Information processing apparatus, substrate processing apparatus, and information processing method

The information processing device addresses the challenge of integrating process and transport system sensor information during substrate processing apparatus abnormalities, enabling precise anomaly identification and reducing data loss, thereby improving analysis efficiency.

JP2026100933APending Publication Date: 2026-06-22TOKYO ELECTRON LTD

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
TOKYO ELECTRON LTD
Filing Date
2024-12-10
Publication Date
2026-06-22

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing substrate processing apparatuses lack effective methods to display and analyze both process system and transport system sensor information during abnormalities, leading to difficulties in identifying the cause of anomalies and potential loss of critical transport system data over time.

Method used

An information processing device that records and displays process system and transport system sensor information as log information at the time of an abnormality, allowing for integrated analysis and comparison with current system status.

Benefits of technology

Enhances the ability to accurately identify the cause of abnormalities by providing immediate access to both process and transport system sensor information, reducing the risk of data loss and facilitating timely analysis.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This invention provides a technology that displays sensor information from the transport system in a substrate processing device as log information at the time of the malfunction. [Solution] An information processing device for displaying log information when an abnormality occurs in a substrate processing device, comprising: a recording control unit that records process system sensor information and transport system sensor information in a storage unit in association with the content of the abnormality when the abnormality occurs; and a display control unit that displays the process system sensor information and transport system sensor information in association with the content of the abnormality when the abnormality occurs as log information when the abnormality occurs.
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Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] The substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of various sensors used for detecting abnormalities or measuring the apparatus state. Information measured by the sensors is recorded as log information in storage units inside and outside the substrate processing apparatus. Also, when an abnormality is detected during the loading / unloading or process of the substrate, log information at the time of occurrence of the abnormality, such as the time and cause at the time of occurrence of the abnormality, is recorded in the storage unit. The log information at the time of occurrence of the abnormality includes information measured by the sensors of the process system at the time of occurrence of the abnormality as information representing the state of the substrate processing apparatus at the time of occurrence of the abnormality.

[0003] An information processing apparatus that displays history information necessary for checking the state of a substrate processing apparatus has been conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique for displaying sensor information of a conveyance system at the time of occurrence of an abnormality in a substrate processing apparatus as log information at the time of occurrence of the abnormality.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device for displaying log information when an abnormality occurs in a substrate processing device, comprising: a recording control unit that records process system sensor information and transport system sensor information at the time of the abnormality in a storage unit in association with the content of the abnormality; and a display control unit that displays the process system sensor information and transport system sensor information at the time of the abnormality, associated with the content of the abnormality, as log information at the time of the abnormality. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, a technology is provided that displays sensor information from the transport system when an abnormality occurs in a substrate processing apparatus as log information at the time of the abnormality. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a configuration diagram of an example of a substrate processing system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a hardware configuration diagram of an example computer. [Figure 3] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of a device controller according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows an example of a process by which the device controller according to this embodiment records log information when an abnormality occurs in one or more substrate processing devices. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows an example of the process by which the device controller according to this embodiment displays log information when an abnormality occurs in one or more substrate processing devices. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart of an example of the process in step S38. [Figure 8] This is an example image of the alarm log details screen. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following description of this embodiment will be given with reference to the drawings.

[0010] <System Configuration> Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of an example of a substrate processing system 1 according to this embodiment. The substrate processing system 1 shown in Figure 1 includes a substrate processing apparatus 10, an apparatus controller 12, a server apparatus 16, and an operator terminal 18.

[0011] The substrate processing apparatus 10 and the apparatus controller 12 are installed in the manufacturing plant 2. The server apparatus 16 and the worker terminal 18 may be installed in the manufacturing plant 2 or elsewhere. The worker terminal 18 is a PC (Personal Computer) or smartphone, etc., operated by an operator such as the apparatus operator or analysis operator of the substrate processing apparatus 10 installed in the manufacturing plant 2.

