Substrate processing apparatus, exhaust control method, and recording medium

Abstract

To reduce the waiting time until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes. [Solution] In the following process, the control unit controls the rate of change of the pressure regulating valve opening per unit time to be smaller than in the following cases: when the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to increase the pressure in the chamber, and when the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is decreased to decrease the pressure in the chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, an exhaust control method, and a recording medium.

Background Art

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of acquiring general characteristic data including control signal values corresponding to flow rate values and pressure values, correcting the flow rate values of the general characteristic data according to the molecular weight of a process gas to generate operation characteristic data, and controlling a valve using the operation characteristic data.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique for shortening the waiting time until the pressure in a chamber stabilizes.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a chamber, a gas supply unit, a pressure regulating valve, a storage unit, and a control unit. The chamber has a mounting platform on which a substrate is placed. The gas supply unit is configured to supply gas into the chamber. The pressure regulating valve is provided between the chamber and the pump and is configured to adjust its opening degree in order to adjust the pressure inside the chamber. The storage unit stores opening degree data indicating the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve for each gas flow rate and pressure inside the chamber. For each process, the control unit obtains the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve corresponding to the gas flow rate and pressure inside the chamber in that process from the opening degree data and controls the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve to the obtained opening degree. In the following processes, the control unit controls the rate of change per unit time of the pressure regulating valve opening to be smaller than in the following cases: when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to increase the pressure inside the chamber; and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is decreased to decrease the pressure inside the chamber. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to this disclosure, the waiting time until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the control device that controls the plasma processing apparatus. [Figure 3] Figure 3 illustrates an example of how processing conditions change between the current process and the next process. [Figure 4]Figure 4 illustrates an example of changes in gas flow rate, pressure, and pressure regulating valve opening during a process and the subsequent process. [Figure 5] Figure 5 illustrates an example of pressure changes within a plasma processing chamber. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the exhaust control method according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the substrate processing apparatus, exhaust control method, and recording medium disclosed in this application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the disclosed substrate processing apparatus, exhaust control method, and recording medium are not limited by these embodiments.

[0009] The substrate processing apparatus controls the pressure inside the chamber by adjusting the opening of a pressure regulating valve located between the chamber and the pump. The substrate processing apparatus changes the pressure inside the chamber by changing the opening of the pressure regulating valve, for example, when performing multiple processes with different pressure conditions.

[0010] By the way, in substrate processing equipment, if the rate of change in the opening of the pressure regulating valve per unit time is kept constant when changing the opening, the waiting time until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes may become long.

[0011] Therefore, technologies that shorten the waiting time until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes are highly anticipated.

[0012] [Embodiment] [Device configuration] An example of a substrate processing apparatus of this disclosure will be described below. In the embodiments described below, the substrate processing apparatus will be described as a plasma processing system with a system configuration.

[0013] The following describes an example of a plasma processing system configuration. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a capacitively coupled plasma processing system configuration.

[0014] The plasma processing system includes a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus 1 and a control device 100. The capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a plasma processing chamber 10, a gas supply unit 20, a power supply system 30, and an exhaust system 40. The plasma processing apparatus 1 also includes a substrate support unit 11 and a gas introduction unit. The gas introduction unit is configured to introduce at least one processing gas into the plasma processing chamber 10. The gas introduction unit includes a shower head 13. The substrate support unit 11 is located inside the plasma processing chamber 10. The shower head 13 is located above the substrate support unit 11. In one embodiment, the shower head 13 constitutes at least a portion of the ceiling of the plasma processing chamber 10. The plasma processing chamber 10 has a plasma processing space 10s defined by the shower head 13, the side walls 10a of the plasma processing chamber 10, and the substrate support unit 11. The plasma processing chamber 10 has at least one gas supply port for supplying at least one processing gas to the plasma processing space 10s, and at least one gas outlet for discharging gas from the plasma processing space. The plasma processing chamber 10 is grounded. The shower head 13 and the substrate support 11 are electrically insulated from the housing of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0015] The substrate support portion 11 includes a main body portion 111 and a ring assembly 112. The main body portion 111 has a central region 111a for supporting the substrate W and an annular region 111b for supporting the ring assembly 112. A wafer is an example of the substrate W. The annular region 111b of the main body portion 111 surrounds the central region 111a of the main body portion 111 in a plan view. The substrate W is placed on the central region 111a of the main body portion 111, and the ring assembly 112 is placed on the annular region 111b of the main body portion 111 so as to surround the substrate W on the central region 111a of the main body portion 111. Therefore, the central region 111a is also called the substrate support surface for supporting the substrate W, and the annular region 111b is also called the ring support surface for supporting the ring assembly 112.

[0016] In one embodiment, the main body 111 includes a base 1110 and an electrostatic chuck 1111. The base 1110 includes a conductive member. The conductive member of the base 1110 can function as a lower electrode. The electrostatic chuck 1111 is placed on the base 1110. The electrostatic chuck 1111 includes a ceramic member 1111a and an electrostatic chuck electrode 1111b placed within the ceramic member 1111a. The electrostatic chuck electrode 1111b is also called a clamping electrode. In one embodiment, the electrostatic chuck electrode 1111b is electrically connected or coupled to a chuck power supply. The chuck power supply may be a DC power supply or an AC power supply. The ceramic member 1111a has a central region 111a. In one embodiment, the ceramic member 1111a also has an annular region 111b. Furthermore, other members surrounding the electrostatic chuck 1111, such as an annular electrostatic chuck or an annular insulating member, may have an annular region 111b. In this case, the ring assembly 112 may be placed on the annular electrostatic chuck or the annular insulating member, or on both the electrostatic chuck 1111 and the annular insulating member. In addition, at least one bias electrode, electrically connected or coupled to the power supply 31 and / or power supply 32 described later, may be placed within the ceramic member 1111a. In this case, at least one bias electrode functions as a lower electrode. Also, the conductive member of the base 1110 and the bias electrode in the ceramic member 1111a may function as multiple lower electrodes. In one embodiment, the first voltage generation unit 32a, which functions as a voltage pulse generation unit described later, is electrically connected or coupled to the bias electrode in the ceramic member 1111a, and the first RF generation unit 31a, described later, is electrically connected or coupled to the conductive member of the base 1110. Furthermore, the electrostatic chuck electrode 1111b may function as a lower electrode. Therefore, the substrate support portion 11 includes at least one lower electrode.

