Static elimination device and static elimination method

Abstract

This technology provides the ability to discharge static electricity from the pads. [Solution] The static elimination device 80 is for a processing apparatus 1 comprising a pad stage 30 configured to hold a pad for cleaning a substrate and a dresser stage 40 configured to hold a dresser for dressing the pad, and further comprises a supply channel 35 configured to supply conductive liquid to the pad, a discharge channel 81 configured to discharge the conductive liquid supplied to the pad from the pad, configured to pass the conductive liquid through the dresser and the dresser stage in that order, and a grounding device 85 connected to the discharge channel, configured to allow static electricity from the pad to escape to the ground via the conductive liquid passing through the discharge channel and the grounding device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charge removal device and a charge removal method, and more particularly to a charge removal device and a charge removal method for a processing device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a processing device, there is known one including a pad stage configured to hold a pad for cleaning a substrate, and configured to clean the substrate with the pad (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, this processing device further includes a dresser stage configured to hold a dresser for dressing the pad (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the conventional processing device as described above, static electricity may be charged on the pad. In this case, depending on the type of particles adhering to the surface of the substrate to be cleaned by the pad, an electrical repulsive force may be generated between the particles and the static electricity of the pad. In this case, it becomes difficult for the particles to adhere to the pad, and thus it may become difficult to remove the particles from the surface of the substrate. That is, there is a risk of occurrence of poor cleaning of the substrate. Therefore, development of a technology capable of removing charge from the pad is required.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and one of the objects is to provide a technology capable of removing charge from the pad.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (Aspect 1) To achieve the above objective, an antistatic device according to one aspect of the present invention is an antistatic device for a processing apparatus comprising: a pad stage configured to hold a pad for cleaning a substrate; and a dresser stage configured to hold a dresser for dressing the pad, the device comprising: a supply channel configured to supply a conductive liquid, which is a conductive liquid, to the pad; a discharge channel configured to discharge the conductive liquid supplied to the pad from the pad, the discharge channel configured to pass the conductive liquid through the dresser and the dresser stage in that order; and a grounding device connected to the discharge channel, the grounding device configured to allow static electricity from the pad to escape to the ground via the conductive liquid passing through the discharge channel and the grounding device.

[0007] According to this embodiment, static electricity from the pad can be discharged to the ground via the conductive liquid passing through the discharge channel and the grounding device, thereby eliminating static electricity from the pad.

[0008] (Aspect 2) In the above embodiment 1, the supply channel may be configured to pass the conductive liquid through the pad stage and the pad in that order.

[0009] (Aspect 3) In the above embodiment 1 or 2, the diameter of the inlet of the discharge channel may be smaller than the diameter of the outlet of the supply channel.

[0010] (Aspect 4) In any one of the above embodiments 1 to 3, the pad may be provided with a plurality of grooves.

[0011] (Appendix 5) Any one of the above embodiments 1 to 4 includes a dresser shaft connected to the dresser stage and configured to support the dresser stage, and the discharge channel may be configured to pass the conductive liquid through the dresser, the dresser stage, and the dresser shaft in that order.

[0012] (Aspect 6) To achieve the above objective, a static elimination method according to one aspect of the present invention is a static elimination method using a static elimination device according to any one of the above aspects 1 to 5, and includes performing a pad static elimination process, the pad static elimination process including bringing the pad and the dresser into contact, passing the conductive liquid through the supply channel, and passing the conductive liquid supplied to the pad through the supply channel through the discharge channel, thereby discharging the static electricity of the pad to the ground via the conductive liquid passing through the discharge channel and the grounding device.

[0013] According to this embodiment, the pad can be electrostatically discharged. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing a part of the configuration of the processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic top view illustrating how the pad stage according to this embodiment swings. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing a magnified portion of the surface of the pad according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of dressing and static elimination of the pad according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how static electricity builds up on a pad. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating each step of the pad static elimination process according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] This is an example of a flowchart showing the entire processing step, including the cleaning process, dressing process, and pad static elimination process according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings are schematically illustrated to facilitate understanding of the features, and the dimensional ratios of each component are not necessarily the same as the actual ones. In the drawings, X - Y - Z orthogonal coordinates are illustrated as necessary. Among these orthogonal coordinates, the Z direction corresponds to upward, and the - Z direction corresponds to downward (the direction in which gravity acts).

