Polishing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9399276-B2
Application number	US-201414549744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 28, 2013
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A polishing apparatus which can perform power supply, signal transmission, and communication in a non-contact type to respective equipments in a polishing head and/or a polishing table by providing a non-contact type transmission connector having no physical contact point on at least one of the polishing head and the polishing table is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a non-contact transmission connector provided on at least one of the polishing table and the polishing head and configured to transfer electric power or signals or to perform communication between a stationary unit and a rotating unit which face each other in a non-contact manner. The electric power or the signals are transmitted or communication is performed between equipment provided in at least one of the polishing table and the polishing head, and the outside of the polishing table or the polishing head through the non-contact transmission connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing surface on a polishing table with a polishing head while the polishing head holding the substrate is rotated and the polishing table is rotated, comprising:
a non-contact transmission connector provided on at least one of the polishing table and the polishing head and configured to transfer electric power or signals or to perform communication between a stationary unit and a rotating unit which face each other in a non-contact manner;
wherein the electric power or the signals are transmitted or communication is performed between equipment provided in at least one of the polishing table and the polishing head, and the outside of the polishing table or the polishing head through the non-contact transmission connector; and
wherein the non-contact transmission connector comprises a light emitting unit provided in one of the stationary unit and the rotating unit and a light receiving unit provided in the other of the stationary unit and the rotating unit; the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit being configured to face each other.

2. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the equipment provided in the polishing table comprises a measuring instrument including a sensor configured to monitor a condition of a surface, being polished, of the substrate during polishing.

3. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the equipment provided in the polishing head comprises a measuring instrument including a sensor configured to monitor a condition of the substrate during polishing.

4. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the non-contact transmission connector comprises at least one pot core, to which winding is applied, provided in the stationary unit and at least one pot core, to which winding is applied, provided in the rotating unit; the at least one pot core of the stationary unit and the at least one pot core of the rotating unit being configured to face each other.

5. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are disposed at the centers of the stationary unit and the rotating unit.

6. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of objects configured to reflect light and refract light are provided between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and the light emitted from the light emitting unit is directed to the light receiving unit through the objects configured to reflect light and refract light.

7. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the stationary unit and the rotating unit of the non-contact transmission connector have surfaces which face each other and are coated with a waterproof material.

8. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a rotary joint is provided adjacent to the rotating unit of the non-contact transmission connector, and a fluid is supplied from the outside of the polishing table or the polishing head into the polishing table or the polishing head through the rotary joint.

9. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit comprises a light emitting and receiving unit which is capable of performing unidirectional communication and two-way communication.

10. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a controller configured to transfer electric power or signals or to perform communication with equipment provided in the rotating unit through the non-contact transmission connector is provided.

11. A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing surface on a polishing table with a polishing head while the polishing head holding the substrate is rotated and the polishing table is rotated, comprising:
a non-contact transmission connector provided on at least one of the polishing table and the polishing head and configured to transfer electric power or signals or to perform communication between a stationary unit and a rotating unit which face each other in a non-contact manner;
wherein the electric power or the signals are transmitted or communication is performed between equipment provided in at least one of the polishing table and the polishing head, and the outside of the polishing table or the polishing head through the non-contact transmission connector; and
wherein the equipment provided in the polishing head comprises a measuring instrument including a sensor configured to monitor a condition of the substrate during polishing.

12. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the equipment provided in the polishing table comprises a measuring instrument including a sensor configured to monitor a condition of a surface, being polished, of the substrate during polishing.

13. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the non-contact transmission connector comprises at least one pot core, to which winding is applied, provided in the stationary unit and at least one pot core, to which winding is applied, provided in the rotating unit; the at least one pot core of the stationary unit and the at least one pot core of the rotating unit being configured to face each other.

14. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the stationary unit and the rotating unit of the non-contact transmission connector have surfaces which face each other and are coated with a waterproof material.

15. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a rotary joint is provided adjacent to the rotating unit of the non-contact transmission connector, and a fluid is supplied from the outside of the polishing table or the polishing head into the polishing table or the polishing head through the rotary joint.

16. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a controller configured to transfer electric power or signals or to perform communication with equipment provided in the rotating unit through the non-contact transmission connector is provided.

17. A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing surface on a polishing table with a polishing head while the polishing head holding the substrate is rotated and the polishing table is rotated, comprising:
a non-contact transmission connector provided on at least one of the polishing table and the polishing head and configured to transfer electric power or signals or to perform communication between a stationary unit and a rotating unit which face each other in a non-contact manner;
wherein the electric power or the signals are transmitted or communication is performed between equipment provided in at least one of the polishing table and the polishing head, and the outside of the polishing table or the polishing head through the non-contact transmission connector; and
wherein a rotary joint is provided adjacent to the rotating unit of the non-contact transmission connector, and a fluid is supplied from the outside of the polishing table or the polishing head into the polishing table or the polishing head through the rotary joint.

18. The polishing apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the equipment provided in the polishing table comprises a measuring instrument including a sensor configured to monitor a condition of a surface, being polished, of the substrate during polishing.

19. The polishing apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the non-contact transmission connector comprises

Assignees

• Ebara Corp

Inventors

• Sakata Keisuke

Classifications

• B24B37/013 Primary

  Devices or means for detecting lapping completion · CPC title

• B24B49/10

  involving electrical means (B24B49/02, B24B49/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• B24B37/005

  Control means for lapping machines or devices · CPC title

• B24B49/14

  taking regard of the temperature during grinding · CPC title

• B24B37/34

  Accessories · CPC title