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: An electrochemical mechanical polishing apparatus is for use in polishing of a conductive material (e.g., metal) on a surface of a substrate by combination of electrochemical action and mechanical action.

Abstract: A pre-polishing treatment solution has a prominent corrosion inhibiting effect, and can be used in pre-polishing treatments for interconnect substrates. The pre-polishing treatment solution comprises a corrosion inhibitor dissolved in an organic solvent.

Abstract: A flattening method can flatly process a surface of a metal film as an interconnect material over the entire film surface at a sufficiently high processing rate even when the metal film has initial surface irregularities. The flattening method for processing and flattening a surface of a metal film formed on a workpiece and having initial surface irregularities, including: coating only recessed portions of the initial surface irregularities of the metal film with a solid or pasty coating material; and processing the surface of the metal film by electrolytic processing using no abrasive.

Abstract: An electrolytic liquid is used for electrolytic polishing which can provide a processed surface having high flattening characteristics with a low voltage applied while ensuring a higher processing rate for an conductive material, and can remove an unnecessary conductive material and expose a barrier film without causing dishing, erosion, or etching at the interface between the barrier film and a metal (conductive material). The electrolytic liquid for use in electrolytic polishing of a surface conductive material of a workpiece comprises an aqueous solution containing at least one organic acid or its salt, at least one strong acid having a sulfonic acid group, a corrosion inhibitor and a water-soluble polymeric compound.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrolytic processing apparatus and an electrolytic processing method which can effectively prevent the formation of pits that would impair the quality of the processed product. The electrolytic processing apparatus including: a processing electrode (210) for processing a workpiece; a feeding electrode (212) for feeding electricity to the workpiece; a power source (232) for applying a voltage between the processing electrode (210) and the feeding electrode (212); a pressure tight container (200) housing the processing electrode (210) and the feeding electrode (212) therein; and a high-pressure liquid supply system (204) for supplying a high-pressure liquid into the pressure tight container (210).

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus can perform an electrolytic processing, which is different from a common, conventional etching, to remove (clean off) a conductive material (film) formed on or adhering to a bevel portion, etc. of a substrate, or process a peripheral portion of a substrate through an electrochemical action. The substrate processing apparatus includes: an electrode section having a plurality of electrodes which are laminated with insulators being interposed, and having a holding portion which is to be opposed to a peripheral portion of a substrate; an ion exchanger disposed in the holding portion of the electrode section; a liquid supply section for supplying a liquid to the holding position of the electrode section; and a power source for applying a voltage to the electrodes of the electrode section so that the electrodes alternately have different polarities.

Abstract: An electrolytic processing apparatus can maintain a difference in electric resistance between a recessed portion and a raised portion in the surface of a workpiece, thereby providing a processed surface with improved flatness.

Abstract: An electrochemical machining apparatus comprises a machining chamber for holding ultrapure water, a cathode/anode immersed in the ultrapure water held in the machining chamber, and a workpiece holding portion for holding a workpiece at a predetermined distance from the cathode/anode so that a surface, to be machined, of the workpiece is brought into contact with the ultrapure water. The electrochemical machining apparatus further comprises an anode/cathode contact brought into contact with the workpiece held by the workpiece holding portion so that the workpiece serves as an anode/cathode, a catalyst having a strongly basic anion exchange function or a strongly acidic cation exchange function, a power source for applying a voltage between the cathode/anode and the workpiece, and a moving mechanism for relatively moving the workpiece and the catalyst. The catalyst is disposed between the cathode/anode and the workpiece held by the workpiece holding portion.

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 pad enables efficient removal of a polishing product and an “old polishing liquid” remaining on a surface (polishing surface) or in through-holes of a polishing pad. The polishing pad has a polishing surface and a plurality of through-holes extending in the thickness direction, which communicate with each other by communication grooves. The through-holes have a diameter of, e.g., 2 to 5 mm. The aperture ratio of the through-holes is, e.g., 10 to 50% of the surface area of the polishing surface of the polishing pad. The depth of the communication grooves is, e.g., 40 to 60% of the thickness of the polishing pad. The width of the communication grooves is, e.g., 10 to 50% of the diameter of the through-holes.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrolytic processing apparatus and an electrolytic processing method which can perform processing of a substrate without destroying devices formed in the substrate even when a fragile material is employed in the substrate and which can reduce non-uniformity in the contact pressure of an electrode member on a substrate during processing, thereby equalizing the processing amount in the entire processing surface of the substrate and the surface roughness after processing. The electrolytic processing apparatus includes: a substrate holder for holding a substrate; an electrode base provided with an electrode member for contact with the substrate, held by the substrate holder, in the presence of a liquid to effect processing of the substrate; and a support base for floatingly supporting the electrode base by a floating mechanism.