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a partial configuration of the processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, illustration of a dresser Dr, a charge removal device 80, etc. to be described later is omitted. The processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is a processing apparatus (i.e., a cleaning apparatus) configured to perform a cleaning process on the substrate Wf.

[0017] The processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured to perform a cleaning process on the substrate Wf, for example, after polishing the substrate Wf by a polishing apparatus and / or before polishing the substrate Wf by a polishing apparatus. As a specific example of this polishing, for example, Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) etc. can be mentioned.

[0018] The processing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a table 10, a table rotation device 20, a pad stage 30, a pad rotation device 50, a pressing device 60, a swinging device 70, a processing liquid supply device 90, a control device 100, and a sensor group 110. FIG. 2 is a schematic top view for explaining the state in which the pad stage 30 swings.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, the table 10 is configured to hold the substrate Wf. Specifically, the table 10 according to the present embodiment holds the substrate Wf on the upper surface of the table 10 such that the processed surface Wfa of the substrate Wf (i.e., the surface of the substrate Wf) faces upward, at least when performing a cleaning process on the substrate Wf.

[0020] The specific shape of the substrate Wf is not particularly limited; it may be circular, rectangular (e.g., square), or any other shape. In this embodiment, the substrate Wf is circular as an example.

[0021] The table rotating device 20 is configured to rotate the table 10 during the cleaning process. Specifically, the table rotating device 20 according to this embodiment includes, as an example, a table rotating shaft 21 connected to the table 10 and a table drive device 22 configured to rotate the table rotating shaft 21. The table drive device 22 includes, for example, a rotary motor. In Figure 1, an example of the rotation direction of the table rotating shaft 21 is illustrated by "R1".

[0022] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the pad stage 30 is configured to hold the pad Pd. The pad stage 30 is also configured to bring the pad Pd into contact with the surface Wfa of the substrate Wf during the cleaning process. The specific material of the pad stage 30 is not particularly limited, but various materials such as ceramics, resin, and stainless steel can be used.

[0023] The pad Pd according to this embodiment is configured to clean the surface Wfa of the substrate Wf by sliding against it. The specific type of such pad Pd is not particularly limited, and any pad used in known cleaning processes (for example, a "buff pad") can be used. As illustrated in Figure 1, the area of ​​the pad Pd may be smaller than the area of ​​the surface Wfa of the substrate Wf.

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a magnified portion of the surface (bottom surface) of the pad Pd. As illustrated in Figure 3, the pad Pd may be provided with multiple grooves Pda.

[0025] This configuration makes it easy to distribute the processing liquid (cleaning liquid) supplied to the pad Pd from the processing liquid supply nozzle 91 (described later) through the groove Pda of the pad Pd, ensuring it covers the entire surface of the pad Pd. Furthermore, it is easy to retain the processing liquid in the groove Pda during the cleaning process of the substrate Wf.

[0026] The pad rotating device 50 is configured to rotate the pad stage 30, for example, during the cleaning process. Specifically, in this embodiment, the pad rotating device 50 is connected to the pad stage 30 via a pad rotating shaft 51, and the pad stage 30 is rotated by rotating the pad rotating shaft 51. In Figure 1, an example of the rotation direction of the pad stage 30 is shown as "R2". In this embodiment, the rotation direction of the pad stage 30 is, for example, the same as the rotation direction of the table 10. Pad rotation As the device 50, for example, a known pad rotation device equipped with a motor or the like can be used.

[0027] The pressing device 60 is configured to apply a pressing force to the pad stage 30, for example, during the cleaning process. In this embodiment, the pressing device 60 is connected to the arm 71 via a connecting member 120. As the pressing device 60, a known pressing device, such as one equipped with an air cylinder, airbag, or electromagnet, can be used.

[0028] The oscillating device 70 is configured to oscillate the pad stage 30, for example, during the cleaning process. Figure 2 illustrates an example of the oscillating range of the pad stage 30 during the cleaning process, indicated by "Rg".

