JP7790826B2 - Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus.

If a substrate is highly charged, it can cause damage to devices on the substrate (electrostatic breakdown), or the substrate can be broken when it is removed from the stage due to electrostatic force. For this reason, static elimination processes have traditionally been used to reduce the charge on substrates. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that performs static elimination on charged substrates when they are loaded into a substrate processing system, thereby reducing the charge state of the substrate.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-107077

This disclosure provides technology that can optimize the static elimination process for substrates.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a substrate processing method for a substrate processing apparatus includes the steps of unloading a substrate from a process module that performs plasma processing and static elimination processing on the substrate, and transporting the substrate to a load lock unit that is switchable between an air atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere; measuring a charge state of the substrate in the load lock unit; analyzing a measurement result of the charge state of the substrate, and optimizing a time for the static elimination processing based on the measured charge state , wherein the load lock unit has a support unit that supports the transported substrate, and a transport unit that transports the substrate between the process module and the load lock unit. a substrate processing method including a device, wherein a contactor that contacts the substrate in the transport device and a support that contacts the substrate in the support part are each conductive, and a step of measuring the charged state of the substrate includes measuring the surface potential of the substrate supported on the support part by a charge measuring part installed in the load lock part, and a step of optimizing the static elimination process includes estimating deterioration in the conductivity of the contactor and the support part based on measurement results of the charged state of the substrate supported on the support part and the charged state of the substrate being transported by the transport device inside the load lock part .

According to one aspect, the static elimination process for the substrate can be optimized.

1 is a plan view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a load lock unit and a part of a transfer device. 10 is a graph showing a change in the charged state during the process of transporting a substrate in a load lock unit. 10 is a table illustrating a part of a recipe showing a static elimination process. 1 is a flowchart of a substrate processing method according to a first embodiment. 10 is a flowchart of a substrate processing method according to a second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing method according to a fourth embodiment.

The following describes embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, identical components are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions may be omitted.

Figure 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 is configured as a multi-chamber system having multiple (three in this embodiment) process modules 10, 11, and 12 that perform plasma processing on a substrate S. The substrate processing apparatus 1 has a rectangular vacuum transfer module 20 located in the center in a plan view. The substrate processing apparatus 1 has process modules 10, 11, and 12 located on each of the three sides of the vacuum transfer module 20, and a load lock unit 30 located on the remaining side of the vacuum transfer module 20. The process modules 10, 11, and 12, the vacuum transfer module 20, and the load lock unit 30 are all chamber containers that can operate in a reduced-pressure atmosphere (vacuum atmosphere). The substrate processing apparatus 1 also includes a control unit 60 that controls the operation of each unit.

The substrate S processed by the substrate processing apparatus 1 may be, for example, a substrate for a flat panel display (FPD), such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescent display. In this case, the material for the substrate S may be glass or synthetic resin. The substrate S may include a substrate with a circuit patterned on its surface, or a support substrate without a circuit. The planar dimensions of the substrate S are not particularly limited, but examples include a rectangular substrate with long sides in the range of approximately 1800 mm to 3400 mm and short sides in the range of approximately 1500 mm to 3000 mm, or other dimensions.

Openings 10a, 11a, and 12a through which substrates S can pass are provided between the vacuum transfer module 20 and each of the process modules 10, 11, and 12. The substrate processing apparatus 1 also includes gate valves 13, 14, and 15 that open and close each of the openings 10a, 11a, and 12a. When closed, each of the gate valves 13, 14, and 15 airtightly seals the vacuum transfer module 20 and each of the process modules 10, 11, and 12, and when open, connects the vacuum transfer module 20 and each of the process modules 10, 11, and 12, allowing substrates S to be transferred.

Each process module 10, 11, 12 is a container capable of maintaining its respective internal space 10s, 11s, 12s (substrate processing chamber: process chamber) at a predetermined reduced pressure (vacuum atmosphere), and performs plasma processing on a substrate S transported to the internal space 10s, 11s, 12s. Each process module 10, 11, 12 is provided with a mounting table 16 on which the substrate S is placed. The mounting table 16 has, for example, an electrostatic chuck (not shown) that holds the substrate S using electrostatic force. Each process module 10, 11, 12 performs plasma processing such as etching, ashing, and film formation on the substrate S fixed to the mounting table 16. Note that the method of fixing the substrate using the mounting table 16 is not limited to an electrostatic chuck; mechanical clamping or the like may also be used. Each process module 10, 11, 12 in the substrate processing apparatus 1 may perform the same type of plasma processing, or different types of plasma processing.

In addition, each process module 10, 11, and 12 performs a static elimination process on the substrate S that has been charged by plasma processing or the like. For example, as a static elimination process, each process module 10, 11, and 12 can apply a DC voltage of the same magnitude but opposite polarity to the voltage applied to the chucking electrode (not shown) embedded in the electrostatic chuck to remove the charge from the substrate S. Alternatively, each process module 10, 11, and 12 can generate plasma for static elimination to remove the charge from the substrate S.

The vacuum transfer module 20 is configured as a container that can maintain a predetermined vacuum atmosphere. The vacuum transfer module 20 has a transfer device 21 in the internal space (transfer chamber) of the container. The transfer device 21 transfers substrates S between the vacuum transfer module 20 and each of the process modules 10, 11, and 12, and between the vacuum transfer module 20 and the load lock unit 30.

The transfer device 21 includes a pedestal 22, a transfer arm 23 supported by the pedestal 22 and having a fork 25 at its end effector capable of holding the underside of a substrate S, and an operating unit 24 that rotates, moves up and down, and moves the transfer arm 23 forward and backward. The operating unit 24 is connected to a control unit 60 and operates the transfer arm 23 based on operation commands from the control unit 60. During operation of the transfer arm 23, the fork 25 advances into each process module 10, 11, 12 or into the load lock unit 30 to transfer or receive a substrate S. Furthermore, the fork 25 can retreat from each process module 10, 11, 12 or the load lock unit 30 after transferring or receiving a substrate S.

