Plasma processing system and edge ring replacement method - Patents.com

Abstract

To provide a method for selectively performing replacement in a state where an edge ring is supported by a cover ring and replacement of the edge ring alone when the edge ring is replaced.SOLUTION: In a plasma processing system, wafer processing performed using a processing module 60 controls a lifting mechanism 110, a transport device, and another lifting mechanism 114 so that a step of delivering a cover ring Ca supporting an edge ring Fa to a lifter 405, a step of moving a jig supported by a support unit 111, a step of delivering the jig to another lifter 106, a step of delivering the edge ring from the cover ring to the jig after saving the support unit, a step of delivering the cover ring from the lifter to an annular member mounting surface 403a of a support body 403, a step of lowering the another lifter and delivering the jig supporting the edge ring from the another lifter to the support unit, and a step of exporting the jig supporting the edge ring from a processing container are executed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a plasma processing system and a method for replacing an edge ring. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus that performs plasma processing on a substrate placed in a processing chamber with a focus ring surrounding the substrate. This substrate processing apparatus includes a mounting table with a susceptor having a substrate mounting surface on which the substrate is placed and a focus ring mounting surface on which the focus ring is mounted, and multiple positioning pins. The positioning pins are pin-shaped and made of a material that expands radially when heated. The positioning pins are attached to the focus ring so as to protrude from its underside and are inserted into positioning holes formed in the focus ring mounting surface of the susceptor. When heated, the positioning pins expand radially and engage, thereby positioning the focus ring. The substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 also includes lifter pins and a transfer arm. The lifter pins are attached to the mounting table so as to protrude and retract from the focus ring mounting surface. They lift the focus ring together with the positioning pins and detach it from the focus ring mounting surface. The transfer arm is located outside the processing chamber and transfers the focus ring, with the positioning pins still attached, between the lifter pins and the transfer arm through a transfer port provided in the processing chamber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-54933 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology disclosed herein allows for selective replacement of an edge ring in a plasma processing system in which both an edge ring and a cover ring are used, either while the edge ring is supported by the cover ring or by replacing the edge ring alone. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a plasma processing system including a plasma processing apparatus and a control apparatus, wherein the plasma processing apparatus includes a processing vessel, an electrostatic chuck as a substrate support table provided in the processing vessel, the electrostatic chuck having a central portion on an upper surface of the electrostatic chuck for supporting a substrate, a first ring positioned outside the central portion so as to surround the central portion, and a second ring surrounding the first ring, with a portion of the second ring positioned below the first ring, a diameter greater than the diameter of the outermost periphery of the electrostatic chuck; of the second ring Bottom of outer periphery Support Made of quartz The substrate support table has a support, and a lifter that raises and lowers the first ring and the second ring, the lifter being located inside the outermost periphery of the support and below the second ring, and the control device controls the lifter to raise the second ring so that the first ring is supported and lifted by the second ring. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, when replacing an edge ring in a plasma processing system in which both an edge ring and a cover ring are used, replacement can be selectively performed while supported by the cover ring or by replacing the edge ring alone. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of a plasma processing system according to a first reference embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of the processing module of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2. [Figure 4]3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion different from FIG. 2 in the circumferential direction of the wafer support table. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state inside a processing module during an edge ring attachment process. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state inside a processing module during an edge ring attachment process. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state inside a processing module during an edge ring attachment process. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating other examples of lift pins. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining another example of an electrostatic chuck. [Figure 10] 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of a wafer support table as a substrate support table according to Reference Embodiment 2. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of a wafer support table as a substrate support table according to Reference Embodiment 3. [Figure 12] 1 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of a plasma processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 13] 1 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of a wafer support table serving as a substrate support table according to the present embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing another example of the wafer support table. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing another example of the wafer support table. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state inside a processing module during a process of removing an edge ring alone. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state inside a processing module during a process of removing an edge ring alone. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state inside a processing module during a process of removing an edge ring alone. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state inside a processing module during a process of removing an edge ring alone. [Figure 20]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state inside a processing module during a process of removing an edge ring alone. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state inside a processing module during a process of removing an edge ring alone. [Figure 22] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the state inside the processing module during the process of removing the cover ring that supports the edge ring. [Figure 23] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the state inside the processing module during the process of removing the cover ring that supports the edge ring. [Figure 24] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the state inside the processing module during the process of removing the cover ring that supports the edge ring. [Figure 25] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the state inside the processing module during the process of removing the cover ring that supports the edge ring. [Figure 26] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the state inside the processing module during the process of removing the cover ring that supports the edge ring. [Figure 27] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the state inside the processing module during the process of removing the cover ring that supports the edge ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (Reference embodiment) In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, etc., plasma processing such as etching and film formation is performed on substrates such as semiconductor wafers (hereinafter referred to as "wafers") using plasma. The plasma processing is performed with the wafer held on a substrate support table installed in a processing chamber configured to be able to reduce the pressure.

[0009] Furthermore, in order to obtain good and uniform processing results at the center and periphery of the substrate during plasma processing, an annular member called an edge ring or focus ring may be arranged to surround the periphery of the substrate on the substrate support table. When an edge ring is used, the edge ring is positioned with high precision so that uniform processing results can be obtained in the circumferential direction at the periphery of the substrate. For example, in Patent Document 1, the edge ring is positioned using positioning pins attached to the edge ring so as to protrude from its underside and inserted into positioning holes formed in the edge ring mounting surface.

[0010] Although worn edge rings are generally replaced by operators, it has also been considered to use a transfer device to transfer the edge ring. For example, in Patent Document 1, edge ring replacement is performed using lifter pins that are provided to protrude from and retract into the edge ring mounting surface of the mounting table and that lift the edge ring to detach it from the edge ring mounting surface, and a transfer arm that can transfer both the wafer and the edge ring into and out of the processing chamber.

[0011] However, when replacing an edge ring using a transport device, if the transport accuracy of the edge ring is poor, a part of the edge ring may get caught on the substrate mounting surface of the substrate support stand, making it impossible to properly mount the edge ring on the edge ring mounting surface of the substrate support stand. For example, if the difference between the inner diameter of the edge ring and the diameter of the substrate mounting surface is smaller than the transport accuracy (transport error) of the edge ring, and the position of the substrate mounting surface is higher than the position of the edge ring mounting surface, the inner side of the edge ring may get caught on the substrate mounting surface, making it impossible to mount the edge ring on the edge ring mounting surface.

[0012] In addition, during plasma processing, an annular member called a cover ring may be placed to cover the outer peripheral surface of the edge ring. In this case, if a transfer device is used to replace the cover ring, it may not be possible to accurately place the cover ring on the mounting surface.

[0013] Therefore, the technique according to the reference embodiment positions and appropriately places the annular member on the mounting surface of the substrate support table for the annular member, regardless of the accuracy with which the annular member is transported.

[0014] Hereinafter, a substrate support table, a plasma processing system, and an edge ring replacement method according to a reference embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in this specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0015] (Reference embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of a plasma processing system according to a first reference embodiment. In the plasma processing system 1 of FIG. 1, plasma processing such as etching, film formation, and diffusion is performed on a wafer W as a substrate using plasma.

[0016] 1, plasma processing system 1 has an atmospheric section 10 and a decompression section 11, which are connected together via load lock modules 20 and 21. Atmospheric section 10 includes an atmospheric module that performs a desired process on wafer W in an atmospheric pressure atmosphere. Decompression section 11 includes a decompression module that performs a desired process on wafer W in a decompression atmosphere.

[0017] The load lock modules 20 and 21 are provided to connect a loader module 30 (described later) in the atmospheric section 10 to a transfer module 50 (described later) in the decompression section 11 via a gate valve (not shown). The load lock modules 20 and 21 are configured to temporarily hold a wafer W. The load lock modules 20 and 21 are also configured so that the interior thereof can be switched between an atmospheric pressure atmosphere and a decompression atmosphere (vacuum state).

[0018] The atmospheric section 10 has a loader module 30 equipped with a transfer device 40 (described later), and a load port 32 on which FOUPs 31a and 31b are placed. FOUP 31a is capable of storing multiple wafers W, and FOUP 31b is capable of storing multiple edge rings F. Note that an orienter module (not shown) that adjusts the horizontal orientation of the wafers W and edge rings F, a storage module (not shown) that stores multiple wafers W, and the like may be provided adjacent to the loader module 30.

