Processing system, substrate processing apparatus, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and recording medium

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of recognizing consistency of opening / closing states of other valves affected by a valve set to be opened when the valve is set to be opened.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus includes a display unit having a display area in which a recipe defining processing conditions of a substrate can be edited, and including an open / close setting area in which open / close states of a plurality of valves connected to a pipe through which a fluid used for processing the substrate flows are set, and a control unit configured to, when at least one of the valves is set to open, confirm open / close states of other valves affected by the valve set to open, and when the open / close states of the other valves are different from predefined open / close states, perform control to switch display of the other valves having different open / close states in the display area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a processing system, a substrate processing apparatus, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus that includes a display unit having parameters indicating the contents of a valve interlock check and buttons for checking each valve set in a recipe for processing a substrate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-2353 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique that, when a valve is set to open, can recognize the consistency of the open / closed states of other valves that are affected by the valve that is set to open. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a display unit having a display area in which a recipe defining substrate processing conditions can be edited, the display area including an open / close setting area for setting open / close states of a plurality of valves connected to pipes through which fluids used in the substrate processing flow; a control unit that, when at least one of the valves is set to open, checks the open / close states of the other valves that are affected by the valve that is set to open, and, if the open / close states of the other valves differ from predefined open / close states, controls to switch the display of the other valves that have different open / close states in the open / close setting area; A technique is provided that includes: [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, when a valve is set to open, it is possible to recognize the consistency of the open / closed states of other valves that are affected by the valve that is set to open. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a control device included in the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a front view showing an example of a recipe setting screen according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating an example of a valve opening / closing setting range according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a front view showing an example of a confirmation area according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 6 is a front view showing an example of a valve opening / closing setting region when the valve setting is changed in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart of a valve opening / closing setting process. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart of the valve ILK confirmation process. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing valve parameters. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described mainly with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Note that all drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships between elements, the ratios of elements, etc. shown in the drawings do not necessarily match those in reality. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships between elements, the ratios of elements, etc. do not necessarily match between multiple drawings. Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0009] First, an outline of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a vertical substrate processing apparatus 1 as an example of a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processed in the substrate processing apparatus 1 is, for example, a semiconductor wafer made of silicon or the like. The term "wafer" used in this specification may refer to the wafer itself or a laminate of the wafer and a predetermined layer or film formed on its surface. The term "surface of a wafer" used in this specification may refer to the surface of the wafer itself or the surface of a predetermined layer or the like formed on the wafer. The phrase "forming a predetermined layer on a wafer" used in this specification may refer to forming a predetermined layer directly on the surface of the wafer itself or forming a predetermined layer on a layer or the like formed on the wafer. The term "substrate" used in this specification is synonymous with the term "wafer."

[0011] 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a housing 2. A pod loading / unloading opening 6 is opened in a front wall 3 of the housing 2 so as to communicate between the inside and outside of the housing 2. The pod loading / unloading opening 6 is opened and closed by a front shutter (loading / unloading opening opening mechanism) 7. A load port (substrate transport container delivery table) 8 is provided in front of the pod loading / unloading opening 6.

[0012] The pod 9 is a sealed substrate transport container, and is designed to be carried onto and removed from the load port 8 by an in-process transport device (not shown).

[0013] A rotary pod shelf (substrate transport container storage shelf) 11 is installed at the top of the approximately center portion in the front-to-rear direction inside the housing 2. The rotary pod shelf 11 is equipped with multiple shelves (substrate transport container placement shelves) 13 configured to store at least one pod 9 placed thereon.

[0014] A pod opener (substrate transport container lid opening / closing mechanism) 14 is provided below the rotary pod shelf 11. The pod opener 14 has a structure on which the pod 9 is placed and which is capable of opening and closing the lid of the pod 9.

[0015] A pod transport mechanism (container transport mechanism) 15 is installed between the load port 8 and the rotating pod shelf 11 and pod opener 14, and is configured to transport pods 9 between the load port 8, the rotating pod shelf 11, and the pod opener 14.

[0016] A sub-housing 16 is provided extending to the rear end at the lower portion of the housing 2, approximately in the center in the front-to-rear direction. A front wall 17 of the sub-housing 16 is provided with a pair of wafer loading / unloading openings (substrate loading / unloading openings) 19 for loading / unloading wafers (substrates) 18 into / from the sub-housing 16.