2 is a side cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a portion of the load lock unit 30 and the transport device 21. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fork 25 has multiple support picks 26 and multiple contacts 27 provided on the upper surface of each support pick 26 and in direct contact with the substrate S. Each contact 27 is softer than the support pick 26, has frictional force, and is formed of a conductive material. The contacts 27 may be ring-shaped members made of conductive rubber, for example. The contacts 27 may also be protruding members. The transport device 21 is connected to ground potential, and during transport of the substrate S, charges on the substrate S can be transferred via the contacts 27, support picks 26, and transport arm 23. If the contacts 27 are not deteriorated and maintain sufficient conductivity, any remaining charge on the substrate S that was not completely removed during the charge removal process inside each process module 10, 11, or 12 can be supplementarily removed to a sufficiently low charge level during transport of the substrate S.

Returning to Figure 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 has an opening 30a between the vacuum transfer module 20 and the load lock unit 30 through which the substrate S passes, and is equipped with a gate valve 31 that opens and closes this opening 30a. When closed, the gate valve 31 hermetically seals the vacuum transfer module 20 and the load lock unit 30, and when open, it connects the vacuum transfer module 20 and the load lock unit 30, allowing the transfer of the substrate S. Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus 1 has an opening 30b and a gate valve 32 between the load lock unit 30 and the outside of the load lock unit 30. When closed, the gate valve 32 maintains the airtightness of the load lock unit 30, and when open, it connects the load lock unit 30 and the outside, allowing the transfer of the substrate S.

A load module 50, provided separately from the substrate processing apparatus 1, is connected to the outside of the load lock unit 30 to load and unload substrates S between the load lock unit 30. The load module 50 waits for and transports substrates S in an atmospheric environment. The load module 50 is not particularly limited, and may, for example, be configured to include a carrier containing multiple substrates S, an empty carrier (both not shown), and a transport mechanism 51 that can load and unload substrates S from each carrier. Alternatively, the load module 50 may be a mechanism (not shown) that receives substrates S from other processing apparatuses installed in the vicinity of the substrate processing apparatus 1, and sends substrates S to other processing apparatuses.

The load lock unit 30 (load lock module) of the substrate processing apparatus 1 transfers substrates S between the load module 50, which is in an atmospheric atmosphere, and the vacuum transfer module 20, which is in a vacuum atmosphere. For this reason, the load lock unit 30 is configured as a container that can maintain a predetermined vacuum atmosphere. This load lock unit 30 is formed with a small volume so that it can be repeatedly switched between an atmospheric atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the container of the load lock unit 30 includes multiple sidewalls 33 arranged in the direction of arrow A, openings 30a and 30b arranged in the direction of arrow B, a floor 34 to which the sidewalls 33 are connected, and a ceiling 35 supported by the sidewalls 33, and is connected to ground potential. The pair of openings 30a and 30b facing each other in the direction of arrow B each have a gate valve 31 at opening 30a and a gate valve 32 at opening 30b.

A substrate support section 36 is provided on the floor section 34 of the load lock section 30 to support a substrate S in the space section 30s (load lock chamber) of the load lock section 30. The upper surface of the substrate support section 36 is uneven, with buffers 37 (support sections) and grooves 38 arranged alternately along the direction of arrow A. The multiple grooves 38 are linear so that each support pick 26 of the transport device 21 (forks 25) can fit in.

In addition, a plurality of support pins 39 (support elements) are provided on the upper surfaces of the plurality of buffers 37. These support pins 39 come into contact with and support the substrate S when the fork 25 descends. The support pins 39 are made of a conductive material. This allows the load lock unit 30 to transfer any remaining charge on the substrate S to the outside of the load lock unit 30 via the support pins 39, substrate support unit 36, and floor unit 34.

The load lock unit 30 also includes a charge measurement unit 40 on the ceiling 35 that measures the charge state of the substrate S. In this embodiment, the "charge state" of the substrate S is measured as the voltage (surface potential) of the electrostatic force generated on the substrate S. Note that the "charge state" measured by the charge measurement unit 40 is not limited to the surface potential, and may also measure, for example, the amount of charge on the substrate S, the potential difference, the electric field, or other physical stress (such as piezoelectricity).

The charge measurement unit 40 is provided closer to the vacuum transfer module 20 than the intermediate position in the direction of arrow B (near the gate valve 31). Although one charge measurement unit 40 is shown in Figure 2, the load lock unit 30 may be configured with multiple charge measurement units 40. For example, by arranging multiple charge measurement units 40 in a row along the direction of arrow A shown in Figure 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 can obtain the distribution of the charge state over the entire surface of the substrate S as it is transported in the direction of arrow B.

The charge measurement unit 40 employs a sensor capable of measuring the charge state of the substrate S when the space 30s is under a vacuum. This is because the charge state of the substrate S changes when the space 30s is under an air atmosphere. The charge measurement unit 40 utilizes electrostatic induction to acquire the surface potential by measuring the induced charge on the sensor due to the electric field generated by a charged object when the sensor is brought close to the charged object. For example, the charge measurement unit 40 includes a measurement body 41 having an amplifier circuit fixed to the ceiling 35, and a probe 43 suspended from the measurement body 41 via wiring 42 and positioned inside the load lock unit 30. The measurement body 41 is communicatively connected to the control unit 60 and transmits measurement results (charge state information) to the control unit 60. The probe 43 is positioned within or below the ceiling 35 and is close to the substrate S being transported. This improves the accuracy with which the charge measurement unit 40 detects the surface potential of the substrate S.

Figure 3 is a graph showing the change in the charge state of the substrate S during the transport process in the load lock unit 30. In this graph, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the surface potential measured for the substrate S. As shown in Figure 3, the charge measurement unit 40 is capable of measuring the surface potential of the substrate S throughout the entire transport process, from when the substrate S is transported from the vacuum transport module 20 to the load lock unit 30 and supported by the substrate support unit 36.

In detail, the substrate S transport process includes a carry-in step in which the substrate S is carried in by the forks 25, a lowering step in which the forks 25 are lowered, a delivery step in which the substrate S is transferred from the forks 25 to the buffer 37, and a support step in which the forks 25 are removed and the substrate S is supported by the buffer 37. During this substrate S transport process, the interior of the load lock unit 30 is depressurized to a vacuum atmosphere equivalent to the vacuum atmosphere in each of the process modules 10, 11, 12 and the vacuum transport module 20. The charge measurement unit 40 measures the changing charge state of the substrate S at each step of the transport process (carry-in step, lowering step, delivery step, support step).