[0029] Referring to Figure 1, the rocking device 70 according to this embodiment includes an arm 71 that extends horizontally and is connected to the pad stage 30 via a pad rotation shaft 51, a rocking shaft 72 that is connected to the end of the arm 71 and extends vertically, and a drive device 73 configured to drive the rocking shaft 72 to rock. The rocking device 70 causes the pad stage 30 to rock parallel to the upper surface of the table 10 (i.e., parallel to the surface Wfa of the substrate Wf to be processed) by the arm 71 rocking in the horizontal plane around the rocking shaft 72.

[0030] The specific dimensions of the arm 71 are not particularly limited. For example, the length of the arm 71 may be set so that the pad Pd can clean the entire surface Wfa of the substrate Wf (i.e., the entire surface Wfa from the center to the outer edge).

[0031] The processing liquid supply device 90 is a device for supplying processing liquid (specifically, cleaning liquid in this embodiment) to the substrate Wf, for example, during the cleaning process. The processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment cleans the surface Wfa of the substrate Wf by rubbing it with the pad Pd in ​​the presence of the processing liquid. The processing liquid supply nozzle 91 may be configured to swing together with the pad stage 30. Specifically, in this case, the processing liquid supply nozzle 91 may be connected to the arm 71 and supply the processing liquid while swinging together with the arm 71.

[0032] The sensor group 110 is a sensor for detecting various physical parameters of the processing unit 1. In this embodiment, the sensor group 110 includes, as an example, a oscillation speed sensor for detecting the oscillation speed (movement speed in the oscillation direction) of the pad stage 30, a rotation speed sensor for detecting the rotation speed (rotation speed) of the pad stage 30, a rotation speed sensor for detecting the rotation speed of the table 10, a phase sensor for detecting the oscillation phase (rotation phase) of the pad stage 30, and a phase sensor for detecting the rotation phase of the table 10. The parameters detected by the sensor group 110 are transmitted to the control unit 100.

[0033] The control device 100 is a device for comprehensively controlling the operation of the processing device 1. Specifically, the control device 100 according to this embodiment includes a microcomputer. This microcomputer includes a processor 101 and a storage device 102 as a non-temporary storage medium. In the control device 100, the processor 101 controls the operation of the processing device 1 based on program instructions stored, for example, in the storage device 102.

[0034] The processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is configured to perform not only the cleaning process of the substrate Wf as described above, but also the dressing process of the pads Pd. Furthermore, the processing apparatus 1 is configured to perform the static elimination process of the pads Pd, which will be described later. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the process during the dressing process and the static elimination process of the pads Pd.

[0035] Referring to Figure 4, the processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a dresser stage 40 configured to hold a dresser Dr for dressing pads Pd. Specifically, the dresser stage 40 according to this embodiment holds the dresser Dr on its upper surface. As illustrated in Figure 2, the dresser stage 40 is positioned (fixed) at a predetermined location outside the table 10. When dressing pads Pd, the processing apparatus 1 moves the arm 71 to position the pads Pd of the pad stage 30 on top of the dresser Dr of the dresser stage 40.

[0036] Referring to Figure 4, during the dressing process (or during the static elimination process described later), the dresser stage 40 holds the dresser Dr so that the dresser Dr faces the pad Pd. Also, during the dressing process (or static elimination process), the dresser Dr is in contact with the pad Pd.

[0037] The dresser Dr is composed of a plate-shaped member containing abrasive grains for dressing. The specific external shape of the dresser Dr is not particularly limited, but the dresser Dr in this embodiment is circular as an example. Also, the dresser stage 40 in this embodiment has a disc shape as an example.

[0038] The processing apparatus 1 may include a dresser shaft 45 connected to the dresser stage 40 and configured to support the dresser stage 40. Specifically, the dresser shaft 45 in this embodiment extends downward from the lower surface of the dresser stage 40.

[0039] The specific materials used for the dresser Dr, dresser stage 40, and dresser shaft 45 are not particularly limited, but various materials such as ceramics, resin, and stainless steel can be used.

