Semiconductor device manufacturing method, abnormality sign detection method, abnormality sign detection program, and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a technique in which a process recipe including a plurality of steps is performed to process a substrate, said technique comprising: a vibration data acquisition step for acquiring from a vibration sensor vibration data of a member for exhaust of the environment of a process chamber in which the substrate is processed, during performance of the process recipe; and an anomaly indication detection step for detecting, on the basis of the acquired vibration data, that there is an anomaly indication when the ratio of the intensity of vibration in the rotation frequency of the member to the intensity of vibration in a comparative frequency which is an integral multiple of the rotation frequency exceeds a pre-set anomaly indication threshold.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing method, an abnormality sign detection method, an abnormality sign detection program, and a substrate processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] There are known substrate processing apparatuses and semiconductor device manufacturing methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices by forming a thin film on a substrate such as a silicon wafer. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2014-127702 discloses a semiconductor device manufacturing method for forming a thin film on a substrate accommodated in a processing chamber by sequentially supplying a source gas and a reactive gas that reacts with the source gas into the processing chamber.

[0003] Generally, such a substrate processing apparatus is composed of various components, such as a vacuum pump that evacuates the processing chamber, a mass flow controller that controls the flow rate of reactive gases, etc., an opening / closing valve, a pressure gauge, a heater that heats the processing chamber, and a transport mechanism that transports the substrate.

[0004] Each of these various components gradually deteriorates with use and fails, necessitating replacement with a new component.

[0005] If a component is used until it breaks down, all of the substrates processed by the substrate processing apparatus at the time of the breakdown may become defective, resulting in loss of the substrates and production time at the time of the breakdown. Furthermore, if components are replaced periodically before a breakdown occurs, they must be replaced at intervals that are short enough to prevent a breakdown, which increases the frequency of component replacement and can lead to increased operating costs. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide a technology capable of detecting signs of abnormality in components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a technology for processing a substrate by executing a process recipe including a plurality of steps, the technology including: a vibration data acquisition process for acquiring vibration data of a member that exhausts the atmosphere of a processing chamber in which the substrate is processed from a vibration sensor while executing the process recipe; and an abnormality sign detection process for detecting the presence of an abnormality sign based on the acquired vibration data if the ratio between the magnitude of vibration at the rotational frequency of the member and the magnitude of vibration at a rotational frequency that is an integer multiple of the rotational frequency exceeds a predetermined abnormality sign threshold. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, a technique is provided that can detect signs of abnormality in a component. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional elevation view showing a schematic configuration of a processing furnace of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main control unit of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a substrate processing process when the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment is used as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a determination procedure for detecting an abnormality sign of a component according to an embodiment. [Figure 7A] 10 is a graph showing an example of a time series of power spectrum ratios serving as indicators for abnormality sign detection on the X axis of a member according to an embodiment. [Figure 7B] 10 is a graph showing an example of a time series of power spectrum ratios serving as indicators for abnormality sign detection on the Y axis of a component according to an embodiment. [Figure 7C]10 is a graph showing an example of a time series of power spectrum ratios serving as indicators for abnormality sign detection in the Z axis of a member according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a part of a control system of a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a timing chart for acquiring vibration data of a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A semiconductor device manufacturing method, a predictive detection program, and a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below. In FIG. 1, arrow F indicates the front of the substrate processing apparatus, arrow B indicates the rear, arrow R indicates the right, arrow L indicates the left, arrow U indicates the upward direction, and arrow D indicates the downward direction. The configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 10 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements between multiple drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones.

[0011] <Overall configuration of the processing device> As shown in Fig. 1, substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a housing 12 made of a pressure-resistant container. An opening is provided in the front wall of housing 12 to allow for maintenance, and a pair of front doors 14 are provided at this opening as an access mechanism for opening and closing the opening. In substrate processing apparatus 10, a pod (substrate container) 18 serving as a substrate storage container for storing substrates (wafers) 16 (see Fig. 2) such as silicon substrates (described later) is used as a carrier for transporting substrates 16 in and out of housing 12.

[0012] A pod loading / unloading port is opened in the front wall of the housing 12 so as to communicate between the inside and outside of the housing 12. A load port 20 is installed at the pod loading / unloading port. The load port 20 is configured so that a pod 18 can be placed on it and the pod 18 can be positioned thereon.

[0013] A rotating pod shelf 22 is installed at the top in approximately the center of the housing 12. A plurality of pods 18 are stored on the rotating pod shelf 22. The rotating pod shelf 22 includes a support column that is set up vertically and rotates within a horizontal plane, and a plurality of shelves that are supported radially on the support column at upper, middle, and lower positions.

[0014] A pod transfer device 24 is installed between the load port 20 and the rotary pod shelf 22 inside the housing 12. The pod transfer device 24 has a pod elevator 24A and a pod transfer mechanism 24B that can move up and down while holding a pod 18. The pod elevator 24A and the pod transfer mechanism 24B are configured to transport the pods 18 between the load port 20, the rotary pod shelf 22, and a pod opener 26 (described later) by continuous operation.

[0015] A sub-housing 28 is provided at the bottom of the housing 12, extending from approximately the center to the rear end of the housing 12. A pair of pod openers 26 that transport substrates 16 into and out of the sub-housing 28 are installed on the front wall of the sub-housing 28.

[0016] Each pod opener 26 includes a mounting base on which the pod 18 is placed, and a cap attaching / detaching mechanism 30 that attaches and detaches the cap of the pod 18. The pod opener 26 is configured to open and close the substrate loading / unloading opening of the pod 18 by using the cap attaching / detaching mechanism 30 to attach and detach the lid of the pod 18 placed on the mounting base.

[0017] A transfer chamber 32 is configured within the sub-housing 28 and is fluidly isolated from the space in which the pod transport device 24, the rotary pod shelf 22, etc. are installed. A substrate transfer mechanism 34 is installed in the front region of the transfer chamber 32. The substrate transfer mechanism 34 is configured with a substrate transfer device 34A that can rotate or linearly move the substrate 16 in the horizontal direction, and a substrate transfer device elevator 34B that raises and lowers the substrate transfer device 34A.

[0018] The substrate transfer device elevator 34B is installed between the right end of the front region of the transfer chamber 32 of the sub-housing 28 and the right end of the housing 12. The substrate transfer device 34A also has tweezers (not shown) as a holder for the substrate 16. By successively operating the substrate transfer device elevator 34B and the substrate transfer device 34A, the substrate 16 can be charged and discharged from a boat 36 serving as a substrate holder.

[0019] 2, a boat elevator 38 that raises and lowers a boat 36 is installed inside the sub-housing 28 (transfer chamber 32). An arm 40 is connected to the lifting platform of the boat elevator 38, and a lid (seal cap) 42 is horizontally attached to the arm 40. The lid 42 supports the boat 36 vertically and is configured to be able to close the lower end of a processing furnace 44, which will be described later.

[0020] The transfer mechanism for transferring the substrates 16 mainly comprises the rotating pod shelf 22, the pod transfer device 24, the substrate transfer mechanism 34, the boat 36 shown in Fig. 1, the boat elevator 38 shown in Fig. 2, and a rotation mechanism 46 described below. The rotating pod shelf 22, the boat elevator 38, the pod transfer device 24, the substrate transfer mechanism 34, the boat 36, and the rotation mechanism 46 are each electrically connected to a transfer controller 48 described below.

