Grinding device

Abstract

To provide a polishing device that prevents liquid from penetrating further inside. [Solution] In a polishing apparatus, the buff head of the buffing apparatus comprises a stationary member 504, a rotatable shaft 510, a rotating member (buff head body) 512 that rotates integrally with the shaft, a buff pad 502, a first lower cover member 540 attached to the rotating member, extending upward from the rotating member to an upper end 542, having a cylindrical shape and arranged to surround the central axis, an upper cover member 550 attached to the stationary member, extending downward from the stationary member to a lower end 552, having a cylindrical shape and arranged to surround the central axis and the first lower cover member, and a second lower cover member 560 attached to the first lower cover member, extending upward from the first lower cover member as if branching off to an upper end, having a cylindrical shape and arranged to surround the central axis, the first lower cover member and the upper cover member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] A CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) apparatus may include a buffing apparatus to clean the substrate after polishing. The buffing apparatus presses a buff pad against the substrate after polishing and moves it relatively. As a result, the buffing apparatus slightly polishes the substrate and removes the deposits adhering to the substrate, thereby cleaning the substrate. Thus, since the buffing apparatus can polish the substrate, it can be included in a polishing apparatus in a broad sense.

[0003] By the way, an example of the buffing apparatus as described above is disclosed in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9A of Patent Document 1, the buffing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an outer cover 550a attached to the stationary portion of the buff head and an inner cover 550b attached to the rotating portion of the buff head. The inner cover 550b has a cylindrical shape and is attached to the rotating portion so as to extend upward from the rotating portion of the buff head. On the other hand, the outer cover 550a has a cylindrical shape and is attached to the stationary portion so as to extend downward from the stationary portion of the buff head. Further, the outer cover 550a surrounds the inner cover 550b. Thus, in the buffing apparatus of Patent Document 1, while the rotation of the rotating portion of the buff head with respect to the stationary portion is allowed, the intrusion of liquid inside the outer cover 550a and the inner cover 550b is prevented.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0005] As described above, the buffing apparatus of Patent Document 1 is designed to prevent liquid from entering the inside of the outer cover 550a and the inner cover 550b. However, when liquid is supplied from a diagonally downward direction from the buffing head, there is a risk that the liquid may travel along the outer surface of the inner cover 550b, pass through the gap between the inner cover 550b and the outer cover 550a, and enter the inside of the cover.

[0006] Therefore, one of the objectives of this disclosure is to provide a buffing apparatus (polishing apparatus) that is less likely to allow liquid to penetrate further inside. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The polishing apparatus according to this disclosure is a polishing apparatus comprising: a stationary member; a shaft that penetrates the stationary member, extends vertically, and is configured to rotate about a central axis; a rotating member configured to rotate integrally with the shaft; a first lower cover member attached to the rotating member, extending upward from the rotating member to its upper end, having a cylindrical shape, and positioned to surround the central axis; an upper cover member attached to the stationary member, extending downward from the stationary member to its lower end, having a cylindrical shape, and positioned to surround the central axis and the first lower cover member; and a second lower cover member attached to the first lower cover member, branching out upward from the first lower cover member to its upper end. It comprises a second lower cover member that is elongated and cylindrical in shape, and is arranged to surround the central axis, the first lower cover member, and the upper cover member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing the overall configuration of an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the first polishing apparatus shown. [Figure 3A] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the cleaning module. [Figure 3B] Figure 1 is a side view showing the cleaning module. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the buffing apparatus. [Figure 5] This figure shows the processing steps in the buffing table and dressing table shown in Figure 4. [Figure 6A] Figure 5 illustrates the operation of the buffing table, dressing table, and buffing head. [Figure 6B] Figure 5 illustrates the operation of the buffing table, dressing table, and buffing head. [Figure 6C] Figure 5 illustrates the operation of the buffing table, dressing table, and buffing head. [Figure 6D] Figure 5 illustrates the operation of the buffing table, dressing table, and buffing head. [Figure 7] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the buffing component. [Figure 8] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the buffhead. [Figure 9] Figure 5 is a plan cross-sectional view of the buff head. [Figure 10] This is an enlarged view of section A in Figure 8. [Figure 11] This is an enlarged view of part A in Figure 8, showing the buffing head being supplied with cleaning fluid from the pad rinse nozzle. [Figure 12] This is an enlarged view of section B in Figure 9. [Figure 13] This diagram illustrates the flow of liquid at the connection points of the cover components. [Figure 14] This is an enlarged perspective view of the buff head, where the back surfaces of the first and second members are shown by dashed lines. [Figure 15] This is a cross-sectional view of the buff head when it is positioned at the top of the dresser. [Figure 16]It is a cross-sectional view of the buff head shown in FIG. 5 when the buff head shakes its head.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] <Processing device 1000> FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a processing device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The processing device 1000 is, for example, a CMP device for performing processing on a substrate such as a wafer. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 1000 includes a substantially rectangular housing 1. The inside of the housing 1 is partitioned by partition walls 1a and 1b into a load / unload module 2, a polishing module 3, and a cleaning module 4. The load / unload module 2, the polishing module 3, and the cleaning module 4 are each independently assembled and independently evacuated. Further, the cleaning module 4 includes a power supply unit that supplies power to the processing device 1000 and a control device 5 that controls the processing operation.

[0011] <Load / unload module 2> The load / unload module 2 includes two or more (four in this embodiment) front load portions 20 on which wafer cassettes for storing a large number of substrates W are placed. These f The front load portions 20 are arranged adjacent to the housing 1 and are arranged along the width direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of the processing device 1000. An open cassette, a SMIF (Standard Manufacturing Interface) pod, or a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) is mounted on the front load portion 20. SMIF and FOUP are sealed containers that can store a wafer cassette inside.

