Particle-measuring system and particle-measuring method

Abstract

The present invention provides a particle measuring system which is provided in a processing system 40 which generates an atmosphere obtained by exhausting air or a gas in a processing chamber 48 by a vacuum pump 98 and applies a process concerning semiconductor manufacture to a wafer W in the atmosphere, attached to an exhaust pipe 90 which connects an exhaust opening 86 of the processing chamber 48 with the vacuum pump 98 , and measures the number of the particles in the exhaust gas, and a measuring method thereof, the system and method providing a processing system and a cleaning method which terminate etching process by determining an end point based on the number of the particles in the exhaust gas and perform cleaning of unnecessary films.

1 . A delivery mechanism for use in transferring a target object to or from a mount table provided in a processing chamber, which is configured to be evacuated, the delivery mechanism comprising:
 a plurality of push-up pins respectively inserted in pin insertion holes formed in the mount table, each of the push-up pins having an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the pin insertion hole and a length equal to or smaller than a depth of the pin insertion hole, and each of the push-up pins having an upper end configured to be brought into contact with a back surface of the target object and a fitting hole formed therein which is opened downward;   a plurality of positioning drive pins respectively having upper portions inserted in the fitting holes and configured to support the push-up pins;   a push-up member which supports lower ends of the positioning drive pins in common; and   an actuator which moves the push-up member up and down,   wherein each of the upper portions of the positioning drive pins has an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the fitting hole to form a gap between the positioning drive pin and a side wall of the fitting hole and to support the push-up pin only by an upper end of the positioning drive pin, and   each of the pin insertion holes has a flange portion projecting inward at a bottom opening, which functions as a stopper when the push-up pin moves down.   
   
   
       2 . The delivery mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the positioning drive pins has a lower end portion fixed to the push-up member by a hold part, which is configured to adjust a fixing position. 
   
   
       3 . The delivery mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein a lowermost part of the fitting hole has a constriction portion, and each of the upper portions of the positioning drive pins has a protruded portion which protrudes like a flange having a largest outside diameter greater than a smallest inside diameter of the constriction portion. 
   
   
       4 . A processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing chamber, which is configured to be evacuated;   a mount table provided in a processing chamber, on which a target object to be subjected to a predetermined process is mounted;   a gas feed portion, which supplies a necessary gas to the processing chamber;   an exhaust line, which evacuates an atmosphere in the processing chamber by a vacuum pump; and   a delivery mechanism for use in transferring the target object to or from the mount table, the delivery mechanism comprising   a plurality of push-up pins respectively inserted in pin insertion holes formed in the mount table, each of the push-up pins having an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the pin insertion hole and a length equal to or smaller than a depth of the pin insertion hole, and each of the push-up pins having an upper end configured to be brought into contact with a back surface of the target object and a fitting hole formed therein which is opened downward;   a plurality of positioning drive pins respectively having upper portions inserted in the fitting holes and configured to support the push-up pins;   a push-up member which supports lower ends of the positioning drive pins in common; and   an actuator which moves the push-up member up and down,   wherein each of the upper portions of the positioning drive pins has an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the fitting hole to form a gap between the positioning drive pin and a side wall of the fitting hole and to support the push-up pin only by an upper end of the positioning drive pin, and   each of the pin insertion holes has a flange portion projecting inward at a bottom opening, which functions as a stopper when the push-up pin moves down.   
   
   
       5 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the positioning drive pins has a lower end portion fixed to the push-up member by a hold part, which is configured to adjust a fixing position. 
   
   
       6 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein a lowermost part of the fitting hole has a constriction portion, and each of the upper portions of the positioning drive pins has a protruded portion which protrudes like a flange having a largest outside diameter greater than a smallest inside diameter of the constriction portion. 
   
   
       7 . The delivery mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to move the push-up member up and down between an upper position to support the target object by the push-up pins above a mount face of the mount table and a lower position to retreat the push-up pins in the pin insertion holes of the mount table to support the target object on the mount face, such that, when the push-up member is set at the lower position, a gap is formed between a ceiling of the fitting hole and the upper end of the positioning drive pin. 
   
   
       8 . The delivery mechanism according to  claim 3 , wherein, when the push-up member is set at the lower position, the positioning drive pin is suspended from the constriction portion of the fitting hole by the protruded portion, and the push-up member is separated downward from the positioning drive pin. 
   
   
       9 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the actuator is configured to move the push-up member up and down between an upper position to support the target object by the push-up pins above a mount face of the mount table and a lower position to retreat the push-up pins in the pin insertion holes of the mount table to support the target object on the mount face, such that, when the push-up member is set at the lower position, a gap is formed between a ceiling of the fitting hole and the upper end of the positioning drive pin. 
   
   
       10 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein, when the push-up member is set at the lower position, the positioning drive pin is suspended from the constriction portion of the fitting hole by the protruded portion, and the push-up member is separated downward from the positioning drive pin. 
   
   
       11 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein a bottom of the mount table which the pin insertion holes are opened to is present at a position to come into contact with part of the atmosphere in the processing chamber. 
   
   
       12 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the gas feed portion is configured to supply a process gas from above the mount table, and the exhaust line is arranged to draw the process gas toward a bottom side of the mount table.