Abstract: A method which changes the temperature control range of a heater of a substrate processing apparatus. The temperature control range of a heater is changed or extended by changing the flow rate of the coolant flowing through a coolant channel from a first flow rate to a second flow rate which is smaller than the first flow rate, to change a first thermal conductivity of a mounting table to a second thermal conductivity which is smaller than the first thermal conductivity. The upper limit of the temperature control range is lower than the heat resistant temperature of a material of an adhesive of the mounting table.

Abstract: Provided is a chamber cleaning method capable of efficiently removing a CF-based shoulder deposit containing Si and Al deposited on an outer periphery of an ESC. A mixed gas of an O2 gas and a F containing gas is supplied toward an outer periphery 24a of an ESC 24 at a pressure ranging from about 400 mTorr to about 800 mTorr; plasma generated from the mixed gas is irradiated onto the outer periphery 24a of the ESC 24; an O2 single gas as a mask gas is supplied to the top surface of ESC 24 except the outer periphery 24a; and the shoulder deposit 50 adhered to the outer periphery 24a is decomposed and removed while preventing the top surface of ESC 24 except the outer periphery 24a from being exposed to a F radical.

Abstract: An apparatus evaluates a substrate mounting device adapted to hold a target substrate placed on a mounting surface and to control a temperature of the target substrate. The apparatus includes an evacuatable airtightly sealed chamber accommodating therein the substrate mounting device, a heat source, arranged in a facing relationship with the mounting surface, for irradiating infrared light. The apparatus further includes an evaluation-purpose substrate adapted to be mounted on the mounting surface in place of the target substrate, the evaluation-purpose substrate being made of an infrared light absorbing material, and having a unit for measuring temperatures at plural sites on a surface and/or inside of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber; a support base; an electrostatic chuck; a chiller; a first channel; a second channel; a bypass channel; and a flow rate control valve. The first channel connects the chiller and a coolant entrance of the support base and the second channel connects the chiller and a coolant exit of the support base. The bypass channel branches from a midway of the first channel and is connected to a midway of the second channel. The flow rate control valve controls a flow rate of coolant flowing through the bypass channel.

Abstract: Provided is a chamber cleaning method capable of efficiently removing a CF-based shoulder deposit containing Si and Al deposited on an outer periphery of an ESC. A mixed gas of an O2 gas and a F containing gas is supplied toward an outer periphery 24a of an ESC 24 at a pressure ranging from about 400 mTorr to about 800 mTorr; plasma generated from the mixed gas is irradiated onto the outer periphery 24a of the ESC 24; an O2 single gas as a mask gas is supplied to the top surface of ESC 24 except the outer periphery 24a; and the shoulder deposit 50 adhered to the outer periphery 24a is decomposed and removed while preventing the top surface of ESC 24 except the outer periphery 24a from being exposed to a F radical.

Abstract: A substrate mounting table includes a mounting table main body, a mounting unit provided at an upper portion of the mounting table main body, a heat source transferring a (cold) heat to the upper portion of the mounting table main body, and a heat transfer control part. The heat transfer control part includes a cavity portion provided in the mounting table main body to correspond to the mounted substrate, and a solid member filled in the cavity portion and having pores communicating with one another. The heat transfer control part controls a heat transfer level from the heat source by supplying or exhausting a heat transfer gas to or from the cavity portion. A controller controls the supplying and the exhausting of the heat transfer gas to and from the cavity portion by a heat transfer gas supply unit and a heat transfer gas exhaust unit, respectively.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck capable of widening a temperature range and reducing a variation in thermal conductivity between the electrostatic chuck and the flat substrate over time is provided. The chuck includes: a body that has an internal electrode for attracting a flat substrate by an electrostatic force provided therein, a plurality of protrusions formed on one surface of the body serving as an electrostatic attraction surface, and projections provided on the top surfaces of some or all of the plurality of protrusions. In the electrostatic chuck, a region of the top surface of each of the minute projections on which the flat substrate is loaded is referred to as a mounting surface, and the total area of the mounting surfaces of the minute projections is equal to or larger than 0.01% and equal to or smaller than 2% of the area of the electrostatic attraction surface.

