Heat treatment apparatus, object to be treated protection method, and program

Abstract

To provide a heat treatment apparatus, a processed object protection method, and a program that suppress damage due to heating of an object to be processed that remains in a processing container.SOLUTION: A heat treatment apparatus having a control device and heat-treating an object to be treated contained in a treatment container by a heating unit, the control device includes a temperature control unit that controls heating by the heating unit according to the set temperature of the heating unit, a monitoring unit that monitors a processing container in which an object to be processed is housed on the basis of a monitoring condition for a protection function of the object to be processed, and a protection unit that changes the set temperature of the heating unit to the set temperature of the protection function when a monitoring upper limit time elapses while the monitoring condition is satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a heat treatment apparatus, a method for protecting an object to be processed, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In a substrate processing apparatus including a process chamber for collectively processing a predetermined number of substrates, during lot processing, an abnormality may occur while the substrate is being transported, and the substrate may stay at a predetermined position in the substrate processing apparatus. For example, a substrate existing in a process chamber in which an abnormality has occurred remains in the process chamber as it is (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique for suppressing damage to an object to be processed caused by heating while staying in a processing container.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a heat treatment apparatus having a control device and heating an object to be processed stored in a processing container by a heating unit for heat treatment, wherein the control device includes a temperature control unit configured to control heating by the heating unit according to a set temperature of the heating unit, a monitoring unit configured to monitor a processing container in which the object to be processed is stored based on a monitoring condition of a protection function of the object to be processed, and a protection unit configured to change a set temperature of the heating unit to a set temperature of the protection function when a monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring condition is satisfied.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technique for suppressing damage to an object to be processed staying in a processing container due to heating.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described. In the present specification and drawings, illustrations and descriptions of parts unnecessary for the description of the present embodiment are appropriately omitted.

[0009] In the present embodiment, a film forming apparatus 1 which is an example of a heat treatment apparatus will be described. FIG. 1 shows an example of a cross-sectional view of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an example of an exploded perspective view of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] The film forming apparatus 1 forms a film on a wafer W which is an example of an object to be processed. For example, after adsorbing a raw material gas onto the wafer W, the film forming apparatus 1 supplies an oxidation gas to the surface of the wafer W to form a molecular layer. The film forming apparatus 1 exposes the wafer W to plasma generated from a plasma generating gas and performs a process of modifying the molecular layer. The film forming apparatus 1 forms a film by repeatedly performing a series of processes on the wafer W a plurality of times. The raw material gas and the oxidation gas are examples of process gases.

[0011] The film forming apparatus 1 includes a generally circular flat processing container 11 and a disk-shaped rotating table 2 provided in the processing container 11. The rotating table 2 is an example of a stage configured to place the wafer W. The processing container 11 is composed of a top plate 12 and a container body 13 forming the side wall and bottom of the processing container 11.

[0012] The rotating table 2 is made of, for example, quartz glass (hereinafter referred to as quartz), and a metal rotating shaft 21 extending vertically downward is provided at the center. The rotating shaft 21 is inserted into a sleeve 141 having an opening 14 formed at the bottom of the container body 13. The rotating shaft 21 is connected to a rotation driving unit 22 provided at the lower end of the sleeve 141 so as to airtightly close the processing container 11. The rotating table 2 is horizontally supported in the processing container 11 via the rotating shaft 21 and rotates by the action of the rotation driving unit 22.

[0013] In addition, at the upper end of the sleeve 141, a gas nozzle 15 for supplying N2 (nitrogen) gas is provided in the gap between the sleeve 141, the opening 14 of the container body 13, and the rotating shaft 21 in order to prevent the raw material gas, the oxidation gas, etc. from swirling from the upper surface side to the lower surface side of the rotating table 2.

[0014] On the other hand, on the lower surface of the top plate 12 constituting the processing container 11, a central region C having a circular ring shape in plan view and protruding so as to face the center of the rotating table 2 is formed. The gap between the central region C and the center of the rotating table 2 constitutes a flow path 18 for N2 gas.