[0012] Furthermore, a travel mechanism 21 is laid out on the load / unload module 2 along the arrangement of the front load section 20. Two transport robots (loaders, transport mechanisms) 22, which can move along the direction of the wafer cassette arrangement, are installed on the travel mechanism 21. The transport robots 22 transport the substrates W by moving along the travel mechanism 21.

[0013] <Polishing Module 3> In the polishing module 3, the substrate W is polished (planarized). The polishing module 3 comprises a first polishing device 3A, a second polishing device 3B, a third polishing device 3C, and a fourth polishing device 3D. The first polishing device 3A, the second polishing device 3B, the third polishing device 3C, and the fourth polishing device 3D are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the processing apparatus 1000.

[0014] The first polishing apparatus 3A also includes a polishing table 30A, a top ring 31A, a polishing fluid supply nozzle 32A, a dresser 33A, and an atomizer 34A. The polishing table 30A is configured to accommodate a polishing pad (polishing tool) 10 having a polishing surface. The top ring 31A holds the substrate W and can polish the substrate W by pressing it against the polishing pad 10 on the polishing table 30A. The polishing fluid supply nozzle 32A is configured to supply polishing fluid and dressing fluid (e.g., pure water) to the polishing pad 10. The dresser 33A is used to dress the polishing surface of the polishing pad 10. The atomizer 34A can remove slurry, polishing products, polishing pad residue from the polishing surface by supplying a mixed fluid of liquid (e.g., pure water) and gas (e.g., nitrogen gas) or liquid (e.g., pure water).

[0015] The second polishing device 3B includes a polishing table 30B, a top ring 31B, a polishing fluid supply nozzle 32B, a dresser 33B, and an atomizer 34B. The third polishing device 3C includes a polishing table 30C, a top ring 31C, a polishing fluid supply nozzle 32C, a dresser 33C, and an atomizer 34C. The fourth polishing device 3D includes a polishing table 30D, a top ring 31D, a polishing fluid supply nozzle 32D, a dresser 33D, and an atomizer 34D.

[0016] The first polishing apparatus 3A, the second polishing apparatus 3B, the third polishing apparatus 3C, and the fourth polishing apparatus 3D have the same configuration as each other. Therefore, the first polishing apparatus 3A will be described below, and the descriptions of the second polishing apparatus 3B, the third polishing apparatus 3C, and the fourth polishing apparatus 3D will be omitted.

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the first polishing apparatus 3A. The top ring 31A is supported by the top ring shaft 36. A polishing pad 10 is attached to the upper surface of the polishing table 30A. The upper surface of the polishing pad 10 forms a polishing surface for polishing the substrate W. In another embodiment of this disclosure, fixed abrasive grains may be used instead of the polishing pad 10. The top ring 31A and the polishing table 30A are configured to rotate around their axes as indicated by the arrows. The substrate W is held on the lower surface of the top ring 31A by vacuum suction. During polishing, polishing fluid is supplied to the polishing surface of the polishing pad 10 from the polishing fluid supply nozzle 32A, and the substrate W, which is the object to be polished, is pressed against the polishing surface of the polishing pad 10 by the top ring 31A and polished. In this way, the first polishing apparatus 3A, the second polishing apparatus 3B, the third polishing apparatus 3C, and the fourth polishing apparatus 3D can polish the substrate W. The second polishing apparatus 3B, the third polishing apparatus 3C, and the fourth polishing apparatus 3D are included in the polishing apparatus. In this disclosure, the term "polishing apparatus" means an apparatus capable of polishing an object to be polished.

[0018] <First linear transporter 6 and second linear transporter 7> Referring again to Figure 1, the processing apparatus 1000 includes a first linear transporter 6 and a second linear transporter 7. The first linear transporter 6 is adjacent to the first polishing apparatus 3A and the second polishing apparatus 3B. The first linear transporter 6 has the function of transporting the substrate W between four transport positions (in order from the load / unload module 2 side, these are the first transport position TP1, the second transport position TP2, the third transport position TP3, and the fourth transport position TP4) along the direction in which the polishing apparatuses 3A and 3B are arranged.

[0019] Furthermore, the second linear transporter 7 is adjacent to the third polishing apparatus 3C and the fourth polishing apparatus 3D. The second linear transporter 7 has the function of transporting the substrate W between three transport positions (which are designated as the fifth transport position TP5, the sixth transport position TP6, and the seventh transport position TP7, in order from the load / unload module 2 side) along the direction in which the polishing apparatuses 3C and 3D are arranged.

[0020] Furthermore, the top ring 31A of the first polishing device 3A can move between the polishing position and the second transport position TP2 by the swinging motion of the top ring 31A. Therefore, the first polishing device 3A can receive the substrate W placed at the second transport position TP2. Similarly, the top ring 31B of the second polishing device 3B can move between the polishing position and the third transport position TP3. Therefore, the second polishing device 3B can receive the substrate W placed at the third transport position TP3. The top ring 31C of the third polishing device 3C can move between the polishing position and the sixth transport position TP6. Therefore, the third polishing device 3C can receive the substrate W placed at the sixth transport position TP6. The top ring 31D of the fourth polishing device 3D can move between the polishing position and the seventh transport position TP7. Therefore, the fourth polishing device 3D can receive the substrate W placed at the seventh transport position TP7.

[0021] A lifter 11 is positioned at the first transport position TP1 to receive the substrate W from the transport robot 22. The substrate W is transferred from the transport robot 22 to the first linear transporter 6 via the lifter 11. A swing transporter 12 is positioned between the first linear transporter 6, the second linear transporter 7, and the cleaning module 4. The transfer of the substrate W from the first linear transporter 6 to the second linear transporter 7 is performed by the swing transporter 12. The substrate W polished in the polishing module 3 is then transported to the cleaning module 4 via the swing transporter 12. A temporary placement table 180 for the substrate W is positioned to the side of the swing transporter 12.

