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 substrate cleaning apparatus capable of removing fine particles from a substrate, such as a wafer, without using a chemical liquid is disclosed. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes: a substrate supporting structure for supporting the substrate; a vibration device secured to the substrate supporting structure; a vibration controller configured to cause the vibration device to vibrate at a natural frequency of the substrate; and a cleaning liquid supply nozzle configured to supply a cleaning liquid onto the substrate.

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: 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 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: A polishing apparatus capable of correcting an inclination of a polishing head is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to support a polishing pad thereon; a polishing head configured to press a substrate against the polishing pad; a rotational shaft coupled to the polishing head; a self-aligning rolling bearing that tiltably supports the rotational shaft; a radial rolling bearing that receives a radial load of the rotational shaft; a detector configured to detect an inclination of the rotational shaft; and an inclination adjusting device configured to adjust the inclination of the rotational shaft.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table 12 for holding a polishing pad; a first electric motor 14 that rotationally drives the polishing table 12; a first rotary joint 40 that has a rotating body 41 that is rotationally driven by the first electric motor 14, a housing 42 provided around the rotating body 41, and a seal portion 44 that seals between the rotating body 41 and the housing 42; a second current sensor 31 that detects a current which is correlated with driving load of the first electric motor 14; a friction detecting unit 50 that detects sliding friction in the seal portion 44 of the first rotary joint 40; and an end point detecting apparatus 60 that detects a polishing end point of the polishing target on the basis of the current and the sliding friction.

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 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 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: 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: To provide a polishing apparatus capable of more accurately determining a polishing end point. The polishing apparatus includes a turntable 12, a first electric motor 14 configured to rotationally drive the turntable, a top ring 20 configured to hold a workpiece together with the turntable, and a second electric motor 22 configured to rotationally drive the top ring. The polishing apparatus further includes a weighting unit configured to perform weighting so as to make the current ratios of the respective phases different from each other, and a torque variation detecting unit configured to detect a change in a phase current greatly weighted by the weighting unit and thereby detects a change in torque of the electric motor, the change being generated by performing the polishing.

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: The present invention is intended to set the temperature of a predetermined location inside a processing space in which a polishing pad and the like are disposed to within a predetermined temperature range, for example, a temperature range in which a polishing rate is maximum. A substrate processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a CMP apparatus 10 and an exhaust flow rate control apparatus 30 configured to be capable of exhausting a polishing space 20 in which the CMP apparatus 10 is disposed. The exhaust flow rate control apparatus 30 is provided with a first exhaust line 31a, a first exhaust flow rate-variable device 32a capable of adjusting the exhaust flow rate of the first exhaust line 31a, and an exhaust control unit 33 used to control the first exhaust flow rate-variable device 32a.

Abstract: [Problem] An object of the present invention is to facilitate height level adjustment of a substrate processing apparatus regardless of size thereof. [Means for Solving] A lifting device 630b includes: a lifting mechanism 640 that is provided between at least one of a plurality of units of a substrate processing apparatus and an installation surface of the unit, and that adjusts height of the at least one unit with respect to the installation surface; and an adjustment member 660 that is provided with an extended section 664 extended from the lifting mechanism 640, and that is capable of operating the lifting mechanism 640 through the extended section 664.