[0017] The pod opener 14 includes a mounting table 21 on which the pod 9 is mounted, and an opening / closing mechanism 22 that opens and closes the lid of the pod 9. The pod opener 14 is configured to open and close the wafer entrance / exit of the pod 9 by opening and closing the lid of the pod 9 mounted on the mounting table 21 using the opening / closing mechanism 22.

[0018] The sub-housing 16 forms a transfer chamber 23 that is airtight from the space (pod transfer space) in which the pod transfer mechanism 15 and the rotary pod shelf 11 are disposed. A wafer transfer mechanism (substrate transfer mechanism) 24 is installed in the front region of the transfer chamber 23, and the wafer transfer mechanism 24 allows a predetermined number of wafers 18 (five in FIG. 2) to be placed thereon to move linearly in the horizontal direction, rotate horizontally, or move up and down. The wafer transfer mechanism 24 is configured to load and unload wafers 18 onto a boat (substrate holder) 26.

[0019] A standby section 27 is provided in the rear region of the transfer chamber 23 to accommodate the boat 26 and allow it to wait, and a vertical processing furnace 28 is provided above the standby section 27. The processing chamber 29 is also referred to as a processing vessel and is an example of a processing section. The configuration of the processing furnace 28 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the processing furnace 28 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.

[0020] Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described.

[0021] When the pod 9 is supplied to the load port 8, the pod loading / unloading opening 6 is opened by the front shutter 7. The pod 9 on the load port 8 is carried into the interior of the housing 2 through the pod loading / unloading opening 6 by the pod transport mechanism 15 and placed on a designated shelf 13 of the rotary pod shelf 11. After being temporarily stored on the rotary pod shelf 11, the pod 9 is transported by the pod transport mechanism 15 from the shelf 13 to one of the pod openers 14 and transferred to the placement table 21, or is transferred directly from the load port 8 to the placement table 21.

[0022] The open end face of the pod 9 placed on the mounting table 21 is pressed against the edge of the opening of the wafer loading / unloading port 19 in the front wall 17 of the sub-housing 16, and the lid is removed by the opening / closing mechanism 22, opening the wafer entrance / exit.

[0023] When the pod 9 is opened by the pod opener 14, the wafer transfer mechanism 24 removes the wafers 18 from the pod 9, carries them into the waiting section 27, and charges them into the boat 26.

[0024] When a predetermined number of wafers 18 are loaded into the boat 26, the furnace opening of the processing furnace 28, which has been closed by the furnace opening shutter 31, is opened by the furnace opening shutter 31. Then, the boat 26 is raised by the boat elevator 32 and loaded into the processing chamber 29.

[0025] After loading, the furnace throat is airtightly closed by the seal cap 34. At this timing (after loading), the present embodiment includes a purging step (pre-purging step) in which the processing chamber 29 is purged with an inert gas.

[0026] The processing chamber 29 is evacuated by a vacuum pump (not shown) to a desired pressure (vacuum level), and is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater (not shown) to achieve a desired temperature distribution.

[0027] A process gas supply source (not shown) supplies a process gas controlled at a predetermined flow rate, and as the process gas flows through the process chamber 29, it comes into contact with the surface of the wafer 18, and a predetermined process is performed on the surface of the wafer 18. After the reaction, the process gas is exhausted from the process chamber 29 by a gas exhaust mechanism (not shown). Note that the process gas here refers to the gas supplied into the process chamber 29. This also applies to the following explanation.

[0028] After a preset processing time has elapsed, an inert gas is supplied from an inert gas supply source (not shown), the processing chamber 29 is replaced with the inert gas, and the pressure in the processing chamber 29 is returned to normal pressure (after-purge process). Then, the boat 26 is lowered by the boat elevator 32 via the seal cap 34. Note that the processing time here means the time the processing continues. This also applies to the following explanation.

[0029] Regarding the removal of the processed wafers 18, the wafers 18 and pod 9 are unloaded to the outside of the housing 2 in the reverse order of the above description. Unprocessed wafers 18 are loaded into the boat 26, and the batch processing of the wafers 18 is repeated. Note that the pod 9 containing the processed wafers 18 may be temporarily stored on the rotary pod shelf 11, and then transported from the shelf 13 to the load port 8 by the pod transport mechanism 15 and unloaded to the outside of the housing 2.

