Focus ring replacement method and plasma processing system

1. A method performed by a processor of a plasma processing system including a transfer device and a plasma processing apparatus that includes a process chamber, the method comprising:

controlling the transfer device to transfer a first focus ring out of the process chamber without opening the process chamber to atmosphere, the process chamber including a mount table on a surface of which the first focus ring is placed;

controlling the plasma processing apparatus to clean the surface of the mount table in a period that is after the first focus ring is transferred out of the process chamber and before a second focus ring is transferred into the process chamber, and during which no focus ring is present in the process chamber; and

controlling the transfer device to transfer the second focus ring into the process chamber and place the second focus ring on the surface of the mount table without opening the process chamber to the atmosphere.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

controlling the plasma processing apparatus to perform plasma processing to season the process chamber after the second focus ring is transferred into the process chamber.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the surface of the mount table is cleaned by non-plasma particle cleaning (NPPC) or by using plasma.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the surface of the mount table is cleaned while a substrate is placed on the mount table.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising:

after the process chamber is seasoned, controlling the transfer device to place a quality-control wafer in the process chamber and controlling the plasma processing apparatus to perform a predetermined process on the quality-control wafer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

processing a substrate with plasma in the process chamber before the first focus ring is transferred out of the process chamber.

7. A method performed by a processor of a plasma processing system including a transfer device and a plasma processing apparatus that includes a process chamber, the method comprising:

controlling the transfer device to transfer a first focus ring out of the process chamber without opening the process chamber to atmosphere, the process chamber including a mount table on a surface of which the first focus ring is placed;

detecting a position of a second focus ring held on the transfer device; and

controlling the transfer device to transfer the second focus ring into the process chamber and place the second focus ring on the surface of the mount table based on the detected position without opening the process chamber to the atmosphere, wherein

each of the first focus ring and the second focus ring includes an inner edge defining a circumference of an opening formed in each of the first focus ring and the second focus ring; and

the position of the second focus ring is detected based on a detection of the inner edge of the second focus ring by at least one sensor.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second focus ring is placed in a predetermined position on the surface of the mount table by compensating for a misalignment between the detected position of the second focus ring and a reference position.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising:

determining whether the second focus ring is on the transfer device based on whether the second focus ring is detected by the at least one sensor.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a substrate held on the transfer device is detected by the at least one sensor.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the at least one sensor is disposed in front of an opening of the process chamber.

12. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein

the at least one sensor includes a first sensor and a second sensor that are disposed such that a distance between the first sensor and the second sensor is less than an outside diameter of a substrate to be transferred by the transfer device and less than an inside diameter of each of the first focus ring and the second focus ring.

13. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein

the position of the second focus ring held on the transfer device is detected based on changes in an output of the at least one sensor that are caused when the inner edge of the second focus ring passes the at least one sensor.

14. A method of replacing a first focus ring configured to surround a substrate in a process chamber with a second focus ring, the method comprising:

determining whether the first focus ring needs to be replaced;

determining whether the plasma processing apparatus is in a replaceable state where the first focus ring is replaceable;

transferring the first focus ring out of the process chamber when it is determined that the first focus ring needs to be replaced and the plasma processing apparatus is in the replaceable state;

transferring the second focus ring into the process chamber; and

cleaning the process chamber before or after transferring the first focus ring out of the process chamber, wherein

the transferring of the first focus ring and the transferring of the second focus ring are performed without opening the process chamber to atmosphere;

the plasma processing apparatus is determined to be in the replaceable state when no substrate is being processed in the process chamber; and

when a substrate is being processed in the process chamber, the plasma processing apparatus is determined to be in the replaceable state when processing of all substrates in a same lot as the substrate is completed.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein whether the first focus ring needs to be replaced is determined based on one or more of a total amount of time for which radio-frequency power is supplied to the plasma processing apparatus to perform plasma processing, a total amount of radio-frequency power supplied to the plasma processing apparatus to perform plasma processing, a total amount of time for which radio-frequency power is supplied to the plasma processing apparatus to perform a specific step, and a total amount of radio-frequency power supplied to the plasma processing apparatus to perform the specific step.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the process chamber is cleaned before transferring the first focus ring out of the process chamber.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the process chamber is cleaned after processing a substrate with plasma in the process chamber.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the process chamber is cleaned after the substrate is transferred out of the process chamber.

19. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the cleaning of the process chamber prevents deposits in the process chamber from being stirred up while the first focus ring is transferred out of the process chamber.