Substrate polishing method, program, and substrate polishing device

Abstract

To provide a substrate polishing method for performing polishing corresponding to substrates having various dimensions.SOLUTION: Provided is a substrate polishing method which uses a polishing device that is provided with a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for pressing a substrate against the polishing surface while holding the substrate, and an upward / downward moving mechanism that moves the top ring up and down. The method includes: an obtaining step of obtaining information concerning a thickness of the substrate; a position adjusting step of adjusting a height position of the top ring with respect to the polishing table, on the basis of the information concerning the obtained thickness of the substrate; and a polishing step of polishing the substrate by supplying pressure fluid to a pressure chamber of the top ring to press the base against the polishing surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a substrate polishing method, a program, and a substrate polishing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus is used to planarize the surface of a substrate. Substrates used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices are often disc-shaped. Also, not only for semiconductor devices, but also the requirement for flatness when planarizing the surface of rectangular substrates such as CCL substrates (Copper Clad Laminate substrates), PCB (Printed Circuit Board) substrates, photomask substrates, and display panels is increasing. Also, the requirement for planarizing the surface of a package substrate on which an electronic device such as a PCB substrate is arranged is increasing.

[0003] As a substrate holding device in a substrate polishing apparatus, a so-called floating type top ring is widely used, in which an elastic membrane (membrane) is fixed to a chucking plate, and a fluid such as air is supplied to a pressure chamber (pressurization chamber) formed above the chucking plate and a pressure chamber formed by the elastic membrane (membrane), and the semiconductor wafer is pressed against the polishing pad by fluid pressure via the elastic membrane. Also, as such a substrate holding device, there is known one provided with a vertical movement mechanism for vertically moving a carrier (top ring body) that supports the membrane. By adjusting the position of the top ring body with respect to the polishing table by the vertical movement mechanism and then adjusting the pressure inside the membrane, polishing is performed so as to obtain a desired polishing profile.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0005] Semiconductor substrates generally have dimensions defined by standards (e.g., SEMI standards). However, substrates such as the aforementioned CCL substrates, PCB substrates, photomask substrates, and display panels often lack dimensional standards, and substrates of various dimensions can exist. When holding substrates with the substrate holding device described above, differences in substrate dimensions change the positional relationship between the substrate and the polishing table. In particular, differences in substrate thickness can change the positional relationship between the polishing surface of the polishing table and the surface of the substrate being polished, which can negatively affect the control of the substrate holding device or the polishing profile.

[0006] In light of the above circumstances, one of the objectives of this application is to propose a substrate polishing method, program, or substrate polishing apparatus for polishing substrates of various dimensions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one embodiment, a method for polishing a substrate is proposed using a polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for holding the substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface, a vertical movement mechanism for moving the top ring up and down, and a sensor for acquiring information regarding the thickness of the substrate. The top ring has a membrane, which is an elastic film that forms a pressure chamber to which pressurized fluid is supplied, and a top ring body that holds the membrane. The substrate polishing method is configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface by supplying a fluid, and includes an acquisition step of acquiring information about the thickness of the substrate using the sensor, a position adjustment step of adjusting the height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the acquired information about the thickness of the substrate, and a polishing step of polishing the substrate by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface.

[0008] In another embodiment, a program is proposed for causing the processing unit of a polishing apparatus to perform a control process for performing a polishing process on the processing surface of a substrate, the polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for holding the substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface, a vertical movement mechanism for moving the top ring up and down, and a sensor for acquiring information on the thickness of the substrate, the top ring having a membrane which is an elastic film that forms a pressure chamber to which pressurized fluid is supplied, and a top ring body that holds the membrane, and is configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber, the control process comprising an acquisition step of acquiring information on the thickness of the substrate by the sensor, a position adjustment step of adjusting the height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the acquired information on the thickness of the substrate, and a polishing step of polishing the substrate by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface.

[0009] In another embodiment, a substrate polishing apparatus is proposed, which comprises a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface, the top ring having a membrane which is an elastic film forming a pressure chamber into which pressurized fluid is supplied, and a top ring body that holds the membrane, configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber, a vertical movement mechanism for moving the top ring up and down, a sensor for acquiring information on the thickness of the substrate, and a control device configured to adjust the height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the information on the thickness of the substrate acquired by the sensor, and polish the substrate by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a substrate polishing apparatus according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side view showing a load unit according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the transport mechanism in a load unit according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic side view showing a transport unit according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing a pusher according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the pusher shown, looking in the direction of arrow 6. [Figure 7] This is a partial cross-sectional view showing the first and second stages in the upper position. [Figure 8] This is a partial cross-sectional view showing the first and second stages in the upper position, with the second stage further elevated relative to the first stage. [Figure 9] This is a schematic perspective view showing a polishing unit according to one embodiment. [Figure 10]This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a top ring that constitutes a polishing head that holds a substrate and presses it against the polishing surface on the polishing table. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart showing a substrate polishing method according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view showing a top ring and polishing pad in one embodiment, where the substrate thickness is relatively small. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view showing a top ring and polishing pad in one embodiment, where the substrate thickness is relatively large. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Therefore, identical or equivalent components are denoted by the same reference numeral, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a substrate polishing apparatus 1000 according to an embodiment. The substrate polishing apparatus 1000 shown in FIG. 1 includes a load unit 100, a transfer unit 200, a polishing unit 300, a drying unit 500, and an unload unit 600. In the illustrated embodiment, the transfer unit 200 has two transfer units 200A and 200B, and the polishing unit 300 has two polishing units 300A and 300B. Note that one or three or more transfer units 200 and polishing units 300 may be provided. In one embodiment, each of these units can be formed independently. By forming these units independently, a substrate polishing apparatus 1000 with a different configuration can be easily formed by arbitrarily combining the number of each unit. Further, the substrate polishing apparatus 1000 includes a control device 900, and each component of the substrate polishing apparatus 1000 is controlled by the control device 900. In one embodiment, the control device 900 can be composed of a general computer including an input / output device, an arithmetic device, a storage device (storage medium) 900a, etc. The control device 900 functions as the main body of the operation for controlling the substrate polishing apparatus 1000. The control device 900 performs various processes by reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 900a or the like. The program may be obtained from a recording medium such as a DVD-ROM or obtained via a network.

[0013] <Load unit> The load unit 100 is a unit for introducing substrate WF into the substrate polishing apparatus 1000 before processing such as polishing and cleaning. Figure 2 is a schematic side view showing the load unit 100 according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, the load unit 100 includes a housing 102. The housing 102 has an inlet opening 104 on the side that receives the substrate WF. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the right side is the inlet side. The load unit 100 receives the substrate WF to be processed from the inlet opening 104. Upstream of the load unit 100 (on the right side in Figure 2), a processing apparatus is arranged in which processing steps prior to processing the substrate WF by the substrate polishing apparatus 1000 according to this disclosure are performed. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the load unit 100 includes an ID reader 106. The ID reader 106 reads the ID of the substrate received from the inlet opening 104. The substrate polishing apparatus 1000 performs various processing on the substrate WF according to the read ID. In one embodiment, the ID reader 106 may be omitted. In one embodiment, the load unit 100 is configured to comply with the SMEMA (Surface Mount Equipment Manufacturers Association) mechanical equipment interface standard (IPC-SMEMA-9851).