[0017] The ring assembly 112 includes one or more annular members. In one embodiment, the one or more annular members include one or more edge rings and at least one covering ring. The edge rings are formed of a conductive or insulating material, and the covering rings are formed of an insulating material.

[0018] Further, the substrate support portion 11 may include a temperature control module configured to adjust at least one of the electrostatic chuck 1111, the ring assembly 112, and the substrate to a target temperature. The temperature control module may include a heater, a heat transfer medium, a flow path 1110a, or a combination thereof. A heat transfer fluid such as brine or gas flows through the flow path 1110a. In one embodiment, the flow path 1110a is formed in the base 1110, and one or more heaters are disposed in the ceramic member 1111a of the electrostatic chuck 1111. Further, the substrate support portion 11 may include a heat transfer gas supply portion configured to supply a heat transfer gas to a gap between the back surface of the substrate W and the central region 111a.

[0019] The shower head 13 is configured to introduce at least one process gas from the gas supply portion 20 into the plasma processing space 10s. The shower head 13 has at least one gas supply port 13a, at least one gas diffusion chamber 13b, and a plurality of gas introduction ports 13c. The process gas supplied to the gas supply port 13a passes through the gas diffusion chamber 13b and is introduced into the plasma processing space 10s from the plurality of gas introduction ports 13c. Further, the shower head 13 includes at least one upper electrode. The gas introduction portion may include, in addition to the shower head 13, one or more side gas injection portions (SGI; Side Gas Injector) attached to one or more openings formed in the side wall 10a.

[0020] The gas supply portion 20 may include at least one gas source 21 and at least one flow controller 22. In one embodiment, the gas supply portion 20 is configured to supply at least one process gas from the corresponding gas source 21 to the shower head 13 via the corresponding flow controller 22. Each flow controller 22 may include, for example, a mass flow controller or a pressure control type flow controller. Further, the gas supply portion 20 may include one or more flow modulation devices for modulating or pulsing the flow rate of at least one process gas.

[0021] The power supply system 30 includes a power supply 31 that is electrically connected to or coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10. In one embodiment, the power supply 31 is electrically connected to or coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10 via at least one impedance matcher. The impedance matcher may be a mechanically controlled matcher or an electronically controlled matcher. The power supply 31 is configured to supply at least one RF (Radio Frequency) signal (RF power) to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode. This generates plasma from at least one processing gas supplied to the plasma processing space 10s. Thus, the power supply 31 can function as at least part of a plasma generation unit configured to generate plasma from one or more processing gases in the plasma processing chamber 10. In addition, by supplying a bias RF signal to at least one lower electrode, a bias potential is generated on the substrate W, and ionic components in the formed plasma can be drawn into the substrate W.

[0022] The power supply 31 includes a first RF generation unit 31a and a second RF generation unit 31b. The first RF generation unit 31a is electrically connected or coupled to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode and is configured to generate a source RF signal (source RF power) to generate plasma in the plasma processing space 10s. In one embodiment, the first RF generation unit 31a is electrically connected or coupled to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode via at least one impedance matcher. In one embodiment, the source RF signal has a frequency in the range of 10 MHz to 150 MHz. In one embodiment, the first RF generation unit 31a may be configured to generate a plurality of source RF signals having different frequencies. The generated one or more source RF signals are supplied to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode.

[0023] The second RF generation unit 31b is electrically connected to or coupled to at least one lower electrode and is configured to generate a bias RF signal (bias RF power). In one embodiment, the second RF generation unit 31b is electrically connected to or coupled to at least one lower electrode via at least one impedance matcher. If the first RF generation unit 31a is electrically connected to or coupled to a lower electrode, the second RF generation unit 31b may be electrically connected to or coupled to the same lower electrode, or it may be electrically connected to or coupled to a different lower electrode. The frequency of the bias RF signal may be the same as or different from the frequency of the source RF signal. In one embodiment, the bias RF signal has a lower frequency than the frequency of the source RF signal. In one embodiment, the bias RF signal has a frequency in the range of 100 kHz to 60 MHz. In one embodiment, the second RF generation unit 31b may be configured to generate a plurality of bias RF signals having different frequencies. The generated one or more bias RF signals are supplied to at least one lower electrode. In various embodiments, at least one of the source RF signal and the bias RF signal may be pulsed.

[0024] The power supply system 30 may also include a power supply 32 that is electrically connected to or coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10. The power supply 32 includes a first voltage generation unit 32a and a second voltage generation unit 32b. In one embodiment, the first voltage generation unit 32a is electrically connected to or coupled to at least one lower electrode and configured to generate a first voltage signal. The generated first voltage signal is applied to at least one lower electrode. In one embodiment, the second voltage generation unit 32b is electrically connected to or coupled to at least one upper electrode and configured to generate a second voltage signal. The generated second voltage signal is applied to at least one upper electrode.

