Polishing apparatus and method

A polishing apparatus operating according to first polishing station operating parameters and second polishing station operating parameters, said apparatus comprising:

• a first polishing station for performing polishing according to the first polishing station operating parameters, said first polishing station comprising first holding means for holding a member to be polished, and a first polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than a surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• a detection station for detecting surface shape characteristics of a polished state of the surface to be polished and for producing a detection result corresponding to the detection of the surface shape characteristics;
• a second polishing station for performing polishing according to the second polishing station operating parameters, said second polishing station comprising second holding means for holding the member to be polished, and a second polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• and
• a controller for automatically adjusting the second polishing station operating parameters according to the detection result.

A polishing method using first polishing station operating parameters and second polishing station operating parameters, said method comprising:

• a first polishing step of mounting a member to be polished on first holding means, and polishing a surface to be polished according to the first polishing station operating parameters by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• a detection step of detecting surface shape characteristics of a polished state of the surface to be polished, and producing a detection result corresponding to the detection of the surface shape characteristics;
• a second polishing step of mounting the member to be polished on second holding means, and polishing the surface to be polished according to the second polishing station operating parameters by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• and
• a controlling step for automatically adjusting the second polishing station operating parameters according to the detection result in said detection step.

A polishing method comprising:

• a first polishing step of mounting a member to be polished on first holding means in a state in which a surface to be polished of the member is upwardly placed, and polishing the surface to be polished by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• a detection step of detecting a polished state of the surface to be polished in a state in which the surface to be polished is upwardly placed, and producing a detection result based on the detected polished state;
• a second polishing step of mounting the member to be polished on second holding means in a state in which the surface to be polished of the member is upwardly placed, and polishing the surface to be polished by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished, said second polishing step operating in accordance with the detection result, regarding the polished state of the surface to be polished;
• and
• providing said first polishing step, said detection step, and said second polishing step within corresponding chambers separated by partition means and separated from atmospheric air.

A polishing apparatus comprising:

• a first polishing station comprising first holding means for holding a member to be polished, and a first polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than a surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• a detection station for detecting a polished state of the surface to be polished and for producing a detection result;
• and
• a second polishing station comprising second holding means for holding the member to be polished, and a second polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished, said second polishing station operating in accordance with the detection result, regarding the polished state of the surface to be polished,
• wherein said first polishing station, said detection station, and said second polishing station are provided within corresponding chambers separated by partition means and separated from atmospheric air.

A polishing method comprising:

• a first polishing step of mounting a member to be polished on first holding means, and polishing a surface to be polished by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• a detection step of detecting a polished state of the surface to be polished;
• a producing step for producing a detection result based on the polished state detected during said detection step;
• a second polishing step of mounting the member to be polished on second holding means, and polishing the surface to be polished by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished, said second polishing step operating in accordance with the detection result, regarding the polished state of the surface to be polished;
• and
• providing said first polishing step, said detection step, and said second polishing step within corresponding chambers separated by partition means and separated from atmospheric air.

A polishing apparatus comprising:

• a first polishing station comprising first holding means for holding a member to be polished, and a first polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than a surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• a detection station for detecting a polished state of the surface to be polished and for producing a detection result;
• and
• a second polishing station comprising second holding means for holding the member to be polished, and a second polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished, said second polishing station operating in accordance with the detection result, regarding the polished state of the surface to be polished,
• wherein said first polishing station, said detection station and said second polishing station are provided within corresponding chambers separated by partition means and separated from atmospheric air.

A polishing method comprising:

• a first polishing step of mounting a member to be polished on first holding means, and polishing a surface to be polished by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• a detection step of detecting a polished state of the surface to be polished, and producing a detection result based on the detected polished state;
• a second polishing step of mounting the member to be polished on second holding means, and polishing the surface to be polished by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished, said second polishing step operating in accordance with the detection result, regarding the polished state of the surface to be polished;
• and
• providing said first polishing step, said detection step, and said second polishing step within corresponding chambers separated by partition means and separated from atmospheric air.

A polishing apparatus operating according to first polishing station operating parameters and second polishing station operating parameters, said apparatus comprising:

• a first polishing station for performing polishing according to the first polishing station operating parameters, said first polishing station comprising first holding means for holding a member to be polished in a state in which a surface to be polished thereof is upwardly placed, and a first polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• a detection station for detecting surface shape characteristics of a polished state of the surface to be polished in a state in which the surface to be polished is upwardly placed and for producing a detection result corresponding to the detection of the surface shape characteristics;
• a second polishing station for performing polishing according to the second polishing station operating parameters, said second polishing station comprising second holding means for holding the member to be polished in a state in which the surface to be polished thereof is upwardly placed, and a second polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• and
• a controller for automatically adjusting the second polishing station operating parameters according to the detection result.

A polishing method using first polishing station operating parameters and second polishing station operating parameters, said method comprising:

• a first polishing step of mounting a member to be polished on first holding means in a state in which a surface to be polished of the member is upwardly placed, and polishing the surface to be polished according to the first polishing station operating parameters by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• a detection step of detecting surface shape characteristics of a polished state of the surface to be polished in a state in which the surface to be polished is upwardly placed, and producing a detection result corresponding to the detection of the surface shape characteristics;
• a second polishing step of mounting the member to be polished on second holding means in a state in which the surface to be polished of the member is upwardly placed, and polishing the surface to be polished according to the second polishing station operating parameters by rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished;
• and
• a controlling step for automatically adjusting the second polishing station operating parameters according to the detection result in said detection step.