[0021] 1, a processing furnace 44 is provided above a standby section 50 that accommodates and standbys the boat 36. A clean unit 52 is installed at the left end of the transfer chamber 32, opposite the substrate transfer device elevator 34B. The clean unit 52 is configured to supply clean air 52A, which is a purified atmosphere or an inert gas.

[0022] The clean air 52A blown out from the clean unit 52 circulates around the substrate transfer device 34A and the boat 36 in the standby section 50. Thereafter, the clean air 52A is sucked in by a duct (not shown) and exhausted to the outside of the housing 12, or is circulated to the primary side (supply side), which is the suction side of the clean unit 52, and is blown out again into the transfer chamber 32 by the clean unit 52.

[0023] A plurality of apparatus covers (not shown) are attached to the outer peripheries of the housing 12 and the sub-housing 28 as mechanisms for accessing the substrate processing apparatus 10. These apparatus covers are removed during maintenance work, allowing maintenance personnel to enter the substrate processing apparatus 10. Door switches 54 (only the door switch 54 of the housing 12 is shown) are provided as access sensors on the ends of the housing 12 and the sub-housing 28 that face these apparatus covers.

[0024] In addition, a substrate detection sensor 56 that detects the placement of a pod 18 is provided on the load port 20. These switches and sensors, such as the door switch 54 and the substrate detection sensor 56, are electrically connected to a substrate processing apparatus controller 58 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) that serves as a main control section, which will be described later.

[0025] 2, the substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a gas supply unit 60 and an exhaust unit 62 outside the housing 12. A process gas supply system and a purge gas supply system are housed within the gas supply unit 60. The process gas supply system includes a process gas supply source and an on-off valve (not shown), a mass flow controller (hereinafter abbreviated as MFC) 64A as a gas flow rate controller, and a process gas supply pipe 66A. The purge gas supply system includes a purge gas supply source and an on-off valve (not shown), an MFC 64B, and a purge gas supply pipe 66B.

[0026] The exhaust unit 62 houses a gas exhaust mechanism that includes an exhaust pipe 68, a pressure sensor 70 serving as a pressure detection unit, and a pressure adjustment unit 72 that is, for example, an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve. Although not shown, a vacuum pump 74 serving as an exhaust device is connected to the exhaust pipe 68 downstream of the exhaust unit 62. The vacuum pump 74 may also be included in the gas exhaust mechanism. The exhaust unit 62 and the vacuum pump 74 may be installed nearby, such as on the same floor, or may be installed separately, such as on different floors.

[0027] The vacuum pump 74 is provided with an acceleration sensor 75 as a vibration sensor. The acceleration sensor 75 measures vibration data of the vacuum pump 74. The acceleration sensor 75 is a triaxial acceleration sensor capable of measuring vibrations in three orthogonal axial directions, and is arranged so as to be able to measure vibrations in the up-down direction of the substrate processing apparatus 10 (the directions of arrows U and D, hereinafter referred to as the "Z-axis direction"), the left-right direction of the substrate processing apparatus 10 (the directions of arrows R and L, hereinafter referred to as the "Y-axis direction"), and the front-rear direction of the substrate processing apparatus 10 (the directions of arrows F and B, hereinafter referred to as the "X-axis direction"). The rotation axis of the rotor of the vacuum pump 74 is arranged along the Y-axis direction.

[0028] 2, the substrate processing apparatus controller 58 serving as a main control unit is connected to the transfer controller 48, the temperature controller 76, the pressure controller 78, and the gas supply controller 80. In addition, as shown in Fig. 5, the substrate processing apparatus controller 58 is connected to a sign detection controller 82 serving as a sign detection unit, which will be described later.

[0029] <Configuration of processing furnace> 2, the processing furnace 44 includes a reaction tube (process tube) 84. The reaction tube 84 includes an inner reaction tube (inner tube) 84A and an outer reaction tube (outer tube) 84B provided outside the inner reaction tube 84A. The inner reaction tube 84A is formed in a cylindrical shape with open upper and lower ends, and a processing chamber 86 for processing the substrates 16 is formed in the hollow cylindrical portion within the inner reaction tube 84A. The processing chamber 86 is configured to be able to accommodate the boat 36.

[0030] A cylindrical heater 88 is provided outside the reaction tube 84 so as to surround the sidewall surface of the reaction tube 84. The heater 88 is supported by a heater base 90 and installed vertically.

[0031] A cylindrical furnace opening (manifold) 92 is disposed below the outer reaction tube 84B so as to be concentric with the outer reaction tube 84B. The furnace opening 92 is provided to support the lower end of the inner reaction tube 84A and the lower end of the outer reaction tube 84B, and is engaged with the lower end of the inner reaction tube 84A and the lower end of the outer reaction tube 84B, respectively.

[0032] An O-ring 94 is provided as a sealing member between the furnace throat 92 and the outer reaction tube 84B. The furnace throat 92 is supported by the heater base 90, so that the reaction tube 84 is installed vertically. The reaction tube 84 and the furnace throat 92 form a reaction vessel.

[0033] A process gas nozzle 96A and a purge gas nozzle 96B are connected to the furnace throat 92 so as to communicate with the inside of the process chamber 86. A process gas supply pipe 66A is connected to the process gas nozzle 96A. A process gas supply source (not shown) is connected to the upstream side of the process gas supply pipe 66A via an MFC 64A. A purge gas supply pipe 66B is connected to the purge gas nozzle 96B. A purge gas supply source (not shown) is connected to the upstream side of the purge gas supply pipe 66B via an MFC 64B.

[0034] An exhaust pipe 68 that exhausts the atmosphere in the processing chamber 86 is connected to the furnace throat 92. The exhaust pipe 68 is disposed at the lower end of a cylindrical space 98 formed by the gap between the inner reaction tube 84A and the outer reaction tube 84B, and communicates with the cylindrical space 98. A pressure sensor 70, a pressure adjustment unit 72, and a vacuum pump 74 are connected to the downstream side of the exhaust pipe 68 in this order from the upstream side.

[0035] A disk-shaped lid body 42 capable of airtightly closing the lower end opening of the furnace throat portion 92 is provided below the furnace throat portion 92, and an O-ring 100 is provided on the upper surface of the lid body 42 as a sealing member that abuts against the lower end of the furnace throat portion 92.

[0036] A rotation mechanism 46 for rotating the boat 36 is installed near the center of the lid 42 on the opposite side from the processing chamber 86. A rotation shaft 102 of the rotation mechanism 46 passes through the lid 42 and supports the boat 36 from below. The rotation mechanism 46 also has a built-in rotation motor 46A, which rotates the rotation shaft 102 of the rotation mechanism 46 to rotate the boat 36 and thereby rotate the substrates 16.

[0037] The lid 42 is configured to be raised and lowered in the vertical direction by a boat elevator 38 provided outside the reaction tube 84. By raising and lowering the lid 42, the boat 36 can be transported into and out of the processing chamber 86. A transport controller 48 is electrically connected to the rotation motor 46A of the rotation mechanism 46 and the boat elevator 38.

