate with a charged particle beam.

[0012] Hereinafter, for the purpose of providing a specific example, an example in which the substrate processing unit 10 is configured as an exposure apparatus will be described. FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the exposure apparatus which is the substrate processing unit 10. The exposure apparatus may include a light source unit 101. As the light source, for example, a high-pressure mercury lamp, an excimer laser, or the like may be used. Note that when the light source is an excimer laser, the light source unit 101 is not necessarily inside the chamber of the exposure apparatus, and there may be a configuration that is externally attached.

[0013] The light emitted from the light source unit 101 illuminates the mask 103, which is a reticle and is the original plate held by the mask stage 104 via the illumination system 102. A circuit pattern to be transferred is drawn on the mask 103. The light that has illuminated the mask 103 passes through the projection optical system 105 and reaches the substrate 108. As the substrate 108, for example, a silicon wafer or the like is used.

[0014] The pattern on the mask 103 is transferred via the projection optical system 105 to a photosensitive medium (e.g., resist) applied on the substrate 108. The substrate 108 is held in a flat and corrected state by vacuum suction or the like on the substrate chuck 107. Also, the substrate chuck 107 is held by the substrate stage 106. The substrate stage 106 is configured to be movable. The exposure apparatus repeatedly exposes a plurality of shot regions on the substrate 108 while two-dimensionally step-moving the substrate stage 106 along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection optical system 105. This is an exposure method called the step and repeat method. Note that an exposure method called the step and scan method, in which the mask stage 104 and the substrate stage 106 are scanned synchronously for exposure, may be employed.

[0015] In the exposure apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the substrate 108 before the exposure process is set in the exposure apparatus while being stored in the substrate cassette 110. At least one, usually a plurality of substrates 108 are stored in the substrate cassette 110. Then, by a robot hand (not shown) or the like, one substrate 108 is taken out from the substrate cassette 110 and placed on the pre-alignment unit 109. After the orientation and alignment of the substrate 108 are performed by the pre-alignment unit 109, the substrate 108 is set on the substrate chuck 107 by the robot hand, and then the exposure process is performed. The substrate 108 that has completed the exposure process is removed from the substrate chuck 107 by the robot hand and collected in the substrate cassette 110, and the next substrate 108 waiting on the pre-alignment unit 109 is set on the substrate chuck 107. In this way, the substrates 108 are successively subjected to the exposure process. Note that the exposure apparatus may be connected in-line with other apparatuses such as a coating and developing apparatus, and the substrate 108 before the exposure process may be carried in from another apparatus, and the substrate 108 after the exposure process may be carried out to another apparatus.

[0016] Further, the exposure apparatus has a control unit 111. The control unit 111 can be configured by, for example, a general-purpose or dedicated processor in which a program is incorporated in a memory. Alternatively, the control unit 111 may be configured by a PLD (abbreviation for Programmable Logic Device) such as an FPGA (abbreviation for Field Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit). Alternatively, the control unit 111 may be configured by a combination of all or part of a processor, a PLD, and an ASIC. Note that the control unit 111 may be configured inside the exposure apparatus or outside the exposure apparatus. When the control unit 111 is configured outside the exposure apparatus, for example, the function of the control unit 111 may be realized by a host computer 11 (host control device) communicably connected to the exposure apparatus.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the host computer 11. The host computer 11 is an information processing apparatus that is arranged outside the exposure apparatus and controls a plurality of substrate processing units not limited to the exposure apparatus. The host computer 11 can be configured by a personal computer or a workstation. The CPU 300 (Central Processing Unit) is a processor that executes various programs. The ROM 301 stores fixed data among the programs executed by the CPU 300 and arithmetic parameters. The RAM 302 provides a working area for the CPU 300 and a temporary storage area for data. Programs and the like read from the external storage device 303 are expanded in the RAM 302. The external storage device 303 (storage unit) can be, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a combination thereof. The external storage device 303 stores an operating system (OS) 304, a control program 305 for executing exposure processing (substrate processing), a management program 306 for executing authentication processing, and license information 307. The license information 307 can include a serial number, an authentication code, a license ID, a user name, the number of licenses, an expiration date, and the like.