[0022] <Cleaning Module 4> Figure 3A is a plan view of the cleaning module 4, and Figure 3B is a side view of the cleaning module 4. As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the cleaning module 4 is divided into a roll cleaning chamber 190, a first conveying chamber 191, a pen cleaning chamber 192, a second conveying chamber 193, a drying chamber 194, a buffing chamber 300, and a third conveying chamber 195.

[0023] Inside the roll cleaning chamber 190, an upper roll cleaning device 201A and a lower roll cleaning device 201B are arranged along the vertical direction (see Figure 3B). The upper roll cleaning device 201A and the lower roll cleaning device 201B clean the substrate W by supplying cleaning fluid to the front and back surfaces of the substrate W and pressing two rotating roll sponges against the front and back surfaces of the substrate W, respectively. A temporary placement stand 204 for the substrate W is provided between the upper roll cleaning device 201A and the lower roll cleaning device 201B.

[0024] Inside the pen cleaning chamber 192, an upper pen cleaning device 202A and a lower pen cleaning device 202B are arranged vertically. The upper pen cleaning device 202A is positioned above the lower pen cleaning device 202B (see Figure 3B). The upper and lower pen cleaning devices 202A and 202B clean the substrate W by supplying cleaning fluid to the surface of the substrate W and pressing a rotating pencil sponge against the surface of the substrate W, causing it to oscillate in the radial direction of the substrate W. A temporary placement stand 203 for the substrate W is provided between the upper pen cleaning device 202A and the lower pen cleaning device 202B.

[0025] Inside the drying chamber 194, an upper drying unit 205A and a lower drying unit 205B are arranged vertically. Above the upper drying unit 205A and the lower drying unit 205B, filter fan modules 207A and 207B are provided to supply clean air to the drying units 205A and 205B, respectively.

[0026] A first transport robot 209, which can move up and down, is located in the first transport chamber 191. A second transport robot 210, which can move up and down, is located in the second transport chamber 193. A third transport robot 213, which can move up and down, is located in the third transport chamber 195. The first transport robot 209, the second transport robot 210, and the third transport robot 213 are each supported so as to be movable on vertically extending support shafts 211, 212, and 214, respectively.

[0027] The first transport robot 209 is configured to transport the substrate W between the temporary storage table 180, the upper roll cleaning device 201A, the lower roll cleaning device 201B, the temporary storage table 204, the temporary storage table 203, the upper pen cleaning device 202A, and the lower pen cleaning device 202B. The second transport robot 210 is configured to transport the substrate W between the upper pen cleaning device 202A, the lower pen cleaning device 202B, the temporary storage table 203, the upper drying device 205A, and the lower drying device 205B. The transport robot 22 can also remove the substrate W from the upper drying device 205A or the lower drying device 205B and return the substrate W to the wafer cassette (see Figure 1).

[0028] The buffing chamber 300 is equipped with a buffing apparatus 300A and a buffing apparatus 300B. The third transport robot 213 is configured to transport the substrate W between the upper roll cleaning apparatus 201A, the lower roll cleaning apparatus 201B, the temporary storage table 204, the buffing apparatus 300A, and the buffing apparatus 300B.

[0029] <Buffing device 300A and buffing device 300B> Next, the buffing apparatus 300A will be described in more detail. The buffing apparatus 300A and the buffing apparatus 300B have similar configurations. Therefore, the buffing apparatus 300A will be described below, and the description of the buffing apparatus 300B will be omitted.

[0030] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the buffing apparatus 300A. As shown in Figure 4, the buffing apparatus 300A comprises a buffing table 400 on which a substrate W is placed, a buffing component 350, a liquid supply system 700 for supplying buffing liquid, and a conditioning unit 800. The buffing component 350 comprises a buffing head 500 to which a buffing pad 502 for performing buff cleaning treatment on the processing surface of the substrate W is attached, and a buffing arm 600 for holding the buffing head 500. The buffing liquid includes at least one of DIW (pure water), a cleaning agent, and an abrasive liquid such as a slurry. The buffing pad 502 may be formed from, for example, a foamed polyurethane hard pad, a suede soft pad, or a sponge.

[0031] The buffing table 400 is configured to be able to adsorb the substrate W. Furthermore, the buffing table 400 is configured to rotate around the rotation axis A by a drive mechanism (not shown). The buff pad 502 is attached to the surface of the buff head 500 facing the substrate W. The buff head 500 is configured to rotate around a rotation axis B by a drive mechanism (not shown). The buff head 500 is configured to press the buff pad 502 against the processing surface of the substrate W. The buff arm 600 can move the buff head 500 in the direction indicated by arrow C. The buff arm 600 can also swing the buff head 500 to a position where the buff pad 502 faces the conditioning section 800.

[0032] The conditioning unit 800 dresses (sharpens) the surface of the buff pad 502. The conditioning unit 800 comprises a dressing table 810 and a dresser 820 mounted on the dressing table 810. The dressing table 810 is configured to rotate around a rotation axis D. The dresser 820 may be formed from a diamond dresser in which diamond abrasive grains are arranged on all or part of the contact surface with the buff pad, a brush dresser in which resin brush bristles are arranged on all or part of the contact surface with the buff pad, or a combination thereof.

[0033] When the buffing device 300A dresses the buffing pad 502, it rotates the buffing arm 600 until the buffing pad 502 is positioned opposite the dresser 820. The buffing device 300A dresses the buffing pad 502 by rotating the dressing table 810 around the rotation axis D and rotating the buffing head 500, pressing the buffing pad 502 against the dresser 820.

