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 and method has a function of polishing a surface of a film formed on a substrate to a flat mirror finish and a function of polishing unnecessary metal film such as copper film deposited on an outer peripheral portion of the substrate to remove such unnecessary metal film. The polishing apparatus comprises a surface polishing mechanism comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a top ring for holding the substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing table to thereby polish a surface of the substrate, and an outer periphery polishing mechanism for polishing an outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises roll chucks for holding and rotating a substrate, a closable chamber housing the roll chucks therein, and a gas introduction pipe for introducing a gas into the chamber. The substrate processing apparatus further comprises an etching unit for etching and cleaning a peripheral portion of the substrate while the substrate is being rotated by the roll chucks, and a first supply passage for supplying a first liquid to the etching unit.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus and method has a function of polishing a surface of a film formed on a substrate to a flat mirror finish and a function of polishing unnecessary metal film such as copper film deposited on an outer peripheral portion of the substrate to remove such unnecessary metal film. The polishing apparatus comprises a surface polishing mechanism comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a top ring for holding the substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing table to thereby polish a surface of the substrate, and an outer periphery polishing mechanism for polishing an outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises roll chucks for holding and rotating a substrate, a closable chamber housing the roll chucks therein, and a gas introduction pipe for introducing a gas into the chamber. The substrate processing apparatus further comprises an etching unit for etching and cleaning a peripheral portion of the substrate while the substrate is being rotated by the roll chucks, and a first supply passage for supplying a first liquid to the etching unit.

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, wherein 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: There is provided an electrolytic processing apparatus and method that can effect processing of a substrate with high processing precision and can produce an intended form of processed substrate with high accuracy of form. The electrolytic processing apparatus includes: a holder (30) for holding a substrate (W); a processing electrode (32) that can come close to the substrate; a feeding electrode (34) for feeding electricity to the substrate; an ion exchanger (40) disposed in the space between the substrate and the processing electrode, or the substrate and the feeding electrode; a fluid supply section (70) for supplying a fluid into the space; a power source (68) for applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; a drive sections (44, 56 and 60) for allowing the substrate and the processing electrode, facing each other, to make a relative movement; and a numerical controller (72) for effecting a numerical control of the drive sections.

Abstract: An anode as a workpiece, and a cathode opposed to the anode with a predetermined spacing are placed in ultrapure water. A catalytic material promoting dissociation of the ultrapure water and having water permeability is disposed between the workpiece and the cathode. A flow of the ultrapure water is formed inside the catalytic material, with a voltage being applied between the workpiece and the cathode, to decompose water molecules in the ultrapure water into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions, and supply the resulting hydroxide ions to a surface of the workpiece, thereby performing removal processing of or oxide film formation on the workpiece through a chemical dissolution reaction or an oxidation reaction mediated by the hydroxide ions. Thus, clean processing can be performed by use of hydroxide ions in ultrapure water, with no impurities left behind on the processed surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: There is provided an electrolytic processing apparatus and method that can effect processing of a workpiece with high processing precision and can produce an intended form of processed workpiece with high accuracy of form. The electrolytic processing apparatus includes: a processing electrode which can come close to a workpiece; a feeding electrode for feeding electricity to the workpiece; an ion exchanger disposed in at least one of the space between the workpiece and the processing electrode and the space between the workpiece and the feeding electrode; a fluid supply section for supplying a fluid to the space between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and a power source for supplying an electric power between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode while arbitrarily controlling at least one of a voltage and an electric current.

Abstract: There is provided an electrolytic processing apparatus and method which, while omitting a CMP treatment entirely or reducing a load upon a CMP treatment to the least possible extent, can process a conductive material formed in the surface of a substrate to flatten the material, or can remove (clean) extraneous matter adhering to the surface of a workpiece such as a substrate. The electrolytic processing apparatus includes: a pair of electrodes disposed at a given distance; an ion exchange disposed between the pair of electrodes; and a liquid supply section for supplying a liquid between the pair of electrodes. The electrolytic processing method includes: providing an electrode section having, a pair of electrodes disposed at a given distance with an ion exchanger being interposed: and bringing the electrode into contact with or close to a workpiece while supplying a fluid to the ion exchanger, thereby processing the surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: There is a provided a substrate processing apparatus that 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 alleviates workloads in chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) by replacing all or a portion of the substrate processing by means of chemical-mechanical polishing with electrolytic processing using deionized water, ultrapure water or the like and enables processing insuring the higher flatness with the higher efficiency.

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: A polishing apparatus and method has a function of polishing a surface of a film formed on a substrate to a flat mirror finish and a function of polishing unnecessary metal film such as copper film deposited on an outer peripheral portion of the substrate to remove such unnecessary metal film. The polishing apparatus comprises a surface polishing mechanism comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a top ring for holding the substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing table to thereby polish a surface of the substrate, and an outer periphery polishing mechanism for polishing an outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides 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 comprising 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 comprises an ion exchanger having an excellent surface smoothness and an ion exchanger having a large ion exchange capacity.

Abstract: There is provided a method and device for regenerating an ion exchanger which 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 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: A polishing apparatus is used for chemical mechanical polishing a copper (Cu) layer formed on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and then cleaning the polished substrate. The polishing apparatus has a polishing section having a turntable with a polishing surface and a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface to polish a surface having a semiconductor device thereon, and a cleaning section for cleaning the substrate which has been polished. The cleaning section has an electrolyzed water supply device for supplying electrolyzed water to the substrate to clean the polished surface of the substrate while supplying electrolyzed water to the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus and method has a function of polishing a surface of a film formed on a substrate to a flat mirror finish and a function of polishing unnecessary metal film such as copper film deposited on an outer peripheral portion of the substrate to remove such unnecessary metal film. The polishing apparatus comprises a surface polishing mechanism comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a top ring for holding the substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing table to thereby polish a surface of the substrate, and an outer periphery polishing mechanism for polishing an outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning method of the present invention enables effective cleaning of a wafer having a recess therein without causing any increase in cleaning costs. Ozone gas and ammonia water are supplied to an area right above a wafer 7 having a recess therein, and a gas-dissolving liquid is produced by dissolving the ozone gas in the ammonia water. The gas-dissolving liquid is used to carry out contact and non-contact types of physical cleaning on the wafer.