[0018] The power control unit 308 includes a power detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, etc., and controls the supply of power from the power supply unit 30 to each part. The power supply unit 30 can include a primary battery, a secondary battery, an AC adapter, etc. The power switch SW is a switch used by the user to switch the startup or stop of the host computer 11. The system timer 310 is a timing unit that measures the time used for various controls. The non-volatile memory 311 is an electrically erasable and recordable storage medium such as an EEPROM.

[0019] The input device 312 can be a mouse, a keyboard, or the like operated by the user. The display device 313 can be a liquid crystal display or the like. The communication unit 314 performs data communication with the substrate processing unit 10 by wireless connection or wired connection. The communication unit 314 is connected to, for example, a LAN and performs data communication using a communication protocol such as TCP / IP, and communicates with the substrate processing unit 10 mutually.

[0020] The configuration of the substrate processing apparatus in this embodiment is generally as described above. Between the manufacturer and seller (hereinafter simply referred to as the "seller") of the substrate processing apparatus configured as such and the customer (hereinafter referred to as the "user"), it is common to conclude a license agreement and then perform license authentication (activation) of the control program. However, there is a possibility that the user of the substrate processing apparatus transfers the substrate processing apparatus to a third party who has not concluded a license agreement with the seller. In that case, if the authentication code (authentication key) for license authentication of the control program is also passed to the third party, the third party can use the substrate processing apparatus without concluding a license agreement with the seller. This embodiment provides a mechanism for preventing unauthorized use of the substrate processing apparatus by a third party.

[0021] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the processing associated with turning off the power of the host computer 11. In S401 and S402, the CPU 300 monitors for the presence or absence of a shutdown trigger event. The trigger event is that the power switch SW has been turned off and that a shutdown request issued by the input device 312 has been received due to a shutdown operation being performed on the input device 312. For example, the power control unit 308 is configured to transmit a detection signal indicating this to the CPU 300 when it detects that the power switch SW has been turned off. In S401, the CPU 300 determines whether the power switch SW has been turned off based on whether it has received a detection signal from the power control unit 308. In S402, the CPU 300 determines whether it has received a shutdown request from the input device 312. If it is determined in S401 that the power switch SW has been turned off, or if a shutdown request is received in S402, the process proceeds to S403.

[0022] In S403, the CPU 300 acquires the current time from the system timer 310. In S404, the CPU 300 stores the acquired current time as the shutdown time in the non-volatile memory 311. Thereafter, in S405, the CPU 300 issues a shutdown execution command to the power control unit 308, and the power control unit 308 that has received this command performs a shutdown process. The shutdown process may include saving the working data in the RAM 302 to the external storage device 303, disconnecting the network and peripheral devices via the communication unit 314, cutting off the power supply to each part of the hardware, cutting off the power supply from the power supply unit 309, and the like.

[0023] According to the above processing, each time the host computer 11 is turned off, the shutdown time representing the time when the power was turned off is stored.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the process related to the startup of the control program 305. This process is executed by the CPU 300 when the power switch SW of the host computer 11 is turned on and the host computer 11 starts up, and the management program 306 installed in the external storage device 303 is loaded into the RAM 302.

[0025] In S502, the CPU 300 acquires the current time from the system timer 310. In S503, the CPU 300 reads out the shutdown time from the non-volatile memory 311. In S504, the CPU 300 measures the elapsed time from when the power was turned off until it was turned on by calculating the difference between the current time acquired in S502 and the shutdown time read out in S503.

[0026] In S505, the CPU 300 determines whether the elapsed time obtained in S504 exceeds a predetermined threshold value. In one example, the predetermined threshold value is set to a time shorter than the period (e.g., 10 days) assumed to be required for the relocation work (including disassembly, transportation, installation, and adjustment) of the substrate processing apparatus transferred to a third party. Also, in one example, the predetermined threshold value is set to a time between the period (e.g., 10 days) assumed to be required for the relocation work of the substrate processing apparatus transferred to a third party and the period (e.g., 3 days) assumed to be required for the general adjustment work of the substrate processing apparatus. The predetermined threshold value can be set to a time of 3 days or more. Also, the predetermined threshold value can be set to a time of 10 days or less.