[0012] The substrate processing apparatus 10, apparatus controller 12, server device 16, and worker terminal 18 in Figure 1 are connected to each other via networks N1 and N2, such as the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0013] The substrate processing apparatus 10 is an apparatus that performs processes such as film deposition, etching, or ashing, and processes substrates such as semiconductor wafers. The substrate processing apparatus 10 is, for example, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a heat treatment apparatus, or a film deposition apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus 10 is a batch type or a single-wafer type, etc.

[0014] The substrate processing device 10 receives control commands (set values) from the device controller 12, for example, according to a recipe, and executes the process. The substrate processing device 10 is equipped with a variety of sensors, including process system sensors and transport system sensors used for detecting abnormalities or measuring the device status.

[0015] Process sensors are sensors related to the process, such as temperature sensors, pressure sensors, gas flow sensors, etc. The sensors of the transfer system are sensors belonging to the mechanical unit. The mechanical unit is, for example, a load port, a carrier transfer, a wafer transfer, a boat transfer, or a boat elevator.

[0016] The device controller 12 receives instructions for the substrate processing apparatus 10 from the operator. The device controller 12 has the function of a man-machine interface that provides information about the substrate processing apparatus 10 to the operator. The device controller 12 receives information (sensor status) measured by a plurality of sensors provided in the substrate processing apparatus 10 and records it as log information (history information) in the storage units inside and outside the device of the substrate processing apparatus 10.

[0017] Also, when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing apparatus 10, the device controller 12 stores, as log information at the time of the abnormality (abnormality-time log information), sensor information including the status of the process sensors at the time of the abnormality (hereinafter referred to as process sensor information) and sensor information including the status of the transfer system sensors (hereinafter referred to as transfer system sensor information), in association with the details of the abnormality, in the storage unit.

[0018] Also, the device controller 12 may use process sensor information and transfer system sensor information to detect an abnormality in the substrate processing apparatus 10. The device controller 12 displays the log information at the time of an abnormality that has occurred in the substrate processing apparatus 10 as described later.

[0019] The device controller 12 shown in FIG. 1 is provided for each substrate processing apparatus 10, but may be provided for a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 10. The device controller 12 may be provided inside the housing of the substrate processing apparatus 10 or outside the housing.

[0020] Furthermore, the server device 16 may receive process system sensor information and transport system sensor information from multiple substrate processing devices 10 of one or more manufacturing plants 2 when an abnormality occurs, and record it in the storage unit as log information when an abnormality occurs. The server device 16 may display the log information when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing device 10 as described later. The server device 16 may also have a human-machine interface function that provides the log information when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing device 10 to operators using a web application or the like.

[0021] The worker terminal 18 may have a human-machine interface function that displays log information when an abnormality occurs in multiple substrate processing devices 10 in one or more manufacturing plants 2, using a web application or the like.

[0022] The device controller 12, server device 16, and worker terminal 18 are examples of information processing devices that display log information when an abnormality occurs in the board processing device 10. It should be noted that the board processing system 1 shown in Figure 1 is just one example, and there are various system configurations depending on the application and purpose. The classification of devices such as the device controller 12, server device 16, and worker terminal 18 shown in Figure 1 is just one example. For example, various configurations are possible, such as a configuration in which at least two of the device controller 12, server device 16, and worker terminal 18 in the board processing system 1 shown in Figure 1 are integrated, or further separated.

[0023] <Hardware Configuration> The device controller 12, server device 16, and worker terminal 18 shown in Figure 1 may be implemented by a computer with the hardware configuration shown in Figure 2, for example. Figure 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of computer 500.

[0024] The computer 500 in Figure 2 includes an input device 501, an output device 502, an external interface 503, RAM (Random Access Memory) 504, ROM (Read Only Memory) 505, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 506, a communication interface 507, and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 508, all of which are interconnected via bus B. The input device 501 and output device 502 may be connected and used only when necessary.

[0025] The input device 501 is a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc., used by operators to input operation signals. The output device 502 is a display, etc., which displays the processing results from the computer 500. The communication I / F 507 is an interface that connects the computer 500 to networks N1 and N2 shown in Figure 1. The HDD 508 is an example of a non-volatile storage device that stores programs and data.

