Substrate processing system, ring replacement method, and program
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
Smart Images
Figure JP2026002230_13082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Substrate Processing System, Ring Replacement Method, and Program
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing system, a ring replacement method, and a program.
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing system (plasma processing system) including a plurality of process modules and a transfer module. The transfer module can transfer a wafer by a processing unit side transfer device and can also transfer a focus ring disposed around the wafer of the process module. When the substrate processing system determines the necessity of replacing the focus ring, it executes control (focus ring replacement method) for automatically transferring the focus ring.
[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-186579
[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of shortening a stop period associated with ring replacement and improving the processing efficiency of the entire system.
[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing system including a plurality of processing modules for processing a substrate, a vacuum transfer module to which the plurality of processing modules are connected, and a control unit. The plurality of processing modules include a processing container, and a substrate support unit provided inside the processing container and including a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate and a ring support surface for supporting a ring disposed around the substrate support surface. The vacuum transfer module includes a transfer robot capable of transferring the substrate and the ring to the plurality of processing modules. The control unit monitors the replacement timing of the rings disposed in the plurality of processing modules, and when determining the replacement timing of the ring of one of the plurality of processing modules, recognizes other processing modules having a replacement timing close in time to the replacement timing of the one processing module, and replaces the ring of the one processing module and the ring of the other processing module at the same timing.
[0006] According to one embodiment, the downtime associated with replacing the ring can be shortened, thereby improving the overall processing efficiency of the system.
[0007] This figure shows an example of a substrate processing system according to an embodiment. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a plasma processing apparatus. This figure shows an enlarged view of the base, electrostatic chuck, substrate, and outer periphery of the ring. Figure 4(A) is a graph illustrating the timing of ring replacement according to an embodiment. Figure 4(B) is a graph illustrating the timing of ring replacement according to a reference example. Figure 5(A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sheath electric field of plasma processing during normal operation. Figure 5(B) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sheath electric field of plasma processing when the ring is worn. Figure 5(C) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sheath electric field of plasma processing during functional compensation operation. This is a flowchart showing the ring replacement method. Figure 7(A) is a diagram showing the configuration of functional compensation operation according to a first modified example. Figure 7(B) is a diagram showing the configuration of functional compensation operation according to a second modified example.
[0008] The following describes embodiments for implementing this disclosure with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are used for identical components, and redundant explanations may be omitted.
[0009] [Substrate Processing System] Referring to Figure 1, a substrate processing system PS according to an embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of a substrate processing system PS according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the substrate processing system PS is a system capable of performing various processes such as plasma processing on a substrate W. The substrate W may be, for example, a semiconductor wafer.
[0010] The substrate processing system PS comprises a vacuum transfer module TM, a plurality of processing modules PM1 to PM7, a ring storage module RSM, a plurality of load lock modules LL1 to LL3, an atmospheric transfer module LM, load ports LP1 to LP4, an aligner AN, and a control unit CU. The vacuum transfer module TM is also called a transfer module. The processing modules PM1 to PM7 are also called process modules. The ring storage module RSM is also called a ring stocker module. The atmospheric transfer module LM is also called a loader module.
[0011] The vacuum transport module TM has a rectangular shape in plan view. Processing modules PM1 to PM7, load lock modules LL1 to LL3, and a ring storage module RSM are connected to the vacuum transport module TM. The vacuum transport module TM has a vacuum transport chamber. The inside of the vacuum transport chamber is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere. A transport robot TR1 is installed in the vacuum transport chamber (inside the vacuum transport module TM).
[0012] The transport robot TR1 is configured to be able to rotate, extend and retract, and move up and down. The transport robot TR1 has an upper fork FK1 and a lower fork FK2. The upper fork FK1 and lower fork FK2 of the transport robot TR1 are configured to be able to hold the substrate W and the ring 112, respectively. The transport robot TR1 holds and transports the substrate W and the ring 112 between the processing modules PM1 to PM7, the load lock modules LL1 to LL3, and the ring storage module RSM.
[0013] The upper fork FK1 is equipped with a position detection sensor S1. The lower fork FK2 is equipped with a position detection sensor S2. Position detection sensors S1 and S2 detect the position of the ring 112 placed on processing modules PM1 to PM7. For example, optical displacement sensors, cameras, etc., can be used as these position detection sensors S1 and S2.
[0014] The vacuum transport module TM may be provided with position detection sensors S11 and S12. The position detection sensors S11 and S12 are provided on the transport path of the substrate W and ring 112 being transported from the vacuum transport module TM to the processing module PM1. The position detection sensors S11 and S12 are used when transporting the substrate W or ring 112 from the vacuum transport module TM to the processing module PM1, and when transporting the substrate W or ring 112 from the processing module PM1 to the vacuum transport module TM. The position detection sensors S11 and S12 are provided, for example, near a gate valve (not shown) that separates the vacuum transport module TM and the processing module PM1. The position detection sensors S11 and S12 are arranged, for example, such that the distance between them is smaller than the outer diameter of the substrate W and smaller than the inner diameter of the ring 112. The vacuum transport module TM may be provided with position detection sensors S21, S22, S31, S32, S41, S42, S51, S52, S61, S62, S71, and S72, similar to the position detection sensors S11 and S12. The control unit CU recognizes the position of the substrate W or ring 112 held by the transport robot TR1 based on the detection information from each position detection sensor and provides feedback to the transport robot TR1 for position control.
[0015] Processing modules PM1 to PM7 are connected to the vacuum transport module TM. Processing modules PM1 to PM7 have a vacuum processing chamber. A substrate support section 11 (see Figure 2) is provided inside the vacuum processing chamber. After the substrate W is placed on the substrate support section 11, processing modules PM1 to PM7 reduce the pressure inside, introduce a processing gas, supply RF power to generate plasma, and perform plasma processing on the substrate W with the plasma. The vacuum transport module TM and processing modules PM1 to PM7 are separated by a gate valve (not shown) that can be opened and closed.
[0016] The ring storage module RSM is an example of a device capable of storing rings 112 and is connected to the vacuum transport module TM. The substrate processing system PS transports and stores used rings 112 used in processing modules PM1 to PM7 into the ring storage module RSM. The vacuum transport module TM and the ring storage module RSM are separated by a gate valve (not shown) that can be opened and closed.
[0017] Load lock modules LL1 to LL3 are installed between the vacuum transport module TM and the atmospheric transport module LM. Load lock modules LL1 to LL3 are connected to the vacuum transport module TM and the atmospheric transport module LM. Load lock modules LL1 to LL3 have internally adjustable internal pressure chambers that can be switched between vacuum and atmospheric pressure. The adjustable internal pressure chambers are provided with stages (not shown) on which substrates W can be placed. When transporting substrates W from the atmospheric transport module LM to the vacuum transport module TM, load lock modules LL1 to LL3 maintain the adjustable internal pressure chambers at atmospheric pressure to receive the substrates W from the atmospheric transport module LM, and then reduce the pressure in the adjustable internal pressure chambers to transfer the substrates W to the vacuum transport module TM. When transporting a substrate W from a vacuum transport module TM to an atmospheric transport module LM, load lock modules LL1 to LL3 maintain a vacuum in the variable pressure chamber to receive the substrate W from the vacuum transport module TM, and then increase the pressure in the variable pressure chamber to atmospheric pressure to transfer the substrate W to the atmospheric transport module LM. Load lock modules LL1 to LL3 and the vacuum transport module TM are separated by a gate valve (not shown) that can be opened and closed. Load lock modules LL1 to LL3 and the atmospheric transport module LM are separated by a gate valve (not shown) that can be opened and closed.
