Substrate processing apparatus, semiconductor device manufacturing method, substrate processing method, and recording medium

A substrate processing method, comprising:

• mounting, on a cassette mounting unit, a process substrate cassette, into which a plurality of process substrates is accommodated, and a dummy substrate cassette, into which a plurality of dummy substrates is accommodated;
• detecting a number of unprocessed process substrates among the process substrates accommodated in the process substrate cassette and determining a number of dummy substrates to be carried into a process chamber;
• selecting the number of dummy substrates to be carried from the dummy substrate cassette into the process chamber based on a cumulative film thickness value for each of the plurality of dummy substrates calculated by a calculation unit;
• determining whether the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates exceeds a first threshold value without exceeding a second threshold value higher than the first threshold value;
• outputting a first warning to an operation unit or a host device unit if the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates is determined to exceed the first threshold value without exceeding the second threshold value;
• determining whether the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates exceeds the second threshold value if it is determined the cumulative film thickness value exceeds the first threshold value;
• if it is determined that the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates exceeds the second threshold value, outputting a second warning to the operation unit or the host device unit without transferring the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates into the processing chamber;
• and
• if it is determined that the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates does not exceed the second threshold value:
• transferring the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates into the process chamber using a transfer unit, and mounting the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates transferred into the process chamber on all substrate mounting surfaces of a plurality of substrate mounting portions, the plurality of substrate mounting portions being arranged on the same plane of a surface of a substrate support unit which is installed within the process chamber;
• and
• supplying a process gas into the process chamber by a gas supply unit so as to process the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates after transferring the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates into the process chamber.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a program for causing a computer to execute:

• mounting, on a cassette mounting unit, a process substrate cassette, into which a plurality of process substrates is accommodated, and a dummy substrate cassette, into which a plurality of dummy substrates is accommodated;
• detecting a number of unprocessed process substrates among the process substrates accommodated in the process substrate cassette and determining a number of dummy substrates to be carried into a process chamber;
• selecting the number of dummy substrates to be carried from the dummy substrate cassette into the process chamber based on a cumulative film thickness value for each of the plurality of dummy substrates calculated by a calculation unit;
• determining whether the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates exceeds a first threshold value without exceeding a second threshold value higher than the first threshold value;
• outputting a first warning to an operation unit or a host device unit if the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates is determined to exceed the first threshold value without exceeding the second threshold value;
• determining whether the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates exceeds the second threshold value if it is determined the cumulative film thickness value exceeds the first threshold value;
• if it is determined that the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates exceeds the second threshold value, outputting a second warning to the operation unit or the host device unit without transferring the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates into the processing chamber;
• and
• if it is determined that the cumulative film thickness value for each of the number of dummy substrates does not exceed the second threshold value:
• transferring the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates into the process chamber using a transfer unit, and mounting the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates transferred into the process chamber on all substrate mounting surfaces of a plurality of substrate mounting portions, the plurality of substrate mounting portions being arranged on the same plane of a surface of a substrate support unit which is installed within the process chamber;
• and
• supplying a process gas into the process chamber by a gas supply unit so as to process the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates after transferring the process substrates and the number of dummy substrates into the process chamber.