JP2012183637A - Method and apparatus for processing substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide methods and an apparatus that are improved to clean an edge of a substrate.SOLUTION: The apparatus and methods adapted to polish an edge of the substrate include: a polishing film; a frame 502 adapted to apply a tension and a load on the polishing film so that at least a portion of the film is supported in a plane; and a substrate rotation driver 510 adapted to rotate a substrate against the plane of the polishing film such that the polishing film is adapted to apply force to the substrate, contour to the edge of the substrate, the edge including at least an outer edge and a first bevel, and polish the outer edge and the first bevel as the substrate is rotated.

Description

Cross-reference of related applications

  This application is filed on Dec. 9, 2005, US Patent Application No. 11 / 299,295 (Attorney Docket No. 10121) entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSIN GA SUBSTRATE”, and Dec. 2005 Claims the priority of US Patent Application No. 11 / 298,555 (Attorney Docket No. 10414) entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRO CESSING A SUBSTRATE” filed on the 9th. , For all purposes, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

  The present invention relates generally to substrate processing, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for cleaning the edge of a substrate.

  In a conventional system that cleans the edge by contacting an abrasive film with the edge of the substrate, the edge may not be completely clean. For example, the abrasive film may not fully contact both edges of the edge during cleaning. In addition, the abrasive film may be worn away by use, thus losing the ability to clean the substrate sufficiently, requiring frequent replacement, and affecting semiconductor device manufacturing throughput. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for cleaning substrate edges.

  In a first aspect of the invention, an apparatus adapted to polish an edge of a substrate is adapted to provide a polishing film and tension the polishing film such that at least a portion of the film is supported in a plane. A frame and a substrate rotation drive adapted to rotate the substrate relative to the plane of the polishing film, wherein the polishing film imparts tension to the substrate and includes at least an outer edge and a first slope on the edge of the substrate And a substrate rotation drive adapted to contour and further polish the outer edge and the first bevel when the substrate is rotated.

  In a second aspect of the invention, an apparatus adapted to polish an edge of a substrate includes a plurality of polishing films and at least a portion of each film supported in each plane by tensioning each of the polishing films. A frame adapted to rotate and a substrate rotation drive adapted to rotate the substrate relative to at least one of each plane of the polishing film, wherein the polishing film in contact with the substrate exerts pressure on the substrate. And a substrate rotation driving device adapted to polish the edge when the substrate is rotated.

  In a third aspect of the invention, an apparatus adapted to polish an edge of a substrate is disposed adjacent to a polishing film having a polishing side and a second side, and the second side of the polishing film. An inflatable pad, a frame adapted to support the polishing film and the inflatable pad, a substrate rotation drive adapted to rotate the substrate relative to the polishing side of the polishing film, It has. The polishing film is disposed between the edge of the substrate and the inflatable pad so that the inflatable pad and polishing film contour the edge of the substrate and the polishing film contacts the edge of the substrate. .

  In a fourth aspect of the invention, a method for cleaning an edge of a substrate includes: (a) supporting the polishing film; and (b) adapting the polishing film to the edge of the substrate including an outer edge and at least one bevel. And (c) rotating the substrate.

  Other features and aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

Detailed description

  The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for cleaning and / or polishing the edge of a substrate. Referring to FIG. 1, the substrate 100 can include two major surfaces 102, 102 ′ and an edge 104. Each major surface 102, 102 ′ of the substrate 100 can include device regions 106, 106 ′ and exclusion regions 108, 108 ′. (However, typically only one of the two major surfaces 102, 102 ′ includes the device region and the exclusion region.) The exclusion region 108, 108 ′ is between the device region 106, 106 ′ and the edge 104. Can act as a buffer area. The edge 104 of the substrate 100 may include an outer edge 110 and slopes 112, 114. The slopes 112, 114 can be located between the outer edge 110 and the exclusion regions 108, 108 'of the two major surfaces 102, 102'. The present invention is adapted to clean and / or polish the outer edge 110 and at least one bevel 112, 114 of the substrate 100 without affecting the device regions 106, 106 '. In some embodiments, all or a portion of the exclusion zone 108, 108 'can also be cleaned or polished.

