Abstract: The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to support a polishing pad having a polishing surface; a rotatable head body having a pressing surface; a retainer ring configured to press the polishing surface and rotatable together with the head body; a rotary ring; a stationary ring; and local-load exerting devices each configured to apply a local load to the stationary ring. The local-load exerting devices include a first pressing member and a second pressing member coupled to the stationary ring. The first pressing member is arranged at an upstream side of the retainer ring in a moving direction of the polishing surface, and the second pressing member is arranged at a downstream side of the retainer ring in the moving direction of the polishing surface.

Abstract: An eddy current detection device configured to form a stronger magnetic field in a polishing target and a polishing apparatus employing the same eddy current detection device are provided. An eddy current detection device that can be disposed near a semiconductor wafer on which a conductive film is formed includes a plurality of eddy current sensors. The plurality of eddy current sensors are disposed near to one another. Each of the plurality of eddy current sensors includes a pot core, an exciting coil disposed in the pot core and configured to form an eddy current in the conductive film, and a detection coil disposed in the pot core and configured to detect the eddy current formed in the conductive film.

Abstract: An advanced substrate rotation device is provided. A substrate rotation device is disclosed. The substrate rotation device includes an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder positioned inside the outer cylinder, a motor for rotating the inner cylinder, a magnetic bearing for magnetically levitating the inner cylinder, and a substrate holder disposed on the inner cylinder. The motor is a radial motor including a motor stator mounted on the outer cylinder, and a motor rotor mounted on the inner cylinder. The magnetic bearing is a radial magnetic bearing including a magnetic bearing stator mounted on the outer cylinder, and a magnetic bearing rotor mounted on the inner cylinder. The magnetic bearing is configured to magnetically levitate the inner cylinder with an attractive force between the magnetic bearing stator and the magnetic bearing rotor.

Abstract: A drying module 300 according to the present disclosure includes a drying tank 320 having a wall 322, a liquid supply port 334 for supplying liquid to an inner surface of the wall 322 and an outlet 336, a plurality of nozzles 340 for spraying a gas to a substrate holder 200, a liquid supply system 312 which supplies the liquid from the liquid supply port 334 to the inside of the drying tank 320, a gas supply system 310 which supplies the gas to the plurality of nozzles 340, and a control module 380. The control module 380 controls the liquid supply system 312 and the gas supply system 310 such that the plurality of nozzles 340 sprays the gas to the substrate holder 200 or a substrate W while the liquid supply port 334 supplies the liquid to the inner surface of the wall 322.

Abstract: Provided is a plate that is arranged between a substrate and an anode in a plating tank. This plate has a plurality of circular pores on each one of at least three reference circles that are concentric with each other and that are different from each other in diameter. The plurality of circular pores include three circular pores that are arranged respectively on adjacent three of the at least three reference circles, and that have centers which are out of alignment with each other on an arbitrary radius on the plate.

Abstract: A plating apparatus including a thief electrode that can be suitably maintained is provided. The plating apparatus includes a substrate holder holding a substrate, a thief electrode supporter supporting a thief electrode to be disposed outside the substrate, a plating tank configured to immerse the substrate in a plating solution for applying an electroplating treatment, a thief electrode maintenance tank configured to perform maintenance of the thief electrode, and a transport module configured to transport the thief electrode supporter to the plating tank and the thief electrode maintenance tank.

Abstract: A paddle for agitating a plating solution by reciprocating parallel to a surface of a substrate is disclosed. The paddle includes a plurality of vertically-extending agitation rods. Each agitation rod includes: a planar portion perpendicular to a reciprocating direction of the paddle; two slope surfaces extending from side ends of the planar portion in directions closer to each other, the two slope surfaces being symmetric with respect to a center line of the agitation rod, the center line being perpendicular to the planar portion; and a tip portion connected with the two slope surfaces.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate holder for holding a substrate including a first holding member having a first opening portion for exposing a first surface of the substrate, and a second holding member configured to hold the substrate together with the first holding member and having a second opening portion for exposing a second surface of the substrate, wherein the first holding member has at least one first external connection contact, and the second holding member has at least one second external connection contact that is independent of the first external connection contact.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning method and a substrate cleaning apparatus are provided. The substrate cleaning method includes a first step of applying a chemical solution to a lower surface of a substrate, and a second step of subsequently applying a bubble-containing liquid to the lower surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a metal interconnect structure containing no barrier metal and a method of manufacturing the metal interconnect structure. The method includes: filling at least a first interconnect trench with an intermetallic compound by depositing the intermetallic compound on an insulating layer having the first interconnect trench and a second interconnect trench formed in the insulating layer, the second interconnect trench being wider than the first interconnect trench; performing a planarization process of polishing the intermetallic compound until the insulating layer is exposed; and then performing a height adjustment process of polishing the intermetallic compound and the insulating layer until a height of the intermetallic compound in the first interconnect trench reaches a predetermined height.