[0034] The liquid supply system 700 includes a pure water nozzle 710 for supplying pure water (DIW) to the processing surface of the substrate W. The pure water nozzle 710 is connected to a pure water supply source 714 via a pure water pipe 712. The pure water pipe 712 is provided with an on-off valve 716 that can open and close the pure water pipe 712. The control device 5 can supply pure water to the processing surface of the substrate W at any desired timing by controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve 716.

[0035] Furthermore, the liquid supply system 700 includes a chemical nozzle 720 for supplying chemical solution (chemi) to the processing surface of the substrate W. The chemical nozzle 720 is connected to the chemical supply source 724 via chemical pipe 722. The chemical pipe 722 is provided with an on-off valve 726 that can open and close the chemical pipe 722. The control device 5 can supply chemical solution to the processing surface of the substrate W at any desired timing by controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve 726.

[0036] The buffing apparatus 300A can discharge buffing liquid from a processing liquid outlet 503 (see Figure 6C) via a buffing arm 600, a buffing head 500, and a buffing pad 502. In other words, the buffing apparatus 300A is configured to selectively supply pure water, chemical solution, or slurry to the processing surface of the substrate W. More specifically, a branch pure water pipe 712a branches off from the pure water pipe 712 between the pure water supply source 714 and the on-off valve 716. Also, a branch chemical solution pipe 722a branches off from the chemical solution supply source 724 and the on-off valve 726 in the chemical solution pipe 722. The branch pure water pipe 712a, the branch chemical solution pipe 722a, and the slurry pipe 732 connected to the slurry supply source 734 merge into a liquid supply pipe 740. The branch pure water pipe 712a is provided with an on-off valve 718 that can open and close the branch pure water pipe 712a. The branched chemical pipe 722a is provided with an on-off valve 728 that can open and close the branched chemical pipe 722a. The slurry pipe 732 is provided with an on-off valve 736 that can open and close the slurry pipe 732.

[0037] The first end of the liquid supply pipe 740 is connected to three piping systems: the branched pure water pipe 712a, the branched chemical pipe 722a, and the slurry pipe 732. The liquid supply pipe 740 extends through the inside of the buff arm 600, the center of the buff head 500, and the center of the buff pad 502. The second end of the liquid supply pipe 740 opens toward the processing surface of the substrate W. The control device 5 controls the opening and closing. By controlling the opening and closing of valves 718, on-off valve 728, and on-off valve 736, it is possible to supply pure water, chemical solution, slurry, or any combination thereof to the processing surface of the substrate W at any desired timing.

[0038] The buffing apparatus 300A can perform buff cleaning on the substrate W by supplying a processing liquid to the substrate W, rotating the buffing table 400 around the rotation axis A, pressing the buffing pad 502 against the processing surface of the substrate W, and oscillating the buffing head 500 in the direction of arrow C while rotating it around the rotation axis B. During the buff cleaning process, the substrate W is cleaned and polished to a small extent. For this reason, in this disclosure, the buffing apparatus 300A is included in the polishing apparatus.

[0039] Next, the processing process of the buffing apparatus 300A will be explained with reference to Figures 5 and 6A-D. Figure 5 shows the processing processes on the buffing table 400 and the dressing table 410. Figures 6A-D illustrate the operation of the buffing table 400, the dressing table 410, and the buffing head 500. In Figure 5, the upper section shows the process on the buffing table 400, and the lower section shows the process on the dressing table 810. These processes are performed simultaneously. The circles in the figures indicate the position of the buffing pad 502. For example, during the buffing cleaning process (step S11), the buffing pad 502 is located on the buffing table 400, and then moves to the dressing table 810 during the subsequent pad rinsing process (step S22). In Figure 6, a portion of the buffing head 500 is shown as a cross-sectional view for convenience of explanation. The buffing head 500 used in this embodiment is equipped with a gimbal mechanism, allowing the buffing head 500 to swivel slightly. The gimbal mechanism will be discussed later.

[0040] First, the substrate W is subjected to a buffing cleaning process (step S11) on the buffing table 400. At this time, the buffing pad 502 is positioned on the buffing table 400. During the buffing cleaning process, a cleaning solution for buffing is supplied from the liquid supply pipe 740, passes through the inside of the buffing arm, and is supplied to the center of the buffing pad 502. Simultaneously, the buffing arm 600 oscillates with the rotating buffing pad 502 pressed against the substrate W, cleaning and polishing the surface of the substrate W which rotates together with the buffing table 400 (see Figure 6A). In the next process, the buffing pad 502 moves above the dresser 820, and subsequent dressing-related processes are performed, which will be described later.

[0041] Next, a wafer rinsing process (step S12) is performed on the buffing table 400. This wafer rinsing process involves cleaning the substrate W with DIW. Once the wafer rinsing of the substrate W is complete, the substrate W is removed from the buffing table 400 (step S13) and transported to the next process. After that, the buffing table 400 is cleaned by a buffing table rinsing process using DIW (step S14). This completes the series of processes at the buffing table, and a new substrate W for the next processing is taken in (step S15), and the above processing steps are repeated.

[0042] Meanwhile, in parallel with the above process, the buff pad 502 is dressed on the dressing table 810. The buff pad 502 (see Figure 6A) used in the buff cleaning process (step S11) moves above the dresser 820. At this time, the buff pad 502 is facing vertically downward. Then, cleaning liquid (DIW) is supplied from the pad rinse nozzle 830 positioned diagonally below the buff pad 502, and the surface of the buff pad 502 is subjected to a pad rinse process (step S22) (see Figure 6B). During the pad rinse process, the buff pad 502 rotates, and its entire surface is cleaned evenly.

[0043] Next, the buff head 500 descends and contacts the dresser 820, and the buff pad 502 is dressed (step S23) (see Figure 6C). The dressing process is performed on the buff pad The process is carried out with the processing liquid supplied to the center of the buff pad 502. During the dressing process, both the buff pad 502 and the dresser 820 rotate. The dressing process is carried out with the rotation centers of the buff pad 502 and the dresser 820 offset from each other. This is a measure to prevent specific parts of the buff pad 502 and the dresser 820 from continuously sliding against each other.

