IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,642,043
Granted Patent B2
US 12,642,043 · App. 18/330,887 · Granted May 26, 2026

Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing apparatus control method

Inventor: Tetsuya Shibata (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
H01L21/67253H01L21/67017H01L21/67265H01L21/67294H01L21/673H01L21/681
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,642,043
App. No.
18/330,887
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate processing method includes: a first step of causing, in a state of a substrate holding mechanism not holding a plurality of substrates, a camera to capture an image of the substrate holding mechanism and an image of an interior to generate first image data; a second step of identifying, in a first region indicated by the first image data, a second region being a region in which at least the image of the substrate holding mechanism has been captured; and a third step of comparing a gradient of the first image data distributed in a third region being a region in the first region other than the second region with a threshold for the gradient.

Claims (67)

1 . A substrate processing apparatus control method for controlling a substrate processing apparatus, wherein

the substrate processing apparatus comprises:

a processing tank to store a processing liquid into which a plurality of substrates are dipped to collectively process the plurality of substrates;

a holder having a function of collectively holding the plurality of substrates;

an elevator being a mechanism having a function of dipping the holder into the processing liquid and a function of removing the holder from the processing liquid; and

a camera to capture an image of an interior of the processing tank and an image of the holder from a side of the holder opposite the processing tank to generate image data, and

the substrate processing apparatus control method comprises:

a) causing, in a state of the holder not holding the plurality of substrates, the camera to capture the image of the holder and the image of the interior to generate first image data;

b) identifying, in a first region indicated by the first image data, a second region being a region in which at least the image of the holder has been captured; and

c) comparing a gradient of the first image data distributed in a third region with a threshold for the gradient, the third region being a region in the first region other than the second region.

2 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying further a fourth region in which an image of a shadow of the holder has been captured in the first region, and

obtaining the third region by excluding the second region and the fourth region from the first region.

3 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 2 , comprising:

performing causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank.

4 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 2 , comprising:

performing causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, and

obtaining the first image data by temporal smoothing of a plurality of pieces of second image data generated by capturing the image of the interior at different times.

5 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 1 , wherein

the second region includes a region in which an image of at least portion of the elevator has been captured in the first region.

6 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

identifying further a fourth region in which an image of a shadow of the at least portion of the elevator has been captured in the first region, and

obtaining the third region by excluding the second region and the fourth region from the first region.

7 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 6 , comprising:

performing causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank.

8 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 6 , comprising:

performing causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, and

obtaining the first image data by temporal smoothing of a plurality of pieces of second image data generated by capturing the image of the interior at different times.

9 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 5 , comprising:

performing causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank.

10 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 5 , comprising:

performing causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, and

obtaining the first image data by temporal smoothing of a plurality of pieces of second image data generated by capturing the image of the interior at different times.

11 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 1 , comprising:

performing causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank.

12 . The substrate processing apparatus control method according to claim 1 , comprising:

performing causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, and

obtaining the first image data by temporal smoothing of a plurality of pieces of second image data generated by capturing the image of the interior at different times.

13 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a processing tank to store a processing liquid into which a plurality of substrates are dipped to collectively process the plurality of substrates;

a holder having a function of collectively holding the plurality of substrates;

an elevator being a mechanism having a function of dipping the holder into the processing liquid and a function of removing the holder from the processing liquid;

a camera to capture an image of an interior of the processing tank and an image of the holder from a side of the holder opposite the processing tank to generate image data; and

a controller, wherein

the controller

causes, in a state of the holder not holding the plurality of substrates, the camera to capture the image of the holder and the image of the interior to generate first image data;

identifies, in a first region indicated by the first image data, a second region being a region in which the image of the holder has been captured; and

compares a gradient of the first image data in a third region with a threshold for the gradient, the third region being obtained by excluding the second region from the first region.

14 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the controller

identifies further a fourth region in which an image of a shadow of the holder has been captured in the first region, and

obtaining the third region by excluding the second region and the fourth region from the first region.

15 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the controller

performs causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, and

obtains the first image data by temporal smoothing of a plurality of pieces of second image data generated by capturing the image of the interior at different times.

16 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein

the second region includes a region in which an image of at least portion of the elevator has been captured in the first region.

17 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the controller

identifies further a fourth region in which an image of a shadow of the at least portion of the elevator has been captured in the first region, and

obtains the third region by excluding the second region and the fourth region from the first region.

18 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the controller

performs causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, and

obtains the first image data by temporal smoothing of a plurality of pieces of second image data generated by capturing the image of the interior at different times.

19 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the controller

performs causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank.

20 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the controller

performs causing the camera to generate the first image data with the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, and

obtains the first image data by temporal smoothing of a plurality of pieces of second image data generated by capturing the image of the interior at different times.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2023
From: SHIBATA, TETSUYA
To: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063885/0732 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-098738 · Jun 20, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230411189A1 · Dec 21, 2023
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