[0014] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the load unit 100 includes a plurality of transport rollers 202 for transporting the substrate WF. By rotating the transport rollers 202, the substrate WF on the transport rollers 202 can be transported in a predetermined direction (the left direction in FIG. 2). In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 102 of the load unit 100 has an outlet opening 108 for the substrate WF. The load unit 100 has a sensor 112 for detecting the presence or absence of the substrate WF at a predetermined position on the transport rollers 202. The sensor 112 can be a sensor of any type, for example, an optical sensor. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, two sensors 112 are provided in the housing 102. One is a sensor 112a provided near the inlet opening 104, and the other is a sensor 112b provided near the outlet opening 108. In one embodiment, the operation of the load unit 100 can be controlled according to the detection of the substrate WF by these sensors 112. For example, when the sensor 112a near the inlet opening 104 detects the presence of the substrate WF, the rotation of the transport rollers 202 in the load unit 100 may be started, or the rotation speed of the transport rollers 202 may be changed. Also, when the sensor 112b near the outlet opening 108 detects the presence of the substrate WF, the inlet shutter 218 of the subsequent transport unit 200A may be opened. In one embodiment, the load unit 100 has a sensor 260 for detecting the thickness of the substrate WF transported by the transport rollers 202. The sensor 260 can be a sensor of any type, for example, a ranging sensor such as an optical sensor. Note that the sensor 260 is not limited to being provided in the load unit 100. Instead of or in addition to this, it may be provided in the transport unit 200 to detect the thickness of the substrate WF on the transport rollers 202 of the transport unit 200.

[0015] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the transport mechanism in a load unit 100 according to one embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the transport mechanism of the load unit 100 has a plurality of transport rollers 202 and a plurality of roller shafts 204 to which the transport rollers 202 are attached. In the illustrated embodiment, three transport rollers 202 are attached to each roller shaft 204. The substrate WF is placed on the transport rollers 202, and the substrate WF is transported by the rotation of the transport rollers 202. The mounting position of the transport rollers 202 on the roller shafts 204 can be any position that allows for stable transport of the substrate WF. However, since the transport rollers 202 come into contact with the substrate WF, they should be positioned so that they come into contact with an area of ​​the substrate WF that will not cause problems even if it comes into contact with the substrate WF being processed. In one embodiment, the transport rollers 202 of the load unit 100 can be made of a conductive polymer. In one embodiment, the transport rollers 202 are electrically grounded via the roller shafts 204, etc. This is to prevent the substrate WF from becoming charged and damaging the substrate WF. In one embodiment, the load unit 100 may be provided with an ionizer (not shown) to prevent static charge buildup on the substrate WF. In another embodiment, the sensor 260 for detecting the thickness of the substrate WF is positioned to detect the center (center in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction) or its vicinity of the substrate WF being transported by the transport roller 202. The sensor 260 is not limited to detecting the center of the substrate WF, but may detect any location. Furthermore, as an example, the sensor 260 may consist of multiple sensors to detect multiple locations in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, or a drive mechanism may be provided to move the sensor in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

[0016] In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the roller shaft 204 is rotationally driven by the motor 208 via the gear 206. In one embodiment, the motor 208 can be a servo motor. By using a servo motor, the rotational speed of the roller shaft 204 and the transport roller 202, i.e., the transport speed of the substrate WF, can be controlled. In another embodiment, the gear 206 can be a magnetic gear. Since a magnetic gear is a non-contact type power transmission mechanism, it does not generate fine particles due to wear like a contact type gear, and does not require maintenance such as lubrication.

[0017] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the load unit 100 is provided with auxiliary rollers 214 near the inlet opening 104 and the outlet opening 108. The auxiliary rollers 214 are positioned at approximately the same height as the transport rollers 202. The position of the auxiliary rollers 214 can be changed according to the dimensions of the substrate WF being transported. The auxiliary rollers 214 support the substrate WF to prevent it from falling between units during transport. The auxiliary rollers 214 are not connected to a power source and are configured to rotate freely.

[0018] In one embodiment, the load unit 100 may be equipped with a reversing machine (not shown) for reversing the received substrate WF. For example, if the substrate WF is transported to the load unit 100 with the pattern area facing upwards according to the specifications of the upstream processing device, the substrate WF may be reversed using the reversing machine so that the pattern area facing downwards before the subsequent processing by the substrate polishing device 1000 can be performed.

[0019] <Conveyor Unit> Figure 4 is a schematic side view showing a transport unit 200 according to one embodiment. The substrate polishing apparatus 1000 shown in Figure 1 comprises two transport units 200A and 200B. The two transport units 200A and 200B can have the same configuration, so they will be described collectively as the transport unit 200 below. The transport unit 200 is equipped with a plurality of transport rollers 202 for transporting substrates WF. By rotating the transport rollers 202, the substrates WF on the transport rollers 202 can be transported in a predetermined direction. The transport rollers 202 of the transport unit 200 may be formed from a conductive polymer or a non-conductive polymer. The transport rollers 202 are attached to a roller shaft 204 (not shown in Figure 4), similar to the transport mechanism of the load unit 100 described above, and are driven by a motor 208 via a gear 206. In one embodiment, the motor 208 can be a servo motor, and the gear 206 can be a gear type, but it can also be a magnetic gear, similar to the load unit 100. Furthermore, the illustrated transport unit 200, like the load unit 100, is equipped with guide rollers 212 (not shown in Figure 4) that support the sides of the substrate WF during transport. The illustrated transport unit 200 has sensors 216 for detecting the presence or absence of the substrate WF at a predetermined position on the transport rollers 202. Sensors 216 can be of any type, for example, optical sensors. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, seven sensors 216 (216a to 216g) are provided on the transport unit 200. In one embodiment, the operation of the transport unit 200 can be controlled in response to the detection of the substrate WF by these sensors 216a to 216g. However, the number and arrangement of sensors 216 are not limited to the example shown in Figure 4. The transport unit 200 has an entrance shutter 218 that can be opened and closed to receive the substrate WF into the transport unit 200.In one embodiment, the transport unit 200, like the load unit 100, is also equipped with a support member (not shown in Figure 4) to prevent the substrate WF from slipping into the gap between adjacent transport rollers 202 in the transport direction, and a plurality of guide rollers 212 (not shown in Figure 4) to support the substrate WF on both sides in the width direction of the transported substrate WF.

[0020] As shown in Figure 4, the transport unit 200 has a stopper 220. The stopper 220 is connected to a stopper moving mechanism 222, and the stopper 220 can enter the transport path of the substrate WF moving on the transport rollers 202. When the stopper 220 is located within the transport path of the substrate WF, the side of the substrate WF moving on the transport rollers 202 comes into contact with the stopper 220, and the moving substrate WF can be stopped at the position of the stopper 220. Also, when the stopper 220 is in a position retracted from the transport path of the substrate WF, the substrate WF can move on the transport rollers 202. The stopping position of the substrate WF by the stopper 220 is the position (substrate transfer position) where the pusher 230, described later, can receive the substrate WF on the transport rollers 202.

