Abstract: A polishing apparatus is provided. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing unit configured to polish a substrate by bringing a polishing tool into contact with the substrate and moving the substrate relatively to the polishing tool; a cleaning unit; and a first transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate before polishing to the polishing unit and/or configured to transfer the substrate after polishing from the polishing unit to the cleaning unit. The cleaning unit includes: at least one cleaning module, a buff processing module configured to perform a buff process to the substrate, and a second transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate between the cleaning module and the buff processing module, the second transfer robot being different from the first robot.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a buff process module. The buff process module includes: a buff table on which a processing target object is mounted; a buff head that holds a buff pad for applying a predetermined process to the processing target object; a buff arm that supports and swings the buff head; a dresser for dressing the buff pad; and a cleaning mechanism that is disposed between the buff table and the dresser and is for cleaning the buff pad.

Abstract: A polishing head system capable of precisely controlling a pressing force of a retainer member, such as a retainer ring, against a polishing pad. The polishing head system includes: a polishing head including an actuator configured to apply a pressing force to the workpiece, a retainer member arranged outside the actuator, and piezoelectric elements coupled to the retainer member; and a drive-voltage application device configured to apply voltages independently to the piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: A substrate processing method capable of suppressing corrosion of a conductive material on a surface of a substrate by supplying a liquid having a reduced concentration of dissolved oxygen onto the substrate. The substrate processing method includes: dissolving an inert gas in a liquid at not less than a saturation solubility to replace oxygen dissolved in the liquid with the inert gas; generating bubbles of the inert gas in the liquid by depressurizing the liquid in which the inert gas is dissolved; and processing the substrate while supplying the liquid containing the bubbles to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of monitoring a distribution of an amount of liquid, such as a polishing liquid or a chemical liquid, on a polishing surface of a polishing pad, and capable of polishing an object, such as a wafer, under appropriate polishing conditions. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to support a polishing pad; a polishing head configured to press the object against a polishing surface of the polishing pad; a liquid supply device configured to supply liquid onto the polishing surface; a liquid monitoring device configured to obtain optical information contained in light from a plurality of points on the polishing surface; an optical information analyzer configured to determine a distribution of amount of the liquid on the polishing surface from the optical information; and an operation controller configured to control operations of the polishing apparatus.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve a substrate processing apparatus using the CARE method. The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus for polishing a processing target region of a substrate by bringing the substrate and a catalyst into contact with each other in the presence of processing liquid. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit configured to hold the substrate, a catalyst holding unit configured to hold the catalyst, and a driving unit configured to move the substrate holding unit and the catalyst holding unit relative to each other with the processing target region of the substrate and the catalyst kept in contact with each other. The catalyst is smaller than the substrate.

Abstract: One object is to provide a polishing machine and a polishing method capable of improving a processing accuracy on the surface of an object. A method of polishing an object is provided. Such a method comprises: a first step of polishing an object by moving the object and a first polishing pad having a smaller dimension than that of the object relative to each other while the first polishing pad is made to contact the object, a second step of polishing the object, after the first step of polishing, by moving the object and a second polishing pad having a larger dimension than that of the object relative to each other while the second polishing pad is made to contact the object, and a step of detecting the state of the surface of the object before the first step of polishing.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve a substrate processing apparatus using the CARE method. The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus for polishing a processing target region of a substrate by bringing the substrate and a catalyst into contact with each other in the presence of processing liquid. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit configured to hold the substrate, a catalyst holding unit configured to hold the catalyst, and a driving unit configured to move the substrate holding unit and the catalyst holding unit relative to each other with the processing target region of the substrate and the catalyst kept in contact with each other. The catalyst is smaller than the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and a method that allow a control of a removal amount at an atomic level and allow a selective removal from a projecting portion of a process target. According to one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus is provided, and the substrate processing apparatus includes: a table for holding a substrate; a nozzle for supplying a process liquid to a top of the substrate held onto the table; a head for holding a photocatalyst; a conditioner for conditioning the photocatalyst; a first moving mechanism for moving the head in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the table; and a second moving mechanism for moving the head between the table and the conditioner.

Abstract: To perform both buff cleaning of a substrate surface and cleaning of an edge part of the substrate, a cleaning module includes: a rotary table configured to support a circular substrate and have a diameter smaller than a diameter of the substrate; a buff cleaning portion configured to buff clean a front side of the substrate while contacting the front side of the substrate supported by the rotary table; a buff cleaning portion movement mechanism configured to move the buff cleaning portion with respect to the substrate; a buff cleaning portion control mechanism configured to control an operation of the buff cleaning portion movement mechanism; and an edge cleaning portion configured to clean an edge part of the substrate while contacting the edge part of the substrate supported by the rotary table.