[0027] If it is determined in S505 that the elapsed time has not exceeded the threshold value, the substrate processing apparatus is determined not to have been transferred to a third party. In this case, the process proceeds to S506, and the CPU 300 sets the authentication flag to 1 indicating authenticity. On the other hand, if it is determined in S505 that the elapsed time has exceeded the threshold value, it is determined that the substrate processing apparatus has been transferred to a third party. In this case, the CPU 300 sets the authentication flag to 0 indicating fraud (S509). Optionally, license authentication in S507 and S508 may be performed before S509. In S507, the CPU 300 receives user input of an authentication code via the input device 312. In S508, the CPU 300 determines whether the authentication code input in S507 matches the authentication code included in the license information 307 stored in the external storage device 303. If the authentication code input in S507 matches the authentication code included in the license information 307, the authentication code input in S507 is valid. If the authentication code input in S507 is valid, the process proceeds to S506, and the CPU 300 sets the authentication flag to 1. On the other hand, if the authentication code input in S507 is not valid, the process proceeds to S509, and the CPU 300 sets the authentication flag to 0.

[0028] Thereafter, the CPU 300 receives a startup request for the control program 305. For example, in S510, the CPU 300 waits for a startup request for the control program 305 issued by a user operation via the input device 312. When the CPU 300 receives a startup request for the control program 305, in S511, the CPU 300 checks the value of the authentication flag. If the authentication flag is 1, in S512, the CPU 300 starts the control program 305. If the authentication flag is 0, in S513, the CPU 300 rejects the startup request. Also, when rejecting the startup request, the CPU 300 may perform an error output. The error output is performed, for example, by the display device 313 displaying an error message.

[0029] According to the above processing, when the elapsed time from power-off to power-on exceeds a threshold value, the startup of the control program 305 is prohibited. Alternatively, when the elapsed time exceeds the threshold value, the startup of the control program 305 is prohibited unless the license authentication is successful. In the prior art, the license authentication was performed via a license server connected to the network. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the permission / denial of the startup of the control program 305 is determined based on the elapsed time from power-off to power-on. Therefore, it is not necessary to be connected to the license server via the network.

[0030] Note that in the above example, the determination of the permission / denial of the startup of the control program 305 has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. When the elapsed time from power-off to power-on exceeds the threshold value, not only the control program 305 but also the use of other programs, reading and writing of data to and from the external storage device 303, etc. may be prohibited.

[0031] For example, the CPU 300 may be configured to reject a data read request for the entire area of the external storage device 303 when the elapsed time from power-off to power-on exceeds the threshold value. Alternatively, the external storage device 303 may have a limited access area where access is permitted only when the license authentication is successful and a normal access area where access is permitted regardless of the result of the license authentication. In this case, the CPU 300 may be configured to reject a data read request for the limited access area of the external storage device 303 when the elapsed time from power-off to power-on exceeds the threshold value.

[0032] (Other Embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiment to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and causing one or more processors in the computer of the system or device to read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0033] <Embodiment of a method for manufacturing an article> The method for manufacturing an article according to an embodiment of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing articles such as flat panel displays (FPDs), semiconductor devices, sensors, and optical elements, for example. The method for manufacturing an article according to the present embodiment includes a step of forming a latent image pattern by exposing a photosensitive material coated on a substrate with the above-described exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) to obtain an exposed substrate (exposure step). The method also includes a step of developing the substrate exposed in such a step to obtain a developed substrate (development step). Further, such a manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (oxidation, film formation, vapor deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, etc.) (processing steps). The method for manufacturing an article according to the present embodiment is advantageous in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article as compared with the conventional method.

[0034] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist thereof.