[0038] The boat 36 is configured to hold multiple substrates 16 in a horizontal position, aligned with their centers, in multiple stages. A plurality of circular heat insulating plates 104 are arranged horizontally in multiple stages below the boat 36 as heat insulating members. The boat 36 and the heat insulating plates 104 are made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz or silicon carbide. The heat insulating plates 104 are provided to prevent heat from the heater 88 from being transmitted to the furnace throat 92.

[0039] A temperature sensor 106 serving as a temperature detector is installed inside the reaction tube 84. The heater 88 and the temperature sensor 106 are electrically connected to the temperature controller 76.

[0040] <Operation of the substrate processing apparatus> 1 and 2, a method for forming a thin film on a substrate 16 will be described as one step in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device. The operation of each part constituting the substrate processing apparatus 10 is controlled by a controller 58 for the substrate processing apparatus.

[0041] 1, when the pod 18 is supplied to the load port 20 by an in-process transfer device (not shown), the pod 18 is detected by the substrate detection sensor 56, and the pod loading / unloading opening is opened by a front shutter (not shown). Then, the pod 18 on the load port 20 is loaded into the housing 12 through the pod loading / unloading opening by the pod transfer device 24.

[0042] The pod 18 carried into the housing 12 is automatically transported by the pod transport device 24 onto a shelf of the rotary pod shelf 22 and temporarily stored there. The pod 18 is then transferred from the shelf onto the platform of one of the pod openers 26. Note that the pod 18 carried into the housing 12 may also be directly transferred onto the platform of the pod opener 26 by the pod transport device 24.

[0043] The lid of the pod 18 placed on the mounting table is removed by the capping / removal mechanism 30, opening the substrate loading / unloading opening. Thereafter, the substrate 16 (see FIG. 2) is picked up from inside the pod 18 through the substrate loading / unloading opening by the tweezers of the substrate transfer device 34A, and after its orientation is aligned by a notch alignment device (not shown), it is carried into the waiting section 50 at the rear of the transfer chamber 32 and charged into the boat 36. After loading the substrate 16 into the boat 36, the substrate transfer device 34A returns to the mounting table on which the pod 18 was placed, removes the next substrate 16 from the pod 18, and loads it into the boat 36.

[0044] While the substrate transfer mechanism 34 of one of the pod openers 26 (upper or lower) is loading the substrates 16 into the boat 36, another pod 18 is transferred by the pod transfer device 24 from the rotary pod shelf 22 onto the mounting table of the other pod opener 26 (lower or upper).By transferring this other pod 18 to the mounting table, the pod opener 26 is simultaneously opening the pod 18.

[0045] When a predetermined number of substrates 16 are loaded into the boat 36, the lower end of the processing furnace 44 is opened by a furnace port shutter (not shown). Then, the boat 36 holding the group of substrates 16 is loaded into the processing furnace 44 by raising the lid 42 by the boat elevator 38 (boat loading step).

[0046] As described above, when the boat 36 holding multiple substrates 16 is loaded into the processing chamber 86 of the processing furnace 44, the lid 42 seals the lower end of the furnace opening 92 via the O-ring 100, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0047] Thereafter, a film formation process is performed to form a film on the group of substrates 16. First, the processing chamber 86 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 74 so that the interior of the processing chamber 86 reaches a desired pressure (vacuum level). At this time, the pressure adjustment unit 72 (the valve opening) is feedback-controlled based on the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 70. Also, the processing chamber 86 is heated by the heater 88 so that the interior of the processing chamber 86 reaches a desired temperature. At this time, the amount of power supplied to the heater 88 is feedback-controlled based on the temperature value detected by the temperature sensor 106. Next, the boat 36 and the substrates 16 are rotated by the rotation mechanism 46.

[0048] Next, the process gas supplied from the process gas supply source and controlled to a desired flow rate by the MFC 64A flows through the process gas supply pipe 66A and is introduced into the process chamber 86 from the process gas nozzle 96A. The introduced process gas rises in the process chamber 86, flows out from the upper end opening of the internal reaction tube 84A into the cylindrical space 98, and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 68. As the process gas passes through the process chamber 86, it comes into contact with the surface of the substrate 16, and at this time, a thin film is deposited on the surface of the substrate 16 by a thermal reaction.

[0049] After the preset processing time has elapsed, purge gas supplied from the purge gas supply source and controlled to the desired flow rate by MFC64B is supplied to the processing chamber 86, replacing the inside of the processing chamber 86 with an inert gas and returning the pressure in the processing chamber 86 to normal pressure.

[0050] Thereafter, the boat elevator 38 lowers the lid 42 to open the lower end of the furnace throat 92, and the boat 36 holding the processed substrates 16 is unloaded from the lower end of the furnace throat 92 to the outside of the reaction tube 84 (boat unloading step). Thereafter, the processed substrates 16 are removed from the boat 36 by the substrate transfer device 34A and stored (discharged) in the pod 18.

[0051] After discharging, the pod 18 containing the processed substrates 16 is carried out of the housing 12 in substantially the reverse order of the above-described procedure, except for the alignment step in the notch alignment device.

[0052] <Configuration of the controller for substrate processing apparatus> Next, the substrate processing apparatus controller 58 serving as the main control section will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

[0053] The substrate processing apparatus controller 58 is mainly composed of an arithmetic and control unit 108 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage unit 114 including a RAM 110, a ROM 112, and a HDD (not shown), an input unit 116 such as a mouse and a keyboard, and a display unit 118 such as a monitor. The arithmetic and control unit 108, the storage unit 114, the input unit 116, and the display unit 118 are configured so that each piece of data can be set.

[0054] The arithmetic control unit 108 constitutes the core of the controller 58 for the substrate processing apparatus, executes a control program stored in the ROM 112, and executes a recipe (e.g., a process recipe as a substrate processing recipe) stored in the memory unit 114, which also constitutes a recipe memory unit, in accordance with instructions from the input unit 116.

[0055] The ROM 112 is a recording medium configured by a flash memory, a hard disk, or the like, and stores operation programs and the like of the arithmetic and control unit 108 that controls the operation of each component (e.g., the vacuum pump 74, etc.) of the substrate processing apparatus 10. The RAM 110 (memory) also functions as a work area (temporary storage unit) for the arithmetic and control unit 108.

[0056] Here, the substrate processing recipe (process recipe) is a recipe that defines the processing conditions, processing procedures, etc. for processing the substrate 16. In addition, the recipe file also sets, for each step of the substrate processing, the setting values ​​(control values) to be sent to the transfer controller 48, the temperature controller 76, the pressure controller 78, the gas supply controller 80, etc., as well as the timing of sending the values.

[0057] The calculation and control unit 108 has the function of controlling the temperature and pressure within the processing furnace 44, the flow rate of the processing gas introduced into the processing furnace 44, etc., so that the substrate 16 loaded into the processing furnace 44 undergoes the specified processing.

[0058] The transport controller 48 is configured to control the transport operations of the rotating pod shelf 22, boat elevator 38, pod transport device 24, substrate transfer mechanism 34, boat 36, and rotation mechanism 46, which constitute the transport mechanism that transports the substrate 16.

