Information processing method, computer program, and information processing device

Abstract

Provided are an information processing method, a computer program, and an information processing device that can be expected to assist information management of a model for use in control or the like of a substrate processing device.　In an information processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, an information processing device stores, in a storage unit, model information pertaining to a model that performs calculations related to substrate processing performed by substrate processing devices. The information processing device updates a parameter of the model, associates reference information including a parameter of a model serving as a reference with one or more pieces of update information including information pertaining to the updated parameter, and stores the associated information as the model information in the storage unit.

Description

Information processing method, computer program, and information processing device

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes an information processing device that includes a simulation execution unit that executes a simulation using a simulation model of a substrate processing apparatus according to process parameters, and a disturbance generation unit that generates a disturbance representing a temperature change in the substrate processing apparatus according to the process parameters, and adjusts the temperature calculated by the simulation model based on the disturbance.

[0003] JP 2024-75184 A

[0004] The present disclosure provides an information processing method, a computer program, and an information processing apparatus that are expected to support information management of models used for controlling substrate processing apparatuses and the like.

[0005] An information processing method according to one embodiment is an information processing method in which an information processing device stores model information relating to a model that performs calculations related to substrate processing performed by a substrate processing device in a memory unit, and the information processing device updates parameters of the model, associates reference information including parameters of a reference model with one or more pieces of update information including information related to the updated parameters, and stores the model information in the memory unit.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is expected that information management of models used for controlling substrate processing apparatuses and the like can be supported.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of model information stored by an information processing device. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information processing device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of model information management in the information processing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of model information management in the information processing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure of model information management processing performed by the information processing device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure of model information management processing performed by the information processing device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a management screen for model information.

[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 illustrating 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 apparatus 1 and multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3. The substrate processing apparatus 3 is an apparatus that performs various substrate processing such as CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), sputtering, or etching on semiconductor substrates (wafers). The substrate processing apparatus 3 performs various substrate processing on target substrates based on setting information (so-called recipes) related to substrate processing that is created in advance by a user. When performing this substrate processing, the substrate processing apparatus 3 according to this embodiment uses a model, such as a pre-created physical model or machine learning model.

[0010] The substrate processing apparatus 3 is equipped with sensors, such as temperature sensors or pressure sensors, for measuring substrate processing conditions. The sensors may include not only physical sensors but also virtual sensors that output predicted values ​​of temperature, pressure, etc., based on various information obtained during substrate processing. The substrate processing apparatus 3 uses a model to predict substrate processing results, etc., based on various measurement data measured by the sensors and user-specified settings. For example, if the substrate processing results predicted by the model are outside of an appropriate range, the substrate processing apparatus 3 may output a warning to the user and stop the substrate processing, or may change the substrate processing conditions so that the substrate processing results fall within the appropriate range. Note that input data to the model is not limited to sensor measurement data and may include, for example, settings related to substrate processing or output data from another model.

[0011] The information processing system according to this embodiment assumes a situation in which multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3 with essentially the same configuration are installed, for example, in a factory, or a situation in which multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3 operate using essentially the same model. However, the multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3 do not need to have completely identical configurations; there may be machine differences (differences between apparatuses) such as partial hardware differences, the presence or absence of options, or different versions of component parts. Even if the multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3 have completely identical configurations, machine differences may occur due to individual differences in component parts, differences due to equipment calibration, or changes over time that occur with use. For this reason, the information processing system according to this embodiment updates (adjusts) model parameters in accordance with machine differences or changes over time among the substrate processing apparatuses 3, allowing each substrate processing apparatus 3 to process substrates using a model with parameters appropriate for itself.

[0012] The information processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for managing information regarding models used by the substrate processing apparatus 3 for substrate processing. The information processing apparatus 1 generates a reference model that serves as a reference for models used by the multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3 for substrate processing. The information processing apparatus 1 designates one of the multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3 as a reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, and generates the reference model by determining parameters of a model whose configuration (e.g., an arithmetic formula and the number of parameters) is predetermined based on data obtained from the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A. Various methods, such as fitting or machine learning, can be used to determine the model parameters. When it is necessary to distinguish between the reference and other substrate processing apparatuses 3, the reference substrate processing apparatus 3 will be referred to as the substrate processing apparatus 3A, and the other substrate processing apparatuses will be referred to as the substrate processing apparatus 3B.

