Ebara Corporation

Shimadzu Corporation

Kabushiki Kaisha Yakult Honsha

Sony Corporation

Other

Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Toshiba Memory Corporation

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Copal Company Limited

Nagano Keiki Co., Ltd.

Yoichi Kobayashi

Shunsuke Nakai

Yasuo Tsukuda

Yasumasa Hiroo

Shinrou Ohta

Hitoshi Tsuji

Tatsuhiko Kan

Masaki Kinoshita

Tsuyoshi Ohashi

Noburu Shimizu

Hiroki Yamauchi

Toshifumi Kimba

Taro Takahashi

Itsuki Kobata

Kazuto Hirokawa

Keita Yagi

Yoichi Shiokawa

Katsutoshi Ono

Kazunari Shinya

Junki Ishimoto

Katsuhide Watanabe

Shinro Ohta

Ryuichiro Mitani

Tsuneo Terashima

Yoshiko Sonoike

Yutaka Wada

Atsushi Shigeta

Koji Maruyama

Akihiko Ogawa

Hisaaki Kato

Hiroaki Takano

Masato Nakamura

Keisuke Matsumoto

Akira Fukunaga

Hiroshi Udagawa

Mitsuo Tada

Ryuya Koizumi

Masahiko Mutai

Kunio Oishi

Koichiro Ishigami

Masahiko Yamasaki

Yohei Hashimoto

Tatsuya Kohama

Hiromitsu Watanabe

Takeshi Iizumi

Kohei Nojiri

Mitsunori Sugiyama

Daiji Uehara

Nobuo Kohno

Eisaku Hayashi

Kaori Miyoshi

Risa Tokairin

Haruo Asano

Shyuhei Shinozuka

Satoru Yamazaki

Toyohito Hirano

Akinori Kawasaki

Toshihiko Konnai

Susumu Morikawa

Shingo Irikata

Tsuyoshi c/o Ebara Corporation Ohashi

A polishing table holds a polishing pad. A top ring holds a semiconductor wafer. A swing arm holds the top ring. The swing arm swings around a swing center on the swing arm during polishing. An optical sensor is disposed on the polishing table and measures an optical characteristic changeable in accordance with a variation in film thickness of the semiconductor wafer. A fluid supply control apparatus determines a distance from an axis of rotation to the optical sensor when the semiconductor wafer is rotated by the top ring. An end point detection section detects a polishing end point indicating an end of polishing based on the optical characteristic measured by the optical sensor and the determined distance.

Polishing apparatus and polishing method

The present invention improves usability by making it possible to change a display gauge of an added amount of regenerated energy. A regenerated energy display device () according to the present invention is installed in a vehicle () that is capable of collecting the regenerated energy and comprises: a display unit () that is capable of displaying a graph () that shows an added amount (Aa) of regenerated energy; and a control unit () that controls the display unit () such that it is possible to change a gauge (the upper limit) of information indicating the added amount (Aa) displayed on the display unit.

Regenerated energy display device

The present invention relates to a polishing method and a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate such as a wafer while measuring a film thickness based on optical information included in reflected light from the substrate. The polishing method includes preparing a plurality of spectrum groups each containing a plurality of reference spectra corresponding to different film thicknesses; directing light to a substrate and receiving reflected light from the substrate; producing, from the reflected light, a sampling spectrum for selecting a spectrum group; selecting a spectrum group containing a reference spectrum which is closest in shape to the sampling spectrum; producing a measurement spectrum for obtaining a film thickness while polishing the substrate; selecting, from the selected spectrum group, a reference spectrum which is closest in shape to the measurement spectrum that has been produced when the substrate is being polished; and obtaining a film thickness corresponding to the selected reference spectrum.

Polishing method and polishing apparatus

A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate is provided. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table holding a polishing pad; a top ring configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad; first and second optical heads each configured to apply the light to the substrate and to receive reflected light from the substrate; spectroscopes each configured to measure at each wavelength an intensity of the reflected light received; and a processor configured to produce a spectrum indicating a relationship between intensity and wavelength of the reflected light. The first optical head is arranged so as to face a center of the substrate, and the second optical head is arranged so as to face a peripheral portion of the substrate.

Polishing apparatus

A processing end point detection method detects a timing of a processing end point (e.g., polishing stop, changing of polishing conditions) by calculating a characteristic value of a surface of a workpiece (an object of polishing) such as a substrate. This method includes producing a spectral waveform indicating a relationship between reflection intensities and wavelengths at a processing end point, with use of a reference workpiece or simulation calculation, based on the spectral waveform, selecting wavelengths of a local maximum value and a local minimum value of the reflection intensities, calculating the characteristic value with respect to a surface, to be processed, from reflection intensities at the selected wavelengths, setting a distinctive point of time variation of the characteristic value at a processing end point of the workpiece as the processing end point, and detecting the processing end point of the workpiece by detecting the distinctive point during processing of the workpiece.

Processing end point detection method, polishing method, and polishing apparatus

A polishing method capable of obtaining a stable film thickness without being affected by a difference in measurement position is disclosed. The polishing method includes: rotating a polishing table that supports a polishing pad; pressing the surface of the wafer against the polishing pad; obtaining a plurality of film-thickness signals from a film thickness sensor during a latest predetermined number of revolutions of the polishing pad, the film thickness sensor being installed in the polishing table; determining a plurality of measured film thicknesses from the plurality of film-thickness signals; determining an estimated film thickness at a topmost portion of the raised portion based on the plurality of measured film thicknesses; and monitoring polishing of the wafer based on the estimated film thickness at the topmost portion of the raised portion.

