公开(公告)号：US20240261932A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-08

申请号：US18562950

申请日：2022-04-15

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Yuichi SATO ,  Kohei OHSHIMA

IPC: B24B49/10 ,  B24B37/10 ,  B24B49/18

CPC classification number: B24B49/10 ,  B24B37/10 ,  B24B49/186

Abstract: To measure an amount of abrasion of a polishing pad with a simple structure.
A substrate processing apparatus 1000 includes: a table 100 for supporting a substrate WF with a surface to be polished facing upward; a pad holder 226 for holding a polishing pad 222 for polishing the substrate WF supported by the table 100; an elevating mechanism 260 for moving up and down the polishing pad 222 held to the pad holder 226; and an abrasion amount measurement member 270 configured to lower the polishing pad 222 by the elevating mechanism 260 and measure the amount of abrasion of the polishing pad 222 based on a value correlated with a behavior of the elevating mechanism 260 until the polishing pad contacts a reference surface.

公开(公告)号：US20240075579A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-07

申请号：US18272941

申请日：2022-01-05

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Kohei OHSHIMA ,  Hisanori MATSUO ,  Toshifumi KIMBA ,  Nobuyuki TAKADA

IPC: B24B37/005

CPC classification number: B24B37/005

Abstract: The present invention relates to a surface property measuring apparatus for a polishing pad used for polishing a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, a surface property measuring method for a polishing pad, and a surface property judging mehod for a polishing pad. The surface property measuring apparatus (30) includes: a light-emitting structure (32) configured to irradiate the polishing pad (2) with light from a plurality of directions as viewed from a polishing surface (2a) of the polishing pad (2); and a light-receiving structure (32) configured to receive reflected light traveling in a plurality of directions from the surface of the polishing pad (2).

公开(公告)号：US20240338812A1

公开(公告)日：2024-10-10

申请号：US18624936

申请日：2024-04-02

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Toshifumi KIMBA ,  Kohei OHSHIMA

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  H04N23/10 ,  H04N23/56

CPC classification number: G06T7/001 ,  H04N23/10 ,  H04N23/56 ,  G06T2207/20081 ,  G06T2207/30164

Abstract: A pad surface determining method that can appropriately determine a surface property of a polishing pad including a condition of recess (e.g., groove or hole) formed in a polishing surface of the polishing pad is disclosed. The pad surface determining method includes: irradiating a target area in the polishing surface with a plurality of lights from a plurality of light sources at different incident angles; receiving a plurality of reflected lights from the target area by an imaging device; generating a plurality of images corresponding to the different incident angles by the imaging device; and determining the surface property of the polishing pad based on at least one of the plurality of images.

公开(公告)号：US20240075580A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-07

申请号：US18137280

申请日：2023-04-20

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Toshifumi KIMBA ,  Kohei OHSHIMA ,  Kohei OTA

IPC: B24B37/013 ,  B24B49/04 ,  B24B49/08 ,  B24B49/12

CPC classification number: B24B37/013 ,  B24B49/045 ,  B24B49/08 ,  B24B49/12

Abstract: A surface property measuring system capable of accurately measuring a surface property of a polishing pad without damaging the polishing pad and without reducing throughput of the entire polishing process is disclosed. The surface property measuring system includes: an optical measuring device configured to direct light to a polishing surface of a polishing pad when the polishing pad is rotating, and measure a surface property of the polishing pad based on reflected light from the polishing surface; a cover member disposed between the optical measuring device and the polishing pad; and a transparent-liquid supply line coupled to an inlet port provided in the cover member and configured to supply a transparent liquid onto the polishing pad through the inlet port. The cover member has a light transmissive portion on an optical path of the light and the reflected light.

公开(公告)号：US20240027190A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-25

申请号：US18223360

申请日：2023-07-18

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Toshifumi KIMBA ,  Kohei OHSHIMA

IPC: G01B21/30

CPC classification number: G01B21/30 ,  H01L22/12

Abstract: A surface property judging method and a surface property judging system for a polishing pad capable of appropriately judging a surface property of the polishing pad are disclosed. The surface property judging method includes: rotating a polishing table together with a polishing pad which is supported by the polishing table; generating surface data by a surface data generator, the surface data containing a plurality of shape index values representing a surface property of the polishing pad; producing a histogram indicating a distribution of the plurality of shape index values based on the surface data; and judging the surface property of the polishing pad based on the histogram.