[0013] Next, the information processing apparatus 1 generates models to be used for substrate processing by the other substrate processing apparatus 3B based on the reference model generated for the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A. The information processing apparatus 1 acquires calibration data obtained by, for example, performing apparatus calibration for the substrate processing apparatus 3B, and updates some of the parameters of the reference model based on the acquired calibration data, thereby determining parameters of the model suitable for the substrate processing apparatus 3B. The information processing apparatus 1 updates the parameters for each of the multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3B, and transmits information on the model having the updated parameters to each substrate processing apparatus 3B. The substrate processing apparatus 3B can control substrate processing, etc., using the model having the parameters provided by the information processing apparatus 1. Furthermore, the information processing apparatus 1 transmits the parameters of the reference model to the substrate processing apparatus 3A, and the substrate processing apparatus 3A can control substrate processing, etc., using the reference model.

[0014] The generation of the reference model of the substrate processing apparatus 3A and the generation of models having parameters suitable for each substrate processing apparatus 3B by the information processing apparatus 1 are performed as preparatory work before the substrate processing apparatuses 3 (3A and 3B) perform substrate processing, for example, after the substrate processing apparatuses 3 (3A and 3B) are installed in a factory, etc. As each substrate processing apparatus 3 subsequently performs substrate processing repeatedly, changes over time, such as wear of parts or accumulation of deposits, occur. These changes over time may increase the error between the results of substrate processing predicted by the model of the substrate processing apparatus 3 and the results of substrate processing that was actually performed.

[0015] Therefore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, after the substrate processing apparatus 3 starts substrate processing, the information processing apparatus 1 intermittently and repeatedly updates the model parameters of each substrate processing apparatus 3 at a predetermined cycle, for example, once a week or once a month. At this time, the information processing apparatus 1 acquires data related to the results of the substrate processing performed by the substrate processing apparatus 3, and updates the model parameters appropriately based on the acquired data so as to reduce the error between the predicted results of the model and the actual results of the substrate processing. The information processing apparatus 1 may perform the intermittent parameter update in any manner. The information processing apparatus 1 updates the parameters for each substrate processing apparatus 3 and transmits the updated parameters to the corresponding substrate processing apparatus 3. The substrate processing apparatus 3 reflects the parameters updated by the information processing apparatus 1 in the model and performs subsequent substrate processing.

[0016] Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus 3 undergoes maintenance at predetermined intervals, such as once every few months, which involves replacing worn parts or removing accumulated deposits. When such maintenance is performed, the predicted results of the parameter model that takes into account changes over time in the substrate processing apparatus 3 may differ from the actual results of substrate processing by the substrate processing apparatus 3 after the maintenance. Therefore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, when maintenance is performed on the substrate processing apparatus 3, the parameter updates based on the changes over time are discarded and the model parameters are restored to the parameters determined before the changes over time occurred.

[0017] For this reason, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing apparatus 1 stores and manages model information including model parameters of each substrate processing apparatus 3 in a model DB (database) 5. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of model information stored in the information processing apparatus 1. The model information stored in the model DB 5 by the information processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is information in which "common information," "reference information," "first update information," and "second update information" are associated with each other.

[0018] The "common information" is information common to models of multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3, and may include information such as a "model name" and a "creation date." The "model name" is identification information uniquely assigned to a model, and may be assigned by the information processing apparatus 1 or by a user. The "creation date" is information regarding the date and time when the model was created, and is information assigned by the information processing apparatus 1 that generated the model.

[0019] The "reference information" is information about a reference model generated by the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, and may include information such as "structural information of the model" and "reference parameters." The "structural information of the model" is information indicating the structure of the model. For example, in the case of a physical model, information on a physical calculation formula is stored, and in the case of a neural network model, information indicating how multiple neurons are connected is stored. The "reference parameters" are parameters of the model determined by the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A. However, the "reference parameters" do not have to be included in the model information, and may be stored in a location in the model information separate from the "reference information." The information stored in the "reference information" is the same for models of any substrate processing apparatus 3. As long as the information processing apparatus 1 or the substrate processing apparatus 3 has at least the information included in the "reference information," it is possible for the information processing apparatus 1 or the substrate processing apparatus 3 to operate the model and make predictions regarding substrate processing, etc.

[0020] The "first update information" stores model parameters individually determined for a substrate processing apparatus 3B, which is different from the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, as "update parameters for adjusting machine differences." The "first update information" stores model parameters determined, for example, during calibration or other operations performed after the substrate processing apparatus 3 is installed in a factory or the like and before substrate processing begins. The parameters in the "first update information" may be, for example, difference values ​​relative to the reference parameters in the "reference information," or information only about values ​​changed from the reference parameters in the "reference information." The information processing apparatus 1 or the substrate processing apparatus 3 can obtain a model appropriate for the substrate processing apparatus 3 immediately after calibration by reflecting the update parameters in the "first update information" in the reference parameters in the "reference information." The "first update information" is information about parameters updated based on differences between the substrate processing apparatuses 3A and 3B. Differences between the substrate processing apparatuses 3A and 3B include, for example, differences in machine differences or physical device configurations between the substrate processing apparatuses 3A and 3B, differences in lots, versions, or individual differences in components such as parts or sensors, and differences in the presence or absence of parts or the number of chambers. The differences between the substrate processing apparatuses 3A and 3B are not limited to those mentioned above, but may be any differences between the apparatuses that affect the output of the model.

