Substrate processing system and maintenance method

A maintenance method in a substrate processing system which includes a substrate processing apparatus including a vacuum processing chamber configured to perform processing of a substrate, a vacuum transport chamber connected to the vacuum processing chamber and including a transport port communicating with the vacuum processing chamber, a transport mechanism disposed inside the vacuum transport chamber and configured to load or unload the substrate via the transport port, and a suction mechanism disposed inside the vacuum transport chamber and configured to suck an adhered object of a part inside the vacuum processing chamber via the transport port, comprising:

• causing the suction mechanism to enter the vacuum processing chamber via the transport port;
• and
• sucking the adhered object of the part inside the vacuum processing chamber with the suction mechanism,
• wherein the suction mechanism includes:
• an arm;
• and
• a suction port provided at a tip of the arm, and
• the substrate processing system further includes:
• a valve provided in an exhaust pipe connecting the suction port to an exhaust device;
• and
• a measurement device configured to measure the number of fine particles flowing within the exhaust pipe,
• wherein the method further comprises:
• controlling the valve such that the suction from the suction port is stopped when the number of fine particles measured by the measurement device is equal to or less than a threshold value;
• and
• controlling the suction port provided at the tip of the arm such that the suction port enters the vacuum processing chamber via the transport port, and the adhered object of the part inside the vacuum processing chamber is sucked from the suction port.