Abstract: The invention provides a surface inspection apparatus and a method for inspecting the surface of a sample that are capable of inspecting discriminatingly between the scratch of various configuration and the adhered foreign object that occur on the surface of a work target when the work target (for example, an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate) is subjected to polishing process such as CMP or grinding process in semiconductor manufacturing process or magnetic head manufacturing process.

Abstract: In order to reduce micro scratches which tend to occur during chemical-mechanical polishing, a polishing slurry is diluted with deionized water immediately before it is supplied in a gap between a polishing pad and the surface of a wafer to be polished. By diluting the polishing slurry with deionized water to increase its volume, the concentration of coagulated particles contained in the polishing slurry can be lowered. For a mixture ratio of the polishing slurry and deionized water, about 1 (polishing slurry): 1-1.2 (deionized water) is used, and the concentration of silica contained in the diluted polishing slurry is adjusted to about 3-9 weight %, preferably about 4-8 weight %, and more preferably about 8 weight %.

Abstract: This invention aims to measure film thickness and film thickness distribution to high precision in a wide range of transparent films. As one example, in a CMP process, the film thickness of an outermost surface layer formed on a step pattern of an actual product can be measured so that high precision film thickness control can be performed. To achieve an increase of processing throughput, the film thickness of an optically transparent film formed on an actual device pattern is controlled to high precision by incorporating a film thickness measuring unit, which performs frequency analysis of a spectral distribution, in a polishing apparatus. As a result, an increase of processing throughput is realized.

Abstract: In a semiconductor manufacturing process such as the CMP process with the large ratio of manual work, the automation is promoted in order to achieve the rationalization and the manpower reduction, the improvement of the processing ability, the reduction of the investment amount, and the improvement of the indirect operation efficiency. By just downloading the process recipe of the product wafer from the host computer to the CMP apparatus in the CMP process, the dummy wafer is processed under the predetermined process condition before processing the product wafer. In this manner, the unmanned operation can be achieved. In addition, the measurement data of the film thickness measuring device mounted to the unmanned CMP apparatus is transmitted together with such process data as the polishing time from the CMP apparatus to the host computer.

Abstract: This invention aims to measure film thickness and film thickness distribution to high precision in a wide range of transparent films. As one example, in a CMP process, the film thickness of an outermost surface layer formed on a step pattern of an actual product can be measured so that high precision film thickness control can be performed. To achieve an increase of processing throughput, the film thickness of an optically transparent film formed on an actual device pattern is controlled to high precision by incorporating a film thickness measuring unit, which performs frequency analysis of a spectral distribution, in a polishing apparatus. As a result, an increase of processing throughput is realized.

Abstract: This invention aims to measure film thickness and film thickness distribution to high precision in a wide range of transparent films. As one example, in a CMP process, the film thickness of an outermost surface layer formed on a step pattern of an actual product can be measured so that high precision film thickness control can be performed. To achieve an increase of processing throughput, the film thickness of an optically transparent film formed on an actual device pattern is controlled to high precision by incorporating a film thickness measuring unit, which performs frequency analysis of a spectral distribution, in a polishing apparatus. As a result, an increase of processing throughput is realized.

Abstract: A fabrication method of a semiconductor integrated circuit device including polishing the entire area of an edge of a wafer, for example, by using three polishing drums in which a polishing drum polishes the upper surface of the edge of the water relatively, the polishing drum polishes the central portion of the edge of the wafer relatively and a polishing drum polishes the lower surface of the edge of the wafer relatively, thereby preventing occurrence of obstacles which cause defoliation of thin films on the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: The subject of the present invention is to reduce micro scratches by applying chemical-mechanical polishing. A polishing slurry is diluted with deionized water immediately before it is supplied in a gap between a polishing pad and the surface to be polished of a wafer. By diluting the polishing slurry with deionized water to increase its volume, the concentration of coagulated particles contained in the polishing slurry can be lowered. For a mixture ratio of the polishing slurry and deionized water, about 1 (polishing slurry): 1-1.2 (deionized water) is used and the concentration of silica contained in the diluted polishing slurry is adjusted to about 3-9 weight %, preferably about 4-8 weight % and more preferably about 8 weight %.

Abstract: In the manufacturing method, micro scratches are detected without performing a breakdown inspection on wafers flowing through a mass production process. The method comprises: forming an insulating film on main surfaces of a plurality of first wafers which flow through a mass-production process; preparing a dummy wafer for monitoring, on which a silicon-oxide-based insulating film is formed; performing chemical mechanical polishing on the insulating films respectively formed on main surfaces of the plurality of first wafers and the dummy wafer; performing etching on the insulating film of the dummy wafer with use of a solution containing hydrofluoric acid, after the step of performing the chemical mechanical polishing; and measuring a number of scratches on the insulating film of the dummy wafer subjected to the etching.

Abstract: In the manufacturing method, micro scratches are detected without performing a breakdown inspection on wafers flowing through a mass production process.

Abstract: The invention provides a surface inspection apparatus and a method for inspecting the surface of a sample that are capable of inspecting discriminatingly between the scratch of various configuration and the adhered foreign object that occur on the surface of a work target when the work target (for example, an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate) is subjected to polishing process such as CMP or grinding process in semiconductor manufacturing process or magnetic head manufacturing process.