[0021] The "second update information" stores model parameters determined by adjustment processes repeatedly performed intermittently at a predetermined interval in the corresponding substrate processing apparatus 3 as "update parameters for adjusting for changes over time." The "second update information" parameters are updated (overwritten) each time an adjustment process is performed in the substrate processing apparatus 3. The parameters in the "second update information" may be information representing only the difference or change in the reference parameters of the "reference information" reflected by the update parameters of the "first update information." By reflecting the update parameters of the "first update information" on the reference parameters of the "reference information" and then reflecting the update parameters of the "second update information," the information processing apparatus 1 or the substrate processing apparatus 3 can obtain a model suitable for the substrate processing apparatus 3 that has changed over time since its state immediately after calibration. This model is used to perform predictions, control, and the like related to substrate processing. The "second update information" is information regarding parameters updated based on changes in the substrate processing apparatus 3. Changes in the substrate processing apparatus 3 may include, for example, changes over time in the substrate processing apparatus 3, wear or replacement of consumable parts, and the like. The changes over time of the substrate processing apparatus 3 are objects that change as the apparatus operates from an ideal apparatus state, such as immediately after the apparatus is started up or immediately after maintenance, and may include changes in the apparatus (hardware) (hardware deterioration, which changes more slowly than consumables), changes in the environment within the apparatus (film deposition, changes in temperature history or exhaust performance, etc.), or changes in the degree of consumption of consumables (deterioration of consumables or chemicals, etc.). The changes in the substrate processing apparatus 3 are not limited to those mentioned above, and may be any change in the apparatus state that affects the output of the model.

[0022] The information processing apparatus 1 determines model parameters for each of the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 3, creates model information shown in Fig. 2 for each model, and stores the model information in the model DB 5. When substrate processing is to be performed in the substrate processing apparatus 3, the information processing apparatus 1 transmits substrate processing condition information (recipe) created by the user and the model information stored in the model DB 5 to the target substrate processing apparatus 3 and commands the execution of the substrate processing, thereby enabling the desired substrate processing to be performed.

[0023] When maintenance is performed on the substrate processing apparatus 3, the information processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment discards the update parameters of the "second update information" from the model information of the corresponding model, thereby returning the model to the state immediately after calibration. Furthermore, when calibration is performed again on the substrate processing apparatus 3, for example, the information processing apparatus 1 discards the "first update information" and "second update information" from the model information of the corresponding model, and stores the update parameters obtained by the calibration as the "first update information." In this way, by dividing the model parameters of the substrate processing apparatus 3 into three stages, namely, "reference information," "first update information," and "second update information," and storing them in the model DB 5, the information processing apparatus 1 can obtain a model that corresponds to the machine difference or changes over time of the substrate processing apparatus 3, and can also return the parameters to the state at the time desired by the user, such as immediately after maintenance or calibration, in response to maintenance or calibration.

[0024] <Device Configuration> Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing device 1 according to this embodiment. The information processing device 1 according to this embodiment can be realized by installing a predetermined application program or the like in a general-purpose information processing device such as a personal computer or a server computer. 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, an operation unit 15, etc. 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 multiple devices.

[0025] 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 a process of determining or updating model parameters of the substrate processing apparatus 3, a process of storing and managing the model parameters in the model DB 5, and a process of controlling the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 3 using the model.

[0026] The storage unit 12 is configured using a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk or an SSD (Solid State Drive). 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 a model DB 5 for storing model information shown in FIG. 2 for a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 3.

[0027] 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.

[0028] The model DB 5 stores model information of a plurality of models used by a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 3 for substrate processing. Each piece of model information stored in the model DB 5 is information in which "common information," "reference information," "first update information," and "second update information" related to the model are associated with each other, as shown in FIG. 2 . Note that in the present embodiment, the model information includes two pieces of update information, "first update information" and "second update information." However, this is not limited to this, and the model information may include one or three or more pieces of update information. Furthermore, it is not necessary for one model to be stored for one substrate processing apparatus 3. For example, the substrate processing apparatus 3 may use two models, one for predicting temperature and one for predicting pressure. In this case, the model DB 5 may store model information of a plurality of models for one substrate processing apparatus 3.