[0035] The disclosure of this specification includes at least the following technical ideas. (Item 1) A substrate processing unit for processing a substrate, A storage unit that stores a control program for executing substrate processing by the substrate processing unit, A processor that executes the control program, Comprising The processor Measures the elapsed time from when the power is turned off until it is turned on, When the elapsed time exceeds a threshold value, rejects the received activation request for the control program, A substrate processing apparatus characterized by this. (Item 2) The processor When the elapsed time exceeds the threshold value, executes license authentication, and if the license authentication fails, rejects the activation request. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 1, characterized in that... (Item 3) When the elapsed time exceeds the threshold value, the processor rejects a data read request for the entire area of the storage unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that... (Item 4) The storage unit has a restricted access area where access is permitted only when the license authentication is successful, and a normal access area where access is permitted regardless of the result of the license authentication. When the elapsed time exceeds the threshold value, the processor rejects a data read request for the restricted access area. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 2, characterized in that... (Item 5) When rejecting the startup request, the processor outputs an error. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 4, characterized in that... (Item 6) The threshold value is set to a time shorter than the period assumed for relocation work including disassembly, transportation, installation, and adjustment of the substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 5, characterized in that... (Item 7) The threshold value is a time of 3 days or more. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 1, characterized in that... (Item 8) The threshold value is a time of 10 days or less. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 1, characterized in that... (Item 9) Further having a non-volatile memory. When the power switch is turned off or a shutdown request is received, the processor acquires the current time, stores the acquired current time as the shutdown time in the non-volatile memory, and then executes a shutdown process. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 8, characterized in that... (Item 10) After the power switch is turned on and the substrate processing apparatus is started, the processor obtains the current time, reads the shutdown time from the non-volatile memory, and measures the elapsed time by calculating the difference between the current time and the shutdown time. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 9, characterized in that. (Item 11) A control method for a substrate processing apparatus that processes a substrate, Measuring the elapsed time from when the power is turned off to when it is turned on; When the elapsed time exceeds a threshold value, even if a startup request for a control program for executing substrate processing is received, rejecting the startup request; A control method characterized by comprising. (Item 12) A program for causing a computer to execute each step of the control method according to item 11. (Item 13) An exposure step of exposing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 10 to obtain an exposed substrate; A developing step of developing the exposed substrate to obtain a developed substrate, Manufacturing an article from the developed substrate. An article manufacturing method characterized by that.

[0036] The invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0037] 1: Substrate processing apparatus, 10: Substrate processing unit, 11: Host computer, 300: CPU, 303: External storage device, 308: Power control unit, 310: System timer, 311: Non-volatile memory

Claims

1. A substrate processing unit that processes a substrate, A storage unit that stores a control program for executing substrate processing by the substrate processing unit, A processor that executes the control program, comprising: The processor: measures the elapsed time from when the power is turned off until it is turned on, and when the elapsed time exceeds a threshold value, rejects the activation request of the received control program. A substrate processing apparatus characterized by the above.

2. The processor: when the elapsed time exceeds the threshold value, executes license authentication, and if the license authentication fails, rejects the activation request. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The processor, when the elapsed time exceeds the threshold value, rejects a data read request for the entire area of the storage unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

4. The storage unit has a restricted access area where access is permitted only when the license authentication is successful, and a normal access area where access is permitted regardless of the result of the license authentication. The processor, when the elapsed time exceeds the threshold value, rejects a data read request for the restricted access area. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

5. The processor, when rejecting the activation request, performs an error output. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

6. The threshold value is set to a time shorter than the period assumed for the relocation work including disassembling, transporting, installing, and adjusting the substrate processing apparatus, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

7. The threshold value is a time of 3 days or more, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

8. The threshold value is a time of 10 days or less, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

9. Further having a non-volatile memory, When the power switch is turned off or a shutdown request is received, the processor acquires the current time, stores the acquired current time as the shutdown time in the non-volatile memory, and then executes a shutdown process, The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that.

10. After the power switch is turned on and the substrate processing apparatus is started up, the processor acquires the current time, reads out the shutdown time from the non-volatile memory, and measures the elapsed time by calculating the difference between the current time and the shutdown time, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that.

11. A control method for a substrate processing apparatus that processes a substrate, Measuring the elapsed time from when the power is turned off until it is turned on; When the elapsed time exceeds a threshold value, even if a startup request for a control program for executing substrate processing is received, rejecting the startup request; A control method characterized by comprising:

12. A program for causing a computer to execute each step of the control method according to claim 11.

13. Using the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, exposing a substrate to obtain an exposed substrate, and an exposure step; Developing the exposed substrate to obtain a developed substrate, and a developing step; and Manufacturing an article from the developed substrate. An article manufacturing method characterized by this.

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