Polishing device and substrate processing device

• US 20040261944A1
• Filed: 08/09/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Inventors: Wakabayashi, Satoshi, Togawa, Tetsuji, Kosuge, Ryuichi, Ato, Koji, Sotozaki, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,850,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.12
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/345 Feeding, loading or unloading work specially adapted to lapping
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67219 comprising at least one polishing chamber polishing apparatuses B24B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67745 characterized by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67751 vertical transfer of a single workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67766 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68707 the wafers being placed on a robot blade, or gripped by a gripper for conveyance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus having a plurality of polishing units (30A-30D). Moving mechanisms for moving top rings (301A˜301D) between polishing positions on the polishing surfaces and wafer receiving/delivering positions are provided in each of the polishing units. Linear transporters (5, 6) are provided for transferring the wafer between a plurality of transferring positions (TP1-TP7) including the wafer receiving/delivering positions. Pushers (33, 34, 37, 38) for receiving and delivering the wafer between the linear transporters (5, 6) and the top rings (301A-301D) are provided at the transferring positions (TP2, TP3, TP6, TP7) as the wafer receiving/delivering positions.

Claims

1. A polishing apparatus having a plurality of polishing units including a polishing table with a polishing surface and a top ring for pressing a workpiece against said polishing surface on said polishing table, said polishing apparatus characterized in that:

a moving mechanism for moving said top ring of said polishing unit between a polishing position on said polishing surface and a workpiece receiving/delivering position is provided in each of said polishing units;

a linear transferring mechanism is provided for transferring the workpiece between a plurality of transferring positions including the workpiece receiving/delivering positions; and

receiving/delivering mechanisms for receiving and delivering the workpiece between said linear transferring mechanism and said top ring are provided at the transferring positions as the workpiece receiving/delivering positions in said linear transferring mechanism.

2. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said plurality of polishing units are arranged along a longitudinal direction of said apparatus, and the plurality of transferring positions in said linear transferring mechanism are arranged along the longitudinal direction of said apparatus.

3. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said linear transferring mechanism comprises a plurality of transfer stages for transferring the workpiece.

4. The polishing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said plurality of transfer stages include an upper transfer stage and a lower transfer stage.

5. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the transferring positions in said linear transferring mechanism include at least one transferring position in addition to the workpiece receiving/delivering positions.

6. A polishing apparatus having a polishing unit including a polishing table with a polishing surface and a top ring for pressing a workpiece against said polishing surface on said polishing table, and a plurality of cleaning devices for cleaning a polished workpiece, said polishing apparatus characterized in that:

said plurality of cleaning devices are arranged along a predetermined direction; and

said polishing apparatus comprises a transferring mechanism having a holding mechanism for detachably holding the workpiece in the respective cleaning devices, a vertically moving mechanism for vertically moving said holding mechanism, and a moving mechanism for moving said holding mechanism in a direction of an array of said cleaning devices.

7. The polishing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said cleaning devices are partitioned by partition walls;

openings for allowing said holding mechanism of said transferring mechanism to pass therethrough are formed in said partition walls; and

shutters capable of opening and closing are provided on said openings in said partition walls.

8. The polishing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said transferring mechanism comprises said holding mechanism for each cleaning device.

9. The polishing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said moving mechanism of said transferring mechanism moves said holding mechanism to a standby position of a workpiece to be cleaned.

10. The polishing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said moving mechanism of said transferring mechanism moves said holding mechanism to a standby position of a cleaned workpiece.

11. A polishing apparatus characterized by comprising:

a plurality of wafer cassettes arranged along a predetermined direction;

a first transferring mechanism movable in a direction of an array of said wafer cassettes;

a plurality of polishing units arranged in a predetermined direction, each of said polishing units including a polishing table with a polishing surface and a top ring for pressing a wafer against said polishing surface on said polishing table;

a second transferring mechanism for transferring the wafer between a plurality of transferring positions along a direction of an array of said plurality of polishing units;

a first receiving/delivering mechanism disposed at a position to which said first transferring mechanism and said second transferring mechanism are accessible for receiving and delivering the wafer between said first transferring mechanism and said second transferring mechanism;

a plurality of cleaning devices arranged in a predetermined direction;

a third transferring mechanism for transferring the wafer along a direction of an array of said plurality of cleaning devices; and

a second receiving/delivering mechanism disposed at a position to which said second transferring mechanism and said third transferring mechanism are accessible for receiving and delivering the wafer between said second transferring mechanism and said third transferring mechanism.

12. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that a reversing machine for reversing the wafer is disposed above said first receiving/delivering mechanism.

13. A polishing apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that:

a loading/unloading section, a polishing section for polishing a wafer, and a cleaning section for cleaning the wafer polished in said polishing section are partitioned by partition walls; and

said first transferring mechanism is disposed in said loading/unloading section, said second transferring mechanism is disposed in said polishing section, and said third transferring mechanism is disposed in said cleaning section.

14. The polishing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that openings for allowing the wafer to pass therethrough are formed in said partition walls;

and

shutters capable of opening and closing are provided at said openings in said partition walls.

15. The polishing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that said loading/unloading section, said polishing section, and said cleaning section are assembled independently of each other.

16. The polishing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that air is discharged from said loading/unloading section, said polishing section, and said cleaning section independently of each other.

17. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that said transferring positions of said second transferring mechanism include workpiece receiving/delivering positions for said top rings in said polishing units;

and

a third receiving/delivering mechanism for receiving and delivering the wafer between said second transferring mechanism and said top rings is disposed at the transferring positions as the workpiece receiving/delivering positions.

18. The polishing apparatus according to 11, characterized in that a film thickness measuring device for measuring a film thickness of the wafer is disposed between said second receiving/delivering mechanism and said cleaning devices.

19. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that a transferring direction of the wafer in said second transferring mechanism and a transferring direction of the wafer in said third transferring mechanism are parallel with each other.

20. The polishing apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that a transferring direction of the wafer in said second transferring mechanism and a transferring direction of the wafer in said third transferring mechanism are opposite to each other.

21. The polishing apparatus according to 11, characterized in that said second transferring mechanism comprises a linear transferring mechanism.

22. The polishing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that a transferring direction of the wafer in said first transferring mechanism and a transferring direction of the wafer in said second transferring mechanism are substantially perpendicular to each other.

23. A substrate processing apparatus having a plurality of substrate processing units including a substrate holding portion for holding a substrate, said substrate processing apparatus characterized in that:

a moving mechanism for moving said substrate holding portion of said substrate processing unit between a predetermined position within said substrate processing unit and a substrate receiving/delivering position is provided in each substrate processing unit;

a linear transferring mechanism is provided for transferring the substrate between a plurality of transferring positions including the substrate receiving/delivering positions; and

a receiving/delivering mechanism for receiving and delivering the substrate between said linear transferring mechanism and said substrate holding portions of said substrate processing units is provided at the transferring positions as the substrate receiving/delivering positions in said linear transferring mechanism.

24. A substrate processing apparatus having a substrate processing unit including a substrate holding portion for holding a substrate, and a plurality of cleaning devices for cleaning a processed substrate, said substrate processing apparatus characterized in that:

said plurality of cleaning devices are arranged along a predetermined direction; and

said substrate processing apparatus comprises a transferring mechanism having a holding mechanism for detachably holding the workpiece in the respective cleaning devices, a vertically moving mechanism for vertically moving said holding mechanism, and a moving mechanism for moving said holding mechanism in a direction of an array of said cleaning devices.

25. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized by comprising:

a plurality of wafer cassettes arranged along a predetermined direction;

a first transferring mechanism movable in a direction of an array of said wafer cassettes;

a plurality of polishing units arranged in a predetermined direction, each of said polishing units including a substrate holding portion for holding a substrate;

a second transferring mechanism for transferring the substrate between a plurality of transferring positions along a direction of an array of said plurality of polishing units;

a first receiving/delivering mechanism disposed at a position to which said first transferring mechanism and said second transferring mechanism are accessible for receiving and delivering the substrate between said first transferring mechanism and said second transferring mechanism;

a plurality of cleaning devices arranged in a predetermined direction;

a third transferring mechanism for transferring the wafer along a direction of an array of said plurality of cleaning devices; and

a second receiving/delivering mechanism disposed at a position to which said second transferring mechanism and said third transferring mechanism are accessible for receiving and delivering the substrate between said second transferring mechanism and said third transferring mechanism.

26. A substrate processing apparatus having a transferring mechanism for transferring a substrate, characterized in that:

said transferring mechanism comprises a plurality of transfer stages for transferring the substrate between a plurality of transferring positions;

a shaft is inserted into a driving transfer stage driven by a driving mechanism;

a driven transfer stage is fixed to an end of said shaft; and

a stopper for positioning said driven transfer stage is provided at a transferring position for said driven transfer stage.

27. A substrate processing apparatus having a film thickness measuring device for measuring a film thickness of a substrate, said substrate processing apparatus characterized in that:

said film thickness measuring device comprises a reversing and holding mechanism for holding and reversing the substrate, a film thickness measuring unit disposed substantially in a vertical direction with respect to said reversing and holding mechanism, and a transferring mechanism for transferring the substrate between said reversing and holding mechanism and said film thickness measuring unit.

28. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 27, characterized in that said transferring mechanism comprises a plurality of holding portions for holding the substrate.

29. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that said transferring mechanism is arranged so as to be vertically reversible.

30. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that at least one of said plurality of holding portions comprises a suction holding portion for attracting the substrate under vacuum suction.

31. A substrate processing apparatus having a reversing machine for reversing a substrate, said substrate processing apparatus characterized in that:

said reversing machine comprises a holding mechanism for holding the substrate, a rotational mechanism for rotating the substrate held by said holding mechanism, and a sensor for detecting a notch or an orientation flat formed in the substrate; and

rotational positioning of the substrate is performed based on detected result of said sensor.

32. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 31, characterized in that said reversing machine comprises a sensor for recognizing a code on the substrate.

33. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 31, characterized in that said holding mechanism of said reversing machine comprises at least three rotatable pins for holding the substrate, and the rotational positioning of the substrate is performed by controlling rotation of at least one of said pins.

34. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 31, characterized in that said holding mechanism of said reversing machine comprises a vacuum suction portion for attracting the substrate under vacuum suction and rotating the substrate, and the rotational positioning of the substrate is performed by controlling rotation of said vacuum suction portion.

35. A polishing apparatus having a polishing table with a polishing surface, and a top ring for pressing a workpiece against said polishing surface on said polishing table, said polishing apparatus characterized in that:

a sensor for detecting a notch or an orientation flat of the substrate held by said top ring is disposed below said top ring; and

rotational positioning of the substrate is performed based on detected result of said sensor.