Distance measurement method, distance measurement system, and substrate processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025180381-A1
Application number	US-202418962032-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 27, 2024
Priority date	Dec 1, 2023
Publication date	Jun 5, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A distance measurement method includes: heating a processing container capable of accommodating a substrate; loading a jig of a substrate shape into the processing container in a state in which the processing container is heated; and measuring a distance from the jig to a ceiling surface of the processing container by using a distance sensor provided in the jig.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A distance measurement method, comprising:
heating a processing container capable of accommodating a substrate; loading a jig of a substrate shape into the processing container in a state in which the processing container is heated; and measuring a distance from the jig to a ceiling surface of the processing container by using a distance sensor provided in the jig.

2 . The distance measurement method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring includes measuring the distance from the jig to the ceiling surface of the processing container by using the distance sensor in a state in which the jig loaded into the processing container is heated.

3 . The distance measurement method of claim 1 , wherein the distance sensor is a capacitance sensor and measures a capacitance according to the distance from the jig to the ceiling surface of the processing container.

4 . The distance measurement method of claim 1 , further comprising, before the measuring:
accommodating the jig in a first accommodation container, which is capable of accommodating the jig, wherein a distance from the accommodated jig to a ceiling surface of the first accommodation container is a predetermined reference distance; and correcting a capacitance, measured by the distance sensor according to the distance from the jig to the ceiling surface of the first accommodation container, to a capacitance according to the reference distance.

5 . The distance measurement method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring further includes storing a measured value of the distance from the jig to the ceiling surface of the processing container, as measured by the distance sensor, in a memory provided in the jig, and
wherein the distance measurement method further comprises, after the measuring: accommodating the jig in a second accommodation container, which is capable of accommodating the jig and includes a first connector connected to a reader; and reading the measured value from the memory into the reader in a state in which the jig is accommodated in the second accommodation container.

6 . The distance measurement method of claim 5 , wherein the second accommodation container includes a first pin that is capable of contacting a first pad provided in the accommodated jig and is electrically connected to the first connector; and
wherein the reading the measured value includes reading the measured value from the memory into the reader via the first pad and the first pin.

7 . The distance measurement method of claim 5 , wherein the second accommodation container includes a second connector connected to an external power source, and
wherein the distance measurement method further comprises: charging a battery provided in the jig from the external power source, in parallel with the reading the measured value.

8 . The distance measurement method of claim 7 , wherein the second accommodation container includes a second pin that is capable of contacting a second pad provided in the accommodated jig and is electrically connected to the second connector, and
wherein the charging includes charging the battery from the external power source via the second pad and the second pin.

9 . A distance measurement system, comprising:
a processing container which is capable of accommodating a substrate; a jig of a substrate shape which is loaded into the processing container, in a state in which the processing container is heated, and is provided with a distance sensor configured to measure a distance to a ceiling surface of the processing container and a memory configured to store a measured value from the distance sensor; and an accommodation container which is capable of accommodating the jig and includes a first connector connected to a reader configured to read the measured value from the memory.

10 . The distance measurement system of claim 9 , wherein the accommodation container includes a second connector connected to an external power source configured to charge a battery provided in the jig.

11 . A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a processing container which is capable of accommodating a substrate; a transfer device which is configured to transfer a jig of a substrate shape to a delivery area adjacent to the processing container; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the processing container and the transfer device to execute a distance measurement method including:
heating the processing container;
loading the jig into the processing container from the delivery area in a state in which the processing container is heated; and
measuring a distance from the jig to a ceiling surface of the processing container by using a distance sensor provided in the jig.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Yamanoue Tomohiro

Classifications

• H10P72/50 Primary

  for positioning, orientation or alignment · CPC title

• H10P72/33

  into and out of processing chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0606

  Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection · CPC title

• H10P72/0408

  for drying · CPC title

• H10P72/3302

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title