Life estimating method for heater wire, heating apparatus, storage medium, and life estimating system for heater wire

Abstract

A life estimating method for a heater wire utilizes data obtained during a period (e.g., a temperature rising period), in which a sign of disconnection of the heater wire is likely to be seen. This method includes detecting a maximum magnitude value of electric power supplied to the heater wire during the temperature rising period for elevating the temperature to a heating temperature prior to providing a heating process to a wafer or wafers. The method further includes obtaining an index indicative of a magnitude of the amplitude of the electric power, and giving notice that the heater wire is approaching the end of its life when the indexes respectively indicate that the electric power magnitude and the amplitude magnitude exceed threshold values respectively.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A life estimating method for a plurality of heater wires of a heating apparatus adapted for elevating temperature of a substrate to be processed, which is placed in a processing chamber, up to a preset heating temperature, while controlling the temperature by supplying electric power to the plurality of heater wires, as well as adapted for performing a heating process to the substrate after the temperature is elevated to the preset heating temperature, the method comprising the steps of:
 collecting data of electric power supplied to each heater wire, during a temperature rising period provided for elevating the temperature up to the preset heating temperature, each time the heating process is repeated; and   performing an alarming process for giving a notice that the life with respect to the plurality of heater wires is approaching the end when a Mahalanobis' distance, between a center of distribution obtained, in advance, based on the distribution of the plurality of electric power data obtained when the plurality of the heater wires were all in a normal state, and the electric power data, which is an object to be measured, of the heater wires, exceeds a preset threshold value.   
     
     
         9 . The life estimating method for the heater wires according to  claim 8 , wherein the electric power data is one including indexes respectively indicative of a maximum value of magnitude of the electric power supplied to each heater wire and magnitude of amplitude of the electric power. 
     
     
         10 . The life estimating method for the heater wires according to  claim 8 , wherein a heating region including the heater wires is divided into a plurality of heating zones along a longitudinal direction of the processing chamber, and wherein each heater wire is located in each heating zone. 
     
     
         11 . The life estimating method for the heater wires according to  claim 8 , wherein a heating region including the heater wires is divided into a plurality of heating zones along faces of the substrate to be processed, and wherein each heater wire is located in each heating zone. 
     
     
         12 . A life estimating method for a plurality of heater wires of a heating apparatus including a processing chamber, in which a step of carrying in a substrate holding tool holding a plurality of substrates to be processed through a substrate transfer port provided at the processing chamber, a step of elevating temperature in the processing chamber by using the plurality of heater wires provided outside the processing chamber, a step of performing a heating process to the substrates to be processed, and a step of carrying out the substrate holding tool through the substrate transfer port are repeatedly performed, the method comprising the steps of:
 collecting data of a maximum value of temperature with respect to the heater wire located nearest to the substrate transfer port upon carrying in the substrate holding tool through the substrate transfer port during a substrate-carrying-in step; and   observing the data of the maximum value of the temperature of the heater wire located nearest to the substrate transfer port during the substrate-carrying-in period, and then performing an alarming process for giving a notice that the heater wire is approaching the end of its life when the maximum value is judged to be higher than a predetermined temperature.   
     
     
         13 . A life estimating method for a plurality of heater wires of a heating apparatus including a processing chamber, in which a step of carrying in a substrate holding tool holding a plurality of substrates to be processed through a substrate transfer port provided at the processing chamber, a step of elevating temperature in the processing chamber by using the plurality of heater wires provided outside the processing chamber, a step of performing a heating process to the substrates to be processed, and a step of carrying out the substrate holding tool from the substrate transfer port are repeatedly performed, the method comprising the step of:
 collecting data of a maximum value of temperature with respect to the heater wire located nearest to the substrate transfer port upon carrying in the substrate holding tool through the substrate transfer port during a substrate-carrying-in period; and   observing the data of the maximum value of the temperature of the heater wire located nearest to the substrate transfer port during the substrate-carrying-in step, and then performing an alarming process for giving a notice that the heater wire is approaching the end of its life when the maximum value is judged to be higher than a predetermined temperature and then judged to be in a lowering trend.   
     