Polishing method

A polishing apparatus capable of achieving a highly-precise polishing result is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes an in-line film-thickness measuring device configured to measure a film thickness of the substrate in a stationary state, and an in-situ spectral film-thickness monitor having a film thickness sensor disposed in a polishing table, the in-situ spectral film-thickness monitor being configured to subtract an initial film thickness, measured by the in-situ spectral film-thickness monitor before polishing of the substrate, from an initial film thickness, measured by the in-line film-thickness measuring device before polishing of the substrate, to determine a correction value, add the correction value to a film thickness that is measured when the substrate is being polished to obtain a monitoring film thickness, and monitor a progress of polishing of the substrate based on the monitoring film thickness.

Polishing apparatus and polished-state monitoring method

The polishing device includes an edge chamber that presses the surface to be polished against the polishing pad by pressing a back side of the surface to be polished of the wafer, a thickness measuring unit that estimates a remaining film profile of the surface to be polished of the wafer in realtime during polishing, and a closed loop control device that controls a pressing force on the back side of the surface to be polished by the edge chamber in accordance with a measurement result by the thickness measuring unit during polishing. The closed loop control device controls not only the pressing by the edge chamber during polishing, but also the pressure of a retainer ring as a periphery of the edge chamber affecting the pressing of the surface to be polished against the polishing pad.

Polishing device and polishing method

The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for polishing a substrate having a film formed thereon. The method includes: rotating a polishing table supporting a polishing pad by a table motor; pressing the substrate against the polishing pad by a top ring; obtaining a signal containing a thickness information of the film; producing from the signal a polishing index value that varies in accordance with a thickness of the film; monitoring a torque current value of the table motor and the polishing index value; and determining a polishing end point based on a point of time when the torque current value has reached a predetermined threshold value or a point of time when a predetermined distinctive point of the polishing index value has appeared, whichever comes first.

A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate includes a polishing table holding a polishing pad, a top ring configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad, and first and second optical heads each configured to apply the light to the substrate and to receive reflected light from the substrate. The polishing apparatus also includes spectroscopes each configured to measure at each wavelength an intensity of the reflected light received, and a processor configured to produce a spectrum indicating a relationship between intensity and wavelength of the reflected light. The first optical head is arranged so as to face a center of the substrate, and the second optical head is arranged so as to face a peripheral portion of the substrate.

A polishing apparatus capable of achieving a good control operation for a distribution of remaining film thickness is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a top ring configured to apply pressures separately to zones on a back surface of a substrate to press a front surface of the substrate against a polishing pad; a film-thickness sensor configured to obtain a film-thickness signal that varies in accordance with a film thickness of the substrate; and a polishing controller configured to manipulate the pressures. The polishing controller calculates indexes of a remaining film thickness in zones on the front surface of the substrate, manipulate the pressures based on the indexes for controlling a distribution of the remaining film thickness, and update at least one of control parameters using polishing data obtained during polishing of the substrate.

A method monitors a change in thickness of a conductive film brought into sliding contact with a polishing surface of a polishing pad using an eddy current sensor. The output signal of the eddy current sensor includes two signals corresponding to a resistance component and an inductive reactance component of an impedance of an electric circuit including a coil of the eddy current sensor. The method includes acquiring the output signal of the eddy current sensor when the eddy current sensor is facing the conductive film, defining the two signals as coordinates on a coordinate system, repeating the acquiring of the output signal and the defining of the coordinates, determining a center of curvature of an arc specified by at least three sets of coordinates on the coordinate system, determining an angle of inclination of a line connecting the center of curvature and a latest one of the at least three sets of coordinates, and monitoring a change in thickness of the conductive film by monitoring a change in the angle of inclination.

Polishing monitoring method, polishing apparatus and monitoring apparatus

A method of polishing a substrate having a film is provided. The method includes: performing polishing of the substrate in a polishing section; transporting the polished substrate to a wet-type film thickness measuring device prior to cleaning and drying of the substrate; measuring a thickness of the film by the wet-type film thickness measuring device; comparing the thickness with a predetermined target value; and if the thickness has not reached the predetermined target value, performing re-polishing of the substrate in the polishing section prior to cleaning and drying of the substrate.

Method of polishing a substrate having a film on a surface of the substrate for semiconductor manufacturing

A method accurately monitors the progress of polishing and accurately detects the polishing end point. The method includes directing light to the substrate during polishing of the substrate, receiving reflected light from the substrate, measuring an intensity of the reflected light at each wavelength, and producing a spectrum indicating a relationship between intensity and wavelength from measured values of the intensity. The method also includes calculating an amount of change in the spectrum per predetermined time, integrating the amount of change in the spectrum with respect to polishing time to obtain an amount of cumulative change in the spectrum, and monitoring the progress of polishing of the substrate based on the amount of cumulative change in the spectrum.

Polishing monitoring method, polishing method, and polishing monitoring apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Yoichi Kobayashi