[0029] The communication unit 13 is connected to a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 3 via a wired or wireless network N, and exchanges data with each of the substrate processing apparatuses 3. In this embodiment, the communication unit 13 receives data necessary for determining model parameters, such as sensor observation data associated with substrate processing, from the substrate processing apparatuses 3, and provides the received data to the processing unit 11. The communication unit 13 also transmits data necessary for substrate processing, such as model information stored in the model DB 5 and recipe information set by the user, to the substrate processing apparatus 3.

[0030] The display unit 14 is configured using a liquid crystal display or the like, and displays various images, characters, and the like based on the processing of the processing unit 11. The display unit 14 displays various information, such as model information stored in the model DB 5 or data acquired from the substrate processing apparatus 3.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] In the information processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the processing unit 11 reads and executes the program 12a stored in the storage unit 12, thereby realizing a reference parameter determination unit 11a, a parameter update unit 11b, a parameter discarding unit 11c, a display processing unit 11d, a control processing unit 11e, etc. as software functional units in the processing unit 11. Note that in the figure, functional units related to information management of the model of the substrate processing apparatus 3 are shown as functional units of the processing unit 11, and functional units related to other processes are not shown.

[0034] The reference parameter determination unit 11a performs a process of determining model parameters for the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A. In this embodiment, the configuration of the model to be used as the model of the substrate processing apparatus 3 is determined in advance by the user. The model may have any configuration or algorithm. The user inputs information such as an arithmetic expression representing a physical model and the number of parameters to the information processing apparatus 1 in advance, and the information processing apparatus 1 stores information regarding the input model configuration in the model DB 5 in advance as "reference information" of the model information. At this time, the information processing apparatus 1 also accepts input of information included in the "common information" of the model information from the user and stores the input information in the model DB 5.

[0035] The reference parameter determiner 11a acquires measurement data obtained when, for example, a test substrate processing is performed in the substrate processing apparatus 3A, and determines model parameters based on the acquired measurement data using an appropriate method according to the configuration of a predetermined model. Various methods, such as the steepest descent method, the least squares method, the EM (Expectation Maximization) method, or the Newton-Raphson method, can be used to determine the parameters. The reference parameter determiner 11a stores the determined model parameters in the model DB 5, including them in "reference information" corresponding to the substrate processing apparatus 3A. As a result, the model DB 5 stores model information of the model corresponding to the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, but at this point in time, this model information does not include "first update information" or "second update information."

[0036] In this embodiment, the reference parameters of the model are determined based on observation data obtained in the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, but this is not limited to this. The reference parameter determiner 11a may determine the reference parameters of the model based on data obtained by simulation, for example, without using the actual substrate processing apparatus 3A. In this embodiment, the reference parameters of the model are determined by the information processing apparatus 1, but this is not limited to this. Reference parameters determined by an apparatus other than the information processing apparatus 1 may be stored in the model DB 5 acquired by the information processing apparatus 1.

[0037] The parameter update unit 11b performs a process of determining update parameters to be stored in the “first update information” of the model information for one or more substrate processing apparatuses 3 other than the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, based on the reference parameters determined by the reference parameter determination unit 11a. The parameter update unit 11b acquires, for example, data obtained by calibration of the substrate processing apparatus 3 or measurement data obtained by performing test substrate processing after calibration, and determines model parameters based on the acquired data. At this time, the parameter update unit 11b calculates the amount of change in the model parameters relative to the reference parameters, for example, by inputting the data obtained by calibration into a predetermined arithmetic expression. Alternatively, for example, the parameter update unit 11b may determine model parameters based on the acquired measurement data in a manner similar to that of the reference parameter determination unit 11a, and may perform parameter search using the reference parameters as initial values. The parameter update unit 11b may determine update parameters for the substrate processing apparatus 3B that has been calibrated by any method.

[0038] The parameter update unit 11b determines model parameters for the substrate processing apparatus 3B that has been calibrated, and stores model information including the determined parameters in the "first update information" in the model DB 5. At this time, the parameter update unit 11b copies the model information for the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A and sets the determined parameters as the "first update information," thereby generating model information for the substrate processing apparatus 3B. The update parameters stored in the model information as the "first update information" may be difference values ​​with respect to the reference parameters stored in the "reference information," or may be values ​​that replace some or all of the reference parameters stored in the "reference information." The parameter update unit 11b individually performs processing to determine update parameters for the "first update information" for one or more substrate processing apparatuses 3B. Note that, for the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, update parameters for the "first update information" are not necessary. Therefore, for example, "0" is stored as the difference value with respect to the reference parameters in the "first update information" of the model information, or information indicating that no update parameters exist is stored in the "first update information."