[0019] The loader module 30 is made up of a rectangular housing, and the interior of the housing is maintained at atmospheric pressure. A plurality of, for example, five load ports 32 are arranged side by side on one side that constitutes the long side of the housing of the loader module 30. Load lock modules 20 and 21 are arranged side by side on the other side that constitutes the long side of the housing of the loader module 30.

[0020] A transfer device 40 that transfers the wafer W and the edge ring F is provided inside the loader module 30. The transfer device 40 has a transfer arm 41 that moves while supporting the wafer W and the edge ring F, a rotary table 42 that rotatably supports the transfer arm 41, and a base 43 on which the rotary table 42 is mounted. Also, a guide rail 44 that extends in the longitudinal direction of the loader module 30 is provided inside the loader module 30. The base 43 is provided on the guide rail 44, and the transfer device 40 is configured to be movable along the guide rail 44.

[0021] The decompression unit 11 has a transfer module 50 that transports the wafer W and the edge ring F, and a processing module 60 that serves as a plasma processing apparatus that performs the desired plasma processing on the wafer W transported from the transfer module 50. The interiors of the transfer module 50 and the processing module 60 are each maintained in a reduced pressure atmosphere. A plurality of processing modules 60, for example, eight processing modules 60, are provided for one transfer module 50. The number and arrangement of the processing modules 60 are not limited to those in this reference embodiment and can be set as desired, as long as at least one processing module that requires replacement of the edge ring F is provided.

[0022] The transfer module 50 is made of a housing with a polygonal interior (pentagonal in the illustrated example), and is connected to the load lock modules 20 and 21 as described above. The transfer module 50 transports a wafer W that has been loaded into the load lock module 20 to one of the processing modules 60, and also transports the wafer W that has undergone the desired plasma processing in the processing module 60 to the atmospheric section 10 via the load lock module 21. The transfer module 50 also transports an edge ring F that has been loaded into the load lock module 20 to one of the processing modules 60, and also transports an edge ring F to be replaced in the processing module 60 to the atmospheric section 10 via the load lock module 21.

[0023] The processing module 60 performs plasma processing such as etching, film formation, and diffusion on the wafer W using plasma. The processing module 60 can be selected arbitrarily to perform the desired plasma processing. The processing module 60 is connected to the transfer module 50 via a gate valve 61. The configuration of the processing module 60 will be described later.

[0024] A transfer device 70 for transferring the wafer W and the edge ring F is provided inside the transfer module 50. The transfer device 70 has a transfer arm 71 serving as a support unit that supports and moves the wafer W and the edge ring F, a rotary table 72 that rotatably supports the transfer arm 71, and a base 73 on which the rotary table 72 is mounted. Also, a guide rail 74 extending in the longitudinal direction of the transfer module 50 is provided inside the transfer module 50. The base 73 is provided on the guide rail 74, and the transfer device 70 is configured to be movable along the guide rail 74.

[0025] In the transfer module 50, the wafer W and edge ring F held in the load lock module 20 are received by the transfer arm 71 and carried into the processing module 60. Also, the wafer W and edge ring F held in the processing module 60 are received by the transfer arm 71 and carried out to the load lock module 21.

[0026] The plasma processing system 1 further includes a controller 80. In one embodiment, the controller 80 processes computer-executable instructions that cause the plasma processing system 1 to perform various operations described herein. The controller 80 may be configured to control each of the other elements of the plasma processing system 1 to perform the various operations described herein. In one embodiment, some or all of the controller 80 may be included in the other elements of the plasma processing system 1. The controller 80 may include, for example, a computer 90. The computer 90 may include, for example, a processing unit (CPU: Central Processing Unit) 91, a memory unit 92, and a communication interface 93. The processing unit 91 may be configured to perform various control operations based on programs stored in the memory unit 92. The memory unit 92 may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a combination thereof. The communication interface 93 may communicate with other elements of the plasma processing system 1 via a communication line such as a local area network (LAN).

[0027] Next, a wafer processing performed using the plasma processing system 1 configured as above will be described.

[0028] First, the transfer device 40 removes the wafer W from the desired FOUP 31a and loads it into the load lock module 20. Once the wafer W is loaded into the load lock module 20, the inside of the load lock module 20 is sealed and depressurized. Thereafter, the inside of the load lock module 20 and the inside of the transfer module 50 are connected to each other.

[0029] Next, the wafer W is held by the transfer device 70 and transferred from the load lock module 20 to the transfer module 50 .

[0030] Next, the gate valve 61 is opened, and the transfer device 70 loads the wafer W into the desired processing module 60. Thereafter, the gate valve 61 is closed, and the desired processing is performed on the wafer W in the processing module 60. The processing performed on the wafer W in this processing module 60 will be described later.

[0031] Next, the gate valve 61 is opened, and the wafer W is unloaded from the processing module 60 by the transfer device 70. Thereafter, the gate valve 61 is closed.

[0032] Next, the transfer device 70 loads the wafer W into the load lock module 21. When the wafer W is loaded into the load lock module 21, the inside of the load lock module 21 is sealed and opened to the atmosphere. Thereafter, the inside of the load lock module 21 and the inside of the loader module 30 are connected to each other.

[0033] Next, the wafer W is held by the transfer device 40, and is returned from the load lock module 21 to the desired FOUP 31a via the loader module 30 and accommodated therein. This completes the series of wafer processing steps in the plasma processing system 1.

[0034] When replacing the edge ring, the edge ring is transported between FOUP 31b and the desired processing module 60 in the same manner as the wafer is transported between FOUP 31a and the desired processing module 60 during the wafer processing described above.

[0035] Next, the processing module 60 will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 4. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of the processing module 60. Fig. 3 is a partially enlarged view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion different from Fig. 2 in the circumferential direction of a wafer support table 101 (described later).

[0036] 2, the processing module 60 includes a plasma processing chamber 100 as a processing container, a gas supply unit 130, an RF (Radio Frequency) power supply unit 140, and an exhaust system 150. The processing module 60 also includes a gas supply unit 120 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later. The processing module 60 further includes a wafer support pedestal 101 as a substrate support pedestal, and an upper electrode showerhead 102.

[0037] The wafer support pedestal 101 is disposed in a lower region of a plasma processing space 100s in the plasma processing chamber 100, which is configured to be depressurized. The upper electrode showerhead 102 is disposed above the wafer support pedestal 101 and can function as part of the ceiling of the plasma processing chamber 100.

[0038] The wafer support pedestal 101 is configured to support a wafer W in the plasma processing space 100s. In one embodiment, the wafer support pedestal 101 includes a lower electrode 103, an electrostatic chuck 104, an insulator 105, lift pins 106, and lift pins 107. Although not shown, in one embodiment, the wafer support pedestal 101 may include a temperature control module configured to adjust at least one of the electrostatic chuck 104 and the wafer W to a target temperature. The temperature control module may include a heater, a flow path, or a combination thereof. A temperature control fluid such as a refrigerant or a heat transfer gas flows through the flow path.

[0039] The lower electrode 103 is made of a conductive material such as aluminum. In one embodiment, the temperature control module may be provided on the lower electrode 103.

[0040] The electrostatic chuck 104 is a member configured to be able to attract and hold both the wafer W and the edge ring F by electrostatic force, and is provided on the lower electrode 103. The electrostatic chuck 104 is formed such that the upper surface of the central portion is higher than the upper surface of the peripheral portion. The upper surface 104a of the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 104 serves as a substrate mounting surface on which the wafer W is mounted, and the upper surface 104b of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104 serves as an annular member mounting surface on which the edge ring F, which serves as an annular member, is mounted. The edge ring F is an annular member disposed to surround the wafer W mounted on the upper surface 104a of the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 104.

[0041] An electrode 108 for attracting and holding the wafer W is provided in the center of the electrostatic chuck 104, and an electrode 109 for attracting and holding the edge ring F is provided on the periphery of the electrostatic chuck 104. The electrostatic chuck 104 has a configuration in which the electrodes 108 and 109 are sandwiched between insulating materials.