  The present invention supports a film (eg, abrasive polishing film) or abrasive cushioning material against the edge 104 of the substrate 100 when the substrate 100 is rotated (eg, by a vacuum chuck, drive roller, etc.). Provide frames. This membrane can be pressed against the rotating substrate edge 104 using a pad pressed by an actuator and / or an inflatable pad. In any case, the pad and / or the inflatable pad may be flexible and / or include or generate a contour that matches the shape of the edge 104 of the substrate. Based on the amount of force applied by the actuator, the elasticity of the selected pad, the amount of expansion of the inflatable pad, and / or the amount of tension on the membrane, a controlled amount of pressure is applied to the edge 104 polishing. Can be granted for. Alternatively or additionally, the membrane is tensioned within the frame, which itself applies a variable amount of tension to the edge 104 of the substrate (eg, with or with additional support from the pad). (Although not) it may be adapted to contour both the outer edge 110 and at least one of the slopes 112, 114. Thus, the present invention provides precise control of the edge polishing process that can be used to compensate for different geometric edge shapes and changes in the substrate 100 as material is removed from the edge 104.

  In some embodiments, the frame can support multiple heads, each head being adapted to support a polishing film. The head can support different types of membranes (eg, membranes of different abrasive particle sizes) that can be used simultaneously, in a predefined sequence, or at different times. The head can be placed at different positions so that the supported film can polish different portions of the edge 104 of the rotating substrate 100. The head is moved around the edge 104 by the frame to polish different portions of the edge 104 (eg, around the tangential axis of the substrate 100 and / or circumferentially relative to the substrate 100). To be translated). In some embodiments, the head may continuously vibrate around the rotating edge 104 of the substrate 100. Each head may include a membrane indexed spool and / or housed in a replaceable cassette.

  In addition or alternatively, the present invention may include facilitating delivery of fluid to the substrate edge 104 being polished. In some embodiments, one or more channels may be provided to direct chemicals or water to the substrate edge 104 to aid in polishing and / or wash away particles resulting from polishing. The chemical may be sprayed directly onto the substrate 100 at the substrate / polishing film interface and / or applied to and / or through the film and / or pad. The fluid may be sprayed from either side or both sides of the substrate 100, and the present invention is gravity free so as not to contaminate or contact other parts of the substrate 100 or the device of the present invention. Or it can drain using suction. Further, such energy may be applied to the substrate edge 104 via a fluid carrying energy (eg, megasonic energy).

  The substrate 100 can rotate in a horizontal plane. In additional or alternative embodiments, the substrate 100 can rotate in a vertical plane or other non-horizontal plane and / or move between different planes of rotation.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the edge polishing apparatus 200. The frame 202 supports and tensions the polishing film 204 in a plane perpendicular to the major surfaces 102, 102 'of the substrate 100 (eg, as indicated by straight down arrows 205a, 205b). 100 edge 104 is pressed against polishing film 204 and allows polishing film 204 to contour to substrate edge 104. As indicated by the curved arrow 205 c, the substrate 100 can rotate with respect to the polishing film 204. The substrate 100 can rotate, for example, at a speed in the range of about 50 to 300 RPM, although other speeds may be used. The substrate 100 can contact the polishing film 204 for about 15 to 150 seconds, based on the type of film used, film size, rotation speed, amount of polishing required, and the like. Longer or shorter times may be used. In some embodiments, the polishing film 204 may be supported by a pad 206 that is disposed adjacent to the back surface (eg, non-abrasive side) of the polishing film 204 and attached to the frame 202. A frame 202 including a tensioned polishing film 204 and / or a pad 206 can be pressed against the edge 104 of the substrate 100, as indicated by a straight arrow 207 pointing upward. In some embodiments, the substrate can be pressed against the polishing film with a force magnitude in the range of about 0.5 pounds to about 2.0 pounds. Other force magnitudes may be used.