[0039] Furthermore, for a substrate processing apparatus 3 that has started substrate processing using a model configured based on the reference parameters stored in the “reference information” of the model information and the update parameters stored in the “first update information,” the parameter update unit 11b repeatedly updates the parameters of the model at a predetermined cycle, such as once a month, and stores the updated parameters as “second update information” of the model information. The parameter update unit 11b acquires measurement data measured when substrate processing is performed in the substrate processing apparatus 3 and determines model parameters based on the acquired measurement data. At this time, the parameter update unit 11b may determine the update parameters of the “second update information” using a method similar to the method used to determine the reference parameters of the “reference information” or the method used to determine the update parameters of the “first update information.” The parameter update unit 11b individually and intermittently performs the process of determining the update parameters of the “second update information” for one or more substrate processing apparatuses 3 at a predetermined cycle, thereby updating the model parameters corresponding to changes over time in the substrate processing apparatus 3.

[0040] The parameter discarding unit 11c performs a process of discarding the "second update information" of the model information when a factor causing a change over time is removed, for example, by maintenance of the substrate processing apparatus 3. For example, when a notification that maintenance has been performed is received from the substrate processing apparatus 3, or when an operation to input information that maintenance has been performed is accepted from a user, the parameter discarding unit 11c discards the update parameters of the "second update information" of the model information corresponding to the substrate processing apparatus 3 on which maintenance has been performed from the model DB 5. Note that the parameters may be discarded, for example, by deleting the information from the model DB 5, or by attaching a flag indicating that the parameters are unusable, or by other methods.

[0041] Furthermore, the parameter discarding unit 11c may discard the "first update information" and the "second update information" of the model information, for example, when calibration is performed again in the substrate processing apparatus 3. After the parameter discarding unit 11c discards the "first update information," the updated parameters after calibration are stored in the "first update information" of the model information determined by the parameter updating unit 11b.

[0042] Furthermore, when a model has multiple parameters, the parameter discarding unit 11c may discard only some of the update parameters depending on the maintenance content, rather than discarding all of the update parameters in the "second update information" depending on maintenance, etc.

[0043] The display processing unit 11d performs processing to display various characters, images, and the like on the display unit 14. In the present embodiment, the display processing unit 11d displays, for example, a list of multiple pieces of model information stored in the model DB 5 on the display unit 14. Furthermore, for example, the display processing unit 11d graphs measurement data, etc., acquired from the substrate processing apparatus 3 for determining or updating parameters, and displays the graph on the display unit 14. Furthermore, for example, while the substrate processing apparatus 3 is performing substrate processing, the display processing unit 11d displays information such as the progress of substrate processing and the presence or absence of abnormalities on the display unit 14. Note that the display processing unit 11d may display various information other than the above on the display unit 14.

[0044] The control processing unit 11e communicates with the substrate processing apparatus 3 via the communication unit 13 and controls the substrate processing performed by the substrate processing apparatus 3 by issuing various commands or instructions to the substrate processing apparatus 3. In the present embodiment, the control processing unit 11e reads model information of the target substrate processing apparatus 3 from the model DB 5 and transmits the read model information and a recipe for performing the substrate processing to the substrate processing apparatus 3, thereby causing the substrate processing apparatus 3 to perform the substrate processing. The control processing unit 11e may acquire sensor measurement data and the like from the substrate processing apparatus 3 while the substrate processing is being performed, determine the status of the substrate processing based on the acquired measurement data, and perform control such as forcibly stopping the substrate processing if an abnormality or the like occurs. The control processing unit 11e may also perform control over various substrate processing operations other than those described above.

[0045] In this embodiment, the information processing device transmits the model information stored in the model DB 5 to the substrate processing device 3, and the substrate processing device 3 operates the model based on the model information, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the information processing device 1 may operate the model to obtain prediction results and the like related to substrate processing, transmit information such as the prediction results obtained from the model to the substrate processing device 3, and the substrate processing device 3 may perform substrate processing using the information such as the prediction results received from the information processing device 1.

[0046] 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of model information management in the information processing system according to the present embodiment. For example, when multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3 are newly installed in a factory, the information processing system according to the present embodiment selects one of the multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3 as a reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, and performs test substrate processing in the substrate processing apparatus 3A to determine model parameters. The information processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment determines model parameters based on measurement data obtained from the test substrate processing. Furthermore, the information processing apparatus 1 receives input of "common information" from a user, for example, and generates new model information by associating this information with "reference information" including the determined model parameters, and stores the generated model information in the model DB 5 (see the upper part of FIG. 4).

