SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD

Abstract

To measure an abrasion amount of a polishing pad with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus 1000 includes: a table 100 for supporting a substrate WF with a polished surface placed upward; a pad holder 226 for holding a polishing pad 222 for polishing the substrate WF supported on the table 100; a lifting mechanism 260 for lifting the polishing pad 222 held on the pad holder 226; and an abrasion amount measurement member 270 for measuring the abrasion amount of the polishing pad 222 based on a value correlating to a behavior of the lifting mechanism 260 until the polishing pad 222 is brought into contact with a reference surface after the polishing pad 222 has been lowered by the lifting mechanism 260.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present application relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) equipment is one type of substrate processing equipment used in semiconductor processing. CMP equipment can be broadly categorized into "face-up type" (where the surface to be polished of the substrate faces upward) and "face-down type" (where the surface to be polished of the substrate faces downward) depending on the direction in which the surface to be polished of the substrate faces.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses that in a face-up CMP apparatus, a substrate is polished by rotating a polishing pad having a diameter smaller than the substrate and bringing it into contact with the substrate. Patent Document 2 discloses that the thickness of a polishing pad is measured in a face-up CMP apparatus. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-229388 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-25413 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the prior art does not take into consideration measuring the amount of wear of a polishing pad with a simple structure.

[0006] That is, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 measures the thickness of the polishing pad by providing a contact stylus displacement meter in the CMP apparatus. Therefore, a dedicated space is required to place the contact stylus displacement meter, which makes the entire CMP apparatus larger and more complex.

[0007] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to measure the amount of wear of a polishing pad with a simple structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus is disclosed that includes a table for supporting a substrate with its surface to be polished facing upward, a pad holder for holding a polishing pad for polishing the substrate supported on the table, a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the polishing pad held by the pad holder, and a wear amount measuring member that measures the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on a value correlated to the behavior of the lifting mechanism until the polishing pad is lowered by the lifting mechanism and contacts a reference surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view schematically showing an overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a multi-axis arm according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a pad holder according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a pad holder according to one embodiment. [Figure 6A] 2A to 2C are diagrams illustrating abrasion measurement of a polishing pad according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6B] 2A to 2C are diagrams illustrating abrasion measurement of a polishing pad according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7A]4 is a flowchart showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7B] 4 is a flowchart showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8A] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating abrasion measurement of a polishing pad according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8B] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating abrasion measurement of a polishing pad according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9A] 10 is a flowchart showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9B] 10 is a flowchart showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10A] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating abrasion measurement of a polishing pad according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10B] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating abrasion measurement of a polishing pad according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11A] 10 is a flowchart showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11B] 10 is a flowchart showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11C] 10 is a flowchart showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to a modified example of the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, identical or similar elements are designated by identical or similar reference symbols, and duplicate descriptions of identical or similar elements may be omitted in the description of each embodiment. Furthermore, features shown in each embodiment can also be applied to other embodiments as long as they are not mutually inconsistent.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 1000 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a table 100, a multi-axis arm 200, support members 300A and 300B, a dresser 500, and a film thickness measuring device (endpoint detector) 600. Note that the multi-axis arm 200 is omitted from Fig. 1 for clarity.

[0012] The table 100 is a disk-shaped member for supporting the disk-shaped substrate WF to be processed so that the surface to be polished of the substrate WF faces vertically upward. In one embodiment, the table 100 has a support surface 100a for supporting the back surface of the substrate WF opposite the surface to be polished, and is configured to be rotatable by a driving mechanism such as a motor (not shown). A plurality of holes 102 are formed in the support surface 100a, and the table 100 is configured to be able to vacuum-suck the substrate WF through the holes 102. The substrate processing apparatus 1000 of this embodiment is a face-up type substrate processing apparatus that polishes the substrate WF with the surface to be polished of the substrate WF facing upward.

[0013] <Multi-axis arm> 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic view of a multi-axis arm according to one embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the multi-axis arm 200 is a member that holds a plurality of processing tools for performing various processes on the substrate WF supported on the table 100, and is disposed adjacent to the table 100. The multi-axis arm 200 of this embodiment includes a large-diameter, disc-shaped polishing pad 222 for polishing the substrate WF, a disc-shaped cleaning tool 232 for cleaning the substrate WF, a small-diameter, disc-shaped polishing pad 242 for finish-polishing the substrate WF, and a measuring tool 252 for measuring the diameter of the substrate WF. The camera 252 is configured to hold the camera.

[0014] The multi-axis arm 200 includes an oscillating shaft 210 extending in a direction (height direction) perpendicular to the substrate WF, a rotational drive mechanism 212 such as a motor that rotates the oscillating shaft 210, and a first arm 220, a second arm 230, a third arm 240, and a fourth arm 250 that are supported by the oscillating shaft 210 and arranged radially around the oscillating shaft 210.

[0015] A rotating shaft 224 extending in the height direction is attached to the first arm 220, and a disc-shaped pad holder 226 is attached to the tip of the rotating shaft 224. A large-diameter polishing pad 222 is held by the pad holder 226. The multi-axis arm 200 includes a holder lifting mechanism 227 for raising and lowering the pad holder 226 relative to the substrate WF. The holder lifting mechanism 227 can be realized by a known mechanism such as a servo motor. The multi-axis arm 200 also includes a pad rotation mechanism 229 for rotating the pad holder 226. The pad rotation mechanism 229 can be realized by a known mechanism such as a motor, and can rotate the pad holder 226 by rotating the rotating shaft 224.

[0016] The multi-axis arm 200 includes nozzles 228 arranged around the pad holder 226. The nozzles 228 are configured to supply a polishing liquid (slurry) to the substrate WF. The nozzles 228 include a first nozzle 228-1 arranged in the oscillation path of the pad holder 226, and a second nozzle 228-2 arranged in the oscillation path of the pad holder 226 on the opposite side of the pad holder 226 from the first nozzle 228-1. The first nozzle 228-1 and the second nozzle 228-2 are each configured to supply a polishing liquid to the surface to be polished of the substrate WF.

[0017] A rotating shaft 234 extending in the height direction is attached to the second arm 230, and a disk-shaped cleaning tool holder 236 is attached to the tip of the rotating shaft 234. The cleaning tool holder 236 holds a cleaning tool 232. The multi-axis arm 200 is equipped with a holder lifting mechanism 237 for raising and lowering the cleaning tool holder 236 relative to the substrate WF. The holder lifting mechanism 237 can be realized by a known mechanism such as a servo motor. The multi-axis arm 200 also is equipped with a cleaning tool rotation mechanism 239 for rotating the cleaning tool holder 236. The cleaning tool rotation mechanism 239 can be realized by a known mechanism such as a motor, and can rotate the cleaning tool holder 236 by rotating the rotating shaft 234.