[0021] As shown by the dashed line in Figure 4, the transport unit 200 has a pusher 230. The pusher 230 is configured to lift the substrate WF that is on a plurality of transport rollers 202 away from the plurality of transport rollers 202. The pusher 230 is also configured to transfer the substrate WF it is holding to the transport rollers 202 of the transport unit 200.

[0022] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a pusher 230 according to one embodiment. Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the pusher 230 shown in Figure 5, viewed in the direction of arrow 6. Figure 6 schematically shows the pusher 230 together with a transport roller 202, a substrate WF placed at a substrate transfer position on the transport roller 202, and a top ring 302 that receives the substrate WF. In the embodiments shown in Figures 5 and 6, the pusher 230 comprises a first stage 232 and a second stage 270. The first stage 232 is a stage for supporting the retainer member 3 of the top ring 302 when transferring the substrate WF from the pusher 230 to the top ring 302, which will be described later. The first stage 232 comprises a plurality of support columns 234. As shown in Figure 5, the ends of the support columns 234 have a flat support surface 234a for supporting the retainer member 3 of the top ring 302 and an inclined surface 234b for guiding the top ring 302. In one embodiment, the support columns 234 at the four corners of the plurality of support columns 234 may have a support surface 234a and an inclined surface 234b. The retainer member 3 can be aligned in the recess formed by the support columns 234 at the four corners. The support columns 234 other than those at the four corners may have only a support surface 234a. The other end of each support column 234 is connected to a common base 236. In addition, each support column 234 is positioned so as not to interfere with the transport rollers 202, and in the embodiment shown in Figure 5, each support column 234 is positioned between the transport rollers 202. The second stage 270 is configured to receive substrates WF on the transport rollers 202. The second stage 270 comprises a plurality of support columns 272. The ends of the support columns 272 have flat support surfaces that support the substrates WF. The other end of each support column 272 is connected to a common base 274. Furthermore, each support column 272 is positioned so as not to interfere with the transport rollers 202, and in the embodiment shown in Figure 6, each support column 272 is positioned between the transport rollers 202. The first stage 232 and the second stage 270 are each connected to a lifting mechanism, as will be described in detail below, and are each movable in the height direction (z direction).

[0023] The first stage 232 is configured to be movable in the height direction (z direction). In one embodiment, the pusher 230 has a first lifting mechanism 231. In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the first lifting mechanism 231 of the pusher 230 is a pneumatic lifting mechanism comprising a cylinder 240 and a piston 242. The end of the piston 242 is connected to a movable base 244. The cylinder 240 is connected to a fixed base 246. The fixed base 246 is fixed to a housing 201 that covers the entire transport unit 200 or to the floor surface on which the transport unit 200 is installed. By adjusting the air pressure in the cylinder 240, the piston 242 moves, and the movable base 244 can be moved in the height direction (z direction). As the movable base 244 moves in the height direction, the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 can move in the height direction. In the illustrated embodiment, an XY stage 248 capable of moving the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 in a horizontal plane is mounted on the movable base 244. The XY stage 248 can be a known XY stage configured to be movable in two orthogonal directions by linear guides or the like. In the illustrated embodiment, a rotary stage 250 is mounted on the XY stage 248. The rotary stage 250 is configured to be rotatable in the XY plane (horizontal plane). In other words, the rotary stage 250 is configured to be rotatable about the z axis. The rotary stage 250 can be a known rotary stage 250 configured with rotary bearings or the like. A second lifting mechanism 233 is mounted on the rotary stage 250. The second lifting mechanism 233 has a cylinder 252 and a piston 254. The cylinder 252 is connected to the base 236 of the first stage 232. Furthermore, a movable piston 254 is connected to the cylinder 252, and the piston 254 can be moved by adjusting the air pressure inside the cylinder 252. The base 274 of the second stage 270 is connected to the end of the piston 254. Therefore, by adjusting the air pressure inside the cylinder 252, the piston 254 and the second stage 270 can be moved in the height direction (z direction).Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the first lifting mechanism 231 moves both the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 in the height direction (z direction), and the second lifting mechanism 233 moves the second stage 270 relative to the first stage 232 in the height direction (z direction). In addition, the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 can move in two orthogonal directions (x and y directions) in the horizontal plane by the XY stage 248. Moreover, the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 can rotate in the horizontal plane (around the z axis) by the rotation stage 250. As a result, the substrate WF is exchanged between the pusher 230 and the top ring 302, which will be described later. At the same time, the pusher 230 and the top ring 302 can be aligned. In the illustrated embodiment, the first lifting mechanism 231 and the second lifting mechanism 233 are pneumatic lifting mechanisms, but these lifting mechanisms may also be hydraulic, or they may be electrically operated lifting mechanisms using a motor and ball screw or the like.

[0024] The first lifting mechanism 231 allows the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 to move between a lower position and an upper position. Figure 6 shows the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 in the lower position. When the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 are in the lower position, as shown in Figure 6, the ends of the support columns 234 of the first stage 232 and the ends of the support columns 272 of the second stage 270 are lower than the surface that supports the substrate WF of the transport roller 202. Figure 7 shows the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 in the upper position. When the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 are in the upper position, the ends of the support columns 234 of the first stage 232 and the ends of the support columns 272 of the second stage 270 are higher than the surface that supports the substrate of the transport roller 202. In other words, when the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 move from a lower position to an upper position, the substrate WF placed on the transport roller 202 can be lifted and received by the second stage 270. Figure 8 shows the first stage 232 and the second stage 270 in the upper position, and the second stage 270 is in a position raised relative to the first stage 232. When transferring the substrate WF from the pusher 230 to the top ring 302, which will be described later, the second stage 270, which holds the substrate WF, is raised relative to the first stage 232, as shown in Figure 8.

[0025] In one embodiment, the transport unit 200 has a sensor 262 for detecting the thickness of the substrate WF being transferred from the pusher 230 to the top ring 302 (see Figures 4, 6-8). The sensor 262 can be any type of sensor, for example, an optical distance measuring sensor can be used. The information acquired by the sensor 262 is sent to the control device 900. In the example shown in Figures 6-8, the sensor 262 is an image sensor attached to the housing 201, and its shooting direction is oriented horizontally. Based on the imaging data acquired by the sensor 262, the control device 900 calculates the amount of movement Dh of the second stage 270, which holds the substrate WF, relative to the first stage 232 when the substrate WF is transferred from the pusher 230 to the top ring 302. The control device 900 is then configured to detect the thickness of the substrate WF based on the calculated amount of movement Dh. Furthermore, the sensor 262 is not limited to these examples, and various known sensors can be used, such as laser sensors, potentiometers, overcurrent sensors, acceleration sensors, and linear scale sensors, to detect the amount Dh of movement Dh of the second stage 270 relative to the first stage 232. In addition, the sensor 262 may be mounted on the pusher 230 instead of being mounted on the housing 201, or in addition to being mounted on the housing 201. Moreover, multiple sensors 262 may be provided.