[0059] Furthermore, the rotary pod shelf 22, the boat elevator 38, the pod transport device 24, the substrate transfer mechanism 34, the boat 36, and the rotation mechanism 46 each have a built-in sensor. When these sensors indicate a predetermined value or an abnormal value, a notification to that effect is sent to the substrate processing apparatus controller 58. The system for detecting signs of abnormality in each component of the substrate processing apparatus 10 will be described in detail later.

[0060] The memory unit 114 is provided with a data storage area 120 for storing various data and a program storage area 122 for storing various programs including substrate processing recipes (process recipes). The data storage area 120 stores various parameters related to recipe files. The program storage area 122 stores various programs necessary for controlling the apparatus, including the above-mentioned substrate processing recipes (process recipes).

[0061] The display unit 118 of the substrate processing apparatus controller 58 is provided with a touch panel (not shown). The touch panel is configured to display an operation screen for receiving input of operation commands to the substrate transport system and the substrate processing system. The substrate processing apparatus controller 58 may be configured to include at least the display unit 118 and the input unit 116, like an operation terminal (terminal device) such as a personal computer or mobile device.

[0062] The temperature controller 76 adjusts the temperature inside the processing furnace 44 by controlling the temperature of the heater 88 of the processing furnace 44. When the temperature sensor 106 indicates a predetermined value or an abnormal value, a notification to that effect is sent to the substrate processing apparatus controller 58.

[0063] The pressure controller 78 controls the pressure adjusting unit 72 based on the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor 70 so that the pressure inside the processing chamber 86 becomes the desired pressure at the desired timing. When the pressure sensor 70 indicates a predetermined value or an abnormal value, the pressure controller 78 is notified of this fact to the substrate processing apparatus controller 58.

[0064] The gas supply controller 80 is configured to control the MFCs 64A, 64B so that the flow rate of the gas supplied into the processing chamber 86 becomes a desired flow rate at a desired timing. When a sensor (not shown) provided in the MFCs 64A, 64B or the like indicates a predetermined value or an abnormal value, a notification to that effect is sent to the substrate processing apparatus controller 58.

[0065] <Substrate processing process> Next, an outline of a substrate processing step for processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to Fig. 4. This substrate processing step is, for example, one step in a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device (IC, LSI, etc.). In the following description, the operation and processing of each part constituting the substrate processing apparatus 10 are controlled by a substrate processing apparatus controller 58.

[0066] Here, an example will be described in which a source gas (first process gas) and a reactive gas (second process gas) are alternately supplied to the substrate 16 to form a thin film on the substrate 16. Note that, for example, a predetermined film may be formed on the substrate 16 in advance, or a predetermined pattern may be formed on the substrate 16 or the predetermined film in advance.

[0067] (Boat loading process S102) First, in the substrate carrying-in step S102, the substrates 16 are loaded into the boat 36 and then carried into the processing chamber 86. Note that in the substrate carrying-in step S102, the process of loading the substrates 16 into the boat 36 (charging) (S102-1) and the process of loading the boat 36 with the substrates 16 loaded into the processing chamber 86 (loading) (S102-2) may be distinguished and treated as separate processes.

[0068] (Film formation preparation step S103) The film formation preparation step S103 is a vacuum evacuation event prior to the film formation step, in which the inside of the processing chamber 86 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 74 to a desired pressure (vacuum level). At this time, the pressure adjustment unit 72 (the valve opening) is feedback-controlled based on the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 70, and the pressure in the processing chamber 86 is reduced from atmospheric pressure to a predetermined pressure. The processing chamber 86 is also heated by the heater 88 to a desired temperature. At this time, the amount of power supplied to the heater 88 is feedback-controlled based on the temperature value detected by the temperature sensor 106. Next, the boat 36 and the substrates 16 are rotated by the rotation mechanism 46. In addition, a leak check may be performed in the film formation preparation step S103.

[0069] (Film forming process S104) In the film forming step S104, the following four steps are carried out in order to form a thin film on the surface of the substrate 16. Note that between steps 1 to 4, the substrate 16 is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater 88.

[0070] [Step 1] In step 1, both an open / close valve (not shown) provided in the process gas supply pipe 66A and a pressure regulator 72 (APC valve) provided in the exhaust pipe 68 are opened, and the source gas whose flow rate has been adjusted (flow rate regulated, flow rate controlled) by the MFC 64A is passed through the process gas supply pipe 66A. The source gas is then supplied from the process gas nozzle 96A into the process chamber 86 and exhausted from the exhaust pipe 68. At this time, the pressure inside the process chamber 86 is maintained at a predetermined pressure. This forms a first layer on the surface of the substrate 16. The first layer contains elements contained in the source gas.

[0071] [Step 2] In step 2, the open / close valve of the processing gas supply pipe 66A is closed to stop the supply of the source gas. The pressure adjustment unit 72 (APC valve) of the exhaust pipe 68 is left open, and the processing chamber 86 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 74 to remove residual gas from the processing chamber 86. In addition, the open / close valve provided on the purge gas supply pipe 66B is opened to supply an inert gas into the processing chamber 86 to purge the processing chamber 86, and the residual gas in the processing chamber 86 is discharged to the outside of the processing chamber 86.

[0072] [Step 3] In step 3, both an open / close valve (not shown) provided in the purge gas supply pipe 66B and a pressure regulator 72 (APC valve) provided in the exhaust pipe 68 are opened, and the reaction gas whose flow rate is adjusted by the MFC 64B is passed through the purge gas supply pipe 66B. The reaction gas is then supplied into the processing chamber 86 from the purge gas nozzle 96B and exhausted from the exhaust pipe 68. At this time, the pressure inside the processing chamber 86 is maintained at a predetermined pressure. As a result, the first layer formed on the surface of the substrate 16 by the source gas reacts with the reaction gas, and the first layer is modified by the action of the reaction gas, forming a second layer on the substrate 16. Note that the second layer contains elements contained in the source gas and elements contained in the reaction gas.

[0073] [Step 4] In step 4, the open / close valve of the purge gas supply pipe 66B is closed to stop the supply of the reactive gas. The pressure adjustment unit 72 (APC valve) of the exhaust pipe 68 is left open, and the processing chamber 86 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 74 to remove residual gas from the processing chamber 86. In addition, an inert gas is supplied into the processing chamber 86, and the processing chamber 86 is purged again.

[0074] The above steps 1 to 4 constitute one cycle, and this cycle is repeated a predetermined number of times, preferably multiple times, to form a thin film of a predetermined thickness on the substrate 16.

