Information processing method, computer program, information processing device, and substrate processing system

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an information processing method, a computer program, an information processing device, and a substrate processing system that can be expected to predict a state of an in-chamber component of a substrate processing device.　In an information processing method according to the present embodiment, an information processing device acquires distribution information of unevenness of a surface of an in-chamber component of a substrate processing device at a first time point, acquires distribution information of unevenness of the in-chamber component at a second time point after the substrate processing is performed from the first time point, and predicts distribution information of unevenness of the in-chamber component at a time point after the substrate processing is performed from the second time point on the basis of the acquired distribution information of the first time point and the distribution information of the second time point.

Description

Information processing method, computer program, information processing device, and substrate processing system

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes a system in which a trigger feature including a microchamber disposed below the surface of the annular body of an edge ring used inside a chamber for processing semiconductor substrates and a cap element covering the microchamber is provided on the annular body of the edge ring used inside the chamber for processing semiconductor substrates, and the wear level and remaining life of the edge ring are determined based on the microchamber that becomes visible when the surface is eroded by exposure to plasma. In this system, the wear level and remaining life of the edge ring are determined based on an image of the trigger feature taken inside the chamber with an inspection scope.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-61442

[0004] The present disclosure provides an information processing method, a computer program, an information processing apparatus, and a substrate processing system that are expected to predict the state of components inside a chamber of a substrate processing apparatus.

[0005] In one embodiment of an information processing method, an information processing device acquires distribution information of unevenness on the surface of a chamber component of a substrate processing apparatus at a first point in time, acquires distribution information of unevenness on the chamber component at a second point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the first point in time, and predicts distribution information of unevenness on the chamber component at a point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the second point in time based on the acquired distribution information at the first point in time and the distribution information at the second point in time.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is expected that the state of components inside a chamber of a substrate processing apparatus can be predicted.

[0007] 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining an overview of an information processing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of a focus ring attached to a substrate processing apparatus in the information processing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for a life prediction process performed by the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display of a first measurement result. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display of a second measurement result. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining calculation of a change amount by the information processing apparatus. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a frequency distribution predicted by the information processing apparatus. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing examples of predicted and actual measured values ​​of the frequency distribution. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a life prediction by the information processing apparatus. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration of a substrate processing system 100 according to a second embodiment. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for a life prediction process performed by the substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of a life prediction process performed by the substrate processing system 100 according to the third embodiment.

[0008] Specific examples of information processing systems according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0009] <System Overview> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an overview of an information processing system according to this embodiment. The information processing system according to this embodiment is configured to include an information processing device 1, a substrate processing device 3, and a measuring device 5. The substrate processing device 3 includes a process chamber that performs an etching process on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The etching process is a processing process that cuts the surface of the substrate by, for example, creating a vacuum environment inside the chamber, converting a gas into plasma, and causing ions to collide with the substrate in order to process the surface of the substrate into a desired shape.

[0010] In this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 3 is an apparatus that performs an etching process on semiconductor wafers, but is not limited to this and may be an apparatus that performs an etching process on metal, glass, etc. In this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 3 is an apparatus that performs so-called dry etching as an etching process, but is not limited to this and may be an apparatus that performs so-called wet etching.

[0011] Etching processing is performed in a sealed chamber, which contains not only the substrate to be processed but also various components that make up the chamber. These components in the process chamber are exposed to chemicals and the like during the etching processing, which causes their surfaces to be scraped, and as a result, they deteriorate as the etching processing is repeated. For example, if the deterioration of a component in the chamber exceeds a predetermined standard, a user such as a manager or operator of the substrate processing apparatus 3 must replace the deteriorated component. In this embodiment, a focus ring (edge ​​ring) is used as an example of a component in the chamber, but the component in the chamber is not limited to a focus ring and may be any component disposed in the chamber. The information processing system according to this embodiment is a system that predicts when a component in the chamber of the substrate processing apparatus 3 will need to be replaced, i.e., the end of the component's life.

[0012] The information processing device 1 is, for example, a device that monitors and controls the operation of the substrate processing device 3, and may be configured using a general-purpose personal computer or server computer, or dedicated control equipment, etc. In this embodiment, the information processing device 1 is connected to the measuring device 5 via a signal line or a network, etc., and acquires unevenness distribution information of components inside the chamber of the substrate processing device 3 measured by the measuring device 5, and performs processing to predict the life of the components inside the chamber based on the acquired information.

[0013] The measuring device 5 is a device that measures the uneven shape (height) of the surface of an object. The measuring device 5 measures the uneven shape by emitting, for example, laser light or ultrasonic waves to the surface of the object and detecting the reflected waves. In this embodiment, the measuring device 5 scans and measures a measurement area of ​​a predetermined size on the surface of the object, and outputs unevenness distribution information that indicates the distribution of the uneven shape in a two-dimensional area of ​​the predetermined size to the information processing device 1.

[0014] In the information processing system according to this embodiment, the measuring device 5 performs a first measurement of the components inside the chamber at a predetermined timing, such as when the substrate processing apparatus 3 is started up (when the apparatus is first installed in a factory, etc.) or when a deteriorated component inside the chamber is replaced. Then, the substrate processing apparatus 3 performs an etching process on several to several tens of substrates. This etching process may be performed, for example, as part of the manufacture of a normal product, or may be performed for trial operation. After a certain amount of etching has been performed, the measuring device 5 performs a second measurement of the components inside the chamber.

[0015] The information processing device 1 acquires the results of the first and second measurements of unevenness distribution information obtained by the measuring device 5 for a chamber component of the substrate processing apparatus 3. Based on the unevenness distribution information obtained in the first and second measurements, the information processing device 1 calculates, as a change probability, a distribution of the probability of change in unevenness height caused by exposure of the chamber component to plasma. The information processing device 1 predicts the unevenness distribution of the chamber component after a given time has elapsed based on the time during which the etching process was performed between the first and second measurements and a hypothetical change amount sampled from the calculated unevenness change probability. Based on the predicted unevenness distribution result, the information processing device 1 calculates the time at which the unevenness distribution of the chamber component will satisfy a predetermined condition and predicts this time as the lifetime.

[0016] As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment can predict the lifespan of the components in the chamber at a relatively early stage after the start-up of the substrate processing apparatus 3 or after a component replacement, and provide the prediction result to a user such as a manager of the substrate processing apparatus 3. By knowing the lifespan of the components in the chamber in advance, the user can be expected to take measures such as preparing replacement components in advance.

[0017] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device 1 according to this embodiment. The information processing device 1 according to this embodiment is configured to include a processing unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, a display unit 14, and an operation unit 15. Note that in this embodiment, the processing will be described as being performed by a single information processing device 1, but the processing of the information processing device 1 may be distributed among a plurality of devices.

[0018] The processing unit 11 is configured using an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or a quantum processor, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The processing unit 11 reads and executes a program 12a stored in the storage unit 12 to perform various processes, such as acquiring measurement results of the unevenness distribution of components within the chamber from the measuring device 5 and predicting the life of the components within the chamber based on the acquired information.

[0019] The storage unit 12 is configured using a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk. The storage unit 12 stores various programs executed by the processing unit 11 and various data required for the processing of the processing unit 11. In this embodiment, the storage unit 12 stores a program 12a executed by the processing unit 11. The storage unit 12 also includes an unevenness distribution information storage unit 12b that stores unevenness distribution information acquired from the measuring device 5, and a judgment condition storage unit 12c that stores judgment conditions for predicting the life of components inside the chamber.