[0026] External I / F 503 is an interface to an external device. Computer 500 can read from recording media 503a, such as an SD (Secure Digital) memory card, via External I / F 503. External I / F 503 may also be able to write to recording media 503a, such as an SD memory card, via External I / F 503.

[0027] ROM 505 is an example of a non-volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that stores programs and data. RAM 504 is an example of a volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that temporarily holds programs and data. CPU 506 is an arithmetic unit that controls and realizes the overall functions of the computer 500 by reading programs and data from storage devices such as ROM 505 or HDD 508 onto RAM 504 and executing processing.

[0028] The device controller 12, server device 16, and worker terminal 18 of the substrate processing system 1 shown in Figure 1 perform various functions by executing programs on the computer 500 shown in Figure 2.

[0029] Figure 3 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 10 in Figure 1 is equipped with a vertical heat treatment furnace 60, and can hold and house wafers W in a boat 44 at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction, and can perform various heat treatments on the wafers W, such as oxidation, diffusion, and reduced-pressure CVD. Below, an example of supplying gas into a processing container 65 and heat treating the surface of the wafers W inside the processing container 65 will be described. Wafers W are an example of a substrate to be processed by the substrate processing apparatus 10.

[0030] The substrate processing apparatus 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a loading platform 20, a housing 30, and a control unit 100. The loading platform 20 is sometimes called a load port. The loading platform 20 is located at the front of the housing 30. The housing 30 includes a work area 40 and a heat treatment furnace 60.

[0031] The work area 40 is sometimes called the loading area. The work area 40 is located at the bottom of the enclosure 30. The heat treatment furnace 60 is sometimes called the process area. The heat treatment furnace 60 is located inside the enclosure 30, above the work area 40. A base plate 31 is provided between the work area 40 and the heat treatment furnace 60.

[0032] The mounting platform 20 is used for loading and unloading wafers W into and out of the housing 30. Storage containers 21 and 22 are placed on the mounting platform 20. Storage containers 21 and 22 are sealed storage containers (hoops) that can store multiple wafers W (for example, about 25 wafers) at predetermined intervals, and each has a removable lid on the front.

[0033] Furthermore, below the mounting table 20, there may be an alignment device 23 for aligning the notches (e.g., cutouts) on the outer circumference of the wafer W transferred by the transfer mechanism 47 in one direction. The alignment device 23 is sometimes called an aligner.

[0034] In the work area 40, wafers W are transferred between storage containers 21 and 22 and the boat 44. Also in the work area 40, the boat 44 is loaded into the processing container 65 and unloaded from the processing container 65. The work area 40 is equipped with a door mechanism 41, a shutter mechanism 42, a lid 43, a boat 44, a base 45a, a base 45b, a transfer mechanism 47, a heat-insulating cylinder 48, and a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism is not shown in Figure 3.

[0035] The door mechanism 41 removes the lids of the storage containers 21 and 22, opening the inside of the storage containers 21 and 22 to the work area 40. The shutter mechanism 42 is provided above the work area 40 to cover (or block) the furnace opening 68a in order to suppress or prevent the release of high-temperature heat from the furnace into the work area 40 when the lid 43 is open.

[0036] The lid 43 has a rotating mechanism 49. The insulation cylinder 48 is provided on the lid 43. A boat 44 is provided on the upper part of the insulation cylinder 48. The insulation cylinder 48 prevents the boat 44 from being cooled by heat transfer with the lid 43 side and keeps the boat 44 warm.

[0037] The rotating mechanism 49 is attached to the lower part of the lid 43. The rotating mechanism 49 rotates the boat 44. The rotating shaft of the rotating mechanism 49 is airtightly penetrated through the lid 43 and is configured to rotate a turntable located on the lid 43.

[0038] The lifting mechanism drives the lid 43 up and down when the boat 44 is moved from the work area 40 into the processing container 65 and when it is moved from the processing container 65 into the work area 40. The lid 43 contacts the furnace opening 68a and seals the furnace opening 68a when the boat 44, which has been raised by the lifting mechanism, is moved into the processing container 65.

