Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, semiconductor device manufacturing method and program

Abstract

To suppress fluctuations in substrate processing results over time due to operation of a substrate processing apparatus.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus includes a transport chamber that transports a substrate, a processing chamber that processes the substrate in accordance with a processing condition for the substrate, a measurement unit that measures the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing ends, a calculation unit that calculates a film thickness value of the substrate from the difference between the measured masses, a determination unit that determines whether the calculated film thickness value is abnormal, a setting unit that sets the processing condition, and a control unit configured to be able to control the setting unit to change the processing condition when the film thickness value is determined to be abnormal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, Substrate processing method, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] There is disclosed a substrate processing apparatus for performing plasma processing on a substrate in a gas atmosphere such as nitrogen or oxygen (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a substrate processing apparatus, a cover (susceptor cover) of a substrate stage having a heater may be used. By performing substrate processing, the heat emissivity of the susceptor cover may change, which may affect the processing result for the substrate. Specifically, there may be seen a temporal increase in the film thickness of the film formed on the substrate.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of suppressing fluctuations in substrate processing results over time associated with the operation of a substrate processing apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a technology is provided comprising: a transport chamber for transporting a substrate; a processing chamber for processing the substrate according to processing conditions for the substrate; a measuring unit for measuring the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing is completed; a calculation unit for calculating the film thickness value of the substrate from the difference in the measured masses; a determination unit for determining an abnormality in the calculated film thickness value; a setting unit for setting the processing conditions; and a control unit configured to control the setting unit to change the processing conditions when it is determined that the film thickness value is abnormal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to suppress fluctuations in substrate processing results over time associated with the operation of the substrate processing apparatus. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of PM1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the controller of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a block diagram showing the control system of the controller. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart showing a substrate processing step according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing the flow from obtaining the mass to changing the processing conditions of the substrate in a substrate processing process according to one embodiment of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments for implementing this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Components indicated by the same reference numerals in each drawing are the same or similar components. In the embodiments described below, descriptions and reference numerals that are repeated may be omitted. Furthermore, the drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of each element shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to reality. Also, the dimensional relationships and ratios of each element do not necessarily correspond between multiple drawings. Unless otherwise specified, each element is not limited to one, and there may be multiple elements.

[0010] (1) Configuration of substrate processing apparatus The substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 5. The substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a vacuum transport chamber TM as an example of a transport chamber, a processing chamber 201, a measurement unit 31c, a calculation unit 226, a determination unit 228, a setting unit 227, and a control unit 10. Figure 1 is a plan view of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0011] The substrate processing apparatus 100 shown in Figure 1 comprises a vacuum-side configuration for handling substrates (e.g., wafers 200 made of silicon, etc.) under reduced pressure, and an atmospheric pressure-side configuration for handling wafers 200 under atmospheric pressure. The vacuum-side configuration mainly comprises a vacuum transport chamber TM, load lock chambers LM1 and LM2, and processing modules (processing mechanisms) PM1 to PM4 for processing wafers 200. The atmospheric pressure-side configuration mainly comprises an atmospheric pressure transport chamber EFEM and load ports LP1 to LP3. Carriers CA1 to CA3 containing wafers 200 are transported from outside the substrate processing apparatus and placed in load ports LP1 to LP3, and are also transported to and from outside the substrate processing apparatus. With this configuration, for example, an unprocessed wafer 200 is taken out from carrier CA1 on load port LP1, transported through load lock chamber LM1 to processing module PM1, and then the processed wafer 200 is returned to carrier CA1 on load port LP1 in the reverse procedure. Thus, the wafer 200 is transported in the vacuum transport chamber, in the atmospheric pressure transport chamber, and also between the vacuum transport chamber and the atmospheric pressure transport chamber.

[0012] (Vacuum side configuration) The vacuum transport chamber TM is constructed with a vacuum-sealable structure capable of withstanding negative pressure (reduced pressure) below atmospheric pressure, such as in a vacuum state. In this embodiment, the housing of the vacuum transport chamber TM is a box shape with a pentagonal shape in plan view and closed at both the top and bottom ends. The load lock chambers LM1, LM2 and processing modules PM1 to PM4 are arranged to surround the outer perimeter of the vacuum transport chamber TM. When referring to or representing processing modules PM1 to PM4 collectively, they will be called processing module PM. When referring to or representing load lock chambers LM1 and LM2 collectively, they will be called load lock chamber LM. The same rules apply to other components (such as the vacuum robot VR and arm VRA, which will be described later).

[0013] Within the vacuum transfer chamber TM, there is, for example, one vacuum robot VR, which serves as a means of transporting wafers 200 under reduced pressure. The vacuum robot VR transports wafers 200 between the load lock chamber LM and the processing module PM by placing the wafers 200 on two sets of substrate support arms (hereinafter referred to as arms) VRA, which are substrate mounting sections. The vacuum robot VR is configured to move up and down while maintaining the airtightness of the vacuum transfer chamber TM. The two sets of arms VRA are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and each can extend and retract horizontally, and is configured to rotate within that horizontal plane.

[0014] Each processing module PM is equipped with a substrate mounting section on which a wafer 200 is placed, and is configured as a single-wafer processing chamber that processes one wafer 200 at a time under reduced pressure. In other words, each processing module PM functions as a processing chamber that adds value to the wafer 200, for example, by etching or ashing using plasma, or by forming a film through chemical reactions.

[0015] Each processing module PM is connected to a vacuum transfer chamber TM by a gate valve PGV, which acts as an on / off valve. Therefore, by opening the gate valve PGV, it is possible to transfer the wafer 200 to and from the vacuum transfer chamber TM under reduced pressure. Conversely, by closing the gate valve PGV, it is possible to perform various substrate processing on the wafer 200 while maintaining the pressure and processing gas atmosphere inside the processing module PM.

[0016] The load lock chamber LM functions as a preliminary chamber for loading wafers 200 into the vacuum transport chamber TM, or as a preliminary chamber for unloading wafers 200 from the vacuum transport chamber TM. Inside the load lock chamber LM, a buffer stage (not shown) is provided as a substrate mounting section to temporarily support the wafers 200 when loading or unloading them. The buffer stage may be configured as a multi-stage slot that can hold multiple wafers (for example, two wafers) 200.

[0017] In addition, the load lock chamber LM is connected to the vacuum transfer chamber TM by gate valves LGV serving as opening / closing valves, and is also connected to the atmospheric pressure transfer chamber EFEM (to be described later) by gate valves LD serving as opening / closing valves. Therefore, by opening the gate valve LD on the atmospheric pressure transfer chamber EFEM side while keeping the gate valve LGV on the vacuum transfer chamber TM side closed, it is possible to transfer the wafer 200 under atmospheric pressure between the load lock chamber LM and the atmospheric pressure transfer chamber EFEM while maintaining the vacuum tightness inside the vacuum transfer chamber TM.

