Process recipe search apparatus, etching recipe search method and semiconductor device manufacturing system

An etching recipe search method that uses a process recipe search apparatus that searches for an etching recipe that is a parameter of a plasma processing apparatus set so as to etch a sample into a desired shape, the method comprising the steps of:

• deciding a target shape that defines the desired shape by a plurality of shape elements;
• creating a machine learning model that predicts a process shape of the sample processed by the plasma processing apparatus from the parameter of the plasma processing apparatus;
• using the machine learning model to search for a candidate etching recipe that becomes a candidate of the etching recipe;
• displaying, on a display device, a predicted process shape of the sample by the candidate etching recipe predicted by using the machine learning model;
• highlighting a difference between the predicted process shape and the target shape to display the predicted process shape on the display device;
• and
• etching the sample by the plasma processing apparatus in accordance with the candidate etching recipe,
• wherein the machine learning model is used to predict the process shape of the sample by a sensitivity evaluation etching recipe in which at least one parameter included in the candidate etching recipe is changed, and
• wherein each of the predicted process shape by the candidate etching recipe and the predicted process shape by the sensitivity evaluation etching recipe is superimposed in a state where the difference from the target shape is highlighted, and is displayed on the display device.

An etching recipe search method that uses a process recipe search apparatus that searches for an etching recipe that is a parameter of a plasma processing apparatus set so as to etch a sample into a desired shape, the method comprising the steps of:

• deciding a target shape that defines the desired shape by a plurality of shape elements;
• creating a machine learning model that predicts a process shape of the sample processed by the plasma processing apparatus from the parameter of the plasma processing apparatus;
• using the machine learning model to search for a candidate etching recipe that becomes a candidate of the etching recipe;
• displaying, on a display device, a predicted process shape of the sample by the candidate etching recipe predicted by using the machine learning model;
• highlighting a difference between the predicted process shape and the target shape to display the predicted process shape on the display device;
• and
• etching the sample by the plasma processing apparatus in accordance with the candidate etching recipe,
• wherein a plurality of candidate etching recipes chosen from the candidate etching recipes displayed on the display device are decided as process recipes that are set to the plasma processing apparatus to cause the samples to be etched,
• wherein when the decided process recipes are set to the plasma processing apparatus and among the process shapes acquired by etching the samples, the process shape by a first process recipe is a reference image, and the process shape by a second process recipe is a comparison image, the comparison image is displayed on the display device by enlarging a difference between the comparison image and the reference image at a highlight magnification set for each of the shape elements,
• wherein when the decided process recipe is set to the plasma processing apparatus and the process shape acquired by etching the sample does not coincide with the target shape, the target shape is corrected,
• wherein the machine learning model is updated, and
• wherein the updated machine learning model is used to search for the candidate etching recipe that becomes the candidate of the etching recipe.

A semiconductor device manufacturing system that includes a terminal, a plasma processing apparatus, and a platform connected to the terminal and the plasma processing apparatus via a network and on which a processor configured to execute a process recipe search application that searches for an etching recipe that is a parameter of the plasma processing apparatus set so as to etch a sample into a desired shape is implemented,

• wherein the process recipe search application, when executed by the processor, causes the platform to perform:
• a step of deciding a target shape that defines the desired shape by a plurality of shape elements;
• a step of creating a machine learning model that predicts a process shape of the sample processed by the plasma processing apparatus from the parameter of the plasma processing apparatus;
• a step of using the machine learning model to search for a candidate etching recipe that becomes the candidate of the etching recipe;
• a step of displaying, on the terminal, a predicted process shape of the sample by the candidate etching recipe predicted by using the machine learning model;
• a step of using the machine learning model to predict the process shape of the sample by a sensitivity evaluation etching recipe in which at least one parameter included in the candidate etching recipe is changed;
• a step of superimposing each of the predicted process shape by the candidate etching recipe and the predicted process shape by the sensitivity evaluation etching recipe in a state where the difference from the target shape is highlighted and displaying the superimposed predicted process shapes on the terminal;
• and
• a step of causing the plasma processing apparatus to etch the sample in accordance with the candidate etching recipe,
• wherein for the predicted process shape displayed on the terminal, a difference between the predicted process shape and the target shape is highlighted.