Abstract: The present disclosure provides a technique for carrying out fabrication on a powder material bedded in advance using a DED nozzle. According to one aspect, a DED nozzle for use with an AM apparatus is provided. This DED nozzle includes a DED nozzle main body, a laser port provided at a distal end of the DED nozzle main body and configured to emit laser light, a laser passage provided in communication with the laser port and configured to allow the laser light to pass through inside the DED nozzle main body, a powder port provided at the distal end of the DED nozzle main body and configured to eject a powder material, and a powder passage provided in communication with the powder port and configured to allow the powder material to pass through inside the DED nozzle main body. Directions of the powder passage and the powder port are determined based on a distance from the powder port to a fabrication point, a velocity of the powder material ejected from the powder port, and a gravitational acceleration.

Abstract: The present invention constructs, in an AM system, such an environment that fine particles are prevented from scattering from an area where the fine particles such as a powder material can be present to another area. According to one aspect, an AM system configured to manufacture a fabrication object is provided. This AM system includes a fabrication chamber in which an AM apparatus is disposed, and a buffer chamber in communication with the fabrication chamber. The buffer chamber includes an entrance in communication with a surrounding environment, an exit in communication with the fabrication chamber, a grating floor, and an exhaust port. The AM system further includes a first gate configured to be able to open and close the entrance of the buffer chamber, and a second gate configured to be able to open and close the exit of the buffer chamber.

Abstract: A method is provided and includes making a polishing table and a dummy disk rotate; bringing the dummy disk into contact with a table surface of the polishing table while a liquid is supplied to the table surface; measuring heights of the table surface at a plurality of measurement points while the dummy disk is moved on the table surface; and creating a table profile showing tilt of the table surface from measurement values of the heights of the table surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a powder supply apparatus. According to one aspect, a powder supply apparatus is provided. The powder supply apparatus includes a container configured to store powder therein, a supply passage configured to supply the powder to the container therethrough, and a valve mechanism configured to open and close the supply passage thereby. The valve mechanism includes a valve main body movable between a first position, at which the valve main body closes the supply passage, and a second position, at which the valve main body opens the supply passage, and further includes a valve seat configured in such a manner that the valve main body is seated thereon. The valve main body includes a first seal portion and a second seal portion. The valve seat includes a first seat portion on which the first seal portion is seated, and a second seat portion on which the second seal portion is seated.

Abstract: Provided is a technique for fabricating a powder material bedded in advance using a DED nozzle. According to one embodiment, there is provided an AM apparatus for manufacturing a fabricated object. The AM apparatus includes a DED nozzle. The DED nozzle includes: a DED nozzle main body; a laser port disposed at a distal end of the DED nozzle main body and for emitting a laser beam, and a laser passage configured to communicate with the laser port and for allowing the laser beam to pass through the DED nozzle main body; and a powder port disposed at the distal end of the DED nozzle main body and for emitting a powder material, and a powder passage configured to communicate with the powder port and for allowing the powder material to pass through the DED nozzle main body. The AM apparatus further includes a cover configured to surround a peripheral area of the laser port and the powder port of the DED nozzle. The cover is configured to have an opened downstream side in an emission direction of the laser beam.

Abstract: In a scheme in which a top ring is held to an end portion of a swing arm, the present invention improves accuracy of polishing end point detection. A polishing apparatus for polishing between a polishing pad 10 and a semiconductor wafer 16 disposed opposed to the polishing pad 10 includes a polishing table 30A for holding the polishing pad 10 and a top ring 31A for holding the semiconductor wafer 16. A swing shaft motor 14 swings a swing arm 110 for holding the top ring 31A. The arm torque detection section 26 detects arm torque applied to the swing arm 110. An end point detection section 28 detects a polishing end point indicating an end of polishing based on the detected arm torque.

Abstract: In a scheme in which a top ring is held to an end portion of a swing arm, the present invention improves accuracy of polishing end point detection. A polishing apparatus for polishing between a polishing pad 10 and a semiconductor wafer 16 disposed opposed to the polishing pad 10 includes a polishing table 30A for holding the polishing pad 10 and a top ring 31A for holding the semiconductor wafer 16. A swing shaft motor 14 swings a swing arm 110 for holding the top ring 31A. The arm torque detection section 26 detects arm torque applied to the swing arm 110. An end point detection section 28 detects a polishing end point indicating an end of polishing based on the detected arm torque.

Abstract: A technique for shortening a shaping period while preventing occurrence of fume and sputtering at an AM apparatus is provided. According to one embodiment, a machine learning apparatus for machine learning of determination of a shaping condition at the AM apparatus is proposed. Such a machine learning apparatus acquires a state variable including a physical amount regarding shaping during and the shaping condition, learns a learning model for determining the shaping condition and determines the shaping condition on the basis of the state variable.

Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus includes a polishing table 30 having a polishing surface 10 in the upper surface, a substrate holding portion 31 that holds a substrate W having a surface to be polished in the lower surface, and a holding portion cover 36 that covers the outer side of the substrate holding portion 31. Between the lower portion of the holding portion cover 36 and the upper surface of the polishing table 30, a gap portion for intake 37 is provided, and in the upper portion of the holding portion cover 36, a pipe for exhaust 39 connected to an exhaust mechanism 38 is provided. By operating the exhaust mechanism 38, a rising air current from the gap portion 37 toward the pipe 39 is formed between the outer surface of the substrate holding portion 31 and the inner surface of the holding portion cover 36.

Abstract: A method includes: vacuuming at least one area among a plurality of areas formed concentrically between a top face of the elastic film and the top ring body under a state where a bottom face of the substrate is supported by a support member and a top face of the substrate contacts a bottom face of the elastic film; measuring a flow volume of gas in an area located outside one or more areas to be vacuumed; determining whether the substrate is adsorbed to the top ring based on the flow volume of the gas; and after it is determined that the substrate is adsorbed to the top ring, separating the elastic film to which the substrate is adsorbed from the support member.

Abstract: One of the objects of the present application is to provide a technique capable of preventing the generation of excessive metallic vapor during fabrication according to an AM technique. Further, one of the objects of the present application is to provide a technique for reducing machining processing after the fabrication as much as possible or eliminating the necessity thereof. According to one aspect, an AM apparatus configured to manufacture a fabrication object is provided. This AM apparatus includes a first DED nozzle configured to fabricate a contour of a fabrication target and a second DED nozzle configured to fabricate an inner portion of the contour.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.

Abstract: One of objects of the present application is to provide a technique for allowing an AM apparatus to reduce a risk of an abnormal stop of the AM apparatus. According to one aspect, an AM apparatus configured to manufacture a fabricated object is provided. This AM apparatus includes a detector configured to detect a shape of an upper surface of the fabricated object in the middle of fabrication, a determination device configured to determine which applies to a state of the upper surface of the fabricated object, (1) an unmelted region, (2) an abnormally solidified region, or (3) a normally solidified region based on data acquired from the detector, and a repair device configured to repair the region determined to be the abnormally solidified region by the determination device.

Abstract: One of objects of the present application is to provide a technique for reducing a fabrication time while preventing or reducing the occurrence of fume and spatter in an AM apparatus. According to one aspect, an AM apparatus configured to manufacture a fabricated object is provided. This AM apparatus includes a beam source configured to irradiate a material of the fabricated object with a beam, an adjustment device configured to adjust an intensity of the beam, a beam adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a beam size on the material, and a fabrication recipe determination device. The fabrication recipe determination device is configured to determine the intensity of the beam and the beam size on the material based on a property of the material of the fabricated object.

Abstract: One object of the present invention is to reduce an amount of consumed metal powder. An AM apparatus is provided. This AM apparatus includes a base plate configured to support a fabrication material, and a beam source configured to generate a beam with which the fabrication material supported on the base plate is irradiated. The base plate includes a plurality of divided base plates adjacent to each other.

Abstract: The present application provides a technique for testing execution data and an operation of an AM apparatus by bringing the AM apparatus into operation before actually carrying out fabrication. An AM apparatus configured to manufacture a fabricated object is provided. This AM apparatus includes a chamber defining a space used to manufacture the fabricated object, a base plate disposed in the chamber and configured to support a material of the fabricated object, a beam source configured to irradiate the material on the base plate with a beam, a computer configured to determine an irradiation position of the beam based on three-dimensional data of the fabricated object, a scanning mechanism configured to move the beam according to the determined irradiation position, a detector configured to detect an irradiation position of the beam applied into the chamber, and an evaluator configured to compare the determined irradiation position and the detected irradiation position.

Abstract: A method of monitoring dressing of a polishing pad is provided. The method includes: rotating a polishing table that supports the polishing pad; dressing the polishing pad by pressing a dresser against the polishing pad while causing the dresser to oscillate in a radial direction of the polishing pad; calculating a work coefficient representing a ratio of a frictional force between the dresser and the polishing pad to a force of pressing the dresser against the polishing pad; and monitoring dressing of the polishing pad based on the work coefficient.

Abstract: The present invention improves versatility of a film thickness measuring device. The trigger sensor 220 includes a proximity sensor 222 and a dog 224, and outputs a trigger signal indicating that a polishing table 110 makes one revolution. The eddy current sensor 210 measures a film thickness of a subject to be polished 102 at a timing based on the trigger signal output from the trigger sensor 220. The dog 224 is disposed in an opposite region 250 located at the opposite side of a rotation axis CW of the top ring 116 with respect to a rotation axis CT of the polishing table 110. Further, the eddy current sensor 210 and the proximity sensor 222 are disposed at the polishing table 110 so as to be located in the opposite region 250 when the trigger signal is output from the trigger sensor 220.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate holding unit that holds a substrate; a pressure regulator that regulates a pressure of a gas supplied into an elastic membrane; and a controller that controls the pressure regulator to make the pressure of the gas supplied into the elastic membrane variable in order to separate the substrate from the elastic membrane.