[0018] The multi-axis arm 200 includes atomizers 238 for supplying cleaning liquid around the cleaning tool holder 236. The atomizers 238 are provided on both sides of the cleaning tool holder 236 in the swing direction of the cleaning tool holder 236, and are configured to spray the cleaning liquid onto the substrate WF.

[0019] A rotating shaft 244 extending in the height direction is attached to the third arm 240, and a disc-shaped pad holder 246 is attached to the tip of the rotating shaft 244. A small-diameter polishing pad 242 is held by the pad holder 246. The multi-axis arm 200 is equipped with a holder lifting mechanism 247 for raising and lowering the pad holder 246 relative to the substrate WF. The holder lifting mechanism 247 can be realized by a known mechanism such as a servo motor. The multi-axis arm 200 also is equipped with a pad rotation mechanism 249 for rotating the pad holder 246. The pad rotation mechanism 249 can be realized by a known mechanism such as a motor, and can rotate the pad holder 246 by rotating the rotating shaft 244. A photography member 252 is held by the fourth arm 250.

[0020] The multi-axis arm 200 includes a nozzle 248 for supplying a polishing liquid around the pad holder 246. The nozzle 248 includes a first nozzle 248-1 arranged in the swing path of the pad holder 246, and a second nozzle 248-2 arranged in the swing path of the pad holder 246 on the opposite side of the pad holder 246 from the first nozzle 248-1. The first nozzle 248-1 and the second nozzle 248-2 are configured to supply a polishing liquid to the surface to be polished of the substrate WF.

[0021] 2, in this embodiment, the first arm 220, the second arm 230, the third arm 240, and the fourth arm 250 extend radially around the oscillation shaft 210, offset by 90 degrees counterclockwise in a plan view. The rotation drive mechanism 212 can move any one of the large-diameter polishing pad 222, the cleaning tool 232, the small-diameter polishing pad 242, and the imaging member 252 onto the substrate WF by rotating the oscillation shaft 210. The rotation drive mechanism 212 can also move the polishing pad 222 or the polishing pad 242 onto the dresser 500 by rotating the oscillation shaft 210. The rotation drive mechanism 212 also functions as a swing mechanism that swings the first arm 220, the second arm 230, the third arm 240, and the fourth arm 250 by alternately rotating the oscillation shaft 210 clockwise and counterclockwise. Specifically, the rotational drive mechanism 212 can rotate the oscillation shaft 210 alternately clockwise and counterclockwise while the polishing pad 222, the cleaning tool 232, or the polishing pad 242 is positioned above the substrate WF, thereby oscillating the polishing pad 222 (pad holder 226), the cleaning tool 232 (cleaning tool holder 236), or the polishing pad 242 (pad holder 246) relative to the substrate WF. In this embodiment, the rotational drive mechanism 212 rotates the polishing pad 222, the cleaning tool 232, or the polishing pad 242 in the radial direction of the substrate WF, i.e., moves the polishing pad 222, the cleaning tool 232, or the polishing pad 242 back and forth along an arc, but this is not limiting. For example, the oscillation mechanism can be configured to linearly oscillate the polishing pad 222, the cleaning tool 232, or the polishing pad 242 in the radial direction of the substrate WF, i.e., moves the polishing pad 222, the cleaning tool 232, or the polishing pad 242 back and forth along a straight line.

[0022] The substrate processing apparatus 1000 is configured to polish the substrate WF, for example, when the polishing pad 222 is on the substrate WF, by rotating the table 100 and rotating the polishing pad 222, and by oscillating the polishing pad 222 with the rotary drive mechanism 212 while pressing the polishing pad 222 against the substrate WF with the holder lifting mechanism 227.

[0023] <Supporting member> 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1000 includes a first support member 300A disposed on the swing path of the polishing pad 222 outside the table 100, and a second support member 300B disposed on the swing path of the polishing pad 222 on the opposite side of the table 100 from the first support member 300A. The first support member 300A and the second support member 300B are symmetrical with respect to the substrate WF. Therefore, in the following description, the first support member 300A and the second support member 300B will be collectively referred to as the support member 300 where appropriate. In the following description, as an example, the function of the support member 300 when swinging a large-diameter polishing pad 222 relative to the substrate WF will be described. However, the same applies to the cleaning tool 232 or the small-diameter polishing pad 242.

[0024] The support member 300 is a member for supporting the polishing pad 222 that has been swung outward from the table 100 by the rotation of the swing shaft 210. That is, the substrate processing apparatus 1000 is configured to uniformly polish the surface to be polished of the substrate WF by swung the polishing pad 222 until it projects outward from the substrate WF (overhanging) when polishing the substrate WF. Here, if the polishing pad 222 is overhanging, the pressure of the polishing pad 222 may be concentrated on the peripheral edge of the substrate WF due to various factors such as tilting of the pad holder 226, and the surface to be polished of the substrate WF may not be polished uniformly. Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus 1000 of this embodiment The processing apparatus 1000 is provided with support members 300 on both sides of the table 100 for supporting the polishing pad 222 that overhangs the outer side of the substrate WF.

[0025] The first support member 300A and the second support member 300B each have support surfaces 301a and 301b that can support the entire polishing surface 222c of the polishing pad 222, which contacts the substrate WF. That is, the support surfaces 301a and 301b each have an area larger than the area of ​​the polishing surface 222c of the polishing pad 222. Therefore, even if the polishing pad 222 completely overhangs the outside of the substrate WF, the entire polishing surface 222c is supported by the support surfaces 301a and 301b. As a result, in this embodiment, when the polishing pad 222 oscillates over the substrate WF, the entire polishing surface of the polishing pad 222 is supported in contact with the substrate WF. Even when the polishing pad 222 oscillates to the outside of the table 100, the entire polishing surface is supported by the support member 300. Therefore, the polishing pad 222 does not extend beyond the area of ​​the polished surface of the substrate WF and the support surfaces 301a and 301b during oscillation.

[0026] <Film thickness measuring instrument> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1000 includes a film thickness measuring instrument 600 for measuring a film thickness profile on the polished surface of the substrate WF while the substrate WF is being polished. The film thickness measuring instrument 600 can be configured with various sensors, such as an eddy current sensor or an optical sensor. As shown in FIG. 1, a rotating shaft 610 extending in the height direction is disposed adjacent to the table 100. The rotating shaft 610 is rotatable about its axis by a rotation drive mechanism, such as a motor (not shown). A swing arm 620 is attached to the rotating shaft 610, and the film thickness measuring instrument 600 is attached to the tip of the swing arm 620. The film thickness measuring instrument 600 is configured to swing about the axis of the rotating shaft 610 as the rotating shaft 610 rotates. Specifically, the film thickness measuring instrument 600 can swing along the radial direction of the substrate WF as the rotating shaft 610 rotates during polishing of the substrate WF. The film thickness measuring instrument 600 is configured to oscillate to a position retracted from above the substrate WF when the polishing pad 222 is oscillating above the substrate WF, and to oscillate above the substrate WF when the polishing pad 222 is not oscillating above the substrate WF. In other words, the film thickness measuring instrument 600 is configured to oscillate above the substrate WF at a timing that does not interfere with the polishing pad 222 oscillating above the substrate WF, and can measure over time the film thickness profile of the substrate WF being polished by the polishing pad 222. The film thickness measuring instrument 600 can detect the end point of polishing of the substrate WF when the measured film thickness profile of the substrate WF becomes the desired film thickness profile.

