Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus can prevent photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure of a surface to be processed of a substrate to light, and can perform processing, such as cleaning, of a substrate surface while preventing photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure to light. The substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing areas housing therein processing units which have been subjected to light shielding processing; and at least one transfer area housing therein a transfer robot and disposed between two adjacent ones of the plurality of processing areas. A light shielding wall is provided between the transfer area and each of the two adjacent processing areas, and a light-shielding maintenance door is provided for the front opening of the transfer area. The processing units are coupled to the light shielding walls in a light-shielding manner.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can reduce scratches that are generated on a surface of a substrate during polishing by detecting a foreign matter such as a fragment of the substrate on an inner circumferential surface of a retaining ring for holding an edge portion (peripheral portion) of the substrate is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring having a substrate holding surface to hold a beck surface of a substrate and a retaining ring to retain the substrate on the substrate holding surface. The top ring holds the substrate and presses the substrate against the polishing surface. The polishing apparatus includes an imaging device configured to image an inner circumferential surface of the retaining ring, and an image processor configured to process an image obtained by the imaging device to judge whether there is a foreign matter on the inner circumferential surface of the retaining ring.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.

Abstract: There is disclosed a polishing-surface cleaning apparatus to which a polishing liquid, such as slurry, is less likely to be attached. The polishing-surface cleaning apparatus includes an arm having a fluid passage, a nozzle communicating with the fluid passage, and a weld material securing the nozzle to the arm. The weld material fills a gap between a bottom surface of the arm and an edge of a front-end surface of the nozzle.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can reduce scratches that are generated on a surface of a substrate during polishing by detecting a foreign matter such as a fragment of the substrate on an inner circumferential surface of a retaining ring for holding an edge portion (peripheral portion) of the substrate is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring having a substrate holding surface to hold a beck surface of a substrate and a retaining ring to retain the substrate on the substrate holding surface. The top ring holds the substrate and presses the substrate against the polishing surface. The polishing apparatus includes an imaging device configured to image an inner circumferential surface of the retaining ring, and an image processor configured to process an image obtained by the imaging device to judge whether there is a foreign matter on the inner circumferential surface of the retaining ring.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus can prevent photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure of a surface to be processed of a substrate to light, and can perform processing, such as cleaning, of a substrate surface while preventing photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure to light. The substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing areas housing therein processing units which have been subjected to light shielding processing; and at least one transfer area housing therein a transfer robot and disposed between two adjacent ones of the plurality of processing areas. A light shielding wall is provided between the transfer area and each of the two adjacent processing areas, and a light-shielding maintenance door is provided for the front opening of the transfer area. The processing units are coupled to the light shielding walls in a light-shielding manner.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus can prevent photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure of a surface to be processed of a substrate to light, and can perform processing, such as cleaning, of a substrate surface while preventing photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure to light. The substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing areas housing therein processing units which have been subjected to light shielding processing; and at least one transfer area housing therein a transfer robot and disposed between two adjacent ones of the plurality of processing areas. A light shielding wall is provided between the transfer area and each of the two adjacent processing areas, and a light-shielding maintenance door is provided for the front opening of the transfer area. The processing units are coupled to the light shielding walls in a light-shielding manner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus which can improve a tact time of substrate processing. A polishing apparatus as the substrate processing apparatus includes plural polishing sections each for polishing a semiconductor wafer (W), and a swing transporter for transferring the wafer (W). The swing transporter includes a wafer clamp mechanism adapted to clamp the wafer (W), a vertically moving mechanism for vertically moving the wafer clamp mechanism along a frame of a casing of the polishing section, and a swing mechanism for swinging the wafer clamp mechanism about a shaft adjacent to the frame.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus has a plurality of polishing units. Moving mechanisms for moving top rings between polishing positions on polishing surfaces and wafer receiving/delivering positions are provided in each of the polishing units. Linear transporters are provided for transferring a wafer between a plurality of transferring positions including the wafer receiving/delivering positions. Pushers for receiving and delivering the wafer between the linear transporters and the top rings are provided at the transferring positions as the wafer receiving/delivering positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus which can improve a tact time of substrate processing. A polishing apparatus as the substrate processing apparatus includes plural polishing sections (3a, 3b) each for polishing a semiconductor wafer (W), and a swing transporter (7) for transferring the wafer (W). The swing transporter (7) includes a wafer clamp mechanism (112) adapted to clamp the wafer (W), a vertically moving mechanism (104, 106) for vertically moving the wafer clamp mechanism (112) along a frame (102) of a casing of the polishing section (3a), and a swing mechanism (108, 110) for swinging the wafer clamp mechanism (112) about a shaft adjacent to the frame (102).

Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus allows an end face and/or a bevel face of a substrate to be scrub-cleaned in a simple and effective manner. The apparatus has a plurality of rotatable substrate rotating rollers for gripping a periphery of the substrate and rotating the substrate, a cleaning roller capable of rotating and having a cleaning member which is to be brought into contact with the end face and/or the bevel face of the substrate so as to apply scrub-cleaning to the end face and/or the bevel face, and a power transmission mechanism for transmitting a rotating force of the substrate rotating roller to the cleaning roller so as to rotate the cleaning roller.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus having a plurality of polishing units (30A-30D). Moving mechanisms for moving top rings (301A˜301D) between polishing positions on the polishing surfaces and wafer receiving/delivering positions are provided in each of the polishing units. Linear transporters (5, 6) are provided for transferring the wafer between a plurality of transferring positions (TP1-TP7) including the wafer receiving/delivering positions. Pushers (33, 34, 37, 38) for receiving and delivering the wafer between the linear transporters (5, 6) and the top rings (301A-301D) are provided at the transferring positions (TP2, TP3, TP6, TP7) as the wafer receiving/delivering positions.

Abstract: A substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, or a liquid crystal display is polished to a flat mirror finish, and then is cleaned to a high degree of cleanliness. A polishing section having at least one polishing unit performs primary polishing and secondary polishing of the substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing surface. A cleaning section cleans the substrate which has been polished to remove particles attached to the substrate by a scrubbing cleaning. Metal ions are removed from the substrate by supplying an etching liquid.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a rotating substrate has a scrub cleaning tool for cleaning the substrate by bringing the cleaning tool into contact with the substrate, a liquid jet spray nozzle for cleaning the substrate by yet-spraying a cleaning liquid from the nozzle to the substrate, and a swing mechanism for simultaneously swinging both of the scrub cleaning tool and the liquid jet spray nozzle on and above the substrate. The substrate cleaning apparatus also has a cleaning tool vertical driving mechanism for moving at least the cleaning tool from a position where the cleaning tool is in contact with a surface of the substrate to another position where the cleaning liquid jet-sprayed from the nozzle is applied to the cleaning tool, by vertically moving the cleaning tool.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus is provided which comprises a box in which a substrate is cleaned with a cleaning liquid, and an exhaust system for exhausting the box, wherein the box is provided in its upper wall with an air intake opening and the exhaust system is fluidly connected to the box at a lower wall of the box so that air is introduced into the box through the air intake opening, flows down in the box passing around the substrate and finally exits the box through the exhaust system. A door is provided to close the air intake opening when an inside air pressure in the box becomes greater than an outside air pressure outside the box.

Abstract: A subtract such as a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, or a liquid crystal display is polished to a flat mirror finish, and then is cleaned to a high degree of cleanliness. A polishing section having at least one polishing unit performs primary polishing and secondary polishing of the substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing surface. A cleaning section cleans the substrate which has been polished to remove particles attached to the substrate by a scrubbing cleaning. Metal ions are removed from the substrate by supplying an etching liquid.