[0044] After the dressing process is completed, the buff head 500 moves above the brush cleaning mechanism 960, and the buff pad after dressing is brushed (step S24) (see Figure 6D). The dresser 820 used for the dressing process (step S23) is then rinsed (step S21) with cleaning liquid (DIW) supplied from a dresser cleaning mechanism (not shown) located nearby. During the rinsing process, the dressing table 810 rotates, ensuring that the surface of the dresser 820 is uniformly cleaned.

[0045] <Buffhead 500> Next, the configuration of the buffing head 500 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 7 to 9. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the buffing component 350. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the buffing head 500, showing a cross section along and parallel to the central axis C. Figure 9 is a plan cross-sectional view of the buffing head 500.

[0046] Referring to Figure 8, the buffing apparatus 300A comprises a shaft 510, a boss 511, a drive pin 514, a spring 516, a bolt 517, a buff pad carrier 518, a buff pad 502, a buff head body (an example of a rotating member) 512, a buff head flange 513, a head support column 524, and a stationary member 602. Note that the shaft 510, boss 511, drive pin 514, spring 516, bolt 517, buff pad carrier 518, buff head body 512, buff head flange 513, and head support column 524 are included in the buff head 500. The stationary member 602 is fixed to the buff arm 600. Therefore, the stationary member 602 is not rotatable relative to the buff arm 600. The shaft 510 passes through the stationary member 602 and extends vertically. Furthermore, the shaft 510 is configured to be rotatable about a central axis C. In other words, the shaft 510 is rotatable relative to the stationary member 602. Furthermore, the shaft 510 is hollow. Therefore, as described above, the buffing apparatus 300A can supply buffing liquids such as slurry, chemicals, and pure water to the substrate W through the inside of the shaft 510.

[0047] The boss 511 is fixed to the shaft 510. The boss 511 has a cylindrical shape that surrounds the entire circumference of the shaft 510. Therefore, the boss 511 can rotate together with the shaft 510. A buff head flange 513 is also fixed below the boss 511. The buff head flange 513 has a disc shape. The buff head flange 513 has a region through which the drive pin 514 and bolt 517 pass. The buff head flange 513 rotates as the shaft 510 and boss 511 rotate.

[0048] The head support column 524 is fixed to the underside of the boss 511. The underside of the head support column 524 has a spherical concave surface 525 that contacts the buff head body 512. On the other hand, the buff head body 512 has a spherical convex surface 526 that contacts the concave surface 525 of the head support column 524. The spherical concave surface 525 of the head support column 524 and the spherical convex surface 526 of the buff head body 512 are slidable relative to each other, forming a gimbal mechanism.

[0049] A buff pad carrier 518 is attached to the underside of the buff head body 512. The buff pad carrier 518 is configured to accommodate a buff pad 502. The buff pad 502 makes direct contact with the substrate W and performs a buffing cleaning process on the substrate W.

[0050] The rotational torque of the buff head flange 513 is transmitted to the buff head body 512 by the drive pin 514. Therefore, the rotational torque of the shaft 510, boss 511, and buff head flange 513 is transmitted to the buff head body 512. As the buff head body 512 is rotated, the buff pad carrier 518 and buff pad 502 are rotated. In other words, the buff pad carrier 518 is configured to rotate integrally with the shaft 510. Furthermore, as described above, because a gimbal mechanism is configured, the buff head body 512, buff pad carrier 518, and buff pad 502 can tilt relative to the shaft 510 while rotating.

[0051] A bolt 517 is fixed to the buff head body 512, passing through the buff head flange 513. A spring 516 is positioned between the head of the bolt 517 and the buff head flange 513. Therefore, the buff head body 512 is supported by the force of the spring 516. In other words, the spring 516 applies a load to the gimbal movement of the buff head body 512. As a result, the buff pad 502 maintains its horizontal position by the spring 516, unless a force is applied to the buff pad 502 from below.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the drive pins 514 and bolts 517 are arranged alternately at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the buff head 500, with three of each type.

[0053] <Cover member 530> Furthermore, the buffing apparatus 300A includes a cover member 530 that surrounds the buffing head 500 (see Figure 8). The cover member 530 has the function of preventing liquids such as buffing fluid from entering the inside of the cover member 530. Figure 10 is an enlarged view of part A in Figure 8. The detailed configuration of the cover member 530 will be described with reference to Figure 10.

[0054] Referring to Figure 10, the cover member 530 has a first lower cover member 540, an upper cover member 550, and a second lower cover member 560. The first lower cover member 540 is attached to the buff head body 512 and extends upward from the buff head body 512 to its upper end 542. The first lower cover member 540 has a circular cylindrical shape and is positioned to surround the central axis C (see Figure 8). The upper cover member 550 is attached to the stationary member 504 and extends downward from the stationary member 504 to its lower end 552. The upper cover member 550 has a circular cylindrical shape and is positioned to surround the central axis C and the first lower cover member 540 (see Figure 8). The second lower cover member 560 is attached to the first lower cover member 540 and extends upward from the first lower cover member 540, branching off to its upper end 562. Furthermore, the second lower cover member 560 has a circular cylindrical shape and is positioned to surround the central axis C, the first lower cover member 540, and the upper cover member 550 (see Figure 8). The upper end 542 of the first lower cover member 540 and the upper end 562 of the second lower cover member 560 are positioned higher than the lower end 552 of the upper cover member 550. In other words, a space is formed between the first lower cover member 540 and the second lower cover member 560. The lower end 552 of the upper cover member 550 is located in the space between the first lower cover member 540 and the second lower cover member 560 without contacting the first lower cover member 540 or the second lower cover member 560.