[0027] <Dresser> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the dresser 500 is disposed in the rotation path of the polishing pads 222, 242 caused by the rotation of the swing shaft 210. The dresser 500 is a disk-shaped member having diamond particles or the like firmly electrodeposited on its surface for dressing the polishing pads 222, 242. The dresser 500 is configured to rotate by a rotation drive mechanism such as a motor (not shown). Pure water can be supplied to the surface of the dresser 500 from a nozzle (not shown). The substrate processing apparatus 1000 rotates the dresser 500 while supplying pure water from the nozzle to the dresser 500, and also rotates the polishing pads 222, 242 and swings them relative to the dresser 500 while pressing them against the dresser 500. As a result, the dresser 500 scrapes off the polishing pads 222, 242, thereby dressing the polishing surfaces of the polishing pads 222, 242.

[0028] <Pad holder> Fig. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing a pad holder according to one embodiment. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a pad holder according to one embodiment. The configuration of pad holder 226 will be described below, but pad holder 246 also has a similar configuration.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 5, the pad holder 226 includes a disk-shaped first holder body 221-1 attached to the lower end of the rotary shaft 224 and a disk-shaped second holder body 221-2 provided below the first holder body 221-1. The multi-axis arm 200 includes a lifting mechanism 260 for raising and lowering the polishing pad 222 held by the pad holder 226. The lifting mechanism 260 includes the holder lifting mechanism 227 described above, which is configured to raise and lower the polishing pad 222 by raising and lowering the pad holder 226. The lifting mechanism 260 also includes a bag member (airbag 223) for raising and lowering the polishing pad 222 by expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of a fluid (e.g., air). The airbag 223 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the first holder body 221-1 and the second holder body 221-2. However, the air bag 223 is not limited to this embodiment as long as it is attached to the pad holder 226. A flow path 224a communicating with the air bag 223 is formed in the rotating shaft 224 and the first holder main body 221-1. The multi-axis arm 200 is configured to lower the polishing pad 222 and adjust the pressing force of the polishing pad 222 against the substrate WF by supplying gas to the air bag 223 from a fluid source (not shown) via the flow path 224a.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 5, a disc-shaped pad table 225 is attached to the underside of the second holder main body 221-2. Specifically, a magnet 221-2a is embedded in the second holder main body 221-2, and a magnet 225a is embedded in the pad table 225. The pad table 225 is detachably attached to the underside of the second holder main body 221-2 by the magnetic forces of the magnets 221-2a and 225a. The polishing pad 222 is fixed to the underside of the pad table 225 with an adhesive or the like. By providing the pad table 225, the polishing pad 222 can be easily replaced.

[0031] 5, the substrate processing apparatus 1000 includes a wear amount measuring member 270 for measuring the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222. The wear amount measuring member 270 is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 based on a value correlated with the behavior of the lifting mechanism 260 from when the polishing pad 222 is lowered by the lifting mechanism 260 until it contacts a reference surface. The wear amount measuring member 270 can be configured as a general computer equipped with an input / output device, an arithmetic unit, a storage device, etc. The wear amount measuring member 270 will be described in detail below.

[0032] <Measurement of polishing pad wear> 6A and 6B are diagrams schematically illustrating wear measurement of a polishing pad according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the wear amount measuring member 270 can measure the wear amount of the polishing pad 222 using the support surface of the support member 300 (e.g., the support surface 301a of the first support member 300A) as a reference surface. That is, the wear amount measuring member 270 is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad 222 based on information about the height of the pad holder 226 when the holder lifting mechanism 227 lowers the pad holder 226 until the polishing pad 222 contacts the support surface 301a of the first support member 300A.

[0033] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6A, a reference polishing pad 222a (e.g., a new polishing pad) is attached to the pad holder 226, and the pad holder 226 is placed at the search start position. Next, the wear amount measuring member 270 measures the amount of descent (a) of the pad holder 226 when the holder lifting / lowering mechanism 227 lowers the pad holder 226 until the polishing pad 222a contacts the support surface 301a. In this embodiment, the holder lifting / lowering mechanism 227 is a servo motor with a built-in encoder. The wear amount measuring member 270 can detect that the polishing pad 222a has contacted the support surface 301a based on a change in the torque value of the holder lifting / lowering mechanism 227. The wear amount measuring member 270 can also measure the amount of descent of the pad holder 226 based on the absolute value of the encoder of the holder lifting / lowering mechanism 227. In this embodiment, a new polishing pad has been described as an example of the reference polishing pad 222a, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0034] Next, as shown in FIG. 6B , the pad holder 226 is placed at the search start position with the polishing pad 222b to be measured (e.g., a polishing pad worn by a polishing process) attached to the pad holder 226. The wear amount measuring member 270 then measures the amount of descent (b) of the pad holder 226 when the holder lifting mechanism 227 lowers the pad holder 226 until the polishing pad 222b contacts the support surface 301a. The wear amount measuring member 270 is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222b to be measured by comparing the amount of descent (a) of the pad holder 226 relative to the reference polishing pad 222a with the amount of descent (b) of the pad holder 226 relative to the polishing pad 222b to be measured. Specifically, the amount of descent of the pad holder 226 increases by the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222, so the amount of descent (b) minus the amount of descent (a) of the pad holder 226 corresponds to the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222. Hereinafter, measuring the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 by bringing the polishing pad 222 into contact with a reference surface will be referred to as "pad search" as appropriate. Note that, although the example shown in Fig. 6 illustrates measuring the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 based on a comparison of the amount of descent of the pad holder 226, this is not limiting. The wear amount measuring member 270 can also measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 based on a comparison between, for example, information about the height of the pad holder 226 when the reference polishing pad 222a contacts the support surface 301a and information about the height of the pad holder 226 when the polishing pad 222b to be measured contacts the support surface 301a.

[0035] In this embodiment, the wear amount measuring member 270 uses the support surface of the support member 300 as the reference surface. However, this is not limiting. For example, the wear amount of the polishing pad 222 can be measured using the polished surface of the substrate WF as the reference surface. The wear amount measuring member 270 may lower the pad holder 226 from the search start position at a first speed, and then switch to a second speed slower than the first speed to lower the pad holder 226 and bring the polishing pad 222 into contact with the support surface 301a. Bringing the polishing pad 222 into contact with the support surface 301a at a low speed can prevent excessive load from being applied to the holder lifting mechanism 227. The wear amount measuring member 270 may perform pad searches at multiple positions where the pad holder 226 is rotated at different angles by the pad rotation mechanism 229, and measure the wear amount of the polishing pad 222 based on the average value of the multiple pad searches. This prevents the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 from being erroneously measured due to overlapping of the undulations of the polishing pad 222 and the support surface 301a, and allows the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 to be measured more accurately.

