Abstract: A dressing device capable of remedying wobbly rotation of a dresser disc, a CMP apparatus, and a dresser disc. The dressing device is capable of dressing a polishing pad and includes a holder which can be coupled to a dresser driving shaft capable of rotating and moving upward and downward, a dresser disc which can be mounted to the holder and has a dressing surface to be rubbed against a polishing pad, a set of concave and convex torque transmitting sections extending in a disc radial direction which are formed at the holder and the dresser disc and fit together when the dresser disc is mounted to the holder, and a set of contact surfaces in the shapes of flat surfaces which are formed as one surfaces around the set of torque transmitting sections and come into surface-to-surface contact at the time of transmitting torque of the dresser driving shaft.

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 provides a wet treatment apparatus having divided base frames and waterproofing pans, which has an enhanced waterproofing property and can be easily assembled. A wet treatment apparatus 10 is provided with a first base frame 13 and a second base frame 14. In addition, a first waterproofing pan 15 is arranged on a mounting surface 13a of the first base frame 13, and a second waterproofing pan 16 is arranged on a mounting surface 14a of the second base frame 14. A plate-shaped structure 17 having flexibility is provided on an end 15a of the first waterproofing pan 15. The plate-shaped structure 17 is configured to cover a gap between the end 15a of the first waterproofing pan 15 and an end 16a of the second waterproofing pan 16, and can waterproof a space between the end 15a of the first waterproofing pan 15 and the end 16a of the second waterproofing pan 16.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus configured to rotate a substrate, such as a wafer, is disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate a substrate; a natural frequency calculator configured to determine a natural frequency of the substrate; and a processing controller configured to control a rotational speed of the substrate based on the natural frequency of the substrate. The processing controller is configured to control the rotational speed of the substrate such that the substrate is rotated at a rotational speed that is different from a rotational speed corresponding to the natural frequency of the substrate.

Abstract: A robot arm control apparatus for controlling the operation of a robot arm device having at least two arm portions and at least two rotational joints configured to rotate the arm portions includes a control unit configured to control rotation of the joints to move generally rectilinearly the distal end of a predetermined arm portion of the arm portions except the most proximal arm portion thereof. The control unit controls the rotation of the joints so that the motion acceleration of the distal end of the predetermined arm portion when the distal end is moved generally rectilinearly results in coincidence with a predetermined temporal transition. The motion acceleration with the predetermined temporal transition is such that, when the motion acceleration is expressed as a function of time, a derivative obtained by differentiating the function with respect to the time shows a continuous transition with respect to changes in the time.

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 provides a seal device comprising a sealing passage which allows communication between a first space and a second space, and evacuation lines individually connected to the first space and the sealing passage. A gas feed line for feeding dry gas is connected to the sealing passage.

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 dresser includes an attachment secured to a dresser shaft for rotating the dresser, a disk holder removably attached to the attachment by a magnetic force, and a dresser disk removably attached to the disk holder. The dresser disk has a dressing surface. Each of the attachment and the disk holder has magnet for generating the magnetic force.

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus holds a substrate and presses the substrate against a polishing pad. The substrate holding apparatus includes a top ring configured to hold the substrate and press the substrate against the polishing pad, a vertical movement mechanism configured to vertically move the top ring, a torque detector configured to detect a torque of the vertical movement mechanism when the top ring is being lowered or being lifted by the vertical movement mechanism, and a controller in which a torque of the vertical movement mechanism when the top ring is brought into contact with a surface of the polishing pad at the time of a pad search is preset as a torque limit value. The controller calculates a torque correction amount from the torque detected by the torque detector and a preset reference value, and corrects the torque limit value by using the torque correction amount.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to planarize the surface of the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring configured to hold a substrate with an outer circumferential edge of the substrate surrounded by a retainer ring and to press the substrate against the polishing surface. The top ring is movable between a polishing position above the polishing table, a position laterally of the polishing table, and a cleaning position. The polishing apparatus includes a cleaning unit disposed in the cleaning position and configured to eject a cleaning liquid toward the lower surface of the top ring, which is being rotated, thereby cleaning the substrate held by the top ring together with the lower surface of the top ring.