[0020] In this embodiment, the program (computer program, program product) 12a is provided in a form recorded on a recording medium 99 such as a memory card or an optical disc, and the information processing device 1 reads the program 12a from the recording medium 99 and stores it in the storage unit 12. However, the program 12a may also be written to the storage unit 12, for example, during the manufacturing stage of the information processing device 1. Alternatively, the program 12a may be distributed by a remote server device or the like and acquired by the information processing device 1 via communication. For example, the program 12a may be read from the recording medium 99 by a writing device and written to the storage unit 12 of the information processing device 1. The program 12a may be provided in a form distributed via a network or in a form recorded on the recording medium 99.

[0021] The unevenness distribution information storage unit 12b of the storage unit 12 stores unevenness distribution information of the chamber internal component measured by the measuring device 5 in association with identification information, such as the device ID of the substrate processing apparatus 3 in which the chamber internal component is installed or a component ID attached to the chamber internal component, timestamp information, such as the date or time when the measurement by the measuring device 5 was performed, and information on the cumulative time during which the etching process was performed using the chamber internal component. This identification information and timestamp information are input, for example, by a user when the measurement is performed by the measuring device 5. The cumulative time information may be input, for example, by a user, or may be calculated by the information processing apparatus 1 based on the timestamp information and information such as the operation log of the substrate processing apparatus 3. Alternatively, information measured by the substrate processing apparatus 3 may be acquired via communication. The unevenness distribution information is provided, for example, in the form of a two-dimensional array corresponding to the surface (two-dimensional plane) of the chamber internal component to be measured, and the measured height (depth) of the corresponding position is stored as each element of the two-dimensional array. That is, the unevenness distribution information is information on the planar distribution of the height (depth) of the chamber internal component.

[0022] The judgment condition storage unit 12c of the storage unit 12 stores judgment conditions for judging whether a chamber internal component has reached the end of its life based on unevenness distribution information of the chamber internal component measured by the measuring device 5. In the present embodiment, the judgment conditions are predetermined, for example, by a designer or administrator of the information processing system according to the present embodiment, as threshold values ​​for the variance σ calculated based on the unevenness distribution information. However, the judgment conditions may be changeable as appropriate by the user. The information processing device 1 according to the present embodiment predicts future unevenness distribution information based on two measurement results of the chamber internal component, and judges whether the predicted unevenness distribution information has reached the end of its life based on the judgment conditions, thereby predicting the life of the chamber internal component.

[0023] The communication unit 13 is connected to the measuring device 5 via a cable such as a communication line or a signal line, and transmits and receives data to and from the measuring device 5 via these cables. In this embodiment, the communication unit 13 transmits control information and the like provided by the processing unit 11 to the measuring device 5, and also receives measurement results of unevenness distribution information transmitted from the measuring device 5 and provides the results to the processing unit 11. Note that in this embodiment, the information processing device 1 and the measuring device 5 communicate via a cable, but this is not limited thereto, and information may be transmitted and received, for example, by wireless communication, or may be transmitted and received via a recording medium such as a memory card.

[0024] The display unit 14 is configured using a liquid crystal display or the like, and displays various images, characters, etc. based on the processing of the processing unit 11. The information processing device 1 can display various information on the display unit 14, such as unevenness distribution information of the components inside the chamber acquired from the measuring device 5, or predicted lifespan of the components inside the chamber.

[0025] The operation unit 15 accepts user operations and notifies the processing unit 11 of the accepted operations. For example, the operation unit 15 accepts user operations using input devices such as mechanical buttons or a touch panel provided on the surface of the display unit 14. Furthermore, for example, the operation unit 15 may be input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard, and these input devices may be configured to be detachable from the information processing device 1.

[0026] The storage unit 12 may be an external storage device connected to the information processing device 1. The information processing device 1 may be a multi-computer including multiple computers, or may be a virtual machine virtually constructed by software. The information processing device 1 is not limited to the above configuration, and may not include, for example, the display unit 14 and the operation unit 15.

[0027] In addition, in the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment, the processing unit 11 reads and executes the program 12a stored in the memory unit 12, whereby the unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 11a, the change probability calculation unit 11b, the unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c, the life prediction unit 11d, the display processing unit 11e, etc. are realized in the processing unit 11 as software functional units.

[0028] The unevenness distribution information acquiring unit 11a communicates with the measuring device 5 via the communication unit 13 to acquire unevenness distribution information, which is the measurement result of the unevenness distribution of components inside the chamber of the substrate processing apparatus 3 by the measuring device 5. For example, if the information processing apparatus 1 is configured to control the operation of the measuring device 5, the measuring device 5 transmits the measurement result to the information processing apparatus 1 each time it measures unevenness of the components inside the chamber, and the unevenness distribution information acquiring unit 11a acquires the measurement result. Alternatively, if the information processing apparatus 1 does not control the operation of the measuring device 5 but the measuring device 5 stores information on the measurement result itself, the unevenness distribution information acquiring unit 11a accepts input of identification information such as a device ID and a component ID from the user and acquires the measurement result corresponding to the input identification information from the measuring device 5. The unevenness distribution information acquiring unit 11a stores the unevenness distribution information acquired from the measuring device 5 in the unevenness distribution information storage unit 12b.

[0029] The change probability calculation unit 11b performs a process of calculating, as a change probability, the distribution of the probability of change in the height of unevenness caused by the chamber internal component being subjected to etching processing for a predetermined period of time, based on the unevenness distribution information measured the first time by the measuring device 5 for the target chamber internal component, the unevenness distribution information measured the second time by the measuring device 5 after etching processing has been performed in the substrate processing apparatus 3 for a predetermined period of time or a predetermined number of times since the first measurement, and the cumulative time during which etching processing has been performed between the first measurement and the second measurement.

[0030] As described above, the unevenness distribution information obtained from the measuring device 5 is information about the planar distribution of the height (depth) of the surface of a chamber internal component, and is provided as, for example, a two-dimensional array. The change probability calculation unit 11b randomly selects one pixel from the two-dimensional array from the first unevenness distribution information and extracts the unevenness amount stored in the selected pixel. Similarly, the change probability calculation unit 11b randomly selects one pixel from the two-dimensional array from the second unevenness distribution information and extracts the unevenness amount stored in the selected pixel. The change probability calculation unit 11b calculates the unevenness change amount by calculating the difference between the unevenness amount extracted from the first unevenness distribution information and the unevenness amount extracted from the second unevenness distribution information. The change probability calculation unit 11b repeatedly extracts the unevenness amount and calculates the change amount, and obtains a probability distribution of the occurrence of unevenness change amounts from the multiple change amounts obtained thereby. In this embodiment, the change probability calculation unit 11b calculates the probability distribution obtained in this manner as the unevenness change probability. By sampling appropriate amounts of change according to this probability distribution, it is possible to obtain a virtual amount of change in the unevenness from the first measurement to the second measurement. Furthermore, based on this amount of change and the time from the first measurement to the second measurement, it is possible to obtain a virtual amount of change per hour, for example.

[0031] The unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c performs a process of predicting the future unevenness distribution of the chamber internal components using the unevenness change probability calculated by the change probability calculation unit 11b and the unevenness distribution information from the second measurement result. For example, when predicting unevenness distribution information 50 hours after the second measurement, the unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c calculates a virtual amount of change in unevenness per hour of the etching process according to the probability distribution calculated as the unevenness change probability, and repeats this process to calculate a virtual amount of change in unevenness for 50 hours. The unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c can predict the unevenness distribution information 50 hours later by applying the amount of change over 50 hours to the second unevenness distribution information. In a similar manner, the unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c can predict the unevenness distribution information after any time.

