Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for chemical mechanical polishing a copper (Cu) layer formed on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and then cleaning the polished substrate. The polishing apparatus has a polishing section having a turntable with a polishing surface and a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface to polish a surface having a semiconductor device thereon, and a cleaning section for cleaning the substrate which has been polished. The cleaning section has an electrolyzed water supply device for supplying electrolyzed water to the substrate to clean the polished surface of the substrate while supplying electrolyzed water to the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for chemical mechanical polishing a copper (Cu) layer formed on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and then cleaning the polished substrate. The polishing apparatus has a polishing section having a turntable with a polishing surface and a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface to polish a surface having a semiconductor device thereon, and a cleaning section for cleaning the substrate which has been polished. The cleaning section has an electrolyzed water supply device for supplying electrolyzed water to the substrate to clean the polished surface of the substrate while supplying electrolyzed water to the substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the following processes of forming a structure in which a barrier metal containing at least of Ti and Ta and a copper wiring are exposed on its surface, or a structure in which at least one substance selected from the group consisting of Ti, W, and Cu and Al are exposed on its surface, above a semiconductor substrate, and supplying a hydrogen-dissolved solution dissolving hydrogen gas to the surface of the structure.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising preparing a base comprising a semiconductor substrate having a device surface side, a p-type semiconductor layer formed on the device surface side of the semiconductor substrate, a n-type semiconductor layer which is formed on the device surface side of the semiconductor substrate and forms a p-n junction together with the p-type semiconductor layer, and wirings formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to each other via the p-n junction, applying a chemical solution containing electrolytes to a device surface of the base, the wirings being exposed at the device surface of the base, and applying a liquid selected from the group consisting of anode water, oxidizing gas-dissolved water, radical-containing water, cathode water, reducing gas-dissolved water and an organic substance-adding solution to the device surface of the base.

Abstract: A target material is electropolished by applying a voltage between an anode electrode and a counter electrode while bringing the anode electrode into contact with the surface of the target material. The anode electrode is formed of an electrode material having a current density not higher than 10 mA/cm2 upon application of a voltage of +2.5V vs. silver/silver chloride electrode within a 0.1 M perchloric acid solution in an electrochemical measurement using a potentiostat.

Abstract: A polishing method including applying a polishing agent containing polishing grains and a surfactant onto an oxide film, which is formed on a substrate having a depressed portion and a protruding portion, wherein the surfactant is an organic compound including at least one hydrophilic group selected from the group consisting of COOH, COOM1, wherein M1 represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted for a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group, SO3H and SO3M2, wherein M2 represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted for a hydrogen atom of a sulfo group; and polishing the film until the film is flattened without the occurrence of dishing.

Abstract: In the CMP of films of semiconductor devices, pulsed measuring radiation is directed onto a surface to be polished of a rotating wafer. At this point, the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed measuring radiation is determined so that the pulse measuring radiation is directed only onto a specified portion of the surface of each semiconductor device. Thereby, reflection data can be obtained only from the specified portion of a film to be polished, allowing accurate measurements of the thickness of the specified portion of the film in the middle of polishing.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a polishing method having the steps of forming a film to be polished, having a depressed portion and a protruding portion on a surface of a substrate, and polishing the film to be polished by relatively moving the substrate and a polishing table, while pressing the substrate having the film to be polished, onto a polishing cloth of the polishing table and supplying a polishing solution containing polishing grains, between the film to be polished and the polishing cloth, wherein an organic compound having a molecular weight of 100 or more, and containing at least one hydrophilic group selected from the group consisting of COOM1 (M represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted with a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group), SO3H (sulfo group) and SO3M2 (M2 represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted with a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group) is added to the polishing solution.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a polishing method having the steps of forming a film to be polished, having a depressed portion and a protruding portion on a surface of a substrate, and polishing the film to be polished by relatively moving the substrate and a polishing table, while pressing the substrate having the film to be polished, onto a polishing cloth of the polishing table and supplying a polishing solution containing polishing grains, between the film to be polished and the polishing cloth, wherein an organic compound having a molecular weight of 100 or more, and containing at least one hydrophilic group selected from the group consisting of COOM1 (M represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted with a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group), SO3H (sulfo group) and SO3M2 (M2 represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted with a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group) is added to the polishing solution.

Abstract: To planarize an insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a polishing slurry containing cerium oxide is used to polish the surface of the insulating film. Using the cerium oxide included slurry as a polishing agent, the insulating film is not contaminated by alkali metals during the polishing process. Furthermore, the insulating film is polished at an enhanced polishing rate.