In particular, the charge state of the substrate S measured during the supporting step in which the substrate S is supported by the substrate support unit 36 indicates the final charge state of the substrate S after processing in the substrate processing apparatus 1, resulting from the static elimination performed in each step. In other words, the substrate S will have this charge state when it undergoes the next processing. However, since the charge state may not be stable at the beginning of the supporting step, it is recommended that the control unit 60 use the measurement results taken a predetermined time after the start of the supporting step. Note that, as shown in Figure 3, the surface potential (charge state of the substrate S) measured by the charge measurement unit 40 repeats small amplitudes over time. For this reason, it is preferable that the control unit 60 calculate the average amplitude (e.g., moving average) or median value of the measured waveform of the charge state to determine the value of the charge state.

Furthermore, by continuously performing measurements using the charge measurement unit 40 while the substrate S is being transported in the loading step, the control unit 60 can recognize the distribution of the charge state along the transport direction of the substrate S. Therefore, by using the measurement results (charge state of the substrate S) from the charge measurement unit 40 at each step of the transport process, the control unit 60 can appropriately recognize the results of the charge removal process in each process module 10, 11, 12, the charge removal state by the contactor 27 during transport of the substrate S, and the charge removal state by the support pin 39 when the substrate S is supported by the substrate support unit 36, thereby enabling optimization of the charge removal process.

The load lock unit 30 may also be configured with separate spaces (e.g., two upper and lower spaces) for loading unprocessed substrates S from the load module 50 and loading processed substrates S from the vacuum transfer module 20. In this case, the charge measurement unit 40 may be provided as appropriate on the wall surrounding each space.

Returning to Figure 1, the control unit 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 has a controller main body 61 and a user interface 65 connected to the controller main body 61. The controller main body 61 may be a control computer having one or more processors 62, memory 63, an input/output interface (not shown), and electronic circuits. The processor 62 is a combination of one or more of a CPU, ASIC, FPGA, and a circuit made up of multiple discrete semiconductors. The memory 63 includes volatile memory and non-volatile memory (e.g., compact disc, DVD, hard disk, flash memory, etc.) and stores a program for operating the substrate processing apparatus 1 and a recipe R (see also Figure 4) including process conditions for plasma processing.

The user interface 65 may be a keyboard through which the user inputs commands to manage the substrate processing apparatus 1, a display that visualizes and displays the operating status of the substrate processing apparatus 1, or a touch panel that has both display and input functions.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is basically configured as described above, and its operation (substrate processing method) will be described below.

By providing a charge measurement unit 40 in the load lock unit 30, the substrate processing apparatus 1 optimizes the static elimination process in each process module 10, 11, and 12 based on the measurement results (charge state of the substrate S) from the charge measurement unit 40. The following describes a case in which processing is performed in process module 10, which is representative of the process modules 10, 11, and 12, but it goes without saying that the same processing can also be performed in the other process modules 11 and 12.

Specifically, the control unit 60 performs the following processes (a) to (d) to optimize the static elimination process.
(a) The time for the charge removal process (hereinafter also referred to as the charge removal period) is reset based on the charge state of the substrate S after it has been carried from the process module 10 into the load lock unit 30 .
(b) Based on the charged state of the substrate S during the transport process of the substrate S inside the load lock section 30, deterioration of the contact 27 of the transport device 21 or the support pin 39 of the load lock section 30 is estimated, and if deterioration is estimated, the de-electrification period is extended.
(c) The distribution of the charge state of the substrate S is recognized based on the charge state of the substrate S during the process of transporting the substrate S inside the load lock unit 30.
(d) The de-electrification period is reset based on the charged state of the unprocessed substrate S that is transported from the load module 50 to the load lock section 30 and the charged state of the processed substrate S that is transported from the process module to the load lock section 30 after processing in the process module.

The process steps (a) to (d) of the substrate processing method will be described below, divided into first to fourth embodiments. The substrate processing apparatus 1 may be configured to perform any one of the process steps (a) to (d), or may be configured to perform a combination of multiple or all of the process steps (a) to (d).

First Embodiment
The processing content of (a) is to shorten or lengthen the discharge period for performing the discharge processing in the process module 10 depending on the charge state of the substrate S after the plasma processing and discharge processing in the process module 10. For example, the case where the charge polarity of the substrate S processed in the process module 10 is positive (the surface potential is a positive value) will be described below.

When a substrate S is positively charged, the substrate processing apparatus 1 reduces the surface potential to the negative side through a static elimination process. If the charge state of the substrate S after static elimination is less than the target charge state, the static elimination period is considered to be long. Therefore, the control unit 60 shortens the static elimination period for the next substrate S to be processed. Conversely, if the charge state of the substrate S after static elimination is greater than the target charge state, the static elimination period is considered to be short. Therefore, the control unit 60 lengthens the static elimination period for the next substrate S to be processed. For simplicity, the final charge state of the substrate S on the substrate support unit 36 has been described assuming that the contactors 27 and support pins 39 have no deterioration in conductivity. However, as described below, even if the contactors 27 and support pins 39 have deteriorated, the same process will ultimately be performed.

Figure 4 is a table illustrating a portion of recipe R, which describes the charge removal process. For simplicity, processing steps other than the charge removal process have been omitted. Therefore, blank spaces are not filled in as they are not relevant. As shown in Figure 4, recipe R, which describes the process conditions for substrate S, describes the target surface potential (charge state) and initial charge removal period for the charge removal process in process module 10. When the first substrate S transferred from load module 50 is first subjected to charge removal in process module 10, the control unit 60 performs the process using the target charge state and charge removal period in accordance with recipe R. The target charge state and initial charge removal period may also be set by the user via the user interface 65.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 60 then transports the neutralized substrate S from the process module 10 to the load lock unit 30, measures the charge state of the substrate S using the charge measurement unit 40 in the load lock unit 30, and changes the neutralization period based on the measurement results. In the process content (a), the control unit 60 preferably uses the measurement results of the charge measurement unit 40 during the supporting step in which the substrate S is supported by the substrate support unit 36 (see also FIG. 3). This allows the control unit 60 to handle the measurement results of the final charge state of the substrate S.

For example, in recipe R, if the target charge state is 100 V and the discharge period is 40 seconds, but the charge state (measurement result) of the substrate S after the discharge process is 80 V, the discharge period can be said to be long. Therefore, the control unit 60 shortens the discharge period.