[0018] The atmospheric transport module LM is provided opposite the vacuum transport module TM. The atmospheric transport module LM may be, for example, an EFEM (Equipment Front End Module). The atmospheric transport module LM is formed in a rectangular shape with a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vacuum transport module TM in a plan view. The atmospheric transport module LM has an atmospheric transport chamber. The inside of the atmospheric transport chamber is maintained at atmospheric pressure. A transport robot TR2 is provided inside the atmospheric transport chamber. The transport robot TR2 is configured to be able to rotate, extend and retract, and move up and down. Like the transport robot TR1, the transport robot TR2 also has two forks (upper fork, lower fork) capable of holding and transporting the substrate W. The transport robot TR2 holds and transports the substrate W between the load ports LP1 to LP4, the aligner AN, and the load lock modules LL1 to LL3. The atmospheric transport module LM may also have an FFU (Fan Filter Unit).
[0019] Load ports LP1 to LP4 are connected to the atmospheric transport module LM. Multiple storage containers CS are placed on load ports LP1 to LP4. The storage containers CS may be Front-Opening Unified Pods (FOUPs) that house multiple (for example, 25) substrates W.
[0020] The aligner AN is connected to the atmospheric transport module LM. The aligner AN is configured to adjust the position of the substrate W. The aligner AN may also be installed inside the atmospheric transport chamber.
[0021] The control unit CU controls various parts of the substrate processing system PS. For example, the control unit CU controls the operation of the transport robot TR1 provided in the vacuum transport module TM, the operation of the transport robot TR2 provided in the atmospheric transport module LM, and the opening and closing of gate valves. The control unit CU is a computer having a processor, memory, input / output interfaces (not shown), and communication interfaces. The processor is a combination of one or more of the following: CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and circuits consisting of multiple discrete semiconductors. The memory includes main memory and auxiliary memory. In other words, in this disclosure, the control unit is an electronic circuit having a CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, etc., and performs various control operations described herein by executing instruction codes stored in memory or by circuit design for special applications.
[0022] The control unit CU stores in its memory a program for outputting control commands to each processing module PM1 to PM7, the vacuum transport module TM, the load lock modules LL1 to LL3, and the atmospheric transport module LM. The control unit CU can manage and control the operation of each module by having the processor execute the program stored in its memory. For example, the control unit CU replaces the rings 112 of each processing module PM1 to PM7 at the appropriate timing by executing the ring replacement method described below based on the program.
[0023] [Plasma Processing Apparatus] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, an example of a plasma processing apparatus 1 applied to processing modules PM1 to PM7 in Figure 1 will be described. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a plasma processing apparatus 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a part of Figure 2.
[0024] Processing modules PM1 to PM7 each have a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus 1 and a control device 2 as shown in Figure 2, and perform plasma processing on the substrate W. Processing modules PM1 to PM7 may be configured so that all processing modules perform plasma processing, or some processing modules perform plasma processing while others perform substrate processing other than plasma processing. Alternatively, the substrate processing system may not include any processing modules that perform plasma processing, and all processing modules PM1 to PM7 may perform substrate processing other than plasma processing.
[0025] The capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a plasma processing chamber 10 which is a processing vessel, a gas supply unit 20, a plasma power supply 30, and an exhaust system 40. The plasma processing apparatus 1 also includes a substrate support unit 11 and a gas introduction unit. The gas introduction unit is configured to introduce at least one processing gas into the plasma processing chamber 10. The gas introduction unit includes a shower head 13. The substrate support unit 11 is located inside the plasma processing chamber 10. The shower head 13 is located above the substrate support unit 11. In this embodiment, the shower head 13 constitutes at least a part of the ceiling of the plasma processing chamber 10. The plasma processing chamber 10 has a plasma processing space 10s (vacuum processing chamber) defined by the shower head 13, the side walls 10a of the plasma processing chamber 10, and the substrate support unit 11. The plasma processing chamber 10 has at least one gas supply port for supplying at least one processing gas to the plasma processing space 10s, and at least one gas outlet for discharging gas from the plasma processing space. The side wall 10a is grounded. The shower head 13 and the substrate support part 11 are electrically insulated from the plasma processing chamber 10.
[0026] The substrate support portion 11 includes a main body portion 111 and a ring 112. The main body portion 111 has a central region (substrate support surface) 111a for supporting the substrate W and an annular region (ring support surface) 111b radially outside the substrate support surface 111a for supporting the ring 112. In plan view, the ring support surface 111b of the main body portion 111 surrounds the substrate support surface 111a of the main body portion 111. The substrate W is placed on the substrate support surface 111a of the main body portion 111, and the ring 112 is placed on the ring support surface 111b of the main body portion 111 so as to surround the substrate W on the substrate support surface 111a of the main body portion 111. The ring support surface 111b is located lower than the substrate support surface 111a, and a stepped side surface 111c is formed between the substrate support surface 111a and the ring support surface 111b (see Figure 3).
[0027] The ring 112 includes one or more annular members. At least one of the one or more annular members is an edge ring or focus ring positioned adjacent to the outer edge of the substrate. The ring 112 may also include a cover ring positioned around the edge ring or focus ring. The ring 112 constituting the edge ring or focus ring is formed of, for example, silicon or silicon carbide.
[0028] In this embodiment, the main body 111 is constructed by assembling a base 14, an electrostatic chuck 15, and the like. The electrostatic chuck 15 is stacked on top of the base 14. The upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 15 has the above-mentioned substrate support surface 111a and ring support surface 111b formed thereon. Although not shown in the figures, the substrate support section 11 may also include a temperature module configured to adjust at least one of the electrostatic chuck 15, the ring 112, and the substrate W to a target temperature. For example, the temperature module may be provided inside the base 14 and may include a heater, a heat transfer medium, a flow path, or a combination thereof. A heat transfer fluid such as brine or gas flows through the flow path.
[0029] The shower head 13 is configured to introduce at least one processing gas from the gas supply unit 20 into the plasma processing space 10s. The shower head 13 has at least one gas supply port 13a, at least one gas diffusion chamber 13b, and a plurality of gas inlet ports 13c. The processing gas supplied to the gas supply port 13a passes through the gas diffusion chamber 13b and is introduced into the plasma processing space 10s through the plurality of gas inlet ports 13c. The shower head 13 also includes a conductive member. The conductive member of the shower head 13 functions as an upper electrode. In addition to the shower head 13, the gas introduction unit may also include one or more side gas injectors (SGIs) attached to one or more openings formed in the side wall 10a.
[0030] The gas supply unit 20 may include at least one gas source 21 and at least one flow controller 22. In one embodiment, the gas supply unit 20 is configured to supply at least one processing gas to the shower head 13 from a corresponding gas source 21 via a corresponding flow controller 22. Each flow controller 22 may include, for example, a mass flow controller or a pressure-controlled flow controller. Furthermore, the gas supply unit 20 may include one or more flow modulation devices that modulate or pulse the flow rate of at least one processing gas.
