Polishing apparatus and method of controlling inclination of stationary ring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745306-B2
Application number	US-201916724504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2019
Priority date	Dec 27, 2018
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A polishing apparatus includes a rotatable head body having a pressing surface, a retainer ring configured to press a polishing surface while rotating together with the head body, a stationary ring, local load applying devices configured to apply a local load to the stationary ring, and a controller. The local load applying devices include a first pressing member and a second pressing member connected to the stationary ring. The first pressing member is disposed in the upstream side of the retainer ring in the traveling direction of the polishing surface, and the second pressing member is disposed in the downstream side. The controller calculates the inclination angle of the stationary ring based on a measured value of the height of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A polishing apparatus comprising:
a rotatable head body having a pressing surface configured to press a substrate against a polishing surface;
a retainer ring disposed to surround the pressing surface and configured to press the polishing surface while rotating together with the head body;
a rotational ring vertically stacked and fixed to the retainer ring and configured to be rotatable together with the retainer ring;
a stationary ring disposed on the rotational ring and configured to be stationary throughout rotation of the retainer ring and the rotational ring;
a plurality of local load applicators each configured to apply a local load to the stationary ring and the retainer ring, and change an inclination angle of the retainer ring; and
a controller configured to control an operation of the polishing apparatus,
wherein each of the plurality of local load applicators includes a first pressing member and a second pressing member connected to the stationary ring, a first actuator connected to the first pressing member, a second actuator connected to the second pressing member, and at least one displacement sensor configured to measure a height of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member,
the first pressing member is disposed in an upstream side of the retainer ring in a traveling direction of the polishing surface, and the second pressing member is disposed in a downstream side of the retainer ring in the traveling direction of the polishing surface, and
the controller is configured to calculate an inclination angle of the stationary ring based on a measured value of the height of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member during polishing of the substrate.

2. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one displacement sensor includes a first displacement sensor configured to measure a height of the first pressing member and a second displacement sensor configured to measure a height of the second pressing member, and
the controller is configured to calculate the inclination angle of the stationary ring based on a difference between a measured value of the height of the first pressing member and a measured value of the height of the second pressing member during polishing of the substrate.

3. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to issue a command to at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator so as to adjust the local load applied to the stationary ring from at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member until the inclination angle of the stationary ring falls within a target range.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator includes a first air cylinder mounted to a first base and a first piston rod connected to a first bridge, the first bridge being connected to the stationary ring via the first pressing member.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one displacement sensor is connected to the first pressing member via a first guide rod and the first bridge.

6. A method of polishing a substrate using a polishing apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a retainer ring disposed to surround a pressing surface of a head body, a rotational ring vertically stacked and fixed to the retainer ring and configured to be rotatable together with the retainer ring, and a stationary ring disposed on the rotational ring;
pressing the substrate against a polishing surface by the pressing surface of the head body while rotating the head body and pressing the retainer ring against the polishing surface while rotating the retainer ring together with the head body and the substrate;
applying a local load from a first pressing member or a second pressing member to the stationary ring and the retainer ring while rotating the rotational ring together with the retainer ring and changing an inclination angle of the retainer ring;
calculating an inclination angle of the stationary ring based on a measured value of a height of at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member during polishing of the substrate; and
adjusting the local load applied to the stationary ring from at least one of the first pressing member and the second pressing member during polishing of the substrate until the inclination angle falls within a target range.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the calculating the inclination angle of the stationary ring is calculating the inclination angle of the stationary ring based on a difference between the measured value of the height of the first pressing member and the measured value of the height of the second pressing member during polishing of the substrate.

Assignees

• Ebara Corp

Inventors

• Owada Tomoko
• Fukushima Makoto
• Namiki Keisuke
• Nabeya Osamu
• Togashi Shingo
• Yamaki Satoru
• Kato Yoshikazu

Classifications

• B24B49/045 Primary

  Specially adapted gauging instruments · CPC title

• B24B41/047 Primary

  Grinding heads for working on plane surfaces · CPC title