Abstract: A polishing apparatus and method has a function of polishing a surface of a film formed on a substrate to a flat mirror finish and a function of polishing unnecessary metal film such as copper film deposited on an outer peripheral portion of the substrate to remove such unnecessary metal film. The polishing apparatus comprises a surface polishing mechanism comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a top ring for holding the substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing table to thereby polish a surface of the substrate, and an outer periphery polishing mechanism for polishing an outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus comprises a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring, and the workpiece is interposed between the polishing table and the top ring, and pressed at a predetermined pressure to polish the workpiece. The polishing apparatus comprises at least two dressing units for dressing the polishing surface by being brought into contact with the ppolishing surface, which is a surface of a polishing cloth.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus comprises a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring, and the workpiece is interposed between the polishing table and the top ring and pressed at a predetermined pressure to polish the workpiece. The polishing apparatus comprises at least two dressing units for dressing the polishing surface by being brought into contact with the ppolishing surface, which is a surface of a polishing cloth.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus and method has a function of polishing a surface of a film formed on a substrate to a flat mirror finish and a function of polishing unnecessary metal film such as copper film deposited on an outer peripheral portion of the substrate to remove such unnecessary metal film. The polishing apparatus comprises a surface polishing mechanism comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a top ring for holding the substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing table to thereby polish a surface of the substrate, and an outer periphery polishing mechanism for polishing an outer peripheral portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate plating apparatus forms an interconnection layer on an interconnection region composed of a fine groove and/or a fine hole defined in a substrate. The substrate plating apparatus includes a plating unit for forming a plated layer on a surface of the substrate including the interconnection region, a chemical mechanical polishing unit for chemically mechanically polishing the substrate to remove the plated layer from the surface of the substrate leaving a portion of the plated layer in the interconnection region, a cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate after the plated layer is formed or the substrate is chemically mechanically polished, a drying unit for drying the substrate after the substrate is cleaned, and a substrate transfer unit for transferring the substrate to and from each of the first plating unit, the first chemical mechanical polishing unit, the cleaning unit, and the drying unit.

Abstract: A liquid thermosetting resin composition comprises (A) an epoxy resin, (B) a curing catalyst, and (C) a filler and is characterized by exhibiting a viscosity at 25° C. of not more than 1,500 dPa.s, a gel time of not less than 300 seconds at a temperature at which the composition exhibits a melt viscosity of not more than 10 dPa.s, and a gel time at 130° C. of not more than 600 seconds. In the production of a printed wiring board by superposing an interlaminar resin insulating layer and a conductive circuit on the surface of the wiring board having a conductive circuit pattern including hole parts, a hole filling process is performed by filling the hole parts mentioned above with the composition mentioned above, effecting precure of the composition by heating, then polishing and removing parts of the precured composition protruding from a surface defining the hole parts, and further heating the precured composition till final curing.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus comprises a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing a surface of the substrate against the polishing surface to polish the surface of the substrate, and at least one optical measuring device disposed adjacent to the outer peripheral portion of the polishing table and below the polishing surface of the polishing table for measuring the thickness of a layer formed on the surface of the substrate. The polishing apparatus further comprises at least one notch formed in the peripheral portion of the polishing table. The notch allows light emitted from the optical measuring device to pass therethrough and be incident on the surface of the substrate and allows light reflected from the surface of the substrate to pass therethrough and be incident on the optical measuring device.

Abstract: The system includes a polishing pad, a pad height sensor; a window; and a window raising mechanism. The polishing pad has an aperture with the window vertically moveable therein. The pad height sensor is positioned above the polishing pad and measures the vertical position of the pad before polishing. The window raising mechanism adjusts the vertical position of the window based on information from the pad height sensor. An endpoint measurement sensor can be disposed beneath the window for in-situ measurement of the polishing process.

Abstract: A polishing cloth mounted on a turntable is dressed by bringing a dresser in contact with the polishing cloth for restoring the polishing capability of the polishing cloth. The dressing is performed by measuring heights of a surface of the polishing cloth at radial positions of the polishing cloth in a radial direction thereof determining a rotational speed of the dresser with respect to a rotational speed of the turntable on the basis of the measured heights, and dressing the polishing cloth by pressing the dresser are rotating. The dresser has an annular diamond grain layer or an annular SiC layer.