[0025] In various embodiments, the first and / or second voltage signals may be pulsed. In this case, the first voltage generation unit 32a and / or the second voltage generation unit 32b function as voltage pulse generation units configured to generate a sequence of voltage pulses. Thus, the sequence of voltage pulses is applied to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode. In one embodiment, the sequence of voltage pulses has multiple cycles, each cycle including a burst of voltage pulses in a first period and a constant reference voltage in a second period. That is, in the sequence of voltage pulses, bursts of voltage pulses are repeated. The absolute value of the voltage level of the voltage pulse is greater than the absolute value of the voltage level of the reference voltage. The voltage pulse may have an arbitrary waveform having a rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular, or a combination thereof, and the arbitrary waveform may change over time. The voltage pulse may have positive polarity or negative polarity. The sequence of voltage pulses may also include one or more positive voltage pulses and one or more negative voltage pulses within one cycle. The first and second voltage generation units 32a and 32b may be provided in addition to the power supply 31, and the first voltage generation unit 32a may be provided in place of the second RF generation unit 31b.

[0026] The exhaust system 40 may be connected to, for example, a gas outlet 10e located at the bottom of the plasma processing chamber 10. The exhaust system 40 may include a pressure regulating valve and a vacuum pump 41. For example, the gas outlet 10e is connected to the vacuum pump 41 via an exhaust pipe 14. The vacuum pump 41 may include a turbomolecular pump, a dry pump, or a combination thereof. The exhaust system 40 includes a pressure regulating valve 42 between the plasma processing chamber 10 and the vacuum pump 41, configured to adjust its opening degree in order to regulate the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10. For example, the exhaust pipe 14 is provided with a pressure regulating valve 42. The pressure regulating valve 42 is configured to adjust the opening degree of the exhaust pipe 14. For example, the pressure regulating valve 42 is configured as an electrically operated butterfly valve. The pressure regulating valve 42 has a valve body located in a cylindrical valve casing, and is configured to change the angle of the valve body by the driving force of a drive system such as a motor. The pressure regulating valve 42 is configured such that the angle of the valve body can be changed within a range of 0 to 90°, and the larger the angle of the valve body, the greater the opening. The exhaust system 40 adjusts the pressure in the plasma processing space 10s by changing the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 and changing the amount of exhaust from the exhaust pipe 14 while exhausting with the vacuum pump 41.

[0027] The control device 100 processes computer-executable instructions that cause the plasma processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described herein. The control device 100 may be configured to control each element of the plasma processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described herein. In one embodiment, some or all of the control device 100 may be included in the plasma processing apparatus 1. The control device 100 is implemented, for example, by a computer.

[0028] [Configuration of control device 100] Next, the control device 100 will be described in detail. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the control device 100 that controls the plasma processing apparatus 1. The control device 100 includes a communication interface 101, an external interface 102, a user interface 103, a storage unit 104, and a control unit 105.

[0029] The communication interface 101 can communicate with other devices via a network (not shown) and transmit and receive various types of data with other devices. The external interface 102 can communicate with various parts of the plasma processing apparatus 1 and input and output various types of data. The user interface 103 consists of a keyboard for the process manager to input commands to manage the plasma processing apparatus 1, and a display unit such as a display that visualizes and shows the operating status of the plasma processing apparatus 1.

[0030] The memory unit 104 stores the OS (Operating System) and various programs executed by the control unit 105. For example, the memory unit 104 stores a program that executes the exhaust control method described later. Furthermore, the memory unit 104 stores various data used by the program executed by the control unit 105. For example, the memory unit 104 stores recipe data 104a and opening degree data 104b. Note that the programs and data may be used in their state stored on a computer-readable recording medium. Alternatively, the programs and data may be installed from the recording medium. Furthermore, the programs and data may be installed from other devices via wired or wireless communication. In addition, the programs and data can be transmitted from other devices at any time, for example via a dedicated line, and used online. Examples of recording media include hard disks, optical discs such as DVDs, flexible disks, and semiconductor memory.

[0031] Recipe data 104a is data that stores the processing conditions for the plasma treatment to be performed on the substrate W. For example, the processing conditions stored in recipe data 104a include the pressure in the plasma treatment chamber 10, the type of gas to be used, and the gas flow rate of each gas type for each process performed in the plasma treatment.

[0032] The opening degree data 104b is data showing the relationship between the gas flow rate, pressure, and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42. The relationship between the gas flow rate, pressure, and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 is determined by experiments using the plasma processing apparatus 1 or by simulation. For example, the gas flow rate supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 are changed, and the pressure at which the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes is measured for each gas flow rate and opening degree. Then, the relationship between the gas flow rate, the stable pressure, and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 is determined from the measurement results. For example, for each gas flow rate and pressure, the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 that can stabilize the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 at that pressure when the gas of that gas flow rate is supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is determined. The opening degree data 104b stores the determined opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 for each gas flow rate and pressure.

[0033] The control unit 105 is a device that controls the plasma processing apparatus 1. The control unit 105 can be an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 105 has internal memory for storing programs and data. The control unit 105 reads various programs stored in the memory unit 104 and executes the processing of the read programs.

[0034] The control unit 105 controls each part of the plasma processing apparatus 1 based on the program control and performs plasma processing on the substrate W according to the processing conditions stored in the recipe data 104a.

[0035] For example, the control unit 105 obtains the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10, the type of gas to be used, and the gas flow rate of each gas type from the recipe data 104a for each process performed in the plasma processing. For example, the control unit 105 reads and obtains the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10, the type of gas to be used, and the gas flow rate of each gas type from the recipe data 104a for each process. The control unit 105 obtains the gas flow rate to be supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 for each process. If multiple types of gas are supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 in a process, the control unit 105 sums the gas flow rates of the multiple types of gas. The control unit 105 obtains the gas flow rate to be supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 for each process by summing the gas flow rates of each gas type. The control unit 105 obtains the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 corresponding to the gas flow rate to be supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 from the opening degree data 104b for each process. For example, the control unit 105 reads from the opening degree data 104b the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 corresponding to the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 for each process.