[0075] Examples of the source gas that can be used include chlorosilane-based gases such as monochlorosilane (SiH3Cl, abbreviated as MCS) gas, dichlorosilane (SiH2Cl2, abbreviated as DCS) gas, trichlorosilane (SiHCl3, abbreviated as TCS) gas, tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4, abbreviated as STC) gas, hexachlorodisilane gas (Si2Cl6, abbreviated as HCDS) gas, and octachlorotrisilane (Si3Cl8, abbreviated as OCTS) gas. Examples of the source gas that can be used include fluorosilane-based gases such as tetrafluorosilane (SiF4) gas, bromosilane-based gases such as tetrabromosilane (SiBr4) gas, and iodosilane-based gases such as tetraiodosilane (SiI4) gas. Furthermore, as the source gas, for example, aminosilane gases such as tetrakis(dimethylamino)silane (Si[N(CH3)2]4, abbreviated as 4DMAS) gas, tris(dimethylamino)silane (Si[N(CH3)2]3H, abbreviated as 3DMAS) gas, bis(diethylamino)silane (Si[N(C2H5)2]2H2, abbreviated as BDEAS) gas, and bis(tertiarybutylamino)silane (SiH2[NH(C4H9)]2, abbreviated as BTBAS) gas can also be used. One or more of these can be used as the source gas.

[0076] Examples of the reactive gas that can be used include oxidizing gases such as oxygen (O) gas, nitrous oxide (N) gas, nitric oxide (NO) gas, nitrogen dioxide (NO) gas, ozone (O) gas, water vapor (H) gas, carbon monoxide (CO) gas, and carbon dioxide (CO) gas, as well as nitriding gases such as ammonia (NH) gas, hydrazine (N) gas, diazene (N) gas, and N) gas. One or more of these can be used as the reactive gas.

[0077] As the inert gas, for example, nitrogen (N2) gas can be used, and other rare gases such as argon (Ar) gas, helium (He) gas, neon (Ne) gas, xenon (Xe) gas, etc. One or more of these can be used as the inert gas.

[0078] When an oxidizing gas is used as the reactive gas, a silicon oxide film (SiO film) can be formed as a thin film on the substrate 16. When a nitriding gas is used as the reactive gas, a silicon nitride film (SiN film) can be formed as a thin film on the substrate 16. When an oxidizing gas and a nitriding gas are used as the reactive gas, a silicon oxynitride film (SiON film) can be formed as a thin film on the substrate 16.

[0079] (Boat unloading process S106) In the substrate unloading step S106, the boat 36 on which the substrates 16 having the thin films formed thereon are placed is unloaded from the processing chamber 86 by the boat elevator 38. Note that the next step, that is, the process of discharging the substrates 16 from the boat 36 by the substrate transfer device 34A, may be included in the substrate unloading step (S106).

[0080] <Control System in This Embodiment> Next, a control system that detects signs of abnormality (signs of failure) in each component of the substrate processing apparatus 10 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Note that the following description will be given using an example in which a thin film is formed on a substrate 16 by the substrate processing apparatus 10.

[0081] 5, the control system includes a substrate processing apparatus controller 58 as a main control unit, a sign detection controller 82 as a sign detection unit, various sensors 124, a data collection unit (hereinafter abbreviated as DCU) 126, and an edge controller (hereinafter abbreviated as EC) 128. These components that make up the control system are connected to each other by wire or wirelessly.

[0082] The substrate processing apparatus controller 58 is connected to a host computer (not shown) including a customer host computer, and to an operation unit (not shown). The operation unit is configured to be able to exchange various data (sensor data, etc.) acquired by the substrate processing apparatus controller 58 with the host computer.

[0083] The sign detection controller 82 acquires sensor data from sensors of various components provided in the substrate processing apparatus 10 and its associated equipment to monitor the state of the substrate processing apparatus 10. Specifically, the sign detection controller 82 calculates a numerical index using data from the various sensors 124 and compares it with a predetermined threshold value to detect an abnormality sign (i.e., a failure sign). The sign detection controller 82 has a built-in sign detection program that detects the occurrence of an abnormality sign based on the movement of the sensor data.

[0084] Furthermore, the sign detection controller 82 has two systems: one system that is directly connected to the substrate processing apparatus controller 58, and the other system that is connected to the substrate processing apparatus controller 58 via the DCU 126. Therefore, when the sign detection controller 82 detects a sign of abnormality, it is possible to send a signal directly to the substrate processing apparatus controller 58 without going through the DCU 126 to generate an alarm, and to display information on sensor data from a sensor provided in a component in which a sign of abnormality has been detected on the screen of the display unit 118 (see FIG. 3).

[0085] The various sensors 124 are sensors (e.g., pressure sensor 70, temperature sensor 106, etc.) provided in various components provided in the substrate processing apparatus 10 and its associated equipment, and detect the flow rate, concentration, temperature, humidity (dew point), pressure, current, voltage, torque, vibration, position, rotational speed, etc. of each component.

[0086] The DCU 126 collects and stores data from the various sensors 124 during the execution of the process recipe. The EC 128 also temporarily imports sensor data as necessary depending on the type of sensor, performs processing such as Fast Fourier Transform (hereinafter abbreviated as FFT) on the raw data, and then transmits the data to the symptom detection controller 82.

[0087] The various sensors 124 are divided into a first sensor system 124A and a second sensor system 124B, which have different transmission paths. The first sensor system 124A is a system that takes in raw data in real time in units of 0.1 seconds, and transmits the raw data in real time from the first sensor system 124A to the symptom detection controller 82 via the substrate processing apparatus controller 58 and the DCU 126. The first sensor system 124A includes sensors such as a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and a gas flow sensor.

[0088] On the other hand, the second sensor system 124B is a system in which the EC 128 performs processing such as FFT to extract only the portions necessary for analysis, and transmits the data in a processed file format. The processed data is transmitted from the second sensor system 124B to the sign detection controller 82 via the EC 128. This second sensor system 124B includes, for example, an acceleration sensor 75. Vibration data from the acceleration sensor 75 is accumulated in milliseconds, making it possible to detect minute changes. For example, even if the magnitude of the vibration itself is the same, the magnitude of the vibration may differ depending on the frequency. Even in this case, minute changes in vibration on the order of milliseconds (e.g., 0.1 seconds) can be detected from the frequency distribution. This makes it possible to grasp data fluctuations before a failure occurs, thereby enabling abnormality prediction.

[0089] Because vibration data from acceleration sensor 75 is accumulated in milliseconds, the amount of data becomes enormous, and sending the data as is to early warning detection controller 82 would result in a large consumption of memory capacity in early warning detection controller 82. This vibration data is processed using FFT and other processes before being used for analysis, so by performing this processing in advance in EC128, the amount of information can be reduced and it can be sent to early warning detection controller 82 in a data format that is easier to analyze.

[0090] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a process for determining an abnormality sign of the vacuum pump 74 as a component of the substrate processing apparatus 10 using the above-described control system will be specifically described.

[0091] [Original data that constitutes the abnormality] The substrate processing sequence is made up of many events each with its own purpose, such as loading the substrate 16 into the processing chamber 86, evacuating the processing chamber 86, increasing the temperature, purging with an inert gas, waiting for the temperature to increase, processing the substrate 16 (e.g., film formation), replacing the gas in the processing chamber 86, returning to atmospheric pressure, and unloading the processed substrate 16. Note that the above events are an example of a substrate processing sequence, and each event may be further divided.

[0092] In this embodiment, instead of using all the sensor data in the sequence, one or more sensor values ​​in one or more specific events among these events are used as the source data for calculating the "degree of abnormality," which is a numerical index in the algorithm. In addition, the degree of abnormality value for each run is monitored to detect signs of abnormality in each component of the substrate processing apparatus 10. In this way, by using only the data of specific events, it is possible to reduce the amount of data storage.

