Top Ring Height Control for Uniform Substrate Polishing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate polishing apparatuses face challenges in maintaining consistent polishing quality due to varying substrate dimensions, particularly thickness, which affects the positional relationship between the substrate and the polishing table, leading to inconsistent polishing profiles.
Innovation Solution
A substrate polishing apparatus with a top ring that includes a membrane forming a pressure chamber, a sensor to measure substrate thickness, and an upward/downward moving mechanism to adjust the top ring's position based on thickness, ensuring precise pressing of the substrate onto the polishing surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fixed-position substrate holding device is used, then the polishing process is simple, but the polishing quality becomes inconsistent when substrate dimensions vary
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holding device incorporates an upward/downward moving mechanism that enables dynamic adjustment of the top ring body's vertical position. This dynamic positioning allows the device to adapt to substrates of varying thicknesses, maintaining consistent polishing quality by ensuring proper contact between the substrate and polishing table regardless of dimensional variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the vertical position parameter of the top ring body based on substrate thickness measurements. By adjusting this positional parameter dynamically, the device compensates for variations in substrate dimensions, thereby maintaining consistent polishing pressure and contact conditions across different substrate types.
2Manufacturing precision
If the top ring position is manually adjusted for each substrate, then polishing quality can be maintained, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with an automated control system that uses a sensor to measure substrate thickness and automatically calculates and executes the required vertical position adjustment of the top ring body. This substitution of manual operation with an automated measurement-and-control system eliminates time-consuming manual adjustments while maintaining polishing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurement of substrate thickness before the polishing process begins. Based on this pre-measurement, the control system pre-calculates and pre-positions the top ring body at the appropriate height, ensuring optimal polishing conditions are established before polishing starts, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming adjustments during the process.
3Manufacturing precision
If the top ring body position is fixed, then the device structure is simple, but the polishing pressure becomes inconsistent for substrates of different thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The top ring body is equipped with an upward/downward moving mechanism that enables dynamic vertical adjustment. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain consistent polishing pressure by compensating for variations in substrate thickness, ensuring that the substrate remains in proper contact with the polishing table throughout the polishing process regardless of dimensional variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a sensor that provides feedback on substrate thickness to the control system. Based on this feedback information, the control system automatically adjusts the vertical position of the top ring body to maintain consistent polishing pressure. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures pressure consistency while adapting to different substrate dimensions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures consistent polishing quality across substrates of varying dimensions by accurately controlling the positional relationship between the substrate and the polishing table, thereby maintaining uniform polishing profiles.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor for acquiring information on a thickness of the substrate
Implementation Method 2
pressing force applying means for pressing the substrate onto the polishing table with a predetermined pressing force
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate polishing method and the like for performing polishing in correspondence with substrates having various dimensions are provided. The substrate polishing method by a polishing apparatus is provided, the polishing apparatus including a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for holding a substrate to press the substrate onto the polishing surface, and an upward/downward moving mechanism that moves the top ring up and down. The method includes an acquisition step of acquiring information on a thickness of the substrate, a position adjustment step of adjusting a height position of the top ring relative to the polishing table based on the acquired information on the thickness of the substrate, and a polishing step of supplying a pressure fluid to a pressure chamber of the top ring and pressing the substrate onto the polishing surface to polish the substrate.