JP2024093328A - Top ring and substrate processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To adjust a compression area of a substrate flexibly.SOLUTION: A top ring 2302 for holding a substrate WF and pressing the substrate WF against a polishing surface includes: a plurality of bag members 2335 configured to use a gas supplied from a gas supply source 2331 to press the substrate WF; and a distribution mechanism 2305 having a passage for distributing the gas supplied from the gas supply source 2331 to the bag members 2335. The passage of the distribution mechanism 2305 is configured to switch between a first passage 2306A for supplying the gas to first groups A forming the bag members 2335 and a second passage for supplying the gas to second groups which form the bag members 2335 and are different from the first groups.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10A

Description

This application relates to a top ring and a substrate processing apparatus.

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment is used to planarize the surface of a substrate in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. Substrates used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices are often disk-shaped. In addition, there is an increasing demand for flatness when planarizing the surface of rectangular substrates such as copper clad laminate (CCL) substrates, printed circuit board (PCB) substrates, photomask substrates, and display panels, in addition to semiconductor devices. There is also an increasing demand for planarizing the surface of package substrates on which electronic devices are mounted, such as PCB substrates.

Substrate processing apparatuses such as chemical mechanical polishing apparatuses include a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing it against a polishing pad. For example, as described in Patent Document 1, the top ring uses multiple elastic membranes to form multiple concentric pressure chambers, thereby controlling the pressing force on the substrate for each area.

JP 2021-79488 A

Conventional top rings such as those described in Patent Document 1 do not take into consideration the flexibility of adjusting the pressure area of the substrate.

In other words, with conventional top rings, the pressure area is fixed, making it difficult to adjust the polishing profile of the substrate. For this reason, if you want to change the pressure area depending on the type of substrate, for example, you need to create an elastic membrane and incorporate it into the top ring each time, which makes the process complicated.

Therefore, the purpose of this application is to flexibly adjust the pressure area of the substrate.

According to one embodiment, a top ring for holding and pressing a substrate against a polishing surface is disclosed, the top ring including: a plurality of bag members configured to press the substrate using gas supplied from a gas supply source; and a distribution mechanism having flow paths for distributing the gas supplied from the gas supply source to the plurality of bag members, the flow paths being configured to be switchable between a first flow path for distributing the gas to a first plurality of groups formed by grouping the plurality of bag members, and a second flow path for distributing the gas to a second plurality of groups different from the first plurality of groups formed by grouping the plurality of bag members.

1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a polishing unit according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 5B is an enlarged schematic plan view of a portion of the top ring of FIG. 5A. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 6B is an enlarged schematic plan view of a portion of the top ring of FIG. 6A. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 10B is a plan view illustrating the top ring of FIG. 10A. FIG. 10B is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the top ring of FIG. 10A. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a top ring according to an embodiment. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic modification of grouping of the bag members. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic modification of grouping of the bag members. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic modification of grouping of the bag members. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic modification of grouping of the bag members. FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 11B is a plan view illustrating the top ring of FIG. 11A. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 11D is a plan view illustrating the top ring of FIG. FIG. 11D is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the top ring of FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment.

Below, embodiments of a top ring and a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, identical or similar elements are given identical or similar reference symbols, and duplicate descriptions of identical or similar elements may be omitted in the description of each embodiment. Furthermore, the features shown in each embodiment can be applied to other embodiments as long as they are not mutually inconsistent.

1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1000 according to one embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 1000 shown in FIG. 1 has a load unit 100, a transport unit 200, a polishing unit 300, a drying unit 500, and an unload unit 600. In the illustrated embodiment, the transport unit 200 has two transport units 200A and 200B, and the polishing unit 300 has two polishing units 300A and 300B. In one embodiment, each of these units can be formed independently. By forming these units independently, substrate processing apparatuses 1000 with different configurations can be easily formed by arbitrarily combining the number of each unit. In addition, the substrate processing apparatus 1000 includes a control device 900, and each component of the substrate processing apparatus 1000 is controlled by the control device 900. In one embodiment, the control device 900 can be configured from a general computer including an input/output device, a calculation device, a storage device, and the like.

<Load unit>
The load unit 100 is a unit for introducing a substrate WF before processing such as polishing and cleaning is performed into the substrate processing apparatus 1000. In one embodiment, the load unit 100 is configured to comply with the machine interface standard (IPC-SMEMA-9851) of the Surface Mount Equipment Manufacturers Association (SMEMA).

In the illustrated embodiment, the transport mechanism of the load unit 100 has a plurality of transport rollers 202 and a plurality of roller shafts 204 to which the transport rollers 202 are attached. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, three transport rollers 202 are attached to each roller shaft 204. The substrate WF is placed on the transport rollers 202, and the substrate WF is transported by the rotation of the transport rollers 202. The attachment position of the transport rollers 202 on the roller shaft 204 can be any position that can transport the substrate WF stably. However, since the transport rollers 202 contact the substrate WF, they should be positioned so that the transport rollers 202 contact an area where there is no problem even if they contact the substrate WF to be processed. In one embodiment, the transport rollers 202 of the load unit 100 can be made of a conductive polymer. In one embodiment, the transport rollers 202 are electrically grounded via the roller shafts 204 or the like. This is to prevent the substrate WF from being charged and damaging the substrate WF. In one embodiment, the load unit 100 may also be provided with an ionizer (not shown) to prevent the substrate WF from becoming charged.

