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: A polishing method which can properly inflate a membrane of a polishing head when a substrate, such as a wafer, is released from the polishing head, is disclosed. In this method, the substrate is polished while moving a polishing table and the polishing head relative to each other. The polishing head has a substrate holding surface and a membrane formed by a membrane. Further, a secondary-side valve is closed and a primary-side valve is opened, thereby storing a fluid, having a pressure adjusted by a pressure regulator, in a fluid storage element. The primary-side valve is then closed and the secondary-side valve is opened to supply the fluid from the fluid storage element into a pressure chamber of the polishing head, thereby inflating the membrane to form a gap between the substrate and the membrane. A releasing shower is ejected into this gap to thereby release the polished substrate from the polishing head.

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: The present invention provides a wet treatment apparatus having divided base frames and waterproofing pans, which has an enhanced waterproofing property and can be easily assembled. A wet treatment apparatus 10 is provided with a first base frame 13 and a second base frame 14. In addition, a first waterproofing pan 15 is arranged on a mounting surface 13a of the first base frame 13, and a second waterproofing pan 16 is arranged on a mounting surface 14a of the second base frame 14. A plate-shaped structure 17 having flexibility is provided on an end 15a of the first waterproofing pan 15. The plate-shaped structure 17 is configured to cover a gap between the end 15a of the first waterproofing pan 15 and an end 16a of the second waterproofing pan 16, and can waterproof a space between the end 15a of the first waterproofing pan 15 and the end 16a of the second waterproofing pan 16.

Abstract: An apparatus for replacing a polishing table, which is used in a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate such as wafer, is disclosed. The polishing table replacement apparatus (10) is used for removing a polishing table (3) from a polishing apparatus (1). This polishing table replacement apparatus (10) includes a crane (10) configured to move the polishing table (3) vertically and horizontally, a table stage (14) on which the polishing table (3) can be placed, and a table-stage tilting mechanism (15) configured to tilt the table stage (14).

Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of stably controlling a pressure in a pressure chamber of a top ring is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a rotatable polishing table for supporting a polishing pad; a rotatable top ring having a pressure chamber for pressing a substrate against the polishing pad; a pressure regulator configured to regulate a pressure of a gas in the pressure chamber; and a buffer tank provided between the pressure chamber and the pressure regulator. The pressure regulator includes a pressure-regulating valve, a pressure gauge configured to measure the pressure of the gas at a downstream side of the pressure-regulating valve, and a valve controller configured to control an operation of the pressure-regulating valve so as to minimize a difference between a target value of the pressure in the pressure chamber and a pressure value measured by the pressure gauge.

Abstract: A lifting device 630b includes a lifting mechanism 640 and an adjustment member 660. The lifting mechanism 640 is provided between at least one of a plurality of units of a substrate processing apparatus and an installation surface of the unit, and adjusts height of the at least one unit with respect to the installation surface. The adjustment member 660 is provided with an extended section 664 extended from the lifting mechanism 640, and is capable of operating the lifting mechanism 640 through the extended section 664.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to set the temperature of a predetermined location inside a processing space in which a polishing pad is disposed to within a predetermined temperature range. A substrate processing apparatus includes a CMP apparatus and an exhaust flow rate control apparatus configured to exhaust a polishing space in which the CMP apparatus is disposed. The exhaust flow rate control apparatus is provided with a first exhaust line, a first exhaust flow rate-variable device and an exhaust control unit. The exhaust control unit includes a storage device storing control data on previously-calculated exhaust flow rates necessary to set the temperature of a predetermined location of the CMP apparatus.

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: The present invention provides a cleaning brush and a cleaning apparatus that can effectively discharge dust, removed from a dresser disk of a CMP apparatus upon cleaning the dresser disk, to the outside of the cleaning system in order to prevent the dust from being again deposited on the dresser disk. A cleaning brush includes a large number of brushes formed to protrude on its top surface, vertical through-holes and into which a nozzle for ejecting a cleaning fluid is inserted, and a recessed groove formed on a lower surface that lower ends of the through-holes and face. It is configured such that dust deposited onto the brushes upon cleaning the dresser disk is discharged to outside from the recessed groove through a gap between the surrounding of the nozzle and the inner surface of the through-holes and together with the cleaning fluid.

