Abstract: A control method includes: (a) connecting a power supply to an electrode of an electrostatic chuck inside a chamber and applying a voltage from the power supply to the electrode; (b) after (a), switching a connection between the electrode and the power supply to a non-connection state; (c) after (b), supplying a gas into the chamber to generate plasma; and (d) measuring a potential of the electrode during (c).

Abstract: A discharging method of removing electric charge from a substrate is provided. In the discharging method, gas is supplied into a processing chamber while the substrate is placed on an electrostatic chuck provided in the processing chamber, and direct-current (DC) voltage is applied to an attracting electrode of the electrostatic chuck, until discharge occurs in the processing chamber. After the discharge occurs, the DC voltage is adjusted to a magnitude in which an amount of charge on the substrate becomes zero or becomes in a neighborhood of zero, and the substrate is removed from the electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A control method includes: (a) connecting a power supply to an electrode of an electrostatic chuck inside a chamber and applying a voltage from the power supply to the electrode; (b) after (a), switching a connection between the electrode and the power supply to a non-connection state; (c) after (b), supplying a gas into the chamber to generate plasma; and (d) measuring a potential of the electrode during (c).

Abstract: A substrate position detecting method, includes loading a substrate into a processing chamber such that a clean surface of the substrate faces a mounting surface of a stage provided in the processing chamber, mounting the loaded substrate on the stage, fixing the substrate to the stage, releasing the fixing of the substrate to the stage, unloading the substrate out of the processing chamber, detecting a particle distribution of particles on the clean surface of the unloaded substrate, and calculating a positional relationship between the substrate and the stage when the substrate is mounted on the stage, based on the detected particle distribution. The particles include irregularities formed at the time of contact between the clean surface of the substrate and the mounting surface.

Abstract: A discharging method of removing electric charge from a substrate is provided. In the discharging method, gas is supplied into a processing chamber while the substrate is placed on an electrostatic chuck provided in the processing chamber, and direct-current (DC) voltage is applied to an attracting electrode of the electrostatic chuck, until discharge occurs in the processing chamber. After the discharge occurs, the DC voltage is adjusted to a magnitude in which an amount of charge on the substrate becomes zero or becomes in a neighborhood of zero, and the substrate is removed from the electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A measuring device includes a switch that switches a connection of an electrode to which a direct current voltage is applied, wherein the electrode is within an electrostatic chuck disposed in a plasma processing device; a component provided with electrostatic capacitance, wherein the component is connected to the switch; and a measuring unit that measures a value corresponding to an electric charge amount accumulated in the component provided with the electrostatic capacitance.

Abstract: A measuring device includes a switch that switches a connection of an electrode to which a direct current voltage is applied, wherein the electrode is within an electrostatic chuck disposed in a plasma processing device; a component provided with electrostatic capacitance, wherein the component is connected to the switch; and a measuring unit that measures a value corresponding to an electric charge amount accumulated in the component provided with the electrostatic capacitance.