Abstract: A polishing apparatus can produce a uniform quality of polished products by supplying a polishing solution consistently without being affected by any disturbances in the solution supply source. The polishing apparatus comprises: a polishing section for polishing a workpiece by pressing the same against a polishing tool; a solution piping assembly to be connected to an external solution supply device for transferring a polishing solution therefrom to the polishing section; and a solution suction device provided in the solution piping assembly for introducing the polishing solution from the solution supply device to the polishing section at a desired flow rate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes an arrangement of a plurality of units to deal with various operations and a robot having at least one arm. The plurality of units are disposed around the robot and include a loading unit for receiving thereon a, e.g. dry, workpiece to be polished, a polishing system including at least one polishing unit for polishing the workpiece, a washing system and a drying system at least including one washing unit for washing and drying the polished workpiece, and an unloading unit for receiving thereon a resultant clean and dry polished workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes an arrangement of a plurality of units to deal with various operations and a robot having at least one arm. The plurality of units are disposed around the robot and include a loading unit for receiving thereon a, e.g. dry, workpiece to be polished, a polishing system including at least one polishing unit for polishing the workpiece, a washing system and a drying system at least including one washing unit for washing and drying the polished workpiece, and an unloading unit for receiving thereon a resultant clean and dry polished workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes an arrangement of a plurality of units to deal with various operations and a robot having at least one arm. The plurality of units are disposed around the robot and include a loading unit for receiving thereon a, e.g. dry, workpiece to be polished, a polishing system including at least one polishing unit for polishing the workpiece, a washing system and a drying system at least including one washing unit for washing and drying the polished workpiece, and an unloading unit for receiving thereon a resultant clean and dry polished workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes an arrangement of a plurality of units to deal with various operations and a robot having at least one arm. The plurality of units are disposed around the robot and include a loading unit for receiving thereon a, e.g. dry, workpiece to be polished, a polishing system including at least one polishing unit for polishing the workpiece, a washing system and a drying system at least including one washing unit for washing and drying the polished workpiece, and an unloading unit for receiving thereon a resultant clean and dry polished workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes an arrangement of a plurality of units to deal with various operations and a robot having at least one arm. The plurality of units are disposed around the robot and include a loading unit for receiving thereon a, e.g. dry, workpiece to be polished, a polishing system including at least one polishing unit for polishing the workpiece, a washing system and a drying system at least including one washing unit for washing and drying the polished workpiece, and an unloading unit for receiving thereon a resultant clean and dry polished workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying a workpiece as used to convey the workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate or liquid crystal panel, between processing apparatuses when the workpiece is processed in the plurality of processing apparatuses. The amount of liquid on a surface of a workpiece is adjusted to a predetermined amount, and the workpiece, which retains the predetermined amount of liquid, is conveyed between processes. The adjusting includes both supplying a sufficient amount of liquid onto the surface of the workpiece, which is in a certain state, and removing a certain amount of liquid from the surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a top ring for holding a workpiece to be polished on a lower surface thereof, a turntable having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of the workpiece held by the top ring, and a dressing tool for dressing the polishing surface of the turntable. The top ring is movable to a first maintenance position therefor, and the dressing tool is movable to a second maintenance position therefor. The top ring, the turntable, and the dressing tool are housed in a single chamber having a plurality of side faces. The polishing surface, the first maintenance position, and the second maintenance position are positioned closely to one of the side faces of the chamber. Such one side face serves as a maintenance face for approaching the polishing surface, the first maintenance position, and the second maintenance position for maintenance of the polishing surface, the top ring and the dressing tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conveying workpiece is used for conveying a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer, glass substrate or liquid crystal panel between processing apparatuses when the workpiece is processed in a plurality of processing apparatuses. The method includes adjusting the amount of liquid on a surface of a workpiece to a predetermined amount, and conveying the workpiece which retains the predetermined amount of liquid between processes. The surface of the workpiece is kept wet by the liquid on the workpiece. The adjusting includes supplying a sufficient amount of liquid onto the surface of the workpiece which is in a certain state, and removing a certain amount of liquid from the surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing semiconductor wafers has a space divided into a plurality of rooms cleaned to different degrees. A storage unit for storing semiconductor wafers is disposed in one of the rooms. A polishing unit for chemically and mechanically polishing a semiconductor wafer supplied from the storage unit is disposed in another one of the rooms. A delivery gate is disposed between the storage unit and the polishing unit and has a temporary storage chamber defined therein for temporarily storing a semiconductor wafer therein.

