Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus and a polishing method for polishing a substrate, such as a wafer, and more particularly to a polishing apparatus and a polishing method for polishing an edge portion of a wafer with use of a polishing tape. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder (1) configured to hold and rotate a substrate (W), and a polishing unit (7) configured to polish an edge portion of the substrate (W) with use of a polishing tape (5). The polishing unit (7) includes: a disk head (12) having a circumferential surface for supporting the polishing tape (5); and a head moving device (50) configured to move the disk head (12) in a tangential direction of the substrate (W) and to bring the polishing tape (5) on the circumferential surface of the disk head (12) into contact with the edge portion of the substrate (W).

Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate by bringing a polishing tool into sliding contact with the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate-holding mechanism configured to hold a substrate and rotate the substrate, a polishing mechanism configured to press a polishing tool against a periphery of the substrate so as to polish the periphery, and a periphery-supporting mechanism configured to support the periphery of the substrate by a fluid. The periphery-supporting mechanism is configured to support a surface of the substrate from an opposite side or the same side of the periphery of the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder to hold a substrate and to rotate the substrate, a pressing member configured to press a polishing tool against the substrate and to polish the substrate, a pressing force control mechanism configured to control a pressing force of the pressing member, and a polishing position limiting mechanism configured to limit a polishing position of the pressing member. A polishing tape or a fixed abrasive is used as the polishing tool.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate. This polishing apparatus includes a rotary holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate horizontally and rotate the substrate, plural polishing head assemblies provided around the substrate, plural tape supplying and recovering mechanisms configured to supply polishing tapes to the plural polishing head assemblies and recover the polishing tapes from the plural polishing head assemblies, and plural moving mechanisms configured to move the plural polishing head assemblies in radial directions of the substrate held by the rotary holding mechanism. The tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are located outwardly of the plural polishing head assemblies in the radial directions of the substrate, and the tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are fixed in position.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder to hold a substrate and to rotate the substrate, a pressing member configured to press a polishing tool against the substrate and to polish the substrate, a pressing force control mechanism configured to control a pressing force of the pressing member, and a polishing position limiting mechanism configured to limit a polishing position of the pressing member. A polishing tape or a fixed abrasive is used as the polishing tool.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate. This polishing apparatus includes a rotary holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate horizontally and rotate the substrate, plural polishing head assemblies provided around the substrate, plural tape supplying and recovering mechanisms configured to supply polishing tapes to the plural polishing head assemblies and recover the polishing tapes from the plural polishing head assemblies, and plural moving mechanisms configured to move the plural polishing head assemblies in radial directions of the substrate held by the rotary holding mechanism. The tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are located outwardly of the plural polishing head assemblies in the radial directions of the substrate, and the tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are fixed in position.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus has a polishing unit capable of forming a right-angled cross section by polishing a peripheral portion of the substrate. The polishing unit includes a polishing head having a pressing member configured to press a polishing tape against the peripheral portion of the substrate from above, a tape supply and recovery mechanism configured to supply the polishing tape to the polishing head and to recover the polishing tape from the polishing head, a first moving mechanism configured to move the polishing head in a radial direction of the substrate, and a second moving mechanism configured to move the tape supply and recovery mechanism in the radial direction of the substrate. The guide rollers are arranged such that the polishing tape extends parallel to a tangential direction of the substrate and a polishing surface of the polishing tape is parallel to a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus has a polishing unit capable of forming a right-angled cross section by polishing a peripheral portion of the substrate. The polishing unit includes a polishing head having a pressing member configured to press a polishing tape against the peripheral portion of the substrate from above, a tape supply and recovery mechanism configured to supply the polishing tape to the polishing head and to recover the polishing tape from the polishing head, a first moving mechanism configured to move the polishing head in a radial direction of the substrate, and a second moving mechanism configured to move the tape supply and recovery mechanism in the radial direction of the substrate. The guide rollers are arranged such that the polishing tape extends parallel to a tangential direction of the substrate and a polishing surface of the polishing tape is parallel to a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes first and second polishing units for polishing a peripheral portion of a substrate, a primary cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate, a secondary cleaning and drying unit for drying the substrate cleaned in the primary cleaning unit, and a measurement unit for measuring the peripheral portion of the substrate. The measurement unit includes a mechanism for measurement required for polishing in the first and second polishing units, such as a diameter measurement mechanism, a cross-sectional shape measurement mechanism, or a surface condition measurement mechanism.

Abstract: A method of detecting an abnormality in polishing of a substrate is provided. The method includes: rotating the substrate; pressing a polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; measuring a position of the polishing tool relative to a surface of the substrate; determining an amount of polishing of the substrate from the position of the polishing tool; calculating a polishing rate from the amount of polishing of the substrate; and judging that an abnormality in polishing of the edge portion of the substrate has occurred if the polishing rate is out of a predetermined range.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes first and second polishing units for polishing a peripheral portion of a substrate, a primary cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate, a secondary cleaning and drying unit for drying the substrate cleaned in the primary cleaning unit, and a measurement unit for measuring the peripheral portion of the substrate. The measurement unit includes a mechanism for measurement required for polishing in the first and second polishing units, such as a diameter measurement mechanism, a cross-sectional shape measurement mechanism, or a surface condition measurement mechanism.