The neutralization period can be shortened by calculating the difference (charge difference) between the measured charge state of the substrate S and the target charge state, and setting the shortened period according to the charge difference. As an example, the control unit 60 can reset the neutralization period so that it is shortened by 1 second for every 1 V increase in the charge difference. In other words, in the above example, based on the charge difference being 20 V, the control unit 60 would shorten the neutralization period from 40 seconds to 20 seconds. Alternatively, the neutralization period can be shortened by a predetermined period each time the substrate S is processed.

Conversely, if the target charge state is 100V and the neutralization period is 20 seconds, but the charge state (measurement result) of the substrate S after neutralization processing is 110V, the neutralization period can be said to be short. Therefore, the control unit 60 extends the neutralization period. Extending the neutralization period can also be done by calculating the difference (charge difference) between the measured charge state of the substrate S and the target charge state, and setting the extension period according to the charge difference. Alternatively, the neutralization period can be extended by a predetermined period each time the substrate S is processed.

Note that if the charge difference is within a predetermined range (e.g., a few volts), the control unit 60 may not reset the charge removal period. This allows the control unit 60 to prevent the charge removal period from changing each time processing is performed by the process module 10, and avoids fluctuations due to the influence of measurement errors by the charge measurement unit 40, etc.

Conversely, if the charge polarity of the substrate S processed in the process module 10 is negative (the surface potential is a negative value), the substrate processing apparatus 1 reduces the surface potential to the positive side through a charge removal process. If the charge state of the substrate S after charge removal is greater than the target charge state (closer to zero), the charge removal period can be said to be long. Therefore, the control unit 60 shortens the charge removal period for the next substrate S to be processed. Conversely, if the charge state of the substrate S after charge removal is less than the target charge state (on the negative side), the charge removal period can be said to be short. Therefore, the control unit 60 lengthens the charge removal period for the next substrate S to be processed.

Figure 5 is a flowchart of a substrate processing method according to the first embodiment (corresponding to the processing content of (a)). As shown in Figure 5, when processing of a substrate S by the substrate processing apparatus 1 begins, the control unit 60 selects the process module 10 that will process the substrate S from among the process modules 10, 11, and 12 (step S1). The control unit 60 then sets process conditions based on the recipe R for the plasma processing and charge removal processing by the selected process module 10 (step S2). This sets the target charge state and initial charge removal period, which are conditions for the charge removal processing.

Then, the control unit 60 loads the substrate S from the load module 50 into the load lock unit 30 (step S3), and further controls the transport device 21 to transport the substrate S from the load lock unit 30 to the selected process module 10 (step S4). After transporting the substrate S, the control unit 60 performs plasma processing and static elimination processing on the substrate S (step S5). At this time, the control unit 60 performs static elimination processing in accordance with the set target charge state and static elimination period. For example, when static elimination processing is performed for the first time in the process module 10, static elimination processing is performed only for the static elimination period of recipe R.

After processing the substrate S, the control unit 60 unloads the processed substrate S from the process module 10 and transports the substrate S to the load lock unit 30 (step S6). The control unit 60 then measures the charge state of the substrate S supported by the substrate support unit 36 using the charge measurement unit 40 of the load lock unit 30 (step S7). The control unit 60 then receives the measurement results from the charge measurement unit 40.

The control unit 60 then analyzes the measurement results of the charge state to optimize the neutralization process (step S8). That is, in analyzing the measurement results, the control unit 60 compares the charge state of the substrate S neutralized during the previously set neutralization period with the target charge state. If the comparison shows that the absolute value of the charge state of the substrate S is greater than the absolute value of the target charge state, the control unit 60 lengthens the time for the next neutralization process. If the absolute value of the charge state of the substrate S is smaller than the absolute value of the target charge state, the control unit 60 shortens the time for the next neutralization process. As described above, in optimizing the neutralization process, the control unit 60 may calculate the charge difference between the charge state of the substrate S neutralized during the previously set neutralization period and the target charge state, and reset the neutralization period based on the charge difference.

After measuring the charge state of the substrate S, the control unit 60 transfers the substrate S from the load lock unit 30 to the load module 50 (step S9). This allows the substrate processing apparatus 1 to transfer a new, unprocessed substrate S to the process module 10 that previously processed the substrate. The process module 10 then determines whether to terminate processing of the substrate S (step S10). If processing of the substrate S should continue (step S10: NO), the process returns to step S3 and repeats the same processing flow.

As described above, in step S8, the control unit 60 resets the discharge period for discharging the next substrate S. Therefore, in step S5, the control unit 60 performs the discharge process according to the reset discharge period. As a result, if the discharge period is excessive, the discharge period can be reduced to shorten the overall processing time and suppress particles generated by the discharge process. Conversely, if the discharge period is insufficient, the discharge period can be extended to reduce the charged state and reduce damage to devices formed on the substrate S.

On the other hand, if processing of the substrate S is to be terminated (step S10: YES), the control unit 60 proceeds to step S11 and performs termination processing. During this termination processing, the control unit 60 preferably stores the information on the static elimination processing optimized in step S8. This allows the control unit 60 to start the static elimination processing from the beginning when processing of the substrate S is resumed using the stored static elimination processing information (optimized information).

As described above, the substrate processing method according to the first embodiment measures the charge state of the substrate S after processing in the process module 10 in the load lock unit 30, thereby optimizing the charge removal process. Therefore, the substrate processing method makes it possible to adjust the processing period of the process module 10 to an appropriate length while maintaining the desired charge state of the substrate S. Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus 1 does not need to install a charge measurement unit 40 in each process module 10, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

Second Embodiment
The process of (b) involves estimating the deterioration of conductive members (contactors 27 of transport device 21, support pins 39 of substrate support unit 36) that come into contact with substrate S, using changes in the charge state of substrate S during transport of substrate S inside load lock unit 30. Note that, although the second embodiment describes a case where the charge polarity of substrate S processed in process module 10 is positive (surface potential is a positive value), it goes without saying that deterioration of conductive members can be suppressed even when the charge polarity is negative, just as in the case where the charge polarity is positive.