[0036] The control unit 105 controls each part of the plasma processing apparatus 1 and performs plasma processing on the substrate W for each process. For example, in each process, the control unit 105 controls the exhaust system 40 to exhaust the plasma processing chamber 10. For example, while exhausting with the vacuum pump 41, the control unit 105 controls the opening of the pressure adjustment valve 42 to the acquired opening. The control unit 105 also controls the gas supply unit 20 and supplies the type of gas to be used in each process from the gas supply unit 20 at the gas flow rate of the gas type and introduces it into the plasma processing space 10s. As a result, the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes at the pressure of the processing conditions. The control unit 105 controls the power supply system 30 and supplies source RF signals and bias RF signals from the first RF generation unit 31a and the second RF generation unit 31b to generate plasma inside the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0037] By the way, in the plasma processing apparatus 1, if the rate of change of the opening degree per unit time when changing the opening degree of the pressure adjustment valve 42 is kept constant, the waiting time until the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes may become longer.

[0038] When the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is changed, the rate at which the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 rises or falls has a time constant that depends on the conductance of the exhaust pipe 14 and the pressure regulating valve 42. On the other hand, the rate of change per unit time of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 changes depending on the operating speed of the drive system such as the motor. Hereinafter, the rate of change per unit time of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 will also be referred to as the "rate of change".

[0039] If the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is constant, the opening of the pressure adjustment valve 42 is reduced when increasing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0040] However, when increasing the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 to raise the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10, the opening degree of the pressure adjustment valve 42 may be significantly changed. In this case, the exhaust from the exhaust system 40 may temporarily become excessive, which may delay the rise in pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0041] Figure 3 illustrates an example of changes in processing conditions between the current and next processes. Figure 3 shows a flow-pressure region diagram with gas flow rate on the horizontal axis and pressure on the vertical axis. The diagram shows the increase or decrease in gas flow rate and pressure for the next process, with the current process's gas flow rate and pressure as the origin O. Figure 3 also shows how the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is changed in the next process relative to the current process, indicated by the intensity of the pattern. Darker areas indicate changes to decrease the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42, while lighter areas indicate changes to increase the opening. Furthermore, multiple lines L2 radiating from the lower left of Figure 3 indicate the positions where the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is the same in the next process. Finally, line L1 passing through the origin O indicates the positions where the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is the same in the current and next processes. The flow-pressure region diagram shown in Figure 3 can be divided into six regions A to F by the horizontal axis, vertical axis, and line L1 passing through the origin O.

[0042] Figure 4 illustrates an example of changes in gas flow rate, pressure, and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 during process 1 and the subsequent process 2. The processing conditions for process 1 are denoted as follows: gas flow rate Q1, pressure P1, and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 θ1. The processing conditions for process 2 are denoted as follows: gas flow rate Q2, pressure P2, and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 θ2. The changes in gas flow rate, pressure, and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 when transitioning from process 1 to process 2 can be divided into the following patterns 1 to 6.

[0043] Pattern 1 is a pattern in which Q2-Q1 is positive, P2-P1 is positive, and θ2-θ1 is positive. In Pattern 1, in the subsequent Process 2 compared to Process 1, the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is increased, and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased, causing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 to rise. Pattern 1 corresponds to region C in the flow-pressure region diagram shown in Figure 3.

[0044] Pattern 2 is a pattern in which Q2-Q1 is positive, P2-P1 is positive, and θ2-θ1 is negative. In Pattern 2, compared to Process 1, in Process 2 the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is increased, and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is reduced, causing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 to rise. Pattern 2 corresponds to region B in the flow-pressure region diagram shown in Figure 3.

[0045] Pattern 3 is a pattern in which Q2-Q1 is positive, P2-P1 is negative, and θ2-θ1 is positive. In Pattern 3, in the subsequent Process 2 compared to Process 1, the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is increased, the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased, and the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 decreases. Pattern 3 corresponds to region D in the flow-pressure region diagram shown in Figure 3.

[0046] Pattern 4 is a pattern in which Q2-Q1 is negative, P2-P1 is positive, and θ2-θ1 is negative. In Pattern 4, in Process 2 following Process 1, the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is reduced, the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is made smaller, and the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 increases. Pattern 4 corresponds to region A in the flow-pressure region diagram shown in Figure 3.

[0047] Pattern 5 is a pattern in which Q2-Q1 is negative, P2-P1 is negative, and θ2-θ1 is positive. In Pattern 5, in Process 2 following Process 1, the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is reduced, and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased, causing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 to decrease. Pattern 5 corresponds to region E in the flow-pressure region diagram shown in Figure 3.

[0048] Pattern 6 is a pattern in which Q2-Q1 is negative, P2-P1 is negative, and θ2-θ1 is negative. In Pattern 6, in Process 2 following Process 1, the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is reduced, the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is made smaller, and the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 decreases. Pattern 6 corresponds to region F in the flow-pressure region diagram shown in Figure 3.

[0049] When the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is changed to a smaller degree, the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 tends to rise. Patterns 2 and 4 (regions A and B) allow the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 to rise rapidly because the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is quickly changed to a smaller degree.

[0050] On the other hand, Pattern 1 (Region C) changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to be larger, but increases the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10, thereby increasing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10. Therefore, in Pattern 1, if the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased, the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is changed to be large and rapid, which may cause the exhaust by the exhaust system 40 to become temporarily excessive, and the rise in pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 may be delayed. For example, if the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is fast, the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 may be changed to be large and rapid before the increased flow rate of gas reaches the plasma processing chamber 10, causing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 to temporarily drop and delaying the rise in pressure. As a result, the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes may be increased.

[0051] When the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is changed to a larger degree, the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 tends to decrease. Patterns 3 and 5 (regions D and E) allow the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 to decrease rapidly because the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is changed to a large degree quickly when the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased.