  In addition or alternatively, additional lengths of the polishing film 204 can be supported and tensioned by spools 208, 210 attached to the frame 202. The supply spool 208 includes an unused polishing film 204 that is unwound and used to be pulled to an adjacent location on the substrate 100, while the take-up spool 210 is adapted to receive used and / or worn polishing film 204. can do. An index may be provided on one or both of the spools 208, 210 to accurately control the amount of polishing film 204 advanced. The polishing film 204 can be made from a number of different materials including aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, silicon carbide, and the like. Other materials may also be used. In some embodiments, the abrasive used ranges in size from about 0.5 microns to about 3 microns, although other sizes may be used. Different widths ranging from about 1 inch to about 1.5 inches can be used (although other widths may be used). In one or more embodiments, the polishing film is from about 0.002 to about 0.02 inches thick, and in embodiments using the pad 206, can withstand about 1 to 5 pounds of tension, and The padless embodiment can withstand about 3 to about 8 pounds of tension. Other membranes with different thicknesses and strengths may be used. The spools 208, 210 are about 1 inch in diameter and hold a polishing film 204 of about 500 inches, and can be made from practical materials such as polyurethane, polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF), and the like. The frame 202 can be made of a practical material such as aluminum or stainless steel.

  In some embodiments, one or more fluid channels 212 (eg, spray nozzles or bars) are provided to deliver chemicals and / or water, assist in polishing / cleaning the substrate edge 104, and lubricate the substrate. And / or the removed material can be washed away. The fluid channel 212 can be adapted to deliver fluid to the substrate 100, the polishing film 204, and / or the pad 206. The fluid may include deionized water that acts as a lubricant and flushes away the particles. Surfactants and / or other known cleaning chemicals may also be included. In some embodiments, a sonic (eg, megasonic) nozzle can be used to deliver sonicated fluid to the substrate edge 104 to supplement the cleaning. The fluid may also be delivered to the edge 104 through the polishing film 204 and / or the pad 206.

  3A and 3B are enlarged front and side sectional views of the polishing film 204 and the pad 206 of FIG. 2, respectively. Note that the polishing film 204 and pad 206 are contoured and matched to the edge 104 of the substrate 100 by force (indicated by straight arrows). In some embodiments, if the substrate 100 is not present, the pad 206 will have a flat surface where the substrate 100 is shown compressing the pad 206. Similarly, in the absence of the substrate 100, the polishing film 204 lies flat and is represented by a straight line in both figures.

  4 and 5 show two additional separate embodiments of the edge polishing apparatus 400,500. As shown in FIG. 4, an exemplary edge polishing apparatus 400 includes a base or frame 402 that includes a head 404, which is pulled between spools 208, 210 and further supported by a pad 206. 204 is supported. As shown, the pad 206 can be attached to the head 404 via a biasing device 406 (eg, a spring). Also, the edge polishing apparatus 400 of FIG. 4 includes one or more drive rollers 408 (two shown) and guide rollers 410 (two shown) that are connected to the polishing film 204. It is adapted to rotate the edge 104 of the substrate 100. The drive rollers 408 themselves can each be driven by a drive 412 (eg, motor, gear, belt, chain, etc.).

  The driving roller 408 and the guide roller 410 may include grooves that allow the substrate 100 to be supported only by the rollers 408 and 410. In some embodiments, the groove in the drive roller 408 may be about 2.5 inches in diameter, and the groove in the guide roller 410 may be about 1 inch in diameter. Other diameters are also contemplated. The area of the drive roller 408 that contacts the substrate 100 can include textures or cross grooves to allow the drive roller 408 to grip the substrate 100. The drive roller 408 and the guide roller 410 can be made from materials such as polyurethane, polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF), and the like. Other materials may be used.

  As shown in FIG. 5, another exemplary edge polishing apparatus 500 includes a base or frame 502 that includes a head 504, which is pulled between spools 208, 210 and further supported by a pad 206. 204 is supported. As shown, the pad 206 can be attached to the head 504 via an actuator 506 (eg, pneumatic slide, hydraulic ram, servo motor driven pusher, etc.). The edge polishing apparatus 500 of FIG. 5 can also include a vacuum chuck 508 coupled to a drive 510 (eg, a motor, gear, belt, chain, etc.). The effect of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is that the device 500 does not need to contact the edge 104 being polished. Thus, the possibility of particles accumulating on the drive roller or redepositing on the edge 104 is eliminated. The need to clean the rollers is also eliminated. Furthermore, the possibility of the roller damaging or scratching the edges is eliminated. By holding the substrate on the vacuum chuck, high-speed rotation without vibration can be obtained.

  The features of the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 will be described in some detail with reference to FIGS. Note that features from different embodiments can be combined in a number of different feasible ways to meet different design challenges and problems.