[0036] Next, the procedure of the substrate processing method according to the first embodiment will be described. FIGS. 7A and 7B are flowcharts showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7A, the substrate processing method first involves moving the pad holder 226 to a search start position on the support member 300A with the reference polishing pad 222a attached to the pad holder 226 (step 102). Next, the substrate processing method involves performing a pad search (step 104). Specifically, as described above, the pad holder 226 is lowered until the polishing pad 222a contacts the support surface 301a, and the amount of descent (a) of the pad holder 226 is measured based on the absolute value of the encoder of the holder lifting mechanism 227. Next, the substrate processing method involves storing the amount of descent (a) of the pad holder 226 at this time in a storage device (step 106).

[0037] On the other hand, when polishing a substrate and measuring the wear amount of polishing pad 222, as shown in Figure 7B, the substrate processing method moves pad holder 226 above substrate WF with polishing pad 222b to be measured attached to pad holder 226 (step 202). Next, the substrate processing method lowers pad holder 226 to a polishing start position according to the lowering amount of pad holder 226 stored in step 106 or step 220 described later (step 204). If pad search in step 212 has never been performed on polishing pad 222b to be measured, step 204 is performed using the pad search stored in step 106. The pad holder 226 is lowered in accordance with the amount of lowering of the pad holder 226 stored in step 220 during the most recent pad search. On the other hand, after the pad search in step 212 is performed on the polishing pad 222b being measured, the pad holder 226 is lowered in accordance with the amount of lowering of the pad holder 226 stored in step 220 during the most recent pad search. This is to maintain a constant distance between the polishing surface of the substrate WF and the polishing surface of the polishing pad 222b during the polishing process. That is, before polishing begins, the inside of the airbag 223 is shrunk by vacuuming. In step 204, the height of the pad holder 226 is controlled in accordance with the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 measured by the wear amount measuring member 270 so that the distance between the polishing surface of the polishing pad 222 and the polishing surface of the substrate WF is constant (they are not in contact). Specifically, since polishing pad 222b wears down during the polishing process, the height position of pad holder 226 can be adjusted by the amount of wear to maintain a constant distance between the polished surface of substrate WF and the polishing surface of polishing pad 222b at the start of polishing. As a result, the force pressing polishing pad 222b against the polished surface of substrate WF due to the expansion of airbag 223 can be maintained constant, allowing substrate WF to be polished uniformly.

[0038] Next, the substrate processing method performs a polishing process on the substrate WF (step 206). Specifically, the substrate processing method supplies a polishing liquid (slurry) from the nozzle 228 and rotates the pad holder 226 and the table 100. Furthermore, the substrate processing method polishes the substrate WF by supplying a fluid (e.g., air) to the air bag 223 to press the polishing pad 222b against the substrate WF and swinging the pad holder 226. As described above, the substrate processing method controls the height of the pad holder 226 to the polishing start position according to the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222, and then inflates the air bag 223 by injecting fluid into the air bag 223, thereby pressing the polishing pad 222 against the substrate WF. Therefore, even if the polishing pad 222 is worn, the inflation of the air bag 223 can be kept constant, so that the substrate WF can always be pressed with the same pressure. The substrate processing method determines whether polishing of the substrate WF is completed (step 208), and repeats the polishing process until polishing of the substrate WF is completed.

[0039] On the other hand, if it is determined that polishing of the substrate WF has been completed (step 208, Yes), the substrate processing method moves the pad holder 226 to a search start position on the support member 300A (step 210). Subsequently, the substrate processing method executes a pad search (step 212). Specifically, step 212 includes a lowering step in which, with the airbag 223 deflated by vacuuming, the pad holder 226 is lowered until the polishing pad 222b contacts the support surface 301a, as described above. Step 212 also includes a measuring step in which, based on the absolute value of the encoder of the holder lifting / lowering mechanism 227, the amount of lowering (b) of the pad holder 226 until the polishing pad 222 contacts the support surface 301a is measured. The measuring step measures the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222b based on the amount of lowering (b) of the pad holder 226 (step 214). Specifically, the measurement step measures the amount of wear of polishing pad 222b by comparing the amount of descent (a) of pad holder 226 relative to reference polishing pad 222a with the amount of descent (b) of pad holder 226 relative to polishing pad 222b being measured.

[0040] Next, the substrate processing method determines whether the amount of wear of polishing pad 222b is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step 216). If the amount of wear of polishing pad 222b is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step 216, Yes), the substrate processing method issues an alarm requesting replacement of polishing pad 222b (step 218). On the other hand, if the amount of wear of polishing pad 222b is less than the predetermined value (step 216, No), the substrate processing method stores the lowering amount (b) of pad holder 226 in a storage device (step 220).

[0041] According to this embodiment, the wear amount measuring member 270 is used to measure the amount of wear when the substrate processing apparatus 1000 performs a polishing process. Since the pad search is performed using the existing components for this purpose, there is no need to provide a special component for measuring the wear amount. As a result, the wear amount of the polishing pad can be measured with a simple structure. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pad search is performed using the hard, flat support surface of the support member 300 (e.g., the support surface 301a of the first support member 300A) as the reference surface, so the wear amount of the polishing pad 222 can be measured accurately. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pad holder 226 is moved to a polishing start position corresponding to the wear amount of the polishing pad 222 before the polishing process is performed. This allows the distance between the polished surface of the substrate WF and the polished surface of the polishing pad 222b to be kept constant at the start of polishing. As a result, the force pressing the polishing pad 222b against the polished surface of the substrate WF due to the inflation of the airbag 223 can be kept constant, allowing the substrate WF to be polished uniformly. In this embodiment, the pad search is performed relative to the reference polishing pad 222a as shown in FIG. 7A , but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the distance between the reference polishing pad 222a and the reference surface is known when the pad holder 226 is placed at the search start position, the pad search shown in FIG. 7A does not need to be performed.

[0042] Next, wear measurement of a polishing pad according to a second embodiment will be described. Figures 8A and 8B are diagrams schematically illustrating wear measurement of a polishing pad according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the wear measurement member 270 includes a photographing member (camera) 264 for photographing the airbag 223. The wear measurement member 270 is configured to measure the amount of inflation of the airbag 223 until the polishing pad 222 contacts a reference surface (e.g., the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF) based on the image photographed by the photographing member 264, and to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 based on the measured amount of inflation of the airbag 223.