[0018] In addition, the load lock chamber LM is configured to withstand a reduced pressure below atmospheric pressure such as a vacuum state, and it is possible to evacuate its interior to a vacuum respectively. Therefore, after closing the gate valve LD on the atmospheric pressure transfer chamber EFEM side and evacuating the interior of the load lock chamber LM to a vacuum, by opening the gate valve LGV on the vacuum transfer chamber TM side, it is possible to transfer the wafer 200 under reduced pressure between the load lock chamber LM and the vacuum transfer chamber TM while maintaining the vacuum state inside the vacuum transfer chamber TM. Thus, the load lock chamber LM is configured to be able to switch between the atmospheric pressure state and the reduced pressure state.

[0019] (Configuration on the atmospheric pressure side) On one side, on the atmospheric pressure side of the substrate processing apparatus, as described above, there are an atmospheric pressure transfer chamber EFEM (Equipment Front End Module), which is a front module connected to the load lock chambers LM1 and LM2, and a carrier placement unit, namely load ports LP1 to LP3, on which carriers CA1 to CA3, which are wafer storage containers that store 25 wafers 200 each, for example, for one lot, are placed. As such carriers CA1 to CA3, for example, FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) is used. Here, when collectively referring to or representing the load ports LP1 to LP3, they are referred to as load port LP. When collectively referring to or representing the carriers CA1 to CA3, they are referred to as carrier CA. The same rules apply to the atmospheric pressure side configuration (carrier doors CAH1 to CAH3, carrier openers CP1 to CP3, etc., described later) as to the vacuum side configuration.

[0020] In the atmospheric pressure transfer chamber EFEM, for example, one atmospheric pressure robot AR is provided as a transfer means. The atmospheric pressure robot AR transfers the wafer 200 between the load lock chamber LM1 and the carrier CA on the load port LP1. The atmospheric pressure robot AR also has two sets of arms ARA, which are substrate placement parts, similar to the vacuum robot VR.

[0021] The carrier CA1 is provided with a carrier door CAH, which is a cap (lid) of the carrier CA. With the door CAH of the carrier CA placed on the load port LP open, the wafer 200 is stored in the carrier CA by the atmospheric pressure robot AR through the substrate loading / unloading port CAA1, and the wafer 200 in the carrier CA is unloaded by the atmospheric pressure robot AR.

[0022] Also, in the atmospheric pressure transfer chamber EFEM, carrier openers CP for opening and closing the carrier doors CAH are provided adjacent to the load ports LP, respectively. That is, the inside of the atmospheric pressure transfer chamber EFEM is provided adjacent to the load port LP via the carrier opener CP.

[0023] The carrier opener CP has a closure that can be in close contact with the carrier door CAH, and a drive mechanism that moves the closure in the horizontal and vertical directions. The carrier opener CP opens and closes the carrier door CAH by moving the closure together with the carrier door CAH in the horizontal and vertical directions while the closure is in close contact with the carrier door CAH.

[0024] Furthermore, the atmospheric pressure transport chamber EFEM is equipped with an aligner AU, which is an orientation flat alignment device used to align the crystal orientation of the wafer 200, as a substrate position correction device. The atmospheric pressure transport chamber EFEM is also equipped with a clean air unit (not shown) that supplies clean air to the interior of the atmospheric pressure transport chamber EFEM.

[0025] The load port LP is configured to hold multiple substrates W, with carriers CA1 to CA3 each placed on the load port LP. Each carrier CA has, for example, 25 slots (not shown) for storing wafers 200, for one lot. When a carrier CA is placed on each load port LP, it is configured to read and store a barcode or the like that indicating a carrier ID attached to the carrier CA to identify the carrier CA.

[0026] Next, the control unit 10, which comprehensively controls the substrate processing apparatus, is configured to control each part of the substrate processing apparatus. The control unit 10 includes at least a transport system control unit 31 as a transport control unit and a process system control unit 221 as a processing control unit, which will be described later.

[0027] The control unit 10 has an operation unit 222 and a display unit 222a (Figure 3), and is configured to receive operations and instructions from an operator via the operation unit 222 and the display unit 222a. The display unit 222a displays information such as the operation screen and various data. The data displayed on the display unit 222a is stored in the storage unit 221c (Figure 3).

[0028] The transport system control unit 31 includes a robot controller that controls the vacuum robot VR and the atmospheric pressure robot AR, and is configured to control the transport of the wafer 200 and the execution of tasks instructed by the operator. The robot controller includes, for example, a transport control unit 31a and a rotation control unit 31b. The transport system control unit 31 also includes a measuring unit 31c (described later) that measures the mass of the wafer 200 before processing begins and after processing is completed.

[0029] The transport system control unit 31 outputs control data (control instructions) for transporting the wafer 200 to the vacuum robot VR, atmospheric pressure robot AR, various valves, switches, etc., based on a transport recipe created or edited by an operator via the operation unit 222, for example, and controls the transport of the wafer 200 within the substrate processing apparatus.

[0030] As shown in Figure 2, the process control unit 221 is configured to control the APC 242, valve 243b and vacuum pump 246 via signal line A, the susceptor lifting mechanism 268 via signal line B, the heater power adjustment mechanism 276 and impedance variable mechanism 275 via signal line C, the gate valve 244 via signal line D, the RF sensor 272, high-frequency power supply 273 and matching unit 274 via signal line E, and the MFCs 252a to 252c and valves 253a to 253c and 243a via signal line F.

[0031] The process control unit 221 outputs control data (control instructions) for processing the wafer 200 to various valves, various mechanisms, MFCs, etc., based on a processing recipe created or edited by an operator via, for example, the operation unit 222, thereby controlling the substrate processing of the wafer 200 within the substrate processing apparatus.

[0032] The control unit 10 may be located outside the substrate processing apparatus, as shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, the process control unit 221, which controls the control unit 10, the transport system control unit 31, and the processing module PM, may be configured as a general-purpose computer, such as a personal computer. In this case, each controller can be configured by installing programs on the general-purpose computer using a computer-readable recording medium (USB memory, DVD, etc.) containing various programs.

[0033] Furthermore, the means for supplying the program that performs the above-mentioned processing can be arbitrarily selected. In addition to supplying it via a predetermined recording medium as described above, it can also be supplied via, for example, a communication line, a communication network, or a communication system. In this case, for example, the program may be posted on a bulletin board of a communication network and supplied via the network by superimposing the program onto a carrier wave. The above-mentioned processing can then be performed by starting the program provided in this manner and executing it under the control of the OS (Operating System) of the board processing device, in the same way as other application programs.

[0034] (Processing room) Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of processing module PM1 in the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. Processing modules PM2 to PM4 have the same configuration as processing module PM1. Processing module PM1 is equipped with a processing furnace 202 for plasma processing of a wafer 200 as a substrate. The processing furnace 202 is provided with a processing container 203 that constitutes a processing chamber 201. In the processing chamber 201, the wafer 200 is processed according to the processing conditions for the wafer 200. The processing container 203 is equipped with a dome-shaped upper container 210, which is a first container, and a bowl-shaped lower container 211, which is a second container. The processing chamber 201 is formed when the upper container 210 is placed on top of the lower container 211. The upper container 210 is made of a non-metallic material such as aluminum oxide (Al2O3) or quartz (SiO2), and the lower container 211 is made of aluminum (Al), for example.