[0039] The boat 44 on the lid 43 can hold the wafer W in a rotatable manner in the horizontal plane within the processing container 65. Boats 44a and 44b are provided in the work area 40 in Figure 1. The work area 40 is also provided with a base 45a, a base 45b, and a boat transport mechanism. Bases 45a and 45b are mounting platforms on which boats 44a and 44b are transferred from the lid 43, respectively. The boat transport mechanism transfers boat 44a or 44b from the lid 43 to base 45a or 45b.

[0040] Boats 44a and 44b are made of, for example, quartz and can mount large-diameter wafers W, for example, 300 mm in diameter, horizontally at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. Boats 44a and 44b are provided with multiple support columns between the top plate and the bottom plate. The support columns are provided with claws for holding the wafers W.

[0041] The transfer mechanism 47 transfers the wafer W between the storage container 21 or 22 and the boat 44a or 44b. The transfer mechanism 47 has a base 57, a lifting arm 58, and a plurality of transfer plates 59. The transfer plates 59 are sometimes called forks.

[0042] The base 57 is provided so as to be able to move up and down and to rotate. The lifting arm 58 is provided so as to be able to move up and down (move up and down) by a ball screw or the like. The base 57 is provided on the lifting arm 58 so as to be able to rotate horizontally.

[0043] The heat treatment furnace 60 comprises a jacket 62, a treatment vessel 65, and a heater. The heater is not shown in the illustration.

[0044] The processing container 65 houses the wafers W held in the boat 44. The wafers W housed in the processing container 65 are heat-treated. The processing container 65 is made of, for example, quartz and has an elongated shape. Gas is supplied to the processing container 65 through an injector. The gas supplied to the processing container 65 is exhausted through an exhaust system.

[0045] The jacket 62 is provided to cover the perimeter of the processing container 65 and to define a space around the processing container 65. Like the processing container 65, the jacket 62 has a cylindrical shape.

[0046] The heater is located inside the jacket 62 and is positioned to surround the processing container 65. The heater can control the heating of the processing container 65 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 50 to 1200°C). The heater heats the wafer W housed in the processing container 65.

[0047] The substrate processing apparatus 10 is equipped with process system sensors and transport system sensors. For example, the heat treatment furnace 60 is provided with a temperature sensor (such as a thermocouple), which is a process system sensor. The work area 40 is provided with a transport system sensor. The information measured by the process system sensors and the transport system sensors is input to the control unit 100. The control unit 100 may be the same as the apparatus controller 12. The control unit 100 controls the processing of the substrate processing apparatus 10 using the information measured by the process system sensors and the transport system sensors.

[0048] The control unit 100 is implemented by, for example, the computer 500 described above. The control unit 100 reads a program recorded in the storage device and sends control signals to each part of the substrate processing device 10 according to that program to perform substrate processing.

[0049] <Functional Configuration> The following describes an example where the information processing device that displays log information when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing device 10 is the device controller 12. Note that the information processing device that displays log information when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing device 10 may also be the server device 16 or the operator terminal 18.

[0050] The device controller 12 of the substrate processing system 1 according to this embodiment is implemented using a functional block as shown in Figure 4, for example. Figure 4 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the device controller 12 according to this embodiment. Note that the functional block diagram in Figure 4 omits the illustration of components that are not necessary for the explanation of this embodiment.

[0051] The device controller 12 in Figure 4 implements the acquisition unit 200, recording control unit 202, data storage unit 204, screen data generation unit 206, input reception unit 208, and display control unit 210 by executing a program for the device controller 12.

[0052] The acquisition unit 200 acquires process system sensor information and transport system sensor information from process system sensors and transport system sensors provided by the substrate processing apparatus 10. The acquisition unit 200 may also acquire information indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the substrate processing apparatus 10 from outside the apparatus controller 12.

