# US 10,872,750 B2 · Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing system

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- Number: US 10,872,750 B2
- Document ID: US10872750B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/892,041
- Filed: 2018-02-08
- Published: 2019-02-14
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-08
- Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
- Applicants: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Ryoji Asakura; Shota Umeda; Daisuke Shiraishi; Akira Kagoshima; Satomi Inoue
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872750B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32926: {Software, data control or modelling}
- G01J 3/443: Emission spectrometry
- H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching}
- H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring}
- H01J 2237/334: Etching
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

The plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing unit that performs plasma processing of a sample and a control unit that controls the plasma processing. The control unit selects one of a plurality of the prediction models for predicting a result of the plasma processing based on a state of the plasma processing unit, and predicts the result of the plasma processing by using a selected prediction model.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma processing unit that performs plasma processing of a sample; and
a control unit that controls the plasma processing,
wherein the control unit selects one of a plurality of prediction models for predicting a result of the plasma processing for each of a plurality of divided data of a management value based on a state of the plasma processing unit, and predicts the result of the plasma processing by using the selected prediction model selected for each said divided data,
wherein the divided data is data divided based on a threshold of the management value indicating a state of the plasma processing unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the management value is a number of times of plasma processing of the sample.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the result of the plasma processing is a dimension of a pattern formed on the sample and etched by the plasma.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
an output unit that displays a predicted value for predicting the plasma processing result in association with the prediction model.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a storage unit that stores a past history in the result of the plasma processing and a past history in light emission data, wherein the control unit obtains the threshold of the management value based on a correlation between the past history in the result of the plasma processing and the past history in the light emission data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a processing result acquiring unit that acquires an index of result of the plasma processing by an inspection device,
wherein the control unit selects the prediction model based on the index.