[0055] As described above, in the buffing device 300A, cleaning liquid (DIW) is supplied from a pad rinse nozzle 830 positioned diagonally below the buffing pad 502, and the buffing pad 502 is sometimes cleaned (see Figure 6B). In such a case, as shown in Figure 11, the cleaning liquid flows upward along the outer surface of the second lower cover member 560, and the upper cover member 550 prevents it from entering the inside of the first lower cover member 540. On the other hand, if the buffing device 300A does not have a second lower cover member 560, the cleaning liquid flows upward along the outer surface of the first lower cover member 540, and the first lower cover member 540 and the upper cover member 550 There is a risk that the liquid may enter the inside of the first lower cover member 540, that is, the inside of the cover member 530, through the gap. In other words, the buffing apparatus 300A further includes a second lower cover member 560 to prevent the liquid from entering the inside of the cover member 530.

[0056] Referring to Figure 9, the second lower cover member 560 comprises a first member 565, a second member 575, and a third member 585. In other words, the second lower cover member 560 is composed of two or more members and is separable in the circumferential direction centered on the central axis C. Therefore, workers can easily remove the second lower cover member 560 during maintenance, etc.

[0057] As described above, in the buffing apparatus 300A, the second lower cover member 560 is configured to be separable, so there is a risk that liquid may enter the inside of the second lower cover member 560 from the connection points of the first member 565, the second member 575, and the third member 585. In response to this, the buffing apparatus 300A has features to prevent liquid from entering the inside from each connection point. These features will be explained below with reference to Figures 9, 12, and 13. Figure 12 is an enlarged view of part B in Figure 9. Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the flow of liquid 900 at the connection point of the cover member 530. Note that in Figure 13, the rear end surface 577 of the second member 575 is omitted.

[0058] First, referring to Figure 9, the shaft 510 of the buffing apparatus 300A is configured to rotate in a counterclockwise direction D. The first member 565, the second member 575, and the third member 585 each have an arc shape.

[0059] The first member 565 extends from its front end surface 566, which is forward in the rotational direction D, to its rear end surface 567, which is backward in the rotational direction D. The front end surface 566 extends from its inner end 568 to its outer end 569, which is further from the central axis C than the inner end 568 (see Figure 12). The inner end 568 is positioned forward in the rotational direction D than the outer end 569, so that the front end surface 566 is inclined with respect to the radiation L extending from the central axis C (see Figure 9). Furthermore, the rear end surface 567 faces the front end surface 586 of the third member 585.

[0060] Similarly, the second member 575 extends from a front end surface 576 in the direction of rotation D to a rear end surface 577 in the direction of rotation D. The front end surface 576 extends from an inner end 578 to an outer end 579 that is further from the central axis C than the inner end 578. The inner end 578 is located in front of the outer end 579 in the direction of rotation D, such that the front end surface 576 is inclined with respect to the radiation extending from the central axis C. Furthermore, the rear end surface 577 faces the front end surface 566 of the first member 565.

[0061] Similarly, the third member 585 extends from a front end surface 586 in the forward direction of rotation D to a rear end surface 587 in the backward direction of rotation D. The front end surface 586 extends from an inner end 588 to an outer end 589 that is further from the central axis C than the inner end 588. The inner end 588 is located forward in the direction of rotation D than the outer end 589, such that the front end surface 586 is inclined with respect to the radiation extending from the central axis C. Furthermore, the rear end surface 587 faces the front end surface 576 of the second member 575.

[0062] When liquid 900 is supplied to the connection point between the first member 565 and the second member 575, as shown in Figure 13, the liquid 900 supplied between the first member 565 and the second member 575 is subjected to a force from the front end surface 566 away from the central axis C due to the rotation of the first member 565, and flows in the direction of arrow 901. Therefore, in the buffing apparatus 300A, the intrusion of liquid into the interior from the connection point between the first member 565 and the second member 575 is suppressed. For similar reasons, in the buffing apparatus 300A, the intrusion of liquid into the interior from the connection point between the second member 575 and the third member 585 and the connection point between the third member 585 and the first member 565 is suppressed. This prevents liquid from entering the interior through that point.

[0063] Referring again to Figure 8, a groove 580 is formed between the first lower cover member 540 and the second lower cover member 560. Therefore, if no measures are taken regarding the groove 580, liquid may accumulate in the groove 580.

[0064] Now, refer to Figure 14. Figure 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the buff head 500, where the back surfaces of the first member 565 and the second member 575 are shown by dashed lines. As shown in Figure 14, a discharge hole 590 is formed. The discharge hole 590 is surrounded, for example, by the first member 565, the second member 575 and the first lower cover member 540, and extends vertically (see Figure 12). This allows the buffing apparatus 300A to discharge the liquid in the groove 580 through the discharge hole 590.

[0065] Similarly, the buffing apparatus 300A has a discharge hole 591 surrounded by the second member 575, the third member 585 and the first lower cover member 540, and a discharge hole 592 surrounded by the third member 585, the first member 565 and the first lower cover member 540 (see Figure 9). Therefore, the buffing apparatus 300A can also discharge the liquid in the groove 580 using the discharge holes 591 and 592.

[0066] Furthermore, in the buffing device 300A, the bottom surface 593 of the groove 580 is inclined in the circumferential direction, and the liquid inside the groove 580 is guided to the discharge holes 590, 591, and 592 (see Figure 14). Therefore, in the buffing device 300A, the liquid inside the groove 580 is guided to the discharge holes 590, 591, and 592 by traveling along the inclination of the bottom surface 593 of the groove 580. In other words, liquid is less likely to accumulate inside the groove 580 in the buffing device 300A.