Abstract: A processing chamber is partitioned into a processing space and an evacuation space by a partitioning plate having formed therein a plurality of communicating holes. A processing gas supply means for supplying a processing gas into the processing space, a pressure adjusting gas supply means for supplying a pressure adjusting gas to be used to adjust the pressure inside the processing chamber into the evacuation space and a pressure controller are disposed at the processing chamber. When the processing gas is supplied from the processing gas supply means, the pressure controller executes pressure control so as to set the pressure in the processing space to a predetermined level by supplying the pressure adjusting gas from the pressure adjusting gas supply means. As a result, the pressure inside the processing chamber can be controlled without having to control the displacement quantity of the processing chamber or adversely affecting the substrate processing.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing temporal deterioration of temperature controlling performance of an electrostatic chuck includes the steps of performing vacuum processing on the substrate wherein the substrate is adsorbed by the electrostatic chuck while a temperature control gas for controlling a temperature of the substrate is supplied between the substrate and the electrostatic chuck, and exposing, during the above step, a substrate absorbed by the electrostatic chuck to an atmosphere generated by using a processing recipe for diagnosis, detecting a temperature of the substrate. A pressure of the temperature control gas is controlled such that the detected temperature becomes a specific temperature, and the controlled pressure is stored in a storage unit. The method further includes a step of diagnosing the deterioration of the temperature controlling performance of the electrostatic chuck based on the pressure of the temperature control gas stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: A testing apparatus for a temperature monitoring substrate includes a heat flow generating unit for generating a heat flow in the temperature monitoring substrate in a depthwise direction of the temperature sensors, wherein the temperature sensors are buried in the depthwise direction. Further, a testing method for a temperature monitoring substrate includes generating a heat flow in the temperature monitoring substrate in a depthwise direction, wherein the temperature sensors are buried in the depthwise direction; processing a temperature of the substrate measured by the temperature sensor under the heat flow by a prescribed method; and determining whether or not an error occurs in the temperature sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus evaluates a substrate mounting device adapted to hold a target substrate placed on a mounting surface and to control a temperature of the target substrate. The apparatus includes an evacuatable airtightly sealed chamber accommodating therein the substrate mounting device, a heat source, arranged in a facing relationship with the mounting surface, for irradiating infrared light. The apparatus further includes an evaluation-purpose substrate adapted to be mounted on the mounting surface in place of the target substrate, the evaluation-purpose substrate being made of an infrared light absorbing material, and having a unit for measuring temperatures at plural sites on a surface and/or inside of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing temporal deterioration of temperature controlling performance of an electrostatic chuck includes the steps of performing vacuum processing on the substrate wherein the substrate is adsorbed by the electrostatic chuck while a temperature control gas for controlling a temperature of the substrate is supplied between the substrate and the electrostatic chuck, and exposing, during the above step, a substrate absorbed by the electrostatic chuck to an atmosphere generated by using a processing recipe for diagnosis, detecting a temperature of the substrate. A pressure of the temperature control gas is controlled such that the detected temperature becomes a specific temperature, and the controlled pressure is stored in a storage unit. The method further includes a step of diagnosing the deterioration of the temperature controlling performance of the electrostatic chuck based on the pressure of the temperature control gas stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrostatic chuck capable of widening a temperature range when the temperature of a flat substrate is controlled and reducing a variation in thermal conductivity between the electrostatic chuck and the flat substrate over time. According to an aspect of the invention, an electrostatic chuck includes: a body that has an internal electrode for attracting a flat substrate by an electrostatic force provided therein; a plurality of protrusions that are formed on one surface of the body, serving as an electrostatic attraction surface; and one or more minute projections that are provided on each of top surfaces of some or all of the plurality of protrusions. In the electrostatic chuck, a region of the top surface of each of the minute projections on which the flat substrate is loaded is referred to as a mounting surface, and the total area of the mounting surfaces of the minute projections is equal to or larger than 0.

Abstract: A processing chamber is partitioned into a processing space and an evacuation space by a partitioning plate having formed therein a plurality of communicating holes. A processing gas supply means for supplying a processing gas into the processing space, a pressure adjusting gas supply means for supplying a pressure adjusting gas to be used to adjust the pressure inside the processing chamber into the evacuation space and a pressure controller are disposed at the processing chamber. When the processing gas is supplied from the processing gas supply means, the pressure controller executes pressure control so as to set the pressure in the processing space to a predetermined level by supplying the pressure adjusting gas from the pressure adjusting gas supply means. As a result, the pressure inside the processing chamber can be controlled without having to control the displacement quantity of the processing chamber or adversely affecting the substrate processing.