Abstract: A substrate conveyance method, a substrate processing device, and a recording medium are provided. The substrate conveyance method includes: conveying a substrate into a receiving unit and confirming that the substrate is present in the receiving unit by detecting that light irradiated from an optical sensor is blocked by the substrate conveyed to the receiving unit; and stopping light irradiation from the optical sensor before the substrate is conveyed out from the receiving unit.

Abstract: Provided is a top ring that ensures uniformly pressing a substrate against a polishing pad. A top ring 302 for holding a substrate WF includes a base member 301 coupled to a top ring shaft 18, an elastic film 320 that is mounted to the base member 301 and forms a pressurization chamber 322 for pressurizing the substrate WF between the base member 301 and the elastic film 320, a substrate suction member 330 that includes a porous member 334 including a substrate suction surface 334a for suctioning the substrate WF and a pressure reducing portion 334b communicating with a pressure reducing unit 31. The substrate suction member 330 is held to the elastic film 320.

Abstract: A temperature control system is used for controlling a temperature of a control target. The system includes: a first circulation circuit through which a first heat transfer medium circulates; a second circulation circuit that is independent of the first circulation circuit and through which a second heat transfer medium circulates; and a third circulation circuit that is independent of the first circulation circuit and the second circulation circuit and through which a third heat transfer medium circulates. The third heat transfer medium has a usable temperature range wider than usable temperature ranges of the first heat transfer medium and the second heat transfer medium.

Abstract: A sealing system includes: a double mechanical seal having a pump-side sealing mechanism (10, 12) and an atmospheric-side sealing mechanism (11, 13); a pump mechanism (19) driven by a rotational shaft (1); a first medium circulation line (30) for circulating a fluid barrier-and-cooling medium between a first chamber (22a) and a second chamber (22b), the first medium circulation line (30) being coupled to the first chamber (22a) and the second chamber (22b), the fluid barrier-and-cooling medium being different from a fluid handled by the centrifugal pump; a heat exchanger (21) and a shut-off valve (28) attached to the first medium circulation line (30); a second medium circulation line (31) bypassing the shut-off valve (28); and a medium pressurizing pump (45) and an on-off valve (23) attached to the second medium circulation line (31).

Abstract: There is disclosed a substrate processing apparatus which can align a center of a substrate with a central axis of a process stage with high accuracy to prevent a defective substrate from being produced. The substrate processing apparatus includes: an eccentricity detecting mechanism configured to obtain an amount of eccentricity and an eccentricity direction of a center of the substrate, held on the centering stage, from a central axis of the centering stage; and an aligner configured to align the center of the substrate with a central axis of a process stage. The aligner obtains, after the substrate is transferred from the centering stage to the process stage, an amount of eccentricity and an eccentricity direction of the center of the substrate from the central axis of the process stage by use of the eccentricity detecting mechanism; and confirms that the obtained amount of eccentricity of the center of the substrate from the central axis of the process stage is within a predetermined allowable range.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate holder. The substrate holder comprises a contact assembly; a first plate configured to hold a substrate between the contact assembly and the first plate; at least one first pin fixed to the contact assembly, extended toward a first plate side on outside of the substrate, and provided with a locked portion; a locking member placed on a side opposite to the contact assembly relative to the first plate and configured to be displaceable between a locked state and an unlocked state with respect to the locked portion of the first pin; and at least one first biasing member placed between the locking member and the first plate along an outer circumferential part of the substrate such as to separate the locking member and the first plate from each other and compressed between the locking member and the first plate in the locked state to bias the first plate toward the contact assembly.

Abstract: To partially or locally control a plating film thickness on a polygonal substrate. There is provided a regulation plate for adjusting a current between an anode and the polygonal substrate. This regulation plate includes a main body that has an edge forming a polygonal opening through which the current passes and an attachable/detachable shielding member to shield at least a part of the polygonal opening.

Abstract: A leak check method includes: performing a first inspection of measuring a pressure in an internal space formed by a seal of the substrate holder, while evacuating the internal space, and detecting that the pressure reaches a first pressure threshold value within a predetermined first inspection time; performing a second inspection of closing the internal space that has been evacuated, measuring the pressure in the closed internal space, and detecting that the pressure in the closed internal space does not exceed a second pressure threshold value within a predetermined second inspection time; and performing a third inspection of measuring a pressure difference between the pressure in the closed internal space and a vacuum pressure in a master container, and detecting that an amount of increase in the pressure difference within a predetermined third inspection time is kept equal to or below a pressure difference threshold value.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning device and a substrate polishing device are provided. The substrate cleaning device is provided in a substrate polishing device, which includes a polishing table having a polishing surface for polishing a substrate and a top ring holding the substrate with a membrane while surrounding an outer peripheral part of the substrate with a retainer ring, and cleaning the surface after polishing. The top ring is freely movable between a substrate polishing position above the table and a substrate handover position at a side of the table. The substrate cleaning device is provided corresponding to a cleaning position between the polishing and handover positions, and includes a first spray unit including cleaning nozzles for spraying cleaning liquid on the substrate, membrane, and retainer ring at the cleaning position; and a second spray unit including a substrate rinse nozzle spraying rinse liquid onto the substrate at the cleaning position.