[0031] The plasma power supply 30 includes an RF power supply 31 coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10 via at least one impedance matching circuit. The RF power supply 31 is configured to supply at least one RF signal (RF power), such as a source RF signal and a bias RF signal, to a conductive member of the substrate support 11 and / or a conductive member of the showerhead 13. This causes plasma to be formed from at least one processing gas supplied to the plasma processing space 10s. Therefore, the RF power supply 31 can function as at least part of a plasma generation unit configured to generate plasma from one or more processing gases in the plasma processing chamber 10. Furthermore, by supplying a bias RF signal to the conductive member of the substrate support 11, a bias potential is generated on the substrate W, and ionic components in the formed plasma can be drawn into the substrate W.
[0032] In this embodiment, the RF power supply 31 includes a first RF generation unit 31a and a second RF generation unit 31b. The first RF generation unit 31a is coupled to a conductive member (base 14) of the substrate support unit 11 and / or a conductive member of the shower head 13 via at least one impedance matching circuit and is configured to generate high-frequency source power (source RF signal: HF power) for plasma generation. In this embodiment, the high-frequency source power has a frequency in the range of 13 MHz to 150 MHz. In this embodiment, the first RF generation unit 31a may be configured to generate a plurality of high-frequency source powers having different frequencies. The generated one or more high-frequency source powers are supplied to the conductive member of the substrate support unit 11 and / or a conductive member of the shower head 13. The second RF generation unit 31b is coupled to a conductive member of the substrate support unit 11 via at least one impedance matching circuit and is configured to generate high-frequency bias power (bias RF signal: LF power). The high-frequency bias power has a lower frequency than the high-frequency source power. In one embodiment, the high-frequency bias power has a frequency in the range of 400 kHz to 13.56 MHz. In another embodiment, the second RF generation unit 31b may be configured to generate a plurality of high-frequency bias powers having different frequencies. The generated one or more high-frequency bias powers are supplied to the electrodes of the substrate support unit 11. In addition, in various embodiments, at least one of the high-frequency source power and the high-frequency bias power may be pulsed.
[0033] Furthermore, the plasma power supply 30 may include a DC power supply 32 coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10. The DC power supply 32 includes a first DC generation unit 32a and a second DC generation unit 32b. In an embodiment, the first DC generation unit 32a is connected to the electrodes of the substrate support unit 11 and is configured to generate a first DC bias voltage (first DC signal). The generated first DC bias voltage is applied to the electrodes of the substrate support unit 11. In an embodiment, the second DC generation unit 32b is connected to the conductive member of the shower head 13 and is configured to generate a second DC bias voltage (second DC signal). The generated second DC bias voltage is applied to the conductive member of the shower head 13. In various embodiments, at least one of the first and second DC bias voltages may be pulsed. The first and second DC generation units 32a and 32b may be provided in addition to the RF power supply 31, and the first DC generation unit 32a may be provided in place of the second RF generation unit 31b.
[0034] The exhaust system 40 may be connected to, for example, a gas outlet 10e located at the bottom of the plasma processing chamber 10. The exhaust system 40 may include a pressure regulating valve and a vacuum pump. The pressure regulating valve regulates the pressure in the plasma processing space 10s. The vacuum pump may include a turbomolecular pump, a dry pump, or a combination thereof.
[0035] The control device 2 processes computer-executable instructions that cause the plasma processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described herein. The control device 2 may be configured to control each element of the plasma processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described herein. In embodiments, some or all of the control device 2 may be included in the plasma processing apparatus 1. The control device 2 may include, for example, a computer 2a. The computer 2a may include, for example, a processing unit (CPU: Central Processing Unit) 2a1, a storage unit 2a2, and a communication interface 2a3. The processing unit 2a1 may be configured to perform various control operations based on a program stored in the storage unit 2a2. The storage unit 2a2 may include RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or a combination thereof. The communication interface 2a3 may communicate with the plasma processing device 1 via a communication line such as a LAN (Local Area Network).
[0036] Next, the configuration of the base 14 and electrostatic chuck 15 of the substrate support 11 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is an enlarged view showing the base 14, electrostatic chuck 15, substrate W, and the outer periphery of the ring 112.
[0037] The base 14 is formed in a circular shape in plan view and is installed in the plasma processing chamber 10 via an insulating member, with an electrostatic chuck 15 attached to its upper surface. The substrate support section 11 has a plurality of lift pins 161, 162 that are arranged to penetrate the base 14 and the electrostatic chuck 15. Each lift pin 161 raises and lowers the substrate W relative to the substrate support surface 111a by a lifting mechanism (not shown). Each lift pin 162 also raises and lowers the ring 112 relative to the ring support surface 111b by a lifting mechanism (not shown).
[0038] Furthermore, the base 14 is made of a conductive material such as aluminum and has a bias electrode 151 inside. The bias electrode 151 is connected to the plasma power supply 30 via a power line 153.
[0039] The bias electrode 151 is an electrode used to attract active species (ions) in the plasma of the plasma processing space 10s. The bias electrode 151 is connected via a power line 153 to a plasma power supply 30 located outside the plasma processing chamber 10. For example, the first DC generation unit 32a of a DC power supply 32 that supplies a DC bias is connected to the bias electrode 151.
[0040] Therefore, a DC bias is supplied to the bias electrode 151 from the first DC generation unit 32a of the DC power supply 32. This forms a sheath electric field on the substrate W and the ring 112, drawing active species (ions) in the plasma of the plasma processing space 10s into the substrate W, and etching the substrate W. The DC bias has, for example, a voltage waveform of a pulse wave that oscillates in a rectangular shape. Note that the DC bias voltage is not limited to a pulse wave, but may be a constant voltage that continues.
[0041] For example, the DC power supply 32 generates a negative polarity DC bias voltage to perform an etching process, which is a plasma treatment, on the substrate W. However, the DC power supply 32 may also neutralize the charge on the substrate W by applying both positive and negative polarity DC bias voltages. In particular, the DC power supply 32 can achieve uniformity of the plasma treatment by adjusting the pulse wave frequency and duty cycle for both positive and negative polarity DC bias voltages. The DC power supply 32 may also be configured to supply either a negative or positive polarity DC bias voltage.
[0042] The bias electrode 151 is provided as a central bias electrode 151a located in a position overlapping the substrate support surface 111a in the vertical direction, and an outer peripheral bias electrode 151b located in a position overlapping the ring support surface 111b in the vertical direction. Each of the central bias electrode 151a and the outer peripheral bias electrode 151b is connected to the plasma power supply 30 via mutually independent power lines 153. This allows the plasma power supply 30 to supply separate DC biases to the substrate W placed on the substrate support surface 111a and the ring 112 placed on the ring support surface 111b.
[0043] The central bias electrode 151a is formed, for example, in a spiral shape, concentric circle shape, meandering shape, matrix shape, etc. in a plan view, and is wired substantially over the entire position overlapping the substrate support surface 111a. The outer peripheral bias electrode 151b is formed in a spiral shape, concentric circle shape, etc. that circulates so as to overlap the annular ring support surface 111b, and is wired substantially over the entire ring support surface 111b.