[0043] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8A , a reference polishing pad 222a (e.g., a new polishing pad) is attached to the pad holder 226, and the pad holder 226 is placed at the search start position. At this time, the airbag 223 is deflated by vacuuming. Note that if the search start position is too high, the polishing pad 222a will not contact the polishing surface WF-a of the substrate WF even if the airbag 223 is fully inflated. Therefore, the search start position in FIG. 8A is set according to the allowable inflation amount of the airbag 223 so that the polishing pad 222a can contact the polishing surface WF-a of the substrate WF. Next, the wear amount measuring member 270 inflates the airbag 223 by supplying fluid to the airbag 223. Next, the wear amount measuring member 270 measures the inflation amount (c) of the airbag 223 until the polishing pad 222a contacts the polishing surface WF-a of the substrate WF, based on the image acquired by the photographing member 264. The wear amount measuring member 270 can detect that the polishing pad 222a has come into contact with the support surface 301a based on a change in the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223 or a change in the torque value of the holder lifting mechanism 227.

[0044] 8B, the pad holder 226 is placed at the search start position with the polishing pad 222b to be measured (e.g., a polishing pad worn by a polishing process) attached to the pad holder 226. The wear amount measuring member 270 then supplies fluid to the airbag 223 to inflate the airbag 223. Based on the image captured by the image capturing member 264, the wear amount measuring member 270 measures the amount of expansion (d) of the airbag 223 until the polishing pad 222a comes into contact with the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF. The wear amount measuring member 270 is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222b to be measured by comparing the amount of expansion (c) of the airbag 223 relative to the reference polishing pad 222a with the amount of expansion (d) of the airbag 223 relative to the polishing pad 222b to be measured. Specifically, the amount of expansion of the airbag 223 increases in proportion to the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222, and therefore the amount of expansion (d) minus the amount of expansion (c) corresponds to the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222.

[0045] Next, the procedure of the substrate processing method according to the second embodiment will be described. FIGS. 9A and 9B are flowcharts showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9A, the substrate processing method first moves the pad holder 226 above the substrate WF with the reference polishing pad 222a attached to the pad holder 226 (step 302). The substrate processing method then lowers the pad holder 226 to a search start position (step 304). The substrate processing method then executes a pad search (step 306). Specifically, as described above, the airbag 223 is inflated until the polishing pad 222a contacts the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF, and the inflation amount (c) of the airbag 223 is measured based on an image captured by the photographing member 264. The substrate processing method then stores the inflation amount (c) of the airbag 223 at this time in a storage device (step 308).

[0046] On the other hand, when polishing a substrate and measuring the wear amount of the polishing pad 222, as shown in FIG. 9B, the substrate processing method moves the pad holder 226 above the substrate WF with the polishing pad 222b to be measured attached to the pad holder 226 (step 402). Next, the substrate processing method lowers the pad holder 226 to a search start position corresponding to the inflation amount of the airbag 223 stored in step 308 or step 422 (described later) (step 404). If the pad search of step 408 has never been performed on the polishing pad 222b to be measured, step 404 lowers the pad holder 226 according to the inflation amount of the airbag 223 stored in step 308. On the other hand, after the pad search of step 408 has been performed on the polishing pad 222b to be measured, step 404 lowers the pad holder 226 according to the inflation amount of the airbag 223 stored in step 308 during the most recent pad search.

[0047] In this way, by lowering the pad holder 226 to a search start position corresponding to the inflation amount of the airbag 223, the following pad search and polishing process can be accurately performed regardless of the amount of wear on the polishing pad 222. That is, it is also possible to perform the following pad search and polishing process with the pad holder 226 positioned at a fixed, predetermined height position (absolute value) each time. In this case, if the amount of wear on the polishing pad 222 becomes greater than the allowable inflation amount of the airbag 223, the polishing pad 222b may not contact the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF even if the airbag 223 is fully inflated. As a result, the following pad search and polishing process cannot be performed. In contrast, in this embodiment, before performing the pad search and polishing process, the pad holder 226 is lowered according to the inflation amount of the airbag 223 stored in step 308 or step 422. Therefore, the pad search and polishing process can be accurately performed even if the amount of wear on the polishing pad 222 becomes greater than the allowable inflation amount of the airbag 223. If the allowable expansion amount of the airbag 223 is sufficiently large relative to the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222, the above-mentioned concerns do not arise, and therefore, in step 404, the pad holder 226 may be placed at a predetermined height position.

[0048] Next, the substrate processing method begins preparation for polishing the substrate WF (step 406). Specifically, the substrate processing method supplies a polishing liquid (slurry) from the nozzle 228 and rotates the pad holder 226 and the table 100. Next, the substrate processing method performs a pad search (step 408). Specifically, step 408 includes a lowering step of injecting fluid into the airbag 223 until the polishing pad 222b contacts the polishing surface WF-a of the substrate WF. Step 408 also includes a measurement step of photographing the airbag 223 with the photographing member 264 while inflating the airbag 223 and measuring the inflation amount (d) of the airbag 223 based on the photographed image.

[0049] Next, in the substrate processing method, the pad holder 226 is adjusted to the polishing start position based on the inflation amount (d) of the air bag 223 (step 410). This is to maintain a constant amount of inflation of the airbag 223. That is, since the polishing pad 222b wears during the polishing process, the amount of inflation of the airbag 223 can be maintained constant by adjusting the position of the pad holder 226 by the amount of wear. As a result, the force pressing the polishing pad 222b against the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF due to the inflation of the airbag 223 can be maintained constant, thereby enabling the substrate WF to be polished uniformly. Next, the substrate processing method performs polishing of the substrate WF by oscillating the pad holder 226 while pressing the polishing pad 222b against the substrate WF (step 412). The substrate processing method determines whether polishing of the substrate WF has been completed (step 414), and repeats the polishing process until polishing of the substrate WF has been completed.

[0050] On the other hand, when it is determined that polishing of the substrate WF has been completed (Yes in step 414), the substrate processing method measures the wear amount of the polishing pad 222b based on the inflation amount (d) of the airbag 223 and the search start position (measurement step 416). Specifically, the measurement step 416 measures the wear amount of the polishing pad 222b by comparing the inflation amount (c) of the airbag 223 relative to the reference polishing pad 222a with the inflation amount (d) of the airbag 223 relative to the polishing pad 222b being measured.

[0051] Next, the substrate processing method determines whether the amount of wear of polishing pad 222b is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step 418). If the amount of wear of polishing pad 222b is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step 418, Yes), the substrate processing method issues an alarm requesting replacement of polishing pad 222b (step 420). On the other hand, if the amount of wear of polishing pad 222b is less than the predetermined value (step 418, No), the substrate processing method stores the inflation amount (d) of airbag 223 in a storage device (step 422).