[0030] 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a control device 100. The control device 100 controls the substrate processing apparatus 1. The control device 100 may be built into the substrate processing apparatus 1, or may be provided outside the substrate processing apparatus 1 so as to be accessible.

[0031] Next, the configuration of a control system of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control device 100 included in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a control device (main controller) 100, an external communication unit 201, an external memory unit 202, an operation unit 203, a display unit 204, a process control unit 205, and a transport control unit 206.

[0033] The control device 100 also includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 104, and an I / O port 105. The control unit 101 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, a determination unit 107, and a notification unit 108. Note that although the determination unit 107 is shown as one function of the control unit 101, it may be realized as a function separate from the control unit 101.

[0034] The control device 100 is connected to an operation unit 203, and is also connected to a process control unit 205 and a transport control unit 206 via an I / O port 105. The control device 100 is electrically connected to each of the process control unit 205 and the transport control unit 206 via the I / O port 105, and is therefore configured to be able to send and receive each piece of data, download and upload each file, and so on.

[0035] The control device 100 is connected to an external host computer (not shown) via an external communication unit 201. Therefore, even if the substrate processing apparatus 1 is installed in a clean room, the host computer can be located in an office or the like outside the clean room. In addition, an external storage unit 202 is connected to the control device 100 as an attachment unit into which a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or the like, which is an example of a recording medium, is inserted and removed.

[0036] The operation unit 203 may be integral with the display unit 204 or may be connected to the display unit 204 via a video cable or the like. The display unit 204 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display panel. The display unit 204 is configured to display various operation screens for operating the substrate processing apparatus 1. The operation screens include screens for checking the status of the substrate process system controlled by the process control unit 205 and the substrate transport system controlled by the transport control unit 206. The display unit 204 may also be provided with operation buttons as an input unit for inputting operation instructions to the substrate process system and the substrate transport system via the operation unit 203. The operation unit 203 displays information generated within the substrate processing apparatus 1 on the display unit 204 via the operation screen. The operation unit 203 also outputs the information displayed on the display unit 204 to a device such as a USB memory inserted in the external storage unit 202. The operation unit 203 accepts input data (input instructions) from the operation screen displayed on the display unit 204 and transmits the input data to the control device 100. Furthermore, the operation unit 203 is configured to receive an instruction (control instruction) to execute an arbitrary substrate processing recipe (also referred to as a process recipe) from among the recipes expanded in the RAM 103 or the recipes stored in the recipe 104a of the storage unit 104, and transmit the instruction to the control device 100. The operation unit 203 and the display unit 204 may be configured as a touch panel. Here, the operation unit 203 and the display unit 204 are provided separately from the control device 100, but may also be configured to be included integrally in the control device 100.

[0037] The process control unit 205 includes a temperature control unit 207, a gas flow rate control unit 208, a pressure control unit 209, and a valve control unit 220. The temperature control unit 207, the gas flow rate control unit 208, the pressure control unit 209, and the valve control unit 220 each constitute a sub-controller, and are electrically connected to the process control unit 205, enabling transmission and reception of each data, downloading and uploading of each file, etc. Although the process control unit 205 and each sub-controller (the temperature control unit 207, the gas flow rate control unit 208, the pressure control unit 209, and the valve control unit 220) are illustrated as separate units, they may also be configured as an integrated unit.

[0038] The temperature control unit 207 is configured to control the processing temperature based on a measurement value detected by a temperature sensor (not shown). Specifically, the temperature control unit 207 is configured to adjust the temperature inside the processing chamber 29 or the temperature of the wafer 18 by controlling the temperature of a heater (not shown). Note that the processing temperature here refers to the temperature of the wafer 18 or the temperature inside the processing chamber 29.

[0039] The gas flow rate control unit 208 is configured to adjust the flow rate of gas into the processing chamber 29 to a desired flow rate based on a measurement value detected by a gas flow rate sensor (not shown).

[0040] The pressure control unit 209 is configured to control the processing pressure based on a pressure value detected by a pressure sensor (not shown). Specifically, the pressure control unit 209 is configured to control the switching (on / off) of the pressure adjustment device and the vacuum pump so that the pressure inside the processing chamber 29 becomes a desired pressure at a desired timing. Note that the processing pressure here refers to the pressure inside the processing chamber 29.