[0047] After determining the reference parameters of the model in the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, the information processing system according to this embodiment performs calibration to adjust for machine differences in one or more other substrate processing apparatuses 3B that are different from the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A. The information processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment determines update parameters by updating the reference parameters of the "reference information" for each substrate processing apparatus 3B based on data obtained by calibration. The information processing apparatus 1 copies the "common information" and "reference information" related to the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A. The information processing apparatus 1 stores model information in the model DB 5, in which the "common information" and "reference information" for each substrate processing apparatus 3B are associated with "first update information" including the determined update parameters (see the middle section of FIG. 4).

[0048] In the information processing system according to this embodiment, each substrate processing apparatus 3 constructs a model in which the updated parameters are reflected in the reference parameters based on the reference parameters in the "reference information" of the model information corresponding to itself and the updated parameters in the "first update information," and then starts substrate processing using this model. Thereafter, substrate processing is repeatedly performed in each substrate processing apparatus 3.

[0049] The information processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment adjusts each substrate processing apparatus 3 for changes over time after a predetermined period, such as one week or one month, has elapsed since the substrate processing apparatus 3 started substrate processing. At this time, the information processing apparatus 1 updates the model parameters based on measurement data obtained during substrate processing in each substrate processing apparatus 3, and stores "second update information" including the updated parameters in the model DB 5 in association with the model information of each substrate processing apparatus 3 (see the lower part of FIG. 4 ). The information processing apparatus 1 also intermittently repeats the adjustment for changes over time at a predetermined cycle, such as once a week or once a month, and intermittently updates the "second update information" stored in the model DB 5.

[0050] In the information processing system according to this embodiment, maintenance of the substrate processing apparatus 3 is performed at a predetermined interval (longer than the interval for adjusting for changes over time), such as once every six months or once a year. For example, when a user inputs information indicating that maintenance has been performed on the substrate processing apparatus 3, or when the substrate processing apparatus 3 notifies the user that maintenance has been performed, the information processing apparatus 1 performs a process of discarding the "second update information" from the model information corresponding to the substrate processing apparatus 3 for which maintenance has been performed (see the upper part of FIG. 5 ). After the "second update information" is discarded, the substrate processing apparatus 3 performs substrate processing using a model configured based on the reference parameters of the "reference information" and the update parameters of the "first update information."

[0051] After the maintenance, substrate processing is resumed, and each substrate processing apparatus 3 repeats the substrate processing. After substrate processing is resumed, the information processing apparatus 1 repeatedly performs the above-mentioned adjustment for the change over time at a predetermined cycle, and stores "second update information" including update parameters in association with the model information of each substrate processing apparatus 3 (see the middle part of FIG. 5). Note that the processing performed in the middle part of FIG. 5 is the same as the processing performed in the lower part of FIG. 4.

[0052] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, for example, when a major unit replacement or the like is performed on the substrate processing apparatus 3, the substrate processing apparatus 3 is recalibrated. For example, when a user inputs information indicating that the substrate processing apparatus 3 has been recalibrated, or when the substrate processing apparatus 3 notifies the user that a recalibration has been performed, the information processing apparatus 1 performs processing to discard the "first update information" and the "second update information" from the model information corresponding to the recalibrated substrate processing apparatus 3. Thereafter, the information processing apparatus 1 determines update parameters for the model based on data obtained during the recalibration, and stores the "first update information" including the determined update parameters in the model information of the corresponding substrate processing apparatus 3 (see the lower part of FIG. 5 ).

[0053] As described above, in the information processing system according to the present embodiment, model parameters used by the substrate processing apparatus 3 for controlling substrate processing and the like are divided into three types of parameters: reference parameters of the "reference information," update parameters of the "first update information," and update parameters of the "second update information," and are stored in the model DB 5. The information processing apparatus 1 manages the parameters of the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 3 by appropriately determining, updating, discarding, etc. these multiple parameters in response to calibration of the substrate processing apparatus 3, adjustment for changes over time, etc.

[0054] 6 and 7 are flowcharts showing an example of the procedure of a model information management process performed by the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment. The processing unit 11 of the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment acquires "common information" of the model of the reference substrate processing device 3A by, for example, accepting information input from a user via the operation unit 15, and generates model information including the acquired "common information" (step S1). The processing unit 11 stores the model information of the reference substrate processing device 3A generated in step S1 in the model DB 5 (step S2).

[0055] Next, the reference parameter determination unit 11a of the processing unit 11 acquires data measured by a test substrate processing performed in the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A (step S3). The reference parameter determination unit 11a determines model parameters (reference parameters) based on the data acquired in step S3 (step S4). The reference parameter determination unit 11a stores "reference information" including the reference parameters determined in step S4 in the model DB 5 in association with the model information stored in step S2 (step S5).

