# US 10,478,938 B2 · Polishing method and apparatus

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- Number: US 10,478,938 B2
- Document ID: US10478938B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/434,736
- Filed: 2017-02-16
- Published: 2017-06-08
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-25
- Assignees: Ebara Corporation
- Applicants: Ebara Corporation
- Inventors: Tsuneo Torikoshi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478938B2

## CPC

- B24B 37/042: {operating processes therefor}
- B24B 27/0023: {grinding machines with a plurality of working posts}
- B24B 37/005: Control means for lapping machines or devices
- B24B 37/013: Devices or means for detecting lapping completion
- B24B 37/04: designed for working plane surfaces
- B24B 37/345: {Feeding, loading or unloading work specially adapted to lapping}
- B24B 49/00: Measuring or gauging equipment for controlling the feed movement of the grinding tool or work; Arrangements of indicating or measuring equipment, e.g. for indicating the start of the grinding operation (B24B33/06, B24B37/005 take precedence; if applicable to other machine tools, B23Q15/00 - B23Q17/00 take precedence)
- B24B 49/18: taking regard of the presence of dressing tools
- B24B 53/007: Cleaning of grinding wheels
- B24B 53/017: Devices or means for dressing, cleaning or otherwise conditioning lapping tools
- B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS

## Abstract

A polishing method is used for polishing a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing method includes a polishing process for polishing a surface of the substrate in accordance with a preset polishing recipe, a pad cleaning process for removing foreign matters on the polishing pad by ejecting a cleaning fluid onto the polishing pad, and a substrate transferring process in which the polished substrate is removed from the top ring at a substrate transferring position, a subsequent substrate to be polished is loaded onto the top ring, and then the top ring holding the subsequent substrate to be polished is returned to the polishing table. The pad cleaning process is started after the completion of the polishing recipe is detected, and the pad cleaning process is terminated by detecting a position of the subsequent substrate to be polished which is undergoing the substrate transferring process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A polishing method for polishing a plurality of substrates, comprising:
polishing a surface of a first substrate by pressing the first substrate against a polishing pad on a polishing table by a top ring, said polishing being executed in accordance with a preset polishing recipe; and
cleaning the polishing pad for removing foreign matters on said polishing pad by ejecting a cleaning fluid onto said polishing pad;
determining whether the first substrate is a last substrate to be polished;
wherein, when the first substrate is the last substrate to be polished, said cleaning after the completion of said polishing recipe is continued for a predetermined time and is then terminated after the elapse of said predetermined time, and when the first substrate is not the last substrate to be polished said cleaning after the completion of said polishing recipe is terminated by detecting a position of a subsequent substrate to be polished which is undergoing a substrate transferring process in which the first substrate is removed from said top ring at a substrate transferring position whether it's the last substrate or not.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polishing method according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning is terminated by detecting the arrival of the subsequent substrate to be polished which is undergoing said substrate transferring process to said substrate transferring position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The polishing method according to claim 1, wherein a rotational speed of said polishing table is varied in said polishing and said cleaning.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The polishing method according to claim 3, wherein the rotational speed of said polishing table at the time of said cleaning is higher than that at the time of said polishing.