[0041] The valve control unit 220 is configured to control the opening and closing of the valves in accordance with the state of the valves set in the recipe.

[0042] The transfer control unit 206 includes a rotation unit 210, an elevation unit 211, and a transport unit 212. Although the transfer control unit 206, the rotation unit 210, the elevation unit 211, and the transport unit 212 are illustrated as separate entities, they may be integrated into one unit. The rotation unit 210 is a rotation system of the substrate processing apparatus 1, and is configured, for example, by a pod transport mechanism 15, a wafer transfer mechanism 24, a rotation shaft 12 disposed at the center of the rotary pod shelf 11, and a rotation mechanism (not shown). The rotation unit 210 is configured to control the operation of the rotation system based on measurements from a position sensor (not shown) and a torque sensor (not shown).

[0043] The lifting unit 211 is a lifting system of the substrate processing apparatus 1, and is configured to control the operation of the lifting system based on measurements from a position sensor (not shown) and a torque sensor (not shown). The transport unit 212 is a transport mechanism of the substrate processing apparatus 1, and is configured to control the operation of the transport mechanism based on measurements from a position sensor (not shown) and a torque sensor (not shown). The lifting unit 211 and the transport unit 212 are configured to control the transport operations of, for example, the boat elevator 32, the pod transport mechanism 15, and the wafer transfer mechanism 24, respectively.

[0044] In this embodiment, the temperature sensors, gas flow rate sensors, pressure sensors, position sensors, and torque sensors are collectively referred to as "various sensors included in the substrate processing apparatus 1." They may also be simply referred to as "sensors."

[0045] The control device 100, the process control unit 205, and the transport control unit 20 according to this embodiment 6 can be realized using a normal computer system, not a dedicated system. For example, by installing a program for executing the above-mentioned processes from a recording medium (CD-ROM, USB, etc.) that stores the program into a general-purpose computer, each controller that executes the predetermined processes can be configured.

[0046] The means for supplying these programs is arbitrary. As described above, the programs can be supplied via a predetermined recording medium, or, for example, via a communication line, a communication network, or a communication system.

[0047] The control device 100 is configured as a computer including a CPU 102, a RAM 103, a storage unit 104, and an I / O port 105. The storage unit 104 stores recipe files such as recipes that define processing conditions and processing procedures, control program files for executing these recipe files, parameter files (setting value files) for setting processing conditions and processing procedures, error processing program files and error processing parameter files, as well as various screen files including input screens for inputting process parameters, various icon files, and the like (none of which are shown). The control device 100 is connected to a network such as the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), or a WAN (Wide Area Network) using an external communication unit 201, and is capable of communicating with external devices via the network.

[0048] The storage unit 104 may be, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a flash memory. A valve interlock confirmation processing program for executing the valve interlock confirmation processing according to this embodiment is stored in the storage unit 104. Note that hereinafter, interlock will be abbreviated as "ILK" where appropriate.

[0049] The valve ILK confirmation processing program may be pre-installed in, for example, the substrate processing apparatus 1. The valve ILK confirmation processing program may be realized by recording it on a non-volatile recording medium or distributing it via a network and appropriately installing it in the substrate processing apparatus 1. Examples of non-volatile recording media include CD-ROMs, magneto-optical disks, HDDs, DVD-ROMs, flash memories, memory cards, and USBs.

[0050] In other words, the valve ILK confirmation processing program is a program that causes a computer to cause a substrate processing apparatus to execute a procedure for editing a recipe that defines the processing conditions for a substrate, and a procedure for processing a substrate using the edited recipe.

[0051] The CPU 102 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment functions as a control unit 101 including a judgment unit 107 and a notification unit 108 by writing the valve ILK confirmation processing program stored in the memory unit 104 to the RAM 103 and executing it.

[0052] The substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a processing furnace 28 as a processing container, and a processing system 90.

[0053] The processing furnace processes the substrate using a recipe that defines the processing conditions for the substrate.

[0054] The processing system 90 processes recipe settings. The recipe settings also include recipe editing. The processing system 90 includes a control device 100 and a display unit 204.