[0044] Further, a first RF generation unit 31a (see FIG. 1) of an RF power supply 31 of a plasma power supply 30 that supplies high-frequency source power may be connected to the bias electrode 151. The RF power supply 31 generates plasma in the plasma processing space 10s by supplying high-frequency source power having a frequency within a range of, for example, 13 MHz to 150 MHz to the bias electrode 151. Alternatively, the plasma power supply 30 may supply high-frequency bias power to the bias electrode 151 instead of the DC bias.
[0045] On the other hand, the electrostatic chuck 15 is formed in a disk shape that is a perfect circle in a plan view. The electrostatic chuck 15 includes a dielectric plate 15a and a suction electrode 152 embedded inside the dielectric plate 15a. The dielectric plate 15a constitutes the outer shape of the electrostatic chuck 15, and has a flat substrate support surface 111a and a flat ring support surface 111b on the upper surface. The dielectric plate 15a is formed of, for example, a dielectric material such as a metal oxide or a metal nitride, or a combination thereof.
[0046] The suction electrode 152 is an electrode used to electrostatically adsorb the substrate W and the ring 112. The suction electrode 152 is connected to an electrostatic adsorption power supply 35 provided outside the plasma processing chamber 10 via a power line 154, and power for electrostatic adsorption is supplied from the electrostatic adsorption power supply 35. The electrostatic adsorption power supply 35 according to the embodiment is an AC power supply that supplies AC power (AC power) to the suction electrode 152. However, the electrostatic adsorption power supply 35 may be a DC power supply that applies a DC voltage (DC voltage) to the suction electrode 152.
[0047] The suction electrode 152 is also provided with a central suction electrode 152a provided at a position overlapping in the vertical direction of the substrate support surface 111a and an outer peripheral suction electrode 152b provided at a position overlapping in the vertical direction of the ring support surface 111b, and they are provided separately. For this reason, the power lines 154 branch from an intermediate position from the electrostatic adsorption power supply 35 and are connected to each of the central suction electrode 152a and the outer peripheral suction electrode 152b.
[0048] The central suction electrode 152a is formed, for example, in a spiral shape, a concentric circle shape, a meandering shape, a matrix shape, etc. in a plan view, and is wired substantially over the entire position overlapping the substrate support surface 111a. The outer peripheral suction electrode 152b is formed in a spiral shape, a concentric circle shape, etc. that circulates so as to overlap the annular ring support surface 111b, and is wired substantially over the entire ring support surface 111b.
[0049] The bias electrode 151 and the suction electrode 152 are conductive members formed of a conductive material. Examples of the conductive material of the bias electrode 151 and the suction electrode 152 include metal materials containing tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), etc. For example, they are formed in a thin film shape having a thickness of 1 / 3 or less with respect to the thicknesses of the bias electrode 151 and the suction electrode 152 and the dielectric plate 15a. The bias electrode 151 and the suction electrode 152 may each be designed with appropriate lengths, widths, thicknesses, etc.
[0050] The plasma processing apparatus 1 configured as described above can perform an etching process on the substrate W accommodated in the plasma processing chamber 10. In this etching process, the ring 112 disposed around the substrate W forms a sheath electric field above the ring 112 by being supplied with a DC bias from the plasma power supply 30. Thereby, the ring 112 can control the drawing direction of ions near the outer edge of the substrate W in a direction substantially orthogonal to the surface of the substrate W.
[0051] [Ring Replacement Mode] However, the ring 112 is etched by the etching process (plasma treatment), causing wear on its surface. Therefore, the substrate processing system PS monitors the usage status of the ring 112, and when it determines that a ring 112 with significant wear needs to be replaced, it executes a ring replacement mode to automatically replace the ring 112.
[0052] In ring exchange mode, the transport robots TR1 and TR2 are switched from their settings for transporting the substrate W to their settings for transporting the ring 112. Since the ring 112 is sized to be positioned around the substrate W, the position in which the transport robots TR1 and TR2 move relative to the ring 112 also changes. In other words, in ring exchange mode, by switching from the parameters for transporting the substrate W to the parameters for transporting the ring 112, the ring 112 becomes ready for proper transport.
[0053] In ring exchange mode, the transport robot TR1 unloads the used ring 112 from the target processing module among the processing modules PM1 to PM7 and loads the replacement ring 112 into the target processing module. The used ring 112 may be stored in the ring storage module RSM, or in the storage container CS set in the load port LP of the atmospheric transport module LM. For example, when storing the ring 112 in the ring storage module RSM, the transport robot TR1 transports the used ring 112 from the target processing module (containing the used ring 112) to the ring storage module RSM. On the other hand, when storing the ring 112 in the storage container CS, the transport robot TR1 first transports the used ring 112 from the target processing module (containing the used ring 112) to one of the load lock modules LL1 to LL3. Next, the load lock modules LL1 to LL3 are switched to an atmospheric pressure environment, and the transport robot TR2 removes the used ring 112 and transports it to the storage container CS for ring storage.
[0054] Furthermore, the substrate processing system PS may also retrieve the replacement ring 112 to be transported to the target processing module from the ring storage module RSM, or from the storage container CS set in the load port LP of the atmospheric transport module LM. For example, when transporting the replacement ring 112 from the ring storage module RSM, the transport robot TR1 transports the replacement ring 112 from the ring storage module RSM to the target processing module. On the other hand, when transporting the replacement ring 112 from the storage container CS, the transport robot TR2 first retrieves the ring 112 from the ring storage container CS and transports this ring 112 to one of the load lock modules LL1 to LL3. Next, after switching the load lock modules LL1 to LL3 to a vacuum atmosphere, the transport robot TR2 transports the replacement ring 112 to the target processing module.
[0055] Here, when the substrate processing system PS enters ring exchange mode, it changes the parameters for transporting the substrate W to the parameters for transporting the ring 112, as described above, and transports the ring 112. For this reason, when the ring exchange mode is entered, the normal operation of transporting the substrate W to the processing module is stopped. Since the substrate processing system PS has multiple processing modules, if the ring 112 is replaced frequently according to the replacement timing of each processing module, the overall processing efficiency of the system will decrease.
[0056] Next, the operation of the ring replacement mode of the substrate processing system PS according to the embodiment will be explained with reference to Figures 4(A) and 4(B). Figure 4(A) is a graph illustrating the replacement timing of the ring 112 according to the embodiment. Figure 4(B) is a graph illustrating the replacement timing of the ring according to a reference example. In the graphs of Figure 4, the blacked-out areas represent the period during which the ring replacement mode is being performed.
[0057] Furthermore, in the graph in Figure 4, the arrows illustrate the usage periods of processing modules PM1 to PM7. However, the substrate processing system PS can perform substrate processing in parallel using multiple processing modules PM1 to PM7. Therefore, the blank periods for processing modules PM2 to PM7 do not mean that processing modules PM2 to PM7 are not being used at all, but rather that their utilization rate is significantly lower than that of the main processing module (the processing module indicated by the white arrow). Note that processing modules PM1 to PM7 may remain shut down depending on the operational requirements.
[0058] To facilitate understanding of the operation of the ring exchange mode according to the embodiment, the operation of the ring exchange mode according to the reference example will first be described with reference to Figure 4(B). In the operation of the ring exchange mode according to the reference example, when the timing for ring exchange is determined in any of the processing modules PM1 to PM7, the ring exchange mode is promptly started to exchange the ring in that processing module. However, if the substrate W is being transported by the transport robots TR1 and TR2, or if there is a processing module processing the substrate W, the ring exchange mode will be started after these processes are completed.
