Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus and a polishing method for polishing a flat portion of a substrate, such as a wafer. The polishing apparatus (100) includes: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate (W) and rotate the substrate W; a polishing-tape feeding mechanism (141) configured to advance a polishing tape (3) in its longitudinal direction; and at least one polishing head (10) arranged near a flat portion of the substrate (W), wherein the polishing head (10) has a fluid pressing structure (12) configured to press the polishing tape (3) with fluid against the flat portion of the substrate, and the fluid pressing structure (12) has a fluid supply port (13) arranged so as to face a back surface of the polishing tape (3).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning method and a substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate, such as a wafer. The substrate cleaning method includes: holding a periphery of a substrate (W) with holding rollers (6); rotating the substrate (W) about its central axis by rotating the holding rollers (6) about their respective central axes; delivering a two-fluid jet from a two-fluid jet nozzle (2) to a surface of the substrate (W) while moving the two-fluid jet nozzle (2) in a radial direction of the substrate (W), the two-fluid jet (2) being composed of a mixture of a first liquid and a gas; and when the two-fluid jet is being delivered to the surface of the substrate (W), delivering a fan-shaped jet of a second liquid from a spray nozzle (3) to the surface of the substrate (W) to form a flow of the second liquid on the surface of the substrate (W). The fan-shaped jet is located away from the two-fluid jet.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate includes a setting device that sets a plurality of recipe items including operation conditions of the substrate processing apparatus and a recipe generating device that acquires a plurality of recipe models obtained by changing values of the plurality of recipe items and experimenting or simulating a processing result of the substrate and analyzes the plurality of recipe models to generate a recipe, the recipe generating device combining a part or all of the plurality of recipe models to generate the recipe such that a calculation value of a processing result of the substrate by the recipe satisfies a predetermined condition.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method which can perform different processes, such as polishing and cleaning, on a surface of a substrate, such as a wafer, with a single processing head, and can process the surface of the substrate efficiently are disclosed. The apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and rotate the substrate; and a processing head configured to bring scrubbing tapes into contact with a first surface of the substrate to process the first surface. The processing head includes: pressing members arranged to press the scrubbing tapes against the first surface of the substrate; position switching devices configured to be able to switch positions of the pressing members between processing positions and retreat positions; tape feeding reels configured to feed the scrubbing tapes, respectively; and tape take-up reels configured to take up the scrubbing tapes, respectively.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus which can efficiently polish an entirety of a back surface, including an outermost area thereof, of a substrate while the back surface of the substrate faces downward are disclosed. The method includes rotating a substrate by rotating a plurality of rollers about their respective own axes while the rollers contact a periphery of the substrate with a back surface of the substrate facing downward; and polishing an entirety of the back surface of the substrate by moving a polishing tool relative to the substrate while supplying a liquid onto the back surface of the substrate and while placing the polishing tool in contact with the back surface of the substrate, the polishing tool being located at a lower side of the substrate.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a thermal conductor; a support that is separated from the thermal conductor and that has a coefficient of thermal expansion lower than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the thermal conductor; and an optical fiber that thermally contacts with the thermal conductor via a resin covering a jacket-removed section of the optical fiber and that is fixed to the support in each of two jacketed sections of the optical fiber, wherein the two jacketed sections are adjacent to the jacket-removed section.

Abstract: A polishing method capable of polishing a substrate, such as a wafer, with low running costs is disclosed. A polishing method includes: rotating a substrate while holding a back-side surface of the substrate with a vacuum suction stage; rotating a polishing head holding a plurality of polishing tools; and polishing a front-side surface of the substrate by pressing the plurality of polishing tools, which are rotating, against the front-side surface of the substrate. The front-side surface is a surface on which interconnect patterns are to be formed.

Abstract: An apparatus which can remove particles, such as polishing debris, from a back surface with high removal efficiency is provided. The apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to rotate the substrate while holding the substrate with the back surface facing upward; a scrub cleaning tool configured to be rotatable; a two-fluid nozzle disposed above the substrate holder; and a housing defining a cleaning chamber in which the substrate holder, the scrub cleaning tool, and the two-fluid nozzle are located.