[0052] According to this embodiment, the wear amount measuring member 270 performs pad search using a component that the substrate processing apparatus 1000 is originally equipped with for the polishing process, eliminating the need for a special component for measuring the wear amount. As a result, the wear amount of the polishing pad can be measured with a simple structure. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pad holder 226 is moved to a polishing start position corresponding to the wear amount of the polishing pad 222 before the polishing process is performed, so the inflation amount of the air bag 223 can be kept constant at the start of polishing. As a result, the force pressing the polishing pad 222b against the polished surface of the substrate WF due to the inflation of the air bag 223 can be kept constant, thereby enabling the substrate WF to be polished uniformly.

[0053] Next, wear measurement of a polishing pad according to a third embodiment will be described. Figures 10A and 10B are diagrams schematically illustrating wear measurement of a polishing pad according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the wear measurement member 270 includes a flow meter 262 capable of measuring the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223. The wear measurement member 270 is configured to measure the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223 using the flow meter 262 until the polishing pad 222 comes into contact with a reference surface (e.g., the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF), and to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 based on the measured amount of fluid flowing in.

[0054] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10A, a reference polishing pad 222a (e.g., a new polishing pad) is attached to the pad holder 226, and the pad holder 226 is placed at the search start position. At this time, the airbag 223 is deflated by vacuuming. Note that if the search start position is too high, the polishing pad 222a will not come into contact with the polishing surface WF-a of the substrate WF even if the airbag 223 is inflated to its maximum extent. Therefore, the search start position in FIG. 10A is set according to the allowable expansion amount of the airbag 223 so that the polishing pad 222a can come into contact with the polishing surface WF-a of the substrate WF. Next, the wear amount measuring member 270 inflates the airbag 223 by supplying fluid to the airbag 223. Next, the wear amount measuring member 270 continues to inflate the airbag 223 until the polishing pad 222a comes into contact with the polishing surface WF-a of the substrate WF. The amount of fluid (e) flowing into the airbag 223 at this time is measured.

[0055] 10B, the pad holder 226 is placed at the search start position with the polishing pad 222b (e.g., a polishing pad worn by a polishing process) to be measured attached to the pad holder 226. The wear amount measuring member 270 then inflates the airbag 223 by supplying fluid to the airbag 223. The wear amount measuring member 270 then measures the amount of fluid (f) that flows into the airbag 223 until the polishing pad 222a comes into contact with the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF. The wear amount measuring member 270 is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222b to be measured by comparing the amount of fluid (e) that flows into the airbag 223 for the reference polishing pad 222a with the amount of fluid (f) that flows into the airbag 223 for the polishing pad 222b to be measured. Specifically, the amount of fluid inflow (f) into the airbag 223 increases in proportion to the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222, and therefore the amount correlated with inflow (f) - inflow (e) corresponds to the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222. In other words, the correlation between the amount of fluid inflow into the airbag 223 and the amount of wear (thickness) of the polishing pad 222 is acquired in advance, and therefore the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 can be calculated by knowing inflow (f) - inflow (e).

[0056] Next, the procedure of the substrate processing method according to the third embodiment will be described. FIGS. 11A and 11B are flowcharts showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11A, the substrate processing method first moves the pad holder 226 above the substrate WF with the reference polishing pad 222a attached to the pad holder 226 (step 502). Next, the substrate processing method lowers the pad holder 226 to a search start position (step 504). Next, the substrate processing method executes a pad search (step 506). Specifically, as described above, the airbag 223 is inflated until the polishing pad 222a contacts the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF, and the flow rate (e) of the fluid flowing into the airbag 223 is measured by the flow meter 262. Next, the substrate processing method stores the flow rate (e) of the fluid flowing into the airbag 223 in a storage device (step 508).

[0057] On the other hand, when polishing a substrate and measuring the wear amount of the polishing pad 222, as shown in FIG. 11B, the substrate processing method moves the pad holder 226 above the substrate WF with the polishing pad 222b to be measured attached to the pad holder 226 (step 602). Next, the substrate processing method lowers the pad holder 226 to a search start position corresponding to the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223 stored in step 508 or step 622 (described later) (step 604). In step 604, if the pad search in step 608 has never been performed on the polishing pad 222b to be measured, the pad holder 226 is lowered in accordance with the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223 stored in step 508. On the other hand, in step 604, after the pad search in step 608 has been performed on the polishing pad 222b to be measured, the pad holder 226 is lowered in accordance with the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223 stored in step 608 during the most recent pad search. By lowering the pad holder 226 to a search start position according to the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223, as in the second embodiment, pad search and polishing processing can be performed accurately even if the amount of wear on the polishing pad 222 becomes greater than the allowable expansion amount of the airbag 223.

[0058] Next, the substrate processing method starts preparation for polishing the substrate WF (step 606). Specifically, the substrate processing method supplies a polishing liquid (slurry) from the nozzle 228 and rotates the pad holder 226 and the table 100. Next, the substrate processing method executes a pad search (step 608). Specifically, step 608 includes a descending step of injecting fluid into the airbag 223 until the polishing pad 222b contacts the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF. Also, step 608 includes a step of inflating the airbag 223 while inflating the airbag 223. The method includes a measuring step of measuring the amount (f) of fluid flowing into the airbag 223 by the flow meter 262.

[0059] Next, the substrate processing method adjusts the pad holder 226 to a polishing start position based on the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223 (f) (step 610). The substrate processing method can adjust the height position of the pad holder 226 so that the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223 (f) is a predetermined amount. This is done to maintain a constant inflation amount of the airbag 223 during the polishing process. That is, since the polishing pad 222b wears during the polishing process, the inflation amount of the airbag 223 can be maintained constant by adjusting the position of the pad holder 226 by the amount of wear. As a result, the force pressing the polishing pad 222b against the polished surface WF-a of the substrate WF due to the inflation of the airbag 223 can be maintained constant, thereby enabling the substrate WF to be polished uniformly. Next, the substrate processing method performs polishing of the substrate WF by oscillating the pad holder 226 while pressing the polishing pad 222b against the substrate WF (step 612). The substrate processing method determines whether polishing of the substrate WF is completed (step 614), and repeats the polishing process until polishing of the substrate WF is completed.

[0060] On the other hand, when it is determined that polishing of the substrate WF has been completed (Yes in step 614), the substrate processing method measures the wear amount of the polishing pad 222b based on the amount of fluid (f) flowing into the airbag 223 and the search start position (measurement step 616). Specifically, the measurement step 616 measures the wear amount of the polishing pad 222b by comparing the amount of fluid (e) flowing into the airbag 223 for the reference polishing pad 222a with the amount of fluid (f) flowing into the airbag 223 for the polishing pad 222b being measured.

[0061] Next, the substrate processing method determines whether the amount of wear on polishing pad 222b is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step 618). If the amount of wear on polishing pad 222b is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step 618, Yes), the substrate processing method issues an alarm requesting replacement of polishing pad 222b (step 620). On the other hand, if the amount of wear on polishing pad 222b is less than the predetermined value (step 618, No), the substrate processing method stores the amount of fluid (f) flowing into airbag 223 in a storage device (step 622).