[0052] On the other hand, pattern 6 (region F) changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to a smaller degree, but reduces the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10, thereby lowering the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10. Therefore, if the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased in pattern 6, the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is quickly reduced, resulting in insufficient exhaust by the exhaust system 40, and the decrease in pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 may be delayed. For example, if the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is fast, the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is reduced faster than the flow rate of gas reaching the plasma processing chamber 10 decreases, causing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 to temporarily rise and delaying the decrease in pressure. As a result, the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes may be increased.

[0053] Therefore, the control unit 105 controls the rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42. For example, the control unit 105 controls the rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time to be smaller for at least one of patterns 1 and 6 than for patterns 2 to 5. For example, the control unit 105 controls the rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time to be smaller for both patterns 1 and 6 than for patterns 2 to 5.

[0054] Figure 4 shows an example of the rate of change per unit time (rate of change of opening) of the pressure regulating valve 42 for patterns 1 to 6. For example, for patterns 2 to 5, the control unit 105 changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 using the rate of change per unit time of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 as the first rate of change. For patterns 1 and 6, the control unit 105 changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 with a second rate of change that is smaller than the first rate of change.

[0055] The first rate of change is preferably a value within the range where the pressure does not overshoot until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes in patterns 2 and 4, and where the pressure does not undershoot until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes in patterns 3 and 5. The first rate of change is set to the greater of the above range. For example, the first rate of change is set to the maximum value within the above range.

[0056] The second rate of change is preferably a value within the range where no pressure drop occurs until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes in pattern 1, and no pressure increase occurs until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes in pattern 6. The second rate of change should be the greater of the above range. For example, the second rate of change should be the maximum value within the above range.

[0057] Figure 5 illustrates an example of pressure changes within the plasma processing chamber 10. Figure 5 schematically shows the pressure changes within the plasma processing chamber 10 for patterns 1 to 6, when the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time is set to the first rate of change and the second rate of change.

[0058] Patterns 3 and 5 modify the process so that the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 increases in the subsequent process 2 compared to process 1, thereby reducing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10. Patterns 3 and 5 reduce the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes if the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time is set to the first rate of change rather than the second rate of change.

[0059] Pattern 6 modifies the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 in the subsequent process 2 compared to process 1, thereby reducing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10. Pattern 6 allows for a reduction in the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes by setting the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time to the second rate of change rather than the first rate of change.

[0060] Pattern 1 modifies the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 in the subsequent process 2 compared to process 1, thereby increasing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10. Pattern 6 reduces the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes by making the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time a second rate of change rather than a first rate of change.

[0061] Patterns 2 and 4 modify the process 2 to decrease the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 compared to process 1, thereby increasing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10. Patterns 2 and 4 allow for a reduction in the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes if the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time is set to the first rate of change rather than the second rate of change.

[0062] [flowchart] Next, an example of the processing flow of the exhaust control method for controlling the exhaust gas of the plasma processing apparatus 1 will be described. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the exhaust control method according to the embodiment. The exhaust control method illustrated in Figure 6 is performed for each process carried out in the plasma processing.

[0063] The control unit 105 obtains the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10, the type of gas to be used, and the gas flow rate of each gas type from the recipe data 104a (step S10). The control unit 105 obtains the gas flow rate to be supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 in the next process (step S11). For example, if multiple types of gas are supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10, the control unit 105 obtains the total gas flow rate of the multiple types of gas.

[0064] The control unit 105 obtains from the opening data 104b the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 corresponding to the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 in the next process and the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (step S12).

[0065] The control unit 105 determines whether the change to the next process corresponds to pattern 1 (step S13). That is, the control unit 105 determines whether to increase the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10, change the opening of the pressure adjustment valve 42 to a larger degree, and increase the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 in the next process.

[0066] If the change to the next process does not correspond to pattern 1 (step S13: No), the control unit 105 determines whether the change to the next process corresponds to pattern 6 (step S14). That is, the control unit 105 determines whether to reduce the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 in the next process, change the opening of the pressure adjustment valve 42 to a smaller degree, and lower the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0067] If the change to the next process does not correspond to pattern 6 (step S14: No), the control unit 105 sets the rate of change per unit time for the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to a first rate of change (step S15). As a result, if the change to the next process corresponds to patterns 2 to 5, the rate of change per unit time for the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is set to a first rate of change.

[0068] On the other hand, if the change to the next process corresponds to patterns 1 and 6 (steps S13 and S14: Yes), the control unit 105 sets the rate of change per unit time of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to the second rate of change (step S16).

[0069] When the control unit 105 starts the next process, it changes the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 at a set rate of change, controls the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 to the acquired opening degree, changes the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 (step S17), and terminates the process.

[0070] Thus, the exhaust control method according to the embodiment controls the rate of change per unit time of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to be smaller than in the case of patterns 2 to 5 when the change to the next process corresponds to patterns 1 and 6. For example, the exhaust control method according to the embodiment controls the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 at a first rate of change when the change to the next process corresponds to patterns 2 to 5, and controls the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 at a second rate of change that is smaller than the first rate of change when the change to the next process corresponds to patterns 1 and 6. As a result, the adjustment method according to the embodiment can shorten the waiting time until the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes.

[0071] In the above embodiments, the cases described for patterns 1 and 6 were explained using the example of controlling the rate of change per unit time of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to be smaller than that for patterns 2 to 5. However, the invention is not limited to this. The control unit 105 may control the rate of change per unit time of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to be smaller than that for patterns 2 to 5, but only for either pattern 1 or pattern 6. For example, the control unit 105 may control the rate of change per unit time of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to be smaller than that for patterns 2 to 5, but only for pattern 1. In this case, the plasma processing system can shorten the waiting time until the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes for pattern 1.

