Abstract: A polishing apparatus that can effectively and efficiently remove potassium and other alkaline metals comprises integrally a polishing unit for polishing an object by means of a polishing agent and a cleaning unit for cleaning the polished object. The polishing unit and the cleaning unit have means for isolating the internal atmosphere from the external atmosphere and the cleaning unit has a means for cleaning the polished object by bringing hot pure water or steam of pure water into contact with the polished object. With a cleaning method hot pure water is brought into contact with the polished object without drying it after having been polished by such a polishing apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a precise polishing apparatus and method in which a polished body is polished by rotating a polishing pad having a diameter greater than that of the polished body while urging the polishing pad against the polished body in conditions that a center of the polished body is deviated from a rotation axis of the polishing pad and that the polishing pad is contacted with the entire polished surface of the polished body. The polished body may be a semi-conductor wafer.

Abstract: In order to measure a thickness of a surface to be polished of a material to be polished for a short time, two-dimensional images are obtained from a light reflected from the surface to be polished of the material to be polished, a location at which a thickness is to be observed is specified by the obtained two-dimensional images, and thickness measurement is carried out.

Abstract: This specification discloses a polishing method of polishing the surface of a film layer provided on the surface of a substrate by polishing means with both of them driven relative to each other, having a position detecting step of detecting a predetermined position on the surface of the film layer, a first measuring step of applying momentary light from a light source to the predetermined position, and detecting the light beam from the predetermined position by a light receiving element to thereby measure the film thickness at the predetermined position, and a controlling step of controlling the polishing state by using data obtained in the first measuring step. The specification also discloses a polishing apparatus using such polishing method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a precise polishing apparatus and method in which a polished body is polished by rotating a polishing pad having a diameter greater than that of the polished body while urging the polishing pad against the polished body in conditions that a center of the polished body is deviated from a rotation axis of the polishing pad and that the polishing pad is contacted with the entire polished surface of the polished body. The polished body may be a semi-conductor wafer.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus that can effectively and efficiently remove potassium and other alkaline metals comprises integrally a polishing unit for polishing an object by means of a polishing agent and a cleaning unit for cleaning the polished object. The polishing unit and the cleaning unit have means for isolating the internal atmosphere from the external atmosphere and the cleaning unit has a means for cleaning the polished object by bringing hot pure water or steam of pure water into contact with the polished object. With a cleaning method hot pure water is brought into contact with the polished object without drying it after having been polished by such a polishing apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a precise polishing apparatus and method in which a polished body is polished by rotating a polishing pad having a diameter greater than that of the polished body while urging the polishing pad against the polished body in conditions that a center of the polished body is deviated from a rotation axis of the polishing pad and that the polishing pad is contacted with the entire polished surface of the polished body. The polished body may be a semi-conductor wafer.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus that can effectively and efficiently remove potassium and other alkaline metals comprises integrally a polishing unit for polishing an object by means of a polishing agent and a cleaning unit for cleaning the polished object. The polishing unit and the cleaning unit have means for isolating the internal atmosphere from the external atmosphere and the cleaning unit has a means for cleaning the polished object by bringing hot pure water or steam of pure water into contact with the polished object. With a cleaning method hot pure water is brought into contact with the polished object without drying it after having been polished by such a polishing apparatus.

Abstract: In order to reclaim defective articles, wafers carried in from a loading unit are transported to a wafer stocker unit, a polishing unit, a pre-rinsing unit, a rinsing unit, a spin dehydrating unit and a drying unit in the named order, and in a defect inspecting device, defective articles are sorted and the remainder are taken out of an unloading unit as products. The defective articles are classified in a discriminating device in conformity with the kinds of defects and are returned to the polishing unit, the rinsing unit or the drying unit through a return duct.

Abstract: A precision polishing apparatus has a first hermetically sealed chamber provided with polishing means, a third hermetically sealed chamber capable of communicating with the first hermetically sealed chamber through a second hermetically sealed chamber, first and second opening-closing means for alternately placing the first and the third hermetically sealed chamber in communication with the second hermetically sealed chamber, and atmosphere pressure control means for controlling the atmosphere pressure of the first and the second hermetically sealed chamber so that the atmosphere pressure of the first hermetically sealed chamber may become lower than the atmosphere pressure of the second hermetically sealed chamber when at least the first opening-closing means is opened.

Abstract: In order to measure a thickness of a surface to be polished of a material to be polished for a short time, two-dimensional images are obtained from a light reflected from the surface to be polished of the material to be polished, a location at which a thickness is to be observed is specified by the obtained two-dimensional images, and thickness measurement is carried out.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the thickness of a film layer provided on a predetermined surface includes a step and device for detecting light reception signals of interference light of different wavelengths generated when light illuminates the film layer on the predetermined surface, a step or device for performing a first process for obtaining an approximate value for the film thickness by selecting a combination of solutions with the closest values from among solutions for the film thickness obtainable from at least three of the light reception signals corresponding to the respective wavelengths, and a step or device for performing a second process for obtaining an exact value for the film thickness by selecting a combination of solutions with the closest values from among solutions for the film thickness obtainable from all the light reception signals corresponding to the respective wavelengths.

