Abstract: PROBLEM An upper treatment module performs polishing treatment by, while bringing a pad smaller in diameter than a wafer into contact with the wafer, relatively moving the wafer and the pad. MEANS FOR SOLVING The upper treatment module includes a state detecting section configured to detect states of a polishing treatment surface of the wafer before the polishing treatment or during the polishing treatment and a control section configured to control conditions of the polishing treatment in a portion of the surface of the wafer according to the states of the polishing treatment surface detected by the state detecting section.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a buff process module. The buff process module includes: a buff table on which a processing target object is mounted; a buff head that holds a buff pad for applying a predetermined process to the processing target object; a buff arm that supports and swings the buff head; a dresser for dressing the buff pad; and a cleaning mechanism that is disposed between the buff table and the dresser and is for cleaning the buff pad.

Abstract: A buffing module for buffing a substrate is provided. The buffing module comprises a buff table for supporting the substrate, the buff table being rotatable; and a buff head to which a buff pad is attached, being rotatable and movable in a direction of approaching the buff table and a direction of moving away from the buff table. The buff pad includes a first part and a second part arranged so as to surround the first part on an outer side of the first part, the first part and the second part have different characteristics from each other.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate is provided. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table holding a polishing pad; a top ring configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad; first and second optical heads each configured to apply the light to the substrate and to receive reflected light from the substrate; spectroscopes each configured to measure at each wavelength an intensity of the reflected light received; and a processor configured to produce a spectrum indicating a relationship between intensity and wavelength of the reflected light. The first optical head is arranged so as to face a center of the substrate, and the second optical head is arranged so as to face a peripheral portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing method of polishing a substrate while preventing coarse particles from being discharged onto a polishing pad is disclosed. In this polishing method, a substrate is brought into sliding contact with a polishing pad while a polishing liquid, which has passed through a filter, is supplied onto the polishing pad. The polishing method includes: passing the polishing liquid through the filter while increasing a physical quantity of the polishing liquid until the physical quantity reaches a predetermined set value, the physical quantity being one of flow rate and pressure of the polishing liquid; and polishing the substrate W on the polishing pad while supplying the polishing liquid that has passed through the filter onto the polishing pad.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate is provided. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table holding a polishing pad; a top ring configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad; first and second optical heads each configured to apply the light to the substrate and to receive reflected light from the substrate; spectroscopes each configured to measure at each wavelength an intensity of the reflected light received; and a processor configured to produce a spectrum indicating a relationship between intensity and wavelength of the reflected light. The first optical head is arranged so as to face a center of the substrate, and the second optical head is arranged so as to face a peripheral portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A method and device for regenerating an ion exchanger can regenerate an ion exchanger easily and quickly, and can minimize a load upon cleaning of the regenerated ion exchanger and disposal of waste liquid. A method for regenerating a contaminated ion exchanger includes: providing a pair of a regeneration electrode and a counter electrode, a partition disposed between the electrodes, and an ion exchanger to be regenerated disposed between the counter electrode and the partition; and applying a voltage between the regeneration electrode and the counter electrode while supplying a liquid between the partition and the regeneration electrode and also supplying a liquid between the partition and the counter electrode.

Abstract: A method for polishing a substrate having a metal film thereon is described. The substrate has metal interconnects formed from part of the metal film. The polishing method includes performing a first polishing process of removing the metal film, after the first polishing process, performing a second polishing process of removing the barrier film, after the second polishing process, performing a third polishing process of polishing the insulating film. During the second polishing process and the third polishing process, a polishing state of the substrate is monitored with an eddy current sensor, and the third polishing process is terminated when an output signal of the eddy current sensor reaches a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electrolytic processing apparatus and method useful for processing a conductive material formed in the surface of a substrate, or for removing impurities adhering to the surface of a substrate. An electrolytic processing apparatus, including, a processing electrode that can come close to a workpiece, a feeding electrode for feeding electricity to the workpiece, an ion exchanger disposed in the space between the workpiece and the processing and the feeding electrodes, a fluid supply section for supplying a fluid between the workpiece and the ion exchanger, and a power source. The processing electrode and/or the feeding electrode is electrically divided into a plurality of parts, and the power source applies a voltage to each of the divided electrode parts and can control voltage and/or electric current independently for each of the divided electrode parts.

Abstract: An electrolytic processing apparatus which, while eliminating a CMP processing entirely or reducing a load on a CMP processing to the least possible extent, can process and flatten a conductive material formed in the surface of a substrate, or can remove (clean) extraneous matter adhering to the surface of a workpiece such as a substrate. The present invention includes an electrode section including a plurality of electrode members disposed in parallel, each electrode member including an electrode and an ion exchanger covering the surface of the electrode, a holder for holding a workpiece, which is capable of bringing the workpiece close to or into contact with the ion exchanger of the electrode member, and a power source to be connected to the electrode of each electrode member of the electrode section. The ion exchanger of the electrode member includes an ion exchanger having an excellent surface smoothness and an ion exchanger having a large ion exchange capacity.

Abstract: A method for polishing a substrate having a metal film thereon is described. The substrate has metal interconnects formed from part of the metal film. The polishing method includes performing a first polishing process of removing the metal film, after the first polishing process, performing a second polishing process of removing the barrier film, after the second polishing process, performing a third polishing process of polishing the insulating film, during the second polishing process and the third polishing process, monitoring a polishing state of the substrate with an eddy current sensor, and terminating the third polishing process when an output signal of the eddy current sensor reaches a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An electrolytic processing apparatus can detect the end point of electrolytic processing stably with high precision and with a relatively simple construction. The electrolytic processing apparatus includes: a processing electrode which can come close to or into contact with a processing object; a feeding electrode for feeding electricity to the processing object; a fluid supply section for supplying fluid between the processing object and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; a processing power source for applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; a drive section for causing relative movement between the processing object and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and an eddy current sensor for detecting the thickness of the processing object from a change in eddy current loss. The sensor is disposed not in contact with (or separately) by an insulator from the processing electrode and/or the feeding electrode.

Abstract: The present invention replaces all or a portion of substrate processing by chemical-mechanical polishing with electrolytic processing using deionized water, ultrapure water or the like. An electrolytic processing apparatus comprises: a chemical-mechanical polishing section for chemically-mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate; an electrolytic processing section having a processing electrode and a feeding electrode, and also having an ion exchanger provided at least either between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode, for electrolytically processing a surface of a workpiece under existence of a solution by applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and a top ring capable of freely moving between the chemical-mechanical polishing section and the processing electrode section.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus can supply a polishing liquid uniformly and efficiently to a surface to be polished of a workpiece. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring for holding a semiconductor wafer and pressing the semiconductor wafer against the polishing surface. The polishing apparatus also includes a polishing liquid supply port for supplying a polishing liquid to the polishing surface, and a moving mechanism for moving the polishing liquid supply port to distribute the polishing liquid uniformly over an entire surface of the workpiece due to relative movement of the workpiece and the polishing surface.

Abstract: An electrolytic processing method makes it possible to preferentially process a diffusion barrier layer while suppressing processing of an interconnect metal, thereby enabling omission of CMP or a lowering of processing pressure in CMP. The electrolytic processing method comprises: bringing a surface of a substrate (W) into contact with an electrolytic solution (48) comprising an organic solvent, such as propylene carbonate, and an electrolyte, such as lithium hexafluorophosphate, dissolved into the organic solvent, and optionally an inhibitor composed of a heterocyclic compound; and applying an electric potential, for example, a positive electric potential which is controlled at a value less than the decomposition voltage of the organic solvent, to the surface of the substrate (W) to carry out electrolytic processing of the substrate surface.

Abstract: An electrolytic processing apparatus can increase the efficiency of the dissociation reaction of water and efficiently perform electrolytic processing, and can eliminate the need for an operation of a change of ion exchanger. The electrolytic processing apparatus includes: a processing electrode and a feeding electrode; a liquid supply section for supplying a liquid containing an ion-exchange material between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; a power source for applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and a drive section for moving the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode relative to each other; wherein electrolytic processing of the workpiece is carried out while keeping the workpiece not in contact with but close to the processing electrode at a distance of not more than 10 ?m.

Abstract: An electrolytic polishing method of a substrate having a barrier film and an interconnect metal layer on a surface to be processed under the presence of an electrolytic solution, including a barrier film electrolytic polishing process which removes the barrier film by applying a voltage between a cathode and an anode, with the surface to be processed serving as the cathode, and causing relative motion between the surface to be processed and a polishing pad which faces and makes contact with the surface to be processed.

Abstract: A composite electrolytic processing method makes it possible to remove a conductive film without leaving it in an electrically-insulated state on an underlying barrier film, thereby exposing the barrier film. The electrochemical mechanical polishing method includes: applying a voltage between a first electrode connected to one pole of a power source and a second electrode, connected to the other pole of the power source, for feeding electricity to a conductive film of a polishing object; filling an electrolytic liquid into a space between the first electrode and the conductive film of the polishing object; and pressing and rubbing the conductive film against a polishing surface of a polishing pad to polish the conductive film in such a manner that a barrier film underlying the conductive film becomes gradually exposed from the center toward the periphery of the polishing object.

Abstract: There are provided an electrolytic processing apparatus and an electrolytic processing method which can regenerate an ion exchanger with an enhanced regeneration rate of ion-exchange capacity without adversely affecting the throughput of the apparatus. The electrolytic processing apparatus includes: a holder for holding a workpiece; an electrode section including an electrode, a contact member, and a discharge portion for discharging metal ions which have been taken from the workpiece into the contact member during processing, said electrode section coming close to or into contact with the workpiece held by the holder to effect processing of the workpiece in the presence of a liquid; and a regeneration dummy electrode which can come close to or into contact with the contact member.

Abstract: A method and device for regenerating an ion exchanger can regenerate an ion exchanger easily and quickly, and can minimize a load upon cleaning of the regenerated ion exchanger and disposal of waste liquid. A method for regenerating a contaminated ion exchanger includes: providing a pair of a regeneration electrode and a counter electrode, a partition disposed between the electrodes, and an ion exchanger to be regenerated disposed between the counter electrode and the partition; and applying a voltage between the regeneration electrode and the counter electrode while supplying a liquid between the partition and the regeneration electrode and also supplying a liquid between the partition and the counter electrode.