[0072] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the first rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time was used as an example for patterns 2 to 5. However, it is not limited to this. The control unit 105 may change the rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time for patterns 2 to 5 according to the processing conditions to be changed. For example, the control unit 105 may change the rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time according to the amount of change in the opening degree to the opening degree corresponding to the processing conditions of the next process. For example, for patterns 2 to 5, the control unit 105 may control the rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time to be larger the larger the amount of change in the opening degree. The control unit 105 may change the rate of change in steps or continuously. Also, the control unit 105 may change the rate of change to be larger in the parts where the spacing between the lines L2, which each represent the same opening degree as shown in Figure 3, is narrow. As a result, the control unit 105 can quickly change the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 for patterns 2 to 5 to the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 corresponding to the processing conditions of the next process.

[0073] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the first rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time was used as an example for patterns 2 to 5. However, it is not limited to this. The control unit 105 may change the rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time for any one or more of patterns 2 to 5 according to the amount of change in the opening degree. For example, for patterns 2 and 5, the control unit 105 may change the rate of change of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time to be larger as the amount of change in the opening degree increases.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, for patterns 1 and 6, the case in which the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 is changed when starting the next process was described as an example, with the rate of change per unit time of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 being the second rate of change. However, it is not limited to this. For patterns 1 and 6, the control unit 105 may change the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 after a predetermined period has elapsed, corresponding to the time it takes for the gas supplied from the gas supply unit 20 to reach the plasma processing chamber 10, after starting the next process. For example, if the predetermined period is 1 second, the control unit 105 may change the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 for patterns 1 and 6 after 1 second has elapsed since starting the next process. In this case as well, it is preferable for the control unit 105 to control the rate of change per unit time of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 to be smaller for patterns 1 and 6 than for patterns 2 to 5. For example, for patterns 1 and 6, the control unit 105 may change the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 at the second rate of change after a predetermined period has elapsed since starting the next process. In this case as well, the plasma processing system according to the embodiment can reduce the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes.

[0075] As described above, the plasma processing system according to the embodiment comprises a plasma processing chamber 10 (chamber), a gas supply unit 20, a pressure adjustment valve 42, a storage unit 104, and a control unit 105. The plasma processing chamber 10 has a main body 111 (mounting platform) on which a substrate W is placed. The gas supply unit 20 is configured to supply gas into the plasma processing chamber 10. The pressure adjustment valve 42 is provided between the plasma processing chamber 10 and the vacuum pump 41 (pump), and is configured to allow adjustment of its opening degree in order to adjust the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10. The storage unit 104 stores opening degree data 104b indicating the opening degree of the pressure adjustment valve 42 for each gas flow rate supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10. For each process, the control unit 105 obtains the flow rate of the gas supplied to the plasma processing chamber 10 and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 corresponding to the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 from the opening degree data 104b, and controls the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 to the obtained opening degree. In the following processes, the control unit 105 controls the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time to be smaller than in the following cases: when the flow rate of the gas supplied to the plasma processing chamber 10 is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased to increase the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 1), and when the flow rate of the gas supplied to the plasma processing chamber 10 is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is decreased to decrease the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 6). This allows the plasma processing system to reduce the waiting time until the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes for at least one of Patterns 1 and 6 and Patterns 2 to 5.

[0076] Furthermore, in the next process, the control unit 105 increases the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to increase the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 1), and decreases the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to decrease the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 6). In both cases, the control unit 105 controls the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time to be smaller than in the next process when the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is changed to decrease the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 and the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 is increased (Patterns 2 and 4), and when the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is changed to increase the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Patterns 3 and 5). As a result, the plasma processing system can shorten the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes for Patterns 1 to 6.

[0077] Furthermore, in the following processes, the control unit 105 changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to decrease, thereby increasing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (patterns 2 and 4), and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to increase, thereby decreasing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (patterns 3 and 5), using the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 per unit time as the first rate of change. In the following processes, the control unit 105 increases the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to increase, thereby increasing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (pattern 1), and decreases the flow rate of the gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to decrease, thereby decreasing the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (pattern 6), using a second rate of change smaller than the first rate of change. This allows the plasma processing system to reduce the waiting time for the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 to stabilize for patterns 1 to 6.

[0078] Furthermore, the first rate of change is a value within the range in which, in the following processes, the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 does not overshoot until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes when the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is reduced to increase the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 2), and when the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is reduced to increase the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 4), and when the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased to decrease the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 3), and when the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased to decrease the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 5). As a result, the plasma processing system can suppress overshoot and undershoot in the pressure within the plasma processing chamber 10 for patterns 2 to 5 until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes. Furthermore, the first rate of change is the maximum value within the above range. As a result, the plasma processing system can reduce the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes for patterns 2 to 5.

[0079] Furthermore, the second rate of change is a value within the range in which, in the next process, the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is increased to increase the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 1), and in the case where the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 is decreased to decrease the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 6), the value within the range in which the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 is increased to prevent a pressure drop before the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes. As a result, the plasma processing system can suppress a pressure drop inside the plasma processing chamber 10 until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes in Pattern 1. Also, the plasma processing system can suppress a pressure increase inside the plasma processing chamber 10 until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes in Pattern 6. Furthermore, the second rate of change is the maximum value within the above range. This allows the plasma processing system to reduce the waiting time for the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 to stabilize for patterns 1 and 6.

[0080] Furthermore, in the next process, the control unit 105 changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to a smaller degree to increase the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 (patterns 2 and 4), and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to a larger degree to decrease the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 (patterns 3 and 5). The control unit 105 controls the rate of change to be larger the larger the change in the opening degree. As a result, for patterns 2 to 5, even when the change in the opening degree is large, the plasma processing system can quickly change the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 to the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 42 corresponding to the processing conditions of the next process.