[0026] The transport unit 200 shown in Figure 4 has a cleaning section. As shown in Figure 4, the cleaning section has a cleaning nozzle 284. The cleaning nozzle 284 has an upper cleaning nozzle 284a positioned above the transport roller 202 and a lower cleaning nozzle 284b positioned below it. The upper cleaning nozzle 284a and the lower cleaning nozzle 284b are connected to a cleaning fluid supply source (not shown). The upper cleaning nozzle 284a is configured to supply cleaning fluid to the upper surface of the substrate WF being transported on the transport roller 202. The lower cleaning nozzle 284b is configured to supply cleaning fluid to the lower surface of the substrate WF being transported on the transport roller 202. The upper cleaning nozzle 284a and the lower cleaning nozzle 284b have a width approximately equal to or greater than the width of the substrate WF being transported on the transport roller 202, and are configured so that the entire surface of the substrate WF is cleaned as the substrate WF is transported on the transport roller 202. As shown in Figure 4, the cleaning section is located downstream of the substrate transfer point of the pusher 230 of the transport unit 200.

[0027] As shown in Figure 4, in the cleaning section, a pressing roller 290 is positioned above the transport roller 202. The sensor 216d is positioned near the entrance of the cleaning section. In one embodiment, when the sensor 216d detects a substrate WF, cleaning liquid can be sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 284 to start cleaning the substrate WF. During cleaning of the substrate WF, the rotation speed of the transport roller 202 may be set to a cleaning speed. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the sensor 216f is positioned near the exit point of the cleaning section. In one embodiment, when the sensor 216f detects a substrate WF, the spraying of cleaning liquid from the cleaning nozzle 284 can be stopped. During cleaning of the substrate WF, the substrate WF is held and transported by the transport roller 202 and the pressing roller 290, allowing for stable transport of the substrate WF even during cleaning liquid spraying.

[0028] As shown in Figure 4, the transport unit 200 has an openable and closable exit shutter 286. The transport unit 200 is also equipped with a sensor 216g near the exit. In one embodiment, when the sensor 216g detects a substrate WF, the exit shutter 286 may be opened to transport the substrate WF to the next unit. In another embodiment, when the sensor 216g detects a substrate WF, the transport of the substrate WF by the transport rollers 202 may be stopped without opening the exit shutter 286, the processing of the next unit may be waited for, and after the next unit is ready to receive the substrate, the exit shutter 286 may be opened to transport the substrate WF to the next unit.

[0029] <Polishing Unit> Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a polishing unit 300 according to one embodiment. The substrate polishing apparatus 1000 shown in Figure 1 comprises two polishing units 300A and 300B. Since the two polishing units 300A and 300B can have the same configuration, they will be described collectively as the polishing unit 300 below.

[0030] As shown in Figure 9, the polishing unit 300 comprises a polishing table 350 and a top ring 302 which constitutes a polishing head that holds the substrate to be polished and presses it against the polishing surface on the polishing table 350. The polishing table 350 is connected via a table shaft 351 to a polishing table rotation motor (not shown) located below it, and is rotatable around the table shaft 351. A polishing pad 352 is attached to the upper surface of the polishing table 350, and the surface 352a of the polishing pad 352 constitutes the polishing surface for polishing the substrate.

[0031] A polishing fluid supply nozzle 354 is installed above the polishing table 350, and this nozzle supplies polishing fluid to the polishing pad 352 on the polishing table 350. As shown in Figure 9, the polishing table 350 and the table shaft 351 are provided with a passage 353 for supplying polishing fluid. The passage 353 communicates with an opening 355 on the surface of the polishing table 350. A through hole 357 is formed in the polishing pad 352 at a position corresponding to the opening 355 of the polishing table 350, and the polishing fluid passing through the passage 353 is supplied to the surface of the polishing pad 352 from the opening 355 of the polishing table 350 and the through hole 357 of the polishing pad 352. Note that the opening 355 of the polishing table 350 and the through hole 357 of the polishing pad 352 may be one or more, or they may not be provided at all.

[0032] The top ring 302 is connected to the top ring shaft 18, which moves up and down relative to the oscillating arm 360 by a vertical movement mechanism 319. This vertical movement of the top ring shaft 18 causes the entire top ring 302 to move up and down relative to the oscillating arm 360, thereby positioning it. The top ring shaft 18 rotates, driven by a top ring rotation motor (not shown). The top ring 302 rotates around the top ring shaft 18 as the top ring shaft 18 rotates. A rotary joint 323 is attached to the upper end of the top ring shaft 18.

[0033] The top ring 302 is designed to hold a substrate on its underside. The oscillating arm 360 is configured to pivot around a pivot shaft 362. By pivoting the oscillating arm 360, the top ring 302 can move between the substrate transfer position of the transport unit 200 and above the polishing table 350. By lowering the top ring shaft 18, the top ring 302 can be lowered to press the substrate against the surface (polishing surface) 352a of the polishing pad 352. At this time, the top ring 302 and the polishing table 350 are rotated, and polishing fluid is supplied onto the polishing pad 352 from a polishing fluid supply nozzle 354 located above the polishing table 350 and / or from an opening 355 located in the polishing table 350. In this way, the substrate can be pressed against the polishing surface 352a of the polishing pad 352 and its surface polished.

[0034] A vertical movement mechanism 319 moves the top ring shaft 18 and the top ring 302 up and down. The system comprises a bridge 28 that rotatably supports the top ring shaft 18 via a bearing 321, a ball screw 32 attached to the bridge 28, a support base 29 supported by a support column 130, and an AC servo motor 38 mounted on the support base 29. The support base 29 that supports the servo motor 38 is fixed to the swing arm 360 via the support column 130.

[0035] The ball screw 32 comprises a screw shaft 32a connected to a servo motor 38 and a nut 32b into which the screw shaft 32a is screwed. The top ring shaft 18 moves up and down together with the bridge 28. Therefore, when the servo motor 38 is driven, the bridge 28 moves up and down via the ball screw 32, causing the top ring shaft 18 and the top ring 302 to move up and down. The polishing unit 300 is equipped with a distance measuring sensor 70 as a position detection unit that detects the distance to the lower surface of the bridge 28, i.e., the position of the bridge 28. By detecting the position of the bridge 28 with this distance measuring sensor 70, the position of the top ring 302 can be detected. The distance measuring sensor 70, together with the ball screw 32 and the servo motor 38, constitutes the up and down movement mechanism 319. The distance measuring sensor 70 may be a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an overcurrent sensor, or a linear scale sensor. Furthermore, each component in the polishing unit, including the distance measuring sensor 70 and the servo motor 38, is configured to be controlled by the control device 900.