[0067] Next, refer to Figure 15. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the buff head 500 when it is positioned above the dresser 820. As shown in Figure 15, the buffing apparatus 300A is equipped with a head rinse nozzle 832. The head rinse nozzle 832 is configured to supply rinse liquid (DIW) to the buff head 500 from an oblique upward direction. This allows the buffing apparatus 300A to use the head rinse nozzle 832 during dressing to wash away slurry, dirt, etc., adhering to the buff head 500 and cover member 530.

[0068] Next, referring to Figures 7, 10, and 15, the second lower cover member 560 has an elongated hole 594 that connects to the groove 580. More specifically, the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 594 coincides with the circumferential direction centered on the central axis C. In the cross-section of Figure 10, the elongated hole 594 is formed to incline diagonally upward as it moves away from the central axis C. Therefore, when liquid is supplied to the buff head body 512 from diagonally above, the liquid enters the groove 580 through the elongated hole 594. As a result, the liquid that enters the groove 580 washes away the dirt in the groove 580. In other words, during the dressing process, the groove 580 is cleaned by the rinse liquid supplied from the head rinse nozzle 832 (see Figure 15).

[0069] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the bottom surface 593 of the groove 580 is inclined in the circumferential direction (see Figure 14). In the buffing apparatus 300A, the highest point 595 of the bottom surface 593 of the groove 580 is located on the cross-section shown in Figures 8 and 10 and is adjacent to the elongated hole 594. If the point 595 were not adjacent to the elongated hole 594, the liquid supplied from the elongated hole 594 would have difficulty supplying the point 595. As a result, there is a risk that the point 595 would not be cleaned. In contrast, in the buffing apparatus 300A, the point 595 is adjacent to the elongated hole 594. Therefore, liquid is more easily supplied to the point 595, and the point 595 is more easily cleaned.

[0070] Referring again to Figure 10, a chamfer is formed on the outer surface of the upper end portion 542 of the first lower cover member 540. Also, a chamfer is formed on the outer surface of the lower end portion 552 of the upper cover member 550. Furthermore, a chamfer is formed on the inner surface of the upper end portion 562 of the second lower cover member 560.

[0071] Therefore, when the buff head 500 oscillates, the chamfers on the upper end 542, lower end 552, and upper end 562 provide clearance. As a result, even when the buff head body 512 tilts relative to the stationary member 504 when the buff head 500 oscillates, the first lower cover member 540, the upper cover member 550, and the second lower cover member 560 are less likely to interfere with each other (see Figure 16).

[0072] In the above description, the buffing apparatus 300A includes a cover member 530 surrounding the buffing head 500. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the cover member 530 is applicable to any polishing apparatus. For example, in another embodiment of the disclosure, the first polishing apparatus 3A, the second polishing apparatus 3B, the third polishing apparatus 3C, or the fourth polishing apparatus 3D may include the cover member 530.

[0073] [Note] Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following:

[0074] (Note 1) The polishing apparatus according to Appendix 1 is a polishing apparatus comprising: a stationary member; a shaft that penetrates the stationary member, extends vertically, and is configured to be rotatable about a central axis; a rotating member configured to rotate integrally with the shaft; a first lower cover member attached to the rotating member, extending upward from the rotating member to its upper end, having a cylindrical shape, and positioned to surround the central axis; an upper cover member attached to the stationary member, extending downward from the stationary member to its lower end, having a cylindrical shape, and positioned to surround the central axis and the first lower cover member; and a second lower cover member attached to the first lower cover member, extending upward from the first lower cover member as a branch, having a cylindrical shape, and positioned to surround the central axis, the first lower cover member, and the upper cover member.

[0075] (effect) In the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 1, the liquid is less likely to penetrate the inside of the cover through the gap between the first lower cover member and the upper cover member.

[0076] (Note 2) The polishing apparatus relating to Appendix 2 is the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 1, wherein the upper end of the first lower cover member and the upper end of the second lower cover member are positioned higher than the lower end of the upper cover member.

[0077] (Note 3) The polishing apparatus relating to Appendix 3 is the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 1 or 2, wherein the second lower cover member is composed of two or more members and is separable in the circumferential direction with respect to the central axis.

[0078] (effect) In the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 3, the second lower cover member is divided, making it easier for the operator to remove the second lower cover member during maintenance, etc.

[0079] (Note 4) The polishing apparatus relating to Appendix 4 is the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 3, wherein the second lower cover member comprises a first member and a second member, both having an arc shape in plan view, the first member extending from a front end surface in the direction of rotation of the rotating member to a rear end surface in the direction of rotation, the front end surface extending from an inner end to an outer end further from the central axis than the inner end, the inner end being located in front of the outer end in the direction of rotation such that the front end surface is inclined with respect to a radiation extending from the central axis in plan view, and the second member having a rear end surface facing the front end surface of the first member.

[0080] (effect) In the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 4, the intrusion of liquid into the interior from the connection point between the first member and the second member is prevented.

[0081] (Note 5) The polishing apparatus relating to Appendix 5 is a polishing apparatus described in any one of Appendix 1 to 4, wherein a groove is formed between the first lower cover member and the second lower cover member, and a discharge hole is formed for discharging the liquid in the groove to the outside of the groove.

[0082] (effect) The polishing device described in Appendix 5 can discharge the liquid in the groove between the first lower cover member and the second lower cover member through the discharge hole.

[0083] (Note 6) The polishing apparatus described in Appendix 6 is the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 5, wherein the bottom surface of the groove is inclined in the circumferential direction, and the liquid inside the groove is guided to the discharge hole.

[0084] (effect) In the polishing device described in Appendix 6, liquid is less likely to accumulate inside the grooves.

[0085] (Note 7) The polishing apparatus relating to Appendix 7 is the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 5, wherein the second lower cover member has an elongated hole connected to the groove, the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole coincides with the circumferential direction centered on the central axis, and in a cross section passing through and parallel to the central axis, the elongated hole is formed to incline diagonally upward as it moves away from the central axis.