Abstract: A workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer is polished by pressing the workpiece against a polishing surface under a predetermined pressure. A polished surface of the workpiece is processed by pressing the workpiece against a processing surface under a predetermined pressure while the processing surface makes circulatory translational motion along a predetermined path. The processing surface comprises a surface of a polishing cloth or a surface of an abrading plate, and the polished surface of the workpiece is further polished or cleaned.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish, and allows a polishing pad to be automatically replaced without stopping rotary or circulatory motion of a polishing table. The polishing apparatus comprises a polishing table for making rotary or circulatory motion, a top ring vertically movably disposed above the polishing table for removably holding a workpiece to be polished, a pair of rolls rotatable about their own axes and movable in unison with the polishing table, and a polishing pad which is wound on one of the rolls and supplied over an upper surface of the polishing table toward the other of the rolls.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate comprises a turntable having a polishing surface, a substrate holder for holding a substrate and bringing the substrate into contact under pressure with the polishing surface, a dresser including a dresser tool adapted to be brought into contact under a pressure with the polishing surface to dress or condition the polishing surface and a pressure device connected to the dresser for moving the dresser between a raised position where the dresser is spaced away from the polishing surface and a dressing position where the dresser rests on the polishing surface such that the dresser tool is in contact with the polishing surface under a pressure exerted by the weight of the dresser itself, the pressure device including a member for applying an upward force to the dresser to decrease the pressure.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, and has a sensor capable of continuously detecting the thickness of an electrically conductive layer. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring for holding and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface to polish the surface of the substrate. A sensor such as an eddy-current sensor is disposed below the polishing surface of the polishing table for measuring the thickness of a conductive layer formed on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method is suitable for cleaning substrates, after polishing, that require a high degree of cleanliness, such as semiconductor wafers, glass substrates, or liquid crystal displays. The method includes polishing a substrate using an abrasive liquid containing abrasive particles, and cleaning a polished surface of the substrate by supplying a cleaning liquid having substantially the same pH as the abrasive liquid or similar pH to the abrasive liquid so that a pH of the abrasive liquid attached to the polished surface of the substrate is not rapidly changed.

Abstract: The system includes a polishing pad, a pad height sensor; a window; and a window raising mechanism. The polishing pad has an aperture with the window vertically moveable therein. The pad height sensor is positioned above the polishing pad and measures the vertical position of the pad before polishing. The window raising mechanism adjusts the vertical position of the window based on information from the pad height sensor. An endpoint measurement sensor can be disposed beneath the window for in-situ measurement of the polishing process.

Abstract: There is provided an electroless plating method and device which can form a plated film having an improved uniformity of film thickness with an enhanced selectivity, while preventing the formation of fine pores in the plated film. The electroless plating method comprises, bringing a substrate into contact with an electroless plating solution to form a plated film on the surface of the substrate, and scrubbing the surface of the plated film formed or being formed on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate plating apparatus forms an interconnection layer on an interconnection region composed of a fine groove and/or a fine hole defined in a substrate. The substrate plating apparatus includes a plating unit for forming a plated layer on a surface of the substrate including the interconnection region, a chemical mechanical polishing unit for chemically mechanically polishing the substrate to remove the plated layer from the surface of the substrate leaving a portion of the plated layer in the interconnection region, a cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate after the plated layer is formed or the substrate is chemically mechanically polished, a drying unit for drying the substrate after the substrate is cleaned, and a substrate transfer unit for transferring the substrate to and from each of the first plating unit, the first chemical mechanical polishing unit, the cleaning unit, and the drying unit.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer has a turntable with a polishing surface, and a top ring for holding a workpiece and pressing the workpiece against the polishing surface under a first pressing. The polishing apparatus has a pressurized fluid source for supplying pressurized fluid, and a plurality of openings provided in the holding surface of the top ring for ejecting the pressurized fluid supplied from the pressurized fluid source. A plurality of areas each having the openings are defined on the holding surface so that the pressurized fluid is selectively ejectable from the openings in the respective areas.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer has a turntable with a polishing surface, and a top ring for holding a workpiece and pressing the workpiece against the polishing surface under a first pressing. The polishing apparatus has a pressurized fluid source for supplying pressurized fluid, and a plurality of openings provided in the holding surface of the top ring for ejecting the pressurized fluid supplied from the pressurized fluid source. A plurality of areas each having the openings are defined on the holding surface so that the pressurized fluid is selectively ejectable from the openings in the respective areas.

Abstract: A workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer is supported on a top ring and polished by an abrasive cloth on a turntable while the top ring is being pressed against the turntable and the turntable and the top ring are being rotated. The top ring is coupled to a top ring drive shaft, coupled to a pressure cylinder for pressing the top ring, and to a motor for rotating the top ring. A spherical bearing is interposed between the top ring and the top ring drive shaft for allowing the top ring to align with the upper surface of the moving turntable. A torque transmitting mechanism is operatively coupled between the top ring and the top ring drive shaft for rotating the top ring in synchronization with the top ring drive shaft.