[0040] The processing apparatus 1 includes a supply channel 35 configured to supply liquid Lq to the pad Pd, for example, during dressing (or static elimination processing as described later). Specifically, the supply channel 35 is provided to supply liquid Lq to the surface of the pad Pd (the bottom surface, which is the surface facing the dresser Dr).

[0041] In this embodiment, the supply channel 35 is provided, for example, to pass through the pad stage 30 and the pad Pd. That is, the supply channel 35 in this embodiment is configured to pass the liquid Lq through the pad stage 30 and the pad Pd in ​​that order.

[0042] Furthermore, the supply channel 35 according to this embodiment is also provided on the pad rotation shaft 51 and the arm 71. As a result, the supply channel 35 according to this embodiment is configured to pass the liquid Lq through the arm 71, the pad rotation shaft 51, the pad stage 30, and the pad Pd in ​​that order.

[0043] The supply channel 35 may be composed of piping members having a predetermined material. The specific material of the supply channel 35 is not particularly limited, but for example, metals such as copper or stainless steel may be used.

[0044] A liquid supply device 130 for supplying liquid Lq to the supply channel 35 is connected to the inlet 35a of the supply channel 35. The operation of the liquid supply device 130 is controlled by the control device 100. A pump or the like can be used as the liquid supply device 130 for supplying liquid Lq.

[0045] When dressing the pad Pd, the pad Pd and the dresser Dr are brought into contact. At the same time, liquid Lq is circulated through the supply channel 35. In this case, a portion of the liquid Lq that passes through the supply channel 35 penetrates the surface of the pad Pd (specifically, the boundary between the pad Pd and the dresser Dr). With the liquid Lq present in this state, the pad stage 30 is rotated to dress the surface of the pad Pd with the upper surface of the dresser Dr.

[0046] This dressing process sharpens the pad Pd, restoring its performance.

[0047] The type of liquid (Lq) used in the dressing process is not particularly limited; for example, water (specifically, pure water) can be used. This liquid (Lq) used in the dressing process is sometimes referred to as the "dressing liquid."

[0048] Furthermore, the dressing liquid may be the same type of liquid as the conductive liquid Lq (referred to as the "conductive liquid") used during the static discharge treatment of the pad Pd described later, or a different type of liquid may be used. If the dressing liquid is different from the conductive liquid, the liquid supply device 130 should be configured to switch between the dressing liquid and the conductive liquid and supply them to the supply channel 35.

[0049] Next, we will explain how to remove static electricity from the pad Pd. First, we will explain the significance of removing static electricity from the pad Pd. Initially, static electricity (Et) can accumulate on the pad Pd due to various reasons. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating how static electricity (Et) can accumulate on the pad Pd. A specific example of a cause of static electricity accumulation on the pad Pd is that, for example, the pad Pd may be rubbed during cleaning of the substrate Wf, causing static electricity (Et) to accumulate on the pad Pd after cleaning the substrate Wf. When static electricity accumulates on the pad Pd in ​​this way, problems such as those described below may occur.

[0050] Specifically, if the pad Pd becomes charged, depending on the type of particles Pt adhering to the surface of the substrate Wf (i.e., the particles Pt to be cleaned), an electrical repulsive force may be generated between these particles Pt and the static electricity of the pad Pd. In this case, during cleaning of the substrate Wf, the particles Pt may not adhere to the pad Pd easily, making it difficult to remove the particles Pt from the surface of the substrate Wf. As a result, poor cleaning of the substrate Wf may occur.

[0051] Therefore, the processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a static elimination device 80 for eliminating static electricity from the pad Pd, as illustrated in Figure 4. Specifically, the static elimination device 80 according to this embodiment includes a discharge channel 81 and a grounding device 85. The static elimination device 80 also includes the aforementioned supply channel 35 as part of its components.

[0052] First, when performing static discharge treatment on the pad Pd, the liquid supply device 130 supplies "conductive liquid (Lq)" as liquid Lq to the supply channel 35.