Abstract: To planarize an insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a polishing slurry containing cerium oxide is used to polish the surface of the insulating film. Using the cerium oxide included slurry as a polishing agent, the insulating film is not contaminated by alkali metals during the polishing process. Furthermore, the insulating film is polished at an enhanced polishing rate.

Abstract: To planarize an insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a polishing slurry containing cerium oxide is used to polish the surface of the insulating film. Using the cerium oxide included slurry as a polishing agent, the insulating film is not contaminated by alkali metals during the polishing process. Furthermore, the insulating film is polished at an enhanced polishing rate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes an arrangement of a plurality of units to deal with various operations and a robot having at least one arm. The plurality of units are disposed around the robot and include a loading unit for receiving thereon a, e.g. dry, workpiece to be polished, a polishing system including at least one polishing unit for polishing the workpiece, a washing system and a drying system at least one washing unit for washing and drying the polished workpiece, and an unloading unit for receiving thereon a resultant clean and dry polished workpiece.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus has a turntable with an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface thereof and a top ring disposed above the turntable for supporting a workpiece to be polished against the abrasive cloth under predetermined pressure. The turntable is rotatable by a first motor through a timing pulley connected to the first motor, and the top ring is rotatable by a second motor through a timing pulley connected to the second motor. A torque detector incorporated in the timing pulley connected to at least one of the first motor and the second motor detects an output torque produced by the at least one of the first motor and the second motor.

Abstract: A polishing facility integrates separate components of polishing such as wafer transport, polishing, cleaning and drying in one standardized facility to provide efficient polishing operation at low cost. The facility is designed to deal with a variety of different types of wafers, including different types of surface film, and is designed also to enables quick and low cost upgrading of the facility to meet advancing requirements of customers. The polishing facility can be placed within a cleanroom to provide efficient handling of polished wafers for further processing and fabrication tasks. Individual work component of polishing is arranged in one block having its own power supply and signal lines, and is controlled by a central controller having a dedicated software program for each work component.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a detachable light weight cloth cartridge which shows little deformation under uneven loading during a polishing operation. Either mechanical or non-mechanical fixation of the cloth cartridge to a turntable is achieved. Mechanical fixation involves attaching the cloth cartridge to the turntable at peripheral and center sections of the cloth cartridge. Non-mechanical fixation involves attaching the cloth cartridge to the turntable by a vacuum arrangement. The assembly of the cloth cartridge and the turntable not only produces excellent flatness on polished semiconductor wafers by maintaining a level polishing surface, but also improves the production yield by preventing breakage of wafers during the polishing process.

Abstract: A film formed on a wafer is polished in a CMP unit. Thereafter, the wafer, which is adhered to a wafer holder, is moved to a portion above an optical sensor. A surface of the wafer is radiated with, for example, a visible ray, thereby measuring a thickness of the film which has been polished. A control unit automatically sets a polishing time for polishing a film on a wafer to be polished next.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece includes a housing unit, a partition wall partitioning an interior of the housing unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, a polishing section disposed in the first chamber and having a turntable with an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface thereof and a top ring positioned above the turntable for supporting the workpiece to be polished and pressing the workpiece against the abrasive cloth, and a cleaning section disposed in the second chamber and cleaning the workpiece which has been polished. The polishing apparatus further includes a transferring device for transferring the workpiece which has been polished from the polishing section to the cleaning section through an opening and an exhaust system for exhausting ambient air from each of the polishing section and cleaning section separately and independently.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is a cluster type of apparatus having a plurality of units which perform various operations. The polishing apparatus includes a universal transfer robot having at least one arm for transferring a workpiece, a plurality of units disposed around the universal transfer robot and including a loading unit for receiving the workpiece to be polished, at least one polishing unit for polishing the workpiece, at least one washing unit for washing the workpiece which has been polished and an unloading unit for receiving the cleaned workpiece. Discrete mechanisms respectively transfer a clean workpiece and a dirty workpiece amongst the units.

Abstract: To planarize an insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a polishing slurry containing cerium oxide is used to polish the surface of the insulating film. Using the cerium oxide included slurry as a polishing agent, the insulating film is not contaminated by alkali metal is during the polishing process. Furthermore, the insulating film is polished at an enhanced polishing rate.