IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,498,276
Granted Patent B2
US 12,498,276 · App. 17/759,638 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Process estimation system, process data estimation method, and recording medium

Inventors: Naoshige Fushimi (Nirasaki, JP); Hidefumi Matsui (Nirasaki, JP)
Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
G01K13/02G01K7/427G05B23/02G06F30/10H01L21/00H01L21/02H01L21/31G06F2119/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,498,276
App. No.
17/759,638
Granted
Dec 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a process estimation system and a process data estimation method for appropriately estimating process data, and a program. The process estimation system includes: an input part configured to input actual sensor data detected by a sensor of a substrate processing apparatus; a virtual sensor data generation part configured to generate virtual sensor data for a virtual sensor based on the actual sensor data and a physical model; and a process data estimation part configured to estimate process data based on the virtual sensor data.

Claims (27)

1 . A process estimation system comprising:

an input part configured to input actual sensor data detected by a sensor of a substrate processing apparatus;

a virtual sensor data generation part configured to generate virtual sensor data for a virtual sensor based on the actual sensor data and a physical model; and

a process data estimation part configured to estimate process data based on the virtual sensor data and a reaction model,

wherein the reaction model comprises:

a gas phase reaction model configured to estimate a decomposition amount of a precursor gas inside a processing space based on virtual sensor data of a gas pressure and virtual sensor data of a gas temperature inside the processing space; and

a surface reaction model configured to estimate an adsorption amount of the precursor gas adsorbed on a surface of a substrate as the process data, based on the decomposition amount of the precursor gas estimated by the gas phase reaction model and virtual sensor data of a temperature of the substrate.

2 . The process estimation system of claim 1 , wherein the process data estimation part is configured to estimate the process data based on the actual sensor data, the virtual sensor data and the reaction model.

3 . The process estimation system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a gas flow rate sensor, a pressure sensor, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, and an emission spectroscopic analyzer.

4 . The process estimation system of claim 3 , wherein the physical model is a thermo-fluid model.

5 . The process estimation system of claim 4 , wherein the substrate processing apparatus is a film forming apparatus that performs a film forming process on the substrate, and

the process data is a thickness of a film formed on the substrate.

6 . The process estimation system of claim 5 , wherein the process data estimation part includes a machine learning part configured to perform a machine learning and generate a learned model by using a data set of the virtual sensor data and the process data as teacher data.

7 . The process estimation system of claim 6 , wherein the process data estimation part is configured to estimate the process data based on the virtual sensor data and the learned model.

8 . The process estimation system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a gas flow rate sensor, a pressure sensor, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, and an emission spectroscopic analyzer.

9 . The process estimation system of claim 1 , wherein the physical model is a thermo-fluid model.

10 . The process estimation system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate processing apparatus is a film forming apparatus that performs a film forming process on the substrate, and

the process data is a thickness of a film formed on the substrate.

11 . The process estimation system of claim 1 , wherein the process data estimation part includes a machine learning part configured to perform a machine learning and generate a learned model by using a data set of the virtual sensor data and the process data as teacher data.

12 . A process data estimation method of estimating process data of a substrate processing apparatus, the process data estimation method comprising:

inputting actual sensor data detected by a sensor of the substrate processing apparatus;

generating virtual sensor data for a virtual sensor based on the actual sensor data and a physical model; and

estimating process data based on the virtual sensor data and a reaction model,

wherein the reaction model comprises:

a gas phase reaction model configured to estimate a decomposition amount of a precursor gas inside a processing space based on virtual sensor data of a gas pressure and virtual sensor data of a gas temperature inside the processing space; and

a surface reaction model configured to estimate an adsorption amount of the precursor gas adsorbed on a surface of a substrate as the process data, based on the decomposition amount of the precursor gas estimated by the gas phase reaction model and virtual sensor data of a temperature of the substrate.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that causes a computer to execute the process data estimation method of claim 12 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2022
From: FUSHIMI, NAOSHIGE; MATSUI, HIDEFUMI
To: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
Reel/Frame 060655/0535 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-020129 · Feb 7, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230115637A1 · Apr 13, 2023
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