[0035] Furthermore, a gate valve 244 (corresponding to PGV in Figure 1) is provided on the lower side wall of the lower container 211. When the gate valve 244 is open, the wafer 200 can be loaded into the processing chamber 201 via the loading / unloading port 245 using the transport mechanism (vacuum robot VR in Figure 1). Alternatively, the wafer 200 can be unloaded from the processing chamber 201 via the loading / unloading port 245 using the transport mechanism (vacuum robot VR in Figure 1). When the gate valve 244 is closed, it is configured to act as a gate valve to maintain airtightness within the processing chamber 201.

[0036] The processing chamber 201 has a plasma generation space 201a, which is surrounded by coils 212 as described later, and a substrate processing space 201b which is in communication with the plasma generation space and on which the wafer 200 is processed. The plasma generation space 201a is the space on which plasma is generated and refers to the space above the lower end (dotted line) of the coils 212 within the processing chamber. On the other hand, the substrate processing space 201b is the space on which the substrate is processed and refers to the space below the lower end of the coils 212.

[0037] (Susceptor) A susceptor 217, which serves as a substrate mounting section for the wafer 200, is positioned at the center of the bottom of the processing chamber 201. The susceptor 217 is made of a non-metallic material such as aluminum nitride (AlN), ceramics, or quartz, and is configured to reduce metal contamination such as films formed on the wafer 200.

[0038] A heater 217b, which serves as a heating mechanism, is integrally embedded inside the susceptor 217. When power is supplied, the heater 217b is configured to heat the surface of the wafer 200 from, for example, 25°C to about 700°C.

[0039] The susceptor 217 is electrically insulated from the lower container 211. An impedance adjustment electrode 217c is installed inside the susceptor 217. The impedance adjustment electrode 217c is grounded via an impedance variable mechanism 275, which acts as an impedance adjustment unit. The impedance variable mechanism 275 consists of a coil and a variable capacitor, and is configured to change the impedance from approximately 0Ω to within the range of the parasitic impedance value of the processing chamber 201 by controlling the inductance and resistance of the coil and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor. This allows the potential (bias voltage) of the wafer 200 to be controlled via the impedance adjustment electrode 217c and the susceptor 217.

[0040] The susceptor 217 is provided with a susceptor lifting mechanism 268 for raising and lowering the susceptor. The susceptor 217 has a through hole 217a, while the bottom surface of the lower container 211 is provided with wafer push-up pins 266. At least three through holes 217a and wafer push-up pins 266 are provided at positions opposite each other. When the susceptor 217 is lowered by the susceptor lifting mechanism 268, the wafer push-up pins 266 are configured to pass through the through holes 217a without contacting the susceptor 217.

[0041] The substrate mounting section according to this embodiment is mainly composed of a susceptor 217, a heater 217b, and an electrode 217c. A susceptor cover 229, which is, for example, a silicon carbide (SiC) disc, is placed on the susceptor 217, and the wafer 200 is placed on this susceptor cover 229.

[0042] (Gas Supply Department) A showerhead 236 is provided above the processing chamber 201, that is, above the upper container 210. The showerhead 236 comprises a cap-shaped lid 233, a gas inlet 234, a buffer chamber 237, an opening 238, a shielding plate 240, and a gas outlet 239, and is configured to supply reaction gas into the processing chamber 201. The buffer chamber 237 functions as a dispersion space for dispersing the reaction gas introduced from the gas inlet 234.

[0043] The gas inlet 234 is connected to the downstream end of an oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 232a that supplies oxygen (O2) gas as an oxygen-containing gas, the downstream end of a hydrogen-containing gas supply pipe 232b that supplies hydrogen (H2) gas as a hydrogen-containing gas, and an inert gas supply pipe 232c that supplies argon (Ar) gas as an inert gas, so that they converge. The oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 232a is equipped with, in order from upstream, an O2 gas supply source 250a, a mass flow controller (MFC) 252a as a flow control device, and a valve 253a as an on-off valve. The hydrogen-containing gas supply pipe 232b is equipped with, in order from upstream, an H2 gas supply source 250b, an MFC 252b as a flow control device, and a valve 253b as an on-off valve. The inert gas supply pipe 232c is equipped with, in order from upstream, an Ar gas supply source 250c, an MFC 252c as a flow control device, and a valve 253c as an on-off valve. Downstream of the confluence of the oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 232a, the hydrogen-containing gas supply pipe 232b, and the inert gas supply pipe 232c, a valve 243a is provided and connected to the upstream end of the gas inlet 234. By opening and closing valves 253a, 253b, 253c, and 243a, the flow rates of each gas can be adjusted by MFCs 252a, 252b, and 252c, and reaction gases such as oxygen-containing gas, hydrogen-containing gas, and inert gas can be supplied into the processing chamber 201 via the gas supply pipes 232a, 232b, and 232c.

[0044] The gas supply unit according to this embodiment is mainly composed of a shower head 236 (cover 233, gas inlet 234, buffer chamber 237, opening 238, shielding plate 240, gas outlet 239), oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 232a, hydrogen-containing gas supply pipe 232b, inert gas supply pipe 232c, MFCs 252a, 252b, 252c, and valves 253a, 253b, 253c, 243a.

[0045] Furthermore, the oxygen-containing gas supply system according to this embodiment is configured by a shower head 236 (cover 233, gas inlet 234, buffer chamber 237, opening 238, shielding plate 240, gas outlet 239), oxygen-containing gas supply pipe 232a, MFC 252a, and valves 253a and 243a.

[0046] Furthermore, the hydrogen gas supply system according to this embodiment is configured with a shower head 236 (cover 233, gas inlet 234, buffer chamber 237, opening 238, shielding plate 240, gas outlet 239), hydrogen-containing gas supply pipe 232b, MFC 252b, and valves 253b, 243a.

[0047] Furthermore, the inert gas supply system according to this embodiment is configured with a shower head 236 (cover 233, gas inlet 234, buffer chamber 237, opening 238, shielding plate 240, gas outlet 239), an inert gas supply pipe 232c, an MFC 252c, and valves 253c and 243a.

[0048] Furthermore, the gas supply section may include an O2 gas supply source 250a, an H2 gas supply source 250b, and an Ar gas supply source 250c. Additionally, the oxygen-containing gas supply system may include an O2 gas supply source 250a. Furthermore, the hydrogen-containing gas supply system may include an H2 gas supply source 250b. Finally, the inert gas supply system may include an Ar gas supply source 250c.

[0049] (Exhaust section) The side wall of the lower container 211 is provided with a gas exhaust port 235 for exhausting reaction gas from inside the processing chamber 201. The upstream end of the gas exhaust pipe 231 is connected to the gas exhaust port 235. The gas exhaust pipe 231 is equipped with, in order from the upstream side, an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) 242 as a pressure regulator (pressure adjustment unit), a valve 243b as an on / off valve, and a vacuum pump 246 as a vacuum evacuation device.

[0050] The exhaust section according to this embodiment mainly consists of a gas exhaust port 235, a gas exhaust pipe 231, an APC 242, and a valve 243b. A vacuum pump 246 may also be included in the exhaust section.

