# US 10,503,152 B2 · Method of manufacturing semiconductor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,503,152 B2 - Document ID: US10503152B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/135,930 - Filed: 2018-09-19 - Published: 2019-09-26 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-26 - Assignees: Kokusai Electric Corporation - Applicants: Kokusai Electric Corporation - Inventors: Naofumi Ohashi; Toshiyuki Kikuchi; Shun Matsui; Tadashi Takasaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503152B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/401: {containing silicon} - G05B 19/4155: characterised by program execution, i.e. part program or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a program - C23C 16/452: by activating reactive gas streams before {their} introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by {ionisation} or addition of reactive species - C23C 16/45542: {Plasma being used non-continuously during the ALD reactions} - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - C23C 16/54: Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers} - H10P 72/0464: {characterised by the construction of the transfer chamber} - H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - H10P 72/3311: {Horizontal transfer of a batch of workpieces} - G05B 2219/45031: Manufacturing semiconductor wafers - H10P 72/0602: {Temperature monitoring} - H10P 72/7612: {characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Described herein is a technique capable of improving the productivity of a substrate processing system including a plurality of process chambers. According to the technique described herein, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: (a) placing a storage container accommodating substrates on a loading port shelf; (b) transferring the substrates in a predetermined order from the storage container to process chambers capable of processing the substrates; (c) perform a substrate processing in the process chambers; (d) generating first count data corresponding to the processing chambers; (e) storing the first count data; (f) assigning transfer flag data to one of the process chambers next to another of the process chambers corresponding to a maximum count number of the first count data; and (g) transferring substrates accommodated in a next storage container of the storage container in the predetermined order based on the transfer flag data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: (a) placing a first storage container of a plurality of storage containers where substrates are accommodated on a loading port shelf; (b) transferring the substrates in a predetermined order from the first storage container to process chambers capable of processing the substrates; (c) performing a processing in each of the process chambers; (d) generating first count data corresponding to each of the process chambers, wherein the first count data comprises at least one first count data selected from the group consisting of: an accumulated processing time of the processing; an accumulated film thickness of at least one of the substrates; an accumulated supply time of a process gas used for the processing; an accumulated supply time of a reactive gas used for the processing; an accumulated time of maintaining a process pressure during the processing; an accumulated time of maintaining a process temperature during the processing; and an accumulated discharge time of plasma generated during the processing; (e) storing the first count data; (f) assigning transfer flag data to, among the process chambers, one of the process chambers corresponding to a maximum of the first count data; and (g) transferring substrates accommodated in a second of the storage containers in the predetermined order from the second storage container to another of the process chambers located next to the one of the process chambers to which the transfer flag data is assigned in (f). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a process module comprises two or more of the process chambers, further comprising: (h) generating second count data from the first count data corresponding to each of the two or more of the process chambers contained in the process module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the second count data is calculated in (h) by obtaining a summation of the first count data corresponding to each of the two or more of the process chambers contained in the process module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein no substrate exists in at least one of the process chambers, and the first count data corresponding to the at least one of the process chambers is generated when the processing is performed in another of the process chambers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein no substrate exists in at least one of the process chambers, and the first count data corresponding to the at least one of the process chambers is not generated when the processing is performed in another of the process chambers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein no substrate exists in at least one of the process chambers, and the first count data corresponding to the at least one of the process chambers is generated when the processing is performed in another of the process chambers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein no substrate exists in at least one of the process chambers, and the first count data corresponding to the at least one of the process chambers is not generated when the processing is performed in another of the process chambers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein number of the substrates transferred in (g) corresponds to number of the process chambers contained in the process module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein no substrate exists in at least one of the process chambers, and the first count data corresponding to the at least one of the process chambers is generated when the processing is performed in another of the process chambers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein no substrate exists in at least one of the process chambers, and the first count data corresponding to the at least one of the process chambers is not generated when the processing is performed in another of the process chambers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: (i) reading, from a memory device, data comprising the accumulated processing time as the first count data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: (j) reading, from a memory device, data comprising the accumulated film thickness as the first count data.