[0036] In one embodiment, the polishing unit 300 dresses the polishing surface 352a of the polishing pad 352. The system includes a dressing unit 356. This dressing unit 356 comprises a dresser 50 that slides against the polishing surface 352a, a dresser shaft 51 to which the dresser 50 is connected, an air cylinder 53 provided at the upper end of the dresser shaft 51, and a swing arm 55 that rotatably supports the dresser shaft 51. The lower part of the dresser 50 is composed of a dressing member 50a, on which needle-shaped diamond particles are attached to the lower surface of the dressing member 50a. The air cylinder 53 is positioned on a support base 57 supported by columns 56, and these columns 56 are fixed to the swing arm 55.

[0037] The oscillating arm 55 is driven by a motor (not shown) and is configured to pivot around a pivot shaft 58. The dresser shaft 51 rotates due to the drive of a motor (not shown), and this rotation of the dresser shaft 51 causes the dresser 50 to rotate around the dresser shaft 51. The air cylinder 53 moves the dresser 50 up and down via the dresser shaft 51, polishing the polishing pad 352 with a predetermined pressing force. Press against surface 352a.

[0038] The polishing surface 352a of the polishing pad 352 is dressed as follows. The dresser 50 is pressed against the polishing surface 352a by an air cylinder 53, and at the same time, pure water is supplied to the polishing surface 352a from a pure water supply nozzle (not shown). In this state, the dresser 50 is rotated around the dresser shaft 51 and the oscillating arm 55 is oscillated on the polishing surface 352a, causing the lower surface (diamond particles) of the dressing member 50a to slide against the rotating polishing surface 352a. In this way, the polishing pad 352 is scraped off by the dresser 50 and the polishing surface 352a is dressed.

[0039] In the polishing apparatus of this embodiment, the amount of wear on the polishing pad 352 is measured using the dresser 50. Specifically, the dressing unit 356 is equipped with a displacement sensor 60 that measures the displacement of the dresser 50. This displacement sensor 60 constitutes a wear amount detection means for detecting the amount of wear on the polishing pad 352 and is provided on the upper surface of the oscillating arm 55. A target plate 61 is fixed to the dresser shaft 51, and the target plate 61 moves up and down in accordance with the up and down movement of the dresser 50. The displacement sensor 60 is positioned to pass through the target plate 61, and the displacement of the dresser 50 is measured by measuring the displacement of the target plate 61. Any type of sensor can be used as the displacement sensor 60, such as a linear scale, laser sensor, ultrasonic sensor, or eddy current sensor.

[0040] In this embodiment, the amount of wear on the polishing pad 352 is measured as follows. First, the air cylinder 53 is driven to bring the dresser 50 into contact with the polishing surface 352a of the polishing pad 352, which has been initially sharpened. In this state, the displacement sensor 60 detects the initial position (initial height) of the dresser 50 and stores this initial position (initial height) in the control device 900. After the polishing process of one or more substrates is completed, the dresser 50 is brought into contact with the polishing surface 352a again, and the position of the dresser 50 is measured in this state. Since the position of the dresser 50 is displaced downward according to the amount of wear on the polishing pad 352, the control device 900 can determine the amount of wear on the polishing pad 352 by finding the difference between the initial position and the position of the dresser 50 after polishing. In this way, the amount of wear on the polishing pad 352 is determined based on the position of the dresser 50.

[0041] Next, the top ring 302 in the polishing unit 300 according to one embodiment will be described. Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the top ring 302 according to one embodiment, which holds the substrate to be polished and presses the substrate against the polishing surface on the polishing pad. In Figure 10, only the main components constituting the top ring 302 are schematically shown.

[0042] As shown in Figure 10, the top ring 302 has a top ring body 2 that presses the substrate WF against the polishing surface 352a, and a retainer member 3 that directly presses against the polishing surface 352a. The top ring body 2 is made of a generally rectangular flat plate-like member, and the retainer member 3 is attached to the outer circumference of the top ring body 2. The top ring body 2 is made of a resin such as engineering plastic (e.g., PEEK). An elastic membrane 4 that contacts the back surface of the substrate is attached to the lower surface of the top ring body 2. In one embodiment, the elastic membrane 4 is made of a rubber material with excellent strength and durability, such as ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM), polyurethane rubber, or silicone rubber. In one embodiment, the elastic membrane 4 can be made from rubber material using a mold.

[0043] The elastic membrane 4 has multiple concentric partitions 4a, and these partitions 4a form a circular center chamber 5 between the upper surface of the elastic membrane 4 and the lower surface of the top ring body 2, a rectangular annular ripple chamber 6 surrounding the center chamber 5, and a rectangular annular intermediate chamber surrounding the ripple chamber 6. 7. A rectangular annular outer chamber 8 surrounds the intermediate chamber 7, and a rectangular annular edge chamber 9 surrounds the outer chamber 8. That is, a center chamber 5 is formed in the center of the top ring body 2, and the ripple chamber 6, intermediate chamber 7, outer chamber 8, and edge chamber 9 are formed concentrically in sequence from the center toward the outer periphery. The elastic membrane 4 has a plurality of vacuum adsorption holes (not shown) that communicate with the ripple chamber 6 and allow the substrate WF to be vacuum-adsorbed to the top ring 302. The vacuum adsorption holes are connected to a vacuum source (not shown), and the substrate WF can be vacuum-adsorbed to the elastic membrane 4 of the top ring 302 via the vacuum adsorption holes.

[0044] Furthermore, a retainer member pressure chamber 10 made of an elastic film is also formed on the retainer member 3. The center chamber 5, ripple chamber 6, intermediate chamber 7, outer chamber 8, edge chamber 9, and retainer member pressure chamber 10 are connected to a pressure adjustment section (not shown) via flow paths 11 to 16. With this structure, the pressing force that presses the substrate WF against the polishing pad 352 can be adjusted for each region of the substrate WF, and the pressing force that the retainer member 3 presses against the polishing pad 352 can also be adjusted.

[0045] <Drying Unit> The drying unit is a device for drying the substrate WF. In the substrate polishing apparatus 1000 shown in Figure 1, the drying unit 500 dries the substrate WF that has been polished by the polishing unit 300 and then cleaned in the cleaning section of the transport unit 200. As shown in Figure 1, the drying unit 500 is located downstream of the transport unit 200.

[0046] The drying unit 500 has nozzles 530 for injecting gas toward the substrate WF being transported on the transport rollers 202. The gas can be, for example, compressed air or nitrogen. In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzles 530 may include a lower nozzle configured to inject gas toward the lower surface of the substrate WF from below the transport rollers 202, and a lower nozzle configured to inject gas toward the upper surface of the substrate WF from above the transport rollers 202. Note that there may be one lower nozzle and one upper nozzle, or multiple lower and upper nozzles may be provided in the transport direction of the substrate WF. Furthermore, each nozzle 530 can be shaped as a slit with a gas supply opening that extends to approximately the width of the substrate WF.