[0053] The specific type of conductive liquid is not particularly limited as long as it is a conductive liquid, but in this embodiment, as an example of a conductive liquid, pure water containing carbon dioxide ("CO2-containing water") is used. This CO2-containing water is preferable because it can easily ensure the electrical conductivity necessary for static discharge treatment and does not adversely affect the treatment apparatus 1 (especially the metal components of the treatment apparatus 1) or the substrate, compared to, for example, saline solution.

[0054] While there are no specific limitations on the electrical conductivity of the conductive liquid, it is preferable that it be higher than the electrical conductivity of pure water (specifically, 1 μS / cm). To give specific numerical examples, the electrical conductivity of the conductive liquid is preferably higher than 1 μS / cm, more preferably higher than 10 μS / cm, and more preferably higher than 20 μS / cm. It is even more preferable that the carbon dioxide content is high. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of a conductive liquid can be adjusted by adjusting the carbon dioxide content in the conductive liquid. For example, the higher the carbon dioxide content in the conductive liquid, the higher the electrical conductivity of the conductive liquid tends to be.

[0055] The discharge channel 81 is configured to discharge the conductive liquid supplied to the pad Pd via the supply channel 35 from the pad Pd. In this embodiment, the discharge channel 81 is provided to pass through at least the dresser Dr and the dresser stage 40. That is, in this embodiment, the discharge channel 81 is configured to cause the conductive liquid supplied to the pad Pd to pass through the dresser Dr and the dresser stage 40 in that order.

[0056] Furthermore, the discharge channel 81 according to this embodiment is also provided on the dresser shaft 45. That is, the discharge channel 81 according to this embodiment is configured to allow the conductive liquid to pass through the dresser Dr, the dresser stage 40, and the dresser shaft 45 in that order.

[0057] The discharge channel 81 may be composed of piping members having a predetermined material. The specific material of the discharge channel 81 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use, for example, a conductive material. Specific examples of materials for such a discharge channel 81 include metals such as copper and stainless steel.

[0058] The conductive fluid discharged from the outlet 35b of the supply channel 35 and supplied to the pad Pd flows into the discharge channel 81 from the inlet 81a (which is the inlet portion provided in the dresser Dr) of the discharge channel 81, for example, by utilizing gravity. It is not necessary for the entire amount of conductive fluid that has passed through the supply channel 35 to flow into the discharge channel 81; it is sufficient for at least a portion of the conductive fluid that has passed through the supply channel 35 to flow into the discharge channel 81.

[0059] As illustrated in Figure 4, it is preferable that the channel diameter d2 (specifically, the inner diameter of the channel) of the inlet 81a of the discharge channel 81 is smaller than the channel diameter d1 of the outlet 35b of the supply channel 35. With this configuration, it is easy to ensure that a large amount of conductive liquid that has passed through the supply channel 35 does not immediately flow into the discharge channel 81, but instead temporarily remains on the surface of the pad Pd (the boundary between the pad Pd and the dresser Dr). This makes it easy to spread the conductive liquid over the entire surface of the pad Pd.

[0060] However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the flow path diameter d2 of the inlet 81a of the discharge flow path 81 may be the same as or larger than the flow path diameter d1 of the outlet 35b of the supply flow path 35.

[0061] In Figure 4, the position of the outlet 35b of the supply channel 35 and the position of the inlet 81a of the discharge channel 81 coincide, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, even if the position of the outlet 35b of the supply channel 35 and the inlet 81a of the discharge channel 81 do not coincide, it is still possible for the conductive fluid that has passed through the outlet 35b of the supply channel 35 and flowed into the boundary between the pad Pd and the dresser Dr to flow into the discharge channel 81 from the inlet 81a of the discharge channel 81.

[0062] The conductive liquid discharged from the outlet 81b of the discharge channel 81 may be immediately discarded thereafter. Alternatively, the conductive liquid discharged from the outlet 81b of the discharge channel 81 may be returned to the liquid supply device 130. Furthermore, for example, a pump (discharge device) for forcibly discharging the conductive liquid inside the discharge channel 81 may be connected to the outlet 81b of the discharge channel 81.

[0063] The grounding device 85 is connected to the discharge channel 81. Specifically, the grounding device 85 is configured so that the static electricity (Et) charged on the pad Pd escapes to the ground (Gd) through the conductive liquid passing through the discharge channel 81 and the grounding device 85.