<Transport unit>
1 includes two transport units 200 A and 200 B. The two transport units 200 A and 200 B may have the same configuration, and therefore will be collectively referred to as the transport unit 200 in the following description.

The transport unit 200 shown in the figure is equipped with a number of transport rollers 202 for transporting the substrate WF. By rotating the transport rollers 202, the substrate WF on the transport rollers 202 can be transported in a predetermined direction. The transport rollers 202 of the transport unit 200 may be formed from a conductive polymer or a non-conductive polymer. The transport rollers 202 are driven by a motor (not shown). The substrate WF is transported to a substrate transfer position by the transport rollers 202.

In one embodiment, the transport unit 200 has a cleaning nozzle 284. The cleaning nozzle 284 is connected to a cleaning liquid supply source (not shown). The cleaning nozzle 284 is configured to supply cleaning liquid to the substrate WF transported by the transport rollers 202.

<Polishing unit>
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a polishing unit 300 according to an embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 1000 shown in Fig. 1 includes two polishing units 300A and 300B. The two polishing units 300A and 300B may have the same configuration, and therefore will be collectively referred to as the polishing unit 300 below.

2, the polishing unit 300 includes a polishing table 350 and a top ring 302 that constitutes a polishing head that holds a substrate to be polished and presses it against the polishing surface on the polishing table 350. The polishing table 350 is connected to a polishing table rotation motor (not shown) disposed below the table shaft 351, and is rotatable around the table shaft 351. A polishing pad 352 is attached to the upper surface of the polishing table 350, and a surface 352a of the polishing pad 352 constitutes a polishing surface for polishing the substrate. In one embodiment, the polishing pad 352 may be attached via a layer that facilitates peeling from the polishing table 350. Such a layer may be, for example, a silicone layer or a fluorine-based resin layer, and may be one described in, for example, JP 2014-176950 A.

A polishing liquid supply nozzle 354 is installed above the polishing table 350, and the polishing liquid is supplied onto the polishing pad 352 on the polishing table 350 by this polishing liquid supply nozzle 354. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the polishing table 350 and the table shaft 351 are provided with a passage 353 for supplying the polishing liquid. The passage 353 is connected to an opening 355 on the surface of the polishing table 350. A through hole 357 is formed in the polishing pad 352 at a position corresponding to the opening 355 of the polishing table 350, and the polishing liquid passing through the passage 353 is supplied to the surface of the polishing pad 352 from the opening 355 of the polishing table 350 and the through hole 357 of the polishing pad 352. The opening 355 of the polishing table 350 and the through hole 357 of the polishing pad 352 may be one or more. Additionally, the positions of the opening 355 in the polishing table 350 and the through hole 357 in the polishing pad 352 can be arbitrary, but in one embodiment, they are located near the center of the polishing table 350.

Although not shown in FIG. 2, in one embodiment, the polishing unit 300 includes an atomizer 358 for spraying a liquid or a mixture of liquid and gas toward the polishing pad 352 (see FIG. 1). The liquid sprayed from the atomizer 358 is, for example, pure water, and the gas is, for example, nitrogen gas.

The top ring 302 is connected to the top ring shaft 18, which is moved up and down relative to the swing arm 360 by a vertical movement mechanism 319. The vertical movement of the top ring shaft 18 moves the entire top ring 302 up and down relative to the swing arm 360, positioning it. The top ring shaft 18 is rotated by the drive of a top ring rotation motor (not shown). The rotation of the top ring shaft 18 causes the top ring 302 to rotate around the top ring shaft 18.

The top ring 302 is capable of holding a rectangular substrate on its underside. The swing arm 360 is configured to be rotatable around a support shaft 362. The top ring 302 can be moved between the substrate transfer position of the transport unit 200 and above the polishing table 350 by the swing arm 360. The top ring 302 can be lowered by lowering the top ring shaft 18 to press the substrate against the surface (polishing surface) 352a of the polishing pad 352. At this time, the top ring 302 and the polishing table 350 are rotated, and a polishing liquid is supplied onto the polishing pad 352 from a polishing liquid supply nozzle 354 provided above the polishing table 350 and/or from an opening 355 provided in the polishing table 350. In this way, the substrate WF can be pressed against the polishing surface 352a of the polishing pad 352 to polish the surface of the substrate. During polishing of the substrate WF, the arm 360 may be fixed or swung so that the top ring 302 passes through the center of the polishing pad 352 (so as to cover the through hole 357 of the polishing pad 352).

The vertical movement mechanism 319 that moves the top ring shaft 18 and the top ring 302 up and down includes a bridge 28 that rotatably supports the top ring shaft 18 via a bearing 321, a ball screw 32 attached to the bridge 28, a support base 29 supported by a support column 130, and an AC servo motor 38 provided on the support base 29. The support base 29 that supports the servo motor 38 is fixed to the swing arm 360 via the support column 130.

The ball screw 32 has a screw shaft 32a connected to the servo motor 38 and a nut 32b into which the screw shaft 32a is screwed. The top ring shaft 18 moves up and down together with the bridge 28. Therefore, when the servo motor 38 is driven, the bridge 28 moves up and down via the ball screw 32, which causes the top ring shaft 18 and the top ring 302 to move up and down.