[0042] A DC voltage is applied to the electrode 108 from a DC power supply (not shown). The resulting electrostatic force attracts and holds the wafer W on the upper surface 104a at the center of the electrostatic chuck 104. Similarly, a DC voltage is applied to the electrode 109 from a DC power supply (not shown). The resulting electrostatic force attracts and holds the edge ring F on the upper surface 104b at the periphery of the electrostatic chuck 104. As shown in FIG. 3, the electrode 109 is a bipolar electrode including a pair of electrodes 109a, 109b. In this embodiment, the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 104 where the electrode 108 is provided and the peripheral portion where the electrode 109 is provided are integral with each other, but these central portion and peripheral portion may be separate. In addition, in the present embodiment, the electrode 109 for attracting and holding the edge ring F is of a bipolar type, but may be of a unipolar type.

[0043] In addition, the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 104 is formed, for example, with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the wafer W, so that when the wafer W is placed on the upper surface 104a, the peripheral portion of the wafer W protrudes from the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 104, as shown in FIG. 2. The edge ring F has a step formed on its upper portion, and the upper surface of the outer periphery is higher than the upper surface of the inner periphery. The inner periphery of the edge ring F is formed to be recessed below the peripheral edge of the wafer W that protrudes from the center of the electrostatic chuck 104. In other words, the inner diameter of the edge ring F is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the wafer W.

[0044] The insulator 105 is a cylindrical member made of ceramic or the like, and supports the electrostatic chuck 104. The insulator 105 is formed, for example, to have an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of the lower electrode 103, and supports the peripheral portion of the lower electrode 103. The insulator 105 is also disposed so that its inner peripheral surface is positioned radially outward of the electrostatic chuck 104 from the lifting mechanism 114 described below.

[0045] The lift pins 106 are columnar members that rise and fall so as to protrude from and sink into the central upper surface 104a of the electrostatic chuck 104, and are made of, for example, ceramic. Three or more lift pins 106 are provided at intervals from one another in the circumferential direction of the electrostatic chuck 104, i.e., along the circumferential direction of the upper surface 104a. The lift pins 106 are provided, for example, at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. The lift pins 106 are provided so as to extend in the vertical direction.

[0046] The lifting pins 106 are connected to a lifting mechanism 110 that raises and lowers the lifting pins 106. The lifting mechanism 110 has, for example, a support member 111 that supports the plurality of lifting pins 106, and a drive unit 112 that generates a drive force for raising and lowering the support member 111 and raises and lowers the plurality of lifting pins 106. The drive unit 112 has a motor (not shown) that generates the drive force.

[0047] The lifting pins 106 are inserted into through holes 113 that extend downward from the upper surface 104a of the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 104 to the bottom surface of the lower electrode 103. In other words, the through holes 113 are formed to penetrate through the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 104 and the lower electrode 103.

[0048] The lifting pins 107 are columnar members that rise and fall so as to protrude from and sink into the upper surface 104b of the peripheral edge of the electrostatic chuck 104, and are made of, for example, alumina, quartz, or stainless steel. Three or more lifting pins 107 are provided at intervals from one another in the circumferential direction of the electrostatic chuck 104, i.e., along the circumferential direction of the upper surface 104a of the central portion and the upper surface 104b of the peripheral portion. The lifting pins 107 are provided, for example, at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. The lifting pins 107 are provided so as to extend in the vertical direction. The thickness of the lift pin 107 is, for example, 1 to 3 mm.

[0049] The lifting pins 107 are connected to a lifting mechanism 114 that drives the lifting pins 107. The lifting mechanism 114 is provided, for example, for each lifting pin 107 and has a support member 115 that supports the lifting pin 107 so that it can move horizontally. The support member 115 has, for example, a thrust bearing to support the lifting pin 107 so that it can move horizontally. The lifting mechanism 114 also has a drive unit 116 that generates a drive force to raise and lower the support member 111 and raise and lower the lifting pins 107. The drive unit 116 has a motor (not shown) that generates the drive force.

[0050] The lifting pins 107 are inserted into through holes 117 that extend downward from the upper surface 104b of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104 to the bottom surface of the lower electrode 103. In other words, the through holes 117 are formed to penetrate the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104 and the lower electrode 103. The through-hole 117 is formed with a positional accuracy higher than the transfer accuracy of the edge ring by the transfer device 70.

[0051] Each of the lift pins 107 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape except for its upper end, which is formed in a hemispherical shape that gradually tapers upward. When raised, the upper end of each of the lift pins 107 abuts against the bottom surface of the edge ring F to support the edge ring F. As shown in FIG. 3, recesses F1 formed from concave surfaces F1a that are recessed upward are provided at positions on the bottom surface of the edge ring F corresponding to each of the lift pins 107.

[0052] In a plan view, the size D1 of the recess F1 (the diameter of the opening) of the edge ring F is greater than the transfer accuracy (error) (±X μm) of the edge ring F by the transfer device 70 above the upper surface 104b of the electrostatic chuck 104, and is also greater than the size D2 of the upper end of the lift pin 107. For example, the relationships D1>D2 and D1>2X are satisfied, and D1 is approximately 0.5 mm. As another example, D1 may be 0.5 to 3 mm.

[0053] Furthermore, as described above, the upper end of the lift pin 107 is formed in a semispherical shape that gradually tapers upward, and the concave surface F1a that forms the recess F1 of the edge ring F is set to have a smaller curvature than the convex surface (i.e., upper end surface) 107a that forms the semispherical shape of the upper end of the lift pin 107. In other words, the concave surface F1a has a larger radius of curvature than the convex surface 107a.

[0054] When the thickness of the outer periphery of the edge ring F is 3 to 5 mm, the depth of the recess F1 is set to, for example, 0.5 to 1 mm. The edge ring F is made of a material such as Si or SiC.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 4 , a heat transfer gas supply path 118 is formed on the upper surface 104b of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104. The heat transfer gas supply path 118 supplies a heat transfer gas, such as helium gas, to the back surface of the edge ring F placed on the upper surface 104b. The heat transfer gas supply path 118 is fluidly connected to the upper surface 104b. The side of the heat transfer gas supply path 118 opposite the upper surface 104b is fluidly connected to a gas supply unit 120. The gas supply unit 120 may include one or more gas sources 121 and one or more flow rate controllers 122. In one embodiment, the gas supply unit 120 is configured to supply gas from the gas source 121 to the heat transfer gas supply path via the flow rate controller 122, for example. Each flow rate controller 122 may include, for example, a mass flow controller or a pressure-controlled flow rate controller. Although not shown in the figure, a heat transfer gas supply path similar to the heat transfer gas supply path 118 is also formed on the central upper surface 104a of the electrostatic chuck 104 to supply heat transfer gas to the back surface of the wafer W placed on the upper surface 104a. Furthermore, an intake passage may be formed to vacuum-suck the edge ring F placed on the upper surface 104b of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104. The intake passage may be provided in the electrostatic chuck 104 so as to be in fluid communication with the upper surface 104b, for example. The heat transfer gas supply passage and the intake passage may be entirely or partially common to each other.

[0056] Returning to the description of FIG. 2 , the upper electrode showerhead 102 is configured to supply one or more process gases from a gas supply 130 to the plasma processing space 100s. In one embodiment, the upper electrode showerhead 102 includes a gas inlet 102a, a gas diffusion chamber 102b, and multiple gas outlets 102c. The gas inlet 102a is, for example, in fluid communication with the gas supply 130 and the gas diffusion chamber 102b. The multiple gas outlets 102c are in fluid communication with the gas diffusion chamber 102b and the plasma processing space 100s. In one embodiment, the upper electrode showerhead 102 is configured to supply one or more process gases from the gas inlet 102a through the gas diffusion chamber 102b and the multiple gas outlets 102c to the plasma processing space 100s.

[0057] The gas supply 130 may include one or more gas sources 131 and one or more flow controllers 132. In one embodiment, the gas supply 130 is configured to supply, for example, one or more process gases from respective gas sources 131 to the gas inlet 102a via respective flow controllers 132. Each flow controller 132 may include, for example, a mass flow controller or a pressure-controlled flow controller. Additionally, the gas supply 130 may include one or more flow modulation devices to modulate or pulse the flow rate of one or more process gases.