[0059] The timing for replacing the ring is determined by the control unit of the substrate processing system. For example, the control unit monitors the timing for replacing the ring 112 by combining one or more of the following: the cumulative processing time of substrate W, the number of substrates W processed, and the amount of wear on the ring 112, and determines the timing for replacing the ring 112. As an example, the control unit measures the cumulative processing time of substrate W, compares the cumulative time with a pre-established threshold (the first threshold described below), and determines the timing for replacing the ring 112 when the cumulative time exceeds the threshold. Alternatively, the control unit counts the number of substrates W processed, compares the count value with a pre-established threshold, and determines the timing for replacing the ring 112 when the count value exceeds the threshold.
[0060] Alternatively, the control unit measures the wear of the ring 112, compares the wear of the ring 112 with a pre-established threshold, and determines the timing for replacing the ring 112 when the wear of the ring 112 exceeds the threshold. Examples of wear of the ring 112 include changes in the dimensions of the ring 112 or changes in the weight of the ring 112. As an example, the plasma processing apparatus 1 is equipped with a window that can pass through the ring 112 in the plasma processing chamber 10, and is also equipped with an imaging device that can image the ring 112 through the window, so that changes in the dimensions of the ring 112 can be recognized based on the imaging information of the ring 112. Note that changes in the dimensions of the ring 112 may be measured by other sensors. The weight of the ring 112 can be recognized by equipping the substrate support part 11 with a weight sensor.
[0061] In the example of ring replacement mode operation, for example, the timing for replacing the ring in processing module PM1 is determined in the third week. At this time, the substrate processing system promptly starts the ring replacement mode and replaces the ring 112 of processing module PM1. In ring replacement mode, the transport of substrates W by transport robots TR1 and TR2, and the substrate processing of other processing modules PM2 to PM7 are stopped.
[0062] In ring exchange mode, transport robots TR1 and TR2 are operated to unload and transport the used ring 112, and to transport and load the replacement ring 112. In addition, in ring exchange mode, after placing the replacement ring 112 on the substrate support section 11, a seasoning process to adjust the environment inside the plasma processing chamber 10 may be performed. Due to these processes, ring exchange mode will be performed for, for example, 20 minutes or more, during which time the substrate processing system PS will be in a state where substrate processing, including the transport of the substrate W, is stopped.
[0063] In the example of ring replacement mode operation, the replacement of ring 112 in processing module PM2 is determined in the fourth week, and the ring replacement mode is activated. Furthermore, in the example of ring replacement mode operation, in the sixth week, the replacement of ring 112 in processing module PM6, processing module PM3, and processing module PM4 is performed at their respective timings. Also in the seventh week, the replacement of ring 112 in processing module PM1, processing module PM6, and processing module PM2 is performed at their respective timings. Therefore, in the example of ring replacement mode operation, the downtime of the substrate processing system PS due to the replacement of ring 112 becomes longer, and the overall processing efficiency of the system is reduced.
[0064] In contrast, in the operation of the ring replacement mode according to the embodiment, when the timing for replacing the ring is determined in any of the multiple processing modules PM1 to PM7, the rings are replaced in all of the processing modules. Specifically, in the operation of the ring replacement mode, as in the reference example, the replacement of the ring 112 in processing module PM1 is determined in the third week. At this time, the control unit CU does not immediately replace the ring 112 in processing module PM1, but first recognizes the state of each ring 112 in the other processing modules PM2 to PM7.
[0065] For example, if the control unit CU recognizes that the replacement timing for the ring 112 of the processing module PM2 will be determined after a little more use, it chooses to extend the lifespan of the ring 112 of the processing module PM1 without replacing it. When the substrate processing system PS extends the lifespan of the ring 112, it performs a functional compensation operation to compensate for the sheath electric field formed on the ring 112 during plasma processing (compensating for the function of the ring 112 according to its wear status).
[0066] The following explanation of this functional compensation operation will be given with reference to Figures 5(A) to 5(C). Figure 5(A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sheath electric field SE of plasma processing under normal operation. Figure 5(B) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sheath electric field SE of plasma processing when the ring 112 is worn. Figure 5(C) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sheath electric field SE of plasma processing under functional compensation operation.
[0067] The plasma processing apparatus 1 forms a sheath electric field SE as shown in Figure 5(A) during plasma processing (etching, etc.). The sheath electric field SE is formed when a DC bias is supplied from the plasma power supply 30 to the bias electrode 151 of the base 14, and this DC bias voltage is applied to the substrate W and the ring 112, respectively. The plasma power supply 30 applies a DC bias voltage of the same potential to the central bias electrode 151a and the outer peripheral bias electrode 151b. Therefore, when the ring 112 is not worn or is only slightly worn, the sheath electric field SE generated on the substrate W and the sheath electric field SE generated on the ring 112 are at approximately the same height. This allows ions in the plasma to be drawn in a direction perpendicular to the outer edge of the substrate W.
[0068] As plasma processing is repeated, the ring 112 of the plasma processing apparatus 1 is etched and worn down. As a result, as shown in Figure 5(B), the height of the upper surface of the ring 112 becomes lower than the height of the upper surface of the substrate W. When a DC bias voltage of the same potential is applied to the central bias electrode 151a and the outer peripheral bias electrode 151b in this state, the sheath electric field SE generated on the ring 112 becomes lower than the sheath electric field SE generated on the substrate W, and a slope of the sheath electric field SE is formed between them. This slope of the sheath electric field SE is a factor that causes ions in the plasma to be drawn obliquely towards the outer edge of the substrate W during plasma processing.
[0069] Therefore, in functional compensation operation, the DC bias supplied to the ring 112 is made greater than the DC bias supplied to the substrate W; in other words, a DC bias voltage with ΔV added is applied. That is, in functional compensation operation, the plasma power supply 30 keeps the DC bias supplied to the central bias electrode 151a the same as in normal operation, while increasing the DC bias supplied to the outer bias electrode 151b by ΔV. As a result, as shown in Figure 5(C), the height of the sheath electric field SE generated on the ring 112 increases by ΔV.
[0070] By performing this functional compensation operation, the plasma processing apparatus 1 can adjust the height of the sheath electric field SE generated on the substrate W and the height of the sheath electric field SE generated on the ring 112 to be approximately the same. Therefore, ions in the plasma can be drawn in a direction perpendicular to the outer edge of the substrate W. The magnitude of the DC bias voltage applied to the outer peripheral bias electrode 151b should be set according to the integrated plasma processing time, the number of substrates W processed, and the amount of wear on the ring 112. For example, the longer the integrated plasma processing time, the larger the correction amount (ΔV) of the DC bias voltage should be. This is because the wear (change in height) of the ring 112 is roughly proportional to the integrated plasma processing time. In order to perform functional compensation operation, the plasma processing apparatus 1 should have table information showing the relationship between the integrated plasma processing time and the magnitude of the DC bias voltage, obtained by conducting experiments and simulations in advance.
[0071] Returning to Figure 4(A), in the operation of the ring replacement mode according to the embodiment, the processing module PM1, which previously determined the replacement timing for the ring 112, is subjected to plasma processing while performing functional compensation operation, and the ring 112 that was determined to be replaced is used continuously. Then, when the replacement timing for the ring 112 of processing module PM2 is determined, the substrate processing system PS switches to ring replacement mode and replaces both the ring 112 of processing module PM1 and the ring 112 of processing module PM2 together.