[0093] For example, the detection of abnormality signs in components is easier when a large load is applied to the components, which corresponds to the step of reducing the pressure in the processing chamber 86 from atmospheric pressure to a predetermined pressure, i.e., when evacuation begins and during the pressure range close to atmospheric pressure for several minutes after evacuation begins.

[0094] Furthermore, a single substrate processing apparatus 10 is responsible for multiple processes, and different processing recipes with different film formation conditions, etc., may be used for the processes. Since source gases flow during film formation on the substrate 16, the source gases may react or thermally decompose to produce solid matter, which may place a load on components, so monitoring during a film formation event is also effective for detecting abnormal signs.

[0095] On the other hand, if runs with different film formation events are mixed, the conditions for the different film formation events will be different, making direct comparison difficult. As a result, changes over time will only be monitored for runs with the same film formation event, which may result in the monitoring targets being dispersed and the trends becoming difficult to understand. The aforementioned vacuum event before substrate processing is often common even if the subsequent substrate processing events are different. In other words, even if multiple recipes with different film formation conditions are started using the same equipment, by monitoring the state at the start of vacuuming common to each run and acquiring sensor data, it is possible to know the changes over time in the same state regardless of the substrate processing content, enabling highly accurate predictions.

[0096] Furthermore, the rotation frequency of the member may be monitored during the boat unloading process, which is different from that during the film formation process.

[0097] [Example of calculation of abnormality] Here, examples of calculation of the abnormality degree when sensor data from the acceleration sensor 75 is used will be shown.

[0098] First, when determining whether or not there is a sign of abnormality using the sensor data (vibration data) of the acceleration sensor 75, the following procedure is followed, as shown in FIG.

[0099] (1) Among the sensor data for a specified step among the steps constituting the process recipe, for example, the first patch, vibration data (raw data) detected by the acceleration sensor 75 is acquired. In this embodiment, the vibration data of the acceleration sensor 75 is acquired for each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, resulting in vibration data for each of the three axial directions.

[0100] (2) FFT processing is performed for each sample time on the acquired time-series vibration data for each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The FFT processing is performed on all vibration data within the sample time (0.1 seconds, for example, in this embodiment).

[0101] (3) For each FFT process, the vibration magnitude at the rotation frequency (number of rotations per second) of the rotor of the component (hereinafter referred to as the reference frequency) (hereinafter referred to as the "rotational frequency power spectrum") and the vibration magnitude at a frequency twice the rotation frequency of the rotor of the component (hereinafter referred to as the comparison frequency) (hereinafter referred to as the "second harmonic power spectrum") are obtained. Note that the rotation frequency of the rotor of the component is the rotation frequency at which the component is controlled in the specified step.

[0102] (4) For each FFT process, the ratio of the rotation frequency power spectrum to the second harmonic power spectrum (rotation frequency power spectrum / second harmonic power spectrum, hereinafter referred to as "power spectrum ratio") is calculated.

[0103] (5) The transition of the calculated power spectrum ratio is monitored.

[0104] (6) If the power spectrum ratio exceeds a preset threshold (100, for example, in this embodiment), the presence of an abnormality sign is detected. The threshold (abnormality sign threshold) is set based on the power spectrum ratio during the specified step under normal conditions and on past abnormality occurrence data. The threshold is set individually for the power spectrum ratio obtained from the data on the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The set thresholds may be the same or different.

[0105] 7A to 7C show graphs of the transition of the power spectral ratio obtained from the vibration data of the specified step in FIG. 6. FIG. 7A is a graph with an X axis, FIG. 7B is a graph with a Y axis, and FIG. 7C is a graph with a Z axis. The number of data points N of the power spectral ratio obtained is equal to the number of sampling times, and it is possible to capture minute changes in the power spectral ratio for each sampling time (every 0.1 seconds in this embodiment). This allows anomaly detection to be performed at an appropriate timing before the member stops.

[0106] 7A to 7C, a threshold value of 100 is set for each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, but other threshold values ​​may be set. For example, a threshold value of 100 may be set for the X-axis and Y-axis, and a threshold value of 200 may be set for the Z-axis. In this way, by setting a threshold value separately for each axis, appropriate judgments can be made depending on the characteristics of vibration generation depending on the direction.

[0107] Furthermore, when determining whether a sign of an abnormality exists for each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, a limit may be imposed on the number of times a threshold is exceeded. That is, a threshold value for the power spectrum ratio is set for each axis, and if the threshold value is exceeded or equal to the set number of times, a determination is made that a sign of an abnormality exists. For example, in the graph of FIG. 7A, there are two samples that exceed the threshold value. If the number of times is set to two or more, a determination is made that a sign of an abnormality exists. If the number of times is set to three or more, a determination is not made that a sign of an abnormality exists. The number of times can also be set independently for the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, and the same or different numbers may be set. For example, the X-axis can be set twice, the Y-axis once, and the Z-axis ten times. By imposing such a limit on the number of times, it is possible to make an appropriate determination, excluding data fluctuations due to sudden noise, etc.

[0108] The presence of an abnormality sign in the vibration data can be determined by the following different methods, for example. (1) If any one of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis exceeds the threshold, it is determined that there is a sign of an abnormality. (2) If the threshold is exceeded on two of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, it is determined that there is a sign of an abnormality. (3) If the threshold is exceeded on the X-axis or Z-axis, it is determined that there is a sign of an abnormality (even if the threshold is exceeded on the Y-axis, it is not determined that there is a sign of an abnormality). In this case, it is possible to not set a threshold on the axis that is not selected (Y-axis) and only monitor it.

[0109] By selecting (1) or (2) for determining whether there are signs of an abnormality, it is possible to make an appropriate judgment, excluding data fluctuations caused by sudden noise, etc.

[0110] By selecting (3) for determining whether there is a sign of an abnormality, information about vibrations in the direction of the rotor's rotational axis can be excluded from the determination of signs of an abnormality. As shown in Figure 7B, vibrations in the direction of the rotor's rotational axis (Y-axis) have different characteristics from vibrations in other directions, so by excluding them from the determination of signs of an abnormality, an appropriate determination can be made.

[0111] [Display of the anomaly detection analysis screen] The analysis screen for abnormality sign detection can be displayed on the display unit 118 (see FIG. 3) of the substrate processing apparatus controller 58. This allows the transition of the abnormality level, the threshold value, and the number of times the threshold value is exceeded to be visually checked, and the wear state of the components can be confirmed by the abnormality level.

[0112] (Action, effect) According to the above embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 10 is equipped with a control system that detects signs of abnormality in components, and by detecting signs of abnormality in components using this control system, it is possible to know the appropriate time before the replacement or maintenance of the target component.

[0113] This allows replacement or other measures to be taken before a component breaks down, and by using the component until just before it breaks down, the frequency of replacement can be reduced. Also, by preventing breakdowns during substrate processing, it is possible to improve the equipment operating rate, prevent a decrease in the yield of products (substrates 16), and reduce unnecessary maintenance time.

[0114] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the abnormality sign detection controller 82 that detects abnormality signs is connected to the substrate processing apparatus controller 58. This makes it possible to acquire and analyze data limited to a specific substrate processing sequence in which abnormality signs are easily detected.