[0058] The RF power supply 140 is configured to supply RF power, e.g., one or more RF signals, to one or more electrodes, such as the lower electrode 103, the upper electrode showerhead 102, or both the lower electrode 103 and the upper electrode showerhead 102. This generates plasma from one or more process gases supplied to the plasma processing space 100s. Thus, the RF power supply 140 may function as at least a part of a plasma generating unit configured to generate plasma from one or more process gases in the plasma processing chamber. The RF power supply 140 may include, for example, two RF generators 141a and 141b and two matching circuits 142a and 142b. In one embodiment, the RF power supply 140 is configured to supply a first RF signal from the first RF generator 141a to the lower electrode 103 via the first matching circuit 142a. For example, the first RF signal may have a frequency in the range of 27 MHz to 100 MHz.

[0059] In one embodiment, the RF power supply unit 140 is configured to supply a second RF signal from a second RF generating unit 141b to the lower electrode 103 via a second matching circuit 142b. For example, the second RF signal may have a frequency in the range of 400 kHz to 13.56 MHz. Alternatively, a DC (Direct Current) pulse generating unit may be used in place of the second RF generating unit 141b.

[0060] Furthermore, although not shown, other embodiments are contemplated in this disclosure. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the RF power supply 140 may be configured to supply a first RF signal from an RF generator to the lower electrode 103, a second RF signal from another RF generator to the lower electrode 103, and a third RF signal from yet another RF generator to the lower electrode 103. Additionally, in another alternative embodiment, a DC voltage may be applied to the upper electrode showerhead 102.

[0061] Still further, in various embodiments, the amplitude of one or more RF signals (i.e., the first RF signal, the second RF signal, etc.) may be pulsed or modulated. Amplitude modulation may include pulsing the RF signal amplitude between an on state and an off state, or between two or more different on states.

[0062] The exhaust system 150 may be connected to, for example, an exhaust port 100e provided at the bottom of the plasma processing chamber 100. The exhaust system 150 may include a pressure valve and a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump may include a turbomolecular pump, a roughing pump, or a combination thereof.

[0063] Next, a description will be given of an example of wafer processing performed using the processing module 60 configured as described above. In the processing module 60, processing such as etching, film formation, and diffusion is performed on the wafer W.

[0064] First, a wafer W is loaded into the plasma processing chamber 100, and the wafer W is placed on the electrostatic chuck 104 by raising and lowering the lift pins 106. Then, a DC voltage is applied to the electrode 108 of the electrostatic chuck 104, whereby the wafer W is electrostatically attracted and held on the electrostatic chuck 104 by electrostatic force. After the wafer W is loaded, the inside of the plasma processing chamber 100 is depressurized to a predetermined vacuum level by the exhaust system 150.

[0065] Next, a processing gas is supplied from the gas supply unit 130 to the plasma processing space 100s via the upper electrode showerhead 102. Furthermore, high frequency power HF for plasma generation is supplied from the RF power supply unit 140 to the lower electrode 103, thereby exciting the processing gas and generating plasma. At this time, high frequency power LF for ion attraction may also be supplied from the RF power supply unit 140. Then, the wafer W is subjected to plasma processing by the action of the generated plasma.

[0066] During plasma processing, a heat transfer gas such as He gas or Ar gas is supplied to the bottom surfaces of the wafer W and edge ring F attracted and held on the electrostatic chuck 104 via the heat transfer gas supply path 118 or the like.

[0067] When the plasma processing is terminated, the supply of the heat transfer gas to the bottom surface of the wafer W may be stopped. Furthermore, the supply of the high frequency power HF from the RF power supply unit 140 and the supply of the processing gas from the gas supply unit 130 are stopped. If high frequency power LF has been supplied during the plasma processing, the supply of the high frequency power LF is also stopped. Next, the electrostatic chuck 104 stops attracting and holding the wafer W.

[0068] Thereafter, the wafer W is raised by the lifting pins 106, and the wafer W is detached from the electrostatic chuck 104. At the time of this detachment, a charge removal process may be performed on the wafer W. Then, the wafer W is unloaded from the plasma processing chamber 100, and the series of wafer processing steps is completed.

[0069] During wafer processing, the edge ring F is attracted and held by electrostatic force. Specifically, it is attracted and held by electrostatic force during, as well as before and after plasma processing. Before and after plasma processing, different voltages are applied to the electrodes 109a and 109b so as to generate a potential difference between the electrodes 109a and 109b. The edge ring F is attracted and held by electrostatic force corresponding to the generated potential difference. In contrast, during plasma processing, the same voltage (e.g., a positive voltage) is applied to the electrodes 109a and 109b, generating a potential difference between the edge ring F, which is grounded through the plasma, and the electrodes 109a and 109b. The edge ring F is attracted and held by electrostatic force corresponding to the generated potential difference. While the edge ring F is attracted by electrostatic force, the lift pins 107 are recessed from the upper surface 104b of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104.

[0070] As described above, the edge ring F is attracted and held by electrostatic force, so that no positional deviation occurs between the edge ring F and the electrostatic chuck 104 when the supply of heat transfer gas to the bottom surface of the edge ring F begins.

[0071] Next, an example of a process for attaching the edge ring F into the process module 60 using the plasma processing system 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. FIGS. 5 to 7 are diagrams schematically showing the state inside the process module 60 during the attachment process. The following process is performed under the control of the control device 80. The following process is performed, for example, when the electrostatic chuck 104 is at room temperature.

[0072] First, the transfer arm 71 holding the edge ring F is inserted through a transfer port (not shown) from the transfer module 50 in the vacuum atmosphere of the plasma processing system 1 into the reduced-pressure plasma processing chamber 100 of the processing module 60 to which the edge ring F is to be attached. Then, as shown in FIG. 5 , the edge ring F held by the transfer arm 71 is transferred above the upper surface 104b of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104. The edge ring F is held by the transfer arm 71 with its circumferential orientation adjusted.

[0073] Next, all of the lift pins 107 are raised, and the edge ring F is transferred from the transfer arm 71 to the lift pins 107, as shown in FIG. 6 . Specifically, all of the lift pins 107 are raised, and first, the upper ends of the lift pins 107 come into contact with the bottom surface of the edge ring F held by the transfer arm 71. At this time, the upper ends of the lift pins 107 fit into the recesses F1 provided in the bottom surface of the edge ring F. This is because, as described above, the recesses F1 are provided at positions corresponding to the lift pins 107 on the bottom surface of the edge ring F, and the size of the recesses F1 in a plan view is larger than the transfer accuracy of the edge ring F by the transfer device 70 and is larger than the size of the upper ends of the lift pins 107. If the lift pins 107 continue to rise even after the upper ends of the lift pins 107 come into contact with the bottom surface of the edge ring F, the edge ring F is transferred to and supported by the lift pins 107, as shown in FIG. 6 .

[0074] As described above, the concave surfaces F1a forming the recesses F1 of the edge ring F are set to have a smaller curvature than the convex surfaces 107a forming the hemispherical shapes at the upper ends of the lift pins 107. Therefore, even if the edge ring F is misaligned with respect to the lift pins 107 immediately after being transferred to the lift pins 107, it moves as follows and is positioned with respect to the lift pins 107. That is, the edge ring F moves so that the peaks of the upper ends of the lift pins 107 slide relatively on the concave surfaces F1a of the edge ring F. The edge ring F stops when the center of the recesses F1 and the center of the upper ends of the lift pins 107 coincide in a planar view, that is, when the deepest part of the recesses F1 coincides with the peaks of the upper ends of the lift pins 107 in a planar view, and is positioned with respect to the lift pins 107 at that position.

[0075] After the edge ring F is handed over to the lifting pins 107, in order to facilitate the movement for positioning, each of the lifting pins 107 may be moved up and down in small increments, or each of the lifting pins 107 may be lowered at a different speed or at a high speed.

[0076] After the edge ring F is positioned relative to the lifting pins 107, the transfer arm 71 is removed from the plasma processing chamber 100 and the lifting pins 107 are lowered, thereby placing the edge ring F on the upper surface 104a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104, as shown in FIG. 7. Since the edge ring F is positioned relative to the lifting pins 107 as described above, and the through holes 117 and the lifting pins 107 are provided with high precision relative to the center of the electrostatic chuck 104, the edge ring F is placed on the upper surface 104a while being positioned relative to the center of the electrostatic chuck 104. The lift pins 107 are lowered until, for example, the upper end surfaces of the lift pins 107 are submerged below the upper surface 104 a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104 .