Abstract: A method of detecting an abnormality in polishing of a substrate is provided. The method includes: rotating the substrate; pressing a polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; measuring a position of the polishing tool relative to a surface of the substrate; determining an amount of polishing of the substrate from the position of the polishing tool; calculating a polishing rate from the amount of polishing of the substrate; and judging that an abnormality in polishing of the edge portion of the substrate has occurred if the polishing rate is out of a predetermined range.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of accurately aligning a center of a substrate, such as a wafer, with an axis of a substrate stage and capable of processing the substrate without bending the substrate is disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a first substrate stage having a first substrate-holding surface configured to hold a first region in a lower surface of the substrate, a second substrate stage having a second substrate-holding surface configured to hold a second region in the lower surface of the substrate, a stage elevator configured to move the first substrate-holding surface between an elevated position higher than the second substrate-holding surface and a lowered position lower than the second substrate-holding surface, and an aligner configured to measure an amount of eccentricity of a center of the substrate from the axis of the second substrate stage and align the center of the substrate with the axis of the second substrate stage.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate by bringing a polishing tool into sliding contact with the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate-holding mechanism configured to hold a substrate and rotate the substrate, a polishing mechanism configured to press a polishing tool against a periphery of the substrate so as to polish the periphery, and a periphery-supporting mechanism configured to support the periphery of the substrate by a fluid. The periphery-supporting mechanism is configured to support a surface of the substrate from an opposite side or the same side of the periphery of the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a top edge portion and/or a bottom edge portion of a substrate accurately and uniformly. The polishing apparatus includes a rotary holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate horizontally and to rotate the substrate and at least one polishing head disposed near the peripheral portion of the substrate. The polishing head has at least one protrusion extending along a circumferential direction of the substrate, and the polishing head is configured to press a polishing surface of a polishing tape by the protrusion against the peripheral portion of the substrate from above or below.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus has a polishing unit capable of forming a right-angled cross section by polishing a peripheral portion of the substrate. The polishing unit includes a polishing head having a pressing member configured to press a polishing tape against the peripheral portion of the substrate from above, a tape supply and recovery mechanism configured to supply the polishing tape to the polishing head and to recover the polishing tape from the polishing head, a first moving mechanism configured to move the polishing head in a radial direction of the substrate, and a second moving mechanism configured to move the tape supply and recovery mechanism in the radial direction of the substrate. The guide rollers are arranged such that the polishing tape extends parallel to a tangential direction of the substrate and a polishing surface of the polishing tape is parallel to a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate by bringing a polishing tool into sliding contact with the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate-holding mechanism configured to hold a substrate and rotate the substrate, a polishing mechanism configured to press a polishing tool against a periphery of the substrate so as to polish the periphery, and a periphery-supporting mechanism configured to support the periphery of the substrate by a fluid. The periphery-supporting mechanism is configured to support a surface of the substrate from an opposite side or the same side of the periphery of the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing unit of a polishing apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a polishing head having a pressing member configured to hold a polishing tape and press the polishing tape against a peripheral portion of a substrate from above; a tape supply and recovery mechanism configured to supply the polishing tape to the polishing head and recover the polishing tape from the polishing head; a first moving mechanism configured to move the polishing head in a radial direction of the substrate; and a second moving mechanism configured to move the tape supply and recovery mechanism in the radial direction of the substrate. The positioning unit includes a positioning block having a contacting surface, and alignment of the polishing tape is conducted by the second moving mechanism moving the tape supply and recovery mechanism so that a substrate-side edge of the polishing tape makes contact with the contacting surface.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus has a polishing unit capable of polishing a peripheral portion of the substrate to form a right-angled cross section. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate holder that holds and rotates the substrate; guide rollers that support a polishing tape; and a polishing head having a pressing member that presses an edge of the polishing tape against the peripheral portion of the substrate from above. The guide rollers are arranged such that the polishing tape extends parallel to a tangential direction of the substrate and a polishing surface of the polishing tape is parallel to a surface of the substrate. The substrate holder includes: a holding stage that holds the substrate; and a supporting stage that supports a lower surface of the peripheral portion of the substrate in its entirety. The supporting stage rotates in unison with the holding stage.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of accurately aligning a center of a substrate, such as a wafer, with an axis of a substrate stage and capable of processing the substrate without bending the substrate is disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a first substrate stage having a first substrate-holding surface configured to hold a first region in a lower surface of the substrate, a second substrate stage having a second substrate-holding surface configured to hold a second region in the lower surface of the substrate, a stage elevator configured to move the first substrate-holding surface between an elevated position higher than the second substrate-holding surface and a lowered position lower than the second substrate-holding surface, and an aligner configured to measure an amount of eccentricity of a center of the substrate from the axis of the second substrate stage and align the center of the substrate with the axis of the second substrate stage.