The polishing unit 300 according to one embodiment includes a dressing unit 356 that dresses the polishing surface 352a of the polishing pad 352. The dressing unit 356 includes a dresser 50 that is in sliding contact with the polishing surface 352a, a dresser shaft 51 to which the dresser 50 is connected, an air cylinder 53 provided at the upper end of the dresser shaft 51, and a swing arm 55 that rotatably supports the dresser shaft 51. The lower part of the dresser 50 is formed of a dressing member 50a, and needle-shaped diamond particles are attached to the lower surface of the dressing member 50a. The air cylinder 53 is placed on a support stand 57 supported by pillars 56, and these pillars 56 are fixed to the swing arm 55.

The swing arm 55 is driven by a motor (not shown) and is configured to rotate around a support shaft 58. The dresser shaft 51 is rotated by the drive of a motor (not shown), and the rotation of the dresser shaft 51 causes the dresser 50 to rotate around the dresser shaft 51. The air cylinder 53 moves the dresser 50 up and down via the dresser shaft 51, and presses the dresser 50 against the polishing surface 352a of the polishing pad 352 with a predetermined pressing force.

Dressing of the polishing surface 352a of the polishing pad 352 is performed as follows. The dresser 50 is pressed against the polishing surface 352a by the air cylinder 53, and at the same time, pure water is supplied to the polishing surface 352a from a pure water supply nozzle (not shown). In this state, the dresser 50 is rotated around the dresser shaft 51 and the swing arm 55 is swung over the polishing surface 352a, so that the lower surface (diamond particles) of the dressing member 50a is brought into sliding contact with the polishing surface 352a. In this way, the polishing pad 352 is scraped off by the dresser 50, and the polishing surface 352a is dressed.

<Drying unit>
The drying unit 500 is an apparatus for drying the substrate WF. In the substrate processing apparatus 1000 shown in FIG. 1, the drying unit 500 dries the substrate WF that has been polished in the polishing unit 300 and then cleaned in a cleaning section including the cleaning nozzle 284 of the transport unit 200. As shown in FIG. 1, the drying unit 500 is disposed downstream of the transport unit 200. The drying unit 500 has a nozzle 530 for spraying gas toward the substrate WF transported on the transport roller 202. The gas can be, for example, compressed air or nitrogen. The substrate WF can be dried by blowing off water droplets on the transported substrate WF by the drying unit 500.

<Unload unit>
The unload unit 600 is a unit for unloading the substrate WF after processing such as polishing and cleaning to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 1000. In the substrate processing apparatus 1000 shown in Fig. 1, the unload unit 600 receives the substrate after drying in the drying unit 500. As shown in Fig. 1, the unload unit 600 is disposed downstream of the drying unit 500. In one embodiment, the unload unit 600 is configured to comply with the machine interface standard (IPC-SMEMA-9851) of the Surface Mount Equipment Manufacturers Association (SMEMA).

<Top ring>
Next, a top ring 302 in the polishing unit 300 according to an embodiment will be described. Fig. 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the top ring according to an embodiment. Fig. 3B is a schematic plan view of the top ring according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the top ring according to an embodiment.

As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the top ring 302 includes a top ring shaft (rotating shaft) 18 and a carrier 301 connected to the top ring shaft 18. The top ring 302 also includes a substrate suction member 330 for suctioning the back surface of the substrate WF with the surface to be polished facing downward.

The substrate suction member 330 is attached to the lower surface of the carrier 301. The substrate suction member 330 includes a rectangular porous member 334. The porous member 334 may be any member capable of vacuum-suctioning the substrate WF by vacuuming using the pressure reducing means (vacuum source) 31, and may be made of a resin porous material in which a large number of pores are formed in a resin such as PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), or PVC (polyvinyl chloride). In this embodiment, the porous member 334 is formed in a plate shape and has a substrate suction surface 334a for suctioning the substrate WF and a pressure reducing portion 334b communicating with the pressure reducing means (vacuum source) 31. The pressure reducing portion 334b communicates with the pressure reducing means 31 via the gas flow path 312. As shown in FIG. 3B, the pressure reducing portion 334b is provided on the four sides of the porous member 334. In addition, the pressure reducing section 334b communicates with the gas supply source 331 via the gas flow path 312 in order to supply gas (e.g., N2) to the porous member 334 when the substrate WF is peeled off from the substrate adsorption member 330.

The substrate adsorption member 330 also includes a shielding member 332 that shields the surface 334c of the porous member 334 opposite the substrate adsorption surface 334a. The shielding member 332 may be any airtight member capable of blocking the flow of gas, and may be formed, for example, from a relatively soft resin plate such as PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), or PVC (polyvinyl chloride).

Between the carrier 301 and the shielding member 332, a pressurizing space 322 for pressurizing the substrate WF is formed. In the pressurizing space 322, an elastic membrane 320 configured to form a pressurizing chamber for pressurizing each of a plurality of regions of the substrate WF is provided. Specifically, the elastic membrane 320 includes a plurality of elastic membranes 320-1, 320-2, 320-3 having different areas and stacked. By fixing the ends of the elastic membranes 320-1, 320-2, 320-3 at different locations, a plurality of concentric pressurizing chambers for pressurizing the substrate WF are formed between the carrier 301 and the elastic membranes 320-1, 320-2, 320-3. The pressure of the plurality of pressurizing chambers can be adjusted by adjusting the pressure of the fluid supplied to the plurality of pressurizing chambers. By forming a plurality of pressurizing chambers, the pressing force of the substrate WF against the polishing pad 352 can be controlled for each area.