Abstract: A polishing method of polishing the surface of a layer provided on the surface of a substrate includes a surface configuration measuring step of detecting surface information at a plurality of locations on the layer and obtaining the surface configuration of the layer, the surface configuration of the layer being obtained by measuring a distance from a reference surface set relative to the surface of the layer, a film thickness distribution measuring step of detecting the film thicknesses at a plurality of locations on the layer and obtaining the film thickness distribution of the layer, a determining step of determining whether the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of the layer are within a preset allowable range and a polishing controlling step of continuing or stopping the polishing on the basis of a result of the determination in the determining step.

Abstract: An aberration correction system having a first lens disposed at an object side; and a second lens disposed at an image side, wherein the first and second lenses have different dispersions (Abbe numbers) with respect to each other, the surface of the object side of the first lens and the surface of the image side of the second lens which is adjacent to the image have substantially common center of curvature and the first and second lenses rotate around the center of curvature.

Abstract: In order to reclaim defective articles, wafers carried in from a loading unit are transported to a wafer stocker unit, a polishing unit, a pre-rinsing unit, a rinsing unit, a spin dehydrating unit and a drying unit in the named order, and in a defect inspecting device, defective articles are sorted and the remainder are taken out as products out of an unloading unit. The defective articles are classified in a discriminating device in conformity with the kinds of the defects thereof, and are returned to the polishing unit, the rinsing unit or the drying unit through a return duct.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of polishing the surface of a film provided on a substrate, by use of a polishing device, while relatively moving the film surface and the polishing device. The method includes a position detecting step for detecting a predetermined position on the surface of the film, a first measurement step for measuring an absolute value of the film thickness at the predetermined position, and a second measurement step for measuring film thickness information of the film about the predetermined position, on the basis of a measured value obtained through the first measurement step. The method also includes a film thickness distribution measurement step for detecting a film thickness distribution of the film, on the basis of a data obtained through the first and second measurement steps, and a control step for controlling continuation/discontinuation of polishing, on the basis of a data obtained through the film thickness distribution measurement step.

Abstract: A precision polishing apparatus has a first hermetically sealed chamber provided with polishing means, a third hermetically sealed chamber capable of communicating with the first hermetically sealed chamber through a second hermetically sealed chamber, first and second opening-closing means for alternately placing the first and the third hermetically sealed chamber in communication with with the second hermetically sealed chamber, and atmosphere pressure control means for controlling the atmosphere pressure of the first and the second hermetically sealed chamber so that the atmosphere pressure of the first hermetically sealed chamber may become lower than the atmosphere pressure of the second hermetically sealed chamber when at least the first opening-closing means is opened.

Abstract: A device for measuring depth of a groove formed on an article includes a light source for illuminating the article, a first detector for receiving light from a portion of the article having a groove and being illuminated by the light source, and for detecting a spectral reflectance in relation to the received light, a second detector for receiving light from the article illuminated by the light source and for detecting a spectral reflectance in relation to the received light, the second detector being effective to detect the spectral reflectance in a way not affected or substantially not affected by the groove of the article as compared with the detection by the first detector, and a depth detector for detecting the depth of the groove on the basis of the results of detection by the first and second detectors.

Abstract: Fabri-Perot spectroscopy method comprises a step of directing a light beam at a first refraction angle to a first Fabri-Perot interference plate and a step of directing a light beam transmitted through the first Fabri-Perot interference plate to a second Fabri-Perot interference plate at a second refraction angle, and Fabri-Perot spectroscopy apparatus comprises Fabri-Perot interference plates, a control device for changing a spacing between the Fabri-Perot interference plates, a first optical device for directing a light beam to the first Fabri-Perot interference plate at a first refraction angle, a second optical device for directing the light beam transmitted through the Fabri-Perot interference plate at a second refraction angle different from the first refraction angle to the second Fabri-Perot interference plate, and a seal for externally sealing the Fabri-Perot interference plates. Gas for protecting the Fabri-Perot interference plates is filled in the sealed space.

Abstract: A device, usable with an object having a layer, for measuring the thickness of the layer, includes a system for irradiating the object with light while changing its wavelength, the irradiating system having a light-emitting portion disposed opposed to the surface of the object, a photodetecting unit for detecting the light from the object irradiated by the irradiating system, the photodetecting unit having a light-receiving portion disposed opposed to the object, a system for detecting the thickness of the layer of the object on the basis of the detection by the photo-detecting unit, and a setting mechanism for positioning the object, relative to the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion, at a distance that substantially corresponds to an extremum of the quantity of light which is to be received by the light-receiving portion and which is variable with the positional relation of the object with the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion.