IP Library Granted Patent US 7,904,275
Granted Patent B2
US 7,904,275 · App. 12/112,492 · Granted Mar 8, 2011

Data processing and management equipment and method for data analysis of particles in surface structuring device or film forming device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,904,275
App. No.
12/112,492
Granted
Mar 8, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Management of countermeasure of pollution particles deposited on an object to be processed is optimized based on a cause of the pollution. Data processing and management equipment 1 comprises a functional approximation part 2 to make a mathematical model of a relation between measured numbers of particles deposited on a substrate during processing in a surface structuring device or a film forming device and accumulated amount processed after cleaning up of the device by a functional equation based on a cause of the deposit of the particles. A judging part 3 specifies the cause of the deposit of particles by comparing the functional equation with the measured numbers of particles.

Claims (35)

1. A data processing and management equipment, comprising:

a functional approximation part that makes a mathematical model of a relation between measured numbers of particles deposited on a substrate during processing in a surface structuring device or a film forming device and an accumulated amount processed after cleaning up of the device by a functional equation based on a cause of the deposit of the particles, and

a judging part that specifies cause of the deposit of particles by comparing the functional equation with the measured numbers of particles.

2. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 1 ; wherein

the functional equation is an exponential equation, and

the judging part specifies the cause of the deposit of particles by comparing an initial value, an inclination of a regression exponential equation obtained by regression analysis of the measured numbers of particles and coefficient(s) of determination of the exponential equation with experienced values.

3. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 1 ; wherein

the judging part estimates existence of disorder or cleaning time of the surface structuring device or the film forming device by comparing an initial value, an inclination and coefficient(s) of determination of a regressive exponential equation of every process cycle after cleaning with each other, wherein the regressive exponential equation is obtained by a regression analysis on an amount of particles increased per unit area to an accumulated depth of the structured surface or an accumulated height of the formed film per unit area after cleaning up of the surface structuring device or the film forming device.

4. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 1 ; wherein

the judging part estimates existence of an influence of an adjacent device upon the number of particles by comparing the number of particles per unit area against an accumulated depth of the structured surface or an accumulated height of the formed film per unit area after cleaning up of the surface structuring device or the film forming device with an operation time, date and contents of the operation of the adjacent device.

5. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 1 ; wherein the judging part specifies the cause of the deposit of particles by a result of analysis of shape and composition of the particles.

6. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 1 , comprising a display part that displays on a screen of the equipment and/or outputs data of the measured particles and the functional approximation line in a graph of semi-logarithmic coordinate system.

7. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 6 , wherein the display part also graphically displays the functional regression equation of the functional regression line and coefficient(s) of determination representing accuracy of the functional regression equation.

8. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 6 , wherein the display part also describes operation time and date, and contents of the operation of an adjacent device.

9. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 6 , wherein the display part also displays and/or outputs a result of judgment of the judging part has judged.

10. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the judging part determines at least two kinds of tolerances of level of an initial value and gradient of the functional approximation equation as a center line of a standard.

11. The data processing and management equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the judging part determines at least four kinds of tolerances of two kinds of initial values and two kinds of gradients of both a decreasing-type equation and an increasing-type equation when the functional approximation equation as a center line of a standard is a composite function of the decreasing-type equation and the increasing-type equation.

12. A data processing and management method, comprising:

a) approximating a relation between measured numbers of particles deposited on a substrate during processing in a surface structuring device or a film forming device and accumulated amount processed after cleaning up of the device by a functional equation based on a cause of the deposit of the particles; and

b) specifying cause of the deposit of particles by comparing the functional equation with the measured numbers of particles.

13. The data processing and management method according to claim 12 ; wherein

the functional equation is an exponential equation, and

said specifying b) specifies the cause of the deposit of particles by comparing an initial value, a gradient of the regression exponential equation obtained by regression analysis of the measured numbers and coefficient(s) of determination of the exponential equation with experienced values.

14. The data processing and management method according to claim 12 ; wherein

said specifying b) estimates existence of disorder or cleaning time of the surface structuring device or the film forming device by comparing an initial value, a gradient and coefficient(s) of determination of a regressive exponential equation of every process cycle after cleaning with each other, wherein the regressive exponential equation is obtained by a regression analysis of an amount of particles increased per unit area to an accumulated depth of the structured surface or an accumulated height of the formed film per unit area after cleaning up of the surface structuring device or the film forming device.

15. The data processing and management method according to claim 12 ; wherein

said specifying b) estimates existence of influence of a adjacent device upon the numbers of particles by comparing the numbers of particles per unit area against an accumulated depth of the structured surface or an accumulated height of the formed film per unit area after cleaning up of the surface structuring device or the film forming device with operation time and date, and contents of the operation of the adjacent device.

16. The data processing and management method according to claim 12 ; wherein said specifying of b) specifies the cause of the deposit of particles by a result of analysis on shape and composition of the particles.

17. The data processing and management method according to claim 12 , comprising:

c) displaying on a screen of an equipment and/or outputting data of the measured particles and the functional approximation line of a graph of semi-logarithmic coordinate system.

18. The data processing and management method according to claim 17 , wherein said displaying of c) also describes the functional regression equation of the functional regression line and coefficient(s) of determination representing accuracy of the functional regression equation in the graph.

19. The data processing and management method according to claim 17 , wherein said displaying of c) also displays operation time and date, and contents of the operation of an adjacent device.

20. The data processing and management method according to claim 17 , wherein said displaying of c) also displays and/or output the result of said specifying b).

21. The data processing and management method according to claim 18 , wherein said specifying of b) determines at least two kinds of tolerances of initial value and gradient of the functional approximation equation as a center line of a standard.

22. The data processing and management method according to claim 18 , wherein said specifying of b) determines at least four kinds of tolerances including two kinds of initial values and two kinds of gradients of both a decreasing-type equation and an increasing-type equation when the functional approximation equation as a center line of a standard is a composite function of the decreasing-type equation and the increasing-type equation.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 28, 2010
From: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025214/0696 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2008
From: SUGIMOTO, MASAAKI
To: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020883/0357 →