The substrate suction member 330 also includes a bag member (airbag) 336 arranged to surround the porous member 334. The bag member 336 is formed of an elastic membrane. As shown in FIG. 4, the bag member 336 is fixed around the porous member 334 by folding both ends of the elastic membrane into the fixing member 337 and connecting the fixing member 337 to the lower surface of the shielding member 332 with bolts 339. As shown in FIG. 3B, the fixing member 337 is fixed to the shielding member 332 by a plurality of bolts 339 arranged to surround the porous member 334. The bag member 336 has an inner peripheral side wall 336-1 that contacts the side of the porous member 334, a bottom wall 336-2 that contacts the substrate WF, and an outer peripheral side wall 336-3 that faces the inner peripheral side wall 336-1. As shown in FIG. 3A, the bag member 336 is connected to a gas supply source 331 via a gas flow path 338 that communicates with the internal space of the bag member 336. By supplying a gas (e.g., N2) from the gas supply source 331 to the internal space of the bag member 336, the bottom wall 336-2 can press the substrate WF. Furthermore, when the bag member 336 is used to adsorb the substrate WF as described in the following embodiment, it may be connected to a pressure reducing means 31.

According to this embodiment, the bag member 336 having elasticity is disposed around the substrate suction member 330. Therefore, even if the peripheral portion of the substrate WF comes into contact with the bag member 336 when the substrate WF (e.g., a thin glass substrate) which is fragile and easily broken is suctioned, damage to the peripheral portion of the substrate WF can be suppressed.

In addition, the bag member 336 has an inner circumferential side wall 336-1 that contacts the side of the porous member 334. As a result, the side of the porous member 334 is blocked by the inner circumferential side wall 336-1 of the bag member 336. In addition, the upper surface of the porous member 334 is blocked by the shielding member 332, and the lower surface of the porous member 334 is blocked by the substrate WF. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the vacuum from escaping from the porous member 334, so that the substrate WF can be stably held. Note that at least one of the inner circumferential side wall 336-1 and the outer circumferential side wall 336-3 may have a recess (for example, the recess 336-3a shown in FIG. 4) formed therein to prevent the bag member 336 from losing its shape.

Other embodiments of the top ring are described below. In the following description, configurations that overlap with the above embodiment are omitted. Figure 5A is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged schematic view of a portion of the top ring of one embodiment. Figure 5B is a plan view showing an enlarged schematic view of a portion of the top ring of Figure 5A.

As shown in FIG. 5A, in the internal space of the bag member 336, a reinforcing member 335 having higher rigidity than the bag member 336 may be attached to the inner peripheral side wall 336-1 and the outer peripheral side wall 336-3. The reinforcing member 335 may be a plate-shaped member made of a metal such as stainless steel. By providing the reinforcing member 335, it is possible to prevent the bag member 336 from losing its shape. Note that in this embodiment, an example in which the reinforcing member 335 is attached to the inner peripheral side wall 336-1 and the outer peripheral side wall 336-3 has been shown, but this is not limiting, and the reinforcing member 335 may be attached to at least one of the inner peripheral side wall 336-1 and the outer peripheral side wall 336-3.

As shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, the bottom wall 336-2 may have a plurality of holes 336a arranged to surround the porous member 334. When the bottom wall 336-2 has a plurality of holes 336a, the bag member 336 may communicate with the pressure reducing means 31 via the gas flow path 338 shown in Fig. 3A. In this case, the top ring 302 can adsorb the peripheral portion of the substrate WF through the plurality of holes 336a in addition to adsorbing the central portion of the substrate WF with the porous member 334, so that the substrate WF can be held more stably. Even when the bottom wall 336-2 has a plurality of holes 336a, the peripheral portion of the substrate WF can be pressurized by supplying gas to the bag member 336 during polishing of the substrate WF.

Figure 6A is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. Figure 6B is a plan view that shows a schematic view of an enlarged portion of the top ring shown in Figure 6A. As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the bottom wall 336-2 may have a slit 336b formed to surround the porous member 334. By forming the slit 336b in the bottom wall 336-2, the peripheral portion of the substrate WF can be more strongly attracted via the slit 336b. In addition, by forming the slit 336b, the contact area between the bottom wall 336-2 and the substrate WF is reduced, making it easier to peel the substrate WF off the substrate attracting member 330.

7 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the top ring according to an embodiment. The top ring 302 may include a restricting member 341 arranged to surround the outer circumferential side wall 336-3 of the bag member 336. The restricting member 341 is a plate-like member surrounding the outer circumferential side wall 336-3, and is configured to restrict the bag member 336 from expanding in the outer circumferential direction. By providing the restricting member 341, the bag member 336 expands downward when gas is supplied to the bag member 336, so that the substrate WF can be efficiently pressed and the substrate WF can be efficiently peeled off from the bag member 336. Note that, in this embodiment, an example in which the restricting member 341 is added to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the restricting member 341 may be added to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6.

In the above embodiment, the substrate WF is adsorbed using the porous member 334, but this is not limiting. FIG. 8A is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring of one embodiment. FIG. 8B is a schematic plan view of a top ring of one embodiment. Similar components to those of the above embodiment are denoted by similar reference numerals.

As shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the top ring 1302 includes a honeycomb structure adsorption member 1334 attached to the lower surface of the shielding member 332. The honeycomb structure adsorption member 1334 includes a honeycomb structure member 1334-1, a load distribution plate 1334-2 attached to the lower surface of the honeycomb structure member 1334-1, and a back plate 1334-3 attached to the upper surface of the honeycomb structure member 1334-1. The honeycomb structure member 1334-1 is a plate-shaped member having a honeycomb structure. The load distribution plate 1334-2 is a plate-shaped member formed of metal or resin, and a through hole 1334-2a is formed at a position corresponding to the hollow portion 1334-1a of the honeycomb structure member 1334-1. The back plate 1334-3 is a plate-shaped member in which a flow path 1334-3a communicating with the gas flow path 312 is formed. The flow path 1334-3a is connected to the hollow portion 1334-1a of the honeycomb structure member 1334-1.

According to this embodiment, the entire surface of the substrate WF can be adsorbed by the honeycomb structure adsorption member 1334 by sucking gas through the gas flow path 312, so that the substrate WF can be stably held. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a honeycomb structure is used for the member for adsorbing the substrate, so that the top ring 1302 can be made strong and lightweight. Note that, although this embodiment shows an example in which a plate-shaped member formed of metal or resin is used as the load distribution plate 1334-2, this is not limited thereto, and a plate member made of a porous material such as the porous member 334 in the above embodiment can also be used.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged schematic view of a portion of a top ring of one embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, the bag member 336 of the above embodiment may be combined with a honeycomb-structured suction member 1334. That is, the top ring 1302 may be configured to include a honeycomb-structured suction member 1334 and a bag member 336 arranged to surround the honeycomb-structured suction member 1334. According to this embodiment, it is possible to achieve high strength and light weight for the top ring 1302, and to prevent damage to the peripheral portion of the substrate WF when the substrate WF is suctioned.

Figure 10A is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic of a top ring according to one embodiment. Figure 10B is a plan view that shows a schematic of the top ring according to Figure 10A. Figure 10C is a cross-sectional view that shows an enlarged schematic of a portion of the top ring according to Figure 10A. Figure 10D is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic of a top ring according to one embodiment.

The top ring 2302 of this embodiment includes a rotating shaft 2018 and a carrier 2301 connected to the rotating shaft 2018. The top ring 2302 also includes a plurality of bag members (air bags) 2335 of the same shape and size configured to press the substrate WF using gas supplied from a gas supply source 2331, and a distribution mechanism 2305 having a flow path for distributing the gas supplied from the gas supply source 2331 to the plurality of bag members 2335. The top ring 2302 also includes an adsorption plate 2334 provided below the plurality of bag members 2335. The distribution mechanism 2305 includes a bag member holder 2307 configured to hold multiple bag members 2335 and having a communication passage 2307a formed therein that communicates with the internal space of the multiple bag members 2335, and a distribution member 2306 for distributing the gas supplied from the gas supply source 2331 to the communication passage 2307a of the bag member holder 2307.

Each of the multiple bag members 2335 is formed of an elastic membrane, and is two-dimensionally arranged facing the pressed surface of the substrate WF. In FIG. 10A, the bag members 2335 are illustrated in a simplified manner for ease of explanation, but as shown in FIG. 10C, the bag members 2335 are connected to the bag member holder 2307 by folding the end of the elastic membrane into the bag member holder 2307 and fixing it with a bolt 2339. The bag member holder 2307 and the distribution member 2306 are also connected by a bolt 2339. Note that the bag members 2335 may have a recess formed in the side wall to prevent the bag members 2335 from losing their shape.

As shown in FIG. 10B, the top ring 2302 includes 11×11=121 bag members 2335. These bag members 2335 are divided into a plurality of groups. These groups are not fixed, but are changed according to the type of substrate WF or the polishing recipe. For example, in FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the bag members 2335 are divided into groups 2335-1, 2335-2, 2335-3, and 2335-4 arranged concentrically. Group 2335-1 includes nine bag members 2335 in the center. Group 2335-2 includes 40 bag members 2335 around group 2335-1. Group 2335-3 includes 32 bag members 2335 around group 2335-2. Group 2335-4 includes 40 bag members 2335 around group 2335-3. Groups 2335-1, 2335-2, 2335-3, and 2335-4 formed by grouping the bag member 2335 are referred to as the "first plurality of groups A."

In the example shown in FIG. 10D, the bag members 2335 are divided into groups 2335-5, 2335-6, 2335-7, and group 2335-8 which are arranged concentrically. Group 2335-5 includes one central bag member 2335. Group 2335-6 includes eight bag members 2335 surrounding group 2335-5. Group 2335-7 includes 72 bag members 2335 surrounding group 2335-6. Group 2335-8 includes 40 bag members 2335 surrounding group 2335-7. Groups 2335-5, 2335-6, 2335-7, and group 2335-8 formed by grouping the bag members 2335 are referred to as the "second plurality of groups B." In the present embodiment, an example in which the bag members 2335 are grouped concentrically has been shown, but this is not limiting, and the manner of grouping the bag members 2335 (number, shape, etc.) is arbitrary. FIGS. 10E, 10F, 10G, and 10H are plan views each showing a schematic modification of grouping the bag members 2335. FIGS. 10E to 10H show a state in which the bag members 2335 are grouped into groups 2335-9, 10, 11, and 12. The grouping of the bag members 2335 is not limited to the above-mentioned "first plurality of groups A" and "second plurality of groups B," and can also be performed as shown in FIGS. 10E to 10H. That is, as shown in FIGS. 10E to 10H, the bag members 2335 can be grouped so that the pressing force can be controlled with each of the regions corresponding to the four corners of the substrate WF as one group (group 2335-12). 10F to 10H, the bag members 2335 that are outside the central group 2335-9 and inside the corresponding groups 2335-12 at the four corners of the substrate WF may be grouped in a generally annular shape, such as groups 2335-10 and 11. In addition, in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the bag members 2335 have a generally rectangular shape in a plan view, but this is not limited to this, and the bag members 2335 may have other shapes, such as a hexagon.