[0115] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the vibration data acquisition process and the abnormality sign detection process can be performed in parallel with the substrate processing process, and abnormality signs of components can be detected in real time.

[0116] Furthermore, for component failure sign detection, vibration data is subjected to FFT processing at each sample time in the specified step to obtain power spectrum ratio data. Therefore, within the specified step, many indicators of component abnormality signs (the number of times FFT processing is performed) can be obtained. This makes it possible to capture minute changes in the spectrum ratio within the specified step or process.

[0117] In this embodiment, the ratio of the power spectrum of the vibration at the rotation frequency of the member to the power spectrum of a rotation frequency that is twice that frequency is used as the index of the degree of abnormality, but this is not limited to this.The ratio of the power spectrum of the vibration at the rotation frequency of the member to the power spectrum of a rotation frequency that is an integer multiple of that frequency, such as twice or three times, may also be used as the index of the degree of abnormality.

[0118] (Other embodiments) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the acceleration sensor 75 is provided in the vacuum pump 74, but the location where the acceleration sensor is provided is not limited to this. The acceleration sensor can also be attached to other components of the substrate processing apparatus 10 to acquire vibration data and detect signs of abnormality in each of the attached components. The series of steps for acquiring vibration data and detecting signs of abnormality is the same as in the above embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0119] For example, we will explain a case where acceleration sensor 75 is attached to vacuum pump 74 as described above, acceleration sensor 75A is attached to substrate transfer mechanism 34 that transports substrates (wafers) 16 between boat 36 (substrate holder) and pod 18 (substrate container), acceleration sensor 75B is attached to boat elevator 38 that raises and lowers boat 36, and acceleration sensor 75C is attached to rotation mechanism 46 that rotates boat 36.

[0120] 8, acceleration sensor 75A is attached to substrate transfer mechanism 34, acceleration sensor 75B is attached to boat elevator 38, and acceleration sensor 75C is attached to rotation mechanism 46. Acceleration sensors 75A to 75C are attached at positions where they can measure vibrations when substrate transfer mechanism 34, boat elevator 38, and rotation mechanism 46 are driven, and measure vibrations in three orthogonal axial directions (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis).

[0121] The acceleration sensors 75A to 75C are electrically connected to a selector 130 and send the vibration data acquired by measurement to the selector 130. The selector 130 switches which vibration data to acquire from the vibration data from the acceleration sensors 75A to 75C according to the timing of each process. The selector 130 is connected to each of the charge amplifiers 132A, 132B, and 132C. The charge amplifiers 132A, 132B, and 132C process the X-axis vibration data, Y-axis vibration data, and Z-axis vibration data from the acceleration sensors 75A to 75C, respectively. The charge amplifiers 132A, 132B, and 132C (collectively referred to as "charge amplifiers 132") are connected to a programmable logic controller (PLC) 134, and the PLC 134 is connected to the EC 128. The acceleration sensors 75A to 75C, the selector 130, the charge amplifier 132, and the PLC 134 are included in the second sensor system 124B described above (see FIG. 5).

[0122] Next, the acquisition of vibration data by acceleration sensor 75 (attached to vacuum pump 74), acceleration sensor 75A (attached to substrate transfer mechanism 34), acceleration sensor 75B (attached to boat elevator 38), and acceleration sensor 75C (attached to rotation mechanism 46) will be described with reference to the timing chart of Figure 9.

[0123] The vibration data from the acceleration sensor 75 is acquired during the film formation preparation step S103 (vacuuming step S106-1, leak check step S106-2) in which the vacuum pump 74 is driven. In particular, it is preferable to acquire vibration data during the step of reducing the pressure in the processing chamber 86 from atmospheric pressure to a predetermined pressure, i.e., at the start of vacuuming and during the pressure range close to atmospheric pressure for several minutes after the start of vacuuming, when a large load is applied to components, making it easy to detect an abnormality in the vacuum pump 74. Furthermore, in the film formation preparation step S103, the vibration data is often common even if subsequent substrate processing events are different, so it is preferable to acquire vibration data here.

[0124] The vibration data (transfer member vibration data) from the acceleration sensor 75A is acquired when the substrate transfer mechanism 34 is driven. Specifically, the data is acquired during the process (charging) (S102-1) of loading the substrates 16 into the boat 36 and the process (discharging) (S106-2) of removing the substrates 16 from the boat 36. Note that the data may be acquired only during either charging or discharging.

[0125] The vibration data (elevating member vibration data) from the acceleration sensor 75B is acquired when the boat elevator 38 is driven. Specifically, this is done when the boat 36 loaded with the substrates 16 is loaded into the processing chamber 86 (loading) (S102-2) and when the boat 36 carrying the substrates 16 on which the thin film is formed is unloaded from the processing chamber 86 (unloading) (S106-1). Note that this may be done only during either loading or unloading.

[0126] The vibration data (rotating member vibration data) is acquired from the acceleration sensor 75C when the rotation mechanism 46 is operating and when the boat elevator 38 is not operating. Specifically, the vibration data is acquired during the film formation preparation step S103 (vacuum drawing step S106-1, leak check step S106-2) and the film formation step S104. In the film formation step S104, the flow rate of the gas supplied to the processing chamber changes, but the impact on the rotation mechanism 46 is considered to be small. Note that the vibration data may be acquired during only either the film formation preparation step or the film formation step. In particular, during the leak check step S106-2, no gas is supplied to or exhausted from the processing chamber, and the processing chamber is in a stable state, so it is preferable to acquire the vibration data during the leak check step S106-2.

[0127] Since the vibration data from the three acceleration sensors 75A to 75C is acquired at different times, the charge amplifier 132 and the PLC 134 can be shared by switching between them. Also, the amount of vibration data accumulated by the acceleration sensors 75A to 75C can be reduced.

[0128] The acquired vibration data is used as the original data for constructing the abnormality level, and abnormality signs can be detected by the procedure shown in Figure 6 above.

[0129] In this way, vibration data is acquired from acceleration sensor 75 (attached to vacuum pump 74), acceleration sensor 75A (attached to substrate transfer mechanism 34), acceleration sensor 75B (attached to boat elevator 38), and acceleration sensor 75C (attached to rotation mechanism 46), and the vibration data acquisition process and abnormality sign detection process are performed in parallel with the substrate processing process, thereby making it possible to detect abnormality signs in each component in real time.

[0130] (others) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been specifically described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0131] For example, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a thin film is formed on the substrate 16. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such an embodiment, and can also be suitably applied to cases in which a thin film formed on the substrate 16 is subjected to treatments such as oxidation treatment, diffusion treatment, annealing treatment, and etching treatment.

[0132] In the above embodiment, an example of forming a thin film using the substrate processing apparatus 10 having a hot-wall type processing furnace 44 has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to this and can also be suitably applied to a case where a thin film is formed using a substrate processing apparatus having a cold-wall type processing furnace. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example of forming a thin film using the batch-type substrate processing apparatus 10 that processes multiple substrates 16 at a time has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to this and can also be suitably applied to a case where a thin film is formed using, for example, a single-wafer type substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates 16 at a time.