  FIG. 6 shows in detail the frame 502 that includes the head 504 of FIG. As described above, the head 504 supports the polishing film 204 that is pulled between the spools 208 and 210. The frame 502 (including the head 504) is translated angularly by a driving device 600 (for example, a servo motor) and a pivot 602 (an axis that contacts the edge 104 of the substrate 100 held by the edge polishing device 500 (FIG. 5)). May be adapted). The angular translation of the frame (and polishing film 204) will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 9A to 10C.

  In addition, the spools 208, 210 attached to the head 504 can be driven by one or more drive devices 606 (eg, servo motors). The drive device 604 provides an indexing capability that allows a specified amount of unused polishing film 204 to be advanced or continuously fed to the substrate edge, and tensions the polishing film as taught to apply pressure to the substrate edge. Both with the ability to tension.

  As more clearly apparent from FIG. 6 (as compared to FIG. 5), via an actuator 506 adapted to adjustably press and contour the polishing film 204 against the substrate edge 104 (FIG. 5). An optional pad 206 can be attached to the head 504. Further, one or more support rollers 606 are mounted on the head 504 to guide the polishing film 204 in a plane perpendicular to the main surface 102 (FIG. 1) of the substrate 100 held by the edge polishing apparatus 500 (FIG. 5). And can be aligned.

  In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the length of the polishing film 204 is disposed perpendicular to the edge 104 of the substrate 100 to be polished. This is in contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 where the longitudinal direction of the polishing film 204 is aligned with the edge 104 of the substrate 100 to be polished. Other orientations and configurations of the polishing film may be used. For example, the polishing film 204 may be held obliquely with respect to the main surface 102 of the substrate 100.

  7A and 7B are enlarged perspective views of two different embodiments of replaceable cassettes 700A, 700B. These cassettes 700A, 700B are heads 404 and polishing films in disposable, refillable and / or replaceable packages that can be quickly and easily mounted and / or removed from the frames 402, 502 of different edge polishing devices 400, 500. It may be adapted to give 204 features.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the cassette 700 </ b> A can include a head 404 that supports a polishing film 204 that extends from the supply reel 208 to the take-up reel 210. The polishing film 204 can be guided and aligned by a support roller 606 attached to the head 404. The pad 206 can be provided to further support the polishing film 204 as described above. Also, as described above, a biasing device 406 (eg, a spring) can be used to attach the pad 206 to the head 404 and provide a flexible / dynamic counter pressure to the pad 206. Alternatively or additionally, an adjustable actuator 506 (FIG. 6) can be used to press the pad 206 against the polishing film 204 or the entire head 404 against the substrate 100.

  In yet another embodiment shown in FIG. 7B, instead of the pad 206, the head 404 can apply lateral pressure to the substrate edge 104 (FIG. 1) simply depending on the tension of the polishing film 204. FIG. In some embodiments, the head 404 can include a notch 702 as shown in FIG. 7B for receiving the substrate 100.

  8A and 8B show two different separate embodiments of pads 206A, 206B. In addition to the pad 206 (FIG. 6) having a flat surface that is coplanar with the polishing film 204 when the substrate is not present, the pad 206A can include a concave surface that matches the contour of the edge 104 of the substrate 100. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8B, the pad 206B may include a double concave surface to better match the contour of the edge 104 of the substrate 100. In yet another embodiment, the pad 206 can include a shaping groove that exactly matches the contour of the edge 104 of the substrate 100, including the bevels 112, 114 and the outer edge 110 (FIG. 1).

  The pads 206, 206A, 206B can be made of a material such as acetal resin (for example, Delrin (registered trademark) manufactured by DuPont), PVDF, polyurethane closed cell foam, silicon rubber, and the like. Other materials may be used. Such materials may have a resiliency or adaptability that is a function of the pad thickness or density. This material may be selected based on its elasticity. The desired elasticity may be selected based on the type of polishing required.