The flow path of the distribution mechanism 2305 is configured to be switchable between a first flow path 2306A for distributing gas to a first plurality of groups A and a second flow path 2306B for distributing gas to a second plurality of groups B.

Specifically, the distribution mechanism 2305 is configured to be able to replace the first distribution member 2306-1 having the first flow path 2306A and the second distribution member 2306-2 having the second flow path 2306B as the distribution member 2306. Fig. 10A shows a state in which the first distribution member 2306-1 is used as the distribution member 2306. As shown in Fig. 10A, the first flow path 2306A includes a flow path 2306-1a communicating with the bag member 2335 of the group 2335-1, a flow path 2306-1b communicating with the bag member 2335 of the group 2335-2, a flow path 2306-1c communicating with the bag member 2335 of the group 2335-3, and a flow path 2306-1d communicating with the bag member 2335 of the group 2335-4. The pressure of the fluid supplied to the flow paths 2306-1a, 2306-1b, 2306-1c, and 2306-1d can be adjusted to control the pressing force on the substrate WF for each of the groups 2335-1, 2, 3, and 4.

On the other hand, FIG. 10D shows a state in which the second distribution member 2306-2 is used as the distribution member 2306. As shown in FIG. 10D, the second flow path 2306B includes a flow path 2306-2a communicating with the bag member 2335 of group 2335-5, a flow path 2306-2b communicating with the bag member 2335 of group 2335-6, a flow path 2306-2c communicating with the bag member 2335 of group 2335-7, and a flow path 2306-2d communicating with the bag member 2335 of group 2335-8. By adjusting the pressure of the fluid supplied to the flow paths 2306-2a, b, c, d, the pressing force of the substrate WF can be controlled for each of the groups 2335-5, 6, 7, 8.

As shown in Figures 10A and 10D, by replacing the first distribution member 2306-1 and the second distribution member 2306-2, the pressurized area of the substrate WF can be flexibly adjusted without replacing multiple bag members 2335.

In the above embodiment, the first distribution member 2306-1 and the second distribution member 2306-2 are replaced with each other, but the present invention is not limited to this. Fig. 11A is a cross-sectional view of a top ring according to an embodiment. Fig. 11B is a plan view of the top ring according to an embodiment. Fig. 11C is a cross-sectional view of the top ring according to an embodiment. Fig. 11D is a plan view of the top ring according to an embodiment. Fig. 11E is a cross-sectional view of a part of the top ring according to an embodiment.

11A, the distribution member 2306 includes a bottom wall 2306a connected to the bag member holder 2307, a top wall 2306b arranged opposite the bottom wall 2306a with a gap therebetween, and a side wall 2306c connecting the peripheral portions of the bottom wall 2306a and the top wall 2306b. The distribution member 2306 also includes a rectangular frame-shaped partition 2306d that separates a space 2306e surrounded by the bottom wall 2306a, the top wall 2306b, and the side wall 2306c. The distribution mechanism 2305 is configured so that the partitions 2306d can be replaced with first partitions 2306d-1, 2, 3 for forming the first flow path 2306A and second partitions 2306d-4, 5, 6 for forming the second flow path 2306B.

Figures 11A and 11B show a state in which the first partitions 2306d-1, 2, and 3 are used as the partitions 2306d. By attaching the first partitions 2306d-1, 2, and 3 to the bottom wall 2306a, a first flow path 2306A similar to that shown in Figure 10A is formed, so that gas can be distributed to the first plurality of group A bag members 2335.

Figures 11C and 11D show a state in which second partitions 2306d-4, 5, and 6 are used as partitions 2306d. By attaching second partitions 2306d-4, 5, and 6 to bottom wall 2306a, a second flow path 2306B similar to that shown in Figure 10D is formed, so that gas can be distributed to the bag members 2335 of the second plurality of groups B.

According to this embodiment, by replacing the first partition walls 2306d-1, 2, 3 with the second partition walls 2306d-4, 5, 6, it is possible to flexibly adjust the pressurized area of the substrate WF without replacing the plurality of bag members 2335. Note that in Figures 11A and 11C, for convenience of explanation, the partition walls 2306d are illustrated in a simplified form, but as shown in Figure 11E, the partition walls 2306d (e.g., the second partition walls 2306d-4, 5) are attached to the bottom wall 2306a by bolts 2339, and can be removed from the bottom wall 2306a by removing the bolts 2339. The distribution member 2306 and the bag member holder 2307 are also connected by bolts 2339. Also, as many (square) annular grooves as possible may be formed in advance on the upper surface of the bottom wall 2306a shown in FIG. 11E, and the partition wall 2306d may be installed via a seal material (packing) only in the annular grooves required to form the desired multiple pressurized areas. Also, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the first flow path 2306A and the second flow path 2306B are a combination of a square and a square annular shape, but this is not limited to this. For example, in the modified example shown in FIG. 10E to FIG. 10H, the distributor 2306 or the partition wall 2306d is configured so that a roughly circular annular flow path and island-shaped flow paths separated from each other corresponding to the corners (4 pieces) and sides (4 sides) of the substrate WF are also formed. The same pressure can be supplied to each corner or side of the substrate WF by connecting each island-shaped flow path to each other on the upstream side of the distributor 2306.