[0051] (Plasma generation section) On the outer periphery of the processing chamber 201, that is, on the outside of the side wall of the upper container 210, a spiral resonant coil 212 is provided as the first electrode, surrounding the processing chamber 201. An RF sensor 272, a high-frequency power supply 273, and a frequency matching unit 274 are connected to the resonant coil 212.

[0052] The high-frequency power supply 273 supplies high-frequency power to the resonant coil 212. The RF sensor 272 is located on the output side of the high-frequency power supply 273. The RF sensor 272 monitors information on the forward and reflected waves of the supplied high-frequency signal. The frequency matcher 274 controls the high-frequency power supply 273 to minimize the reflected waves based on the reflected wave information monitored by the RF sensor 272.

[0053] The resonant coil 212 is configured with a winding diameter, winding pitch, and number of turns to resonate in a constant wavelength mode in order to form a standing wave of a predetermined wavelength. That is, the electrical length of the resonant coil 212 is configured to be an integer multiple (1x, 2x, ...) of one wavelength at a predetermined frequency of power supplied from the high-frequency power supply 273. For example, at 13.56 MHz, the length of one wavelength is approximately 22 meters; at 27.12 MHz, the length of one wavelength is approximately 11 meters; and at 54.24 MHz, the length of one wavelength is approximately 5.5 meters. The resonant coil 212 is formed in a flat plate shape from an insulating material and is supported by a plurality of supports erected vertically on the upper end surface of a base plate (not shown).

[0054] Both ends of the resonant coil 212 are electrically grounded, but at least one end of the resonant coil 212 is grounded via a movable tap 213 to fine-tune the electrical length of the resonant coil when the device is first installed or when processing conditions are changed. Reference numeral 214 in Figure 2 indicates the other fixed ground. Furthermore, to fine-tune the impedance of the resonant coil 212 when the device is first installed or when processing conditions are changed, a power supply section is formed between the grounded ends of the resonant coil 212 by a movable tap 215.

[0055] In other words, the resonant coil 212 has electrically grounded ground sections at both ends and a power supply section between each ground section that is powered by a high-frequency power supply 273. Moreover, at least one of the ground sections is a position-adjustable variable ground section, and the power supply section is a position-adjustable variable power supply section. When the resonant coil 212 is equipped with a variable ground section and a variable power supply section, the resonant frequency and load impedance of the processing chamber 201 can be adjusted more easily, as will be described later.

[0056] The shielding plate 223 is provided to shield electromagnetic waves from leaking to the outside of the resonant coil 212 and to form the capacitive component necessary for constructing a resonant circuit between itself and the resonant coil 212. The shielding plate 223 is generally formed in a cylindrical shape using a conductive material such as an aluminum alloy, copper, or copper alloy. The shielding plate 223 is positioned, for example, about 5 to 150 mm away from the outer circumference of the resonant coil 212.

[0057] An RF sensor 272 is installed on the output side of the high-frequency power supply 273 to monitor forward waves, reflected waves, etc. The reflected wave power monitored by the RF sensor 272 is input to the frequency matching unit 274. The frequency matching unit 274 controls the frequency to minimize the reflected wave.

[0058] The plasma generation unit according to this embodiment is mainly composed of a resonant coil 212, an RF sensor 272, and a frequency matching unit 274. A high-frequency power supply 273 may also be included as part of the plasma generation unit. The resonant coil 212 is configured such that it resonates in all wavelength modes in order to form a standing wave of a predetermined wavelength. Specifically, the electrical length of the resonant coil 212 is set to an integer multiple (1x, 2x, ...) of one wavelength at a predetermined frequency of power supplied from the high-frequency power supply 273.

[0059] Specifically, taking into account the power to be applied, the magnetic field strength to be generated, and the external dimensions of the device to which it is applied, the resonant coil 212 is configured such that, for example, it can generate a magnetic field of about 0.01 to 10 gauss with high-frequency power of 800 kHz to 50 MHz and 0.5 kW to 5 kW, with an effective cross-sectional area of ​​50 mm² to 300 mm² and a coil diameter of 200 mm to 500 mm, and is wound around the outer circumference of the room forming the plasma generation space about 2 to 60 times. The materials used to construct the resonant coil 212 include copper pipes, copper sheets, aluminum pipes, aluminum sheets, and polymer belts with copper or aluminum vapor-deposited onto them.

[0060] Furthermore, one or both ends of the resonant coil 212 are usually grounded via a movable tap in order to fine-tune the electrical length of the resonant coil during installation and to make the resonant characteristics approximately equal to those of the high-frequency power supply 273. In addition, a waveform adjustment circuit consisting of a coil and a shield is inserted at one end (or the other end or both ends) of the resonant coil 212 so that the phase and reverse phase currents flow symmetrically with respect to the electrical midpoint of the resonant coil 212. The waveform adjustment circuit is configured as an open circuit by electrically disconnecting or setting the ends of the resonant coil 212 to an electrically equivalent state. Alternatively, the ends of the resonant coil 212 may be disconnected via a choke series resistor and DC-connected to a fixed reference potential.

[0061] The shielding plate 223 is provided to shield the electric field outside the resonant coil 212 and to form a capacitive component (C component) between it and the resonant coil 212 necessary for forming a resonant circuit. The shielding plate 223 is generally constructed in a cylindrical shape using a conductive material such as aluminum alloy, copper, or copper alloy. The shielding plate 223 is positioned approximately 5 to 150 mm away from the outer circumference of the resonant coil 212. Normally, the shielding plate 223 is grounded so that its potential is equal to both ends of the resonant coil 212, but to accurately set the resonant frequency of the resonant coil 212, one or both ends of the shielding plate 223 are made tap-position adjustable. Alternatively, a trimming capacitance may be inserted between the resonant coil 212 and the shielding plate 223 to accurately set the resonant frequency.

[0062] The high-frequency power supply 273 includes a power supply control means (control circuit) that includes a high-frequency oscillation circuit and a preamplifier for defining the oscillation frequency and output, and an amplifier (output circuit) for amplifying to a predetermined output. The power supply control means controls the amplifier based on preset frequency and power output conditions via an operation panel, and the amplifier supplies a constant high-frequency power to the resonant coil 212 via a transmission line.

[0063] Incidentally, the plasma generation circuit composed of the resonant coil 212 is composed of an RLC parallel resonant circuit. When the wavelength of the high-frequency power supply 273 and the electrical length of the resonant coil 212 are the same, the resonance condition of the resonant coil 212 is that the reactance components created by the capacitive and inductive components of the resonant coil 212 cancel each other out, resulting in pure resistance. However, in the above plasma generation circuit, when plasma is generated, the actual resonance frequency fluctuates slightly due to variations in the capacitive coupling between the voltage portion of the resonant coil 212 and the plasma, the inductive coupling between the plasma generation space and the plasma, and the excitation state of the plasma.

[0064] Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to compensate for the resonance deviation in the resonant coil 212 when plasma is generated on the power supply side, the frequency matching unit 274 has the function of detecting the reflected wave power from the resonant coil 212 when plasma is generated and supplementing the output. With this configuration, the resonant device of this disclosure can form standing waves more accurately in the resonant coil 212 and generate plasma with extremely low capacitive coupling.