[0077] Thereafter, a DC voltage is applied from a DC power supply (not shown) to the electrode 109 provided on the peripheral edge of the electrostatic chuck 104, and the edge ring F is attracted and held on the upper surface 104b by the electrostatic force generated thereby. Specifically, different voltages are applied to the electrodes 109a and 109b, and the edge ring F is attracted and held on the upper surface 104b by the electrostatic force generated according to the potential difference. This completes the process of attaching the edge ring F.

[0078] If the above-described air intake path is provided, after the edge ring F is placed on the upper surface 104b, it may be vacuum-adsorbed to the upper surface 104b using the air intake path before being adsorbed and held by electrostatic force. Then, after switching from vacuum adsorption using the air intake path to adsorption and holding by electrostatic force, the degree of vacuum in the air intake path may be measured, and based on the measurement result, it may be determined whether to re-place the edge ring F on the upper surface 104b.

[0079] The process of removing the edge ring F is performed in the reverse order of the process of attaching the edge ring F described above. When removing the edge ring F, the edge ring F may be subjected to a cleaning process before being carried out of the plasma processing chamber 100.

[0080] As described above, the wafer support table 101 according to this reference embodiment includes an upper surface 104a on which a wafer W is placed, an upper surface 104b on which an edge ring F is placed so as to surround the wafer W held on the upper surface, three or more lift pins 107 that rise and fall so as to protrude and sink from the upper surface 104b, and a lift mechanism 114 that raises and lowers the lift pins 107. Furthermore, recesses F1 formed from upwardly recessed surfaces F1a are provided at positions on the bottom surface of the edge ring F corresponding to the respective lift pins 107. In plan view, the size of the recesses F1 is larger than the transport error of the edge ring F above the upper surface 104b and larger than the size of the upper ends of the lift pins 107. Therefore, when the lift pins 107 are raised to abut against the bottom surface of the edge ring F, the upper ends of the lift pins 107 can fit into the recesses F1 of the edge ring F. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper ends of the lift pins 107 are formed in a hemispherical shape that gradually tapers upward, and the concave surfaces F1a that form the recesses F1 have a smaller curvature than the convex surfaces that form the hemispherical shape of the upper ends of the lift pins 107. Therefore, when the edge ring F is supported by the lift pins 107, the edge ring F can be positioned relative to the lift pins 107 at a position where the deepest part of the recesses F1 coincides with the apex of the upper ends of the lift pins 107 in a plan view. Therefore, when the lift pins 107 supporting the edge ring F are lowered, the lift pins 107 can be positioned relative to the electrostatic chuck 104 and placed on the upper surface 104b. In other words, according to this embodiment, the edge ring F can be positioned and placed on the wafer support table 101 regardless of the transfer accuracy of the edge ring F. Furthermore, if the wafer support table 101 according to this reference embodiment is provided in a plasma processing apparatus, the edge ring F can be replaced using the transfer device 70 without the intervention of an operator. When an operator replaces the edge ring, the processing vessel in which the edge ring is disposed must be opened to the atmosphere. However, if the wafer support table 101 according to this reference embodiment is provided, the edge ring F can be replaced using the transfer device 70, eliminating the need to open the plasma processing chamber 100 to the atmosphere during replacement. Therefore, according to this reference embodiment, the time required for replacement can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, since the present reference embodiment is provided with three or more lift pins, the edge ring F can be aligned not only in the radial direction (the direction from the center of the wafer support table 101 toward the outer periphery) but also in the circumferential direction.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a lifting mechanism 114 is provided for each lifting pin 107, and further includes support members 115 that support the lifting pins 107 so that they can move horizontally. Therefore, when the electrostatic chuck 104 thermally expands or contracts, the lifting pins 107 can move horizontally in accordance with the thermal expansion or contraction. Therefore, the lifting pins 107 will not be damaged when the electrostatic chuck 104 thermally expands or contracts.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the edge ring F is placed, it is attracted and held by electrostatic force using the electrode 109. Therefore, there is no need to provide protrusions, recesses, or the like on the bottom surface of the edge ring F or on the surface on which the edge ring F is placed (the upper surface 104b of the electrostatic chuck 104) to prevent the edge ring F from shifting in position after placement. In particular, since there is no need to provide such protrusions or the like on the upper surface 104b of the electrostatic chuck 104, the configuration of the electrostatic chuck 104 can be prevented from becoming complicated.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since there is no other member between the electrostatic chuck 104 of the wafer support table 101 and the edge ring F, the cumulative tolerance is small.

[0084] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining another example of the lift pin. The lift pin 160 in FIG. 8 has a columnar portion 162 and a connecting portion 163 in addition to an upper end portion 161 formed in a hemispherical shape.

[0085] The columnar portion 162 is formed in a columnar shape that is thicker than the upper end portion 161, and specifically, for example, is formed in a cylindrical shape that is thicker than the upper end portion 161. The connecting portion 163 is a portion that connects the upper end portion 161 and the columnar portion 162. This connecting portion is formed in a truncated cone shape that gradually tapers upward, and specifically, for example, is formed in a truncated cone shape whose lower end has the same diameter as the columnar portion 162 and whose upper end has the same diameter as the upper end portion 161.

[0086] By using the lift pins 160, the positioning accuracy of the edge ring F relative to the lift pins 160 can be improved. By using the above-mentioned lift pins 107, the recess F1 can be made shallower, and therefore the edge ring F can be made thinner and lighter.

[0087] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining another example of the electrostatic chuck. In the electrostatic chuck 170 shown in FIG. 9, an insulating guide 180 is provided in the through hole 117 through which the lift pin 107 is inserted. The guide 180 is, for example, a cylindrical member made of resin, and is fitted into the through-hole 117 . In the electrostatic chuck 170, the lift pins 107 are inserted into guides 180 provided in the through holes 117, and the movement direction of the lift pins 107 when they are raised and lowered is determined to be the up-and-down direction by the guides 180. Therefore, the upper ends of the lift pins 107 are positioned with higher precision relative to the electrostatic chuck 170. Therefore, when the lift pins 107, which position and support the edge ring F, are lowered to place the edge ring F on the upper surface 104b of the electrostatic chuck 170, the edge ring F can be placed on the upper surface 104b in a state where it is positioned with higher precision relative to the electrostatic chuck 170.

[0088] (Reference embodiment 2) FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of a wafer support table 200 as a substrate support table according to the second reference embodiment. In the first reference embodiment, the edge ring F is the object to be replaced, but in this reference embodiment, the cover ring C is the object to be replaced. The cover ring C is an annular member that covers the outer surface of the edge ring F in the circumferential direction.

[0089] The wafer support table 200 in FIG. 10 includes a lower electrode 201 , an electrostatic chuck 202 , a support 203 , an insulator 204 , and lift pins 205 . 2 and the like are provided with through-holes 117 that penetrate the lower electrode 103 and the electrostatic chuck 104, but the lower electrode 201 and the electrostatic chuck 202 are not provided with through-holes 117. In this respect, the lower electrode 201 and the electrostatic chuck 202 differ from the lower electrode 103 and the electrostatic chuck 104.

[0090] The support 203 is a member made of, for example, quartz or the like and formed in a ring shape in a plan view, and supports the lower electrode 201 as well as the covering C. An upper surface 203a of the support 203 serves as an annular member mounting surface on which the covering C, which is the annular member to be replaced, is placed.

[0091] The insulator 204 is a cylindrical member made of ceramic or the like, and supports the support 203. The insulator 204 is formed, for example, to have an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of the support 203, and supports the periphery of the support 203.

[0092] 2 etc. are inserted into through holes 117 that are provided so as to penetrate the lower electrode 103 and the electrostatic chuck 104, whereas the lift pins 205 are inserted into through holes 206 that penetrate the support 203 in the vertical direction from the upper surface 203a. In this respect, the lift pins 205 differ from the lift pins 107. Similar to the lift pins 107, three or more lift pins 205 are provided at intervals from one another along the circumferential direction of the electrostatic chuck 202.

[0093] Like the lifting pins 107, the lifting pins 205 have upper ends formed in a hemispherical shape that gradually tapers upward. When the upper ends of the lifting pins 205 are raised, they come into contact with the bottom surface of the covering C to support the covering C. At positions on the bottom surface of the covering C corresponding to each of the lifting pins 205, recesses C1 formed from concave surfaces C1a that are recessed upward are provided.