[0081] Furthermore, in the next process, the control unit 105 increases the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to increase the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 1), and decreases the flow rate of gas supplied into the plasma processing chamber 10 and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 to decrease the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 (Pattern 6). In this case, the control unit 105 changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 after a predetermined period has elapsed from the start of the next process until the supplied gas reaches the plasma processing chamber 10. As a result, in Pattern 1, the plasma processing system can suppress the large change in the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 before the increased flow rate of gas reaches the plasma processing chamber 10, thus shortening the waiting time until the pressure inside the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes. Furthermore, for pattern 6, the plasma processing system can suppress the opening of the pressure regulating valve 42 from being changed to a smaller value faster than the flow rate of gas reaching the plasma processing chamber 10 decreases, thereby shortening the waiting time until the pressure in the plasma processing chamber 10 stabilizes.

[0082] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. Indeed, the embodiments described above can be embodied in a variety of forms. Furthermore, the embodiments described above may be omitted, replaced, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

[0083] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes the case in which plasma treatment is performed on a semiconductor wafer as the substrate W, it is not limited to this. The substrate W may be a glass substrate or the like.

[0084] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described a plasma processing system as an example of a substrate processing apparatus, it is not limited to this. The substrate processing apparatus can be any apparatus that adjusts the pressure inside the chamber by the opening of a pressure adjustment valve provided between the chamber and the pump. For example, the substrate processing apparatus may be a plasma etching apparatus, a film deposition apparatus, a modification apparatus, an ashing apparatus, or other heat processing apparatus.

[0085] Furthermore, the following additional information is disclosed regarding the above embodiments.

[0086] (Note 1) A chamber containing a mounting platform on which a circuit board is placed, A gas supply unit configured to supply gas into the chamber, A pressure regulating valve is provided between the chamber and the pump, and is configured to have an adjustable opening for adjusting the pressure inside the chamber. A storage unit that stores opening degree data indicating the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve for each flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and the pressure inside the chamber, For each process, the system includes a control unit that obtains the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber in that process and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve corresponding to the pressure inside the chamber from the opening degree data, and controls the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve to the obtained opening degree, In the following process, the control unit controls the rate of change of the pressure regulating valve opening per unit time to be smaller than in the following cases: when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to increase the pressure in the chamber; and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is decreased to decrease the pressure in the chamber. Circuit board processing equipment.

[0087] (Note 2) In the following processes, the control unit controls the rate of change of the pressure regulating valve opening per unit time to be smaller than in the following cases: when increasing the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber and changing the opening of the pressure regulating valve to be larger, thereby increasing the pressure in the chamber; and when decreasing the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber and changing the opening of the pressure regulating valve to be smaller, thereby decreasing the pressure in the chamber. The substrate processing apparatus described in Appendix 1.

[0088] (Note 3) In the following process, the control unit changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to decrease, thereby increasing the pressure in the chamber, and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to increase, with the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve per unit time being the first rate of change. In the following process, the control unit increases the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to increase, thereby increasing the pressure in the chamber, and decreases the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to decrease, thereby decreasing the pressure in the chamber, with the control unit changing the opening of the pressure regulating valve at a second rate of change smaller than the first rate of change. The substrate processing apparatus described in Appendix 2.

[0089] (Note 4) The first rate of change is a value within the range in which, in the following processes, the pressure inside the chamber does not overshoot until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is reduced to increase the pressure inside the chamber, and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is reduced and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is reduced to increase the pressure inside the chamber, and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to decrease the pressure inside the chamber, and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is reduced and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to decrease the pressure inside the chamber, and the pressure inside the chamber does not undershoot until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes. The substrate processing apparatus described in Appendix 3.

[0090] (Note 5) The second rate of change is a value within the range in which, when the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber is increased in the next process, the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased, and the pressure inside the chamber is increased, there is no pressure drop until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes; and when the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber is decreased, the opening of the pressure regulating valve is decreased, and the pressure inside the chamber is decreased, there is no pressure increase until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes. The substrate processing apparatus described in Appendix 3.

[0091] (Note 6) The first rate of change is the maximum value within the range. The substrate processing apparatus described in Appendix 4.

[0092] (Note 7) The second rate of change is the maximum value within the range. The substrate processing apparatus described in Appendix 5.

[0093] (Note 8) In the following processes, the control unit controls the rate of change to be greater the larger the change in the opening of the pressure regulating valve is, in cases where the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be smaller to increase the pressure in the chamber, and in cases where the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be larger to decrease the pressure in the chamber. A substrate processing apparatus as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 7.

[0094] (Note 9) In the following processes, the control unit increases the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to increase the pressure inside the chamber, and decreases the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to decrease the pressure inside the chamber, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the start of the next process until the supplied gas reaches the chamber, the control unit changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve. A substrate processing apparatus as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 8.

[0095] (Note 10) A chamber containing a mounting platform on which a circuit board is placed, A gas supply unit configured to supply gas into the chamber, A pressure regulating valve is provided between the chamber and the pump, and is configured to have an adjustable opening for adjusting the pressure inside the chamber. A storage unit that stores opening degree data indicating the opening degree of a pressure regulating valve for each flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and the pressure inside the chamber, For each process, the control unit obtains the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber in that process and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve corresponding to the pressure inside the chamber from the opening degree data, and controls the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve to the obtained opening degree. A method for controlling the exhaust of a substrate processing apparatus having, In the following process, the control unit controls the rate of change of the pressure regulating valve opening per unit time to be smaller than in the following cases: when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to increase the pressure in the chamber; and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is decreased to decrease the pressure in the chamber. Exhaust control method.