[0065] In other words, the frequency matching unit 274 detects the reflected wave power from the resonant coil 212 when plasma is generated, and increases or decreases the predetermined frequency so that the reflected wave power is minimized. Specifically, the frequency matching unit 274 is configured with a frequency control circuit that corrects a preset oscillation frequency, and a reflected wave power meter, which is part of the frequency matching unit 274, is interposed on the output side of the amplifier to detect the reflected wave power in the transmission line and feed back its voltage signal to the frequency control circuit.

[0066] The frequency control circuit consists of an A / D converter that receives a voltage signal from a reflected wave power meter and digitally converts the voltage signal into a frequency signal, an arithmetic processing circuit that adds or subtracts the value of the frequency signal corresponding to the converted reflected wave from a preset oscillation frequency value, a D / A converter that converts the frequency value obtained by the addition and subtraction process into an analog voltage signal, and a voltage-controlled oscillator that oscillates according to the voltage applied from the D / A converter. Therefore, before the plasma is lit, the frequency control circuit oscillates at the no-load resonant frequency of the resonant coil 212, and after the plasma is lit, it oscillates at a frequency increased or decreased from the predetermined frequency so as to minimize the reflected power, and as a result, the frequency signal is supplied to the amplifier so that the reflected wave in the transmission line becomes zero.

[0067] In this embodiment, the vacuum inside the plasma generation space is reduced to, for example, 0.01 to 50 Torr, and then a plasma gas (oxygen-containing gas in this embodiment) is supplied to the plasma generation space while maintaining the aforementioned vacuum level. When high-frequency power of, for example, 27.12 MHz and 2 kW is supplied from the high-frequency power supply 273 to the resonant coil 212, an induced electric field is generated inside the plasma generation space, and as a result, the supplied gas becomes a plasma in the plasma generation space.

[0068] The frequency matching unit 274 attached to the high-frequency power supply 273 compensates for the shift in the resonance point of the resonant coil 212 due to fluctuations in the capacitive and inductive coupling of the generated plasma. Specifically, the RF sensor 272 of the frequency matching unit 274 detects the reflected wave power due to fluctuations in the capacitive and inductive coupling of the plasma, and increases or decreases the predetermined frequency by an amount corresponding to the shift in the resonance frequency, which is the cause of the reflected wave power, so that the reflected wave power is minimized, and outputs a high frequency of the resonance frequency of the resonant coil 212 under plasma conditions to the amplifier.

[0069] In other words, in the resonant device of this disclosure, a high frequency of the resonant frequency is output in accordance with the shift in the resonance point of the resonant coil 212 during plasma generation and when the plasma generation conditions fluctuate, thereby enabling the formation of a standing wave more accurately in the resonant coil 212. That is, as shown in Figure 2, in the resonant coil 212, a standing wave is formed in which the phase voltage and the opposite phase voltage always cancel each other out by transmitting power at the actual resonant frequency of the resonator, including the plasma, and the highest phase current is generated at the electrical midpoint of the coil (the node where the voltage is zero). Therefore, the induced plasma excited at the above electrical midpoint has almost no capacitive coupling with the processing chamber wall or the substrate mounting stage, and a donut-shaped plasma with an extremely low electrical potential can be formed in the plasma generation space.

[0070] (Control Unit) As shown in Figure 3, the control unit 10 is connected to or configured as a computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 221a, RAM (Random Access Memory) 221b, storage unit 221c, and I / O port 221d. The RAM 221b, storage unit 221c, and I / O port 221d are configured to exchange data with the CPU 221a via an internal bus 221e. The control unit 10 is connected to an operation unit 222 and a display unit 222a, which are input / output devices configured as, for example, a touch panel or a display. The internal bus 221e is connected to an external communication unit 224, an external storage unit 225, a calculation unit 226, a setting unit 227, and a determination unit 228.

[0071] The storage unit 221c is composed of, for example, flash memory, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc. The storage unit 221c stores, in a readable format, control programs that control the operation of the substrate processing device, and program recipes that describe the procedures and conditions for substrate processing, as described later. Various program recipes, such as process recipes (processing recipes) and chamber condition recipes (pre-processing recipes described later), are combined in such a way that each procedure is executed by the control unit 10 to obtain a predetermined result, and function as a program. Hereinafter, these program recipes and control programs will be collectively referred to simply as "programs." In this specification, the term "program" may include only program recipes, only control programs, or both. The RAM 221b is configured as a memory area (work area) where programs and data read by the CPU 221a are temporarily held.

[0072] I / O port 221d is connected to the process control unit 221 and the transport control unit 31. The process control unit 221 includes, for example, a temperature control unit 300, a pressure control unit 302, and a gas flow control unit 304. As shown in Figure 2, the temperature control unit 300 is connected to the impedance variable mechanism 275, the heater power adjustment mechanism 276, etc. via signal line C. The pressure control unit 302 is connected to the valve 243b, APC valve 242, vacuum pump 246, etc. via signal line A, and to the gate valve 244 via signal line D. The gas flow control unit 304 is connected to MFCs 252a to 252c, valves 253a to 253c, and 243a via signal line F. The process control unit 221 is also connected to the RF sensor 272, high-frequency power supply 273, and matching unit 274 via signal line E, and to the susceptor lifting mechanism 268, etc. via signal line B.

[0073] The CPU 221a is configured to read and execute control programs from the memory unit 221c, and to read process recipes from the memory unit 221c in response to input of operation commands from the operation unit 222. The CPU 221a is configured to control, in accordance with the contents of the read process recipe, the opening adjustment operation of the APC valve 242, the opening and closing operation of valve 243b, and the starting and stopping of the vacuum pump 246 via I / O port 221d, process control unit 221, and signal line A; the raising and lowering operation of the susceptor lifting mechanism 268 via signal line B; the power supply amount adjustment operation (temperature adjustment operation) of the heater 217b by the heater power adjustment mechanism 276 and the impedance value adjustment operation by the impedance variable mechanism 275 via signal line C; the opening and closing operation of the gate valve 244 via signal line D; the operation of the RF sensor 272, matching unit 274, and high-frequency power supply 273 via signal line E; and the flow rate adjustment operation of various gases by MFCs 252a to 252c, and the opening and closing operation of valves 253a to 253c and 243a via signal line F.

[0074] The control unit 10 can be configured by installing the above-mentioned program stored in an external storage device (e.g., a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory or memory card) 224 onto a computer. The storage unit 221c and the external storage unit 225 are configured as computer-readable recording media. Hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to simply as recording media. In this specification, the term recording media may include only the storage unit 221c, only the external storage unit 225, or both. Note that the program may be provided to the computer using communication means such as the internet or a dedicated line, without using the external storage unit 225.

[0075] (Measurement unit, calculation unit, judgment unit, setting unit) In Figure 3, the measuring unit 31c measures the mass of the wafer 200 before processing begins and after processing is completed. This mass may be, for example, the mass of the wafer 200 measured by the weighing scale 32, or the mass of the wafer 200 calculated from the amount of warping of the wafer 200.

