Abstract: An apparatus for polishing a substrate includes a rotatable polishing table supporting a polishing pad, a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate and press the substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad on the rotating polishing table so as to polish the substrate, and a pad-temperature detector configured to measure a temperature of the polishing surface of the polishing pad. The apparatus also includes a pad-temperature regulator configured to contact the polishing surface to regulate the temperature of the polishing surface, and a temperature controller configured to control the temperature of the polishing surface by controlling the pad-temperature regulator based on information on the temperature of the polishing surface detected by the pad-temperature detector.

Abstract: A method, which can accurately determine in a short time a relationship between a load of a dresser and a pressure of a gas supplied to an air cylinder, is disclosed. The method includes determining a first contact point where a load measurement device is brought into contact with a polishing table, calculating a relational expression composed to a quadratic function showing a relationship between a measured load and a measured pressure, determining a second contact point where the dresser is brought into contact with a polishing surface of a polishing pad, calculating an amount of correction from the pressure of the gas at the first contact point and the pressure of the gas at the second contact point, and correcting the relational expression based on the calculated amount of correction.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processing part 3 and a washing unit 40. The washing unit 40 includes a main body 43 having a liquid supplying port 41 and a liquid jetting port 42, a flow channel 44 formed between the liquid supplying port 41 and the liquid jetting port 42, and a valve 45 provided in the flow channel 44. In the washing unit 40, when the valve 45 is opened, the flow channel 44 is opened, thereby causing the liquid jetting port 42 to jet liquid, and when the valve 45 is closed, the flow channel 44 is closed, thereby causing the liquid jetting port 42 to stop jetting liquid. The flow channel 44 is provided with a water-hammer reducing mechanism 48 that operates to reduce damage to the flow channel 44 caused by a water hammer phenomenon when the valve 45 is closed.

Abstract: Provided is a polishing apparatus and polishing method which can preferably adjust a temperature of a surface of a polishing pad. A polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to be rotatable, and to support the polishing pad; a substrate configured to hold an object to be polished, and to press the object to be polished against the polishing pad; a polishing liquid supplying portion configured to supply a polishing liquid to a polishing surface; a polishing liquid removing portion configured to remove the polishing liquid from the polishing surface; and a temperature adjuster configured to adjust a temperature of the polishing surface. In a rotating direction of the polishing table, the polishing liquid supplying portion, a polishing region where the object to be polished is pressed against the polishing surface by the substrate, the polishing liquid removing portion, and the temperature adjuster are disposed in this order.

Abstract: Disclosed is a turntable cloth peeling jig including: a cylindrical winding cylinder including a slit formed on an outer periphery of the cylindrical winding cylinder and extending in an axial direction thereof; a cloth clamping member disposed inside the winding cylinder and configured to clamp an outer peripheral edge of a cloth inserted into the slit; an extension bar attached to one end portion of the winding cylinder so as to extend coaxially therewith; an engaging portion provided at a tip end portion of the extension bar and engaged with a rotation jig configured to rotate the winding cylinder; and a handle provided in the engaging portion and configured to support the winding cylinder when rotating the rotating jig.

Abstract: The invention suppresses generation of noises attributable to rotation of a rotary joint. A rotary joint includes a rotating body that rotates on a rotating axis A, a housing disposed so as to surround the rotating body, and at least one bearing disposed between the rotating body and the housing and adapted to support rotation of the rotating body. The rotary joint supplies fluids through fluid connection ports formed in the housing and fluid passages formed inside the rotating body to a polishing table having attached thereto a polishing pad for polishing a substrate or a holding portion that is adapted to hold the substrate while pressing the substrate against the polishing pad. At least one elastic member is interposed at least either between the rotating body and the at least one bearing or between the housing and the at least one bearing.

Abstract: There is provided a cover to which a polishing liquid is less likely to stick and solidify. The cover for a component of a polishing apparatus for polishing substrates is provided with a locking mechanism disposed inside the cover and configured to latch together a main body of the component and the cover. An external surface of the cover exposed to the outside has no recessed portion, and has no horizontal plane, except on the top portion of the cover.

Abstract: A lifting device 630b includes a lifting mechanism 640 and an adjustment member 660. The lifting mechanism 640 is provided between at least one of a plurality of units of a substrate processing apparatus and an installation surface of the unit, and adjusts height of the at least one unit with respect to the installation surface. The adjustment member 660 is provided with an extended section 664 extended from the lifting mechanism 640, and is capable of operating the lifting mechanism 640 through the extended section 664.

Abstract: There is provided a cover to which a polishing liquid is less likely to stick and solidify. The cover for a component of a polishing apparatus for polishing substrates is provided with a locking mechanism disposed inside the cover and configured to latch together a main body of the component and the cover. An external surface of the cover exposed to the outside has no recessed portion, and has no horizontal plane, except on the top portion of the cover.