[0096] (Note 11) A chamber containing a mounting platform on which a circuit board is placed, A gas supply unit configured to supply gas into the chamber, A pressure regulating valve is provided between the chamber and the pump, and is configured to have an adjustable opening for adjusting the pressure inside the chamber. A storage unit that stores opening degree data indicating the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve for each flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and the pressure inside the chamber, A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for controlling a substrate processing apparatus having is recorded, The aforementioned program, For each process, the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve corresponding to the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber in that process and the pressure inside the chamber is obtained from the opening degree data, and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve is controlled to the obtained opening degree. In the following process, when the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be larger, thereby increasing the pressure in the chamber, and when the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be smaller, thereby decreasing the pressure in the chamber, in at least one of these cases, in the following process, the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve per unit time is controlled to be smaller than in the case when the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be smaller and the pressure in the chamber is increased, and in the case when the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be larger and the pressure in the chamber is decreased. A computer-readable recording medium that allows a computer to perform processing. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0097] 1. Plasma processing equipment 10 Plasma processing chamber 10e Gas outlet 11. Substrate support section 14 Exhaust pipe 20 Gas Supply Department 40 Exhaust System 41 Vacuum pump 42 Pressure regulating valve 100 Control device 101 Communication Interface 102 External Interface 103 User Interface 104 Storage section 104a Recipe Data 104b Opening angle data 105 Control Unit 111 Main body W board

Claims

1. A chamber containing a mounting platform on which a circuit board is placed, A gas supply unit configured to supply gas into the chamber, A pressure regulating valve is provided between the chamber and the pump, and is configured to have an adjustable opening for adjusting the pressure inside the chamber. A storage unit that stores opening degree data indicating the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve for each flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and the pressure inside the chamber, For each process, the system includes a control unit that obtains the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber in that process and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve corresponding to the pressure inside the chamber from the opening degree data, and controls the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve to the obtained opening degree, In the following process, the control unit controls the rate of change of the pressure regulating valve opening per unit time to be smaller than in the following cases: when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to increase the pressure in the chamber; and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is decreased to decrease the pressure in the chamber. Circuit board processing equipment.

2. In the following processes, the control unit controls the rate of change of the pressure regulating valve opening per unit time to be smaller than in the following cases: when increasing the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber and changing the opening of the pressure regulating valve to be larger, thereby increasing the pressure in the chamber; and when decreasing the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber and changing the opening of the pressure regulating valve to be smaller, thereby decreasing the pressure in the chamber. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. In the following process, the control unit changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to decrease, thereby increasing the pressure in the chamber, and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to increase, with the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve per unit time being the first rate of change. In the following process, the control unit increases the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to increase, thereby increasing the pressure in the chamber, and decreases the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to decrease, thereby decreasing the pressure in the chamber, with the control unit changing the opening of the pressure regulating valve at a second rate of change smaller than the first rate of change. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The first rate of change is a value within the range in which, in the following processes, the pressure inside the chamber does not overshoot until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is reduced to increase the pressure inside the chamber, and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is reduced and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is reduced to increase the pressure inside the chamber, and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to decrease the pressure inside the chamber, and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is reduced and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to decrease the pressure inside the chamber, and the pressure inside the chamber does not undershoot until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The second rate of change is a value within the range in which, when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased in the next process, the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased, and the pressure inside the chamber is increased, there is no pressure drop until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes; and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is decreased, the opening of the pressure regulating valve is decreased, and the pressure inside the chamber is decreased, there is no pressure increase until the pressure inside the chamber stabilizes. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3.

6. The first rate of change is the maximum value within the range. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4.

7. The second rate of change is the maximum value within the range. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5.

8. In the following processes, the control unit controls the rate of change to be greater the larger the change in the opening of the pressure regulating valve is, in cases where the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be smaller to increase the pressure in the chamber, and in cases where the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be larger to decrease the pressure in the chamber. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

9. In the following processes, the control unit increases the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to increase the pressure inside the chamber, and decreases the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve to decrease the pressure inside the chamber, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the start of the next process until the supplied gas reaches the chamber, the control unit changes the opening of the pressure regulating valve. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

10. A chamber containing a mounting platform on which a circuit board is placed, A gas supply unit configured to supply gas into the chamber, A pressure regulating valve is provided between the chamber and the pump, and is configured to have an adjustable opening for adjusting the pressure inside the chamber. A storage unit that stores opening degree data indicating the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve for each flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and the pressure inside the chamber, For each process, the control unit obtains the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber in that process and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve corresponding to the pressure inside the chamber from the opening degree data, and controls the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve to the obtained opening degree. A method for controlling the exhaust of a substrate processing apparatus having, In the following process, the control unit controls the rate of change of the pressure regulating valve opening per unit time to be smaller than in the following cases: when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is increased to increase the pressure in the chamber; and when the flow rate of gas supplied to the chamber is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is decreased to decrease the pressure in the chamber. Exhaust control method.

11. A chamber containing a mounting platform on which a circuit board is placed, A gas supply unit configured to supply gas into the chamber, A pressure regulating valve is provided between the chamber and the pump, and is configured to have an adjustable opening for adjusting the pressure inside the chamber. A storage unit that stores opening degree data indicating the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve for each flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber and the pressure inside the chamber, A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for controlling a substrate processing apparatus having is recorded, The aforementioned program, For each process, the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve corresponding to the flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber in that process and the pressure inside the chamber is obtained from the opening degree data, and the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve is controlled to the obtained opening degree. In the following process, when the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber is increased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be larger, thereby increasing the pressure in the chamber, and when the flow rate of gas supplied into the chamber is decreased and the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be smaller, thereby decreasing the pressure in the chamber, in at least one of these cases, in the following process, the rate of change of the opening of the pressure regulating valve per unit time is controlled to be smaller than in the case when the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be smaller and the pressure in the chamber is increased, and in the case when the opening of the pressure regulating valve is changed to be larger and the pressure in the chamber is decreased. A computer-readable recording medium that allows a computer to perform processing.

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