[0076] When the mass is measured from the weight of the wafer 200, the measuring unit 31c measures the mass of the wafer 200 before processing begins and after processing is completed, for example, using a weighing scale 32 (Figure 1) provided in the vacuum transport chamber TM. As shown in Figure 2, the weighing scale 32 may be located below the wafer push-up pins 266 on the lower side of the processing chamber 201. The susceptor 217 descends and the wafer 200 is supported by the wafer push-up pins 266. At this time, the weight of the wafer 200 is transmitted to the weighing scale 32 via the wafer push-up pins 266.

[0077] On the other hand, when the mass is calculated from the amount of warpage of the wafer 200, the measuring unit 31c measures the mass of the wafer 200 before processing begins and after processing is completed using a warpage measuring instrument 34 provided in the vacuum transfer chamber TM. The warpage measuring instrument 34 is a measuring instrument that optically measures the amount of warpage of the wafer 200 and is provided in a position similar to that of the weighing scale 32 in the vacuum transfer chamber TM (Figure 1).

[0078] The timing at which the measurement unit 31c measures the mass varies depending on the processing of the wafer 200. This measurement timing differs, for example, between recipes with high temperature sensitivity and recipes with low temperature sensitivity. This timing is also stored as a parameter in the storage unit 221c.

[0079] The measuring unit 31c may perform mass measurement in situ. Specifically, the measuring unit 31c may perform mass measurement in the vacuum transport chamber TM or the processing chamber 201, in other words, under reduced pressure, as described above.

[0080] The mass may be measured after each processing of the wafer 200, or it may be measured at a predetermined timing during the processing of the wafer 200. For example, it may be measured after multiple substrate processing cycles. The measured mass is stored, for example, in the storage unit 221c.

[0081] The calculation unit 226 may perform processing on the wafer 200 at least twice and calculate the difference in mass. In other words, the calculation unit 226 may measure the mass during processing of one wafer 200 and during processing of another wafer 200, and calculate the difference. Alternatively, the calculation unit 226 may calculate the change in film thickness during substrate processing or calculate the amount of oxidation based on the mass and the area of ​​the wafer 200.

[0082] The determination unit 228 determines whether the film thickness value calculated by the calculation unit 226 is abnormal. For example, the determination unit 228 determines that an abnormality exists if the calculated film thickness value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The storage unit 221c stores the film thickness value when the determination unit 228 determines it to be abnormal.

[0083] The setting unit 227 is the part that sets the processing conditions. The setting unit 227 changes the processing conditions based on the calculated film thickness value and threshold. The processing conditions to be changed are, for example, the output setting value of a heater (for example, heater 217b) provided in the processing chamber 201. The setting unit 227 may also change the heater output setting value based on the calculated film thickness value and threshold.

[0084] The control unit 10 is configured to control the setting unit 227 to change the processing conditions when the determination unit 228 determines that the film thickness value is abnormal.

[0085] (2) Substrate processing process Next, the substrate processing step according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. The substrate processing step according to this embodiment is performed by the substrate processing apparatus 100 described above as one step in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device such as a flash memory. In the following description, the operation of each part constituting the substrate processing apparatus 100 is controlled by the control unit 10. In the substrate processing step according to this embodiment, for example, oxidation treatment is performed on the surface of the wafer 200. The diameter of the wafer 200 is, for example, 300 mm, but it may be 200 mm or 450 mm.

[0086] In Figure 4, the semiconductor device manufacturing method according to this embodiment includes a step of transporting a substrate and measuring the mass of the substrate before processing begins (substrate loading step S110), a step of processing the substrate according to the processing conditions of the substrate (substrate processing step S120), a step of unloading the substrate and measuring the mass of the substrate after processing is completed (substrate unloading step S130), and a step of confirming the film thickness value (film thickness value confirmation step S140).

[0087] The film thickness value confirmation step S140 is carried out according to the flow shown in Figure 5. Specifically, this step S140 includes steps S141, S142, and S143 to calculate the film thickness value from the difference in mass obtained before and after processing the substrate in S110 and S130, step S144 to determine if the film thickness value is abnormal, step (not shown) to set processing conditions, and steps S145 and S146 to change the processing conditions if it is determined that the film thickness value is abnormal.

[0088] (Substrate loading process S110) First, in Figure 1, for example, the vacuum robot VR removes the wafer 200 from the load lock chambers LM1 and LM2 and places it on the weighing scale 32. This measures the mass before substrate processing begins, specifically the mass of the wafer 200. After measurement, the vacuum robot VR transports the wafer 200 from the vacuum transport chamber TM to the processing chamber 201 of an arbitrary processing module (for example, processing module PM1).

[0089] In Figure 2, the susceptor lifting mechanism 268 lowers the susceptor 217 to the wafer transport position, causing the wafer push-up pin 266 to pass through the through-hole 217a of the susceptor 217. As a result, the wafer push-up pin 266 protrudes from the surface of the susceptor 217 by a predetermined height.

[0090] Next, the gate valve 244 (corresponding to PGV in Figure 1) is opened, and the wafer 200 is transported into the processing chamber 201 from the vacuum transport chamber TM (Figure 1) adjacent to the processing chamber 201 using the transport mechanism, the vacuum robot VR (Figure 1). As a result, the wafer 200 is supported in a horizontal position on the wafer push-up pins 266 protruding from the surface of the susceptor 217. Once the wafer 200 has been transported into the processing chamber 201, the transport mechanism, the vacuum robot VR (Figure 1), is moved out of the processing chamber 201, and the gate valve 244 is closed to seal the processing chamber 201. Then, the susceptor 217 is raised so that the susceptor lifting mechanism 268 is in a predetermined position between the lower end 203a of the resonant coil 212 and the upper end 245a of the loading / unloading port 245. As a result, the wafer 200 is supported on the upper surface of the susceptor 217. The substrate loading process S110 may also be carried out while purging the processing chamber 201 with an inert gas or the like.

[0091] (Substrate processing step S120) The substrate processing step S120 includes, for example, a heating and vacuum evacuation step, a reaction gas supply step, a plasma processing step, and a vacuum evacuation step.

[0092] (Heating and vacuum evacuation process) Next, the wafer 200 brought into the processing chamber 201 is heated. The heater 217b is preheated, and the wafer 200 brought in is held on the susceptor 217 in which the heater 217b is embedded, thereby heating the wafer 200 to a predetermined value within the range of 150°C to 650°C. For example, here the wafer 200 is heated to a temperature of 600°C. While the wafer 200 is being heated, the processing chamber 201 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 246 via the gas exhaust pipe 231, and the pressure inside the processing chamber 201 is set to a predetermined value within the range of 0.1 Pa to 1000 Pa. For example, it is adjusted to 200 Pa. The vacuum pump 246 may be kept running at least until the substrate removal process S130 described later is completed.

[0093] (Reaction gas supply process) Next, the supply of O2 gas as a reaction gas is started. Specifically, valve 253a is opened, and the supply of O2 gas into the processing chamber 201 via buffer chamber 237 is started while controlling the flow rate with MFC 252a. At this time, the flow rate of O2 gas is set to a predetermined value, for example, between 100 sccm and 1000 sccm. In addition, the opening of APC 242 is adjusted to exhaust the processing chamber 201 so that the pressure inside the processing chamber 201 is a predetermined pressure, for example, between 1 Pa and 1000 Pa. In this way, the supply of O2 gas is continued until the end of the plasma processing process described later, while appropriately exhausting the processing chamber 201.