[0055] An example of valve opening / closing setting according to this embodiment will be specifically described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a front view showing an example of a recipe setting screen 70 according to this embodiment. Figure 5 is a front view showing a valve opening / closing setting area 175 on the recipe setting screen 70 according to this embodiment.

[0056] The recipe setting screen 70 shown in FIG. 4 includes an event information area 71, a navigation area 72, a step information area 73, an item selection area 74, an item setting area 75, and a command area 76.

[0057] The event information area 71 displays, for example, events of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Specifically, the latest event is displayed in the event information area 71. A details button (not shown) is displayed in the event information area 71, and when this details button is pressed (for example, by touch operation, cursor operation, etc.), details of the latest event are displayed. A history list button (not shown) may also be displayed in the event information area 71. When this history list button is pressed, the event history is displayed. The events displayed in the event information area 71 are stored, for example, in the event information 104c of the storage unit 104, and this information is read out and displayed.

[0058] A list of step information registered in the recipe is displayed in the step information area 73. The step information includes, for example, the step number, the step processing time for each step, the step name (ID), and whether or not an execution command is present.

[0059] The item selection area 74 displays selectable items to be displayed in the item setting area 75. The items referred to here are examples of setting items. Selectable items include, for example, temperature, gas flow rate, pressure, transport control (transport mechanism), and valves. Specifically, the item selection area 74 is provided with tabs corresponding to each of these items, and detailed settings of information related to each item can be made by selecting a tab. The item setting area 75 also displays selectable items so that they can be set by the operation unit 203.

[0060] It should be noted that the configurable items, ie, the configurable setting items, are not limited to those mentioned above, and may be any items that define conditions related to substrate processing in the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0061] Furthermore, when the valve tab is selected in the item selection area 74, the item setting area 75 becomes the valve opening / closing setting area 175. That is, the entire area of ​​the item setting area 75 becomes the entire area of ​​the valve opening / closing setting area 175. Note that this embodiment is not limited to this configuration, and a part of the item setting area 75 may be the valve opening / closing setting area 175.

[0062] 5, the valve opening / closing setting area 175 is an area for setting information related to the valves provided in the processing furnace 28. Specifically, the valve opening / closing setting area 175 displays the open / closed state (on / off state) of each valve. Furthermore, the open / closed state of each valve can be switched by operating each valve in the valve opening / closing setting area 175. That is, the open / closed state of each valve can be set in the valve opening / closing setting area 175. Details of the valve opening / closing setting area 175 will be described later.

[0063] In the command area 76, a plurality of buttons (not shown), such as an Esc button and a Save button, are displayed. For example, when the Esc button is pressed, an operation to close the recipe setting screen 70 is executed. When the Save button is pressed, an operation to save the contents set (including edits) on the recipe setting screen 70 is executed. The contents of the recipe setting screen 70 may be saved in the storage unit 104 or the external storage unit 202. By saving the edited recipe in this way, it is possible to process substrates using the saved recipe.

[0064] 5, the valve opening / closing setting area 175 displays the open / close states of the valves V1 to V31 installed in the process furnace 28. Here, when at least one valve is set to open, the control unit 101 checks the open / close states of the other valves affected by the valve set to open, and if the open / close states of the other valves differ from predefined open / close states, performs control to switch the display of the other valves with different open / close states in the valve opening / closing setting area 175. For example, when the closed valve V10 is selected and set (i.e., changed) to an open state, the control unit 101 checks the open / close states of the other valves V23, V24, V25, V26, V27, and V31 affected by the valve V10 set to open, and if the open / close states of the other valves V23, V24, V25, V26, V27, and V31 differ from predefined open / close states, performs control to switch the display of the other valves V23, V24, and V31 with different open / close states in the valve opening / closing setting area 175 as shown in FIG.

[0065] The storage unit 104 also stores valve ILK parameters 104b (hereinafter simply referred to as "parameters 104b") that define the valves that are set to open and the open / close states of other valves that are affected by the valves that are set to open (see FIG. 10). When a valve is set to open, the control unit 101 acquires the parameters 104b from the storage unit 104 and performs control to determine the difference between the open / close states of the other valves displayed in the valve open / close setting area 175 and the open / close states of the other valves defined in the parameters 104b. These parameters 104b define the open / close states of each of the other valves that are affected by the valve that is set to open when the valve is set to open.

