Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a substrate by bringing the substrate into sliding contact with a polishing surface. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate holder having a substrate holding surface for pressing the substrate against the polishing surface and further having a retaining ring arranged so as to surround the substrate and brought into contact with the polishing surface, the retaining ring being configured to be tiltable independently of the substrate holding surface; a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the substrate holder about its own axis; and at least one local load exerting mechanism configured to exert a local load on a part of the retaining ring in a direction perpendicular to the polishing surface. The at least one local load exerting mechanism is arranged so as not to rotate together with the substrate holder.

Abstract: An elastic membrane to be used for a polishing head includes a contact portion configured to come into contact with a wafer, an annular side wall provided to stand on an outer peripheral end of the contact portion, a first partition wall linearly extending inward in a radial direction in sectional view from the side wall, and a second partition wall linearly extending inward and upward in the radial direction in sectional view from an outer peripheral end portion of the contact portion, wherein the first partition wall, the second partition wall, and the side wall constitute an edge pressure chamber for pressing an edge of the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing pad and a polishing apparatus for use in polishing of a substrate, such as a wafer. Further, the present invention relates to a method of polishing a substrate, such as a wafer. At least a part of the polishing pad (30) is made of a light transmissive material (34) and a light reactive material (35). The light reactive material (35) is mixed into the light transmissive material (34).

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate polishing unit 40 having a polishing pad for polishing a wafer W, and a top ring 41 for holding a wafer and pressing the wafer against the polishing pad. An elastic membrane 80 for holding a surface opposite to a polishing surface of the wafer W is attached to the top ring 41 as a consumable. The elastic membrane 80 is provided with a plurality of strain sensors 85 and 86 for measuring strain occurring in the elastic membrane 80 during polishing, and data of an amount of strain is read to a control device 15 by detection units 90 and 91. The control device 15 sets a processing condition such as a polishing recipe for the wafer W based on strain information of the elastic membrane 80 measured by the strain sensors.

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus which can adjust polishing profile precisely is disclosed. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane that forms a plurality of pressure chambers for pressing a substrate, and a head body to which the elastic membrane is coupled. The elastic membrane includes a contact portion to be brought into contact with the substrate for pressing the substrate against a polishing pad, an edge circumferential wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the contact portion, and a plurality of inner circumferential walls arranged radially inwardly of the edge circumferential wall and extending upwardly from the contact portion. At least two adjacent inner circumferential walls of the plurality of inner circumferential walls include slope circumferential walls inclined radially inwardly. The slope circumferential walls are inclined radially inwardly in their entirety from their lower ends to upper ends, and extend upwardly.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a rotatable head body having a pressing surface, a retainer ring configured to press a polishing surface while rotating together with the head body, a stationary ring, local load applying devices configured to apply a local load to the stationary ring, and a controller. The local load applying devices include a first pressing member and a second pressing member connected to the stationary ring. The first pressing member is disposed in the upstream side of the retainer ring in the traveling direction of the polishing surface, and the second pressing member is disposed in the downstream side. The controller calculates the inclination angle of the stationary ring based on a measured value of the height of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to support a polishing pad having a polishing surface; a rotatable head body having a pressing surface; a retainer ring configured to press the polishing surface and rotatable together with the head body; a rotary ring; a stationary ring; and local-load exerting devices each configured to apply a local load to the stationary ring. The local-load exerting devices include a first pressing member and a second pressing member coupled to the stationary ring. The first pressing member is arranged at an upstream side of the retainer ring in a moving direction of the polishing surface, and the second pressing member is arranged at a downstream side of the retainer ring in the moving direction of the polishing surface.

Abstract: A polishing method capable of accurately determining a polishing end point of a substrate is disclosed. The method is a film-thickness measuring method for a substrate W using a film-thickness measuring device, at least a part of which being mounted in a polishing table configured to support the polishing pad. The method includes measuring film thicknesses of the substrate W, while rotating the substrate W on a polishing surface of the polishing pad by a polishing head and controlling a position of the film-thickness measuring device relative to the polishing head.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that determines a polishing recipe based on area response data acquired by changing a pressure for each area in a polishing head, the apparatus including an irregularity-presence-or-absence estimation unit that estimates and outputs whether an irregularity is present using new area response data as an input, a screening unit estimates and outputs, when the irregularity-presence-or-absence estimation unit estimates that an irregularity is present, area response data after the removal of the irregularity using area response data estimated that an irregularity is present as an input, and a simulation unit that determines a polishing recipe by simulation based on area response data estimated by the irregularity-presence-or-absence estimation unit that no irregularity is present or a response for each area after the removal of the irregularity estimated by the screening unit.