In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which suction plates 2334 are provided at the bottom of the multiple bag members 2335 and the substrate WF is suction-held using the suction plates 2334, but it is not necessary to provide the suction plates 2334. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic diagram of a top ring of one embodiment.

12, the plurality of bag members 2335 have holes 2335a formed in the bottom wall of the bag member. In the example shown in FIG. 12, a retainer ring 2333 is provided around the plurality of bag members 2335 to prevent the substrate WF from detaching from the top ring. The retainer ring 2333 can be pressurized by an air bag 2336 provided on the upper part of the retainer ring 2333. Note that the holes 2335a do not have to be formed in the bottom wall of all the bag members 2335, but may be formed in the bottom wall of some of the bag members 2335. In addition, since all the bag members 2335 have the same shape and size, the installation position of the bag member 2335 with the hole 2335a can be easily changed to a desired position.

As shown in FIG. 12, a plurality of pipes 2340-1a to 2340-5a are provided via a rotating shaft 2018 incorporating a rotary joint and a carrier 2301. These pipes 2340-1a to 2340-5a are connected to a gas supply source 2331 and a pressure reducing means 2031.

On the other hand, the distribution member 2306 is provided with a plurality of pipes 2340-1b to 2340-4b that communicate with a flow path for distributing gas to the bag member 2335, and a pipe 2340-5b for supplying gas to the airbag 2336. An O-ring 2326 is arranged around each flow path of the distribution member 2306 to seal between each flow path. By connecting the plurality of pipes 2340-1a to 2340-4a and the plurality of pipes 2340-1b to 2340-4b, respectively, it is possible to suck gas from the plurality of bag members 2335 or supply gas to the plurality of bag members 2335. As a result, when holding the substrate WF, the top ring can suck gas through the hole 2335a of the bag member to adsorb the substrate WF. On the other hand, when polishing, the pressurized area of the substrate WF can be flexibly adjusted by adjusting the gas supplied to the plurality of bag members 2335. In addition, by connecting pipe 2340-5a to multiple pipes 2340-5b, the retainer ring 2333 can be pressed through the airbag 2336.

13 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a top ring according to an embodiment. In the following description, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. As shown in FIG. 13, the bag member 336 of the above-described embodiment may be combined with a plurality of bag members 2335 and a distribution mechanism 2305. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, the top ring 330
2 may be configured to include a distribution mechanism 2305, a plurality of bag members 2335, a porous member 334 arranged below the plurality of bag members 2335, and a bag member 336 arranged to surround the porous member 334. According to this embodiment, it is possible to flexibly adjust the pressurized area of the substrate WF and to prevent the peripheral portion of the substrate WF from being damaged when the substrate WF is sucked. Note that the figures from FIG. 13 onwards show an example in which the bag member 2335 has a hexagonal shape in a plan view and has a recess formed on the side wall to prevent deformation.

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of a part of the top ring of one embodiment. As shown in Figure 14, the plurality of bag members 2335 and the distribution mechanism 2305 of the above embodiment may be combined with the honeycomb structure suction member 1334. That is, as shown in Figure 14, the top ring 4302 may be configured to include the distribution mechanism 2305, the plurality of bag members 2335, and the honeycomb structure suction member 1334 arranged below the plurality of bag members 2335. The top ring 4302 may also include a regulating member 341 arranged around the outermost bag member 2335 for regulating the bulging of the bag member 2335 in the outer circumferential direction. According to this embodiment, the top ring 4302 can be made strong and lightweight, and the pressurized area of the substrate WF can be flexibly adjusted.

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged schematic view of a portion of a top ring of one embodiment. As shown in Figure 15, the plurality of bag members 2335 and distribution mechanism 2305 of the above embodiment may be combined with a honeycomb-structured suction member 1334 and a bag member 336. That is, as shown in Figure 15, the top ring 5302 may be configured to include a distribution mechanism 2305, a plurality of bag members 2335, a honeycomb-structured suction member 1334 arranged below the plurality of bag members 2335, and a bag member 336 arranged to surround the honeycomb-structured suction member 1334. According to this embodiment, the top ring 5302 can be made strong and lightweight, the pressure area of the substrate WF can be flexibly adjusted, and damage to the peripheral portion of the substrate WF can be suppressed when the substrate WF is suctioned.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-mentioned embodiments of the invention are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from its spirit, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents. Furthermore, any combination or omission of each component described in the claims and specification is possible within the scope of solving at least part of the above-mentioned problems or achieving at least part of the effects.

The present application discloses, as one embodiment, a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing it against a polishing surface, the top ring including: a plurality of bag members configured to press the substrate using gas supplied from a gas supply source; and a distribution mechanism having a flow path for distributing the gas supplied from the gas supply source to the plurality of bag members, the flow path being configured to be switchable between a first flow path for distributing gas to a first plurality of groups formed by grouping the plurality of bag members, and a second flow path for distributing gas to a second plurality of groups different from the first plurality of groups formed by grouping the plurality of bag members.

