Method and apparatus for polishing workpiece
AssigneeEbara Corporation
InventorsNoburu Shimizu, Norio Kimura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer is polished by pressing the workpiece against a polishing surface under a predetermined pressure. A polished surface of the workpiece is processed by pressing the workpiece against a processing surface under a predetermined pressure while the processing surface makes circulatory translational motion along a predetermined path. The processing surface comprises a surface of a polishing cloth or a surface of an abrading plate, and the polished surface of the workpiece is further polished or cleaned.
Claims64
A method for polishing a pattern surface of a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- main polishing said pattern surface by pressing said semiconductor wafer downwards against a main polishing surface comprising abrasive grains and a binder binding said abrasive grains;
- finish polishing the main polished surface of said semiconductor wafer by pressing said semiconductor wafer downwards against a finish polishing surface comprising a polishing cloth;
- and
- cleaning said finish polished surface of said semiconductor wafer, and then drying said cleaned finish polished surface of said semiconductor wafer.
A method for polishing a surface of a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- delivering said semiconductor wafer from a cassette to an abrading plate, said semiconductor wafer being reversed so as to face said surface to be polished downwards while delivering;
- main polishing said surface of said semiconductor wafer by pressing said semiconductor wafer downwards against an abrading surface of an abrading plate, said abrading plate comprising abrasive grains and a binder binding said abrasive grains;
- and
- finish polishing the polished surface of said semiconductor wafer by pressing said semiconductor wafer downwards against a finish polishing surface.
A method for polishing a surface of a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- delivering said semiconductor wafer from a cassette to a main polishing unit;
- main polishing said surface of said semiconductor wafer by pressing said semiconductor wafer downwards against an abrading surface of an abrading plate in said main polishing unit, said abrading plate comprising abrasive grains and a binder binding said abrasive grains;
- and
- finish polishing the polished surface of said semiconductor wafer by pressing said semiconductor wafer downwards against a finish polishing surface in a finish polishing unit.
A method for polishing a pattern surface of a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- polishing said pattern surface by pressing said semiconductor wafer against a polishing surface comprising abrasive grains and a binder binding said abrasive grains;
- and
- polishing the polished surface of said semiconductor wafer by pressing said semiconductor wafer against a polishing surface comprising a polishing cloth while supplying deionized water to said polishing surface comprising said polishing cloth.
A method for polishing a pattern surface of a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- polishing said pattern surface by pressing said semiconductor wafer against a polishing surface comprising abrasive grains and a binder binding said abrasive grains;
- and
- polishing the polished surface of said semiconductor wafer by pressing said semiconductor wafer against a polishing surface comprising a polishing cloth while supplying deionized water or a chemical to said polishing surface comprising said polishing cloth.
A method for polishing a surface of a workpiece comprising:
- polishing said surface by pressing the workpiece against a first polishing surface comprising abrasive grains and a binder binding said abrasive grains;
- and
- further processing said polished surface of the workpiece while supplying deionized water.
A method for polishing a surface of a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- delivering the wafer from a cassette to a first polishing table;
- reversing the wafer;
- attaching the wafer to a top ring, which holds the wafer during a polishing operation;
- rotating and pressing the wafer by said top ring against a first polishing surface of said first polishing table, said first polishing surface comprising abrasive grains and a binder binding said abrasive grains, while supplying a polishing solution;
- cleaning the first polished wafer;
- delivering the wafer to a second polishing table;
- further processing the polished surface of the wafer with the second polishing table, having a polishing cloth, while supplying deionized water or a chemical;
- cleaning and then drying the polished wafer;
- reversing the wafer;
- and
- delivering the wafer to the cassette.
A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece comprising:
- at least three polishing tables each for polishing a workpiece;
- two first polishing surfaces comprising abrasive grains and a binder binding said abrasive grains, said two first polishing surfaces being provided by two polishing tables of said at least three polishing tables;
- and
- one second surface comprising a polishing cloth, said second surface being provided by one polishing table of said at least three polishing tables.
A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece comprising:
- a plurality of main polishing units;
- and
- a finish polishing unit for finishing the workpiece;
- wherein the duration of a main process conducted by one of said plurality of main polishing units is longer than the duration of a finish process conducted by said finish polishing unit.
A polishing apparatus comprising:
- a polishing tool for providing a polishing surface comprising abrasive grains and a binder binding said abrasive grains;
- and
- a device for driving said polishing tool in a translational motion;
- wherein said translational motion is not rotated by said device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.