[0053] The recording control unit 202 records the process system sensor information and transport system sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 200 as log information in the data storage unit 204. When an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing apparatus 10, the recording control unit 202 records the process system sensor information and transport system sensor information at the time of the abnormality in the data storage unit 204 as log information for the abnormality, in correspondence with the nature of the abnormality. The log information for the abnormality is sometimes called alarm log information.

[0054] Thus, the data storage unit 204 stores log information that is recorded as it occurs, and log information that is recorded when an anomaly occurs. Because the number of log entries recorded as it occurs is larger than the log information that is recorded when an anomaly occurs, the retention period for the log information recorded as it occurs is often shorter than that of the log information that is recorded when an anomaly occurs.

[0055] The input reception unit 208 receives various operations from the operator. For example, operations received from the operator include launching an application and performing various operations on the launched application. The input reception unit 208 notifies the screen data generation unit 206 and the display control unit 210 of the details of the various operations received from the operator.

[0056] The screen data generation unit 206 reads log information or abnormal log information of the substrate processing device 10 recorded in the data storage unit 204 based on the content of various operations received from the operator. The screen data generation unit 206 generates screen data for the screen described later and transmits it to the display control unit 210.

[0057] The display control unit 210 displays the screen described below on the output device 502 according to the screen data received from the screen data generation unit 206 and the content of various operations performed by the operator notified by the input reception unit 208.

[0058] <Processing> Figure 5 is a flowchart of an example of the process by which the device controller 12 according to this embodiment records log information when an abnormality occurs in one or more substrate processing devices 10.

[0059] In step S10, the acquisition unit 200 of the device controller 12 acquires process system sensor information and transport system sensor information from the process system sensors and transport system sensors provided by the substrate processing apparatus 10. The recording control unit 202 also records the process system sensor information and transport system sensor information acquired by the acquisition unit 200 as log information in the data storage unit 204.

[0060] In step S12, if no abnormality occurs in the substrate processing device 10, the recording control unit 202 of the device controller 12 returns to the process of step S10 and continues recording log information. If an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing device 10, the recording control unit 202 proceeds to the process of step S14.

[0061] In step S14, the recording control unit 202 records the details of the abnormality that occurred in the substrate processing device 10 in the abnormality log information of the data storage unit 204.

[0062] In step S16, the recording control unit 202 records process system sensor information at the time of the anomaly in the anomaly log information of the data storage unit 204, in association with the content of the anomaly recorded in the anomaly log information of the data storage unit 204.

[0063] In step S18, the recording control unit 202 records the sensor information of the transport system at the time of the abnormality in the abnormality log information of the data storage unit 204, in correspondence with the details of the abnormality recorded in the abnormality log information of the data storage unit 204.

[0064] In step S20, the device controller 12 performs an alarm process based on the abnormality that occurred in the substrate processing device 10. The alarm process performed by the device controller 12 may be a process that displays the occurrence of the abnormality on the device controller 12's screen, or it may be a process that issues an alarm.

[0065] Figure 6 is a flowchart of an example of the process by which the device controller 12 according to this embodiment displays log information when an abnormality occurs in one or more substrate processing devices 10.

[0066] In step S30, the input receiving unit 208 of the device controller 12 receives a request from the operator to display the alarm log screen. The screen data generation unit 206 of the device controller 12 reads the log information of the abnormality of the substrate processing device 10 recorded in the data storage unit 204 and generates screen data for the alarm log screen. The display control unit 210 of the device controller 12 displays the alarm log screen on the output device 502 or the like, according to the alarm log screen generated by the screen data generation unit 206.

[0067] The alarm log screen includes, for example, a list displaying the details of an anomaly that occurred in the substrate processing device 10. The alarm log screen is an example of a screen that displays the details of an anomaly. The alarm log screen is equipped with buttons, etc., that allow the operator to request the display of the alarm log details screen.

[0068] In step S32, if the input reception unit 208 has not received a request from the operator to display the alarm log details screen, it returns to the process in step S30 and continues to display the alarm log screen.

[0069] When the operator requests the display of the alarm log details screen, the process proceeds to step S34, where the screen data generation unit 206 reads the log information of the abnormality of the substrate processing device 10 recorded in the data storage unit 204.

[0070] In step S36, the screen data generation unit 206 generates screen data for the alarm log details screen using the log information of the abnormal state of the substrate processing apparatus 10 that was read from the data storage unit 204 in step S34. The alarm log details screen is a screen that includes process system sensor information and transport system sensor information of the abnormal state of the substrate processing apparatus 10.

[0071] In step S38, the display control unit 210 of the device controller 12 displays the alarm log details screen according to the screen data generated in step S36. The display control unit 210 may also display sensor information of the transport system at the time of an abnormality that occurred while the substrate processing apparatus 10 was performing the process on the substrate in the process area.

[0072] Figure 8 is an illustrative diagram of an example of the alarm log details screen. The alarm log details screen 1000 in Figure 8 shows an example screen where the mechanical sensor status tab 1002 is selected. In the alarm log details screen 1000 with the mechanical sensor status tab 1002 selected, the unit tab 1004 is displayed for each mechanical unit, which is an example of a unit in the transport system.

[0073] The operator can switch the display of the unit image 1006 and the transport system sensor information 1008 on the alarm log details screen 1000 by switching the unit tab 1004.

[0074] Unit image 1006 displays an image of the shape of the mechanical unit selected in unit tab 1004, the location of the sensors in the transport system belonging to that unit, and the number of those sensors. Figure 8 shows an image of the shape of a load port, which is an example of a mechanical unit.

[0075] The sensor information 1008 for the transport system displays the sensor information of the transport system sensors belonging to the mechanism selected in the unit tab 1004. In Figure 8, the sensor number, status, and signal name (sensor name) of the transport system sensors belonging to the mechanism selected in the unit tab 1004 are displayed. The sensor numbers displayed in the unit image 1006 correspond to the sensor numbers displayed in the transport system sensor information 1008.

[0076] By displaying the alarm log details screen 1000 in Figure 8, the operator can refer to the unit image 1006 and check the sensor information 1008 of the transport system when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing device 10.

[0077] Furthermore, by displaying the alarm log details screen 1000 in Figure 8, the operator can switch between the unit tabs 1004 to refer to the sensor information 1008 of the transport system when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing device 10, for each transport system unit.

[0078] Furthermore, by selecting the gas flow tab or process status tab on the alarm log details screen 1000 in Figure 8, the operator can also display process system sensor information when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing apparatus 10.

[0079] The alarm log details screen 1000 in Figure 8 has a device status display button 1010, an alarm log button 1012, and an alarm log details button 1014.

[0080] The alarm log button 1012 is a button that allows the operator to request the display of the alarm log screen. The alarm log details button 1014 is a button that allows the operator to request the display of the alarm log details screen 1000. The device status display button 1010 is a button that allows the operator to request the display of a screen that displays the current sensor information of the transport system.

[0081] In step S38 of Figure 6, the display control unit 210 of the device controller 12 may transition from the alarm log details screen 1000 to a screen displaying the current sensor information of the transport system, following the processing procedure shown in Figure 7.

[0082] Figure 7 is a flowchart of an example of the process in step S38.

[0083] When the input receiving unit 208 of the device controller 12 receives a request from the operator to display the screen showing the current sensor information of the transport system, it proceeds to the process in step S52. If the input receiving unit 208 of the device controller 12 does not receive a request from the operator to display the screen showing the current sensor information of the transport system, it terminates the process shown in the flowchart in Figure 7.

[0084] In step S52, the screen data generation unit 206 of the device controller 12 reads the current sensor information from the log information recorded in the data storage unit 204. The screen data generation unit 206 may also acquire the current sensor information from the acquisition unit 200.

[0085] In step S54, the screen data generation unit 206 generates screen data for the device status display screen from the current sensor information. In step S56, the display control unit 210 displays the device status display screen.