Furthermore, as one embodiment, the present application discloses a top ring in which the distribution mechanism includes a bag member holder configured to hold the plurality of bag members, the bag member holder having a communication passage formed therein that communicates with the internal spaces of the plurality of bag members, and a distribution member for distributing the gas supplied from the gas supply source to the communication passage of the bag member holder.

Furthermore, as one embodiment, the present application discloses a top ring, in which the distribution mechanism is configured so that the distribution members are interchangeably a first distribution member having the first flow path and a second distribution member having the second flow path.

Furthermore, the present application discloses, as one embodiment, a top ring in which the distribution member includes a bottom wall connected to the bag member holder, a top wall arranged opposite the bottom wall with a gap therebetween, a side wall connecting the peripheral edges of the bottom wall and the top wall, and a partition wall separating a space surrounded by the bottom wall, the top wall, and the side wall, and the distribution mechanism is configured to exchange the partition walls between a first partition wall configured to form the first flow path and a second partition wall configured to form the second flow path.

Furthermore, as one embodiment, the present application discloses a top ring in which the plurality of bag members are two-dimensionally arranged facing the pressed surface of the substrate, and the first plurality of groups and the second plurality of groups are each concentrically arranged.

Furthermore, as one embodiment, the present application discloses a top ring that further includes an adsorption plate disposed on the substrate pressing surface side of the plurality of bag members, and the plurality of bag members are configured to press the substrate via the adsorption plate.

Furthermore, the present application discloses, as one embodiment, a top ring further including a rotating shaft and a carrier connected to the rotating shaft, and the distribution mechanism is disposed between the carrier and the plurality of bag members.

Furthermore, as an embodiment, the present application discloses a substrate processing apparatus including a polishing table to which a polishing pad having a polishing surface is attached, a top ring as described above configured to hold a substrate and press it against the polishing surface, a polishing liquid supply nozzle configured to supply a polishing liquid onto the polishing pad, and a gas supply source configured to supply gas to the multiple bag members of the top ring.

18, 2018 Top ring shaft (rotating shaft)
31, 2031 Pressure reducing means (vacuum source)
300 Polishing unit 301, 2301 Carrier 302, 1302, 2302, 3302, 4302, 5302 Top ring 312 Gas flow path 320 Elastic membrane 322 Pressurized space 330 Substrate suction member 331, 2331 Gas supply source 332 Shielding member 334 Porous member 334a Substrate suction surface 334b Pressure reduction section 335 Reinforcing member 336 Bag member (air bag)
336-1: Inner circumferential wall 336-2: Bottom wall 336-3: Outer circumferential wall 336a: Hole 336b: Slit 338: Gas flow passage 341: Regulating member 350: Polishing table 352: Polishing pad 352a: Surface (polishing surface)
354 Polishing liquid supply nozzle 1000 Substrate processing apparatus 2305 Distribution mechanism 2306 Distribution member 2306-1 First distribution member 2306-2 Second distribution member 2306A First flow path 2306B Second flow path 2306a Bottom wall 2306b Top wall 2306c Side wall 2306d Partition wall 2306d-1, 2, 3 First partition wall 2306d-4, 5, 6 Second partition wall 2307 Bag member holder 2307a Communication path 2334 Suction plate 2335 Bag member (air bag)
A first plurality of groups B second plurality of groups WF substrate

Claims (8)

a top ring for holding the substrate and pressing it against the polishing surface,
a plurality of bag members configured to press the substrate using gas supplied from a gas supply source;
a distribution mechanism having a flow path for distributing gas supplied from the gas supply source to the plurality of bag members, the flow path being switchable between a first flow path for distributing gas to a first plurality of groups formed by grouping the plurality of bag members, and a second flow path for distributing gas to a second plurality of groups different from the first plurality of groups formed by grouping the plurality of bag members;
Including the top ring. The distribution mechanism includes:
a bag member holder configured to hold the plurality of bag members, the bag member holder having a communication passage formed therein that communicates with an internal space of the plurality of bag members;
a distribution member for distributing the gas supplied from the gas supply source to the communication passage of the bag member holder,
The top ring according to claim 1 . The distribution mechanism is configured so that a first distribution member having the first flow path and a second distribution member having the second flow path are replaceable as the distribution member.
The top ring according to claim 2 . the distribution member includes a bottom wall connected to the bag member holder, a top wall arranged opposite the bottom wall with a gap therebetween, a side wall connecting peripheral edges of the bottom wall and the top wall, and a partition wall separating a space surrounded by the bottom wall, the top wall, and the side wall;
The distribution mechanism is configured to be replaceable between a first partition configured to form the first flow path and a second partition configured to form the second flow path as the partition.
The top ring according to claim 2 . the plurality of bag members are two-dimensionally arranged facing a pressed surface of a substrate, and the first plurality of groups and the second plurality of groups are each concentrically arranged.
The top ring according to claim 1 . The bag member further includes an adsorption plate disposed on the substrate pressing surface side of the bag member,
The plurality of bag members are configured to press the substrate via the suction plate.
The top ring according to claim 5 . A rotating shaft;
a carrier coupled to the rotating shaft;
the dispensing mechanism is disposed between the carrier and the plurality of bag members.
7. The top ring according to claim 6. a polishing table to which a polishing pad having a polishing surface is attached;
a top ring configured to hold a substrate and press it against the polishing surface;
a polishing liquid supply nozzle configured to supply a polishing liquid onto the polishing pad;
a gas supply source configured to supply gas to the plurality of bag members of the top ring;
A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

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