[0015] N2 gas is supplied to the flow path 18 from a gas supply pipe connected to the top plate 12. The N2 that has flowed into the flow path 18 is discharged radially outward of the rotary table 2 over the entire circumference from the gap between the upper surface of the rotary table 2 and the central region C. The N2 gas prevents the raw material gas and the oxidation gas supplied at different positions on the rotary table 2 from coming into contact with each other by bypassing the central portion (flow path 18) of the rotary table 2.

[0016] The exploded perspective view of FIG. 2 shows a state in which the top plate 12 and the rotary table 2 are removed from the film forming apparatus 1. A flat annular recess 31 is formed along the circumferential direction of the rotary table 2 on the bottom surface of the container body 13 located below the rotary table 2. A heater 33 is disposed over a region facing the entire lower surface of the rotary table 2 on the bottom surface of the recess 31. The heater 33 is an example of a heating unit. The heater 33 may be called a stage heater.

[0017] The heater 33 is constituted by combining a number of heater elements 331 each of which is an elongated tubular carbon wire heater formed in an arc shape having a length of about ten-odd cm to several tens of cm. By combining a plurality of arc-shaped heater elements 331, the heater 33 is disposed in the recess 31 so as to draw a plurality of concentric circles centered on the rotation axis 21.

[0018] The heater 33 is disposed in a floating state from the bottom surface of the recess 31 so as to be substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the recess 31 when viewed from the side. Both ends of the heater 33 are bent downward and connected to a power supply unit 333 provided outside the processing container 11 through a connection port penetrating the bottom plate of the container body 13. The power supply unit 333 is controlled by the control device 7. The control device 7 can, for example, divide the disposed heater 33 into regions and adjust the output of the heater 33 for each divided region. The upper surface of the recess 31 in which the heater 33 is disposed is closed by a shield 34 which is an annular plate member made of, for example, quartz.

[0019] In addition, exhaust ports 35 and 36 for exhausting the inside of the processing container 11 are open on the bottom surface of the container body 13 located on the outer peripheral side of the recess 31. A vacuum exhaust mechanism (not shown) constituted by a vacuum pump or the like is connected to the exhaust ports 35 and 36.

[0020] On the side wall of the container body 13, a wafer W loading / unloading port 37 and a gate valve 38 for opening and closing the loading / unloading port 37 are provided. The wafer W held by an external transfer mechanism is carried into the processing container 11 through the loading / unloading port 37. On the upper surface of the rotary table 2, a plurality of recesses 25 forming a placement area for the wafer W are formed so as to surround the flow path 18 at the center. The wafer W carried into the processing container 11 is placed in each of the recesses 25. The transfer of the wafer W between the transfer mechanism and the recesses is performed through a lifting pin configured to be movable up and down between an upper position and a lower position above the rotary table 2 via a through hole (not shown) provided in each of the recesses 25, but the description of the lifting pin is omitted.

[0021] Above the rotary table 2, a raw material gas nozzle 51, a separation gas nozzle 52, an oxidation gas nozzle 53, a plasma gas nozzle 54, and a separation gas nozzle 55 are arranged at intervals along the rotation direction of the rotary table 2. A large number of discharge ports 56 are formed at intervals on the lower surfaces of these gas nozzles, and each gas is discharged downward from the discharge port 56.

[0022] In addition, a plasma forming portion 61 made of a dielectric such as quartz, having a planar shape corresponding to the opening portion, and having a longitudinal side surface shape formed in a cup shape is inserted into the opening portion of the top plate 12. A protrusion 62 is provided on the lower surface of the plasma forming portion 61 along the peripheral edge of the plasma forming portion 61. The plasma gas nozzle 54 is inserted so as to discharge gas into the region surrounded by the protrusion 62.

[0023] A depression is formed on the upper surface side of the plasma forming section 61. A box-shaped Faraday shield 63 with an open upper surface side is disposed in this depression. An insulating plate member 64 is disposed on the bottom surface of the Faraday shield 63. On the upper surface side thereof, an antenna 65 for plasma generation, which is formed by winding a metal wire in a coil shape around a vertical axis and is connected to a high-frequency power source 66, is provided.

[0024] The film forming apparatus 1 is provided with a control device 7 composed of a computer for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus. A program for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus is stored in the control device 7. By executing the program, the control device 7 transmits control signals to each part of the film forming apparatus 1 to control the operation of each part. Note that the program is installed in the control device 7 from a storage medium such as a hard disk, a compact disk, a magneto-optical disk, a memory card, or a flexible disk. The program may be installed in the control device 7 from the storage medium of an information processing apparatus communicably connected via a network.