[0062] According to this embodiment, the wear amount measuring member 270 performs pad search using a component that the substrate processing apparatus 1000 is originally equipped with for the polishing process, eliminating the need for a special component for measuring the wear amount. As a result, the wear amount of the polishing pad can be measured with a simple structure. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pad holder 226 is moved to a polishing start position corresponding to the wear amount of the polishing pad 222 before the polishing process is performed, so the inflation amount of the air bag 223 can be kept constant at the start of polishing. As a result, the force pressing the polishing pad 222b against the polished surface of the substrate WF due to the inflation of the air bag 223 can be kept constant, thereby enabling the substrate WF to be polished uniformly.

[0063] In the third embodiment, an example has been shown in which the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 is measured based on the amount of fluid flowing into the airbag 223 for the polishing pad 222b being measured, but the present invention is not limited to this. The wear amount measuring member 270 can also measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222 based on the amount of fluid flowing out of the airbag 223. In this case, the flow meter 262 is configured to be able to measure the amount of fluid flowing out of the airbag 223.

[0064] 11C is a flowchart showing wear measurement of a polishing pad according to a modified example of the third embodiment. When polishing a substrate and measuring the amount of wear of the polishing pad 222, as shown in FIG. 11C, the substrate processing method involves moving the pad holder 226 above the substrate WF with the polishing pad 222b to be measured attached to the pad holder 226 (step 702). Next, the substrate processing method lowers the pad holder 226 to a polishing start position that corresponds to the amount of fluid that flowed out of the air bag 223 and that was stored when the pad search was previously performed (step 704).

[0065] Next, the substrate processing method starts preparation for polishing the substrate WF (step 706). Specifically, the substrate processing method supplies a polishing liquid (slurry) from the nozzle 228 and rotates the pad holder 226 and the table 100. Next, the substrate processing method polishes the substrate WF by oscillating the pad holder 226 while pressurizing the air bag 223 to press the polishing pad 222b against the substrate WF (step 708). The substrate processing method determines whether polishing of the substrate WF has been completed (step 710), and repeats the polishing process until polishing of the substrate WF has been completed.

[0066] On the other hand, if it is determined that polishing of the substrate WF has been completed (Yes in step 710), the substrate processing method executes a pad search (step 712). Specifically, the substrate processing method measures the amount of fluid (g) flowing out of the airbag 223 with the flow meter 262 while deflating the airbag 223 from a state in which the polishing pad 222b is in contact with the polished surface of the substrate WF.

[0067] Next, the substrate processing method measures the wear amount of polishing pad 222b based on the amount (g) of fluid flowing out from airbag 223 and the polishing start position (step 714). Specifically, the substrate processing method measures the wear amount of polishing pad 222b by comparing the amount (e) of fluid flowing into airbag 223 for reference polishing pad 222a with the amount (g) of fluid flowing out from airbag 223 for polishing pad 222b to be measured.

[0068] Next, the substrate processing method determines whether the amount of wear on polishing pad 222b is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step 716). If the amount of wear on polishing pad 222b is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step 716, Yes), the substrate processing method issues an alarm requesting replacement of polishing pad 222b (step 718). On the other hand, if the amount of wear on polishing pad 222b is less than the predetermined value (step 716, No), the substrate processing method stores the amount of fluid (g) flowing out of airbag 223 in a storage device (step 720).

[0069] In the first to third embodiments described above, the pad search may be performed each time one substrate WF is polished, or may be performed each time a predetermined number of substrates WF are polished.

[0070] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, any combination or omission of the components described in the claims and specification is possible within the scope of solving at least part of the above-described problems or achieving at least part of the effects.

[0071] In one embodiment, the present application discloses a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a table for supporting a substrate with its surface to be polished facing upward; a pad holder for holding a polishing pad for polishing the substrate supported on the table; a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the polishing pad held by the pad holder; and a wear amount measuring member for measuring the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on a value correlated to the behavior of the lifting mechanism until the polishing pad is lowered by the lifting mechanism and comes into contact with a reference surface.

[0072] The present application further provides, as one embodiment, a polishing pad holder for swinging the pad holder in a radial direction of the substrate, the polishing pad being swung to the outside of the table by the swing mechanism. a support member having a support surface for supporting the polishing pad, wherein the lifting mechanism includes a holder lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the pad holder, the reference surface is the support surface of the support member, and the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on information about the height of the pad holder when the pad holder is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the support surface of the support member.

[0073] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the lifting mechanism includes a holder lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the pad holder, the reference surface is the polished surface of the substrate, and the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad based on information regarding the height of the pad holder when the pad holder is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the polished surface of the substrate.

[0074] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad to be measured by comparing information regarding the height of the pad holder relative to a reference polishing pad with information regarding the height of the pad holder relative to the polishing pad to be measured.

[0075] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the lifting mechanism includes a bag member attached to the pad holder, for raising and lowering the polishing pad by expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of fluid, and the wear amount measuring member includes a photographing member for photographing the bag member, and is configured to measure the amount of expansion of the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface based on the image photographed by the photographing member, and to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the measured amount of expansion of the bag member.

[0076] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad to be measured by comparing the amount of expansion of the bag member relative to a reference polishing pad with the amount of expansion of the bag member relative to the polishing pad to be measured.

[0077] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the lifting mechanism includes a bag member attached to the pad holder, for raising and lowering the polishing pad by expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of fluid, and the wear amount measuring member includes a flow meter capable of measuring the amount of fluid flowing into the bag member, and is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the amount of fluid flowing into the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface.

[0078] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad to be measured by comparing the amount of fluid flowing into the bag member for a reference polishing pad with the amount of fluid flowing into the bag member for the polishing pad to be measured.

[0079] The present application further provides, as one embodiment, a wear amount measuring member that is further configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on a value that correlates with the behavior of the lifting mechanism when the lifting mechanism lifts the polishing pad from a state in which the polishing pad is in contact with the reference surface, the lifting mechanism including a bag member attached to the pad holder, the bag member for lifting and lowering the polishing pad by expanding and contracting due to inflow and outflow of a fluid, the wear amount measuring member including a flow meter that can measure the amount of fluid flowing out of the bag member, and the wear amount measuring member is further configured to measure the amount of fluid flowing out of the bag member when the bag member is contracted from a state in which the polishing pad is in contact with the reference surface. The present invention also discloses a substrate processing apparatus configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the amount of wear.

[0080] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad to be measured by comparing the amount of fluid flowing out from the bag member for a reference polishing pad with the amount of fluid flowing out from the bag member for the polishing pad to be measured.

[0081] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing method comprising: a lowering step in which a polishing pad for polishing a substrate supported on a table with its surface to be polished facing upward is lowered by a lifting mechanism until it contacts a reference surface; and a measurement step in which the amount of wear of the polishing pad is measured based on a value correlated to the behavior of the lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface by the lowering step.

