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: An apparatus and method of polishing a substrate is described. The polishing includes: rotating a substrate; pressing a first polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; and pressing a second polishing tool against the edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion. The second polishing tool is located more inwardly than the first polishing tool with respect to a radial direction of the substrate. The first polishing tool has a polishing surface rougher than a polishing surface of the second polishing tool.

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 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: An apparatus and method of polishing a substrate is described. The polishing includes: rotating a substrate; pressing a first polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; and pressing a second polishing tool against the edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion. The second polishing tool is located more inwardly than the first polishing tool with respect to a radial direction of the substrate. The first polishing tool has a polishing surface rougher than a polishing surface of the second polishing tool.

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: 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 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: 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 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: 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 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.

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: 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: 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 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 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.