Patent ID: 7473567

Claim:
A change rate prediction method of predicting a change rate of a specification value of a predetermined film formed on a substrate upon subjecting the predetermined film to electron beam irradiation and predetermined processing using a substrate processing apparatus that comprises a plurality of electron beam irradiating units each of which irradiates an electron beam onto the predetermined film and a processing unit that subjects the predetermined film to the predetermined processing, the method comprising: a measurement step of carrying out, at each of a plurality of inputted current values, measurement of a change rate of the specification value of the predetermined film upon carrying out the electron beam irradiation onto the predetermined film from one of the electron beam irradiating units and the predetermined processing by the processing unit, while changing a current value inputted to the one of the electron beam irradiating units between the plurality of inputted current values; a first calculation step of calculating a relationship between the plurality of inputted current values and the measured change rate; a second calculation step of calculating through simulation an inputted current-related value for when the electron beams are irradiated from the plurality of electron beam irradiating units; and a conversion step of converting the inputted current-related value calculated in said second calculation step into a change rate of the specification value of the predetermined film based on the relationship calculated in said first calculation step.