Abstract: An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device 70 having an electron-optical system for irradiating the object with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron image projected by the electron-optical system; a stage system 50 for holding and moving the object relative to the electron-optical system; a mini-environment chamber 20 for supplying a clean gas to the object to prevent dust from contacting to the object; a working chamber 31 for accommodating the stage device, the working chamber being controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; at least two loading chambers 41, 42 disposed between the mini-environment chamber and the working chamber, adapted to be independently controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; and a loader 60 for transferring the object to the stage system through the loading chambers.

Abstract: A polishing pad for polishing a workpiece to a mirror finish is attached to a rotatable polishing table of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The workpiece, such as a metal body, is held by a carrier and pressed against the polishing pad. This polishing pad includes: an elastic pad having a polishing surface; a deformable base layer that supports the elastic pad; and an adhesive layer that joins the elastic pad to the base layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for polishing a substrate having a film formed thereon. The method includes: rotating a polishing table supporting a polishing pad by a table motor; pressing the substrate against the polishing pad by a top ring; obtaining a signal containing a thickness information of the film; producing from the signal a polishing index value that varies in accordance with a thickness of the film; monitoring a torque current value of the table motor and the polishing index value; and determining a polishing end point based on a point of time when the torque current value has reached a predetermined threshold value or a point of time when a predetermined distinctive point of the polishing index value has appeared, whichever comes first.

Abstract: A substrate drying apparatus includes a drying gas nozzle configured so that, assuming that a surface WA of the substrate W is a projection plane, regarding the drying gas flow Gf in the nozzle moving direction Dr, a collision position Gfw with the substrate W is located downstream of a projected discharge position Gfv?, the projected discharge position Gfv? being a discharge position from the drying gas nozzle projected on the projection plane. In a three-dimensional space, the drying gas flow Gf is inclined, such that an angle ? formed by an axis Ga of the drying gas flow Gf and a vertical line Wp of the substrate W is in a range from a half contact angle ?/2 to an angle determined by deducting the half contact angle ?/2 from 90°, the half contact angle ?/2 being a half of the contact angle ?.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method which can keep a surface of a substrate, which has hydrophobic properties, completely wet with a processing liquid during liquid processing, thereby preventing the formation of watermarks on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a cleaning bath in which a substrate holder holding a substrate is disposed in a vertical position, the substrate holder having a sealing member contacting a periphery of a surface of the substrate to seal a gap between the substrate and the substrate holder, and cleaning nozzles each configured to supply a jet of cleaning water to the substrate holder. The cleaning nozzles are disposed in the cleaning bath and arranged concentrically with a contact portion of the substrate surface contacting the sealing member and located at such positions that the jet of cleaning water impinges on the contact portion or its vicinity in an upper half of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning method can prevent corrosion of copper interconnects even when the cleaning method, which uses two-fluid jet cleaning, is used for cleaning of a surface of a substrate after polishing. The substrate cleaning method includes: carrying out primary cleaning of a surface of a substrate by scrub cleaning using a neutral or alkaline liquid chemical as a cleaning liquid; carrying out finish cleaning of the surface of the substrate by two-fluid jet cleaning which cleans the surface of the substrate in a non-contact manner by jetting carbonated water, comprising pure water or ultrapure water containing dissolved CO2 gas, from a two-fluid nozzle toward the surface of the substrate; and subsequently carrying out final finish cleaning of the surface of the substrate by scrub cleaning using a neutral or alkaline liquid chemical as a cleaning liquid, and then drying the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus removes foreign substances from a substrate at high removal efficiency. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a scrubber to perform surface processing of the substrate by bringing a scrubbing member into sliding contact with a first surface of the substrate, a hydrostatic support mechanism for supporting a second surface of the substrate via fluid pressure without contacting the substrate, the second surface being an opposite surface of the first surface, a cleaner to clean the processed substrate, and a dryer to dry the cleaned substrate. The scrubber brings the scrubbing member into sliding contact with the first surface while rotating the scrubbing member about a central axis of the scrubber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing an object to be polished (substrate) such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table configured to support a polishing pad, a polishing head having a top ring configured to press an object to be polished against the polishing pad while the object to be polished is rotated, and a dresser head having a dresser configured to dress the polishing pad. The polishing apparatus has a head cover having a purge gas introducing unit configured to introduce a purge gas into the head cover and an exhausting unit configured to exhaust the interior of the head cover. The pressure in the head cover is set to a pressure level slightly higher than the pressure outside the head cover, and main components of the polishing head are housed in the head cover.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate holder which can absorb a change in the thickness between substrates and can hold a substrate while preventing deflection of the substrate and keeping the amount of compression of a substrate sealing member within a certain narrow range. The substrate holder includes a first holding member and a second holding member, both for detachably holding a substrate by holding a peripheral portion of the substrate therebetween; and a substrate sealing member, mounted to the second holding member, for sealing the peripheral portion of the substrate along a substrate sealing line. The first holding member has a thickness absorbing mechanism which biases the substrate toward the second holding member at positions along the substrate sealing line.