[0086] Furthermore, the device status display screen generated from the current sensor information includes the current sensor information of the transport system. The display control unit 210 may facilitate comparison between the sensor information of the transport system at the time of an abnormality and the current sensor information of the transport system by combining the configuration of the alarm log detail screen 1000 shown in Figure 8, which includes the sensor information of the transport system at the time of an abnormality, with the configuration of the device status display screen, which includes the current sensor information of the transport system.

[0087] <Summary> Generally, log information recorded when an anomaly occurs focuses on process-related sensor information, as anomalies directly related to defects in the circuit board are considered more important. On the other hand, while sensor information from the transport system, including the loading and unloading of circuit boards, is recorded as log information as it occurs, it is not recorded as log information when an anomaly occurs.

[0088] However, in recent years, there have been cases where sensor information from the transport system is necessary for analysis, such as when an anomaly cannot be confirmed even after analyzing process system sensor information recorded in the log information of anomalies. For example, when sensor information from the transport system is necessary for analysis, it may be possible to resolve the anomaly by analyzing the transport system sensor information in the log information that is recorded as it occurs. However, this requires specialized knowledge to analyze the relevant transport system sensor information from the log information, and resolving the anomaly takes time.

[0089] Furthermore, log information recorded periodically tends to have a shorter retention period than log information recorded when an anomaly occurs. This creates a problem where, the longer the period between the occurrence of an anomaly and its analysis, the higher the likelihood that necessary sensor information for the transport system will be lost by the time of analysis.

[0090] Therefore, in this embodiment, the alarm log details screen 1000, which references sensor information when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing apparatus 10, is configured to allow referencing of process system sensor information and transport system sensor information at the time of the abnormality. Thus, in this embodiment, the alarm log details screen 1000, which can be accessed from the alarm log screen, allows referencing not only process system sensor information at the time of the abnormality but also transport system sensor information at the time of the abnormality.

[0091] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the configuration of the alarm log details screen 1000, which displays sensor information of the transport system when an abnormality occurs, and the configuration of the device status display screen, which displays the current sensor information of the transport system, are combined to facilitate comparison between the sensor status of the transport system at the time of the abnormality and the latest sensor status of the transport system.

[0092] In this embodiment, for example, it is possible to resolve abnormalities in the substrate processing apparatus 10 in the following situations.

[0093] The first scenario involves a carrier transfer system where a sensor detects an obstacle in the transport path, triggering an alarm and stopping the carrier's transport operation. However, checking the current sensor status reveals no abnormality. In this scenario, the operator can refer to the transport system's sensor information at the time the alarm occurred, confirming that a sensor along the path was ON and identifying the faulty sensor. By checking the identified sensor, the operator can detect the malfunction of that sensor.

[0094] The second scenario involves a wafer transfer where, during wafer transport, an inconsistency in the wafer information on the fork triggers an abnormal status alarm, stopping the transport operation. However, checking the current wafer presence sensor status confirms that the material is correctly present. In this second scenario, the operator can identify a problem with a specific fork by checking the transport system sensor information at the time the alarm occurred, finding that the wafer presence sensor on that particular fork is OFF. The operator can then check the air supply valve on that specific fork to detect a malfunction where a decrease in air supply weakens the wafer chucking force, making it difficult to detect the wafer.

[0095] Thus, according to this embodiment, by referring to the sensor information of the transport system at the time of the abnormality on the alarm log details screen 1000, which can be accessed from the alarm log screen, the device status of the substrate processing device 10 at the time of the abnormality can be confirmed more accurately.

[0096] According to this embodiment, even in cases where the location of an anomaly is difficult to identify because the anomaly could not be detected by checking the process system sensor information after some time has passed since the anomaly occurred, the possibility of identifying the location of the anomaly can be improved. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by recording the transport system sensor information in association with the content of the anomaly in the log information at the time of the anomaly, it is possible to avoid a situation where the transport system sensor information is lost when analyzing the anomaly. According to this embodiment, even if there is a delay between the occurrence of the anomaly and the analysis, it is possible to avoid a situation where the transport system sensor information necessary for the analysis is not available.

