Substrate processing system and method for installing edge ring
A substrate processing system includes a plasma processing apparatus, a decompression transferrer coupled to the plasma processing apparatus, and control circuitry that controls a transfer robot to load an edge ring into a process chamber and to transfer the edge ring to a lift assembly, controls the lift assembly to lower the edge ring onto a ring support surface, controls an electrostatic chuck to electrostatically clamp the edge ring onto the ring support surface, and controls a plasma generator to generate plasma in the process chamber and stabilize the electrostatically clamping of the edge ring onto the electrostatic chuck before performing plasma processing on a product substrate, the stabilizing includes controlling a power source to apply pulsed direct current voltage to the substrate support, including applying a first bias voltage and applying a second bias voltage higher than the first bias voltage after applying the first bias voltage.
1. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a plasma processing apparatus;
a decompression transferrer coupled to the plasma processing apparatus; and
a controller,
wherein the plasma processing apparatus includes
a process chamber being decompressible,
a substrate support in the process chamber, the substrate support including a substrate support surface, a ring support surface on which an edge ring is placeable to surround a substrate, and an electrostatic chuck configured to electrostatically clamp the edge ring onto the ring support surface, the substrate support being coupled to a power source configured to provide a pulsed direct current voltage for biasing,
a lift assembly configured to raise and lower the edge ring, and
a plasma generator configured to generate plasma in the process chamber,
the decompression transferrer includes a transfer robot configured to transfer the edge ring,
the controller controls operations including
lowering, with the lift assembly, the edge ring loaded into the process chamber and transferred to the lift assembly by the transfer robot and placing the edge ring onto the ring support surface,
electrostatically clamping, onto the ring support surface, the placed edge ring, and
generating plasma in the process chamber and stabilizing the electrostatically clamping the edge ring onto the electrostatic chuck before performing plasma processing on a product substrate, the stabilizing includes applying, to the substrate support, the pulsed direct current voltage for biasing, and
the applying the pulsed direct current voltage includes applying a first bias voltage and applying a second bias voltage higher than the first bias voltage after applying the first bias voltage.
2. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a plasma processing apparatus;
a decompression transferrer coupled to the plasma processing apparatus; and
a controller,
wherein the plasma processing apparatus includes
a process chamber being decompressible,
a substrate support in the process chamber, the substrate support including a substrate support surface, a ring support surface on which an edge ring is placeable to surround a substrate, and an electrostatic chuck configured to electrostatically clamp the edge ring onto the ring support surface, the substrate support being coupled to a power source configured to provide radio frequency power for biasing,
a lift assembly configured to raise and lower the edge ring, and
a plasma generator configured to generate plasma in the process chamber,
the decompression transferrer includes a transfer robot configured to transfer the edge ring,
the controller controls operations including
lowering, with the lift assembly, the edge ring loaded into the process chamber and transferred to the lift assembly by the transfer robot and placing the edge ring onto the ring support surface,
electrostatically clamping, onto the ring support surface, the placed edge ring, and
generating plasma in the process chamber and stabilizing the electrostatically clamping the edge ring onto the electrostatic chuck before performing plasma processing on a product substrate, the stabilizing includes providing, to the substrate support, the radio frequency power for biasing, and
the providing the radio frequency power for biasing includes providing first bias power and providing second bias power greater than the first bias power after providing the first bias power.
3. The substrate processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller further controls, after the stabilizing and before performing the plasma processing on the product substrate, seasoning an internal space of the process chamber.
4. The substrate processing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the stabilizing is performed with a dummy substrate placed on the substrate support surface of the electrostatic chuck, and the dummy substrate differs from the product substrate.
5. The substrate processing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the stabilizing includes generating plasma in the process chamber with no substrate placed on the substrate support surface of the electrostatic chuck, and cleaning the electrostatic chuck.
6. The substrate processing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the applying the pulsed direct current voltage further includes applying a third bias voltage higher than the second bias voltage after applying the second bias voltage.
7. The substrate processing system according to claim 6 , wherein
the applying the third bias voltage includes intermittently applying the pulsed direct current voltage to the substrate support at the third bias voltage.
8. The substrate processing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the applying the pulsed direct current voltage includes applying a pulsed negative direct current voltage, and
the second bias voltage has a greater absolute value than the first bias voltage.
9. The substrate processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller further performs, before the placing the edge ring, generating plasma in the process chamber with the edge ring separated from the ring support surface by the lift assembly, and removing moisture from the edge ring.
10. The substrate processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller further controls, after the stabilizing and before performing the plasma processing on the product substrate, seasoning in an internal space of the process chamber.
11. The substrate processing system according to claim 2 , wherein
the stabilizing is performed with a dummy substrate placed on the substrate support surface of the electrostatic chuck, and the dummy substrate differs from the product substrate.
12. The substrate processing system according to claim 2 , wherein
the stabilizing includes generating plasma in the process chamber with no substrate placed on the substrate support surface of the electrostatic chuck, and cleaning the electrostatic chuck.
13. The substrate processing system according to claim 2 , wherein
the providing the radio frequency power further includes providing third bias power greater than the second bias power after providing the second bias power.
14. The substrate processing system according to claim 13 , wherein
the providing the third bias voltage includes intermittently providing the radio frequency power to the substrate support as the third bias power.
15. The substrate processing system according to claim 2 , wherein
the controller further performs, before the placing the edge ring, generating plasma in the process chamber with the edge ring separated from the ring support surface by the lift assembly, and removing moisture from the edge ring.
16. A method for installing an edge ring, comprising:
placing an edge ring onto a ring support surface of an electrostatic chuck in a substrate support located in a process chamber in a plasma processing apparatus;
electrostatically clamping, onto the ring support surface, the placed edge ring; and
generating plasma in the process chamber and stabilizing the electrostatically clamping the edge ring onto the electrostatic chuck with the plasma before performing plasma processing on a product substrate placed on a substrate support surface of the electrostatic chuck,
wherein the stabilizing includes applying, to the substrate support, a pulsed direct current voltage for biasing or providing, to the substrate support, radio frequency power for biasing, and
the applying the pulsed direct current voltage or the providing the radio frequency power includes applying a first bias voltage or providing first bias power, and applying a second bias voltage higher than the first bias voltage or providing second bias power greater than the first bias power after applying the first bias voltage or after providing the first bias power.