[0094] In plan view, the size of the recess C1 of the covering C is larger than the transfer accuracy of the covering C by the transfer device 70 and is also larger than the size of the upper end of the lift pin 205. Furthermore, as described above, the upper end of the lifting pin 205 is formed in a hemispherical shape that gradually becomes thinner toward the top, and the concave surface C1a that forms the recess C1 of the cover C is set to have a smaller curvature than the convex surface 205a that forms the hemispherical shape of the upper end of the lifting pin 205.

[0095] The process of attaching and removing the cover ring C is the same as the process of attaching and removing the edge ring F according to the first reference embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. 2 and other drawings, the lift pins 107 for the edge ring F are configured to be capable of protruding and retracting from the upper surface 104b of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104. When the edge ring F is attracted by electrostatic force, the upper end surfaces of the lift pins 107 are recessed from the upper surface 104a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 104. In contrast, the lift pins 205 for the cover ring C do not have to be configured to be capable of protruding and retracting from the upper surface 203a of the support 203, as long as they are configured to be capable of protruding from the upper surface 203a of the support 203 and the amount of protrusion is adjustable. Furthermore, when the edge ring F is attracted by electrostatic force, the upper end surfaces of the lift pins 205 may protrude from the upper surface 203a of the support 203.

[0096] (Reference embodiment 3) FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of a wafer support table 300 as a substrate support table according to the third reference embodiment. In reference embodiment 1, the edge ring F is the object to be replaced, and in reference embodiment 2, the covering ring C is the object to be replaced, but in this reference embodiment, both the edge ring F and the covering ring C are the object to be replaced.

[0097] In this embodiment, the edge ring F and the cover ring C are replaced separately. Therefore, the edge ring F is provided with lift pins 107 and through holes 117, and the cover ring C is provided with lift pins 205 and through holes 206. The recesses F1 and C1 described above are formed in the bottom surfaces of the edge ring F and the cover ring C, respectively.

[0098] In this reference embodiment, the processes for attaching and removing the edge ring F and the process for attaching and removing the cover ring C are similar to those for attaching and removing the edge ring F in the first reference embodiment, and therefore, description thereof will be omitted.

[0099] (Present embodiment) In Reference Embodiment 1, the edge ring F was the object to be replaced, in Reference Embodiment 2, the covering ring C was the object to be replaced, and in Reference Embodiment 3, both the edge ring F and the covering ring C were the object to be replaced. In contrast, in this embodiment, the covering ring supporting the edge ring or the edge ring alone is the object to be replaced. That is, in this embodiment, both an edge ring and a cover ring are used, as in Reference Embodiment 3. The technology according to this embodiment is for selectively replacing the edge ring in a plasma processing system in which both an edge ring and a cover ring are used, between replacement while supported by the cover ring (i.e., replacement integrated with the cover ring) and replacement of the edge ring alone.

[0100] FIG. 12 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of a plasma processing system according to this embodiment. The plasma processing system 1a in FIG. 12 differs from the plasma processing system 1 in FIG. 1 in that the decompression section 11 includes, in addition to the transfer module 50 and the processing module 60, a storage module 62 that stores at least one of a cover ring that supports the edge ring and a jig, described below, that is used to replace the edge ring alone.

[0101] In the illustrated example, two storage modules 62 are provided for one transfer module 50. At least one of the two storage modules 62 stores a cover ring supporting an edge ring, and at least the other stores a jig. The number and arrangement of the storage modules 62 are not limited to those in this embodiment and can be set arbitrarily, as long as at least one is provided. The storage module 62 is connected to the transfer module 50 via a gate valve 63. The interior of the storage module 62, like the interiors of the transfer module 50 and the processing module 60, is maintained in a reduced pressure atmosphere.

[0102] In transfer module 50 of plasma processing system 1a, the cover ring or jig supporting the edge ring stored in storage module 62 is received by transport arm 71 and transported to processing module 60. In transfer module 50, the cover ring or jig supporting the edge ring held in processing module 60 is received by transport arm 71 and transported to storage module 62.

[0103] 12 and the plasma processing system 1 of FIG. 1 differ in the configuration of the wafer support stage serving as the substrate support stage in the processing module 60. In the plasma processing system 1a of FIG.

[0104] FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of a wafer support table 400 serving as a substrate support table according to this embodiment.

[0105] The wafer support table 400 in FIG. 13 includes a lower electrode 401 , an electrostatic chuck 402 , a support 403 , an insulator 404 , and a lifter 405 .

[0106] The lower electrode 401 and the electrostatic chuck 402 are provided with an insertion hole 406 through which the lifter 405 is inserted. The insertion hole 406 is formed, for example, to extend downward from an upper surface 402a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 402 to the bottom surface of the lower electrode 401. In the illustrated example, the electrostatic chuck 402 is provided with a bipolar electrode 109 for attracting and holding the edge ring Fa, but the electrode for attracting and holding the edge ring Fa may be a monopolar electrode. Also, the electrode for attracting and holding the edge ring Fa may be omitted from the electrostatic chuck 402. Furthermore, when an electrode for attracting the edge ring Fa is provided on the electrostatic chuck, the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck where the electrode for attracting the edge ring Fa is provided and the central portion of the electrostatic chuck where the electrode 108 for attracting the wafer W is provided may be integral or separate.

[0107] The support 403 is a member made of, for example, quartz or the like and formed in a ring shape in a plan view, and supports the lower electrode 401 .

[0108] The upper surface 403a of this support 403 and the upper surface 402a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 402 serve as annular member support surfaces on which the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa, which is one of the annular members to be replaced in this embodiment, is placed.

[0109] The insulator 404 is a cylindrical member made of ceramic or the like, and supports the support 403. The insulator 404 is formed, for example, to have an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of the support 403, and supports the periphery of the support 403.

[0110] In this embodiment, the cover ring Ca is configured to support the edge ring Fa and is formed to at least partially overlap the edge ring Fa in a planar view. For example, the cover ring Ca supports the edge ring Fa in a substantially concentric state with the cover ring Ca. In one embodiment, the diameter of the innermost periphery of the cover ring Ca is smaller than the diameter of the outermost periphery of the edge ring Fa. When the cover ring Ca and the edge ring Fa are disposed substantially concentrically, the inner periphery of the cover ring Ca at least partially overlaps the outer periphery of the edge ring Fa in a planar view. For example, in one embodiment, the edge ring Fa has a recess Fa1 recessed radially inward on the outer periphery of its bottom, and the cover ring Ca has a protrusion Ca1 protruding radially inward on its bottom, and the edge ring Fa is supported by engagement between the protrusion Ca1 and the recess Fa1.

[0111] In this embodiment, the edge ring Fa has a step formed on its upper part, similar to the edge ring F in Figure 2, with the upper surface of the outer periphery being higher than the upper surface of the inner periphery, and its inner diameter being smaller than the outer diameter of the wafer W. Furthermore, in one embodiment, a protrusion may be provided on one of the covering ring Ca and the edge ring Fa, and a recess that engages with the protrusion may be provided on the other, so as to prevent misalignment between the covering ring Ca and the edge ring Fa. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14 , an annular protrusion Ca2 may be formed on the upper surface of the covering ring Ca, concentric with the covering ring Ca, and an annular recess Fa2 may be formed on the lower surface of the edge ring Fa, concentric with the edge ring Fa, at a position corresponding to the annular protrusion Ca2. The engagement between the annular protrusion Ca2 and the annular recess Fa2 can prevent misalignment between the covering ring Ca and the edge ring Fa. Alternatively, an annular recess may be formed on the upper surface of the covering ring Ca, and an annular protrusion may be formed on the lower surface of the edge ring Fa, so that the engagement prevents misalignment between the covering ring Ca and the edge ring Fa. The edge ring Fa may be a one-piece body or a two-piece body (that is, may be made up of a plurality of members).

[0112] The lifter 405 is a member that moves up and down so as to protrude from a position on the upper surface 402a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 402 that overlaps with the cover ring C in a plan view. The lifter 405 moves up and down while protruding from the position, thereby supporting and lifting the cover ring Ca that supports the edge ring Fa. In one embodiment, the lifter 405 is a long, columnar member, similar to the lift pins 107 described above. The lifter 405 is also provided so as not to obstruct the lifting and lowering of a jig (described later) when the jig is lifted and lowered by the lifting pins 106 (see FIG. 16 described later). The lifting pins 106 are an example of a lifter for the wafer W that is lifted and lowered so as to be protrusive from the upper surface (i.e., the substrate mounting surface) 104a of the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 402.

