Plasma processing system and method for estimating height of annular member

A plasma processing system comprising:

• a plasma processing apparatus,
• a reduced-pressure transfer apparatus connected to the plasma processing apparatus and including a transfer robot configured to transfer a substrate, and
• a control circuitry, wherein
• the plasma processing apparatus includes:
• a processing container configured to be depressurized;
• a substrate support which is provided in the processing container and includes a substrate placing surface and an electrostatic chuck configured to electrostatically attract the substrate to the substrate placing surface, and to which an annular member is attached so as to surround the substrate placing surface;
• an elevation mechanism configured to raise and lower the substrate relative to the substrate placing surface;
• and
• a gas supply configured to supply a gas into the processing container,
• the transfer robot includes:
• a holder configured to hold the substrate to be transferred, and
• a distance sensor provided on the holder and configured to measure a distance from the holder, and
• the control circuitry executes:
• (A) loading a jig substrate having a reference surface serving as a reference of a height of the annular member into the processing container by the transfer robot and placing the jig substrate on the substrate support by the elevation mechanism,
• (B) applying a voltage to the electrostatic chuck in a state where the gas is supplied into the processing container and attracting the jig substrate to the substrate placing surface in a plasma-less manner,
• (C) positioning the holder of the transfer robot above the substrate support and measuring, by the distance sensor, a distance to the reference surface of the jig substrate placed on the substrate placing surface and a distance to the annular member attached to the substrate support, and
• (D) estimating the height of the annular member based on measurement results of the distance to the reference surface and the distance to the annular member.