[0025] For example, the control device 7 controls adjustment of the supply amount of various gases, output control of the heater 33, adjustment of the supply amount of N2 gas, adjustment of the rotation speed of the rotary table 2 by the rotation drive unit 22, and the like. Further, the control device 7 performs control regarding the protection function of the stationary wafer W. The stationary wafer W is the wafer W left in the processing container 11 due to an error or the like generated during wafer transfer. The protection function of the stationary wafer W suppresses damage (damage due to thermal stress) to the stationary wafer W caused by heating.

[0026] For example, when an alarm (error) occurs during wafer transfer for loading the wafer W into the processing container 11 or during wafer transfer for unloading the wafer W from the processing container 11, the stationary wafer W left in the processing container 11 will continue to be heated by the heater 33 until the film forming apparatus 1 recovers. Therefore, the stationary wafer W left in the processing container 11 due to the occurrence of an alarm during wafer transfer may be damaged by heating, for example, to the underlying layer or the like.

[0027] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the processing container 11 containing the wafer W is monitored based on the monitoring conditions described below, and when the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied, the set temperature of the heater 33 is decreased. Note that the monitoring conditions may be set so that the stationary wafer W in the storage container 11 does not receive unacceptable damage and become scrap due to heating from the heater 33.

[0028] The stationary wafer W left in the processing container 11 due to the occurrence of an alarm during wafer transfer is an example. The protection function for the stationary wafer W of the present embodiment is also applicable to the stationary wafer W left in the processing container 11 due to other factors.

[0029] The control device 7 controls to execute a heat treatment (process) on the wafer W based on wafer processing information such as a recipe indicating a processing step or the like for the wafer W. Further, the control device 7 can display a screen for receiving input of information from an operator and display a screen for outputting information such as results to the operator. The control device 7 may be built in the film forming apparatus 1 or may be connected to the film forming apparatus 1 via a communication path.

[0030] The communication path may be a wired communication method or a wireless communication method, and may be any communication path for exchanging various signals inside and outside the computer. The communication path may utilize a network such as a local area network (LAN).

[0031] The control device 7 is realized by, for example, a computer 500 having the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of a computer.

[0032] The computer 500 shown in FIG. 3 includes an input device 501, an output device 502, an external I / F (interface) 503, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 504, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 505, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 506, a communication I / F 507, and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 508, etc., and each is interconnected by a bus B. Note that the input device 501 and the output device 502 may be connected and used when necessary.

[0033] The input device 501 is a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, etc., and is used by an operator or the like to input each operation signal. The output device 502 is a display or the like, and displays the processing result by the computer 500. The communication I / F 507 is an interface for connecting the computer 500 to a network or the like. The HDD 508 is an example of a non-volatile storage device that stores programs and data.

[0034] The external I / F 503 is an interface with an external device. The computer 500 can read and / or write to a recording medium 503a such as an SD (Secure Digital) memory card via the external I / F 503. The ROM 505 is an example of a non-volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) in which programs and data are stored. The RAM 504 is an example of a volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that temporarily holds programs and data.

[0035] The CPU 506 is an arithmetic unit that realizes the control and functions of the entire computer 500 by reading programs and data from storage devices such as the ROM 505 and the HDD 508 onto the RAM 504 and executing processing.

[0036] The control device 7 shown in FIG. 1 can realize various functions shown in FIG. 4 by the computer 500 having the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 3 executing processing according to a program.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control device according to the present embodiment. The control device 7 shown in FIG. 4 includes a control unit 200, an operation reception unit 202, an output control unit 204, a communication unit 206, and a storage unit 210.

[0038] The storage unit 210 in FIG. 4 stores a program 212, a recipe storage unit 214, and a parameter storage unit 216. The storage unit 210 may be realized by an HDD 508, or may be realized by a storage device communicably connected via a network or the like. The program 212 is an example of a program for controlling the operation of the entire film forming apparatus 1. The program for controlling the operation of the entire film forming apparatus 1 also includes a program for realizing the protection function of the stationary wafer W in the present embodiment.