[0064] As such a grounding device 85, for example, an earth wire 85a (i.e., wiring for grounding) can be used. In this embodiment, the earth wire 85a is configured to electrically connect a point located inside the dresser shaft 45 in the discharge channel 81 to the ground. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and for example, the earth wire 85a may electrically connect a point located inside the dresser stage 40 in the discharge channel 81 to the ground.

[0065] Furthermore, the ground wire 85a may be connected to the outer surface of the piping constituting the discharge channel 81, or it may be connected to the inner surface of the piping constituting the discharge channel 81. When the ground wire 85a is connected to the outer surface of the discharge channel 81, at least the location in the discharge channel 81 to which the ground wire 85a is connected is made of a conductive material. On the other hand, when the ground wire 85a is connected to the inner surface of the discharge channel 81, the location in the discharge channel 81 to which the ground wire 85a is connected does not need to be conductive.

[0066] According to this embodiment, since the static elimination device 80 described above is provided, the static electricity (Et) of the pad Pd can be discharged to the ground via the conductive liquid passing through the discharge channel 81 and the grounding device 85. This makes it possible to effectively eliminate static electricity from the pad Pd.

[0067] As a result, according to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress problems caused by static electricity buildup on the pad Pd. Specifically, according to this embodiment, since the pad Pd is discharged, the electrical repulsive force between the pad Pd and the particles Pt attached to the substrate Wf can be suppressed, making it easier to attach the particles Pt to the pad Pd. As a result, it is easy to remove the particles Pt from the surface of the substrate Wf. In other words, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of cleaning defects of the substrate Wf due to the charging of the pad Pd.

[0068] Furthermore, the grounding device 85 may be provided with a switch 86 for switching between a state in which the grounding device 85 can be energized and a state in which it cannot be energized. Specifically, this switch 86 is provided on the earth wire 85a and is configured to switch between ON and OFF in response to instructions from the control device 100, for example. When the switch 86 is ON, electricity can flow through the earth wire 85a as part of the grounding device 85. On the other hand, when the switch 86 is OFF, it becomes impossible for electricity to flow through the earth wire 85a.

[0069] If the switch 86 described above is provided on the grounding device 85, for example, the control device 100 can turn off the switch 86 when it does not want to de-staticize the pad Pd (when it does not want to perform the pad de-staticization process described later), and turn on the switch 86 when it wants to de-staticize the pad Pd.

[0070] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating each step of the "pad static elimination process (pad static elimination method)". The pad static elimination process according to this embodiment includes steps S10 to S12 as illustrated in Figure 6.

[0071] First, in step S10, the pad Pd and the dresser Dr are brought into contact as described in Figure 4 above. Next, in step S11, the conductive liquid is passed through the supply channel 35. Then, in step S12, the conductive liquid supplied to the pad Pd through the supply channel 35 is passed through the discharge channel 81, thereby dissipating the static electricity of the pad Pd to the ground via the conductive liquid passing through the discharge channel 81 and the grounding device 85. By performing this pad static discharge process as shown in Figure 6, the pad Pd can be discharged.

[0072] Furthermore, the pad static elimination process according to this embodiment is, for example, a dressing process for the pad Pd. It may be performed during execution. Alternatively, the pad static elimination process may be performed before or after the dressing process of the pad Pd. If the pad static elimination process is performed before or after the dressing process, the pad stage 30 does not need to be rotating when the pad static elimination process is performed.

[0073] Furthermore, the pad static elimination process may be performed each time a cleaning process is carried out in which the substrate Wf is cleaned using the pad Pd. To give a specific example, the pad static elimination process described above may be performed before the cleaning process. Alternatively, the pad static elimination process may be performed after the cleaning process.

[0074] Figure 7 is an example of a flowchart of the entire processing process, including cleaning, dressing, and pad static discharge. As illustrated in Figure 7, a "dummy cleaning process" may be performed first to clean a dummy substrate (step S100). Specifically, in step S100, a dummy substrate is used as the substrate Wf in Figure 1, and the surface (top surface) of this dummy substrate is cleaned with pads Pd. Note that this dummy substrate is a substrate that will not be used as a semiconductor substrate after cleaning.