As shown in Figure 3, it can be seen that the charge state of the substrate S changes inside the load lock unit 30 as the substrate S is transported. This is because the charge measurement unit 40 uses electrostatic induction, and if the distance between the object and the sensor changes, the charge induced in the sensor changes, causing the measurement results to change. Therefore, the change in charge state that accompanies the lowering of the transport arm 23 is only apparent. Therefore, when comparing the charge state between the loading steps and between other transport processes, and comparing the charge state between the support steps, deterioration (in terms of conductivity) of the contactor 27 and deterioration (in terms of conductivity) of the support pin 39 can be determined, respectively.

Here, during the supporting step, when the conductive support pins 39 of the substrate support section 36 support the substrate S, electrons charged on the substrate S are released to ground potential via the support pins 39. Therefore, the charged state of the substrate S decreases as the supporting step is performed. If the support pins 39 deteriorate due to long-term use, the decrease in the charged state of the substrate S during the supporting step will weaken (or will no longer change).

As a result, the control unit 60 can estimate the deterioration of the support pins 39 based on the charge state of the substrate S during the supporting step. For example, the control unit 60 compares the charge state of the substrate S (or an average value may be taken if there are multiple charge states) when a previous charge removal process was performed under the same process conditions (target charge state, charge removal period, etc.) during the supporting step with the current charge state of the substrate S. Then, if the decrease in the charge state of the substrate S becomes smaller than a predetermined value, the control unit 60 determines that the support pins 39 have deteriorated. Alternatively, the control unit 60 may calculate the rate of decrease over time of the charge state while supporting the substrate S during the supporting step, and determine that the support pins 39 have deteriorated if the calculated rate of decrease is less than a predetermined decrease rate threshold (not shown).

When the control unit 60 determines that the support pins 39 have deteriorated, it resets the discharge period in each process module 10, 11, and 12 to be longer in order to optimize the discharge process. For example, the control unit 60 lengthens the discharge period by a predetermined period based on the determination of the deterioration of the support pins 39. The control unit 60 may also be configured to calculate the degree of deterioration of the support pins 39 and set a longer discharge period as the degree of deterioration increases.

In addition, during the loading step, even when the conductive contacts 27 of the transport device 21 (forks 25) are supporting the substrate S, the charge on the substrate S is released to ground potential via the contacts 27. Therefore, the charge state of the substrate S decreases during the loading step. If the contacts 27 deteriorate due to long-term use, the decrease in the charge state of the substrate S during the loading step will be weaker (or will not change). However, the potential detected by the charge measurement unit 40 during the loading step includes the charge on the substrate support unit 36 in addition to the charge state of the substrate S.

For this reason, the control unit 60 estimates the deterioration of the contactor 27 by using both the charge state of the substrate S in the loading step and the charge state of the substrate S in the supporting step. For example, the control unit 60 subtracts the charge state of the substrate S in the current supporting step from the charge state of the substrate S in the current loading step to eliminate the influence of the charge on the substrate supporting unit 36. The control unit 60 then compares the current subtraction result with the subtraction result from a previous neutralization process performed under the same process conditions (target charge state, neutralization period, etc.), and determines that the contactor 27 has deteriorated if the subtraction result is smaller than a predetermined value.

When the control unit 60 determines that the contactor 27 has deteriorated, it resets the discharge time for each process module 10, 11, and 12 to be longer, just as it did for the support pin 39. For example, the control unit 60 extends the discharge period by a preset period based on the determination of the deterioration of the contactor 27. The amount of extension of the discharge period when the contactor 27 has deteriorated and the amount of extension of the discharge period when the support pin 39 has deteriorated may be the same or different. The control unit 60 may also be configured to calculate the degree of deterioration of the contactor 27 and lengthen the discharge period as the degree of deterioration increases.

Figure 6 is a flowchart of a substrate processing method according to the second embodiment (corresponding to the processing content of (b)). As shown in Figure 6, the control unit 60 performs steps S21 to S26, which are the same as steps S1 to S6 of the substrate processing method according to the processing content of (a) above. Then, during the transport process of transporting the substrate S inside the load lock unit 30, the control unit 60 continuously measures the charge state of the substrate S using the charge measurement unit 40 (step S27). The control unit 60 receives the measurement results of the charge state of the substrate S and stores them in memory 63.

Then, the control unit 60 analyzes the measurement results of the charged state to optimize the neutralization process (step S28). That is, in analyzing the measurement results, the control unit 60 extracts an index indicating the state of the contactor 27 and an index indicating deterioration of the support pin 39 from the charged state of the substrate S in the loading step and the support step, as described above.

Furthermore, the control unit 60 determines the deterioration of each of the contact 27 and the support pin 39 based on the extracted indicators (step S29). If it determines that the contact 27 or the support pin 39 is not deteriorated (step S29: NO), the control unit 60 does not correct the neutralization period in accordance with the deterioration (step S30). Therefore, if the control unit 60 does not reset the neutralization period based on another determination, it maintains the current neutralization period.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the contact 27 or support pin 39 has deteriorated (step S29: YES), the control unit 60 makes a correction to lengthen the time for the next static elimination process (step S31).

Furthermore, after measuring the charge state of the substrate S, the control unit 60 transfers the substrate S from the load lock unit 30 to the load module 50 (step S32). This enables the substrate processing apparatus 1 to transfer a new, unprocessed substrate S to the process module 10 that previously performed the processing. The process module 10 then determines whether to terminate the processing of the substrate S (step S33). If the processing of the substrate S should continue (step S33: NO), the process returns to step S23 and repeats the same processing flow.

If the contactor 27 or support pin 39 has deteriorated, the control unit 60 resets the static elimination period to a longer period. Therefore, in step S25, the control unit 60 performs static elimination processing according to the extended static elimination period. By lengthening the static elimination period in accordance with deterioration of the contactor 27 or support pin 39, the substrate processing apparatus 1 maintains a constant charged state of the substrate S throughout the entire process, allowing the substrate S to be processed with the same quality without the need for immediate maintenance or part replacement.

On the other hand, if processing of the substrate S is to be terminated (step S33: YES), the control unit 60 proceeds to step S34 and performs termination processing. During this termination processing, the control unit 60 preferably stores information about the optimized static elimination processing. This allows the control unit 60 to perform the static elimination processing from the beginning using the optimized information when processing of the substrate S is resumed.