[0133] Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses that process semiconductor substrates such as the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to the above-described embodiment, but can also be applied to LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) manufacturing apparatuses that process glass substrates. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 10. Substrate processing equipment 16 boards 86 Processing Room 74 Vacuum Pump 75 Acceleration sensor (vibration sensor) 82 Predictive detection controller (vibration data acquisition unit, abnormality prediction detection unit)

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by processing a substrate by executing a process recipe including a plurality of steps, a vibration data acquiring step of acquiring vibration data of a member that exhausts the atmosphere of a processing chamber for processing the substrate from a vibration sensor at the start of a vacuum pumping event while executing the process recipe; an abnormality sign detection step of detecting the presence of an abnormality sign when a ratio between a vibration magnitude at a rotation frequency of the member and a vibration magnitude at a comparative frequency that is an integer multiple of the rotation frequency exceeds a predetermined abnormality sign threshold based on the acquired vibration data; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having the above structure.

2. The magnitude of vibration at the rotation frequency of the member and the magnitude of vibration at a relative frequency that is an integer multiple of the rotation frequency are obtained based on a result of fast Fourier transform processing of the vibration data. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1 .

3. The sample time of the fast Fourier transform processing is the total time of the time series data on which the fast Fourier transform processing is performed. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 2 .

4. 4. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the comparative frequency is a secondary rotation frequency that is twice the rotation frequency of the member.

5. 5. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein in the abnormality sign detection step, it is determined that an abnormality sign is present when the abnormality sign threshold is exceeded a predetermined number of times.

6. 6. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration sensor is an acceleration sensor capable of measuring vibrations in three mutually orthogonal directions of an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis.

7. 7. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the method is configured to be capable of detecting a sign of abnormality in the member in each of the three axial directions of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis.

8. the abnormality sign threshold is set individually for each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis; The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7 .

9. The Z axis is arranged in a direction along a vertical axis, and the Y axis is arranged in a direction along a rotation axis of a rotor of the member. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to any one of claims 6 to 8.

10. In the abnormality sign detection step, vibration of the member in a direction along the rotation axis of the rotor is excluded from data for detecting abnormality signs. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to any one of claims 6 to 9.

11. issuing a warning when the abnormality sign detection step detects the presence of an abnormality sign in the vibration data along the multiple axes; The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to any one of claims 6 to 10.

12. acquiring vibration data of a member that exhausts the atmosphere of a processing chamber in which a substrate is processed from a vibration sensor at the start of a vacuum pumping event; an abnormality sign detection step of monitoring vibrations of the member to detect an abnormality sign, In the abnormality sign detection step, Based on the acquired vibration data, when a ratio between a vibration magnitude at the rotation frequency of the member and a vibration magnitude at a comparative frequency that is an integer multiple of the rotation frequency exceeds a preset abnormality sign threshold, the presence of an abnormality sign is detected. Anomaly detection method.

13. A program executed in a substrate processing apparatus to process a substrate by executing a process recipe including a plurality of steps, acquiring vibration data of a member that exhausts the atmosphere of a processing chamber for processing a substrate from a vibration sensor at the start of a vacuum evacuation event while executing the process recipe; a step of determining that there is an abnormality sign when a ratio between a vibration magnitude at a rotation frequency of the member and a vibration magnitude at a comparative frequency that is an integer multiple of the rotation frequency exceeds a predetermined abnormality sign threshold based on the acquired vibration data; causing the substrate processing apparatus to execute a program having the following steps: Anomaly detection program.

14. A substrate processing apparatus that processes a substrate by executing a process recipe including a plurality of steps, a vibration data acquiring unit that acquires vibration data of a member that exhausts an atmosphere in a processing chamber for processing the substrate from a vibration sensor at the start of a vacuum evacuation event while executing the process recipe; an abnormality sign detection unit that detects the presence of an abnormality sign when a ratio between a vibration magnitude at a rotation frequency of the member and a vibration magnitude at a comparative frequency that is an integer multiple of the rotation frequency exceeds a predetermined abnormality sign threshold based on the acquired vibration data; A substrate processing apparatus having:

15. a substrate processing process including at least a substrate loading process of loading a substrate into a processing chamber, a film forming process of forming a film on the substrate in the processing chamber, and a substrate unloading process of unloading the substrate from the processing chamber; a vibration data acquisition step of acquiring vibration data of at least one of the components constituting the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus from a vibration sensor at the start of a vacuuming event; an abnormality sign detection step of detecting the presence of an abnormality sign when a ratio between a vibration magnitude at a rotation frequency of the member and a vibration magnitude at a comparative frequency that is an integer multiple of the rotation frequency exceeds a predetermined abnormality sign threshold value based on the acquired vibration data of the member, At least one of the vibration data acquiring step and the abnormality sign detecting step is performed in parallel with the substrate processing step.

16. 16. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein the substrate processing step further includes at least one of the steps of loading the substrate into a substrate holder and removing the substrate from the substrate holder.

17. 17. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the component members are configured to be selected from at least one of an exhaust member that exhausts the atmosphere of a processing chamber for processing the substrate, a transport member that transports the substrate between a substrate holder and a substrate container, a lifting member that lifts and lowers the substrate holder, and a rotating member that rotates the substrate holder.

18. A program executed in a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate by executing a substrate processing procedure including at least a substrate loading procedure for loading a substrate into a processing chamber, a film forming procedure for forming a film on the substrate in the processing chamber, and a substrate unloading procedure for unloading the substrate from the processing chamber, the program comprising: The method comprises the steps of: acquiring vibration data of at least one of the components constituting the device from a vibration sensor at the start of a vacuuming event; and determining, based on the acquired vibration data, that there is an abnormality sign when a ratio between a vibration magnitude at a rotation frequency of the component and a vibration magnitude at a comparative frequency that is an integer multiple of the rotation frequency exceeds a preset abnormality sign threshold; performing at least one of the step of acquiring information from the vibration sensor and the step of determining whether there is a sign of abnormality in parallel with the execution of the substrate processing step; an abnormality sign detection program that causes the substrate processing apparatus to execute the program;

19. 1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate by executing a substrate processing step including at least a substrate loading step of loading a substrate into a processing chamber, a film forming step of forming a film on the substrate in the processing chamber, and a substrate unloading step of unloading the substrate from the processing chamber, a vibration data acquisition unit that acquires vibration data of at least one of the components that configure the device from a vibration sensor at the start of a vacuuming event; an abnormality sign detection unit that detects the presence of an abnormality sign when a ratio between a vibration magnitude at a rotation frequency of the member and a vibration magnitude at a comparative frequency that is an integer multiple of the rotation frequency exceeds a preset abnormality sign threshold based on the acquired vibration data; a control unit that causes at least one of the vibration data acquisition unit to acquire vibration data and the abnormality detection unit to detect an abnormality in parallel with the substrate processing step; A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

20. the vibration data acquisition unit acquires the vibration data as transfer member vibration data when at least one of when the substrate is loaded onto the substrate holder and when the substrate is removed from the substrate holder, acquires the vibration data as lifting member vibration data when the substrate holder is lifted or lowered, and acquires the vibration data as rotating member vibration data when the substrate holder is rotating and not lifted or lowered. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 19.

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