[0113] The lifter 405 protrudes and retracts from, for example, a position on the upper surface 402a of the peripheral edge of the electrostatic chuck 402, corresponding to the protruding portion Ca1 of the covering Ca. An insertion hole 406 through which the lifter 405 is inserted is formed at a position corresponding to the protruding portion Ca1 of the covering Ca. In the example shown in the figure, the lifter 405 is a long, columnar member, and therefore the insertion hole 406 penetrates the electrostatic chuck 402 and the lower electrode 401. However, depending on the shape of the lifter 405, the insertion hole 406 may not penetrate the electrostatic chuck 402 and the lower electrode 401.

[0114] Similar to the lifting pins 107 in FIG. 2, three or more lifters 405 are provided at intervals along the circumferential direction of the electrostatic chuck 402. The lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the lifter 405 may be provided for each lifter 405, or a common lifting mechanism may be provided for a plurality of lifters 405.

[0115] The upper end of the lifter 405 may be formed in a hemispherical shape that gradually tapers upward, similar to the lifting pins 107. For example, when the upper end of the lifter 405 is raised, it abuts against the bottom surface of the protruding portion Ca1 of the covering Ca to support the covering C that supports the edge ring F. As shown in FIG. 15 , recesses Ca3 formed from concave surfaces Ca3a that are recessed upward may be provided at positions on the bottom surface of the protruding portion Ca1 of the covering C that correspond to the lifters 405.

[0116] When the recess Ca3 is provided, the size thereof is, for example, larger than the conveying accuracy of the covering C by the conveying device 70 and larger than the size of the upper end of the lifter 405 in plan view. Furthermore, if the upper end of the lifter 405 is formed in a hemispherical shape that gradually becomes thinner toward the top, as described above, the concave surface Ca3a that forms the recess Ca3 may be set to have a smaller curvature than the convex surface 405a that forms the hemispherical shape of the upper end of the lifter 405.

[0117] Next, an example of a process for attaching the cover ring Ca while supporting the edge ring Fa, performed using the plasma processing system 1a, will be described. Note that the following process is performed under the control of the control device 80.

[0118] First, the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa is removed from the storage module 62 and held by the transfer arm 71 of the transfer module 50 in the vacuum atmosphere of the plasma processing system 1a. Next, the transfer arm 71 holding the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa is inserted through a loading / unloading port (not shown) into the reduced-pressure plasma processing chamber 100 of the processing module 60 to which the cover ring Ca is to be attached. Then, the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa is transferred by the transfer arm 71 above the upper surface 402a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 402 and the upper surface 403a of the support 403 (hereinafter, sometimes abbreviated as the "annular member mounting surface of the wafer support table 400").

[0119] Next, all of the lifters 405 are raised, and the covering ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa is transferred from the transport arm 71 to the lifters 405. Specifically, all of the lifters 405 are raised, and first, the upper ends of the lifters 405 come into contact with the bottom surface of the covering ring Ca held by the transport arm 71. If the lifters 405 continue to rise after this contact, the covering ring Ca supporting the edge ring is transferred to and supported by the lifters 405.

[0120] Then, the transport arm 71 is extracted or retracted from the plasma processing chamber 100, and then the lifter 405 is lowered, thereby placing the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa on the annular member mounting surface of the wafer support table 400. This completes the series of steps of attaching the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa.

[0121] Next, an example of a process for removing the cover ring Ca while supporting the edge ring Fa, performed using the plasma processing system 1a, will be described. Note that the following process is performed under the control of the control device 80.

[0122] First, all the lifters 405 are raised, and the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa is transferred from the annular member mounting surface of the wafer support table 400 to the lifters 405. After that, the lifters 405 continue to rise, and the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa moves upward.

[0123] Next, the transfer arm 71 is inserted from the transfer module 50 in the vacuum atmosphere of the plasma processing system 1a through a transfer port (not shown) into the depressurized plasma processing chamber 100. Then, the transfer arm 71 is moved between the annular member mounting surface of the wafer support table 400 and the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa.

[0124] Next, the lifter 405 is lowered, and the covering ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa is transferred from the lifter 405 to the transfer arm 71. Thereafter, the transfer arm 71 is extracted from the plasma processing chamber 100, and the covering ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa is carried out to the outside of the processing module 60. Then, the covering ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa is stored in the storage module 62 by the transfer arm 71. This completes the series of steps for removing the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa.

[0125] Next, an example of a process for removing the edge ring Fa alone, which is performed using the plasma processing system 1a, will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 to 21. The following process is performed under the control of the control device 80. A jig J is used in the process for attaching the edge ring Fa alone. The jig J is configured to be able to support only the edge ring Fa without supporting the cover ring Ca, and is, for example, a plate-like member having a portion that is longer than the inner diameter of the edge ring Fa but shorter than the inner diameter of the cover ring Ca. Specifically, the jig J is, for example, a substantially rectangular plate-like member having a diagonal that is longer than the inner diameter of the edge ring Fa but shorter than the inner diameter of the cover ring Ca in a plan view, or may be a disk-like member having a diameter that is longer than the inner diameter of the edge ring Fa but shorter than the inner diameter of the cover ring Ca.

[0126] In the process of removing the edge ring Fa alone, first, all of the lifters 405 are raised, and the cover ring C supporting the edge ring F is transferred from the upper surface 402a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 402 and the upper surface 403a of the support 403 (i.e., the annular member mounting surface of the wafer support table 400) to the lifters 405. After that, the lifters 405 continue to rise, and the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa moves upward, as shown in FIG.

[0127] Next, the transfer arm 71 holding the jig J taken out from the processing module 60 is inserted into the depressurized plasma processing chamber 100 through a transfer port (not shown) from the transfer module 50 in the vacuum atmosphere of the plasma processing system 1. Then, as shown in FIG. 17 , the jig J held by the transfer arm 71 is moved between the upper surface 402 a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 402 and the upper surface 403 a of the support body 403 and the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa.

[0128] Next, the lifting pins 106, which are an example of a lifter, are raised relative to the wafer W, and the jig J is transferred from the transfer arm 71 to the lifting pins 106, as shown in FIG.

[0129] Next, the transfer arm 71 is extracted, or retracted, from the plasma processing chamber 100, and then the lifter 405 and the lifting pins 106 are moved relatively to each other; specifically, only the lifter 405 is lowered. As a result, the edge ring Fa is transferred from the covering ring Ca to the jig J, as shown in FIG. 19. Thereafter, only the lifter 405 continues to be lowered, and as a result, the covering ring Ca is transferred from the lifter 405 to the annular member mounting surface.

[0130] Next, the transfer arm 71 is inserted into the plasma processing chamber 100 through a loading / unloading port (not shown). Then, as shown in FIG. 20 , the transfer arm 71 is moved between the cover ring Ca and the jig J supporting the edge ring Fa.

[0131] Subsequently, the lifting pins 106 are lowered, and the jig J supporting the edge ring Fa is transferred from the lifting pins 106 to the transfer arm 71, as shown in FIG.

[0132] Then, the transfer arm 71 is extracted from the plasma processing chamber 100, and the jig J supporting the edge ring Fa is carried out from the plasma processing chamber 100. The jig J supporting the edge ring Fa is stored in the storage module 62 by the transfer arm 71. This completes the series of processes for removing the edge ring Fa alone.

[0133] Next, an example of a process for attaching the edge ring Fa alone using the plasma processing system 1a will be described. The following process is performed under the control of the control device 80. As will be described below, the jig J is used in the process for attaching the edge ring Fa alone, as in the process for removing it.

[0134] First, the transfer arm 71 of the transfer module 50 in the vacuum atmosphere of the plasma processing system 1a takes out the jig J supporting the edge ring Fa from the storage module 62 and holds it. Next, the transfer arm 71 holding the jig J supporting the edge ring Fa is inserted through a loading / unloading port (not shown) into the reduced-pressure plasma processing chamber 100 of the processing module 60 to which the edge ring Fa is to be attached. Then, as shown in FIG. 22 , the transfer arm 71 transfers the jig J supporting the edge ring Fa above the upper surface 104a of the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 402.

