Substrate processing apparatus, positioning method and focus ring installation method

A method for positioning an electrode plate of a plasma processing apparatus that performs a process on a substrate mounted on a mounting table by plasma generated by applying a high frequency power to an electrode plate provided on an upper electrode facing the mounting table,

• wherein the upper electrode includes:
• an electrode support that supports the electrode plate, and
• a plurality of positioning pins made of a material expandable in a diametric direction by heating, each positioning pin being inserted into a positioning hole formed in the electrode support and into a positioning hole formed in the electrode plate, and
• the method comprises:
• heating each positioning pin and allowing the positioning pin to be expanded so as to fill a gap within the positioning holes in a diametric direction and to be fitted into the positioning holes;
• and
• allowing centers of the positioning holes to be aligned on a substantially same line, and thus allowing the electrode plate to be positioned at a preset position with respect to the electrode support.

A method of installing a focus ring so as to surround a substrate accommodated in a processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus that performs a plasma process on the substrate,

• wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes:
• a mounting table including a susceptor having a substrate mounting surface on which the substrate is mounted and a focus ring mounting surface on which the focus ring is mounted;
• a susceptor temperature controller that controls a temperature of the susceptor;
• a plurality of positioning pins made of a material expandable in a diametric direction by heating, each positioning pin being inserted into the focus ring so as to be protruded from a bottom surface thereof and inserted into a positioning hole formed in the focus ring mounting surface of the susceptor;
• first lifter pins provided in the mounting table so as to be protruded above or retracted below the substrate mounting surface and configured to lift up the substrate and separate the substrate from the substrate mounting surface;
• second lifter pins provided in the mounting table so as to be protruded above or retracted from the focus ring mounting surface and configured to lift up the focus ring together with the positioning pins and separate the focus ring from the focus ring mounting surface;
• and
• a transfer arm provided outside the processing chamber, and configured to exchange the substrate with the first lifter pins via a loading/unloading port provided at the processing chamber, and configured to exchange the focus ring equipped with the positioning pins with the second lifter pins, and
• the method comprises:
• lifting up the focus ring equipped with the positioning pins by the second lifer pins to replace the focus ring;
• receiving the focus ring by the transfer arm and unloading the focus ring to an outside of the processing chamber through the loading/unloading port;
• transferring a new focus ring equipped with positioning pins before heating to the second lifter pins by the transfer arm;
• lowering the second lifter pins, and allowing the focus ring to be mounted on the focus ring mounting surface while the positioning pins are inserted into the positioning holes;
• and
• heating each of the positioning pins by heating the susceptor by the susceptor temperature controller, and allowing each of the positioning pins to be expanded in a diametric direction and aligning a position of the focus ring.