[0094] (Plasma treatment process) Once the pressure inside the processing chamber 201 stabilizes, high-frequency power is applied to the resonant coil 212 from the high-frequency power supply 273 via the matching circuit 274.

[0095] As a result, a high-frequency electric field is formed within the plasma generation space, and this electric field excites a donut-shaped induced plasma at a height corresponding to the electrical midpoint of the resonant coil 212 in the plasma generation space. The plasma-like O2 gas dissociates, generating reactive species such as oxygen (O)-containing oxygen-active species and ions.

[0096] As mentioned above, a standing wave is formed in which the phase voltage and the opposite phase voltage always cancel each other out, and the highest phase current is generated at the electrical midpoint of the coil (the node where the voltage is zero). Therefore, the induced plasma excited at the above electrical midpoint has almost no capacitive coupling with the processing chamber wall or the substrate mounting stage, and a donut-shaped plasma with an extremely low electrical potential can be formed in the plasma generation space.

[0097] Furthermore, as described above, the power control means attached to the high-frequency power supply 273 compensates for the shift in the resonance point in the resonant coil 212 due to fluctuations in the capacitive and inductive coupling of the plasma, thereby forming standing waves more accurately. As a result, there is almost no capacitive coupling, and a plasma with an extremely low electrical potential can be formed more reliably in the plasma generation space.

[0098] Because a plasma with an extremely low electrical potential is generated, the formation of walls in the plasma generation space and sheaths on the substrate mounting stage can be prevented. Therefore, ions in the plasma are not accelerated.

[0099] In the substrate processing space 201b, the wafer 200 held on the substrate mounting stage 217 is supplied with oxygen radicals and unaccelerated ions, modifying the silicon film into a silicon oxide film with high step coverage. Furthermore, since ion attack due to acceleration can be prevented, wafer damage caused by ions can be suppressed.

[0100] Furthermore, because ion acceleration is prevented, there is no sputtering effect on the surrounding walls of the plasma generation space, and no damage is caused to the surrounding walls of the plasma generation space. As a result, the lifespan of the device can be improved, and problems such as contamination of wafers by mixing components of the plasma generation space into the plasma can also be prevented.

[0101] Furthermore, the power control means attached to the high-frequency power supply 273 compensates for the reflected wave power caused by impedance mismatch in the resonant coil 212 on the high-frequency power supply 273 side, and compensates for the decrease in effective load power. This ensures that the initial level of high-frequency power is always reliably supplied to the resonant coil 212, thereby stabilizing the plasma. Consequently, wafers held in the substrate processing space can be processed at a constant rate and uniformly.

[0102] After a predetermined processing time, for example between 10 and 300 seconds, the output of power from the high-frequency power supply 273 is stopped, thereby halting the plasma discharge in the processing chamber 201. Additionally, valve 253a is closed to stop the supply of O2 gas to the processing chamber 201. This completes the plasma processing step.

[0103] (Vacuum evacuation process) After the predetermined processing time has elapsed and the supply of O2 gas has been stopped, the processing chamber 201 is evacuated using the gas exhaust pipe 231. This exhausts the O2 gas and any exhaust gases resulting from the reaction of the O2 gas from the processing chamber 201 to the outside. Subsequently, the opening of the APC 242 is adjusted to set the pressure inside the processing chamber 201 to the same pressure (e.g., 100 Pa) as the adjacent vacuum transport chamber (the destination for wafer 200, not shown).

[0104] (Substrate unloading process S130) Once the processing chamber 201 reaches a predetermined pressure, the susceptor 217 is lowered to the wafer 200's transport position, supporting the wafer 200 on the wafer push-up pins 266. Then, the gate valve 244 is opened, and the wafer 200 is transported from the processing chamber 201 to the vacuum transport chamber TM using the vacuum robot VR. Alternatively, the wafer 200 may be transported while purging the processing chamber 201 with an inert gas or the like. The wafer 200 is placed on the weighing scale 32 to measure its mass after substrate processing, specifically the mass of the wafer 200.

[0105] (Film thickness value confirmation process S140) The calculation unit 226 calculates the film thickness value from the difference in mass before and after substrate processing (S141, S142, S143). Specifically, the calculation unit 226 calculates the increased film thickness value during substrate processing from the difference in mass and the area of ​​the wafer 200. This film thickness value is stored in the storage unit 221c. This allows the determination unit 228 to obtain the film thickness value from the storage unit 221c.

[0106] The determination unit 228 determines whether the film thickness value is above a predetermined threshold. If the film thickness value is above the threshold, the determination unit 228 determines that it is abnormal. The control unit 10 temporarily puts the processing chamber 201, which has been determined to be abnormal, into a standby state and controls the setting unit 227 to control the output of the heater 217b (Figure 2) according to the oxidation amount (film thickness value) and the output correction value of the heater 217b (Figure 2), which are predetermined by parameters, etc. (step S145), thereby changing the temperature inside the processing chamber 201 (step S146). Once the temperature inside the processing chamber 201 reaches the target temperature, the standby state is released and the processing of the wafer 200 is resumed. In this way, substrate processing can be suppressed while the temperature inside the processing chamber 201, which has been determined to be abnormal, is being controlled.

[0107] In step S144, which determines abnormalities, if the film thickness value is below the threshold, the determination unit 228 determines that it is normal, and therefore the processing conditions are not changed.

[0108] (3) Program The program according to this embodiment is a program that causes the substrate processing apparatus 100 to execute the following steps via computer: a procedure for transporting a substrate; a procedure for processing the substrate according to the processing conditions of the substrate; a procedure for measuring the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing is completed; a procedure for calculating the thickness of the substrate from the difference in the measured masses; a procedure for determining if the calculated thickness of the substrate is abnormal; a procedure for setting processing conditions; and a procedure for changing the processing conditions if it is determined that the thickness of the substrate is abnormal.

[0109] The above program may be provided as a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded. Alternatively, the above program may be a program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium.

[0110] (4) Effects according to this embodiment According to this embodiment, one or more of the following effects can be obtained. The thickness of the film formed on the substrate by the substrate processing can be calculated from the difference in mass of the substrate measured before and after the substrate processing. Furthermore, the presence or absence of an abnormality can be determined from this film thickness value. If an abnormality is determined, the heater 217b can be automatically corrected to prevent incorrect settings by the operator. In addition, by automatically correcting the heater 217b, the target oxidation amount (film thickness value) can be obtained even if the thermal emissivity of the susceptor cover 229 changes over time.

[0111] [Other embodiments] Although an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the above, and it is of course possible to implement it in various modified forms without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.