  In some embodiments, the pads 206, 206A, 206B can have an adjustable amount of conformability relative to the edge of the substrate. For example, the pads 206, 206A, 206B are or include an inflatable sac and the pad becomes stiffer by adding more air or liquid or other fluid, while the air or liquid in the sac Alternatively, the pad can be made more compatible by reducing the amount of other fluids. FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a pad 206C that includes an inflatable bladder 802 that can be filled (and / or emptied) with fluid from a fluid source 806 via a fluid channel 804. FIG. In some embodiments, the fluid supply 806 can inflate / deflate the bladder 802 under operator command or under a programmed and / or user-operated controller. In such embodiments, an elastomeric material such as silicone rubber can be used for the bladder 802 to further improve the ability of the pad to stretch and conform to the substrate edge 104. Such an embodiment may be located in the exclusion zone 108 and / or 108 ′ (FIG. 1), for example, by limiting the amount of fluid pumped to the bladder 802 so that the polishing film 204 contacts the substrate 100. Allow the operator / controller to accurately control how far (if any) the slope 112, 114 is crossed. For example, when the outer edge 110 of the substrate is placed on a pad 206C with a contracted sac 802, the sac 802 expands and forces the pad 206C to surround and fit around the outer edge 110 and bevels 112, 114 of the substrate 100. However, it does not surround the device area 106, 106 ′ of the substrate 100. It should be noted that in some embodiments, multiple sac can be used for the pad and different shaped inflatable sac can be used in the different shaped pads 206, 206A, 206B.

  In some embodiments, the fluid used to aid polishing can be delivered to the edge of the substrate via pads 206, 206A, 206B. Fluid channels may be provided for dripping or spraying fluid onto or into the pad. Alternatively, the inflatable pad may include a sac with a semi-permeable membrane so that fluid can be slowly released (eg, through the pad) and transferred to the polishing film 204. In such embodiments, the pads 206, 206A, 206B may be covered with and made of a material that absorbs and / or retains the fluid used (eg, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), etc.). And / or may include materials thereof.

  FIGS. 9A-9C and FIGS. 10A-10C each illustrate different possible head positions of the separate edge polishers 400, 500 described above. The present invention is adapted to bring the polishing film 204 into contact with the slopes 112, 114 and the outer edge 110 of the substrate 100 without contacting the device region 106 of the substrate 100. During operation, this causes the heads 404, 504 (and thus the portion of the polishing film that contacts and contours to the edge 104 of the substrate 100) to move the outer edge 110 of the substrate 100 as the substrate 100 rotates. This is accomplished by translational translation in an angular manner about an axis in contact with. Referring to FIGS. 9A through 9C and FIGS. 10A through 10C, this angular translational axis can be represented by a line extending perpendicularly from the plane of the drawing on which these drawings are drawn at the point labeled “P”. it can. The heads 404, 504 can be held in various positions to clean the desired portion of the substrate edge 104 as the substrate 100 is rotated. In some embodiments, the heads 404, 504 may be adapted to vibrate continuously or intermittently between the various positions shown and / or other positions. The heads 404, 504 can be moved on the frame 502 by the drive device 600 (FIG. 6) under the command of a programmed or user-operated controller. Alternatively, the heads 404, 504 may be fixed and / or adjusted only while the substrate is not rotated. In yet another embodiment, the substrate may be held stationary while the head is vibrated (as described above) and rotated around the substrate 100. Further, the polishing film 204 may be attached to the heads 404, 504 in a continuous loop, and / or the polishing film 204 may be advanced continuously (or intermittently) to polish the substrate edge 104. Good. For example, film advancement may be utilized to generate or enhance the polishing motion. A combination of the above-described polishing motions and / or feasible methods can be used.

  Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, an additional embodiment of the edge polishing apparatus is shown. 11 shows an edge polishing apparatus 1100 that includes three heads 404, FIG. 12 shows an edge polishing apparatus 1200 that includes two heads 504, and FIG. 13 shows an edge polishing apparatus 1300 that includes four heads 1304. ing. As suggested in the drawings, any number and type of heads 404, 504, 1304 may be used in any possible combination. Further, in such a multi-head embodiment, each head 404, 504, 1304 may be used for a different configuration or type of polishing film 204 (eg, different particle size, material, tension, pressure, etc.). Also, any number of heads 404, 504, 1304 may be used simultaneously, individually and / or in a sequence. Different heads 404, 504, 1304 may also be used for different substrates 100 or different types of substrates. For example, the first head 404, which first supports the pad 206, such as the concave pad 206B, and the coarse abrasive film 204, with a hard biasing device 406, is used to transfer a relatively large amount of coarse material to the substrate ramps 112, 114 ( Can be removed from FIG. This first head 404 can be suitably positioned to access the slopes 112, 114. After the cleaning with the first head 404 is completed, the first head 404 can be retracted from the substrate 100, and then the second head 504 having a fine-grained polishing film 204 (without a pad) is 112 and 114 and the outer edge 110 can be moved to a position for polishing.