Abstract: A polishing method polishes a substrate so as to remove an interconnect metal film and a barrier film formed on portions other than interconnect recesses. The method includes performing a first polishing process of polishing a surface of the substrate After performing the first polishing process, the surface of the substrate is cleaned. After cleaning, a second polishing process is performed for further polishing the surface of the substrate. At least one of performing the first polishing process and performing the second polishing process includes performing electrolytic polishing.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus can perform an electrolytic processing, which is different from a common, conventional etching, to remove (clean off) a conductive material (film) formed on or adhering to a bevel portion, etc. of a substrate, or process a peripheral portion of a substrate through an electrochemical action. The substrate processing apparatus includes: an electrode section having a plurality of electrodes which are laminated with insulators being interposed, and having a holding portion which is to be opposed to a peripheral portion of a substrate; an ion exchanger disposed in the holding portion of the electrode section; a liquid supply section for supplying a liquid to the holding position of the electrode section; and a power source for applying a voltage to the electrodes of the electrode section so that the electrodes alternately have different polarities.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrolytic processing apparatus which can suppress the growth of a gas, which is inevitably generated during electrochemical processing, into bubbles thereby effectively preventing the formation of pits in a surface of a workpiece. The electrolytic processing apparatus includes an electrode section (44) including processing electrodes (76) and feeding electrodes (78) both having a diameter of not more than 1 mm, a substrate holder (42) for holding a workpiece (W), a power source (46) for applying a voltage between the processing electrodes and the feeding electrodes, a fluid supply section (72) for supplying a fluid between the electrode section and the workpiece, and a drive section (56, 62) for moving the electrode section and the workpiece relative to each other in such a manner that the processing electrodes pass every point in a processing surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing apparatus which can process a substrate by using an electrolytic processing method, while reducing a load upon a CMP processing to the least possible extent. The substrate processing apparatus of the present invention includes: an electrolytic processing unit (36) for electrolytically removing the surface of the substrate W having a to-be-processed film formed in said surface, said unit including a feeding section (373) that comes into contact with said surface of the substrate W; a bevel-etching unit (48) for etching away the to-be-processed film remaining unprocessed at the portion of the substrate that has been in contact with the feeding section (373) in the electrolytic processing unit (36); a chemical mechanical polishing unit (34) for chemically and mechanically polishing the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided an electrolytic processing device including: a processing electrode to be brought into contact with or close to a workpiece; a feeding electrode for supplying electricity to the workpiece; an ion exchanger disposed in at least one of spaces between the workpiece and the processing electrode, and between the workpiece and the feeding electrode; a power source for applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and a liquid supply section for supplying a liquid to the space between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, in which the ion exchanger is present. A substrate processing apparatus having the electrolytic processing device is also provided.

Abstract: A object of this invention is to provide an electrolytic processing method and apparatus that can suppress a change in the electric conductivity of a fluid due to contaminants, such as processing products produced in electrolytic processing, so that the fluid can maintain good flattening properties.

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 apparatus has at least one processing electrode (86) and at least feeding electrode (86) disposed on the same side as the processing electrode (86) with respect to a substrate (W). An organic compound having an ion exchange group is chemically bonded to at least one of a surface of the processing electrode (86) and a surface of the feeding electrode (86b) to form an ion exchanger (90). The electrolytic processing apparatus also has a substrate holder (42) for holding the substrate (W) and bringing the substrate (W) into contact with or close to the processing electrode (86). The electrolytic processing apparatus includes a power supply (48) for applying a voltage between the processing electrode (86) and the feeding electrode (86), and a fluid supply unit (92, 94) for supplying a fluid between the substrate (W) and the processing electrode (86).