Dressing apparatus and polishing apparatus
AssigneeEbara Corporation
InventorsTetsuji Togawa, Osamu Nabeya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dressing apparatus dresses a polishing surface of a polishing table used for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer in a polishing apparatus. The dressing apparatus comprises a dresser having an elongate dressing surface for dressing the polishing surface, and the dressing surface has a flat surface which contacts the polishing surface. The dressing surface also has one of a tapered surface extending from the flat surface and inclined so as to be directed away from the polishing surface and a curved surface extending from the flat surface and curved so as to be directed away from the polishing surface.
Claims32
A dressing apparatus for dressing a polishing surface of a polishing table that is to polish a surface of a workpiece, said dressing apparatus comprising:
- a dresser having a dressing surface for dressing the polishing surface while said dresser moves along the polishing surface but does not rotate, said dressing surface including
- (i) a flat surface that is to contact the polishing surface,
- (ii) an inclined surface extending from said flat surface at an angle of from 1° to 5° so as to be directed away from the polishing surface when said flat surface is in contact with the polishing surface, and
- (iii) a long side that is longer than a dimension of a moving area of the polishing surface which is to be used for polishing the workpiece.
A dressing apparatus for dressing a polishing surface of a polishing table that is to polish a surface of a workpiece, said dressing apparatus comprising:
- a dresser having a dressing surface for dressing the polishing surface;
- and
- a controller for controlling a force by which said dresser is to be pressed against the polishing surface such that the force is changed in accordance with a changing contact area between said dressing surface and the polishing surface.
A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- a polishing table that is to make a circulatory translational motion, said polishing table having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of a workpiece;
- and
- a dresser having a dressing surface for dressing said polishing surface, said dresser being translatable along said polishing surface,
- wherein a shape of said polishing surface is such that a contact area between said dressing surface and said polishing surface is not changed when said dresser is translated along said polishing surface.
A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- a polishing table that is to make a circulatory translational motion, said polishing table having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of a workpiece;
- a workpiece holder for holding the workpiece and pressing the workpiece against said polishing surface;
- and
- a dresser having a dressing surface for dressing said polishing surface while said dresser translates along said polishing surface, said dressing surface including
- (i) a flat surface that is to contact said polishing surface, and
- (ii) one of
- (a) an inclined surface extending from said flat surface so as to be directed away from said polishing surface when said flat surface is in contact with said polishing surface, and
- (b) a curved surface extending from said flat surface so as to be directed away from said polishing surface when said flat surface is in contact with said polishing surface.
A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- a polishing table having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of a workpiece;
- a workpiece holder for holding the workpiece and pressing the workpiece against said polishing surface;
- a dresser having a dressing surface for dressing said polishing surface;
- and
- a controller for controlling a force by which said dresser is to be pressed against said polishing surface such that the force is changed in accordance with a changing contact area between said dressing surface and said polishing surface.
A dressing apparatus for dressing a polishing surface of a polishing table that is to polish a surface of a workpiece, said dressing apparatus comprising:
- a dresser having a dressing surface for dressing the polishing surface;
- and
- a controller for controlling a force by which said dresser is to be pressed against the polishing surface such that the force is controlled in accordance with a change of position of said dresser.
A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- a polishing table having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of a workpiece;
- a workpiece holder for holding the workpiece and pressing the workpiece against said polishing surface;
- a dresser having a dressing surface for dressing said polishing surface;
- and
- a controller for controlling a force by which said dresser is to be pressed against the polishing surface such that the force is controlled in accordance with a change of position of said dresser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.