  After cleaning one or more substrates 100, the portion of the polishing film 204 used for such cleaning may be worn away. Therefore, the take-up reel 210 (FIG. 4) can be driven to draw the polishing film 204 from the supply reel 210 (FIG. 4) toward the take-up reel 210 by a fixed amount. Thus, an unused portion of the polishing film 204 can be prepared between the take-up reel 210 and the supply reel 208. The unused portion of the polishing film 204 can then be used to clean one or more other substrates 100, as described above. Thus, the apparatus 1100, 1200 can replace a worn portion of the polishing film 204 with an unused portion with little or no effect on the substrate throughput. Similarly, when a replaceable cassette 700A is used, the impact on throughput can be minimized by quickly replacing the cassette 700A when all polishing films 204 of that cassette 700A are used. .

  In particular, with respect to the embodiment of the edge polishing apparatus 1300 of FIG. 13, a frame 1302 that supports a plurality of heads 1304 is schematically illustrated. Each head 1304 is mounted on a frame 1302 and each head is responsive to control signals from a controller 1308 (eg, a programmed computer, an operator commanded valve system, an embedded real-time processor, etc.). , An actuator 1306 (eg, a pneumatic piston, servo-driven slide, hydraulic ram, etc.) adapted to press the pad 206 and a length of polishing film 204 against the edge 104 of the substrate 100. Note that a controller 1308 is coupled to each of the actuators 1306 (eg, electrically, mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically, etc.).

  Further, the fluid source 806 can be coupled under the control of the controller 1308. The fluid supply 806 independently delivers fluid (eg, DI water, cleaning chemical, sonicated fluid, gas, air, etc.) to each of the heads 1304 via one or more fluid channels 212. Can be controlled. Various fluids can be selectively delivered to the pad 206, the polishing film 204, and / or the substrate edge 104 via the fluid channel 212 under the direction of the controller 1308. The fluid may be used for polishing, lubrication, particle removal / rinsing, and / or inflation of the bladder 802 (FIG. 8C) within the pad 206. For example, in some embodiments, the same fluid delivered through the permeable pad 206 can be used for both polishing and expansion of the pad 206, but a second channel (not shown) is used for rinsing and lubrication. Different fluids are then used that are delivered to the same head 1304.

  Heretofore, only the embodiment of the present invention has been described. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate variations of the apparatus and methods disclosed above that fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, although only examples of cleaning round substrates have been disclosed, the present invention can be modified to clean substrates having other shapes (eg, glass or polymer plates for flat panel displays). Furthermore, while processing of a single substrate by the apparatus has been shown above, in some embodiments the apparatus can process multiple substrates simultaneously.

  Thus, although the invention has been disclosed in connection with its embodiments, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

It is a schematic sectional drawing of a part of board | substrate. It is the schematic which shows one Embodiment of the edge cleaning apparatus by this invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged front sectional view showing a part of the edge cleaning device of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is an enlarged side sectional view showing a part of the edge cleaning apparatus of FIG. 2. It is a perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the edge cleaning apparatus by this invention. It is a perspective view which shows another embodiment of the edge cleaning apparatus by this invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the embodiment shown in FIG. It is an expansion perspective view which shows embodiment of the exchange cassette for using for embodiment of this invention. It is an expansion perspective view which shows embodiment of the exchange cassette for using for embodiment of this invention. It is an expansion perspective view which shows embodiment of the pad for using for embodiment of this invention. It is an expansion perspective view which shows embodiment of the pad for using for embodiment of this invention. It is an expansion perspective view which shows embodiment of the pad for using for embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating possible head positions of the edge polishing apparatus of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating different possible head positions of the edge polishing apparatus of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating different possible head positions of the edge polishing apparatus of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating possible head positions of the edge polishing apparatus of FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating different possible head positions of the edge polishing apparatus of FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating different possible head positions of the edge polishing apparatus of FIG. 5. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a multi-head edge polishing apparatus according to the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows another embodiment of the multi-head edge grinding | polishing apparatus by this invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of a multi-head edge polishing apparatus according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Substrate, 102, 102 '... Main surface, 104 ... Edge, 106, 106' ... Device region, 108, 108 '... Exclusion region, 110 ... Outer edge, 112, 114 ... Slope, 200 ... Edge polishing apparatus, 202 ... Frame 204, Polishing film 206, 206 A, 206 B Pad, 208, 210 Spool 400, 500 Edge polishing device 402 Frame 404 504 1304 Head 406 Biasing device 408 Driving roller , 410 ... guide roller, 502 ... frame, 506 ... actuator, 508 ... vacuum chuck, 510 ... drive device, 600 ... drive device, 602 ... pivot, 606 ... support roller, 700A, 700B ... cassette, 802 ... expandable sac , 804 ... Fluid channel, 806 ... Fluid supply source, 1300 ... Edge polisher, 13 2 ... frame, 1304 ... head, 1306 ... actuator, 1308 ... controller