[0039] The recipe storage unit 214 stores a recipe in which the processing steps of the process executed in the film forming apparatus 1 are set. The parameter storage unit 216 stores the parameters required for the process and the parameters of the protection function of the stationary wafer W in the present embodiment.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the parameters of the protection function of the stationary wafer W. The parameters of the protection function of the stationary wafer W shown in FIG. 5 have, as items, a stationary wafer protection function, a monitoring upper limit time, a monitoring upper limit temperature, a set temperature of the stationary wafer protection function, and a ramping temperature control.

[0041] For the item "stationary wafer protection function", "effective" is set when the protection function of the stationary wafer W is used, and "invalid" is set when the protection function of the stationary wafer W is not used. For the item "monitoring upper limit time", the time from when the monitoring conditions described later are satisfied until the temperature reduction of the heater 33 is started by the protection function of the stationary wafer W is set.

[0042] The item "monitoring upper limit temperature" is the temperature compared with the set temperature of the heater 33, and is used for the condition that the set temperature of the heater 33 included in the monitoring conditions is equal to or higher than the monitoring upper limit temperature. The item "set temperature of the stationary wafer protection function" is the set temperature of the heater 33 that is changed when the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the following-described monitoring conditions are satisfied. Further, for the item "ramping temperature control", the temperature change rate per unit time when the temperature of the heater 33 is decreased by the protection function of the stationary wafer W is set.

[0043] Returning to FIG. 4, the control unit 200 controls the entire film forming apparatus 1. The control of the entire film forming apparatus 1 includes control of a process for storing a recipe based on an operation received from an operator, control of a process for storing parameters of the protection function of the stationary wafer W, control of a film forming process according to the recipe, control of a process of the protection function of the stationary wafer W, and the like.

[0044] The control unit 200 is realized by the CPU 506 executing processes described in programs such as the program 212. The control unit 200 in FIG. 4 has a configuration including a heat treatment control unit 240, a temperature control unit 242, a monitoring unit 244, a protection unit 246, a parameter management unit 248, and a notification unit 250.

[0045] The heat treatment control unit 240 controls the operation of the film forming apparatus 1 so that a film forming process is performed under the processing conditions of the process indicated in the recipe. The temperature control unit 242 controls the output of the heater 33 according to the set temperature of the heater 33. The monitoring unit 244 monitors the processing container 11 in which the wafer W is stored based on the following-described monitoring conditions. The monitoring unit 244 monitors whether or not the processing container 11 in which the wafer W is stored satisfies the following-described monitoring conditions. The protection unit 246 controls to change the set temperature of the heater 33 to the set temperature of the stationary wafer protection function when the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the following-described monitoring conditions are satisfied. The protection unit 246 controls to adjust the rate at which the set temperature of the heater 33 is decreased according to the set value set for the ramping temperature control.

[0046] The parameter management unit 248 stores and manages the parameters necessary for the stationary wafer protection function in the parameter storage unit 216. When the set temperature of the heater 33 is changed by the stationary wafer protection function, the notification unit 250 notifies the operator that the set temperature of the heater 33 has been changed to the set temperature of the stationary wafer protection function. The notification by the notification unit 250 may be performed by displaying on the screen of the control device 7, by sending an email to the operator's email address, by lighting a lamp or the like, or by outputting a sound.

[0047] The operation reception unit 202 receives various operations of the operator on the input device 501. The output control unit 204 displays various screens on the output device 502 according to the control of the control unit 200. The operation reception unit 202 is realized by the CPU 506 controlling the input device 501 according to the program 212. Also, the output control unit 204 is realized by the CPU 506 controlling the output device 502 according to the program 212. The various operations of the operator on the input device 501 refer to the operations by which the operator operates the operation reception unit 202 to cause the CPU 506 to execute processing. The output control unit 204 performs display of various screens and output of sound according to the control of the control unit 200.

[0048] The communication unit 206 communicates via a network or the like. The communication unit 206 is realized by the CPU 506 executing the program 212 and controlling the communication I / F 507 according to the program 212.

[0049] The film forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment performs control related to the protection function of the stationary wafer W, as shown in FIG. 6, for example. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of the protection function of the stationary wafer of the film forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.