[0032] The life prediction unit 11d performs a process of predicting the life of components inside the chamber of the substrate processing apparatus 3 based on the future unevenness distribution information predicted by the unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c and the judgment conditions previously stored in the judgment condition storage unit 12c. In this embodiment, the judgment conditions are set as a threshold value for the variance σ of the unevenness distribution information. The life prediction unit 11d predicts the life of the components inside the chamber by, for example, having the unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c predict the unevenness distribution information for each year, calculating the variance σ of the unevenness distribution information for each year, and searching for how many years it will take for the calculated variance σ to exceed the set threshold. Note that although an example of predicting the life in one-year increments is shown in this example, the life may also be predicted in one-month increments, one-week increments, or one-day increments, for example.

[0033] The display processing unit 11e performs processing to display various characters and images on the display unit 14. In this embodiment, the display processing unit 11e displays, for example, the planar distribution of the unevenness distribution information acquired by the unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 11a from the measuring device 5 as an image. The display processing unit 11e also displays, as a graph, a frequency distribution created based on the planar distribution. The display processing unit 11e also displays, as a graph, the future frequency distribution predicted by the unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c. The display processing unit 11e also displays information regarding the lifetime of the components in the chamber predicted by the lifetime prediction unit 11d.

[0034] <Focus Ring Configuration> Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of a focus ring mounted in substrate processing apparatus 3 in the information processing system according to this embodiment. Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 3. Focus ring 31 mounted in the chamber of substrate processing apparatus 3 is a plate-like member that is substantially annular in plan view and is made of a material such as silicon, quartz glass, SiC (silicon carbide), or ceramic. One surface (top surface) of focus ring 31 used in the information processing system according to this embodiment has eight substantially square recesses formed at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction as sample holders 32.

[0035] The eight specimen holders 32 formed on the focus ring 31 accommodate and hold substantially square plate-shaped members as specimens 35. The specimens 35 are preferably formed from the same material as the focus ring 31, but may be formed from a different material. The eight specimens 35 held in the eight specimen holders 32 may all be formed from the same material, or specimens formed from different materials may be mixed. The thickness of the specimen 35 is preferably the same as or thinner than the depth of the specimen holders 32, but may be thicker than the depth of the specimen holders 32.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, eight specimen holders 32 are provided on the focus ring 31, but this is not limited thereto, and the number of specimen holders 32 may be seven or less or nine or more. Furthermore, it is not necessary for all eight specimen holders 32 provided on the focus ring 31 to hold specimens 35; it is sufficient that at least one specimen holder 32 holds one specimen 35. Furthermore, while the specimen holders 32 and specimens 35 are substantially square, this is not limited thereto, and various shapes such as substantially rectangular, substantially circular, or an appropriate polygonal shape may be employed.

[0037] Furthermore, the specimen 35 may be marked, for example, to distinguish between the front and back (top and bottom). When a marking is formed, it is preferable that the marking be formed on the back surface (lower surface) of the specimen 35, i.e., on the surface that is not exposed to the outside while the specimen is held in the specimen holder 32. Furthermore, for example, identification information such as an ID for uniquely identifying the specimen 35 may be marked.

[0038] In the information processing system according to this embodiment, focus ring 31 is installed in the chamber of substrate processing apparatus 3 with specimen 35 held in specimen holder 32, and in this state, processing such as etching is performed in substrate processing apparatus 3. When performing the first and second measurements using measuring device 5, the user removes specimen 35 from specimen holder 32 of focus ring 31 and measures the surface irregularities of specimen 35 using measuring device 5. At this time, the user does not need to remove the main body of focus ring 31 from substrate processing apparatus 3. As described above, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, by measuring specimen 35 held in specimen holder 32 of focus ring 31 as the measurement target of measuring device 5 instead of the main body of focus ring 31, the user is spared the trouble of removing focus ring 31 from substrate processing apparatus 3 for measurement, which is expected to facilitate measurement.

[0039] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for a life prediction process performed by information processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. In the information processing system according to the present embodiment, for example, a first measurement is performed by measuring apparatus 5 as an initial measurement before starting to use new (brand new) focus ring 31 in substrate processing apparatus 3. At this time, a user sets focus ring 31 (or specimen 35 held in specimen holder 32 of focus ring 31) in measuring apparatus 5 and uses measuring apparatus 5 to measure the distribution of unevenness on the surface of focus ring 31.

[0040] The unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 11a of the processing unit 11 of the information processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment communicates with the measuring apparatus 5 via the communication unit 13 to acquire measurement results of the planar distribution of the surface unevenness of the focus ring 31 of the substrate processing apparatus 3, which is the target of prediction, measured by the measuring apparatus 5 (step S1). At this time, the unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 11a also acquires information, such as the ID of the focus ring 31 and the date and time of measurement, from the measuring apparatus 5, and stores this acquired information and the measurement results in the unevenness distribution information storage unit 12b in association with each other. The information, such as the ID of the focus ring 31 and the date and time of measurement, may be acquired by accepting information input from a user, rather than being acquired from the measuring apparatus 5. The display processing unit 11e of the processing unit 11 displays the first measurement result on the display unit 14, for example, by displaying side-by-side the planar distribution of the measurement results acquired in step S1 and a frequency distribution graph created based on this planar distribution (step S2).

[0041] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example display of the results of the first measurement. The graph shown in the upper part of FIG. 6 displays the measurement results of the planar distribution of the unevenness on the surface of focus ring 31 measured by measuring device 5 as a two-dimensional image. The vertical and horizontal axes of this graph correspond to the vertical and horizontal directions of the surface of focus ring 31, and the pixel values ​​of the displayed two-dimensional image indicate the height (or depth) of the unevenness. The graph shown in the lower part of FIG. 6 is a frequency distribution (histogram) of the pixel values ​​of the two-dimensional image in the upper part, with the horizontal axis representing height and the vertical axis representing frequency (number of pixels). In step S2, information processing device 1 displays the measurement results by, for example, displaying these two graphs side by side on display unit 14.

[0042] After the first measurement is completed, the user operates the substrate processing apparatus 3 with the focus ring 31 attached to perform processing such as etching. At this time, the substrate processing apparatus 3 may perform etching processing in a regular manufacturing process on an actual substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, or may perform etching processing for measurement using a test substrate or the like. After the substrate processing apparatus 3 has been operating for a predetermined time, the user removes the focus ring 31 attached to the substrate processing apparatus 3 (or the specimen 35 held in the specimen holder 32 of the focus ring 31) and sets it in the measuring apparatus 5, and performs a second measurement of the unevenness distribution using the measuring apparatus 5.

[0043] After an appropriate time has elapsed since the processing of step S2, the unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 11a of the information processing device 1 communicates with the measuring device 5 via the communication unit 13 to acquire the measurement results of the planar distribution of the unevenness on the surface of the focus ring 31 measured by the measuring device 5 (step S3). At this time, the unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 11a acquires information such as the ID of the focus ring 31, the date and time of the measurement, and the cumulative time of the etching process, and stores this acquired information and the measurement results in the unevenness distribution information storage unit 12b in association with each other. The display processing unit 11e displays the second measurement results on the display unit 14, for example, by displaying the planar distribution of the measurement results acquired in step S3 side by side with a graph of a frequency distribution created based on this planar distribution (step S4).