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus holds a substrate and presses the substrate against a polishing pad. The substrate holding apparatus includes a top ring configured to hold the substrate and press the substrate against the polishing pad, a vertical movement mechanism configured to vertically move the top ring, a torque detector configured to detect a torque of the vertical movement mechanism when the top ring is being lowered or being lifted by the vertical movement mechanism, and a controller in which a torque of the vertical movement mechanism when the top ring is brought into contact with a surface of the polishing pad at the time of a pad search is preset as a torque limit value. The controller calculates a torque correction amount from the torque detected by the torque detector and a preset reference value, and corrects the torque limit value by using the torque correction amount.

Abstract: A polishing method which can prevent a contamination of a release nozzle for releasing a substrate, such as a wafer, from a polishing head, is disclosed. The polishing method includes: polishing a substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing pad on a polishing table by a polishing head while moving the polishing table and the polishing head relative to each other; moving the polishing head, holding the substrate, to a predetermined position above a substrate transfer device; cleaning the substrate by ejecting a cleaning fluid onto the substrate held by the polishing head located at the predetermined position; during cleaning of the substrate, discharging a fluid from a release nozzle located at the substrate transfer device; and after cleaning of the substrate, releasing the substrate from the polishing head by ejecting a releasing shower from the release nozzle into a gap between the polishing head and the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cleaning brush and a cleaning apparatus that can effectively discharge dust, removed from a dresser disk of a CMP apparatus upon cleaning the dresser disk, to the outside of the cleaning system in order to prevent the dust from being again deposited on the dresser disk. A cleaning brush includes a large number of brushes formed to protrude on its top surface, vertical through-holes and into which a nozzle for ejecting a cleaning fluid is inserted, and a recessed groove formed on a lower surface that lower ends of the through-holes and face. It is configured such that dust deposited onto the brushes upon cleaning the dresser disk is discharged to outside from the recessed groove through a gap between the surrounding of the nozzle and the inner surface of the through-holes and together with the cleaning fluid.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes: a turntable for supporting a polishing pad; a turntable rotation mechanism configured to rotate the turntable; a dresser configured to dress the polishing pad; and a scanning mechanism configured to cause the dresser to scan between a first position and a second position on the polishing pad, wherein Ttt/Tds and Tds/Ttt are a non-integer where the Ttt is a rotation cycle of the turntable during dressing, and the Tds is a scanning cycle during which the dresser scans between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A coupling mechanism which enables a rotating body to follow an undulation of a polishing surface without generating flutter or vibration of the rotating body, and can finely control a load on the rotating body on a polishing surface in a load range which is smaller than the gravity of rotating body is disclosed. The coupling mechanism includes an upper spherical bearing and a lower spherical bearing disposed between a drive shaft and the rotating body. The upper spherical bearing has a first concave contact surface and a second convex contact surface which are in contact with each other, and the lower spherical bearing has a third concave contact surface and a fourth convex contact surface which are in contact with each other. The first concave contact surface and the second convex contact surface are located above the third concave contact surface and the fourth convex contact surface.

Abstract: A method is capable of monitoring the polishing surface of the polishing pad without removing the polishing pad from the polishing table. The method includes: conditioning the polishing surface of the polishing pad by causing a rotating dresser to oscillate on the polishing surface; measuring a height of the polishing surface when the conditioning of the polishing surface is performed; calculating a position of a measuring point of the height on a two-dimensional surface defined on the polishing surface; and repeating the measuring of the height of the polishing surface and the calculating of the position of the measuring point to create height distribution in the polishing surface.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus according to one embodiment includes: a turn table on which a polishing pad for polishing a substrate is provided; a turn table rotation mechanism configured to rotate the turn table; a dresser configured to dress the polishing pad by cutting a surface of the polishing pad; a pressing mechanism configured to press the dresser onto the polishing pad; a dresser rotation mechanism configured to rotate the dresser; a swinging mechanism configured to swing the dresser on the polishing pad; and a controller configured to control the pressing mechanism, the turn table rotation mechanism or the dresser rotation mechanism based on a position and a swinging direction of the dresser.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to planarize the surface of the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring configured to hold a substrate with an outer circumferential edge of the substrate surrounded by a retainer ring and to press the substrate against the polishing surface. The top ring is movable between a polishing position above the polishing table, a position laterally of the polishing table, and a cleaning position. The polishing apparatus includes a cleaning unit disposed in the cleaning position and configured to eject a cleaning liquid toward the lower surface of the top ring, which is being rotated, thereby cleaning the substrate held by the top ring together with the lower surface of the top ring.