Ebara Corporation

Keisuke Kamiki

Toru Maruyama

Yasuyuki Motoshima

Mitsunori Komatsu

Shuji Uozumi

Hisanori Matsuo

Masashi Kabasawa

A method of checking a leakage of fluid from a fluid line includes connecting a leakage checking line to the fluid line between a supply valve and a return valve, regulating a pressure regulator disposed in the leakage checking line such that a pressure of fluid of the leakage checking line becomes the same as a pressure of fluid of the fluid line; closing the supply valve and the return valve and opening an opening/closing valve disposed in the leakage checking line; acquiring a flow rate of the fluid that flows in the leakage checking line by a flowmeter disposed in the leakage checking line; comparing the flow rate of the fluid acquired at the acquiring with a predetermined threshold; and determining that the fluid of the fluid line is leaked, when the flow rate of the fluid acquired at the acquiring is larger than the predetermined threshold.

Method of checking leakage of fluid and polishing apparatus

The present invention relates to a temperature regulating apparatus for regulating a temperature of a polishing surface of a polishing pad used for polishing a substrate, such as a wafer. The present invention further relates to a polishing apparatus including such a temperature regulating apparatus. The temperature regulating apparatus () includes: a heat exchanger () having a heating flow passage () and a cooling flow passage () formed therein; a holder () arranged over the heat exchanger (); a coupling mechanism () configured to detachably fix the heat exchanger () to the holder (), the coupling mechanism () including: a first hook () fixed to an upper surface of the heat exchanger (); and a second hook () held by the holder (). The second hook () is configured to be able to be engaged with and disengaged from the first hook ().

Temperature regulating apparatus and polishing apparatus

The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus having a surface-property measuring device for measuring surface properties of a polishing pad which is used to polish a substrate, such as semiconductor wafer, and a polishing system including such a polishing apparatus. The polishing apparatus includes a surface-property measuring device () for measuring surface properties of a polishing pad (), a support arm () for supporting the surface-property measuring device (), and a moving unit () coupled to the support arm () and configured to move the surface-property measuring device () from a retreat position to a measure position.

Polishing apparatus having surface-property measuring device of polishing pad and polishing system

A method of inspecting a leak detection system in a short time is disclosed. The leak detection system includes a leak detection line, an on-off valve, a flow mater, an operation controller configured to detect a fluid leak from a fluid line based on a first flow rate measured by the flow mater, a drain line, and a drain valve attached to the drain line. The inspection method includes: opening the on-off valve and the drain valve, with a supply valve and a return valve closed; measuring a second flow rate of fluid in the leak detection line by the flow mater; and determining that the leak detection system has a defect when the second flow rate is lower than a predetermined reference value.

Leak detection system and inspection method for the system

There is disclosed a polishing apparatus which can regulate a surface temperature of the polishing pad without causing a defect such as a scratch on a substrate such as a wafer. The polishing apparatus includes: a non-contact type pad-temperature regulating device; a pad-temperature measuring device. The pad-temperature measuring device is arranged adjacent to the pad-temperature regulating device and on a downstream side of the pad-temperature regulating device in a rotation direction of a polishing table.

Polishing apparatus

A pad-temperature regulating apparatus is disclosed, which includes a heat exchanger capable of being cleaned in a limited space. A pad-temperature regulating apparatus includes a heat exchanger configured to contact a polishing pad to exchange heat with the polishing pad, a moving mechanism configured to move the heat exchanger between a temperature regulating position where the heat exchanger can exchange heat with the polishing pad, and a retreat position located on a side of the polishing pad, and a cleaning mechanism configured to clean the heat exchanger moved to the retreat position. The heat exchanger has an approximate triangular shape in a horizontal cross-section, and a longest side of the heat exchanger faces the polishing pad when the heat exchanger is moved to the retreat position.

Pad-temperature regulating apparatus, and polishing apparatus

A cleaning apparatus capable of effectively removing dirt attached to a bottom surface of a heat exchanger, is disclosed. The cleaning apparatus cleans the heat exchanger for regulating a surface temperature of a polishing pad. This cleaning apparatus includes: a moving mechanism configured to move the heat exchanger between a temperature-regulating position in which the heat exchanger can exchange heat with the polishing pad, and a retreat position in which the heat exchanger is separated from a surface of the polishing pad; and a cleaning mechanism configured to clean a bottom surface of the heat exchanger moved to the retreat position The retreat position is located on a side of the polishing pad. The cleaning mechanism includes at least one cleaning nozzle for ejecting a cleaning liquid to the bottom surface of the heat exchanger, or a cleaning tank in which the bottom surface of the heat exchanger can be immersed.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Keisuke Kamiki