[0082] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing method in which the lifting mechanism includes a holder lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering a pad holder for holding the polishing pad, the reference surface is a support surface of a support member for supporting the polishing pad swung outside the table, the lowering step is configured to lower the pad holder by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the support surface, and the measurement step is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on information regarding the height of the pad holder when the pad holder is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the support surface.

[0083] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing method in which the lifting mechanism includes a holder lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering a pad holder for holding the polishing pad, the reference surface is the surface to be polished of the substrate, the lowering step is configured to lower the pad holder by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the surface to be polished of the substrate, and the measuring step is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on information about the height of the pad holder when the pad holder is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the surface to be polished of the substrate.

[0084] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing method in which the lifting mechanism includes a bag member for raising and lowering the polishing pad by expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of fluid, the lowering step is configured to inject fluid into the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface, and the measuring step is configured to measure the amount of expansion of the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface based on an image captured by a photographing member for photographing the bag member, and to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the measured amount of expansion of the bag member.

[0085] The present application further discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing method in which the lifting mechanism includes a bag member for raising and lowering the polishing pad by expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of fluid, the lowering step is configured to infuse fluid into the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface, and the measurement step is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the amount of fluid inflow into the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface.

[0086] In one embodiment, the measurement step is further configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on a value correlated with the behavior of the lifting mechanism when the polishing pad is lifted from a state in which the polishing pad is in contact with the reference surface, and the lifting mechanism includes a bladder for lifting and lowering the polishing pad by expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of a fluid. and the measuring step is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the amount of fluid flowing out of the bag member when the bag member is contracted from a state in which the polishing pad is in contact with the reference surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 100 tables 100a Support surface 222, 242 Polishing pad 222c polished surface 223 Bag material (airbag) 226, 246 Pad holder 227, 247 Holder lifting mechanism 260 Lifting mechanism 262 Flowmeter 264 Cameras 270 Wear measurement component 300 Support member 301a,301b Support surface 620 Swing Arm 1000 Substrate Processing Equipment WF board WF-a Surface to be polished

Claims

1. a table for supporting a substrate with its surface to be polished facing upward; a pad holder for holding a polishing pad for polishing a substrate supported on the table; a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the polishing pad held by the pad holder, the lifting mechanism includes a holder lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the pad holder, The substrate processing apparatus further comprises: a wear amount measuring member that measures the wear amount of the polishing pad based on information about the height of the pad holder when the polishing pad is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts a reference surface; Equipped with Substrate processing equipment.

2. a swing mechanism for swinging the pad holder in a radial direction of the substrate; a support member having a support surface for supporting the polishing pad swung outwardly from the table by the swinging mechanism, the reference surface is the support surface of the support member, the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on information about the height of the pad holder when the pad holder is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the support surface of the support member. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. The reference surface is the surface to be polished of the substrate, the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on information about the height of the pad holder when the pad holder is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the polishing surface of the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

4. the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad to be measured by comparing information on the height of the pad holder relative to a reference polishing pad with information on the height of the pad holder relative to the polishing pad to be measured. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3.

5. the lifting mechanism includes a bag member attached to the pad holder, the bag member expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of a fluid to lift and lower the polishing pad; The wear amount measuring member includes a photographing member for photographing the bag member, measures the amount of expansion of the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface based on the image photographed by the photographing member, and is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the measured amount of expansion of the bag member. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

6. the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad to be measured by comparing the amount of expansion of the bag member relative to a reference polishing pad with the amount of expansion of the bag member relative to the polishing pad to be measured. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 .

7. the lifting mechanism includes a bag member attached to the pad holder, the bag member expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of a fluid to lift and lower the polishing pad; the wear amount measuring member includes a flow meter capable of measuring the amount of fluid flowing into the bag member, and is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the amount of fluid flowing into the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

8. the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad to be measured by comparing the amount of fluid that has flowed into the bag member for a reference polishing pad with the amount of fluid that has flowed into the bag member for the polishing pad to be measured. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7 .

9. the wear amount measuring member is further configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on a value correlated with the behavior of the lifting mechanism when the lifting mechanism lifts the polishing pad from a state in contact with the reference surface, the lifting mechanism includes a bag member attached to the pad holder, the bag member expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of a fluid to lift and lower the polishing pad; the wear amount measuring member includes a flow meter capable of measuring the amount of fluid flowing out from the bag member, and is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the amount of fluid flowing out when the bag member is contracted from a state in which the polishing pad is in contact with the reference surface. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

10. the wear amount measuring member is configured to measure the wear amount of the polishing pad to be measured by comparing the amount of fluid flowing out from the bag member for a reference polishing pad with the amount of fluid flowing out from the bag member for the polishing pad to be measured. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 .

11. a lowering step in which a polishing pad for polishing a substrate supported on a table with its surface to be polished facing upward is lowered by a lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts a reference surface; a measuring step of measuring a wear amount of the polishing pad based on a correlation with a behavior of the lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface by the lowering step; Equipped with the lifting mechanism includes a holder lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering a pad holder for holding the polishing pad, the measuring step measures the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on information about the height of the pad holder when the pad holder is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism in the lowering step until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface. Substrate processing method.

12. the reference surface is a support surface of a support member for supporting the polishing pad swung outward from the table, the lowering step is configured to lower the pad holder by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the support surface; the measuring step is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on information about the height of the pad holder when the pad holder is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the support surface. The substrate processing method according to claim 11 .

13. the reference surface is the surface to be polished of the substrate, the lowering step is configured to lower the pad holder by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the polished surface of the substrate; the measuring step is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on information about the height of the pad holder when the pad holder is lowered by the holder lifting mechanism until the polishing pad contacts the polishing surface of the substrate. The substrate processing method according to claim 11 .

14. the lifting mechanism includes a bag member for lifting and lowering the polishing pad by expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of a fluid; the lowering step is configured to cause fluid to flow into the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface; The measuring step is configured to measure the amount of expansion of the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface based on an image captured by a photographing member for photographing the bag member, and to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the measured amount of expansion of the bag member. The substrate processing method according to claim 11 .

15. the lifting mechanism includes a bag member for lifting and lowering the polishing pad by expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of a fluid; the lowering step is configured to cause fluid to flow into the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface; the measuring step is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the amount of fluid that flows into the bag member until the polishing pad contacts the reference surface. The substrate processing method according to claim 11 .

16. the measuring step is further configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on a value correlated with a behavior of the lifting mechanism when the polishing pad is lifted from a state in which the polishing pad is in contact with the reference surface; the lifting mechanism includes a bag member for lifting and lowering the polishing pad by expanding and contracting due to the inflow and outflow of a fluid; the measuring step is configured to measure the amount of wear of the polishing pad based on the amount of fluid flowing out of the bag member when the bag member is contracted from a state in which the polishing pad is in contact with the reference surface. The substrate processing method according to claim 11 .

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