Abstract: A polishing method of polishing a substrate while preventing coarse particles from being discharged onto a polishing pad is disclosed. In this polishing method, a substrate is brought into sliding contact with a polishing pad while a polishing liquid, which has passed through a filter, is supplied onto the polishing pad. The polishing method includes: passing the polishing liquid through the filter while increasing a physical quantity of the polishing liquid until the physical quantity reaches a predetermined set value, the physical quantity being one of flow rate and pressure of the polishing liquid; and polishing the substrate W on the polishing pad while supplying the polishing liquid that has passed through the filter onto the polishing pad.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for polishing, comprising a polishing table configured to support and rotate a polishing pad; a holder configured to hold an object and press the object against the polishing pad; a polishing solution supply device provided with a contact member and configured to supply a polishing solution to an opening in a bottom face of the contact member in a state that the contact member comes into contact with or is adjacent to the polishing pad, thereby spreading the polishing solution on the polishing pad, the polishing solution supply device causing at least part of used polishing solution returned by rotation of the polishing pad to be dammed up by the contact member and setting the contact member either in a direction of keeping the dammed up polishing solution on the polishing pad or in a direction of discharging the dammed up polishing solution, according to an angle of the polishing solution supply device with respect to a radial direction of the polishing pad; an arm linked with

Abstract: A polishing head system capable of precisely controlling a pressing force of a retainer member, such as a retainer ring, against a polishing pad. The polishing head system includes: a polishing head including an actuator configured to apply a pressing force to the workpiece, a retainer member arranged outside the actuator, and piezoelectric elements coupled to the retainer member; and a drive-voltage application device configured to apply voltages independently to the piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for polishing, comprising a table configured to support a polishing pad; a polishing head configured to hold a substrate; and a polishing solution supply device configured to supply a polishing solution between the polishing pad and the substrate. The polishing solution supply device comprises a plurality of polishing solution supply ports arrayed in a direction intersecting with a rotating direction of the polishing pad in a state that the polishing solution supply device is placed on an upstream side in rotation of the polishing pad relative to the substrate. The polishing solution supply device supplies the polishing solution, such that the polishing solution supplied from the plurality of polishing solution supply ports has a predetermined flow rate distribution.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a stage for holding a wafer, a catalyst processing member for processing the surface of the wafer using a catalyst, a pressing mechanism for pressing the catalyst processing member against the wafer, a relative motion mechanism for causing the catalyst processing member and the wafer to make a relative movement, and a supply mechanism for supplying a process liquid to the surface the wafer. The catalyst processing member has a processing surface opposed to the wafer, and includes a base material on which a groove is formed on the processing surface and the catalyst. The processing surface of the base material includes a plurality of regions sectioned by the groove. The catalyst processing member holds different types of catalysts in the plurality of regions.

Abstract: A polishing head system capable of precisely controlling a film-thickness profile of a workpiece, such as a wafer, substrate, or panel, is disclosed. The polishing head system includes a polishing head having a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to apply pressing forces to a workpiece, and an operation controller configured to determine instruction values of voltages to be applied to the plurality of piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: Planarization is performed on heterogeneous films with high accuracy. According to one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate is provided. The substrate is formed of an insulating film layer where a groove is formed, a barrier metal layer, and a wiring metal layer in order from a bottom in at least a part of a region. The method includes (3) while the wiring metal layer, the barrier metal layer, and the insulating film layer are exposed to the surface of the substrate: a step of bringing the surface of the substrate into contact with a catalyst; a step of supplying a process liquid between the catalyst and the surface of the substrate; and a step of flowing a current between the catalyst and the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a stage for holding a substrate with a surface to be processed upward; a catalyst holding head for holding a catalyst to process the surface to be processed of the substrate; a pushing mechanism for pushing the catalyst holding head against the surface to be processed of the substrate; a swing mechanism for swinging the catalyst holding head in a radial direction of the substrate; and a pushing force control unit configured to adjust a pushing force of the catalyst holding head by the pushing mechanism according to a position of the catalyst holding head or a contact area between the substrate and the catalyst when the catalyst projects to outside the substrate by the swing of the catalyst holding head.

Abstract: To planarize a substrate having irregularities on its surface. Provided is a method of chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate. The method includes the step of polishing the substrate using a processing solution, and the step of changing concentration of an effective component in the processing solution, which contributes to the polishing of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention simulates polishing amount taking into account pressure concentration that occurs in the vicinity of the edge of a substrate when a small-diameter buffing pad overhangs the substrate to be buffed. One embodiment of the invention provides a method for simulating polishing amount in a case where a polishing pad of a smaller size than a substrate is used to buff the substrate. The method includes measuring distributions of pressure that is applied from the polishing pad to the substrate according to each overhang amount of the polishing pad relative to the substrate by using a pressure sensor, and correcting the pressure that is used in the polishing amount simulation in accordance with the overhang amounts and the measured pressure distributions.