Abstract: A system includes a first artificial intelligence unit that performs learning using a plurality of first learning datasets input values of which are sets of parameters different from each other in a combination of parameter types and output values of which are corresponding performance values of the substrate processing apparatus, and after the learning uses, as an input, each of a plurality of verification datasets including combinations of the parameter types that are same as the combinations of the parameter types at the time of learning, to predict a performance value; a selection unit that selects one set of parameter types from a plurality of sets of parameter types included in the plurality of verification datasets, by using at least one of a value indicating a percentage of correct answer of the predicted performance value, a time required for the learning, and a time required for predicting the performance value; and a second artificial intelligence unit that performs learning using a plurality of se

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus which can adjust polishing profile precisely is disclosed. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane that forms a plurality of pressure chambers for pressing a substrate, and a head body to which the elastic membrane is coupled. The elastic membrane includes a contact portion to be brought into contact with the substrate for pressing the substrate against a polishing pad, an edge circumferential wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the contact portion, and a plurality of inner circumferential walls arranged radially inwardly of the edge circumferential wall and extending upwardly from the contact portion. At least two adjacent inner circumferential walls of the plurality of inner circumferential walls include slope circumferential walls inclined radially inwardly. The slope circumferential walls are inclined radially inwardly in their entirety from their lower ends to upper ends, and extend upwardly.

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus which can adjust polishing profile precisely is disclosed. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane that forms a plurality of pressure chambers for pressing a substrate, and a head body to which the elastic membrane is coupled. The elastic membrane includes a contact portion to be brought into contact with the substrate for pressing the substrate against a polishing pad, an edge circumferential wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the contact portion, and a plurality of inner circumferential walls arranged radially inwardly of the edge circumferential wall and extending upwardly from the contact portion. At least two adjacent inner circumferential walls of the plurality of inner circumferential walls include slope circumferential walls inclined radially inwardly. The slope circumferential walls are inclined radially inwardly in their entirety from their lower ends to upper ends, and extend upwardly.

Abstract: An elastic membrane to be used for a polishing head includes a contact portion configured to come into contact with a wafer, an annular side wall provided to stand on an outer peripheral end of the contact portion, a first partition wall linearly extending inward in a radial direction in sectional view from the side wall, and a second partition wall linearly extending inward and upward in the radial direction in sectional view from an outer peripheral end portion of the contact portion, wherein the first partition wall, the second partition wall, and the side wall constitute an edge pressure chamber for pressing an edge of the wafer.

Abstract: An elastic membrane to be used for a polishing head includes a contact portion configured to come into contact with a wafer, an annular side wall provided to stand on an outer peripheral end of the contact portion, a first partition wall linearly extending inward in a radial direction in sectional view from the side wall, and a second partition wall linearly extending inward and upward in the radial direction in sectional view from an outer peripheral end portion of the contact portion, wherein the first partition wall, the second partition wall, and the side wall constitute an edge pressure chamber for pressing an edge of the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate holding apparatus used to polish a surface of the substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing tool, such as a polishing pad. Further, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a drive ring used for the substrate holding apparatus. A substrate holding apparatus (1) includes a polishing head body (10), a drive ring (81) disposed below the polishing head body (10), and a retainer ring (40) fixed to the drive ring (81). The drive ring (81) has an annular contact surface (81a) that contacts the retainer ring (40). A flatness in the circumferential direction of the contact surface (81a) is 4.6 ?m or less. The flatness represents a difference in a height between the highest position and the lowest position of the contact surface (81a).

Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a substrate by bringing the substrate into sliding contact with a polishing surface. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate holder having a substrate holding surface for pressing the substrate against the polishing surface and further having a retaining ring arranged so as to surround the substrate and brought into contact with the polishing surface, the retaining ring being configured to be tiltable independently of the substrate holding surface; a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the substrate holder about its own axis; and at least one local load exerting mechanism configured to exert a local load on a part of the retaining ring in a direction perpendicular to the polishing surface. The at least one local load exerting mechanism is arranged so as not to rotate together with the substrate holder.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of precisely controlling a polishing profile, particularly a polishing profile in an edge portion, of a wafer is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a top ring shaft; a housing fixed to the top ring shaft; a flexible membrane configured to press a wafer against a polishing pad; a top ring body configured to hold the flexible membrane; a retaining ring coupled to the top ring body and disposed so as to surround the flexible membrane; a gimbal mechanism configured to allow the top ring body and the retaining ring to tilt with respect to the housing; and a local load exerting mechanism configured to exert a downward local load on a part of the retaining ring.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to support a polishing pad having a polishing surface; a rotatable head body having a pressing surface; a retainer ring configured to press the polishing surface and rotatable together with the head body; a rotary ring; a stationary ring; and local-load exerting devices each configured to apply a local load to the stationary ring. The local-load exerting devices include a first pressing member and a second pressing member coupled to the stationary ring. The first pressing member is arranged at an upstream side of the retainer ring in a moving direction of the polishing surface, and the second pressing member is arranged at a downstream side of the retainer ring in the moving direction of the polishing surface.