[0066] The control unit 101 controls the determination unit 107 to determine the difference between the open / closed states of the other valves displayed in the valve open / close setting area 175 and the open / closed states of the other valves defined in the parameters 104b, and to notify the notification unit 108 of the determination result. Furthermore, the control unit 101 may control the notification unit 108 to notify the determination result after determining the difference between the open / closed states of all other valves affected by the valve set to open and the open / closed states of the other valves defined in the parameters 104b.

[0067] Furthermore, if there are other valves with differences, the control unit 101 may display a confirmation area 176 (see FIG. 6 ) in the valve opening / closing setting area 175 to confirm whether to continue the setting. This confirmation area 176 displays information about the valve set to open and the other valves. In the example of FIG. 6 , the number or name of the valve selected in the valve opening / closing setting area 175 and the numbers or names of all other valves affected by the selected valve are displayed. The confirmation area 176 also includes an area for selecting whether to maintain or cancel the open / closed state of the valve set to open. That is, the confirmation area 176 is provided with a button (Open) assigned with a process for maintaining the open setting of the valve and a button (Cancel) assigned with a process for canceling the open setting of the valve. Here, if maintaining the open setting of the valve is selected in the confirmation area 176, the control unit 101 switches the display of the valve set to open in the valve opening / closing setting area 175. The content displayed in the confirmation area 176 is stored in the storage unit 104. Specifically, the content displayed in confirmation area 176 may be automatically saved, or a save button may be provided for executing the saving process. If the user selects to cancel the open setting of the valve, the control unit 101 returns the state of the valve that was set to open in the valve opening / closing setting area 175 to the state when it was set to closed, or to the state before it was set to open.

[0068] Furthermore, the control unit 101 causes the content of the confirmation area 176 stored in the storage unit 104 to be displayed in the event information area 71 .

[0069] Furthermore, if there are no other valves with differences, the control unit 101 switches the display of the valve set to open. That is, if the open / close states of other valves affected by the valve set to open in the valve open / close setting area 175 match the open / close states of other valves defined in the parameters 104b, the control unit 101 switches the display of the valve set to open from the closed state to the open state.

[0070] Furthermore, if there are other valves that are different, the control unit 101 changes the display of the other valves to a display that is different in at least one of color, size, shape, line thickness, and line type. Also, the control unit 101 may change the display of the other valves to a flashing display.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 5, the valve opening / closing setting area 175 may have a scroll bar as an operation area for performing an operation to scroll the image displayed in the valve opening / closing setting area 175 in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0072] Furthermore, when there are other valves with differences and the other valves are not displayed in the display image displayed in the valve opening / closing setting area 175, the control unit 101 may scroll the display image within the valve opening / closing setting area 175 to display the other valves.

[0073] The valve opening / closing setting area 175 may allow the image displayed in the valve opening / closing setting area 175 to be enlarged or reduced. As shown in Fig. 5, the valve opening / closing setting area 175 is provided with buttons for executing functions related to fixation, enlargement, and reduction. By pressing these buttons, the displayed image can be fixed, enlarged, or reduced. In the example of Fig. 5, the reduce button is selected.

[0074] Furthermore, when there are other valves with differences and the other valves are not displayed in the display image displayed in the valve opening / closing setting area 175, the control unit 101 may reduce the display image within the valve opening / closing setting area 175 to display the other valves.

[0075] Next, a valve setting flow of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a sequence of a valve opening / closing setting process according to this embodiment. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a sequence of a valve ILK checking process according to this embodiment. As an example, in this embodiment, the valve ILK checking process shown in Fig. 9 is executed midway through Fig. 8, that is, when the user sets a valve that is in a closed state to an open state.

[0076] First, when the valve is set to an open state in the valve open / close setting region 175, the valve open / close setting process starts.

[0077] In step S200, the valve ILK confirmation process shown in FIG. 9 is executed.

[0078] In step S202, if the result of the valve ILK confirmation process shows that there is no difference between the open / closed states of other valves affected by the valve set to open and the open / closed states of other valves defined by parameter 104b, the control unit 101 proceeds to the process of step S210. On the other hand, if there is a difference, the control unit 101 proceeds to the process of step S202.

[0079] In step S204, a confirmation area 176 is displayed on the valve opening / closing setting area 175.

[0080] In step S206, the display of other valves that have differences is switched.