As described above, the substrate processing method according to the second embodiment estimates deterioration of the contacts 27 and the support pins 39. The substrate processing apparatus 1 can prompt maintenance of the substrate processing apparatus 1 by notifying the user of this deterioration information via the user interface 65. Furthermore, the substrate processing method extends the charge removal period even if maintenance is not performed immediately, thereby reducing the charged state of the substrate S in the process module 10. Therefore, the substrate processing method makes it possible to postpone maintenance of the transport device 21 or the load lock unit 30 and perform maintenance or part replacement at the same time as the next scheduled maintenance, thereby reducing apparatus downtime.

Third Embodiment
The process content of (c) is to recognize the distribution of the charge state of the substrate S that has been subjected to plasma processing and static elimination processing in the process module 10, and to monitor the uniformity of the charge state. Note that, in the third embodiment, a case where the charge polarity of the substrate S processed in the process module 10 is positive (the surface potential is a positive value) will also be described, but it goes without saying that the distribution of the charge state can also be monitored when the charge polarity is negative, just as when the charge polarity is positive.

In this case, the control unit 60 uses the charge state of the substrate S measured during the loading step of the substrate S transport process to extract the distribution of the charge state along the extension direction of the substrate S based on the transport speed of the substrate S and the position of the charge measurement unit 40. Then, for example, the control unit 60 determines that the quality of the processed substrate S is ensured if the charge state of the substrate S is within a predetermined tolerance (a range that can be considered uniform) along the surface direction of the substrate S. Conversely, the control unit 60 determines that there is unevenness in the charge state of the processed substrate S (deterioration in quality) if the charge state of the substrate S exceeds a predetermined tolerance along the surface direction of the substrate S.

The control unit 60 may also re-perform static elimination on substrates S determined to have uneven charge states. In this case, the substrate processing apparatus 1 may re-transport the substrate S to the process module 10 and perform static elimination there, or may have the substrate S wait in the load lock unit 30 for an extended period of time and perform static elimination by transferring the charge via the support pins 39. Alternatively, the control unit 60 may sort the substrates S in the load module 50 into those whose quality is assured and those whose quality has deteriorated.

Fourth Embodiment
The process described in (d) involves measuring the charge state of the substrate S transferred from the load module 50 to the load lock unit 30, and using this measurement result (hereinafter referred to as the "unprocessed charge state") to monitor the charge state of the substrate S after processing in the process module 10. In other words, the substrate S supplied to the substrate processing apparatus 1 may already be charged (have carry-over charge). If the charge removal period is adjusted based on the results of an analysis of the presence of carry-over charge and then applied to the next charge removal process, the charge removal process may not be performed correctly. Therefore, the substrate processing method according to the fourth embodiment eliminates the influence of the carry-over charge, thereby enabling accurate detection of the charge state of the substrate S after processing in each process module 10, 11, or 12. Here, possible cases include a case where the carry-over charge is positive and becomes positively charged in plasma processing, a case where the carry-over charge is positive and becomes negatively charged in plasma processing, a case where the carry-over charge is negative and becomes positively charged in plasma processing, and a case where the carry-over charge is negative and becomes negatively charged in plasma processing.

Specifically, the control unit 60 calculates the difference between the charge state of the processed substrate S minus the unprocessed charge state (hereinafter referred to as the difference before and after processing). The control unit 60 compares this difference before and after processing with a pre-stored threshold. The threshold is set so that the neutralization period is adjusted correctly for substrates S without carryover charge. The difference before and after processing and the threshold are preferably compared in absolute values. Here, when the difference before and after processing is smaller than the threshold, it can be said that the neutralization process is long, including situations where the surface potential of the substrate S is positively charged and situations where the surface potential of the substrate S is negatively charged. Therefore, the control unit 60 shortens the neutralization period for the substrate S to be processed next. Conversely, when the difference before and after processing is greater than the threshold, it can be said that the neutralization process is short, including situations where the surface potential of the substrate S is positively charged and situations where the surface potential of the substrate S is negatively charged. Therefore, the control unit 60 lengthens the neutralization period for the substrate S to be processed next.

Figure 7 is a flowchart of a substrate processing method according to the fourth embodiment (corresponding to the processing content of (d)). As shown in Figure 7, the control unit 60 performs steps S41 to S43, which are the same as steps S1 to S3 of the substrate processing method according to the processing content of (a) above.

Then, the control unit 60 measures the charge state (unprocessed charge state) of the substrate S carried into the load lock unit 30 using the charge measurement unit 40 (step S44). The control unit 60 then receives the measurement results (unprocessed charge state) measured by the charge measurement unit 40 and stores them in memory 63.

Then, the control unit 60 controls the transport device 21 to transport the substrate S from the load lock unit 30 to the selected process module 10 (step S45). After transporting the substrate S, the control unit 60 performs plasma processing and static elimination processing on the substrate S (step S46). At this time, the control unit 60 performs static elimination processing in accordance with the set target charge state and static elimination period.

After processing the substrate S, the control unit 60 unloads the processed substrate S from the process module 10 and transports the substrate S to the load lock unit 30 (step S47). The control unit 60 then measures the charge state of the transported, processed substrate S using the charge measurement unit 40 of the load lock unit 30 (step S48). The control unit 60 then receives the measurement results measured by the charge measurement unit 40 and stores them in the memory 63.

The control unit 60 then analyzes the charge state of the substrate S after processing and the charge state before processing to optimize the static elimination process (step S49). In analyzing the measurement results, the control unit 60 subtracts the charge state before processing from the charge state of the substrate S after processing to calculate the difference before and after processing. If the absolute value of this difference before and after processing is smaller than a pre-stored threshold, the control unit 60 shortens the time for the next static elimination process in optimization; if the absolute value of the difference before and after processing is greater than the threshold, the control unit 60 lengthens the time for the next static elimination process in optimization.

Furthermore, after measuring the charge state of the substrate S, the control unit 60 transfers the substrate S from the load lock unit 30 to the load module 50 (step S50). This enables the substrate processing apparatus 1 to transfer a new, unprocessed substrate S to the process module 10 that previously performed the processing. Therefore, the process module 10 determines whether or not to terminate the processing of the substrate S (step S51). If the processing of the substrate S should continue (step S51: NO), the process returns to step S43 and repeats the same processing flow.