[0097] Note that the substrate processing apparatus 10 shown in Figure 3 is an example of a batch type. A batch type substrate processing apparatus 10 is an example of a device that can transport other substrates in the loading area while processing one substrate in the process area.

[0098] In a batch-type substrate processing device 10, for example, if an abnormality occurs in a unit in the loading area while processing one substrate in the process area, the device may issue an alarm after the process in the process area has finished. In this case, there is a delay between the occurrence of the abnormality and its analysis, but by referring to the sensor information of the transport system at the time of the abnormality on the alarm log details screen 1000, which can be accessed from the alarm log screen, the device status of the substrate processing device 10 at the time of the abnormality can be confirmed more accurately.

[0099] According to the substrate processing system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to improve the ease of identifying the cause of an abnormality that occurred in the substrate processing apparatus 10.

[0100] Although preferred embodiments of this embodiment have been described in detail above, this embodiment is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of this embodiment.

[0101] The substrate processing apparatus 10 of this disclosure is applicable to any of the following types of apparatus: Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), Capacitively Coupled Plasma (CCP), Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), Radial Line Slot Antenna (RLSA), Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma (ECR), or Helicon Wave Plasma (HWP). The substrate processing apparatus 10 of this disclosure is also applicable to CVD (chemical vapor deposition) apparatus and oxidation / annealing apparatus.

[0102] It goes without saying that the substrate processing system 1 of this disclosure is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 1, and there are various system configuration examples depending on the application and purpose. The substrate processing apparatus 10 of this disclosure can be applied to any of the following substrate processing apparatuses: single-wafer processing that processes substrates one by one, batch processing that processes multiple substrates at once, and semi-batch processing. Examples of processes performed by the substrate processing apparatus 10 of this disclosure include film deposition processing and etching processing. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0103] 1. Substrate Processing System 10 Substrate Processing Equipment 12. Device Controller 16 Server Devices 18. Worker terminal 200 Acquisition Department 202 Recording Control Unit 204 Data Storage Unit 206 Screen Data Generation Unit 208 Input Reception Section 210 Display Control Unit 502 Output device 1000 Alarm Log Details Screen

Claims

1. An information processing device that displays log information when an abnormality occurs in a substrate processing device, A recording control unit records sensor information from the process system and sensor information from the transport system at the time the abnormality occurred in a storage unit, in correspondence with the content of the abnormality. A display control unit that displays process system sensor information and transport system sensor information corresponding to the content of the abnormality at the time the abnormality occurred as log information at the time the abnormality occurred, An information processing device having

2. The recording control unit records sensor information, including the state of the transport system sensors at the time the abnormality occurs, in the storage unit. The display control unit transitions from a screen displaying the details of the abnormality to a screen displaying sensor information, including the state of the transport system sensors at the time the abnormality occurred. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The display control unit displays sensor information, including the status of the sensors in the transport system, for each unit of the transport system. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The display control unit combines a screen configuration that displays sensor information of the transport system at the time the abnormality occurred, corresponding to the content of the abnormality, and a screen configuration that displays the current sensor information of the transport system. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The display control unit displays sensor information of the transport system at the time the abnormality occurred while the substrate processing apparatus was performing a process on the substrate in the process area. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. A circuit board processing device that displays log information at the time of occurrence of an anomaly, A recording control unit records sensor information from the process system and sensor information from the transport system at the time the abnormality occurred in a storage unit, in correspondence with the content of the abnormality. A display control unit that displays process system sensor information and transport system sensor information corresponding to the content of the abnormality at the time the abnormality occurred as log information at the time the abnormality occurred, A substrate processing apparatus having

7. The substrate processing apparatus is capable of transporting other substrates in the loading area while processing one substrate in the process area. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6.

8. An information processing method performed by an information processing device that displays log information when an abnormality occurs in a substrate processing device, In accordance with the nature of the aforementioned anomaly, the sensor information of the process system and the sensor information of the transport system at the time the anomaly occurred are recorded in the storage unit. The process system sensor information and transport system sensor information corresponding to the content of the aforementioned anomaly are displayed as log information at the time the anomaly occurred. An information processing method having