[0056] Next, the parameter update unit 11b of the processing unit 11 updates parameters for another substrate processing apparatus 3B, which is different from the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A. The parameter update unit 11b copies and modifies the model information of the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A stored in the model DB 5 in steps S2 and S5 for the substrate processing apparatus 3B to be processed (step S6), thereby generating model information for the substrate processing apparatus 3B and storing it in the model DB 5. The parameter update unit 11b acquires data obtained by the calibration performed on the substrate processing apparatus 3B (step S7). The parameter update unit 11b updates the reference parameters of the "reference information" based on the data acquired in step S7 (step S8) to determine update parameters. The parameter update unit 11b stores "first update information" including the update parameters obtained by the update in step S8 in association with the model information generated by the copying and modification in step S6 in the model DB 5 (step S9).

[0057] By performing the above steps S1 to S9, information about the model necessary for performing substrate processing in the substrate processing apparatus 3 (3A and 3B) is obtained. The substrate processing apparatus 3 configures a model based on the model information stored in the model DB 5, and can control the substrate processing using the prediction results of the model, thereby repeatedly and continuously performing substrate processing. After the update parameters for the "first update information" are determined in steps S6 to S9, or since the previous adjustment for changes over time, the processing unit 11 determines whether a predetermined period, such as one week or one month, has elapsed, and it is now time to perform an adjustment for changes over time (step S10).

[0058] If it is time to make adjustments (S10: YES), the parameter update unit 11b acquires data such as the results or logs of the substrate processing performed in the target substrate processing apparatus 3 (step S11). This data may be acquired, for example, from the substrate processing apparatus 3, or may be input by a user, or may be acquired by various other methods. The parameter update unit 11b updates the model parameters based on the data acquired in step S11 (step S12). The parameter update unit 11b associates "second update information" including the updated parameters obtained by the update in step S11 with the model information of the target substrate processing apparatus 3, stores the information in the model DB 5 (step S13), and returns the process to step S10.

[0059] If it is not time to perform adjustment (S10: NO), the processing unit 11 determines whether maintenance has been performed on the substrate processing apparatus 3 (step S14), for example, based on whether the user has input information indicating that maintenance has been performed on the substrate processing apparatus 3. If maintenance has been performed (S14: YES), the parameter discarding unit 11c of the processing unit 11 discards the "second update information" included in the model information of the substrate processing apparatus 3 for which maintenance has been performed (step S15), and the process returns to step S10.

[0060] If maintenance has not been performed (S14: NO), the processing unit 11 determines whether calibration of the substrate processing apparatus 3 has been performed (step S16), for example, based on whether the user has input information indicating that the substrate processing apparatus 3 has been calibrated. If calibration has been performed (S16: YES), the parameter discarding unit 11c discards the "first update information" and "second update information" included in the model information of the calibrated substrate processing apparatus 3 (step S17), and the process returns to step S6. If calibration has not been performed (S16: NO), the processing unit 11 returns to step S10.

[0061] 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a model information management screen. The information processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment displays a model information management screen on the display unit 14 to assist a user in understanding and managing model information of a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 3 stored in the model DB 5. The information processing apparatus 1 displays a list of IDs, etc. of the substrate processing apparatuses 3 whose model information is stored in the model DB 5, and accepts selection of one or more substrate processing apparatuses 3 from the user. The information processing apparatus 1 displays model information related to the one or more substrate processing apparatuses 3 selected by the user in the display format shown in FIG.

[0062] The information processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment displays, for example, model information for one substrate processing apparatus 3 in one window (information display area), and displays multiple windows relating to model information for multiple substrate processing apparatuses 3 selected by the user in an overlapping or side-by-side manner on the display unit 14. Each window has a title bar at the top displaying the apparatus ID of the substrate processing apparatus 3, and areas for displaying information such as "common information," "reference information," "first update information," "second update information," and "history information" are appropriately arranged below the title bar. The "common information," "reference information," "first update information," and "second update information" are included in the model information, and the "history information" is, for example, information such as the calibration and maintenance history of the substrate processing apparatus 3. The "history information" may be stored in the model DB 5 together with the model information, or may be stored in another database.

[0063] <Summary> In the information processing system according to the present embodiment configured as described above, the information processing device 1 stores model information relating to a model that performs calculations related to substrate processing performed by the substrate processing device 3 in the model DB 5 of the storage unit 12. The information processing device 1 updates the parameters of the model, associates reference information including reference parameters of the model of the reference substrate processing device 3A with one or more pieces of update information including information related to the updated parameters, and stores the associated model information in the model DB 5. As a result, the information processing system according to the present embodiment can handle the parameters of the model of the substrate processing device 3 in multiple stages, and is expected to support model information management.