As described above, in step S49, the control unit 60 resets the discharge period for discharging the next substrate S. Therefore, in step S46, the control unit 60 performs the discharge process according to the reset discharge period. As a result, excessive discharge periods are reduced, shortening the overall processing time and suppressing particles generated by the discharge process. If the discharge period is insufficient, the discharge period is extended to reduce the charged state and reduce damage to devices formed on the substrate S.

On the other hand, if processing of the substrate S is to be terminated (step S51: YES), the control unit 60 proceeds to step S52 and performs termination processing. In this termination processing, the control unit 60 preferably stores the information on the static elimination processing optimized in step S49. This allows the control unit 60 to start the static elimination processing from the beginning when processing of the substrate S is resumed using the stored static elimination processing information (optimized information).

As described above, the substrate processing method according to the fourth embodiment recognizes the charge state of the processed substrate S while taking into account the unprocessed charge state, thereby enabling more accurate monitoring of the neutralization processing capacity in the process module 10 and appropriate adjustment of the neutralization period. The substrate processing method may also be used to estimate the deterioration of conductive members based on the unprocessed charge state of the substrate S when it is transferred from the load module 50 (i.e., processing content (b)). Furthermore, the substrate processing method may also be used to monitor the distribution of the charge state of the substrate S based on the unprocessed charge state of the substrate S when it is transferred from the load module 50 (i.e., processing content (c)).

Furthermore, the substrate processing method may stop transporting the substrate S to the process module 10 if the unprocessed charge state when the substrate S is transported from the load module 50 to the load lock unit 30 is already above a predetermined level. Alternatively, the substrate processing method may immediately perform a charge removal process after transporting the substrate S to the process module 10 if the unprocessed charge state is already above a predetermined level.

The technical concepts and effects of the present disclosure described in the above embodiments are described below.

A first aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing method for a substrate processing apparatus 1, which includes the steps of unloading a substrate S from process modules 10, 11, and 12 that perform plasma processing and static elimination processing on the substrate S and transporting the substrate S to a load lock unit 30 that can switch between an air atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere, measuring the charge state of the substrate S in the load lock unit 30, and analyzing the measurement results of the charge state of the substrate S to optimize the static elimination processing.

As described above, the substrate processing method makes it possible to stably measure the charge state of the substrate S in the load lock unit 30, and by using this measurement result, the static elimination process for the substrate S can be optimized. For example, the substrate processing method adjusts the static elimination process time depending on the charge state of the substrate S, thereby shortening the overall processing time for the substrate S and suppressing particles. Note that optimization of the static elimination process is not limited to adjusting the static elimination period, and the power supplied in the static elimination process may also be adjusted. For example, when the absolute value of the charge state is large, the amount of power supplied can be increased to improve static elimination capability, while when the absolute value of the charge state is small, the amount of power supplied can be reduced to lower static elimination capability.

Furthermore, in the process of measuring the charge state of the substrate S, the interior of the load lock unit 30 is set to a vacuum atmosphere. This prevents the charge state of the substrate S from being changed by the air atmosphere, allowing the substrate processing method to measure the charge state of the substrate S more accurately.

The load lock unit 30 also has a support unit (buffer 37) that supports the transported substrate S, and in the process of measuring the charge state of the substrate S, the charge measurement unit 40 installed in the load lock unit 30 measures the surface potential of the substrate S supported by the support unit. This makes it possible for the substrate processing method to easily measure the surface potential, which is the charge state of the substrate S.

The system also includes a transport device 21 that transports substrates S between the process modules 10, 11, and 12 and the load lock unit 30. The contacts 27 that contact the substrates S in the transport device 21 and the supports (support pins 39) that contact the substrates S in the support unit (buffer 37) are both conductive. In the process of optimizing the charge removal process, deterioration in the conductivity of the contacts 27 and the supports is estimated based on measurement results of the charged state of the substrate S supported on the support unit and the charged state of the substrate S being transported by the transport device 21 inside the load lock unit 30. This allows the substrate processing method to reliably estimate deterioration in the conductivity of the contacts 27 of the transport device 21 and the supports of the load lock unit 30 (buffer 37).

Furthermore, if deterioration in the conductivity of the contactor 27 or support (support pin 39) is estimated, the duration of the static elimination process is optimized. As a result, even if the conductivity of the contactor 27 or support deteriorates, the substrate processing method can ensure the quality of the substrate S by extending the static elimination process, thereby postponing maintenance of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

Furthermore, in the process of optimizing the static elimination process, the charge state of the substrate S that has been static eliminated using the previously set static elimination process time is compared with the target charge state, and the time for the next static elimination process is adjusted based on this comparison. This makes it possible for the substrate processing method to appropriately adjust the static elimination process time.

Furthermore, in the process of optimizing the static elimination process, the charge difference between the charge state of the substrate S neutralized during the previously set static elimination period and the target charge state is calculated, and the static elimination process time is reset based on the charge difference. This allows the substrate processing method to adjust the static elimination process time even more smoothly.

In addition, in the process of measuring the charge state of the substrate S, the charge state of the substrate S being transported inside the load lock unit 30 is continuously measured, and in the process of optimizing the charge removal process, the distribution of the charge state of the substrate is extracted. This allows the substrate processing method to recognize the distribution of the charge state of the entire substrate S and to suppress unevenness in the charge state, etc.

The method further includes a step of transporting the substrate S to the load lock unit 30 before processing by the process modules 10, 11, and 12, and a step of measuring the charge state of the substrate S before processing in the load lock unit 30. In the step of optimizing the static elimination process, the static elimination process is optimized based on the charge state of the substrate S after processing in the process modules 10, 11, and 12, and the charge state of the substrate S before processing. This allows the substrate processing method to optimize the static elimination process with greater precision.

The process of optimizing the static elimination process also calculates the difference between the charge state of the substrate S after it has been transported to the load lock unit 30 and the charge state before it has been transported to the load lock unit, compares the difference with a preset threshold, and extends the static elimination process time if the difference is equal to or greater than the threshold. This allows the substrate processing method to extend the static elimination process time based on the large difference, thereby preventing insufficient static elimination of the substrate S.