Abstract: An apparatus which can polish an entirety of a surface of a substrate, such as a wafer, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and rotate the substrate; and a polishing head configured to rub a polishing tool against a first surface of the substrate to polish the first surface. The substrate holder includes a plurality of rollers which can contact a periphery of the substrate. The plurality of rollers are rotatable about their respective own axes.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method which can perform different processes, such as polishing and cleaning, on a surface of a substrate, such as a wafer, with a single processing head, and can process the surface of the substrate efficiently are disclosed. The apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and rotate the substrate; and a processing head configured to bring scrubbing tapes into contact with a first surface of the substrate to process the first surface. The processing head includes: pressing members arranged to press the scrubbing tapes against the first surface of the substrate; position switching devices configured to be able to switch positions of the pressing members between processing positions and retreat positions; tape feeding reels configured to feed the scrubbing tapes, respectively; and tape take-up reels configured to take up the scrubbing tapes, respectively.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus which can efficiently polish an entirety of a back surface, including an outermost area thereof, of a substrate while the back surface of the substrate faces downward are disclosed. The method includes rotating a substrate by rotating a plurality of rollers about their respective own axes while the rollers contact a periphery of the substrate with a back surface of the substrate facing downward; and polishing an entirety of the back surface of the substrate by moving a polishing tool relative to the substrate while supplying a liquid onto the back surface of the substrate and while placing the polishing tool in contact with the back surface of the substrate, the polishing tool being located at a lower side of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate includes a setting device that sets a plurality of recipe items including operation conditions of the substrate processing apparatus and a recipe generating device that acquires a plurality of recipe models obtained by changing values of the plurality of recipe items and experimenting or simulating a processing result of the substrate and analyzes the plurality of recipe models to generate a recipe, the recipe generating device combining a part or all of the plurality of recipe models to generate the recipe such that a calculation value of a processing result of the substrate by the recipe satisfies a predetermined condition.

Abstract: An apparatus which can remove particles, such as polishing debris, from a back surface with high removal efficiency is provided. The apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to rotate the substrate while holding the substrate with the back surface facing upward; a scrub cleaning tool configured to be rotatable; a two-fluid nozzle disposed above the substrate holder; and a housing defining a cleaning chamber in which the substrate holder, the scrub cleaning tool, and the two-fluid nozzle are located.

Abstract: A polishing method capable of polishing a substrate, such as a wafer, with low running costs is disclosed. A polishing method includes: rotating a substrate while holding a back-side surface of the substrate with a vacuum suction stage; rotating a polishing head holding a plurality of polishing tools; and polishing a front-side surface of the substrate by pressing the plurality of polishing tools, which are rotating, against the front-side surface of the substrate. The front-side surface is a surface on which interconnect patterns are to be formed.

Abstract: A document transport device includes a document placement table on which documents of different sizes are capable of being stacked, a feeding unit capable of moving up and down, the feeding unit being configured to send out the documents stacked on the document placement table by moving down onto the documents and to move upward after sending out the documents, an isolation unit that transports the uppermost document among the documents sent out by the feeding unit by separating the document from the other documents, and a receiving unit that receives selection of a mixed-size document mode for sending out the documents of the different sizes stacked on the document placement table. When the receiving unit receives selection of the mixed-size document mode, the isolation unit transports one of the documents while the feeding unit is maintained in a lowered state after sending out the document.

Abstract: An apparatus which can polish an entirety of a surface of a substrate, such as a wafer, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and rotate the substrate; and a polishing head configured to rub a polishing tool against a first surface of the substrate to polish the first surface. The substrate holder includes a plurality of rollers which can contact a periphery of the substrate. The plurality of rollers are rotatable about their respective own axes.

Abstract: There is disclosed a substrate processing apparatus which is capable of detecting whether a substrate, such as a wafer, supported by a fluid is properly present in a predetermined processing position or not. The substrate processing apparatus includes at least one distance sensor configured to measure a distance between a scrubber and a hydrostatic support structure; and a processing controller configured to calculate a gap between the hydrostatic support structure and the surface of the substrate from a measured value of the distance and determine whether the gap falls within a predetermined range or not.

Abstract: A tape sticking apparatus for sticking a masking tape for protecting a peripheral portion of a substrate, such as a wafer, is disclosed. The tape sticking apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate a substrate; and a tape sticking unit configured to stick a masking tape onto a peripheral portion of the substrate held on the substrate holder.

Abstract: An image reading device includes: a transport path; a reading member that reads an image of a document at a reading position on the transport path, and that includes a light source movable with respect to the reading position in a sub scanning direction which extends along a document transport direction and being capable of reading at positions in the vertical scanning direction; a reflecting member that has a reflecting surface that faces the reading member; a movement controller that controls the reading member so as to move the light source with respect to the reading position before the document is transported to the reading position when the reading member reads the image; a dust determination unit that determines presence of dust; and an announcement member that announces presence of dust to a user when dust is present.

Abstract: There is disclosed a substrate processing apparatus which is capable of detecting whether a substrate, such as a wafer, supported by a fluid is properly present in a predetermined processing position or not. The substrate processing apparatus includes at least one distance sensor configured to measure a distance between a scrubber and a hydrostatic support structure; and a processing controller configured to calculate a gap between the hydrostatic support structure and the surface of the substrate from a measured value of the distance and determine whether the gap falls within a predetermined range or not.