[0075] By performing the dummy cleaning process in step S100, for example, the flow path through which the cleaning liquid passes (specifically, for example, the processing liquid supply nozzle 91 and the piping connected thereto) can be cleaned with the cleaning liquid.

[0076] Next, in step S110, the dressing process and pad static discharge process described above are performed on the pad Pd. As mentioned above, the order in which the dressing process and pad static discharge process are performed is not particularly limited. For example, the dressing process may be performed first, followed by the static discharge process, or the static discharge process may be performed first, followed by the dressing process, or the dressing process and static discharge process may be performed simultaneously.

[0077] Next, in step S120, a "cleaning process (i.e., actual cleaning process)" is performed. Specifically, in step S120, a substrate Wf, as exemplified in Figure 1, used as a semiconductor substrate, is used, and the surface of this substrate is cleaned with a pad Pd. Note that step S120 may be performed after a predetermined time (i.e., a predetermined waiting time) has elapsed after the completion of step S110.

[0078] Note that the flowchart in Figure 7 above is just one example. To give another example, step S110 may be performed before step S100 or after step S120. Also, after performing steps S100, S110, and S120, the same process as step S110 may be performed again.

[0079] In the case of conventional processing devices that do not have a static elimination device 80 like the one in this embodiment, for example, the pad static elimination process is not performed in step S110. Instead, a "water buffing process" as described below is sometimes performed before the dummy cleaning process in step S100. Specifically, in this water buffing process, the static electricity of the pad Pd is discharged to the outside via water by cleaning the dummy substrate with the pad Pd while supplying "water (specifically pure water)" to the dummy substrate instead of a processing liquid.

[0080] However, in order to sufficiently remove static electricity from the pad Pd using this water buffing process, it was necessary to perform the water buffing process for a long time. As a result, a large amount of water was consumed during this water buffing process. In contrast, according to this embodiment, which includes a static elimination device 80, static electricity can be removed from the pad Pd without performing such a water buffing process. Therefore, according to this embodiment, static electricity can be easily removed from the pad Pd without consuming a large amount of water.

[0081] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the present invention as described in the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 1 Processing Unit 30 Pad Stages 35 Supply channel 40 Dresser Stage 45 Dresser shaft 80 Static eliminator 81 Discharge channel 85 Earthing device Dr. Dresser Lq Liquid (conductive liquid) Pd Pad pda groove Wf substrate

Claims

1. A pad stage configured to hold pads for cleaning the circuit board, A static eliminator for a processing apparatus comprising: a dresser stage configured to hold a dresser for dressing the pads, A supply channel configured to supply a conductive liquid, which is a conductive liquid, to the pad, A discharge channel configured to discharge the conductive liquid supplied to the pad from the pad, wherein the discharge channel is configured to pass the conductive liquid through the dresser and the dresser stage in that order, A static elimination device comprising: a grounding device connected to the discharge channel, wherein the static electricity of the pad is configured to escape to the ground via the conductive liquid passing through the discharge channel and the grounding device.

2. The static elimination device according to claim 1, wherein the supply channel is configured to pass the conductive liquid through the pad stage and the pad in that order.

3. The static elimination device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the inlet of the discharge channel is smaller than the diameter of the outlet of the supply channel.

4. The static elimination device according to claim 1, wherein the pad is provided with a plurality of grooves.

5. It includes a dresser shaft connected to the dresser stage and configured to support the dresser stage, The static elimination device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge channel is configured to allow the conductive liquid to pass through the dresser, the dresser stage, and the dresser shaft in that order.

6. A method for eliminating static electricity using the static elimination device described in claim 1, This includes performing static discharge treatment on the pads. The aforementioned pad static discharge treatment is performed by Bringing the pad and the dresser into contact, The conductive liquid is passed through the supply channel, A method for eliminating static electricity, comprising: allowing the conductive liquid supplied to the pad through the supply channel to pass through the discharge channel to pass through the discharge channel, thereby dissipating the static electricity of the pad to the ground via the conductive liquid passing through the discharge channel and the grounding device.

Images