Furthermore, if the difference is less than the threshold value, the time for the static elimination process is shortened. This allows the substrate processing method to shorten the time for the static elimination process based on the small difference, further improving the work efficiency of substrate processing.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing apparatus 1 comprising process modules 10, 11, and 12 that perform plasma processing and static elimination processing on substrates S; a load lock unit 30 that can switch between an atmospheric air atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere; a vacuum transfer module 20 that transfers substrates S processed by the process modules 10, 11, and 12 from the process modules 10, 11, and 12 to the load lock unit 30; a charge measurement unit 40 provided in the load lock unit 30 that measures the charge state of the substrates S; and a control unit 60 that processes the measurement results of the charge measurement unit 40, and the control unit 60 analyzes the measurement results of the charge state of the substrates S to optimize the static elimination processing. This allows the substrate processing apparatus 1 to optimize the static elimination processing in processing of substrates S.

The substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The embodiments may be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The matters described in the above embodiments may be configured in other ways as long as they are not inconsistent, and may also be combined as long as they are not inconsistent. For example, the type of substrate S processed by the substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus 1 is not limited to FPD substrates, but may also be a variety of materials, such as disc-shaped wafers.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 of the present disclosure can be applied to any type of apparatus, including atomic layer deposition (ALD) apparatus, capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), radial line slot antenna (RLSA), electron cyclotron resonance plasma (ECR), and helicon wave plasma (HWP).

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Substrate processing apparatus 10, 11, 12 Process module 20 Vacuum transfer module 21 Transfer device 27 Contactor 30 Load lock unit 37 Buffer 39 Support pin 40 Charge measurement unit 60 Control unit S Substrate

Claims (10)

A substrate processing method for a substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
unloading the substrate from a process module that performs plasma processing and static elimination processing on the substrate, and transporting the substrate to a load lock unit that can switch between an air atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere;
measuring a charged state of the substrate in the load lock unit;
analyzing the measurement result of the charged state of the substrate and optimizing the time of the static elimination process based on the measured charged state;
the load lock unit has a support unit that supports the transported substrate,
a transfer device that transfers the substrate between the process module and the load lock unit,
a contactor that contacts the substrate in the transport device and a support that contacts the substrate in the support portion each have electrical conductivity;
In the step of measuring the charged state of the substrate, a charge measuring unit installed in the load lock unit measures a surface potential of the substrate supported by the support unit;
In the step of optimizing the static elimination process, deterioration in the conductivity of the contact and the support is estimated based on measurement results of the charged state of the substrate supported by the support unit and the charged state of the substrate being transported by the transport device inside the load lock unit.
Substrate processing method. In the step of measuring the charged state of the substrate, the inside of the load lock unit is made into a vacuum atmosphere.
The substrate processing method according to claim 1 . optimizing the time for the static elimination process when the deterioration of the conductivity of the contact or the support is estimated;
The substrate processing method according to claim 1 . A substrate processing method for a substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
unloading the substrate from a process module that performs plasma processing and static elimination processing on the substrate, and transporting the substrate to a load lock unit that can switch between an air atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere;
measuring a charged state of the substrate in the load lock unit;
analyzing the measurement result of the charged state of the substrate and optimizing the time of the static elimination process based on the measured charged state;
In the step of optimizing the static elimination process, a charge state of the substrate that has been subjected to static elimination processing for a previously set static elimination processing time is compared with a target charge state, and the time of the next static elimination processing is adjusted based on the comparison.
Substrate processing method. In the step of optimizing the static elimination process, a charge difference between a charge state of the substrate that has been subjected to static elimination processing for a previously set time period for the static elimination processing and a target charge state is calculated, and the time period for the static elimination processing is reset based on the charge difference.
The substrate processing method according to claim 4 . A substrate processing method for a substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
unloading the substrate from a process module that performs plasma processing and static elimination processing on the substrate, and transporting the substrate to a load lock unit that can switch between an air atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere;
measuring a charged state of the substrate in the load lock unit;
analyzing the measurement result of the charged state of the substrate and optimizing the time of the static elimination process based on the measured charged state;
In the step of measuring the charged state of the substrate, the charged state of the substrate being transported inside the load lock unit is continuously measured;
In the step of optimizing the static elimination process, a distribution of the charged state of the substrate is extracted.
Substrate processing method. A substrate processing method for a substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
unloading the substrate from a process module that performs plasma processing and static elimination processing on the substrate, and transporting the substrate to a load lock unit that can switch between an air atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere;
measuring a charged state of the substrate in the load lock unit;
analyzing the measurement result of the charged state of the substrate and optimizing the time of the static elimination process based on the measured charged state;
transporting the substrate to the load lock unit before processing by the process module;
measuring a charge state of the substrate before the processing in the load lock unit ;
In the step of optimizing the static elimination process, the static elimination process is optimized based on a charged state of the substrate after the process in the process module and a charged state of the substrate before the process.
Substrate processing method. The step of optimizing the static elimination process includes calculating a difference between a charge state of the substrate after the process and transported to the load lock unit and a charge state of the substrate before the process and transported to the load lock unit, and comparing the difference with a preset threshold value;
When the difference is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the time period for the static elimination process is increased.
The substrate processing method according to claim 7 . When the difference is less than the threshold value, the time for the static elimination process is shortened.
The substrate processing method according to claim 8 . A substrate processing apparatus,
a process module for performing plasma processing and static elimination processing on a substrate;
a load lock unit that can switch between an air atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere;
a vacuum transfer module that transfers the substrate processed by the process module from the process module to the load lock unit;
a charge measurement unit provided in the load lock unit and configured to measure a charge state of the substrate;
a control unit that processes the measurement results of the charge measurement unit,
the control unit analyzes the measurement result of the charged state of the substrate, and optimizes the time of the static elimination process based on the measured charged state;
the load lock unit has a support unit that supports the transported substrate,
a transfer device that transfers the substrate between the process module and the load lock unit,
a contactor that contacts the substrate in the transport device and a support that contacts the substrate in the support portion each have electrical conductivity;
the charge measuring unit measures a surface potential of the substrate supported by the support unit as a charge state of the substrate;
the control unit estimates deterioration of the conductivity of the contact and the support based on measurement results of the charged state of the substrate supported by the support unit and the charged state of the substrate being transported by the transport device inside the load lock unit.
Substrate processing equipment.