[0135] Next, the lifting pins 106 are raised, and the jig J supporting the edge ring Fa is transferred from the transfer arm 71 to the lifting pins 106, as shown in FIG.

[0136] Next, the transport arm 71 is extracted, i.e., retreated, from the plasma processing chamber 100, and then the lifter 405, which supports only the covering ring Ca, is raised, thereby transferring the edge ring Fa from the jig J on the lifting pins 106 to the covering ring Ca, as shown in FIG. 24.

[0137] Next, the transfer arm 71 is inserted again into the plasma processing chamber 100 through the transfer port (not shown). Then, as shown in FIG. 25 , the transfer arm 71 is moved to a position between the upper surface (i.e., the substrate mounting surface) 104a of the central portion of the electrostatic chuck 402 and the jig J.

[0138] Subsequently, the lifting pins 106 are lowered, and the jig J not supporting the edge ring Fa is transferred from the lifting pins 106 to the transfer arm 71, as shown in FIG.

[0139] Then, the transfer arm 71 is removed from the plasma processing chamber 100, and the jig J is carried out from the plasma processing chamber 100. The jig J is stored in the storage module 62 by the transfer arm 71.

[0140] The lifter 405 is also lowered, so that the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa is placed so as to straddle the upper surface 402a of the peripheral portion of the electrostatic chuck 402 and the upper surface 403a of the support body 403, as shown in FIG. 27. This completes the series of processes for removing the edge ring Fa alone.

[0141] As described above, according to this embodiment, when replacing the edge ring Fa in a plasma processing system 1a that uses both an edge ring Fa and a cover ring Ca, replacement can be selectively performed while the edge ring Fa is supported by the cover ring Ca or by replacing the edge ring alone. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the edge ring Fa can be replaced while supported by the cover ring Ca, i.e., the edge ring Fa and the cover ring Ca can be replaced simultaneously, the time required for these replacements can be further reduced. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide a mechanism for raising and lowering the edge ring Fa, costs can be reduced. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when replacement of the cover ring Ca is not required and only the edge ring Fa needs to be replaced, only the edge ring Fa can be replaced without providing a mechanism for directly raising and lowering the edge ring Fa.

[0142] At least one of the cover ring Ca supporting the edge ring Fa and the jig J may be housed in a container placed on the load port 32.

[0143] Furthermore, an edge ring is an example of a first annular member, and a cover ring is an example of a second annular member, as described below. The first annular member is an annular member arranged to surround a substrate placed on a wafer support table, and the second annular member is an annular member formed to at least partially overlap the first annular member in a plan view. More specifically, the second annular member is configured to be able to support the first annular member and is formed to at least partially overlap the first annular member in a plan view. The second annular member supports the first annular member, for example, in a state substantially concentric with the second annular member. Although the technology according to this embodiment has been described above using an example in which an edge ring and a cover ring are used, the technology according to this embodiment can be applied to any plasma processing system that uses the first annular member and the second annular member described above. By applying the technology according to this embodiment to a plasma processing system that uses the first annular member and the second annular member, when replacing the first annular member, it is possible to selectively replace the first annular member while it is supported by the second annular member, or to replace the first annular member alone.

[0144] Although various exemplary embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments, and various additions, omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made. Furthermore, elements in different embodiments may be combined to form other embodiments.

[0145] In addition to the above-described embodiments, the following supplementary notes are also disclosed. [Appendix 1] a substrate mounting surface on which a substrate is placed; an annular member mounting surface on which an annular member is mounted so as to surround the substrate held on the substrate mounting surface; three or more lifting pins configured to be able to protrude from the annular member mounting surface and lifting and lowering the pins so that the amount of protrusion from the annular member mounting surface can be adjusted; a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the lifting pins, a recess formed from an upwardly recessed surface is provided on the bottom surface of the annular member at a position corresponding to each of the lift pins, The substrate support base has a curvature at the top end of the lift pin that is greater than the curvature of the recess. [Appendix 2] 2. The substrate support base according to claim 1, wherein, in plan view, the opening of the recess is larger than the error in transporting the annular member above the annular member mounting surface. [Appendix 3] 3. The substrate support table according to claim 1, wherein the lifting mechanism independently raises and lowers the lifting pins. [Explanation of symbols]

[0146] 60 Processing Modules 70 Conveyor 71 Transfer arm 80 Control device 100 Plasma Processing Chamber 104a Top side 106 Lifting pin 110 Lifting mechanism 114 Lifting mechanism 400 wafer support 402a top side 403a top side 405 Lifter Ca covering Fa Edge Ring J jig W wafer

Claims

1. 1. A plasma processing system comprising: A plasma processing apparatus and a control apparatus are provided. The plasma processing apparatus includes: A processing vessel; a substrate support table provided in the processing chamber, the substrate support table including: an electrostatic chuck having a central portion on an upper surface of which a substrate is supported; a first ring positioned outside the central portion so as to surround the central portion; a second ring surrounding the first ring, a portion of which is positioned below the first ring; and a quartz support having a diameter larger than a diameter of an outermost portion of the electrostatic chuck and supporting a bottom surface of the outer periphery of the second ring; a lifter for raising and lowering the first ring and the second ring, the lifter being provided inside the outermost periphery of the support and below the second ring; the control device controls the lifter to raise the second ring so that the first ring is supported and lifted by the second ring; Plasma treatment system.

2. 2. The plasma processing system of claim 1, wherein a diameter of an innermost periphery of the second ring is smaller than a diameter of an outermost periphery of the first ring.

3. 3 . The plasma processing system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an inner periphery of the second ring overlaps at least a portion of an outer periphery of the first ring in a plan view.

4. 4. The plasma processing system of claim 1, wherein the second ring covers an outer surface of the first ring.

5. 5. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein one of the lower surface of the first ring and the upper surface of the second ring has a protrusion, and the other has a recess that engages with the protrusion.

6. The plasma processing system of claim 5 , wherein the protrusions and the recesses are formed along the circumferential direction of the first ring and the second ring.

7. 7. The plasma processing system of claim 1, wherein the first ring is an edge ring.

8. 8. The plasma processing system of claim 7, wherein the second ring is a cover ring that covers an outer surface of the edge ring.

9. 9. The plasma processing system of claim 1, wherein the first ring is made of Si or SiC.

10. 10. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein a recess that engages with an upper end of the lifter is formed on a lower surface of the second ring.

11. 11. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein the plasma processing apparatus further comprises another lifter that moves up and down and protrudes from the upper surface of the central portion of the electrostatic chuck.

12. an electrostatic chuck having a central portion for supporting a substrate on an upper surface thereof; a first ring positioned outside the central portion so as to surround the central portion; a second ring surrounding the first ring and having a portion thereof positioned below the first ring; and a quartz support having a diameter larger than a diameter of an outermost periphery of the electrostatic chuck and supporting a bottom surface of the outer periphery of the second ring; a lifter for raising and lowering the first ring and the second ring, the lifter being provided inside the outermost periphery of the support and below the second ring; the lifter is protrudable from the support and, when raised, raises the second ring so that the first ring is supported and lifted by the second ring; Substrate support stand.

13. The substrate support pedestal of claim 12 , wherein the diameter of the innermost periphery of the second ring is smaller than the diameter of the outermost periphery of the first ring.

14. The substrate support table according to claim 12 or 13, wherein at least a part of an inner periphery of the second ring overlaps at least a part of an outer periphery of the first ring in a plan view.

15. The substrate support table according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the second ring covers an outer surface of the first ring.

16. 16. The substrate support stand according to claim 12, wherein one of the lower surface of the first ring and the upper surface of the second ring has a protrusion, and the other has a recess that engages with the protrusion.

17. The substrate support table according to claim 16 , wherein the protrusions and the recesses are formed along the circumferential direction of the first ring and the second ring.

18. The substrate support table according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the first ring is an edge ring.

19. The substrate support pedestal of claim 18 , wherein the second ring is a cover ring that covers an outer surface of the edge ring.

20. The substrate support table according to any one of claims 12 to 19, wherein the first ring is made of Si or SiC.

21. 21. The substrate support table according to claim 12, wherein a recess that engages with an upper end of the lifter is formed on a lower surface of the second ring.

22. 22. The substrate support table according to claim 12, further comprising another lifter that moves up and down and can protrude from the upper surface of the central portion of the electrostatic chuck.

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