[0072] In ring exchange mode, as described above, the transport of substrate W by transport robots TR1 and TR2, and the substrate processing by other processing modules PM3 to PM7 are stopped. However, if there is a processing module that is currently processing substrates, that processing may continue even in ring exchange mode. This helps to reduce waste of substrate W.
[0073] In ring exchange mode, the substrate processing system PS operates the transport robots TR1 and TR2 to remove and transport the used ring 112 from processing module PM1, and to transport and load the replacement ring 112. Furthermore, the substrate processing system PS operates the transport robots TR1 and TR2 to remove and transport the used ring 112 from processing module PM2, and to transport and load the replacement ring 112. In addition, in ring exchange mode, after placing the replacement ring 112, a seasoning process or the like may be performed to adjust the environment inside the plasma processing chamber 10.
[0074] By replacing the rings 112 of processing modules PM1 and PM2 simultaneously (at the same time), the replacement of each ring 112 can be performed efficiently. Furthermore, the PCB processing system PS can reduce the number of ring replacement modes because the rings 112 of processing modules PM1 and PM2 are replaced together. As a result, the PCB processing system PS can improve the overall processing efficiency of the system.
[0075] In this specification, "same timing" means replacing the rings 112 of two or more processing modules from each processing module PM1 to PM7 in a single ring replacement mode. "Same timing" may include both the operation of transport robots TR1 and TR2 asynchronously loading and unloading each ring 112 to each processing module PM1 and PM2, and the operation of transport robots TR1 and TR2 synchronously loading and unloading each ring 112 to each processing module PM1 and PM2. For example, if, after stopping the substrate processing of processing modules PM1 to PM7, the ring 112 of processing module PM1 is replaced first, then the ring 112 of processing module PM2 is replaced, and then the substrate processing of processing modules PM1, PM2 and other processing modules PM3 to PM7 is started, then the replacement of the ring 112 of one processing module PM1 and the replacement of the ring 122 of another processing module PM2 are considered to be "same timing". Furthermore, at the same time, the order in which the ring 112 of one processing module PM1 and the ring 122 of the other processing module PM2 are replaced can be set arbitrarily. In other words, it is also acceptable to replace the ring 112 of the other processing module PM2 first, and then the ring 112 of the first processing module PM1.
[0076] Furthermore, in Figure 4(A), in the fifth week, after determining the replacement timing for the ring 112 in processing module PM5, functional compensation operation is performed in processing module PM5. In addition, in the sixth week, functional compensation operation is also performed for processing module PM3, which has determined the replacement timing for the ring 112, and when it is determined that the ring 112 should be replaced in processing module PM4, the system switches to ring replacement mode. In this way, the substrate processing system PS may replace each ring 112 of three or more processing modules PM3 to PM5 at the same timing using the same ring replacement mode. This allows the substrate processing system PS to further promote overall efficiency in the processing.
[0077] Furthermore, in Figure 4(A), in the seventh week, after determining that the ring 112 needs to be replaced for processing module PM6, processing module PM6 performs a functional compensation operation to synchronize with the replacement of the rings 112 in processing modules PM1 and PM2. On the other hand, processing module PM7 has started operation later than processing modules PM1 and PM2, and has not yet reached the timing for replacing the ring 112. However, if the timing for replacing the ring 112 will be reached by performing plasma processing for just a little longer, it is preferable to replace the ring 112 of processing module PM7 in the same way as the replacement timing of processing modules PM1, PM2, and PM6.
[0078] This "short period after" could be set, for example, within 10 hours (approximately half a day) from the time the replacement timing for the ring 112 of one processing module is recognized. In other words, if the replacement timing for another processing module comes within 10 hours after the replacement timing for one processing module, the ring 112 of the other processing modules is replaced at the same time as the replacement timing for the first processing module, rather than extending the life of the ring 112 of the first processing module. This allows for earlier replacement of the ring 112 for multiple processing modules rather than extending the life of the worn ring 112, thereby stabilizing the plasma processing. Moreover, since the wear rate of the rings 112 in the other processing modules is also sufficiently large, it can be said that there will be no significant waste of the rings 112 in the other processing modules.
[0079] [Ring Replacement Method] The substrate processing system PS according to this embodiment is basically configured as described above, and its operation (ring replacement method) will be explained below with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a flowchart of the ring replacement method. The control unit CU of the substrate processing system PS executes the ring replacement method by processing steps S101 to S108 shown in Figure 6, for example.
[0080] In the ring replacement method, the control unit CU first monitors the status of the rings 112 of multiple processing modules PM1 to PM7 and determines whether it is time to replace the ring 112 for one processing module (step S101). Below, an example is described in which the control unit CU determines the timing of ring 112 replacement by monitoring the accumulated time of plasma processing on the substrate W. For example, the first threshold for monitoring the accumulated time of plasma processing can be set to 200 hours.
[0081] If the cumulative time of plasma processing in any of the processing modules PM1 to PM7 is less than the first threshold (step S101: NO), the control unit CU repeats step S101. On the other hand, if the cumulative time of plasma processing in any of the processing modules PM1 to PM7 is greater than or equal to the first threshold (step S101: YES), the control unit CU proceeds to step S102.
[0082] In step S102, the control unit CU extracts the cumulative plasma processing time of other processing modules (other than the processing module that exceeds the first threshold) and determines whether there are any processing modules that exceed the second threshold. This second threshold is a threshold for monitoring the plasma processing of other processing modules and is set to a smaller value than the first threshold. For example, the second threshold can be set to 150 hours. If the cumulative time is less than the second threshold, it means that the wear of the rings 112 of the other processing modules is small. For this reason, even if a functional compensation operation is performed for one processing module, it takes time for the rings 112 of the other processing modules to wear out, so it is not advisable to extend the life of the rings 112 of one processing module until the rings of the other processing modules need to be replaced.
[0083] Therefore, if there are no other processing modules whose accumulated time is equal to or greater than the second threshold (step S102: NO), the system proceeds to step S103. In step S103, the substrate processing system PS performs a ring replacement mode in which only the ring 112 of one processing module is replaced. This allows the ring 112 of one processing module to be replaced early if the rings 112 of other processing modules are not replaced.
[0084] On the other hand, if there are other processing modules whose accumulated time is greater than or equal to the second threshold (step S102: YES), the process proceeds to step S104, in which it is determined whether the accumulated time of the other processing modules whose accumulated time is greater than or equal to the second threshold is less than the third threshold. This third threshold is a threshold for determining whether the accumulated time of the other processing modules whose accumulated time is greater than or equal to the second threshold is close to the first threshold, and is set to a value that is smaller than the first threshold and larger than the second threshold. As described above, the third threshold may be set to a value (190 hours) obtained by subtracting a predetermined time (for example, 10 hours) from the first threshold (for example, 200 hours).
[0085] If the cumulative time of other processing modules that are above the second threshold is above the third threshold (step S104: NO), the process proceeds to step S105, in which a ring exchange mode is performed in which the rings 112 of one processing module and the other processing modules are exchanged. This allows the rings 112 of other processing modules to be exchanged at the same time as the rings 112 of one processing module if the replacement timing of the rings 112 of the other processing modules is approaching.
