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 improved apparatus for use in replacing a polishing pad is disclosed. processing system includes: a polishing device configured to polish a workpiece; a pad break-in device configured to perform a pad break-in process of a polishing pad; and a pad transporting device configured to transport a pad structure from the pad break-in device to the polishing device. The pad structure includes at least the polishing pad. The pad transporting device includes a liquid receiving tray arranged under the holding hand and configured to receive liquid dropped from the pad structure.

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 is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. A method of polishing a substrate by a polishing apparatus includes a polishing table (100) having a polishing surface, a top ring (1) for holding a substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface, and a vertically movable mechanism (24) for moving the top ring (1) in a vertical direction. The top ring (1) is moved to a first height before the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface, and then the top ring (1) is moved to a second height after the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface.

Abstract: Provided is a substrate holding device used in a substrate polishing apparatus that polishes a substrate using a polishing pad. The substrate holding device includes: a retainer ring configured to hold a peripheral edge of the substrate; and a drive ring fixed to the retainer ring so as to rotate together with the retainer ring. The surface of the retainer ring at the polishing pad side has a convex portion at a position other than an innermost circumference following a shape of the drive ring.

Abstract: A method includes: vacuuming at least one area among a plurality of areas formed concentrically between a top face of the elastic film and the top ring body under a state where a bottom face of the substrate is supported by a support member and a top face of the substrate contacts a bottom face of the elastic film; measuring a flow volume of gas in an area located outside one or more areas to be vacuumed; determining whether the substrate is adsorbed to the top ring based on the flow volume of the gas; and after it is determined that the substrate is adsorbed to the top ring, separating the elastic film to which the substrate is adsorbed from the support member.

Abstract: An elastic membrane capable of being easily secured to a head body of a substrate holding apparatus while inhibiting variation of a degree of deformation of the elastic membrane in a circumferential direction is disclosed. The elastic membrane according to the present invention is used in the substrate holding apparatus. The elastic membrane includes: a contact portion to be brought into contact with a substrate for pressing the substrate against a polishing pad; and an edge circumferential wall extending from a peripheral edge of the contact portion. The edge circumferential wall includes an edge-circumferential-wall lip portion sandwiched between a head body of the substrate holding apparatus and an edge mounting member for securing the edge circumferential wall to the head body. The edge-circumferential-wall lip portion has at least a part of a surface thereof roughened.

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 polishing apparatus has a polishing pad, a top ring for holding a semiconductor wafer, and a vertical movement mechanism operable to move the top ring in a vertical direction. The polishing apparatus also has a distance measuring sensor operable to detect a position of the top ring when a lower surface of the top ring is brought into contact with the polishing pad, and a controller operable to calculate an optimal position of the top ring to polish the semiconductor wafer based on the position detected by the distance measuring sensor. The vertical movement mechanism includes a ball screw mechanism operable to move the top ring to the optimal position.

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: A substrate holding apparatus is provided, which includes a top ring main body to which an elastic film having a surface that can suck a substrate can be attached, a first line communicating with a first area of the plurality of areas, a second line communicating with a second area different from the first area of the plurality of areas, a pressure adjuster that can pressurize the first area by feeding fluid into the first area through the first line and can generate negative pressure in the second area through the second line, and a determiner that performs determination of whether or not the substrate is sucked to the elastic film based on a volume of the fluid fed into the first area or a measurement value corresponding to pressure in the first area.

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 substrate holding apparatus is provided, which includes a top ring main body to which an elastic film having a surface that can suck a substrate can be attached, a first line communicating with a first area of the plurality of areas, a second line communicating with a second area different from the first area of the plurality of areas, a pressure adjuster that can pressurize the first area by feeding fluid into the first area through the first line and can generate negative pressure in the second area through the second line, and a determiner that performs determination of whether or not the substrate is sucked to the elastic film based on a volume of the fluid fed into the first area or a measurement value corresponding to pressure in the first area.