Abstract: To provide a polishing apparatus capable of more accurately determining a polishing end point. The polishing apparatus includes a turntable 12, a first electric motor 14 configured to rotationally drive the turntable, a top ring 20 configured to hold a workpiece together with the turntable, and a second electric motor 22 configured to rotationally drive the top ring. The polishing apparatus further includes a weighting unit configured to perform weighting so as to make the current ratios of the respective phases different from each other, and a torque variation detecting unit configured to detect a change in a phase current greatly weighted by the weighting unit and thereby detects a change in torque of the electric motor, the change being generated by performing the polishing.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a cleaning section for cleaning a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and can be used as a polishing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes a first cleaning chamber which houses at least one first cleaning module and two second cleaning modules arranged in a vertical array, a second cleaning chamber which houses two third cleaning modules arranged in a vertical array, and a first transport robot housed in a first transport chamber disposed between the first cleaning chamber and the second cleaning chamber. The first transport robot is configured to transfer substrates between the first cleaning module, the second cleaning modules, and the third cleaning modules.

Abstract: A method of monitoring dressing of a polishing pad is provided. The method includes: rotating a polishing table that supports the polishing pad; dressing the polishing pad by pressing a dresser against the polishing pad while causing the dresser to oscillate in a radial direction of the polishing pad; calculating a work coefficient representing a ratio of a frictional force between the dresser and the polishing pad to a force of pressing the dresser against the polishing pad; and monitoring dressing of the polishing pad based on the work coefficient.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cleaning brush and a cleaning apparatus that can effectively discharge dust, removed from a dresser disk of a CMP apparatus upon cleaning the dresser disk, to the outside of the cleaning system in order to prevent the dust from being again deposited on the dresser disk. A cleaning brush includes a large number of brushes formed to protrude on its top surface, vertical through-holes and into which a nozzle for ejecting a cleaning fluid is inserted, and a recessed groove formed on a lower surface that lower ends of the through-holes and face. It is configured such that dust deposited onto the brushes upon cleaning the dresser disk is discharged to outside from the recessed groove through a gap between the surrounding of the nozzle and the inner surface of the through-holes and together with the cleaning fluid.

Abstract: A dressing apparatus is used in a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate to planarize a surface of the substrate. The dressing apparatus includes a dresser disk, a dresser drive shaft coupled to the dresser disk, a pneumatic cylinder configured to press the dresser disk against the polishing pad through the dresser drive shaft, a pressure-measuring device configured to measure pressure of the gas supplied to the pneumatic cylinder, a load-measuring device configured to measure a load acting on the dresser drive shaft, and a pressure controller configured to control the pressure of the gas supplied to the pneumatic cylinder. The pressure controller is configured to establish a relationship between the pressure of the gas and a pressing force of the dresser disk against the polishing pad, based on measurement values of the pressure-measuring device and the load-measuring device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method capable of monitoring the polishing surface of the polishing pad without removing the polishing pad from the polishing table. The method includes: conditioning the polishing surface of the polishing pad by causing a rotating dresser to oscillate on the polishing surface; measuring a height of the polishing surface when the conditioning of the polishing surface is performed; calculating a position of a measuring point of the height on a two-dimensional surface defined on the polishing surface; and repeating the measuring of the height of the polishing surface and the calculating of the position of the measuring point to create height distribution in the polishing surface.

Abstract: A dressing apparatus for use in a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate to planarize a surface of the substrate is disclosed. The dressing apparatus includes a dresser disk, a dresser drive shaft coupled to the dresser disk, a pneumatic cylinder configured to press the dresser disk against the polishing pad through the dresser drive shaft, a pressure-measuring device configured to measure pressure of the gas supplied to the pneumatic cylinder, a load-measuring device configured to measure a load acting on the dresser drive shaft, and a pressure controller configured to control the pressure of the gas supplied to the pneumatic cylinder. The pressure controller is configured to establish a relationship between the pressure of the gas and a pressing force of the dresser disk against the polishing pad, based on measurement values of the pressure-measuring device and the load-measuring device.

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.