[0044] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display of the second measurement results, which are the results of an after-measurement performed approximately 10 hours after the first measurement shown in FIG. 6 . Similar to FIG. 6 , the upper part of FIG. 7 shows a graph of the planar distribution of the surface irregularities of the focus ring 31 for the second measurement, and the lower part of FIG. 7 shows a graph of the frequency distribution. In step S4, the information processing device 1 displays the second measurement results by, for example, displaying these two graphs side by side on the display unit 14. Furthermore, the information processing device 1 may also display the first and second measurement results side by side. Comparing the planar distribution of the first measurement results shown in the upper part of FIG. 6 with the planar distribution of the second measurement results shown in the upper part of FIG. 7 reveals that the surface irregularities have increased in the second measurement results. Furthermore, comparing the frequency distribution of the first measurement results shown in the lower part of FIG. 6 with the frequency distribution of the second measurement results shown in the lower part of FIG. 7 reveals that the variation in the distribution of irregularity heights has widened in the second measurement results.

[0045] After displaying the measurement results in step S4, the change probability calculation unit 11b of the processing unit 11 of the information processing device 1 calculates the probability of change regarding the unevenness distribution on the surface of the focus ring 31 based on the unevenness distribution information of the first measurement result acquired in step S1 and the unevenness distribution information of the second measurement result acquired in step S3 (step S5). In this embodiment, the change probability calculation unit 11b randomly extracts unevenness amounts from the unevenness distribution information of the first measurement result and the unevenness distribution information of the second measurement result, and calculates the difference between the two extracted unevenness amounts. The change probability calculation unit 11b repeatedly calculates the unevenness amount difference and calculates a probability distribution of the occurrence of unevenness change amounts from the multiple change amounts obtained thereby. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining the calculation of change amounts by the information processing device 1. On the left side of FIG. 8, an image of the planar distribution of the first measurement result and an image of the planar distribution of the second measurement result are shown vertically. On the right side of FIG. 8, a graph of the probability distribution of the occurrence of unevenness change amounts calculated based on the first measurement result and the second measurement result is shown. In this example, it can be predicted that a change in the unevenness shown by the probability distribution shown in the figure will occur at each point on the surface of the measurement target specimen 35 as a result of 10 hours of etching processing in the substrate processing apparatus 3. The change probability calculation unit 11b may use this probability distribution of the amount of change per 10 hours as the calculation result of step S5, or may further calculate, for example, 1 / 10 of this amount of change per 10 hours and use the probability distribution of the amount of change per hour as the calculation result of the change probability of step S5.

[0046] After calculating the change probability in step S5, the unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c of the information processing device 1 predicts future unevenness distribution information when an etching process is performed in the substrate processing device 3 based on the change probability calculated in step S5 and the second measurement result acquired in step S3 (step S6). The unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c can obtain a hypothetical change amount per 10 hours by, for example, sampling an appropriate change amount according to the probability indicated in the probability distribution calculated as the change probability in step S5, and can obtain a hypothetical change amount per hour by multiplying this by 1 / 10. The unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c can predict the unevenness distribution information 20 hours later by, for example, causing a change equivalent to the hypothetical change amount per 10 hours to the second unevenness distribution information (i.e., unevenness distribution information after 10 hours). The unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c can predict the unevenness distribution information after 30 hours based on the unevenness distribution information after 20 hours and a hypothetical change amount per 10 hours, and can predict the unevenness distribution information after 40 hours based on the unevenness distribution information after 30 hours and a hypothetical change amount per 10 hours. Similarly, the unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c predicts the unevenness distribution information every 10 hours, for example, until a predetermined time is reached.

[0047] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the prediction of unevenness distribution information by the information processing device 1. The unevenness height and its occurrence frequency (frequency) are graphed as a frequency distribution based on the unevenness distribution information at each time. The horizontal axis of the graph shown in FIG. 9 represents the unevenness height [μm], and the vertical axis represents the frequency, but the frequency on the vertical axis is a standardized value. From the prediction results shown in FIG. 9 , it can be seen that the spread (variation) of the unevenness distribution increases as the cumulative etching time increases. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the predicted and measured frequency distribution, and is a graph showing the predicted and measured frequency distribution values ​​after 100 hours superimposed on the initial distribution. The actual measured values ​​shown in FIG. 10 were actually obtained by performing an etching process using the substrate processing device 3, measuring the unevenness of the focus ring 31 after the cumulative time reached 100 hours using the measuring device 5, and creating a frequency distribution based on the planar distribution obtained as a result. As shown in Figure 10, it can be seen that the frequency distribution of unevenness after 100 hours predicted by the information processing device 1 of this embodiment is an accurate prediction of the frequency distribution obtained by actual measurement using the measuring device 5.

[0048] After predicting the unevenness distribution information at multiple future time points in step S6, the life prediction unit 11d of the information processing device 1 reads out a judgment condition for predicting the life of the focus ring 31 from the judgment condition storage unit 12c of the storage unit 12 (step S7). In the present embodiment, the judgment condition is a threshold value for the variance σ of the information on multiple heights included in the unevenness distribution information, and is determined in advance by, for example, a designer or administrator of the system and stored in the judgment condition storage unit 12c. The life prediction unit 11d reads out the threshold value stored in the judgment condition storage unit 12c.

[0049] Next, the life prediction unit 11d predicts the life of the focus ring 31 based on the judgment conditions read in step S7 (step S8). At this time, the life prediction unit 11d calculates the variance σ value for each of the irregularity distribution information at the multiple time points predicted in step S6. The life prediction unit 11d compares the calculated variances σ with the thresholds of the read judgment conditions, and determines the shortest time during which the variance σ exceeds the threshold (or the longest time during which the variance σ does not exceed the threshold) as the life of the focus ring 31. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of life prediction by the information processing device 1. FIG. 11 shows a graph with the etching time on the horizontal axis and the variance σ on the vertical axis, and the time-series change in the variance σ of the irregularity frequency distribution predicted every 10 hours is shown as a broken line.

[0050] As shown in the figure, the variance σ of the unevenness distribution of the focus ring 31 increases with increasing etching time. In this example, the threshold value used as a criterion for determining the lifetime for the variance σ is set to σ = 6, and the lifetime prediction unit 11d predicts the lifetime of the focus ring 31 as the etching time (130 hours in this example) at which the variance σ exceeds this threshold. Note that in this example, the variance σ is calculated every 10 hours, and the lifetime prediction unit 11d predicts the lifetime in 10-hour increments. For example, if the time at which the variance σ exceeds the threshold is between 120 and 130 hours, the life prediction unit 11d rounds down any time less than 10 hours to 120 hours. However, the life prediction unit 11d may, for example, round up or down any time less than 10 hours to determine the lifetime as 130 hours, or may calculate the lifetime in 1-hour increments using linear interpolation or other calculations.

[0051] After predicting the lifespan of the focus ring 31 in step S8, the display processing unit 11e of the information processing device 1 displays the predicted lifespan result on the display unit 14 (step S9), and then ends the processing. At this time, the display processing unit 11e can display, for example, a graph of the predicted result of the frequency distribution shown in Fig. 9 and a graph showing the change in variance σ shown in Fig. 11 side by side, along with a message notifying the user of the predicted lifespan of the focus ring 31. The display processing unit 11e may display the predicted lifespan result in any manner.