[0081] In step S208, if the open setting of the valve is continued, the process proceeds to step S210. On the other hand, if the open setting of the valve is canceled, the valve open / close setting process ends.

[0082] In step S210, the display of the valve for which the open setting has been executed is switched to display the open state (see FIG. 7).

[0083] Next, the valve ILK confirmation process will be described.

[0084] In step S300, parameters 104b (see FIG. 10) that define the open / closed states of other valves that are affected by the valve that has been set to open are read from the storage unit 104.

[0085] In step S302, the open / closed states of other valves that are affected by the valve that has been set to open are checked.

[0086] In step S304, the open / closed states of the other valves confirmed in step S302 are temporarily saved. The temporary saving destination may be the storage unit 104 or the RAM 102.

[0087] In step S306, it is determined whether there are other valves that are affected by the valve that has been set to open. If there are other valves, the process proceeds to step S308. On the other hand, if there are no other valves, the process returns to step S302.

[0088] In step S308, the open / closed states of other valves that are affected by the valve that has been set to open are reported, and the process ends.

[0089] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0090] In this embodiment, when a valve is set to open, the states of other valves that are affected by the valve that has been set to open are checked, thereby making it possible to recognize the consistency of the open / closed states of the other valves. Furthermore, by checking the valve consistency in real time, it is possible to recognize the states of other valves that affect the valve that has been set to open, and recipe setting can be performed without reducing the efficiency of the setting operation.

[0091] In this embodiment, since the parameters 104b are stored in the storage unit 104, the set information can be maintained even when the control unit 101 is restarted.

[0092] In this embodiment, the valves that are affected by the valves that are set to open are defined in parameter 104b, so that the valves that are affected by the valves that are set to open can be identified, and by checking only the specific valves, the valve checking time can be reduced.

[0093] In this embodiment, the content of the notification is different depending on whether there is a difference between the open / closed state of other valves displayed in the valve open / close setting area 175 and the open / closed state of other valves defined in the parameters, and whether there is no difference, thereby making it possible to reduce the load on the system due to unnecessary processing or communication.

[0094] In this embodiment, even if there are multiple valves that are affected by a valve that is set to open, the result is notified only once, thereby reducing the processing or communication load on the device.

[0095] In this embodiment, by displaying the confirmation area 176, the operator can be made aware that there is a difference in the parameters of the valve that will be affected by setting the valve in question to open.

[0096] In this embodiment, by displaying the valve that has been set to open and other valves that are affected by this valve in the confirmation area 176, it becomes easier for the operator to recognize other valves that are affected by the valve that has been set to open.

[0097] In this embodiment, by storing the notification content from the control unit 101, even if the confirmation area is closed, for example, the notification content can be confirmed later.

[0098] In this embodiment, the notification content from the control unit 101 stored in the storage unit 104 is displayed in the event information area 71, so that the notification content can be confirmed even after the confirmation area 176 is closed.

[0099] In this embodiment, even if the consistency of other valves is not achieved, the recipe setting work can be performed without reducing the efficiency by continuing the setting.

[0100] In this embodiment, the display of the valve is switched depending on the open / closed state of the valve, so that the operator can recognize the open / closed state of the valve.

[0101] In this embodiment, if the other valves are consistent, the confirmation area 176 is not displayed, thereby preventing a decrease in work efficiency.

[0102] In this embodiment, by switching the display of other valves with differences, the other valves with differences become clear to the operator, and the operator can recognize the valves with incorrect settings.

[0103] In this embodiment, the piping configuration including all valves can be confirmed by scrolling the screen.

[0104] In this embodiment, the screen is automatically scrolled, making it easier for the operator to recognize other valves that are different.

[0105] In this embodiment, the entire piping configuration can be confirmed on the screen, or a portion of it can be enlarged and confirmed.

[0106] In this embodiment, the image displayed in the valve opening / closing setting area 175 is automatically reduced in size, making it easier for the operator to recognize other valves that are different.

[0107] Although the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment has been described above as an example, the embodiment may be in the form of a program for causing a computer to execute the functions of the substrate processing apparatus, or in the form of a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium storing the program.

[0108] Furthermore, the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus described in the above embodiment is merely an example, and may be changed depending on the situation without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0109] Furthermore, the processing flow of the program described in the above embodiment is also an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps may be added, or the processing order may be rearranged within the scope of the main idea.