[0047] <Unloading Unit> The unloading unit 600 is a unit for transporting the substrate WF after processing such as polishing and cleaning to the outside of the substrate polishing apparatus 1000. In the substrate polishing apparatus 1000 shown in Figure 1, the unloading unit 600 receives the substrate after it has been dried in the drying unit 500. As shown in Figure 1, the unloading unit 600 is located downstream of the drying unit 500.

[0048] <Substrate polishing method> Next, a substrate polishing method using the substrate polishing apparatus 1000 in this embodiment will be described. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing a substrate polishing method according to one embodiment. This substrate polishing method is executed mainly by the control device 900 after reading a program stored in the storage device 900a or the like. This substrate polishing method is executed, for example, when a substrate WF is loaded into the load unit 100.

[0049] <Acquisition Steps> In the substrate polishing method, the control device 900 first acquires information regarding the thickness of the substrate WF to be polished (step S12). Here, the information regarding the thickness of the substrate WF may be, for example, the thickness of the substrate WF itself, or information indicating the thickness of the substrate WF. Hereinafter, the information regarding the thickness of the substrate WF may be referred to as "thickness information". The thickness information of the substrate WF can be acquired, for example, using at least one of the acquisition steps described below.

[0050] <Acquisition Step 1> The control device 900 can acquire thickness information of the substrate WF based on a detection signal input from a sensor 260 provided on the load unit 100 (or transport unit 200) (see Figures 2 and 3). In this acquisition step, the thickness of the substrate WF on the transport roller 202 is acquired. The acquisition of the substrate WF thickness information by the sensor 260 may be performed while the substrate WF is being moved by the transport roller 202. Alternatively, the thickness information of the substrate WF may be acquired by the sensor 260 when the transport by the transport roller 202 is stopped. The sensor 260 may detect multiple locations on the substrate WF in the transport direction of the transport roller 202. In such cases, the control device 900 may acquire the average value of multiple locations on the substrate WF as thickness information.

[0051] <Acquisition Step 2> The control device 900 may acquire thickness information of the substrate WF when the substrate WF is transferred from the pusher 230 to the top ring 302. The control device 900 can acquire thickness information of the substrate WF based on the distance moved by the pusher 230 to transfer the substrate WF to the top ring 302, specifically the amount Dh of movement of the second stage 270 relative to the first stage 232 (see Figure 8). Specifically, the control device 900 can acquire thickness information of the substrate WF based on a detection signal input from a sensor 262 provided on the transport unit 200 (see Figures 4 to 8).

[0052] <Acquisition Step 3> The control device 900 may acquire thickness information of the substrate WF by bringing the top ring 302, which holds the substrate WF to be polished, into contact with the polishing table 350. This acquisition step may, for example, be performed together with a pad search by the top ring 302. Here, the pad search is a process of detecting the height (position) of the surface of the polishing pad 352. The pad search by the top ring is performed by detecting the height position of the top ring 302 when the lower surface of the top ring 302 comes into contact with the surface (polishing surface) of the polishing pad 352. During the pad search, the servo motor 38 is driven to lower the top ring 302 while accumulating the rotation speed using an encoder. When the lower surface of the top ring 302 comes into contact with the surface of the polishing pad 352, the load on the servo motor 38 increases, and the current flowing to the servo motor 38 increases. Therefore, the current flowing to the servo motor 38 is detected by the current detector of the control device 900, and when the current increases, it is determined that the lower surface of the top ring 302 has come into contact with the surface of the polishing pad 352. When it is determined that the lower surface of the top ring 302 has come into contact with the surface of the polishing pad 352, the control device 900 obtains the surface height of the polishing pad 352 from the integrated value of the encoder of the servo motor 38. In such a pad search, the control device 900 may also obtain thickness information of the substrate WF along with the surface height of the polishing pad 352. For example, the thickness information of the substrate WF may be obtained by detecting the distance between the substrate WF and the polishing pad 352 when the lower surface of the top ring 302 comes into contact with the surface of the polishing pad 352. Alternatively, as another example, the thickness information of the substrate WF may be obtained by bringing the substrate WF surface into contact with the polishing pad 352. In this case, the amount of expansion (supplied fluid amount) of the partition wall 4a of the elastic membrane 4 may be taken into consideration. Furthermore, the control device 900 may obtain the thickness information of the substrate WF based on the difference between the reference height when the substrate WF is not being held and the detected height when the substrate WF is being held. In other words, as an example, the control device 900 brings the top ring 302 into contact with the polishing table 350 while not holding the substrate WF, and acquires the height position of the top ring 302 at that time as a reference height.Next, the control device 900 brings the top ring 302 into contact with the polishing table 350 while holding the substrate WF, and acquires the height position of the top ring 302 at that time as the detected height. The control device 900 can then acquire the difference between the acquired reference height and the detected height as the thickness information of the substrate WF. Alternatively, the acquisition of the substrate WF thickness information in acquisition step 3 may be performed based on detection by a sensor provided on the top ring 302. For example, the top ring 302 may be equipped with a sensor 264 provided on the retainer member 3 as a sensor for detecting the distance between the substrate WF and the polishing pad 352, or as a sensor for detecting the amount of expansion of the elastic film 4 when the substrate WF and the polishing pad 352 come into contact (see Figure 10). The sensor 264 can be any type of sensor, for example, an optical distance measuring sensor. Alternatively, the sensor 264 may be provided on the polishing table 350. As an example, the sensor 264 may be located below the polishing table 350, and an opening may be formed in the polishing table 350 and the polishing pad 352 through which the sensing light from the sensor 264 can pass. In this case, a window member through which the sensing light can pass may be placed in the opening between the polishing table 350 and the polishing pad 352. The window member is made of a light-transmitting material, specifically a transparent material (for example, transparent plastic or transparent glass). By placing the window member, it is possible to prevent pure water or polishing liquid from coming into contact with the sensor 264. When bringing the top ring 302 or the substrate WF into contact with the polishing pad 352 in order to acquire thickness information of the substrate WF, it is preferable that the top ring 302 and the polishing pad 352 come into contact while the top ring 302 and the polishing pad 352 are not rotating.

[0053] <Acquisition Step 4> If the user is already aware of the thickness information of the substrate WF, the thickness information may be stored in the storage device 900a of the control device 900 via external input. In such cases, the control device 900 can obtain the thickness information of the substrate WF by reading the thickness information of the substrate WF stored in the storage device 900a. Also, as an example, if multiple similar substrate WFs are fed into the substrate polishing device 1000 in succession, the thickness information of one or more substrate WFs may be obtained, and the previously obtained thickness information may be used for subsequent substrate WFs.