[0086] Furthermore, if the accumulated time of the other processing modules that are above the second threshold is less than the third threshold (step S104: YES), the process proceeds to step S106. From the previous determinations, it is known that the accumulated time of the other processing modules is between the second and third thresholds. In this case, the control unit CU does not perform the ring replacement mode, but continues normal operation in the other processing modules while extending the life of the ring 112 in one processing module and performing functional compensation operation (step S106). As a result, in one processing module, the height of the sheath electric field SE of the ring 112 can be matched to the height of the sheath electric field SE of the substrate W.
[0087] Furthermore, while executing step S106, the control unit CU accumulates the accumulated time of each processing module and determines the replacement timing of the ring 112 of other processing modules based on the accumulated time of other processing modules whose accumulated time falls between the second threshold and the third threshold (step S107). The threshold used to determine the accumulated time of other processing modules may be the first threshold or the third threshold, or it may be a fourth threshold different from the first and third thresholds. This makes it possible to appropriately perform substrate processing until the replacement timing of the ring 112 of the other processing modules.
[0088] If the timing for replacing the ring 112 of another processing module is determined (step S107: YES), the process proceeds to step S108. In step S108, a ring replacement mode is performed in which the rings 112 of one processing module and the other processing modules are replaced. This allows the rings 112 of one processing module and the other processing modules to be replaced at the same time.
[0089] Furthermore, in the ring replacement method, if it is determined in step S102 that there are multiple other processing modules that are above the second threshold, it is preferable to perform the processing from step S104 onward for the multiple other processing modules. In this case, if some of the processing modules among the multiple other processing modules are above the third threshold in step S104, it is preferable to switch to function compensation operation for those some processing modules and perform processing to match the replacement timing of the rings 112 of the remaining processing modules. Similarly, if the replacement timing of the rings 112 of some of the multiple other processing modules is determined in step S107, it is preferable to switch to function compensation operation for those some processing modules and perform processing to match the replacement timing of the rings 112 of the remaining processing modules. As a result, the substrate processing system PS can replace three or more processing modules at the same time in ring replacement mode, thereby promoting greater efficiency.
[0090] [Modifications] The substrate processing system PS and ring replacement method according to the embodiment are not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways. For example, the ring replacement method is not limited to replacing the edge ring, ring 112, but the same process can be performed when replacing the cover ring.
[0091] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the functional compensation operation of the plasma processing apparatus 1 was explained using an example of extending the lifespan of the ring 112 of one processing module. However, the substrate processing system PS is not limited to performing functional compensation operation when extending the lifespan of the ring 112; it may also perform functional compensation operation during normal plasma processing of the plasma processing apparatus 1. In other words, each plasma processing apparatus 1 may be configured to process the substrate W by continuously performing plasma processing with functional compensation operation. In this case, the ΔV of the functional compensation operation should be set in advance so that it increases as the cumulative time of plasma processing increases, for example, by conducting experiments or simulations.
[0092] Furthermore, the functional compensation operation is not limited to a configuration in which the DC bias voltage to the ring 112 is increased. For example, functional compensation operation may be performed by configurations as shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B). Figure 7(A) is a diagram showing the configuration of the functional compensation operation according to the first modified example. Figure 7(B) is a diagram showing the configuration of the functional compensation operation according to the second modified example.
[0093] As shown in Figure 7(A), the substrate support portion 11A according to the first modified example includes a conductive rod 155 inside which a bias voltage is directly supplied to the ring 112. The conductive rod 155 is connected to a plasma power supply 30 located outside the plasma processing chamber 10. The plasma power supply 30 supplies a DC bias to the conductive rod 155, similar to the supply of DC bias to the outer peripheral bias electrode 151b (see Figure 3).
[0094] Therefore, in the functional compensation operation according to the first modified example, the sheath electric field SE above the ring 112 can be increased by supplying a DC bias voltage with ΔV added to the conductive rod 155. As a result, the plasma processing apparatus 1 can adjust the sheath electric field SE of the substrate W and the sheath electric field of the ring 112 to the same level, and perform plasma processing on the substrate W stably.
[0095] As shown in Figure 7(B), the substrate support section 11B according to the second modified example has the plasma power supply 30 connected to the lift pin 162, and a DC bias can be supplied to the ring 112 via the lift pin 162. In the functional compensation operation, the lift pin 162 is used to levitate the worn ring 112. By raising the ring 112 in this way, the plasma processing apparatus 1 can increase the sheath electric field SE above the ring 112 without increasing the DC bias voltage supplied from the plasma power supply 30. Therefore, even with this configuration, plasma processing can be performed well, similar to the embodiment described above.
[0096] The embodiments disclosed above include, for example, the following aspects:
[0097] [Note 1] A substrate processing system comprising: a plurality of processing modules for processing substrates; a vacuum transport module to which the plurality of processing modules are connected; and a control unit, wherein the plurality of processing modules each comprises: a processing container; and a substrate support section provided inside the processing container and including a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate and a ring support surface for supporting rings arranged around the substrate support surface, wherein the vacuum transport module is equipped with a transport robot capable of transporting the substrate and the rings to the plurality of processing modules, and the control unit monitors the replacement timing of the rings arranged in the plurality of processing modules, and when it determines the replacement timing of the rings of one of the plurality of processing modules, it recognizes other processing modules whose replacement timing is temporally close to the replacement timing of the one processing module, and replaces the rings of the one processing module and the other processing modules at the same timing. [Note 2] The substrate processing system according to Note 1, wherein the control unit waits for the replacement of the rings of the one processing module until the replacement timing of the rings of the other processing modules is reached, if the other processing modules have not yet reached the replacement timing of the rings. [Note 3] The substrate processing system according to Note 2, wherein the control unit processes the substrate while performing control to compensate for the function of the ring of the first processing module until the timing for replacing the ring of the other processing module arrives. [Note 4] The substrate processing system according to Note 3, wherein the control to compensate for the function of the ring is to change the voltage applied to the ring or to change the relative height of the ring with respect to the substrate. [Note 5] The substrate processing system according to Note 3, wherein the control unit performs control to compensate for the function of the ring even before determining the timing for replacing the ring of the first processing module.[Note 6] The substrate processing system according to Note 1, wherein when the control unit determines the timing for replacing the ring of the first processing module, if the timing for replacing the other processing module is above a threshold in time, it replaces the ring of the first processing module and the ring of the other processing module without waiting for the replacement of the ring of the first processing module. [Note 7] The substrate processing system according to any one of Notes 1 to 6, wherein when the control unit replaces the ring of the first processing module and the ring of the other processing module, it stops processing the substrate of the processing module whose ring is not replaced. [Note 8] The substrate processing system according to any one of Notes 1 to 7, wherein the control unit monitors the timing for replacing the ring based on one or more combinations of the cumulative processing time of the substrate, the number of substrates processed, and the amount of wear of the ring. [Note 9] The substrate processing system according to Note 8, wherein the amount of wear of the ring is a change in the dimensions of the ring or a change in the weight of the ring. [Note 10] A substrate processing system according to any one of Notes 1 to 9, comprising a ring storage module connected to the vacuum transport module and capable of housing the ring, wherein the control unit transports the used ring used in the processing module to the ring storage module during ring replacement. [Note 11] A substrate processing system according to any one of Notes 1 to 10, comprising a load lock module connected to the vacuum transport module, an atmospheric transport module connected to the load lock module, and a load port connected to the atmospheric transport module, wherein the control unit transports the used ring used in the processing module to a container set in the load port via the vacuum transport module, the load port, and the atmospheric transport module during ring replacement. [Note 12] A substrate processing system according to any one of Notes 1 to 11, wherein the ring is an edge ring positioned adjacent to the outer edge of the substrate supported on the substrate support surface.