Claims (65)

In an apparatus adapted to polish the edge of a substrate,
A polishing film;
A frame adapted to tension at least a first length of the polishing film;
A substrate rotation drive adapted to rotate the substrate relative to the polishing film along a portion of the first length, the polishing film comprising:
Apply tension to the substrate,
Contouring the edge of the substrate including at least the outer edge and the first bevel;
Polishing the outer edge and the first slope when the substrate is rotated;
A substrate rotation drive device adapted to
With a device.   2. The frame of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a supply spool and a take-up spool for the polishing film, and wherein the frame is adapted to allow replacement of a portion of the polishing film that contacts the substrate. apparatus.   3. The polishing film according to claim 2, wherein the polishing film extends in a longitudinal direction between the supply spool and the take-up spool, and the substrate rotation driving device moves an edge of the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the polishing film. Equipment.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polishing film and the frame are housed in a replaceable cassette.   The frame is adapted to angularly translate the polishing film about an axis in contact with the outer edge of the substrate to bring the polishing film into contact with the outer edge, the first inclined surface, and the second inclined surface of the substrate. The apparatus of claim 1.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is further adapted to rotate the polishing film circumferentially about an edge of the substrate relative to the substrate.   The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fluid supply channel, wherein the fluid supply channel is adapted to deliver fluid to an edge of the substrate.   The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fluid supply channel is further adapted to deliver fluid through the polishing film to an edge of the substrate.   The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fluid supply channel is adapted to deliver sonic energy to an edge of the substrate.   The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fluid comprises at least one of water and a cleaning chemical. In an apparatus adapted to polish the edge of a substrate,
A plurality of polishing films;
At least one frame adapted to tension each polishing film along at least a first length of each polishing film;
Rotating the substrate relative to a portion of the first length of the at least one polishing film, the polishing film in contact with the substrate applies pressure to the substrate and contours the edge of the substrate; A substrate rotation drive adapted to polish the edge when rotated;
With a device.   The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of polishing films include films having different abrasives.   The frame includes a plurality of heads, each head adapted to support at least one polishing film, and the head adapted to contact the supported polishing film substantially simultaneously with the edge of the substrate. The apparatus according to claim 11.   The frame includes a plurality of heads, each head being adapted to support at least one polishing film, and each head holding the supported polishing film in contact with the edge of the substrate at different times. The apparatus of claim 11, comprising a pad adapted to.   15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each head pad is adapted to press the head polishing film against a rotating substrate in response to an actuator pressing the pad.   The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each polishing film and each head is contained in a replaceable cassette.   The frame further angularly attaches the polishing film of each head around each axis in contact with the outer edge of the substrate to bring the polishing film into contact with the outer edge of the substrate, the first inclined surface, and the second inclined surface ( 15. Apparatus according to claim 14, adapted to translate angularly).   The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the frame is further adapted to rotate the polishing film of each head circumferentially about an edge of the substrate relative to the substrate.   The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a fluid supply channel, the fluid supply channel being adapted to deliver fluid to an edge of the substrate.   15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a fluid supply channel, wherein the fluid supply channel is further adapted to deliver fluid through the polishing film of each head to the edge of the substrate.   The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the fluid supply channel is adapted to deliver sonic energy to an edge of the substrate.   The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the fluid comprises at least one of water and a cleaning chemical. In a method for cleaning the edge of a substrate,
Applying tension to the polishing film with a frame;
Contacting the polishing film against the edge of the substrate;
Adapting the polishing film to an edge of the substrate including an outer edge and at least one bevel;
Rotating the substrate while keeping the polishing film in contact with the substrate;