[0052] <Summary> In the information processing system according to the present embodiment having the above configuration, information processing device 1 acquires distribution information obtained by measuring, with measurement device 5, the unevenness of the surface of a chamber component at a first time point, such as when focus ring 31 (chamber component) begins to be used. Information processing device 1 then acquires distribution information obtained by measuring, with measurement device 5, the unevenness of the surface of the chamber component at a second time point after substrate processing, such as etching, has been performed from the first time point. Information processing device 1 predicts the unevenness distribution information of the chamber component at a time point after substrate processing, such as the second time point, based on the acquired distribution information at the first time point and the distribution information at the second time point. As a result, the information processing system according to the present embodiment can be expected to predict the state of the chamber component of substrate processing apparatus 3 from the unevenness measurement results at two time points, the first time point and the second time point.

[0053] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing device 1 predicts the lifespan of the chamber internal parts based on the predicted distribution information of the unevenness of the chamber internal parts. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to support the operation of the substrate processing device 3 by the user, for example, by allowing the user to consider a replacement schedule for the chamber internal parts of the substrate processing device 3 based on the predicted lifespan.

[0054] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing device 1 calculates the probability of change in the unevenness of the components in the chamber due to substrate processing, based on the distribution information at the first time point and the distribution information at the second time point. Based on the calculated change probability, the information processing device 1 predicts the distribution information of the unevenness of the components in the chamber at a time point after the second time point, for example, by changing the distribution information at the second time point in accordance with the calculated change probability. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment can be expected to accurately predict the state of the components in the chamber of the substrate processing apparatus 3 based on the change probability from the measurement results of the unevenness at two time points, the first time point and the second time point.

[0055] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing device 1 calculates the difference between the asperity height appropriately extracted from the asperity distribution information at a first time point and the asperity height appropriately extracted from the asperity distribution information at a second time point, repeatedly calculates this difference to calculate the probability of change in the asperity, and predicts future asperity distribution information by changing the asperity distribution information at the second time point in accordance with the change probability. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment can be expected to predict variations in asperity of components within a chamber and predict their lifespan.

[0056] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, a specimen holder 32 for holding a specimen 35 for acquiring distribution information is provided on focus ring 31 (internal chamber component) of substrate processing apparatus 3. Information processing apparatus 1 acquires the unevenness distribution of specimen 35 measured by measuring device 5 as unevenness distribution information of focus ring 31. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment can measure unevenness using the specimen instead of the internal chamber component without removing the internal chamber component from substrate processing apparatus 3 to measure unevenness using measuring device 5, which is expected to simplify measurement.

[0057] <Embodiment 2> In an information processing system according to embodiment 2, a sensor for measuring unevenness distribution information of focus ring 31 is provided in a substrate processing system having a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 3. That is, in the information processing system according to embodiment 2, substrate processing apparatuses 3 and measuring apparatus 5 are provided integrally. Furthermore, in the information processing system according to embodiment 2, the prediction processing performed by information processing apparatus 1 is performed by the substrate processing system. That is, in the information processing system according to embodiment 2, a substrate processing system having substrate processing apparatuses 3 and information processing apparatus 1 are provided integrally.

[0058] 12 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a substrate processing system according to embodiment 2. The illustrated substrate processing system 100 is a so-called cluster tool type substrate processing apparatus in which a plurality of plasma processing apparatuses (substrate processing apparatuses 3) are connected to a common transfer chamber that can be depressurized.

[0059] Substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment includes a vacuum processing unit 502 in which a plurality of (six in this example) plasma processing apparatuses 101A to 101F are connected around a common transfer chamber 510 via gate valves 108A to 108F, and a transfer unit 504 that transfers wafers W into and out of vacuum processing unit 502. Common transfer chamber 510 is configured so that its interior can be controlled to a predetermined vacuum pressure, and a transfer arm 190 is provided within common transfer chamber 510. This allows wafers W and focus rings 31 to be transferred into and out of each of plasma processing apparatuses 101A to 101F while maintaining a reduced pressure atmosphere.

[0060] The transfer arm 190 has two picks 192A and 192B and is capable of handling two wafers W or focus rings 31 at a time. The transfer arm 190 is rotatably supported on a base 194. The base 194 is configured to be slidable by, for example, a slide drive motor (not shown) on guide rails 196 arranged from the base end to the tip end within the common transfer chamber 510. A flexible arm 198 is connected to the base 194 to pass wiring for, for example, a motor for rotating the arm.

[0061] 12 is shown as an example in which six plasma processing apparatuses 101 are provided, but the present invention is not limited to this and may include five or fewer plasma processing apparatuses 101. Furthermore, the substrate processing system 100 shown in FIG. 12 may be provided with at least one plasma processing apparatus 101 that requires replacement of focus ring 31, and the remaining plasma processing apparatuses may be other processing apparatuses (e.g., heat treatment apparatuses, film formation apparatuses, etc.).

[0062] Around the common transfer chamber 510, one end of the first and second load lock chambers 520M, 520N are connected via gate valves (vacuum pressure side gate valves) 522, and the other ends of the first and second load lock chambers 520M, 520N are connected via gate valves (atmospheric pressure side gate valves) 524 to the transfer chamber 530 that constitutes the transfer unit 504.

[0063] The first and second load lock chambers 520M and 520N have the function of temporarily holding the wafer W or the focus ring 31, adjusting the atmosphere to a reduced pressure, and then passing the wafer W or the focus ring 31 to the common transfer chamber 510, and adjusting the atmosphere to atmospheric pressure, and then passing the wafer W or the focus ring 31 to the transfer chamber 530 of the transfer unit 504. Inside the first and second load lock chambers 520M and 520N, there is provided a transfer table 526 on which the wafer W and the focus ring 31 can be placed, respectively.

[0064] In this vacuum processing unit 502, the transfer arm 190 can access the first and second load lock chambers 520M, 520N and the processing chambers 102 of the plasma processing apparatuses 101A to 101F by sliding the transfer arm 190 along the guide rails 196. For example, when the transfer arm 190 is to access the first and second load lock chambers 520M, 520N and the processing chambers 102 of the opposing plasma processing apparatuses 101A, 101F, the transfer arm 190 is positioned along the guide rails 196 toward the base end of the common transfer chamber 510.

[0065] Furthermore, when the transfer arm 190 is to access each of the processing chambers 102 of the other four plasma processing apparatuses 101B to 101E, the transfer arm 190 is positioned near the tip end of the common transfer chamber 510 along the guide rails 196. This allows the single transfer arm 190 to access all of the processing chambers 102 and the first and second load lock chambers 520M and 520N connected to the common transfer chamber 510.

[0066] In this example, a single transfer arm 190 is provided so as to be able to slide, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, one transfer arm 190 may be rotatably fixed to the base end side and one to the tip end side of the common transfer chamber 510. Furthermore, the number of picks on the transfer arm 190 is not limited to two, and may be, for example, only one.

[0067] Next, an example configuration of the transfer unit 504 will be described. The transfer unit 504 is composed of a box-shaped transfer chamber 530. The interior of the transfer chamber 530 is maintained at atmospheric pressure, and an inert gas such as N2 gas or clean air is circulated. A plurality of cassette stages 532A-532D are arranged in parallel in the transfer chamber 530. Cassette containers 534A-534C for storing wafers W are set on these cassette stages 532A-532C. Three load ports 536A-536C, which serve as input ports for wafers W, are provided on the side wall of the transfer chamber 530, corresponding to the cassette stages 532A-532C, respectively.

[0068] In this figure, an example is given in which three cassette containers 534A to 534C can be placed on each of the cassette tables 532A to 532C, but the number of cassette tables and cassette containers is not limited to this and may be, for example, one or two, or four or more.