[Note 13] The substrate processing system according to Note 12, wherein the edge ring is formed of silicon or silicon carbide. [Note 14] A ring replacement method for a substrate processing system comprising: a plurality of processing modules for processing substrates; and a vacuum transport module to which the plurality of processing modules are connected, wherein the plurality of processing modules each comprises: a processing container; and a substrate support portion provided inside the processing container and including a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate and a ring support surface for supporting rings arranged around the substrate support surface, and the vacuum transport module comprises a transport robot capable of transporting the substrate and the rings to the plurality of processing modules, the method comprising: (A) monitoring the replacement timing of the rings arranged in the plurality of processing modules and determining the replacement timing of the rings of one of the plurality of processing modules; (B) when the replacement timing of the rings of one processing module is determined in step (A), recognizing other processing modules whose replacement timing is temporally close to the replacement timing of the one processing module; and (C) replacing the ring of the one processing module and the ring of the other processing module recognized in step (B) at the same timing.[Note 15] A substrate processing system comprising: a plurality of processing modules for processing substrates; a vacuum transport module to which the plurality of processing modules are connected; and a control unit, wherein the plurality of processing modules each comprises: a processing container; and a substrate support section provided inside the processing container and including a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate and a ring support surface for supporting rings arranged around the substrate support surface, and the vacuum transport module is equipped with a transport robot capable of transporting the substrate and the rings to the plurality of processing modules, wherein the program causes the control unit to execute: (A) a step of monitoring the replacement timing of the rings arranged in the plurality of processing modules and determining the replacement timing of the rings of one of the plurality of processing modules; (B) a step of recognizing other processing modules whose replacement timing is temporally close to the replacement timing of the one processing module when the replacement timing of the rings of the one processing module is determined in step (A); and (C) a step of replacing the rings of the one processing module and the rings of the other processing modules recognized in step (B) at the same timing, respectively.
[0098] The substrate processing system, ring replacement method, and program according to the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The matters described in the above embodiments can be otherwise configured and combined in a non-consistent manner.
[0099] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-018581, which was filed with the Japan Patent Office on February 6, 2025, and the entire contents of that application are incorporated herein by reference.
[0100] 10 Plasma processing chamber 11 Substrate support section 111a Substrate support surface 111b Ring support surface 112 Ring CU Control unit PM1 to PM7 Processing module TM Vacuum transport module TR1, TR2 Transport robot W Substrate
Claims
1. A substrate processing system comprising: a plurality of processing modules for processing substrates; a vacuum transport module to which the plurality of processing modules are connected; and a control unit, wherein the plurality of processing modules each comprises: a processing container; and a substrate support section provided inside the processing container and including a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate and a ring support surface for supporting rings arranged around the substrate support surface, wherein the vacuum transport module is equipped with a transport robot capable of transporting the substrate and the rings to the plurality of processing modules; and the control unit monitors the replacement timing of the rings arranged in the plurality of processing modules, and when it determines the replacement timing of the rings of one of the plurality of processing modules, it recognizes other processing modules whose replacement timing is temporally close to the replacement timing of the one processing module, and replaces the rings of the one processing module and the other processing modules at the same timing.
2. The substrate processing system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit waits for the other processing module to replace the ring until the other processing module reaches the timing for replacing the ring.
3. The substrate processing system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit processes the substrate while performing control to compensate for the function of the ring of the first processing module until it is time to replace the ring of the other processing module.
4. The substrate processing system according to claim 3, wherein the control for compensating the function of the ring is to change the voltage applied to the ring or to change the relative height of the ring with respect to the substrate.
5. The substrate processing system according to claim 3, wherein the control unit performs control to compensate for the function of the ring even before determining the timing for replacing the ring of the processing module.
6. The substrate processing system according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit determines the timing for replacing the ring of the first processing module, if the timing for replacing the other processing module is above a threshold in time, it replaces the ring of the first processing module and the ring of the other processing module without waiting for the replacement of the ring of the first processing module.
7. The substrate processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit stops processing the substrate of the processing module whose ring is not replaced when replacing the ring of the first processing module and the ring of the other processing module.
8. The substrate processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit monitors the timing for replacing the ring based on one or more combinations of the cumulative processing time of the substrate, the number of substrates processed, and the amount of wear of the ring.
9. The substrate processing system according to claim 8, wherein the amount of wear of the ring is a change in the dimensions of the ring or a change in the weight of the ring.
10. A substrate processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a ring storage module connected to the vacuum transport module and capable of storing the ring, wherein the control unit transports the used ring used in the processing module to the ring storage module during ring replacement.
11. A substrate processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: a load lock module connected to the vacuum transport module; an atmospheric transport module connected to the load lock module; and a load port connected to the atmospheric transport module, wherein the control unit, in the exchange of the ring, transports the used ring used in the processing module to a container set in the load port via the vacuum transport module, the load port, and the atmospheric transport module.
12. The substrate processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the ring is an edge ring positioned adjacent to the outer edge of the substrate support surface.
13. The substrate processing system according to claim 12, wherein the edge ring is formed of silicon or silicon carbide.
14. A ring replacement method for a substrate processing system comprising: a plurality of processing modules for processing substrates; and a vacuum transport module to which the plurality of processing modules are connected, wherein the plurality of processing modules each comprises: a processing container; and a substrate support portion provided inside the processing container and including a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate and a ring support surface for supporting rings arranged around the substrate support surface, and the vacuum transport module comprises a transport robot capable of transporting the substrate and the rings to the plurality of processing modules, the method comprising: (A) monitoring the replacement timing of the rings arranged in the plurality of processing modules and determining the replacement timing of the rings of one of the plurality of processing modules; (B) when the replacement timing of the rings of one processing module is determined in step (A), recognizing other processing modules whose replacement timing is temporally close to the replacement timing of the one processing module; and (C) replacing the ring of the one processing module and the ring of the other processing module recognized in step (B) at the same timing.
15. A substrate processing system comprising: a plurality of processing modules for processing substrates; a vacuum transport module to which the plurality of processing modules are connected; and a control unit, wherein the plurality of processing modules each comprises: a processing container; and a substrate support section provided inside the processing container and including a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate and a ring support surface for supporting rings arranged around the substrate support surface, and the vacuum transport module is equipped with a transport robot capable of transporting the substrate and the rings to the plurality of processing modules, wherein the program causes the control unit to execute: (A) a step of monitoring the replacement timing of the rings arranged in the plurality of processing modules and determining the replacement timing of the rings of one of the plurality of processing modules; (B) a step of recognizing other processing modules whose replacement timing is temporally close to the replacement timing of the one processing module when the replacement timing of the rings of the one processing module is determined in step (A); and (C) a step of replacing the rings of the one processing module and the rings of the other processing modules recognized in step (B) at the same timing, respectively.