     
         14 . The life estimating method for the heater wires according to  claim 13 , wherein a noticing process for giving a notice that there is a sign of disconnection of the heater wire is performed at a point of time that the maximum value of the temperature of the heater wire during the substrate-carrying-in period is shifted higher than the predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The life estimating method for the heater wires according to  claim 14 , wherein upon judging whether or not the maximum value is in a lowering trend, based on the data of the maximum value of the temperature of the heater wire during the substrate-carrying-in step, the data being collected each time the substrate holding tool is carried in, the judgment is made based on whether or not the maximum value of the temperature of the heater wire is successively lowered over a predetermined number of times or more. 
     
     
         16 . The life estimating method for the heater wires according to  claim 14 , wherein an average of changing amounts of the maximum value is obtained from the data of the maximum value of the temperature of the heater wire during the substrate-carrying-in step, the data being collected each time the substrate holding tool is carried in, and wherein the maximum value is judged to be in a lowering trend when the average of changing amounts is successively lowered over a predetermined number of times. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A heating apparatus comprising:
 a processing chamber having a plurality of heating zones and configured to elevate temperature of a substrate to be processed, up to a preset temperature, as well as configured to perform a heating process to the substrate;   a plurality of heater wires each corresponding to each heating zone and adapted for generating heat up to a temperature based on magnitude of electric power respectively supplied from a plurality of power sources; and   a control unit adapted for controlling the electric power supplied from each power source, so as to perform temperature control using each heater wire,   wherein the control unit collects data of the electric power supplied to each heater wire, during a temperature rising period provided for elevating the temperature up to the preset heating temperature, each time the heating process is repeated, and performs an alarming process for giving a notice that the life with respect to the plurality of heater wires is approaching the end when a Mahalanobis' distance, between a center of distribution obtained, in advance, based on the distribution of the plurality of electric power data obtained when the plurality of the heater wires were all in a normal state, and the electric power data, which is an object to be measured, of the heater wires, exceeds a preset threshold value.   
     
     
         19 . A heating apparatus comprising:
 a processing chamber having a substrate transfer port and configured to elevate temperature of a plurality of substrates to be processed, up to a preset temperature, as well as configured to perform a heating process to the substrates;   a substrate holding tool configured to be optionally carried in and carried out relative to the substrate transfer port provided at the processing chamber, and adapted for holding the plurality of substrates to be processed;   a plurality of heater wires provided outside the processing chamber; and   a control unit adapted for controlling an amount of heat generation of the heater wires, so as to control temperature in the processing chamber,   wherein the control unit collects data of a maximum value of temperature with respect to the heater wire located nearest to the substrate transfer port upon carrying in the substrate holding tool through the substrate transfer port during a substrate-carrying-in period, observes the data of the maximum value of the temperature of the heater wire during the substrate-carrying-in step, and performs an alarming process for giving a notice that the heater wire is approaching the end of its life, when judging that the maximum value is judged to be higher than a predetermined temperature.   
     
     
         20 . A heating apparatus comprising:
 a processing chamber having a substrate transfer port and configured to elevate temperature of a plurality of substrates to be processed, up to a preset temperature, as well as configured to perform a heating process to the substrates;   a substrate holding tool configured to be optionally carried in and carried out relative to the substrate transfer port provided to the processing chamber, and adapted for holding the plurality of substrates to be processed;   a plurality of heater wires provided outside the processing chamber; and   a control unit adapted for controlling an amount of heat generation of the heater wires, so as to control temperature in the processing chamber,   wherein the control unit collects data of a maximum value of temperature detected with respect to the heater wire located nearest to the substrate transfer port upon carrying in the substrate holding tool through the substrate transfer port during a substrate-carrying-in step, observes the data of the maximum value of the temperature of the heater wire during the substrate-carrying-in period, and performs an alarming process for giving a notice that the heater wire is approaching the end of its life, when the maximum value is judged to be higher than a predetermined temperature, and then to be in a lowering trend.   
     
     
         21 - 22 . (canceled)