[0086] (effect) In the polishing device described in Appendix 7, when the liquid is supplied to the rotating member from diagonally above the rotating member, the dirt in the grooves is washed away by the liquid that enters the grooves.

[0087] (Note 8) The polishing apparatus relating to Appendix 8 is the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 7, wherein the bottom surface of the groove is inclined in the circumferential direction, and the liquid inside the groove is guided to the discharge hole, and the highest point of the bottom surface of the groove is located on the cross-section and adjacent to the elongated hole.

[0088] (effect) In the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 7, liquid is easily supplied to the top.

[0089] (Note 9) The polishing apparatus relating to Appendix 9 is the polishing apparatus described in any one of Appendix 1 to 8, wherein a chamfer is formed on the outer surface of the upper end of the first lower cover member, a chamfer is formed on the outer surface of the lower end of the upper cover member, and a chamfer is formed on the inner surface of the upper end of the second lower cover member.

[0090] (effect) In the polishing apparatus described in Appendix 9, even when the rotating member is tilted relative to the stationary member, the first lower cover member, the upper cover member, and the second lower cover member are less likely to interfere with each other.

[0091] (Note 10) The polishing apparatus according to Appendix 10 is the polishing apparatus described in any one of Appendix 1 to 9, further comprising a buff pad carrier configured to rotate integrally with the shaft and to which a buff pad can be attached.

[0092] The embodiments of the present invention and their respective modifications have been described above. It goes without saying that the examples 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 as appropriate without departing from its spirit, and equivalents thereof are included in the present invention. Furthermore, any combination or omission of the components described in the claims and specification is possible to the extent that at least a part of the above-described problems can be solved or at least a part of the effects can be achieved. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0093] 1000: Processing Unit 300A, 300B: Buffing equipment (polishing equipment) 350: Buff Processing Component 3A,3B,3C,3D: Polishing equipment 500: Buffhead 502: Buff pad 504: Stationary member 510: Shaft 512 Buff head body (rotating component) 518: Buff Pad Carrier 530: Cover component 540: First lower cover member 542: Upper end 550: Upper cover component 552: Bottom end 560: Second lower cover member 562: Upper end 565: First component 566: Front end surface 567: Rear end surface 568: Inner end 569: Outer edge 575: Second component 576: Front end surface 577: Rear end surface 578: Inner end 579: Outer edge 580: Groove 585: Third component 586: Front end surface 587: Rear end surface 588: Inner end 589: Outer edge 590,591,592:Exhaust hole 593: Bottom 594: Long hole 595:Top 600: Buff Arm 602: Stationary member 820: Dresser 830: Pad Rinse Nozzle 832: Head rinse nozzle 900:Liquid C: Central axis D: Direction of rotation L: Radiation W: Circuit board

Claims

1. A polishing device, A stationary member and A shaft that penetrates the aforementioned stationary member, extends vertically, and is configured to rotate about a central axis, A rotating member configured to rotate integrally with the shaft, A first lower cover member is attached to the rotating member, extends upward from the rotating member to its upper end, has a cylindrical shape, and is arranged to surround the central axis. An upper cover member is attached to the stationary member, extends downward from the stationary member to its lower end, has a cylindrical shape, and is arranged to surround the central axis and the first lower cover member. A second lower cover member is attached to the first lower cover member, extends upward from the first lower cover member as if branching out to the upper end, has a cylindrical shape, and is arranged to surround the central axis, the first lower cover member, and the upper cover member. A polishing device equipped with the following features.

2. A polishing apparatus according to claim 1, The upper end of the first lower cover member and the upper end of the second lower cover member are positioned higher than the lower end of the upper cover member. Polishing equipment.

3. A polishing apparatus according to claim 1, The second lower cover member is composed of two or more members and is separable in the circumferential direction with respect to the central axis. Polishing equipment.

4. The polishing apparatus according to claim 3, The second lower cover member comprises a first member and a second member, both having an arc shape in a plan view. The first member extends from the front end surface in the direction of rotation of the rotating member to the rear end surface in the direction of rotation, The aforementioned front end surface extends from the inner end to the outer end which is further from the central axis than the inner end, In a plan view, the inner end is positioned forward of the outer end in the rotational direction, such that the front end surface is inclined with respect to the radiation extending from the central axis. The second member has a rear end surface that faces the front end surface of the first member. Polishing equipment.

5. A polishing apparatus according to claim 1, A groove is formed between the first lower cover member and the second lower cover member. A drain hole is formed in the groove for discharging the liquid in the groove to the outside of the groove. Polishing equipment.

6. The polishing apparatus according to claim 5, The bottom surface of the groove is inclined in the circumferential direction, and the liquid inside the groove is guided to the discharge hole. Polishing equipment.

7. The polishing apparatus according to claim 5, The second lower cover member has an elongated hole formed in it that connects to the groove. The longitudinal direction of the elongated hole coincides with the circumferential direction centered on the central axis. In a cross-section passing through and parallel to the central axis, the elongated hole is formed to be inclined diagonally upward as it moves away from the central axis. Polishing equipment.

8. The polishing apparatus according to claim 7, The bottom surface of the groove is inclined in the circumferential direction, and the liquid inside the groove is guided to the discharge hole. The highest point of the bottom surface of the groove is located on the cross-section and is adjacent to the elongated hole. Polishing equipment.

9. A polishing apparatus according to claim 1, A chamfer is formed on the outer surface of the upper end of the first lower cover member. A chamfer is formed on the outer surface of the lower end of the upper cover member. A chamfer is formed on the inner surface of the upper end of the second lower cover member. Polishing equipment.

10. A polishing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The device further comprises a buff pad carrier configured to rotate integrally with the shaft and to which a buff pad can be attached. Polishing equipment.

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