[0112] For example, this disclosure is applicable not only to oxidation treatments but also to oxynitriding treatments that combine oxidation and nitriding, diffusion treatments, film deposition treatments, etching treatments, etc. For example, in oxynitriding treatments, oxygen-containing gases such as oxygen (O2) gas alone or mixed gases obtained by adding nitrogen-containing gases, hydrogen-containing gases such as hydrogen (H2) gas, or noble gases to oxygen-containing gases can be used. In film deposition treatments, silicon (Si)-containing gases such as monosilane (SiH4) gas or disilane (Si2H6) gas can be used in combination with oxygen-containing gases or nitrogen-containing gases. The reaction gas used can be appropriately selected according to the content of each treatment. This makes it possible to perform anisotropic and isotropic nitriding treatments, oxynitriding treatments, diffusion treatments, film deposition treatments, and etching treatments, as well as anisotropic and isotropic oxidation treatments described above. When supplying a mixed gas, the two gases may be mixed (premixed) in the supply pipe before being supplied to the processing chamber 201, or the two gases may be supplied separately to the processing chamber 201 from different supply pipes and then mixed (postmixed) within the processing chamber 201.

[0113] Furthermore, although the above embodiments describe an example of film deposition using a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates at a time, this disclosure is not limited thereto and can be suitably applied to film deposition using a batch-type vertical substrate processing apparatus that processes multiple substrates at a time. Even when using these substrate processing apparatuses, film deposition can be performed using the same sequence and processing conditions as in the above embodiments.

[0114] It is preferable to prepare (or have multiple) process recipes (programs describing processing procedures and conditions, etc.) used for forming these various thin films, according to the content of the substrate processing (type of film to be formed, composition ratio, film quality, film thickness, processing procedure, processing conditions, etc.). When starting the substrate processing, it is preferable to appropriately select an appropriate process recipe from among the multiple process recipes according to the content of the substrate processing. Specifically, it is preferable to pre-store (install) the multiple process recipes prepared individually according to the content of the substrate processing into the storage unit 221c of the substrate processing apparatus via a telecommunications line or a recording medium (external storage unit 225) that records the process recipes. When starting the substrate processing, it is preferable for the CPU 121a of the substrate processing apparatus to appropriately select an appropriate process recipe from among the multiple process recipes stored in the storage unit 221c according to the content of the substrate processing. With this configuration, a single substrate processing apparatus can form thin films of various types, composition ratios, film quality, and film thickness in a general-purpose and reproducible manner. Furthermore, it reduces the operator's workload (such as the burden of inputting processing procedures and conditions), allowing for quicker initiation of board processing while avoiding operational errors.

[0115] Furthermore, this disclosure can also be implemented, for example, by changing the process recipe of an existing substrate processing apparatus. When changing the process recipe, it is possible to install the process recipe relating to this disclosure into the existing substrate processing apparatus via a telecommunications line or a recording medium on which the process recipe is stored, or to change the process recipe itself to the process recipe relating to this disclosure by operating the input / output device of the existing substrate processing apparatus.

[0116] In this specification, temperature refers to the temperature of the wafer 200 or the temperature inside the processing chamber 201, and pressure refers to the pressure inside the processing chamber 201. Processing time refers to the duration for which the processing is continued.

[0117] In this specification, the term "wafer" may mean either "the wafer itself" or "a laminate of a wafer and a predetermined layer or film formed on its surface." In this specification, the term "surface of a wafer" may mean either "the surface of the wafer itself" or "the surface of a predetermined layer or film formed on the wafer." In this specification, the term "substrate" has the same meaning as the term "wafer."

[0118] Furthermore, the above-described embodiment described an example of forming a film using a substrate processing apparatus having a cold-wall type processing furnace. This disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can also be suitably applied when forming a film using a substrate processing apparatus having a hot-wall type processing furnace.

[0119] The above-described embodiments can be used by combining each component as appropriate. The processing procedure and processing conditions in this case can be the same as, for example, the processing procedure and processing conditions of the above-described embodiments and modified examples. Even when using these substrate processing devices, each processing can be performed using the same processing procedure and processing conditions as the above-described embodiments, and the same effects as the above-described embodiments and modified examples can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 10 Control Unit 31c Measuring part 100 Substrate Processing Equipment 200 wafers (substrates) 201 Processing Room 226 Calculation Section 227 Settings Section 228 Judgment section TM Vacuum Conveyor Chamber (Conveyor Chamber)

Claims

1. A processing chamber for processing substrates according to processing conditions, A measuring unit that measures the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing is completed, A calculation unit calculates the change in the thickness of the substrate during processing, based on the measured difference in mass and the area of ​​the substrate. A storage unit that stores the difference, A determination unit that determines an abnormality if the calculated film thickness value exceeds a predetermined threshold, The setting unit sets the output setting value of the heater as the processing condition, A control unit is configured to control the setting unit to change the heater output setting value based on the calculated film thickness value and the threshold value when the film thickness value is determined to be abnormal. A substrate processing apparatus equipped with the following:

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit measures the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing is completed using a weighing scale.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit measures the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing is completed using a warpage measuring meter.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores the film thickness value when the determination unit determines that it is abnormal.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the timing at which the measuring unit measures the mass varies depending on the processing of the substrate.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the timing at which the measuring unit measures the mass is stored as a parameter in the storage unit.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit performs the measurement of the mass in situ.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit measures the mass under reduced pressure.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement of the mass is performed for each processing of the substrate.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement of the mass is performed during processing of the substrate at a predetermined timing.

11. The bottom surface of the processing chamber is provided with wafer push-up pins for supporting the substrate, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit measures the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing is completed using a weighing scale positioned below the wafer push-up pin.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the timing at which the measuring unit measures the mass varies depending on the temperature sensitivity in the processing of the substrate.

13. A process of processing the substrate according to processing conditions, A step of measuring the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing is completed, A step of calculating the change in the thickness of the substrate during processing of the substrate, based on the difference in the measured mass and the area of ​​the substrate, The process of storing the aforementioned difference, A step of determining an abnormality if the calculated film thickness value exceeds a predetermined threshold, The aforementioned processing conditions include a step of setting the output value of the heater, If the aforementioned film thickness value is determined to be abnormal, the process of changing the heater output setting value based on the calculated film thickness value and the threshold value, A substrate processing method having the following characteristics.

14. A process of processing the substrate according to processing conditions, A step of measuring the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing is completed, A step of calculating the change in the thickness of the substrate during processing of the substrate, based on the difference in the measured mass and the area of ​​the substrate, The process of storing the aforementioned difference, A step of determining an abnormality if the calculated film thickness value exceeds a predetermined threshold, The aforementioned processing conditions include a step of setting the output value of the heater, If the aforementioned film thickness value is determined to be abnormal, the process of changing the heater output setting value based on the calculated film thickness value and the threshold value, A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having [a certain feature].

15. The procedure for processing the substrate according to the processing conditions, A procedure for measuring the mass of the substrate before processing begins and after processing is completed, A procedure for calculating the change in the thickness of the substrate during processing, based on the measured difference in mass and the area of ​​the substrate, The procedure for storing the aforementioned difference, A procedure for determining an abnormality when the calculated film thickness value exceeds a predetermined threshold, The procedure for setting the heater output setting value as the processing condition, If the aforementioned film thickness value is determined to be abnormal, the procedure for changing the heater output setting value based on the calculated film thickness value and the threshold value, A program that causes a circuit board processing unit to execute commands via a computer.

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