Abstract: There is provided a polishing apparatus capable of detecting uneven wear occurring on a polishing pad and detecting an appropriate replacement timing of the polishing pad. The polishing apparatus detects, every predetermined time, a value of rotation speed or a value of rotation torque of a table drive shaft for rotationally driving a polishing table or a dresser drive shaft for driving a dresser, or a value of swing torque of a dresser swing shaft for driving the dresser; calculates a change quantity thereof based on the value of the detected rotation speed, the value of the detected rotation torque, or the value of the detected swing torque; determines whether or not the change quantity exceeds a predetermined value; and notifies a user of a warning when a determination is made that the change quantity exceeds the predetermined value.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can continue stable operation of the apparatus without generating torsional vibration in a rotary joint and without generating an abnormal sound at an engagement part between a cooling water pipe and a polishing table is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a rotary joint fixed to a rotating part of the polishing table or a rotating part of the top ring to supply a fluid into the polishing table or the top ring and discharge the fluid from the polishing table or the top ring, and a rotation-prevention mechanism which connects the rotary joint with an apparatus frame to prevent the rotary joint from being rotated. The rotation-prevention mechanism includes a link mechanism having at least one spherical plain bearing.

Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table supporting a polishing pad; a top ring configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad; and a pad temperature regulator configured to regulate a surface temperature of the polishing pad. The pad temperature regulator includes a pad contact element and a liquid supply system configured to supply a temperature-controlled liquid to the pad contact element. The pad contact element has a space therein and a partition that divide the space into a first liquid passage and a second liquid passage that are connected in series. At least one baffle substantially perpendicular to a radial direction of the polishing table is provided in each of the first liquid passage and the second liquid passage.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processing part 3 and a washing unit 40. The washing unit 40 includes a main body 43 having a liquid supplying port 41 and a liquid jetting port 42, a flow channel 44 formed between the liquid supplying port 41 and the liquid jetting port 42, and a valve 45 provided in the flow channel 44. In the washing unit 40, when the valve 45 is opened, the flow channel 44 is opened, thereby causing the liquid jetting port 42 to jet liquid, and when the valve 45 is closed, the flow channel 44 is closed, thereby causing the liquid jetting port 42 to stop jetting liquid. The flow channel 44 is provided with a water-hammer reducing mechanism 48 that operates to reduce damage to the flow channel 44 caused by a water hammer phenomenon when the valve 45 is closed.

Abstract: A workpiece transport device for transporting a workpiece having a substrate layer and a layer to be processed on a portion of the substrate layer is provided. This workpiece transport device has a workpiece holding mechanism arranged to operate so as to hold and release the workpiece. The workpiece holding mechanism has at least one tapered workpiece holding surface on which the substrate layer of the workpiece is held in a state where the layer to be processed is positioned below the substrate layer. The tapered workpiece holding surface is formed so that a clearance equal to or larger than a predetermined distance R exists between the workpiece holding surface and the layer to be processed of the workpiece when the workpiece is held by the workpiece holding mechanism.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes: a rotatable polishing table for supporting a polishing pad having a polishing surface; a top ring head having a top ring; a top ring head cover surrounding the top ring head; a dresser head having a dresser configured to dress the polishing surface; a dresser head cover surrounding the dresser head; a spray nozzle configured to spray a cleaning liquid onto an upper surface of the top ring and an outer surface of the top ring head cover when the top ring is in the substrate transfer position; and a spray nozzle configured to spray a cleaning liquid onto an outer surface of the dresser head cover when the dresser is in the retreated position.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can continue stable operation of the apparatus without generating torsional vibration in a rotary joint and without generating an abnormal sound at an engagement part between a cooling water pipe and a polishing table is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a rotary joint fixed to a rotating part of the polishing table or a rotating part of the top ring to supply a fluid into the polishing table or the top ring and discharge the fluid from the polishing table or the top ring, and a rotation-prevention mechanism which connects the rotary joint with an apparatus frame to prevent the rotary joint from being rotated. The rotation-prevention mechanism includes a link mechanism having at least one spherical plain bearing.

Abstract: A gas-liquid separator separates gas-liquid two-phase flow into a gas and a liquid. The gas-liquid separator includes: a container having a bottom and a side portion, the bottom having a liquid discharge outlet and the side portion having a gas discharge outlet; a gas-liquid introduction pipe for introducing a gas-liquid two-phase flow into the container, the gas-liquid introduction pipe extending downward from above the container and having a lower end located in an interior of the container, the gas discharge outlet of the container being located above the lower end of the gas-liquid introduction pipe; and a guide device disposed in the gas-liquid introduction pipe and configured so as to impart a swirling motion to the gas-liquid two-phase flow in the gas-liquid introduction pipe.

Abstract: There is provided a polishing apparatus capable of detecting uneven wear occurring on a polishing pad and detecting an appropriate replacement timing of the polishing pad. The polishing apparatus detects, every predetermined time, a value of rotation speed or a value of rotation torque of a table drive shaft for rotationally driving a polishing table or a dresser drive shaft for driving a dresser, or a value of swing torque of a dresser swing shaft for driving the dresser; calculates a change quantity thereof based on the value of the detected rotation speed, the value of the detected rotation torque, or the value of the detected swing torque; determines whether or not the change quantity exceeds a predetermined value; and notifies a user of a warning when a determination is made that the change quantity exceeds the predetermined value.

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 polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table configured to hold a polishing tool having a polishing surface, a polishing head having a top ring configured to press a substrate against the polishing surface, and a polishing head cover configured to cover the polishing head. The polishing apparatus further includes a first cleaning liquid supply mechanism configured to supply a cleaning liquid to an outer surface of the polishing head cover, and a second cleaning liquid supply mechanism configured to supply a cleaning liquid to an inner surface of the polishing head cover.