[0069] Each of the cassette containers 534A to 534C can accommodate at least one lot's worth of wafers W (for example, 25 wafers) arranged in multiple stages at equal intervals, and the interior has an airtight structure filled with, for example, an N2 gas atmosphere.

[0070] A cassette container 534D for storing a focus ring 31 is set on the cassette table 532D. A load port 536D is provided corresponding to each cassette table 532D as an insertion port for the focus ring 31. The focus ring 31 is stored in the cassette container 534D.

[0071] The transfer chamber 530 is provided with an orienter (pre-alignment stage) 537 as a positioning device for the wafer W. The orienter 537 includes, for example, a rotary table 538 therein and an optical sensor 539 that optically detects the peripheral edge of the wafer W, and detects an orientation flat, a notch, etc. of the wafer W to perform alignment.

[0072] A transfer arm 560 is provided within the transfer chamber 530 to transfer wafers W or focus rings 31 into and out of the cassette containers 534A to 534D, the orienter 537, and the first and second load lock chambers 520M and 520N. The transfer arm 560 is fixed to a base 562, which is configured to be slidable by, for example, a linear motor drive mechanism on guide rails 564 provided along the longitudinal direction within the transfer chamber 530. The transfer arm 560 may be a double-arm mechanism equipped with two picks 566A and 566B as shown, for example, or may be a single-arm mechanism equipped with one pick.

[0073] With the substrate processing system 100 configured as described above, for example, a wafer W can be removed from a predetermined cassette container 534A-534C and transferred to a desired plasma processing apparatus 101A-101F for plasma processing such as etching. For example, when a wafer W in a cassette container 534A is to be subjected to plasma processing in the plasma processing apparatus 101A, the wafer W is first taken from the cassette container 534A into the transfer chamber 530 by the transfer arm 560, and then transferred to the orienter 537 for alignment. Next, the wafer W is transferred from the orienter 537 by the transfer arm 560 and transferred into the load lock chamber 520N, the atmosphere of which is adjusted to atmospheric pressure.

[0074] Subsequently, when the load lock chamber 520N is adjusted to a reduced pressure atmosphere, the other transfer arm 190 unloads the wafer W, takes it into the common transfer chamber 510, and then loads it into the processing chamber 102 of the plasma processing apparatus 101A. In this way, plasma processing of the wafer W is performed in the plasma processing apparatus 101A.

[0075] When plasma processing in the plasma processing apparatus 101A is completed, the processed wafer W is unloaded by the transfer arm 190 from the processing chamber 102 and loaded into the load lock chamber 520M, which has been adjusted to a reduced pressure atmosphere. Then, when the load lock chamber 520N is adjusted to an atmospheric pressure atmosphere, the wafer W is unloaded by the transfer arm 560 and returned to the original cassette container 534A.

[0076] Furthermore, when focus ring 31 is replaced, focus ring 31 is transferred in substantially the same manner as wafer W. For example, when replacing focus ring 31 in plasma processing apparatus 101C, transfer arm 560 removes a new focus ring 31 from cassette container 534D and transfers it into load lock chamber 520M. Next, one pick 192A of transfer arm 190 removes the new focus ring 31 from load lock chamber 520M after pressure adjustment, and slides it to just before plasma processing apparatus 101C.

[0077] Next, the other pick 192B of transfer arm 190 picks up the used focus ring 31 from the lifter pins of susceptor 114 and removes it from plasma processing apparatus 101C. Following this operation, the other pick 192A transfers a new focus ring 31 to the lifter pins of susceptor 114. The used focus ring 31 is returned to its original cassette container 534 via load lock chamber 520M.

[0078] When a new focus ring 31 is loaded into the plasma processing apparatus 101C, the new focus ring 31 is lowered by the lifter pins of the susceptor 114, whereby the new focus ring 31 is placed on the focus ring placement surface.

[0079] Although the above description has been given of the case where focus ring 31 is stored in cassette container 534D, this is not necessarily limited to this. Because focus rings are not transferred as frequently as wafers W, for example, instead of storing focus rings in cassette container 534D, one or more focus ring placement sections (not shown) may be provided in orienter 537. In this case, focus ring 31 may be set on the placement section of orienter 537 and then transferred by transfer arm 560 to the desired plasma processing apparatus 101A-101F. Furthermore, when focus ring 31 needs to be replaced, an operator may directly place it on one of picks 566A and 566B of transfer arm 560.

[0080] In the information processing system according to the second embodiment, in substrate processing system 100 including the transfer mechanism shown in FIG. 12 , a sensor for measuring unevenness distribution information of focus ring 31 is provided, for example, on picks 192A and 192B of transfer arm 190 and / or picks 566A and 566B of transfer arm 560. Substrate processing system 100 shown in FIG. 12 includes four transfer arm picks, and the sensor is mounted on at least one of these. In the following description, it is assumed that the sensor is provided on pick 192A of transfer arm 190.

[0081] 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a pick 192A of a transfer arm 190 of a substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment. For ease of explanation, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system may be set in the figure. Regarding the coordinate axes perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, a cross in a circle indicates that the direction toward the back of the plane of the drawing is positive, and a black circle in a circle indicates that the direction toward the front of the plane of the drawing is positive. However, this coordinate system is defined for the purpose of explanation and does not limit the orientation of the pick 192A or the like.

[0082] In this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the X-axis and Y-axis are axes parallel to the mounting surface of the pick 192A. The Y-axis is the axis in the direction in which the tip of the pick 192A extends. The X-axis is the axis perpendicular to the Y-axis. The Z-axis is the axis perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis. The Z-axis direction may also be referred to as the up-down direction.

[0083] The pick 192A of the transfer arm 190 has a substantially U-shape in plan view. The pick 192A has a shape symmetrical in plan view with respect to a central axis AX that passes through the center in the X-axis direction. The pick 192A has a base 201 and tip portions 202 and 203. The tip portions 202 and 203 each extend from the base 201 in the +Y-axis direction. The tip portions 202 and 203 each have a substantially rectangular shape in plan view that is short in the X-axis direction and long in the Y-axis direction. The tip portion 202 is spaced apart from the tip portion 203 in the +X-axis direction. The pick 192A is formed of, for example, ceramics.

[0084] Pick 192A has a mounting surface 200S on which a substrate or a consumable part is placed, and has multiple pads 140 that protect the substrate from contacting mounting surface 200S. Pick 192A also has sensors 222 and 223 on the back side of mounting surface 200S for measuring unevenness distribution information. Sensor 222 is provided at the tip of tip portion 202 on the +Y side in the Y-axis direction. Sensor 223 is provided at the tip of tip portion 203 on the +Y side in the Y-axis direction.

[0085] Various sensors such as an optical sensor, a camera (image sensor), a distance sensor, or a reflective light intensity sensor can be used as the sensors 222 and 223. The sensors 222 and 223 measure, for example, information on the distribution of unevenness on the surface of the focus ring 31 located below the pick 192A.

[0086] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment. The substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment includes a processing unit 41, a storage unit 42, an input / output unit 43, a display unit 44, an operation unit 45, and the like. Note that functional blocks such as the processing unit 41, the storage unit 42, the input / output unit 43, the display unit 44, and the operation unit 45 are provided in a control device or information processing device (not shown in FIG. 12 ) that controls the operation of the various hardware units shown in FIG. 12 . FIG. 14 also shows functional blocks related to the prediction of the unevenness distribution of the focus ring 31 performed by the substrate processing system 100, while other functional blocks are not shown. The configuration of the substrate processing system 100 shown in FIG. 14 is similar to that of the information processing device 1 shown in FIG. 2 , and therefore, each unit included in the substrate processing system 100 will only be briefly described, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0087] The processing unit 41 is configured using an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU or an MPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The storage unit 42 is configured using a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk, and stores a program 42a executed by the processing unit 41, and is provided with an unevenness distribution information storage unit 42b and a judgment condition storage unit 42c, similar to the information processing device 1 according to embodiment 1. The display unit 44 is configured using a liquid crystal display, etc. The operation unit 45 accepts user operations via an input device such as a mechanical button or a touch panel provided on the surface of the display unit 44.

[0088] The input / output unit 43 is connected to hardware units, such as the sensors 222 and 223 and the transfer arm 190, provided in the substrate processing system 100 via signal lines or the like, and transmits and receives signals to and from these hardware units. In the substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment, the input / output unit 43 receives input of unevenness distribution information (or information that serves as the basis of this information) measured by the sensors 222 and 223, and provides the information to the processing unit 41. The input / output unit 43 also outputs a control signal to the transfer arm 190 in response to a command from the processing unit 33, thereby controlling the transfer of the wafer or focus ring 31 by the transfer arm 190.

[0089] In the substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment, the processing unit 41 reads out and executes the program 42a stored in the memory unit 42, whereby an unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 41a, a change probability calculation unit 31b, an unevenness distribution prediction unit 41c, a life prediction unit 41d, a display processing unit 41e, a transport arm control processing unit 41f, and the like are realized as software functional units in the processing unit 41.

[0090] The unevenness distribution information acquiring unit 41a acquires signals output from the sensors 222 and 223 via the input / output unit 43, thereby acquiring unevenness distribution information, which is the measurement result of the unevenness distribution of components within the chamber. In the second embodiment, the sensors 222 and 223 are provided on the picks 192A and 192B of the transfer arm 190. Therefore, the transfer arm 190 must be moved for measurement. This movement control is performed by the transfer arm control processing unit 32f. In the present embodiment, the unevenness distribution information acquiring unit 41a acquires the results of a first measurement and a second measurement performed a predetermined time later, and stores the acquired unevenness distribution information in the unevenness distribution information storage unit 42b. Note that the first measurement of the unevenness distribution may be performed by a measuring device different from the substrate processing system 100. In this case, the unevenness distribution information acquiring unit 41a may acquire the measurement results from the measuring device via communication, a recording medium, or the like.

[0091] The processing performed by the change probability calculation unit 41b, the unevenness distribution prediction unit 41c, the life prediction unit 41d, and the display processing unit 41e of the substrate processing system 100 is substantially the same as that performed by the change probability calculation unit 11b, the unevenness distribution prediction unit 11c, the life prediction unit 11d, and the display processing unit 11e of the information processing device 1 shown in Figure 2.

[0092] The transfer arm control processor 41f controls the operation of the transfer arms 190 and 560 included in the substrate processing system 100. In this embodiment, when the sensors 222 and 223 are used to measure the unevenness distribution on the surface of focus ring 31, the transfer arm control processor 41f moves the pick 192A of the transfer arm 190 above the focus ring 31 to be measured, and positions the sensors 222 and 223 provided on the underside of the pick 192A to face a predetermined measurement location on focus ring 31. Furthermore, when it is determined that focus ring 31 needs to be replaced based on the prediction result of the life prediction unit 41d, the transfer arm control processor 41f controls the transfer arm 190 to remove the focus ring 31 to be replaced from the processing chamber 102 and place a new focus ring 31 in the processing chamber 102.

[0093] 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of a life prediction process performed by the substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment. In the processing unit 41 of the substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment, the transfer arm control processing unit 41f moves the transfer arm 190 to the processing chamber 102 or the like in which the focus ring 31 to be measured is placed, performs measurement using the sensors 222 and 223, and the unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 41a acquires the measurement results, thereby performing a first measurement of unevenness distribution information (step S21). The display processing unit 41e of the processing unit 41 displays the first measurement results obtained in step S21 on the display unit 44 (step S22).

[0094] After the first measurement is completed, the substrate processing system 100 performs substrate processing such as etching for a predetermined time. Thereafter, the processing unit 41 performs a second measurement of unevenness distribution information using the sensors 222 and 223 of the transfer arm 190, similar to the first measurement (step S23). The display processing unit 21e displays the second measurement result on the display unit 24 (step S24).

[0095] After displaying the measurement results in step S24, the change probability calculation unit 31b of the processing unit 41 calculates a change probability regarding the unevenness distribution on the surface of the focus ring 31 based on the unevenness distribution information of the first measurement result acquired in step S21 and the unevenness distribution information of the second measurement result acquired in step S23 (step S25). The unevenness distribution prediction unit 41c of the processing unit 41 predicts future unevenness distribution information based on the change probability calculated in step S25 and the second measurement result acquired in step S23 (step S26).

[0096] Next, the life prediction unit 41d of the processing unit 41 reads out the judgment conditions for predicting the life of the focus ring 31 from the judgment condition storage unit 42c of the storage unit 42 (step S27). The life prediction unit 41d predicts the life of the focus ring 31 based on the judgment conditions read out in step S27 (step S28). The display processing unit 41e of the processing unit 41 displays the life prediction result in step S28 on the display unit 44 (step S29).

[0097] Based on the predicted lifespan, the lifespan predictor 41d determines whether or not the focus ring 31 needs to be replaced (step S30). For example, if the remaining lifespan of the focus ring 31 predicted in step S28 is less than a predetermined threshold, the lifespan predictor 41d can determine that the focus ring 31 needs to be replaced.

[0098] If the focus ring 31 needs to be replaced (S30: YES), the transfer arm control processor 41f of the processor 41 performs a control process to replace the focus ring 31 (step S31) and terminates the process. If the focus ring 31 does not need to be replaced (S30: NO), the processor 41 terminates the process.

[0099] The other configurations of the information processing system according to the second embodiment are the same as those of the information processing system according to the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used for the same parts and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0100] Third Embodiment In an information processing system according to a third embodiment, a sensor for measuring unevenness distribution information of focus ring 31 is provided at a predetermined measurement location in substrate processing system 100. For example, one of six processing chambers 102 included in substrate processing system 100 having the configuration shown in FIG. 12 is used as the measurement chamber for measuring unevenness distribution information. For example, a measurement sensor is provided on the ceiling of the measurement chamber, and the sensor measures the unevenness distribution on the surface of focus ring 31 transferred into the measurement chamber by transfer arm 190. The measurement chamber may be a dedicated measurement location where substrate processing such as etching is not performed, or may be a dual-purpose location where substrate processing is performed.

[0101] 16 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for a life prediction process performed by the substrate processing system 100 according to the third embodiment. The transfer arm control processor 41f of the processor 41 of the substrate processing system 100 according to the third embodiment controls the operation of the transfer arm 190 to transfer the focus ring 31 to be measured to a measurement chamber equipped with a sensor (step S41). The unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 41a of the processor 41 performs a first measurement of unevenness distribution information by measuring the unevenness distribution using the sensor in the measurement chamber and acquiring the measurement results (step S42). The transfer arm control processor 41f controls the operation of the transfer arm 190 to transfer the focus ring 31 after measurement to the processing chamber 102 (step S43). The display processor 41e of the processor 41 displays the first measurement results obtained in step S42 on the display unit 44 (step S44).

[0102] After the first measurement is completed, the substrate processing system 100 performs substrate processing, such as etching, for a predetermined time. Thereafter, the transfer arm control processor 41f controls the operation of the transfer arm 190 to transfer the focus ring 31 to be measured to a measurement chamber equipped with a sensor, as in the first measurement (step S45). The unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 41a performs a second measurement of unevenness distribution information by measuring the unevenness distribution using a sensor in the measurement chamber and acquiring the measurement results (step S46). The transfer arm control processor 41f controls the operation of the transfer arm 190 to transfer the focus ring 31, for which the measurement has been completed, to the processing chamber 102 (step S47). The display processor 41e displays the second measurement results obtained in step S46 on the display unit 44 (step S46).

[0103] Thereafter, the change probability calculation unit 31b calculates the change probability regarding the distribution of irregularities on the surface of the focus ring 31 (step S49). The irregularity distribution prediction unit 41c predicts future irregularity distribution information (step S50). The life prediction unit 41d reads out judgment conditions for predicting the life of the focus ring 31 from the judgment condition storage unit 42c of the storage unit 42 (step S51). The life prediction unit 41d predicts the life of the focus ring 31 based on the read judgment conditions (step S52). The display processing unit 41e displays the predicted life result on the display unit 44 (step S53).

[0104] Based on the life prediction result, the life prediction unit 41d determines whether or not replacement of the focus ring 31 is necessary (step S54). If replacement of the focus ring 31 is necessary (S54: YES), the transfer arm control processing unit 41f of the processing unit 41 performs control processing to replace the focus ring 31 (step S55) and terminates the processing. If replacement of the focus ring 31 is not necessary (S54: NO), the processing unit 41 terminates the processing.

[0105] The other configurations of the information processing system according to the third embodiment are the same as those of the information processing systems according to the first and second embodiments, so the same reference numerals are used for the same parts and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0106] The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not by the above meaning, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0107] The matters described in each embodiment can be combined with each other. Furthermore, the independent claims and dependent claims described in the claims can be combined with each other in any and all combinations, regardless of the reference format. Furthermore, the claims use a format in which a claim references two or more other claims (multiple claim format), but this is not limited to this. A multiple claim (multi-multi claim) that references at least one other multiple claim may also be used.

[0108] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Information processing device (computer) 3 Substrate processing device (computer) 5 Measuring device 11 Processing unit 11a Unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 11b Change probability calculation unit 11c Unevenness distribution prediction unit 11d Life prediction unit 11e Display processing unit 12 Memory unit 12a Program (computer program) 12b Unevenness distribution information storage unit 12c Judgment condition storage unit 13 Communication unit 14 Display unit 15 Operation unit 31 Focus ring (chamber internal component) 32 Specimen holder 35 Specimen 41 Processing unit 41a Unevenness distribution information acquisition unit 41b Change probability calculation unit 41c Unevenness distribution prediction unit 41d Life prediction unit 41e Display processing unit 41f Transfer arm control processing unit 42 Memory unit 42a Program (computer program) 42b Unevenness distribution information storage unit 42c Judgment condition storage unit 43 Input / output section 44 Display section 45 Operation section 99 Recording medium 100 Substrate processing system 101, 101A to 101F Plasma processing apparatus 102 Processing chamber 108A to 108F Gate valve 114 Susceptor 140 Pad 190 Transfer arm 192A, 192B Pick 194 Base 196 Guide rail 198 Flexible arm 200S Placement surface 201 Base 202, 203 Tip 222, 223 Sensor 502 Vacuum processing unit 504 Transfer unit 510 Common transfer chamber 520M First load lock chamber 520N Second load lock chamber 526 Delivery table 530 Transfer chamber 532A to 532D Cassette table 534, 534A to 534D Cassette container 536A to 536D Load port 537 Orienter 538 Rotating table 539 Optical sensor 560 Transfer arm 562 Base 564 Guide rail 566A, 566B Pick W Wafer

Claims

1. An information processing method, comprising: an information processing device acquiring unevenness distribution information on the surface of a part inside a chamber of a substrate processing apparatus at a first point in time; acquiring unevenness distribution information on the part inside the chamber at a second point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the first point in time; and predicting unevenness distribution information on the part inside the chamber at a point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the second point in time based on the acquired distribution information at the first point in time and the distribution information at the second point in time.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising predicting the lifespan of the components inside the chamber based on the predicted distribution information.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: calculating a distribution of the probability of change in height of unevenness of the parts inside the chamber caused by substrate processing as a change probability based on the distribution information at the first point in time and the distribution information at the second point in time; and predicting distribution information of the parts inside the chamber at a point in time after the second point in time based on the calculated change probability.

4. The information processing method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of: calculating a difference between the height of asperities extracted from the distribution information at the first point in time and the height of asperities extracted from the distribution information at the second point in time; calculating the difference multiple times to calculate the probability of change in asperities; and predicting distribution information of asperities on components inside the chamber at a point in time after the second point in time by changing the distribution information at the second point in time in accordance with the calculated probability of change.

5. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the chamber internal part has a holder for holding a specimen for acquiring the distribution information, and distribution information of the unevenness of the surface of the specimen is acquired as distribution information of the chamber internal part.

6. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising acquiring distribution information of the unevenness of the surface of the component inside the chamber via a sensor provided on a transfer arm that transfers the substrate.

7. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: transporting the internal chamber component to a predetermined measurement location using a transport arm that transports a substrate; and acquiring distribution information of the unevenness of the surface of the internal chamber component via a sensor provided at the measurement location.

8. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising replacing the chamber internal parts according to the predicted distribution information.

9. A computer program causing a computer to execute the following processes: acquire information on distribution of unevenness on the surface of a part inside a chamber of a substrate processing apparatus at a first point in time; acquire information on distribution of unevenness on the part inside the chamber at a second point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the first point in time; and predict information on distribution of unevenness on the part inside the chamber at a point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the second point in time based on the acquired distribution information at the first point in time and the distribution information at the second point in time.

10. An information processing apparatus comprising a processing unit, which acquires distribution information of unevenness on the surface of a part inside a chamber of a substrate processing apparatus at a first point in time, acquires distribution information of unevenness on the part inside the chamber at a second point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the first point in time, and predicts distribution information of unevenness on the part inside the chamber at a point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the second point in time based on the acquired distribution information at the first point in time and the distribution information at the second point in time.

11. A substrate processing system comprising: a sensor that acquires unevenness distribution information on the surface of a chamber component provided in a chamber that accommodates a substrate for substrate processing; and a processing unit that predicts the unevenness distribution information of the chamber component, wherein the processing unit acquires the unevenness distribution information on the surface of the chamber component at a first point in time, acquires the unevenness distribution information of the chamber component at a second point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the first point in time, and predicts the unevenness distribution information of the chamber component at a point in time after substrate processing has been performed from the second point in time based on the acquired distribution information at the first point in time and the distribution information at the second point in time.

12. The substrate processing system according to claim 11, further comprising a transfer arm for transferring the substrate and an internal chamber component disposed in the chamber, the sensor being provided on the transfer arm.

13. The substrate processing system of claim 11, further comprising: a measurement location where measurements are performed by the sensor; and a transport arm that transports the chamber interior parts between the chamber and the measurement location, wherein the transport arm transports the chamber interior parts from within the chamber to the measurement location and the sensor acquires distribution information.

14. The substrate processing system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the transport arm replaces the part in the chamber according to a predicted result of distribution information.

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