[0054] <Position adjustment step> When the control device 900 acquires thickness information of the substrate WF, it calculates the height position of the top ring 302 relative to the polishing table 350 based on the acquired thickness information (S14). As a specific example, the control device 900 may calculate the optimal position of the top ring 302 before polishing from the surface height of the polishing pad 352. The optimal position of the top ring 302 may be determined based on the thickness information of the substrate WF so that the membrane height, which is defined as the gap between the top ring body 2 and the elastic membrane (membrane) 4, falls within a predetermined desired range. If the position of the top ring 302 relative to the polishing pad 352 is adjusted without considering the thickness of the substrate WF, the distance between the substrate WF and the polishing pad 352 (membrane height MH) becomes smaller when the thickness of the substrate WF is large, and the distance between the substrate WF and the polishing pad 352 becomes larger when the thickness of the substrate WF is small. For this reason, in this embodiment, the control device 900 calculates the height position of the top ring 302 based on the thickness information of the substrate WF. Specifically, the height position of the top ring 302 should be calculated such that the greater the thickness of the substrate WF, the greater the distance between the top ring body 2 and the polishing pad 352, and the smaller the thickness of the substrate WF, the smaller the distance between the top ring body 2 and the polishing pad 352. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the top ring and polishing pad in the case of a relatively small substrate thickness according to one embodiment, and Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the top ring and polishing pad in the case of a relatively large substrate thickness according to one embodiment. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the control device 900 should calculate the height position of the top ring 302 such that the membrane height MH falls within a substantially constant range, taking into account the thickness information of the substrate WF.

[0055] Referring again to Figure 11, the control device 900 then adjusts the height position of the top ring 302 relative to the polishing table 350 so that it is the calculated height position of the top ring. Adjust (step S16). Then, the control device 900 rotates the polishing table 350 and the top ring 302, along with the rotation of the top ring 302 and the polishing table 350, and presses the substrate WF against the polishing pad 352 to polish the substrate WF (step S18).

[0056] The control device 900 may polish the substrate WF using only one of the polishing units 300A or 300B, or it may polish the same substrate WF in two stages using both the polishing unit 300A and the polishing unit 300B. When polishing the substrate WF in two stages, the height position of the top ring 302 relative to the polishing table 350 of the polishing unit 300B may be adjusted based on the thickness information of the substrate WF acquired before polishing the substrate WF with the polishing unit 300A and the amount of polishing done by the polishing unit 300A, or based on the thickness information of the substrate WF acquired in the transport unit 200B before polishing the substrate WF with the polishing unit 300B. In this way, even in the second stage of polishing with the polishing unit 300B, the position of the top ring 302 can be adjusted to an appropriate position for processing. The amount of polishing performed by the polishing unit 300A may, for example, be a predetermined value obtained through simulation, or it may be calculated based on the time required for polishing by the polishing unit 300A, the amount of pressurized fluid applied to the elastic film 4, etc.

[0057] Once the polishing of the substrate WF in the polishing unit 300 is complete, the arm 360 is swung to move the top ring 302, which holds the substrate WF, to the substrate transfer position of the transport unit 200. Then, the vacuum suction of the top ring 302 is released, and the substrate WF is supported by the support column 272 of the second stage 270. After that, the pusher 230 is lowered to transfer the substrate WF onto the transport roller 202 (see Figure 6).

[0058] When the polishing of the substrate WF is completed in the polishing unit 300, the polishing unit 300 performs dressing and cleaning of the polishing pad 352 using the dressing unit 356 and atomizer 358, etc. At this time, it is preferable to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad 352 using the dresser 50 as described above. Furthermore, when the control device 900 adjusts the height position of the top ring 302 for a continuous new substrate polishing process (Figure 11: S14, S16), it may correct for the amount of wear of the polishing pad 352. For example, the control device 900 may calculate that the height position of the top ring 302 should be lowered by a distance corresponding to the amount of wear of the polishing pad 352 measured previously for a continuous new substrate polishing process. In addition, the polishing unit 300 may perform dressing and cleaning of the polishing pad 352 after polishing one substrate WF, or it may perform dressing and cleaning of the polishing pad 352 after polishing multiple substrate WFs. Furthermore, the control device 900 may estimate the amount of wear of the polishing pad 352 when polishing one substrate WF based on the amount of wear of the polishing pad 352 measured using the dresser 50, or based on the amount of wear of the polishing pad 352 predetermined by the polishing recipe, or it may estimate the current amount of wear of the polishing pad 352. Alternatively, the control device 900 may, as an example, estimate the amount of wear of the polishing pad 352 when polishing one substrate WF by accumulating and averaging past data. When adjusting the height position of the top ring 302 (Figure 11: S14, S16), the control device 900 may correct the height position based on the estimated amount of wear of the polishing pad 352.

[0059] When the substrate WF is transferred from the polishing unit 300 to the transport unit 200, the transport rollers 202 are restarted to transport the substrate WF. When cleaning the substrate WF, the rotation speed of the transport rollers 202 may be changed to a cleaning speed. While the substrate WF is being transported by the transport rollers 202, cleaning solution is sprayed onto the substrate WF from the upper cleaning nozzles 284a and lower cleaning nozzles 284b to clean the substrate WF.

[0060] The substrate WF is then transported from the transport unit 200 to the drying unit 500 for drying, and then transported to the unload unit 600. The substrate WF transported to the unload unit 600 is then transported to the exit by the transport roller 202 and transported outside the substrate polishing device 1000.

[0061] In the substrate processing method described above, the thickness information of the substrate WF is acquired, and the position of the top ring 302 relative to the polishing table 350 is adjusted based on the acquired substrate WF thickness information, and the substrate WF is polished. This makes it possible to perform appropriate polishing processing for substrate WF of various dimensions.

[0062] The above-described substrate processing method is preferably carried out without the substrate WF being discharged from the unloading unit 600, that is, without being discharged from the processing line including the transport unit 200. This makes it possible to shorten the time required for the substrate polishing process.

[0063] The present invention can also be described in the following forms. [Embodiment 1] According to Embodiment 1, a method for polishing a substrate is proposed using a polishing apparatus comprising: a polishing table having a polishing surface; a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface; a vertical movement mechanism for moving the top ring up and down; and a sensor for acquiring information regarding the thickness of the substrate. The top ring has a membrane, which is an elastic film that forms a pressure chamber to which pressurized fluid is supplied, and a top ring body that holds the membrane, and is configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber. The substrate polishing method includes an acquisition step of acquiring information regarding the thickness of the substrate using the sensor; a position adjustment step of adjusting the height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the acquired information regarding the thickness of the substrate; and a polishing step of polishing the substrate by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface. According to Embodiment 1, by adjusting the height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the thickness of the substrate, polishing can be performed on substrates of various dimensions.

[0064] [Form 2] According to Form 2, in Form 1, the acquisition step is performed by bringing the top ring holding the substrate into contact with the polishing table.

[0065] [Embodiment 3] According to Embodiment 3, in Embodiment 2, the polishing apparatus is equipped with a polishing table rotation mechanism for rotating the polishing table, and the acquisition step is performed when the polishing table is not rotating.

[0066] [Embodiment 4] According to Embodiment 4, in Embodiment 1, the polishing apparatus includes a pusher for transferring the substrate to and from the top ring, and the acquisition step is performed when the substrate is transferred from the pusher to the top ring.

[0067] [Embodiment 5] According to Embodiment 5, in Embodiment 4, the acquisition step acquires information regarding the thickness of the substrate based on the distance the pusher has moved to transfer the substrate to the top ring.

