Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Kazuhiro Joo

Kouji Nishihata

Shoji Ikuhara

Shoji Okiguchi

Tetsuya Tahara

Tatehito Usui

Takashi Fujii

A plasma processing apparatus includes a detector for detecting interference light of multiple wavelengths from a surface of a sample during processing, a pattern comparator for comparing actual deviation pattern data on the interference light obtained at a given time during processing and a plurality of standard deviation patterns corresponding to two or more thicknesses of the film, and calculating a deviation, the standard deviation patterns corresponding to interference light data of multiple wavelengths obtained, before the processing of the sample, for processing of another sample, a deviation comparator for comparing the deviation between the data and a predetermined deviation and outputting data on a thickness of the film of the sample at that time, a recorder for recording, as time series data, the data on the thickness of the film, and an endpoint decision unit.

Plasma processing apparatus

A plasma processing apparatus is provided using a method of measuring the thickness of a processed material, by which the actual remaining thickness or etching depth of a processed layer can be correctly measured online. The plasma processing apparatus includes a detectorfor detecting interference light of multiple wavelengths from a surface of a sample during processing, pattern comparing meansfor comparing actual deviation pattern data on the interference light obtained at a given time during processing and a plurality of standard deviation patterns corresponding to two or more thicknesses of the film, and calculating a deviation, the standard deviation patterns corresponding to interference light data of multiple wavelengths obtained, before the processing of the sample, for processing of another sample, deviation comparing meansfor comparing the deviation between the data and a predetermined deviation and outputting data on a thickness of the film of the sample at that time, remaining-thickness time-series data recording meansfor recording, as time series data, the data on the thickness of the film, and an endpoint decision unitfor deciding completion of a predetermined amount of etching by using the data on the thickness of the film.

A vacuum processing apparatus and method wherein a plurality of processing units are for conducting processing, a transfer processing unit is connected with the plurality of processing units for carrying wafers to the processing units, a transfer device is disposed in the transfer processing unit and carries the wafers and cassettes for containing the wafers, and a control unit is provided for conducting transfer control for transferring the wafers from respective cassettes to the transfer processing unit. The wafers are processed by using the plural processing units, and at least two of the cassettes are used. Parallel processing is conducted of applying same processing to the wafers contained on each of the cassettes by applying the same recipe and the wafers, after applying the parallel processing, are returned to the original cassette.

Operating method of vacuum processing system and vacuum processing system

A vacuum processing method and apparatus having one cassette containing wafers which are to be transferred in a preset transferring order to a processing unit via a transfer unit, and another cassette containing wafers to be processed on an emergency basis. Automatic control of processing a wafer from the one cassette is effected, and in response to a request for emergency processing of a water of the another cassette, the automatic processing control of the one wafer from the one cassette is temporarily stopped while completing processing of the wafer of the one cassette returning the same to the one cassette. Emergency processing is initiated by transferring a wafer from the another cassette to the vacuum processing unit via the transfer unit. The processing of the emergency wafer is completed and the processed emergency wafer is returned to the another cassette.

A vacuum processing method and apparatus processing units for conducting processing, a transfer processing unit connected with the plurality of processing units for carrying wafers, and a control unit for controlling the processing units. A processing order information storing device stores a processing order of the wafers for the processing units, an operational information signal generating device generates an operational information signal indicating an operable or inoperable state of each of the processing units, an operational information signal storing device stores the operational information signal indicating the state of each of the processing units, and a control device matches and processes the processing order information and the operational information signal, and continues operation without using an inoperable processing unit while using other operable processing units.

A method of operating a vacuum processing system including a plurality of processing units for processing wafers, a transferring unit for carrying the wafers and a control unit for controlling the processing units and the transferring unit. At least two of the plurality of processing units are connected to the transferring unit and wafers are processed using the processing units. The method includes the steps of judging whether each of the processing units is operable or inoperable, isolating inoperable ones of the processing units judged in the judging step from wafer processing, carrying wafers to operable ones of the processing units using the transferring unit and processing the wafers using only the operable processing units.

A vacuum processing system including two or more processing units for processing wafers and a transferring unit for carrying the wafers. In this system, even when any one of the processing units becomes inoperable because of a failure, the operation of the system can be continued, and even when a processing unit in the system requires repair or maintenance at the time of the start of operation, the system can be operated using other operable processing units without subjecting the operator to danger due to improper operation. As a result, the working efficiency of the system can be increased and the safety of the operator can be secured. In this system, the cleaning of the interior of each processing unit is performed by carrying a cleaning dummy wafer into each processing unit using the transferring unit, followed by recovery of the dummy wafer after cleaning, so that processing of wafers in the processing unit can be carried out once again.

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Kudamatsu, Japan

Kazuhiro Joo