Abstract: The substrate holder is a device for holding a substrate and pressing it against a polishing pad. The substrate holder includes: an inner retaining ring vertically movable independently of the top ring body and arranged around the substrate; an inner pressing mechanism to press the inner retaining ring against the polishing surface of the polishing pad; an outer retaining ring to vertically movable independently of the inner retaining ring and the top ring body; an outer pressing mechanism to press the outer retaining ring against the polishing surface; and a supporting mechanism to receive a lateral force applied to the inner retaining ring from the substrate during polishing of the substrate and to tiltably support the outer retaining ring.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid scattering prevention cup which has a relatively simple construction and is easy to manufacture, has excellent durability, and can effectively prevent liquid droplets from bouncing off the inner peripheral surface of the cup. The liquid scattering prevention cup is disposed such that it surrounds a periphery of a substrate held and rotated by a substrate holding mechanism for preventing scattering of liquid droplets coming out of the rotating substrate. The liquid scattering prevention cup has a hydrophilic coating formed on at least part of the inner peripheral surface thereof and facing the substrate held and rotated by the substrate holding mechanism. The at least part of the inner peripheral surface has been subjected to surface roughening.

Abstract: An electron beam inspection device observes a sample by irradiating the sample set on a stage with electron beams and detecting the electron beams from the sample. The electron beam inspection device has one electron column which irradiates the sample with the electron beams, and detects the electron beams from the sample. In this one electron column, a plurality of electron beam irradiation detecting systems are formed which each form electron beam paths in which the electron beams with which the sample is irradiated and the electron beams from the sample pass. The electron beam inspection device inspects the sample by simultaneously using a plurality of electron beam irradiation detecting systems and simultaneously irradiating the sample with the plurality of electron beams.

Abstract: A method of producing a diagram for use in selecting wavelengths of light in optical polishing end point detection is provided. The method includes polishing a surface of a substrate having a film by a polishing pad; applying light to the surface of the substrate and receiving reflected light from the substrate during the polishing of the substrate; calculating relative reflectances of the reflected light at respective wavelengths; determining wavelengths of the reflected light which indicate a local maximum point and a local minimum point of the relative reflectances which vary with a polishing time; identifying a point of time when the wavelengths, indicating the local maximum point and the local minimum point, are determined; and plotting coordinates, specified by the wavelengths and the point of time corresponding to the wavelengths, onto a coordinate system having coordinate axes indicating wavelength of the light and polishing time.

Abstract: There is provided an elastic membrane which can uniformly reduce deformation (elongation) of its contact portion, having a contact surface for contact with a substrate, along the contact surface in substantially the entire area of the contact portion from the center to the periphery. The elastic membrane includes a contact portion having a contact surface for contact with the substrate; a first peripheral wall portion coupled to the peripheral end of the contact portion and extending upwardly; and a second peripheral wall portion located on the inside of the first peripheral wall portion, coupled to the contact portion and extending upwardly, and defining a first chamber on the outer side thereof and a second chamber on the inner side thereof. In the elastic membrane, substantially the entire area of the contact portion is reinforced with a reinforcing member having a higher rigidity than the elastic membrane.

Abstract: There is provided an electroless plating apparatus which, despite using a high-productivity batch processing method, can reduce the amount of a liquid chemical brought out of a processing tank, thereby reducing the cleaning time in a cleaning step, and can perform flushing easily and quickly. The electroless plating apparatus includes a pre-plating treatment module including a pre-plating treatment tank, a plating module, and an inter-module substrate transport device. The pre-plating treatment tank is provided with a pre-plating treatment solution circulation line having a temperature control function for a pre-plating treatment solution. The plating tank is provided with a plating solution circulation line having a filter and a temperature control function for a plating solution. The plating solution circulation line is connected to a flushing line for flushing the interior of the plating solution circulation line and the interior of the plating tank.

Abstract: A charged particle beam inspection apparatus comprises: an electron gun for irradiating an electron beam onto a sample; a detector for detecting a signal obtained from the sample; an image processor for forming an image from the signal obtained from the detector, and an energy controller for controlling the beam energy of the electron beam to be irradiated onto the sample. An identical charged particle beam inspection apparatus carries out a plurality of types of inspections. An inspection apparatus of a projection type may be applied thereto. A pattern defect inspection, a foreign material inspection, and an inspection for a defect in a multilayer are carried out. Beam energies E1, E2, and E3 in those inspections have a relation E1>E2 and E3>E2. Charge removal is performed in a transport chamber or other vacuum chamber before an inspection.

Abstract: A polishing method capable of obtaining an accurate thickness of a silicon layer during polishing of a substrate and determining an accurate polishing end point of the substrate based on the thickness of the silicon layer obtained. The method includes: calculating relative reflectance by dividing the measured intensity of the infrared ray by predetermined reference intensity; producing spectral waveform representing relationship between the relative reflectance and wavelength of the infrared ray; performing a Fourier transform process on the spectral waveform to determine a thickness of the silicon layer and a corresponding strength of frequency component; and determining a polishing end point of the substrate based on a point of time when the determined thickness of the silicon layer has reached a predetermined target value.

Abstract: The present invention can reduce the burden on a scrub cleaning member without entailing a large footprint and a long cleaning time and can enhance cleaning performance. A moving arm is moved to move a scrub cleaning member from a standby position above the edge of a substrate to a scrub cleaning position above the center of the substrate. A two-fluid nozzle is moved in conjunction with the movement of the moving arm while jetting a mixed fluid from the two-fluid nozzle toward the surface of the rotating substrate to carry out two-fluid jet cleaning of the substrate. After stopping the jetting of the fluid from the two-fluid nozzle, the scrub cleaning member is brought into contact with the surface of the substrate to carry out scrub cleaning of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a substrate holder which can effect a more complete sealing with a sealing member and makes it possible to take a substrate out of the substrate holder easily and securely, and also a plating apparatus provided with the substrate holder. The substrate holder includes: a fixed holding member and a movable holding member for holding a substrate therebetween; a sealing member mounted to the fixed holding member or the movable holding member; and a suction pad for attracting a back surface of the substrate held between the fixed holding member and the movable holding member.