[0050] In step S100, the monitoring unit 244 of the film forming apparatus 1 determines whether the set value of the item "stationary wafer protection function" included in the parameters of the protection function of the stationary wafer W in FIG. 5 is "valid". If the set value of the item "stationary wafer protection function" is not "valid", the monitoring unit 244 repeats the processing of step S100.

[0051] If the set value of the item "staying wafer protection function" is "enabled", the monitoring unit 244 performs the process of step S102. In step S102, the monitoring unit 244 compares the set value of the item "monitoring upper limit temperature" included in the parameters of the protection function of the staying wafer W in FIG. 5 with the set temperature of the heater 33, and determines whether the set temperature of the heater 33 is equal to or higher than the set value of the item "monitoring upper limit temperature". If the set temperature of the heater 33 is not equal to or higher than the set value of the item "monitoring upper limit temperature", the monitoring unit 244 returns to the process of step S100.

[0052] If the set temperature of the heater 33 is equal to or higher than the set value of the item "monitoring upper limit temperature", the monitoring unit 244 performs the process of step S104. In step S104, the monitoring unit 244 determines whether one or more wafers W are stored in the processing container 11. The determination of whether one or more wafers W are stored in the processing container 11 may be made based on whether one or more wafers W are stored in the process module (PM). If one or more wafers W are not stored in the processing container 11, the monitoring unit 244 returns to the process of step S100.

[0053] If one or more wafers W are stored in the processing container 11, the monitoring unit 244 performs the process of step S106. In step S106, the monitoring unit 244 determines whether the process based on the recipe is not being executed (whether the process is being executed). If the process based on the recipe is being executed, the monitoring unit 244 returns to the process of step S100.

[0054] If the process based on the recipe is not being executed, the monitoring unit 244 performs the process of step S108. In step S108, when the processing container 11 has operation modes of normal mode and maintenance mode, the monitoring unit 244 determines whether the operation mode is the normal mode. The maintenance mode is an operation mode used for the maintenance of the processing container 11. If the operation mode is not the normal mode, the monitoring unit 244 returns to the process of step S100.

[0055] If the operation mode is the normal mode, the monitoring unit 244 and the protection unit 246 perform the process of step S110. In step S110, the monitoring unit 244 notifies the protection unit 246 that the monitoring condition of the protection function of the stationary wafer W is satisfied.

[0056] The state where the monitoring condition of the protection function of the stationary wafer W is satisfied means that in the case of FIG. 6, it is the state where all of steps S100 to S108 are determined as "YES". In FIG. 6, when the set value of the item "stationary wafer protection function" is "valid", the set temperature of the heater 33 is equal to or higher than the set value of the item "monitoring upper limit temperature", one or more wafers W are stored in the processing container 11, the process based on the recipe is being executed, and the operation mode is the normal mode, the monitoring condition of the protection function of the stationary wafer W is satisfied.

[0057] Note that the flowchart of FIG. 6 is an example, and a part of the processes of steps S100 to S108 may be omitted. For example, at least one of steps S106 and S108 may be omitted.

[0058] If the protection unit 246 has not started counting the elapsed time for determining whether the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring condition is satisfied, it starts counting the elapsed time. The protection unit 246 compares the counted elapsed time with the set value of the item "monitoring upper limit time" included in the parameters of the protection function of the stationary wafer W in FIG. 5, and determines whether the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring condition is satisfied.

[0059] If the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring condition is satisfied, the protection unit 246 performs the process of step S112. Note that if the monitoring unit 244 determines that the monitoring upper limit time has not elapsed in a state where the monitoring condition is satisfied, it returns to the process of step S100.

[0060] In step S112, the protection unit 246 controls to change the set temperature of the heater 33 to the set value of the item "set temperature of the stationary wafer protection function", which is included in the parameters of the protection function of the stationary wafer W in FIG. 5. The protection unit 246 may control to adjust the rate of decreasing the set temperature of the heater 33 according to the set value of the item "ramping temperature control", which is included in the parameters of the protection function of the stationary wafer W in FIG. 5.

[0061] Therefore, the film forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can lower the set temperature of the heater 33 so that the stationary wafer W does not receive unacceptable damage due to heating by the heater 33 and does not become scrap.

[0062] In step S114, the notification unit 250 notifies the operator that the set temperature of the heater 33 has been changed by the stationary wafer protection function. The notification by the notification unit 250 may be performed, for example, by a notification screen 1000 as shown in FIG. 7, or by sending an email to the operator's email address, or by lighting a lamp or the like, or by outputting a sound. FIG. 7 is an image diagram of an example of the notification screen. The notification screen 1000 is an example in which it is displayed that the set temperature of the heater 33 has been changed by the stationary wafer protection function and that it is necessary to take measures to reset the set temperature of the heater 33 after recovery.

[0063] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an example of process execution for the wafer W. The film forming apparatus 1 in the idle state starts the lot transfer of the wafer W in step S200. In step S202, the film forming apparatus 1 performs wafer charge, which is wafer transfer for carrying the wafer W into the processing chamber 11. In step S204, the film forming apparatus 1 checks the warp of the wafer W carried into the processing chamber 11. The warp check in step S204 is a process of waiting until the temporary change in the shape of the wafer W due to heating subsides.

[0064] In step S206, the film forming apparatus 1 executes a process based on a recipe. When an alarm occurs during the execution of the process, the film forming apparatus 1 executes an interruption macro corresponding to the generated alarm in step S300. The interruption macro is a set of arbitrarily configurable commands.

[0065] Therefore, if the process is being executed, the film forming apparatus 1 can use the interruption macro in step S300 to lower the set temperature of the heater 33 so that the stationary wafer W does not receive unacceptable damage due to heating from the heater 33. In step S302, the operator performs necessary recovery work on the film forming apparatus 1. After the recovery work by the operator is completed, the film forming apparatus 1 starts the next lot transfer of the wafer W in step S210 according to the operation by the operator.

[0066] When the process based on the recipe in step S206 is completed, the film forming apparatus 1 performs wafer discharge, which is wafer transfer for carrying out the wafer W from inside the processing container 11, in step S208. When the wafer transfer for carrying out the wafer W from inside the processing container 11 is completed, the film forming apparatus 1 starts the next lot transfer of the wafer W in step S210.

[0067] In the flowchart shown in FIG. 8, when an alarm (error) occurs during the loading of the wafer W in step S202 or during the unloading of the wafer W in step S208, there may be a situation where the stationary wafer W remains inside the processing container 11. However, since the film forming apparatus 1 is not executing the process, the set temperature of the heater 33 cannot be lowered using the interruption macro in step S300.

[0068] Therefore, even when the stationary wafer W remains in the processing chamber 1 during a period when the interruption macro cannot be used, the film forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with a protection function for the stationary wafer W that can lower the set temperature of the heater 33. Note that the elapsed time for determining whether or not the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied is initialized by the start of execution of the process based on the recipe of step S206. Further, the measurement of the elapsed time for determining whether or not the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied stops until the execution of the process based on the recipe of step S206 ends.

[0069] For example, the change in the elapsed time measured for determining whether or not the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied is as shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an example showing the change in the elapsed time measured for determining whether or not the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 9, when the measured elapsed time enters a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied, for example, by wafer transfer in step S202, it starts to increase. If no alarm occurs during wafer transfer, the film forming apparatus 1 starts the execution of the process based on the recipe of step S206 before the measured elapsed time exceeds the set value of the item "monitoring upper limit time" included in the parameters of the protection function for the stationary wafer W in FIG. 5.

[0071] Therefore, if no alarm occurs during wafer transfer, the film forming apparatus 1 initializes the measured elapsed time and stops measuring the elapsed time until the execution of the process based on the recipe of step S206 ends.

[0072] Further, when the execution of the process ends, the measured elapsed time enters a state where the monitoring state is satisfied by wafer transfer in step S208 and starts to increase. In the example of FIG. 9, an alarm occurs during wafer transfer in step S208, and the elapsed time exceeds the set value of the item "monitoring upper limit time" included in the parameters of the protection function for the stationary wafer W in FIG. 5.

[0073] Therefore, in the example of FIG. 9, temperature reduction control is performed to change the set temperature of the heater 33 to the set value of the item "set temperature of the stationary wafer protection function" included in the parameters of the protection function of the stationary wafer W in FIG. 5.

[0074] In addition, in the flowchart shown in FIG. 8, the film forming apparatus 1 may alternately perform the unloading of the wafer W from the processing container 11 in step S208 and the loading of the wafer W into the processing container 11 in step S202 which is the next lot transfer.

[0075] As described above, according to the present embodiment, a technique for suppressing damage to the wafer W staying in the processing container 11 due to heating can be provided.

[0076] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0077] For example, in the present embodiment, an example in which one control device 7 corresponds to one film forming apparatus 1 is shown. However, one control device 7 may correspond to a plurality of film forming apparatuses 1. The function of the control device 7 may be provided in a host computer or a cloud computer communicably connected to the film forming apparatus 1. A film forming apparatus, a plasma processing apparatus, an etching apparatus, etc. including a process of heating a substrate are examples of a heat treatment apparatus. Further, in the present embodiment, an example of the film forming apparatus 1 using plasma has been described, but the present invention is not limited to the film forming apparatus 1 using plasma.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0078] 1 Film forming apparatus 7 Control device 11 Processing container 33 Heater 200 Control unit 202 Operation reception unit 204 Output control unit 206 Communication unit 210 Storage unit 212 Program 214 Recipe Memory Unit 216 Parameter Memory Unit 240 Heat Treatment Control Unit 242 Temperature Control Unit 244 Monitoring Unit 246 Protection Unit 248 Parameter Management Unit 250 Notification Unit 333 Power Supply Unit

Claims

1. A heat treatment apparatus having a control device and heating a workpiece stored in a processing container with a heating unit for heat treatment, wherein the control device is configured to: a temperature control unit configured to control heating by the heating unit according to a set temperature of the heating unit; a monitoring unit configured to monitor a processing container in which the workpiece is stored based on monitoring conditions for a protection function of the workpiece; a protection unit configured to change the set temperature of the heating unit to a set temperature of the protection function when a monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied; A heat treatment apparatus having the above.

2. The monitoring unit is capable of setting whether the protection function is effective or ineffective, and when the protection function is set to be effective, the set temperature of the heating unit included in the monitoring conditions is equal to or higher than a monitoring upper limit temperature, and one or more workpieces are stored in the processing container. It is configured to monitor whether or not the condition is satisfied. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

3. The monitoring unit is capable of setting whether the protection function is effective or ineffective, and when the protection function is set to be effective, the set temperature of the heating unit included in the monitoring conditions is equal to or higher than a monitoring upper limit temperature, and one or more workpieces are stored in the processing container, and it is not in the middle of executing the heat treatment based on wafer processing information. It is configured to monitor whether or not the condition is satisfied. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

4. When the operation mode of the processing container has a normal mode and a maintenance mode, the monitoring unit further monitors whether or not the operation mode of the processing container included in the monitoring conditions satisfies the condition of being the normal mode. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that.

5. When the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied, the protection unit is configured to lower the set temperature of the heating unit to the set temperature of the protection function according to the set value of the ramp temperature control of the protection function. The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that.

6. A notification unit configured to notify an operator that the set temperature of the heating unit has been changed to the set temperature of the protection function. The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising

7. The protection unit is configured to initialize the elapsed time measured to determine whether or not the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied at the start of execution of the heat treatment based on the wafer processing information. The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

8. A method for protecting a workpiece in a heat treatment apparatus having a control device and heating the workpiece stored in a processing container by a heating unit for heat treatment, comprising: The control device is controlling the heating by the heating unit according to the set temperature of the heating unit, monitoring the processing container in which the workpiece is stored based on the monitoring conditions of the protection function of the workpiece, changing the set temperature of the heating unit to the set temperature of the protection function when the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied A method for protecting a workpiece.

9. In a control device of a heat treatment apparatus for heating a workpiece stored in a processing container by a heating unit for heat treatment, a procedure for controlling the heating by the heating unit according to the set temperature of the heating unit, a procedure for monitoring the processing container in which the workpiece is stored based on the monitoring conditions of the protection function of the workpiece, a procedure for changing the set temperature of the heating unit to the set temperature of the protection function when the monitoring upper limit time has elapsed in a state where the monitoring conditions are satisfied A program for causing the above to be executed.

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