Abstract: To planarize an insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a polishing slurry containing cerium oxide is used to polish the surface of the insulating film. Using the cerium oxide included slurry as a polishing agent, the insulating film is not contaminated by alkali metals during the polishing process. Furthermore, the insulating film is polished at an enhanced polishing rate.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for cleaning workpiece is suitable for cleaning a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate, or a liquid crystal panel to a high level of cleanliness. The method of cleaning a workpiece comprises the steps of holding a workpiece, scrubbing the workpiece with a cleaning member, and rubbing the cleaning member against a member having a rough surface to carry out a self-cleaning of the cleaning member. The cleaning member which is contaminated by having scrubbed the workpiece is rubbed against the rough surface, and the rough surface scrapes the contaminant off the cleaning member. Therefore, the contaminant can effectively be removed from the cleaning member, and hence the cleaning member has a high self-cleaning effect.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus has a turntable with an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface thereof and a top ring disposed above the turntable for supporting a workpiece to be polished against the abrasive cloth under predetermined pressure. The turntable is rotatable by a first motor through a timing pulley connected to the first motor, and the top ring is rotatable by a second motor through a timing pulley connected to the second motor. A torque detector incorporated in the timing pulley connected to at least one of the first motor and the second motor detects an output torque produced by the at least one of the first motor and the second motor.

Abstract: A semiconductor cleaning method includes scrubbing a semiconductor wafer using a cleaning member made primarily of polyurethane and having micropores in a surface contacting the semiconductor wafer. The micropores have an average diameter ranging from 10 to 200 .mu.m. The cleaning member may be made of either polyurethane foam or non-woven fabric composed of fibers bound together by urethane resin. By this scrubbing step, particles that are strongly attached to the surface of a substrate such as the semiconductor wafer can easily be removed. During cleaning of the substrate, surface irregularities and crystalline protrusions on the surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer can be scraped off to adjust the surface roughness of the semiconductor wafer to a desired degree for making the semiconductor wafer surface flat.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a planar end point on a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer in a polishing process for polishing the workpiece to a flat mirror finish. The workpiece having an uneven surface is held by a top ring and pressed against a polishing platen. The workpiece is moved relative to the polishing platen to polish the workpiece, and a change in a frictional force between the workpiece and the polishing platen is detected. A reference time when the workpiece having an uneven surface is polished to a flat surface is determined based on the change of the frictional force between the workpiece and the polishing platen. The time when a certain period of polishing time from the reference time elapses is determined as an endpoint on the workpiece.

Abstract: A film formed on a wafer is polished in a CMP unit. Thereafter, the wafer, which is adhered to a wafer holder, is moved to a portion above an optical sensor. A surface of the wafer is radiated with, for example, a visible ray, thereby measuring a thickness of the film which has been polished. A control unit automatically sets a polishing time for polishing a film on a wafer to be polished next.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer is installed in a clean room. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing section having a turntable with an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface thereof, a top ring for supporting the workpiece to be polished and pressing the workpiece against the abrasive cloth, a loading section for loading the workpiece to be polished onto the top ring, and an unloading section for unloading the workpiece which has been polished from the top ring. A cover covers an entire area of movement of the top ring including the polishing section, the loading section and the unloading section. An exhaust duct discharges air of an interior space of the cover to an outside of an installation space of the polishing apparatus.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is a cluster type of apparatus having a plurality of units which perform various operations. The polishing apparatus includes a universal transfer robot having at least one arm for transferring a workpiece, a plurality of units disposed around the universal transfer robot and including a loading unit for receiving the workpiece to be polished, at least one polishing unit for polishing the workpiece, at least one washing unit for washing the workpiece which has been polished and an unloading unit for receiving the cleaned workpiece. Discrete mechanisms respectively transfer a clean workpiece and a dirty workpiece amongst the units.

Abstract: To planarize an insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a polishing slurry containing cerium oxide is used to polish the surface of the insulating film. Using the cerium oxide included slurry as a polishing agent, the insulating film is not contaminated by alkali metal is during the polishing process. Furthermore, the insulating film is polished at an enhanced polishing rate.

Abstract: First through fourth wiring layers are formed on the surface of a silicon substrate, then a silicon oxide layer containing fluorine is deposited over the wiring layers and the silicon substrate, and then another silicon oxide layer containing no fluorine is deposited over the silicon oxide layer containing fluorine. Subsequently, the silicon oxide layer containing no fluorine is flattened by polishing it for a predetermined length of time when the silicon oxide layer containing no fluorine is polished, the silicon oxide layer containing fluorine serves as a stopper, since the polishing rate of the silicon oxide layer containing fluorine is lower than that of the silicon oxide layer containing no fluorine.