[0068] [Embodiment 6] According to embodiment 6, in embodiment 1, the polishing apparatus includes a transport unit for transporting the substrate, and the acquisition step acquires information regarding the thickness of the substrate using a sensor provided on the transport unit.

[0069] [Embodiment 7] According to Embodiment 7, in Embodiments 1 to 6, the polishing apparatus comprises a processing line having a transport unit for transporting the substrate, and the acquisition step, the position adjustment step, and the polishing step are performed without transporting the substrate from the processing line.

[0070] [Embodiment 8] According to Embodiment 8, in Embodiment 1, the acquisition step is performed by an external input to the polishing device.

[0071] [Form 9] According to Form 9, in Forms 1 to 6, after the polishing step, a second position adjustment step is included in which the height position of the second top ring relative to the second polishing table is adjusted based on information regarding the thickness of the substrate acquired in the acquisition step and the amount of polishing of the substrate by the polishing step, and a second polishing step is included in which the substrate is polished by pressing the substrate against the polishing surface of the second polishing table.

[0072] [Embodiment 10] According to Embodiment 10, a program is proposed for causing the processing device of a polishing apparatus to perform a control process for performing a polishing process on the processing surface of a substrate. The polishing apparatus comprises a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface, a vertical movement mechanism for moving the top ring up and down, and a sensor for acquiring information about the thickness of the substrate. The top ring has a membrane, which is an elastic film that forms a pressure chamber to which pressurized fluid is supplied, and a top ring body that holds the membrane. The apparatus is configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber. The control process includes an acquisition step of acquiring information about the thickness of the substrate using the sensor, a position adjustment step of adjusting the height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the acquired information about the thickness of the substrate, and a polishing step of polishing the substrate by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface. According to Embodiment 10, by adjusting the height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the thickness of the substrate, polishing can be performed on substrates of various dimensions.

[0073] [Embodiment 11] According to embodiment 11, a substrate polishing apparatus is proposed, which comprises a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface, the top ring having a membrane which is an elastic film forming a pressure chamber to which pressurized fluid is supplied, and a top ring body that holds the membrane, configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber, a vertical movement mechanism for moving the top ring up and down, a sensor for acquiring information on the thickness of the substrate, and a control device configured to adjust the height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the information on the thickness of the substrate acquired by the sensor, and polish the substrate by supplying pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface. According to Embodiment 11, polishing can be performed on substrates of various dimensions by adjusting the height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the thickness of the substrate.

[0074] While embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments of the invention described above are for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present invention and do not limit it. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and of course, the present invention includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, any combination of embodiments and modifications is possible to the extent that at least some of the above-mentioned problems can be solved or at least some of the effects can be achieved, and any combination or omission of each component described in the claims and specification is possible. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 3…Retainer component 100... Load Unit 200... Conveyor unit 230... Pusher 231...First lifting mechanism 232…Stage 1 233...Second lifting mechanism 260...Sensor 262...Sensor 264...Sensor 270…Stage 2 272…Support pillar 300... Polishing unit 302... Top Ring 350... Polishing table 352... Polishing pad 500... Drying unit 600... Unload Unit 900...Control device 900a... Storage device 1000…Substrate polishing equipment WF... Circuit board

Claims

1. 1. A method for polishing a substrate using a polishing apparatus comprising: a polishing table having a polishing surface; a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface; a vertical movement mechanism for moving the top ring up and down; and a sensor for acquiring information regarding a thickness of the substrate, comprising: the top ring has a membrane, which is an elastic film that defines a pressure chamber to which a pressure fluid is supplied, and a top ring body that holds the membrane, and is configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface by supplying a pressure fluid to the pressure chamber; The substrate polishing method includes: acquiring information regarding a thickness of the substrate by the sensor; a position adjusting step of adjusting a height position of the top ring with respect to the polishing table based on the acquired information regarding the thickness of the substrate; a polishing step of polishing the substrate by supplying a pressure fluid to the pressure chamber to press the substrate against the polishing surface; A method for polishing a substrate comprising:

2. 2. The substrate polishing method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining step is performed by bringing the top ring holding the substrate into contact with the polishing table.

3. the polishing apparatus includes a polishing table rotating mechanism for rotating the polishing table, The acquiring step is performed in a state where the polishing table is not rotating. The method for polishing a substrate according to claim 2 .

4. the polishing apparatus includes a pusher that transfers the substrate between the top ring and the polishing apparatus; the obtaining step is performed when the substrate is transferred from the pusher to the top ring.

2. The method for polishing a substrate according to claim 1.

5. The obtaining step includes a step of: moving the pusher to deliver the substrate to the top ring; The method for polishing a substrate according to claim 4 , further comprising the step of obtaining information regarding a thickness of the substrate based on a distance moved.

6. the polishing apparatus includes a load unit or a transport unit configured to transport the substrate; The acquiring step acquires information about a thickness of the substrate being transported by the load unit or the transport unit using a sensor provided in the load unit or the transport unit.

2. The method for polishing a substrate according to claim 1.

7. the polishing apparatus includes a processing line having a transport unit for transporting the substrate; The substrate polishing method according to claim 1 , wherein the obtaining step, the position adjusting step, and the polishing step are performed without removing the substrate from the processing line.

8. The substrate polishing method according to claim 1 , wherein the acquiring step is performed by an external input to the polishing apparatus.

9. a second position adjusting step of adjusting a height position of a second top ring with respect to a second polishing table based on information regarding the thickness of the substrate acquired in the acquiring step and an amount of polishing of the substrate by the polishing step, after the polishing step; a second polishing step of polishing the substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing surface of the second polishing table; The method for polishing a substrate according to claim 1 , comprising:

10. A program for causing a processing device of a polishing apparatus to perform a control process for performing a polishing process on a processing surface of a substrate, the polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface, a vertical movement mechanism for moving the top ring up and down, and a sensor for acquiring information regarding a thickness of the substrate; the top ring has a membrane, which is an elastic film that defines a pressure chamber to which a pressure fluid is supplied, and a top ring body that holds the membrane, and is configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface by supplying a pressure fluid to the pressure chamber; The control process includes: acquiring information regarding a thickness of the substrate by the sensor; a position adjusting step of adjusting a height position of the top ring with respect to the polishing table based on the acquired information regarding the thickness of the substrate; a polishing step of polishing the substrate by supplying a pressure fluid to the pressure chamber to press the substrate against the polishing surface; Including, the program.

11. a polishing table having a polishing surface; a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface, the top ring having a membrane that is an elastic film forming a pressure chamber to which a pressure fluid is supplied, and a top ring body that holds the membrane, the top ring being configured to supply a pressure fluid to the pressure chamber to press the substrate against the polishing surface; a vertical movement mechanism for moving the top ring vertically; a sensor for obtaining information regarding the thickness of the substrate; a pressure chamber for supplying a pressure fluid to the top ring and a polishing table based on information regarding the thickness of the substrate obtained by the sensor; a controller configured to polish the substrate by pressing a plate against the polishing surface; A substrate polishing apparatus comprising:

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