[0064] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing apparatus 1 stores, in the model DB 5, model information including first update information including information on parameters updated based on machine differences between the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 3, and second update information including information on parameters updated based on changes over time in the substrate processing apparatus 3. This allows the information processing system according to this embodiment to individually manage parameters updated for each factor, such as machine differences and changes over time, and is expected to support information management of models.

[0065] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, in response to maintenance of the substrate processing apparatus 3, the information processing apparatus 1 discards the second update information included in the model information of this substrate processing apparatus 3. This enables the information processing system according to this embodiment to return the model of the substrate processing apparatus 3, the time-dependent changes of which have been reset in response to maintenance, to the model before the time-dependent changes, and is expected to support information management of the model.

[0066] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing device 1 intermittently and repeatedly updates the parameters included in the second update information of the model information at a predetermined cycle, for example, once a month, etc. This enables the information processing system according to this embodiment to update the model parameters in accordance with changes over time in the substrate processing device 3, and is expected to support information management of the model.

[0067] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing apparatus 1 determines reference parameters of a model in a reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, updates the determined reference parameters in another substrate processing apparatus 3B different from the reference substrate processing apparatus 3A, and stores the updated parameters in association with the other substrate processing apparatus 3B as first update information in the model DB 5. In this way, the information processing system according to this embodiment can obtain a model having parameters corresponding to machine differences among a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 3, and is expected to assist in information management of the model.

[0068] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing apparatus 1 transmits model information stored in, for example, the model DB 5 to the substrate processing apparatus 3 together with information such as a substrate processing recipe, and causes the substrate processing apparatus 3 to perform substrate processing using a model configured from parameters of the reference information, first update information, and second update information of the model information. The substrate processing apparatus 3 can configure a model based on the model information provided from the information processing apparatus 1 and control the operation of the substrate processing using prediction results of the model, etc. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment can be expected to perform substrate processing with high accuracy in the substrate processing apparatus 3 using the model information stored in the model DB 5.

[0069] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the information processing device 1 displays, on the display unit 14, model information stored in the model DB 5 for a plurality of substrate processing devices 3. This allows the information processing system according to this embodiment to provide a user with information relating to models of a plurality of substrate processing devices 3, and is expected to assist in model information management.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Information processing device (computer) 3, 3A, 3B Substrate processing device 5 Model DB 11 Processing section 11a Reference parameter determination section 11b Parameter update section 11c Parameter discard section 11d Display processing section 11e Control processing section 12 Storage section 12a Program (computer program) 13 Communication section 14 Display section 15 Operation section 99 Recording medium N Network

Claims

1. An information processing method in which an information processing device stores model information relating to a model that performs calculations related to substrate processing performed by a substrate processing device in a memory unit, wherein the information processing device updates parameters of the model, and associates reference information including parameters of a reference model with one or more pieces of update information including information related to the updated parameters, and stores the model information in the memory unit.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the update information includes first update information containing information on parameters updated based on differences between a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses, and second update information containing information on parameters updated based on changes in the substrate processing apparatuses.

3. The information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising discarding the second update information in response to maintenance of the substrate processing apparatus.

4. The information processing method according to claim 2, wherein the parameters included in the second update information are updated intermittently and repeatedly.

5. The information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising: determining parameters of the model in a reference substrate processing apparatus; updating the determined parameters in a plurality of other substrate processing apparatuses different from the reference substrate processing apparatus; and storing each updated parameter as the first update information in association with the other substrate processing apparatuses.

6. An information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising transmitting the model information to the substrate processing apparatus, and causing the substrate processing apparatus to perform substrate processing using the model based on parameters included in the reference information of the model information and parameters included in the update information.

7. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a plurality of pieces of model information stored in the storage unit for a plurality of the substrate processing apparatuses are displayed on a display unit.

8. A computer program that causes a computer to execute a process of storing in a memory unit model information relating to a model that performs calculations related to substrate processing performed by a substrate processing apparatus, the computer executing a process of updating parameters of the model, and storing in the memory unit as the model information reference information including parameters of a reference model in association with one or more pieces of update information including information related to the updated parameters.

9. An information processing apparatus comprising a processing unit that performs processing to store model information relating to a model that performs calculations related to substrate processing performed by a substrate processing apparatus in a memory unit, wherein the processing unit updates parameters of the model, and stores reference information including parameters of a reference model in association with one or more pieces of update information including information related to the updated parameters as the model information in the memory unit.

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