[0110] In the above embodiment, the processing according to the embodiment is realized by a software configuration using a computer by executing a program, but the present invention is not limited to this. The embodiment may be realized by, for example, a hardware configuration or a combination of a hardware configuration and a software configuration.

[0111] In the above embodiment, an example of forming a film using a batch-type substrate processing apparatus that processes multiple substrates at a time has been described. The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment and can be suitably applied, for example, to a case where a film is formed using a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates at a time. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example of forming a film using a substrate processing apparatus having a hot-wall type processing furnace has been described. The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment and can be suitably applied to a case where a film is formed using a substrate processing apparatus having a cold-wall type processing furnace.

[0112] When using these substrate processing apparatuses, each process can be performed under the same process procedures and conditions as in the above embodiment, and the same effects as in the above embodiment can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 18 Wafer (substrate) 90 Processing System 101 Control section 204 Display section

Claims

1. a display unit having a display area in which a recipe defining substrate processing conditions can be edited, the display area including an open / close setting area for setting open / close states of a plurality of valves connected to pipes through which fluids used in the substrate processing flow; a control unit that, when at least one of the valves is set to open, checks the open / close states of the other valves that are affected by the valve that is set to open, and, if the open / close states of the other valves differ from predefined open / close states, controls to switch the display of the other valves that have different open / close states in the open / close setting area; A processing system comprising:

2. a storage unit that stores parameters that define the valve that is set to open and the open / closed states of the other valves that are affected by the valve that is set to open, 2. The processing system of claim 1, wherein when the valve is set to open, the control unit is capable of retrieving the parameters from the memory unit and performing control to determine a difference between the open / closed state of the other valve displayed in the open / close setting area and the open / closed state of the other valve defined in the parameters.

3. The processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the parameters define the open / closed states of the other valves that are affected by the valve set to open when the valve is set to open.

4. 3. The processing system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is capable of determining a difference between the open / close state of the other valve displayed in the open / close setting area and the open / close state of the other valve defined in the parameters, and performing control to notify the user of the determination result.

5. The processing system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is controllable to notify a result of the determination after determining a difference between the open / closed states of all the other valves affected by the valve set to open and the open / closed states of the other valves defined in the parameters.

6. The processing system according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit displays a confirmation area for continuing the setting within the open / close setting area when there is the other valve with a difference.

7. The processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the confirmation area displays information about the valve that is set to open and the other valves.

8. The processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the storage unit stores the content to be displayed in the confirmation area.

9. the display unit is capable of displaying an event information area on a screen; The processing system according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit causes the content of the confirmation area stored in the storage unit to be displayed in the event information area.

10. The processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the confirmation area includes an area for selecting whether to maintain the open / closed state of the valve set to open or to cancel the selection.

11. If you select "Keep" in the confirmation area, The control unit switches the display of the valve set to open in the open / close setting area. The processing system of claim 10.

12. The processing system according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit switches the display of the valve that is set to open when there is no other valve that has a difference.

13. The processing system according to claim 4 , wherein, when there is a valve that is different from the other valve, the control unit switches the display of the other valve to a display that is different in at least one of color, size, shape, line thickness, and line type.

14. the open / close setting area has an operation area for performing an operation to scroll an image displayed in the open / close setting area in at least one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction; The processing system of claim 1 .

15. The processing system of claim 14, wherein when there is another valve with a difference and the other valve is not displayed in the display image displayed in the opening / closing setting area, the control unit scrolls the display image within the opening / closing setting area to display the other valve.

16. The processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the image displayed in the open / close setting area can be enlarged or reduced.

17. When there is another valve with a difference and the other valve is not displayed in the display image displayed in the opening / closing setting area, the control unit reduces the display image within the opening / closing setting area to display the other valve.

17. The processing system of claim 16.

18. The processing system of claim 1 ; a processing vessel for processing the substrate, The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the control unit is capable of controlling the substrate processing apparatus to process the substrate using the edited recipe.

19. editing a recipe that defines processing conditions for the substrate; a step of processing the substrate by the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 18 using the edited recipe; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having the above structure.

20. a step of editing a recipe that defines processing conditions for the substrate; processing the substrate using the edited recipe; A program for causing a computer to execute the above in the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 18.

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