With a method.   24. The method of claim 23, further comprising applying at least one of water and a cleaning chemistry to the edge of the substrate via an inflatable pad.   24. The method of claim 23, further comprising applying at least one of water and cleaning chemicals to the edge of the substrate through the polishing film.   24. The method of claim 23, further comprising adapting an additional polishing film to the edge of the substrate.   24. The method of claim 23, further comprising delivering a fluid containing sonic energy to the edge of the substrate.   24. The method of claim 23, further comprising angularly translating the polishing film about an axis that contacts an outer edge of the substrate.   24. The method of claim 23, further comprising rotating the polishing film circumferentially about the substrate edge relative to the substrate. In an apparatus adapted to polish the edge of a substrate,
A polishing film having a polishing side and a second side;
An inflatable pad disposed adjacent to the second side of the polishing film;
A frame adapted to support the polishing film and the inflatable pad;
A substrate rotation drive adapted to rotate the substrate relative to the polishing side of the polishing film;
The polishing film is disposed between an edge of the substrate and the expandable pad, and the expandable pad and the polishing film are in the state where the polishing film is in contact with the edge of the substrate. A device that contours to the edge of the substrate.   32. The device of claim 30, wherein the inflatable pad is selectively inflatable.   The edge of the substrate includes an outer edge and at least one bevel, and the expandable pad expands so that the expandable pad and the polishing film contour the outer edge and the at least one bevel. 32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said apparatus is adapted to: The edge of the substrate includes an outer edge, a first slope and a second slope,
The substrate includes a device region and an exclusion region,
The inflatable pad is selectively inflated so that the inflatable pad and the polishing film selectively contour to one or more of the outer edge, the first bevel, the second bevel and the exclusion region. 32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said apparatus is adapted as follows.   34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the inflatable pad and the polishing film are prevented from contacting the device region.   32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the polishing film, the expandable pad, and the frame are housed in a replaceable cassette.   31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the frame is further adapted to angularly translate the polishing film about an axis that contacts an edge of the substrate.   32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the frame is further adapted to rotate the polishing film circumferentially about an edge of the substrate relative to the substrate.   32. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a fluid supply channel, wherein the fluid supply channel is adapted to deliver at least one of water and cleaning chemicals to the edge of the substrate.   40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the fluid supply channel is further adapted to deliver fluid through the polishing film to an edge of the substrate.   39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the fluid supply channel is further adapted to deliver fluid to the edge of the substrate via the inflatable pad.   41. The device of claim 40, wherein the inflatable pad is permeable and inflatable with a fluid.   40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the fluid supply channel is adapted to deliver sonic energy to an edge of the substrate. In a method for cleaning the edge of a substrate,
Supporting the polishing film;
Contacting the polishing film against the edge of the substrate;
Adapting the polishing film to an edge of the substrate including an outer edge and at least one bevel;
Rotating the substrate while keeping the polishing film in contact with the substrate;
With a method.   44. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of adapting a polishing film comprises tensioning the polishing film in a frame.   44. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of adapting a polishing film comprises pressing the polishing film against an edge of the substrate with an inflatable pad.   46. The method of claim 45, further comprising adjusting the fit of the polishing film to an edge of the substrate by adjusting the inflatable pad.   46. The method of claim 45, further comprising applying at least one of water and a cleaning chemical to the edge of the substrate through the inflatable pad.   46. The method of claim 45, further comprising applying at least one of water and a cleaning chemical to the edge of the substrate through the polishing film.   46. The method of claim 45, further comprising adapting an additional polishing film to the edge of the substrate.   46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of distributing a fluid containing sonic energy to the edge of the substrate.   46. The method of claim 45, further comprising angularly translating the polishing film about an axis that contacts an outer edge of the substrate.   46. The method of claim 45, further comprising rotating the polishing film circumferentially about the substrate edge relative to the substrate. In an apparatus adapted to polish the edge of a substrate,
A polishing film having an abrasive side and a back side;
A contoured pad disposed adjacent to the back side of the polishing film;
A frame adapted to support the polishing film and the contoured pad;
A substrate rotation drive adapted to rotate the substrate relative to the polishing side of the polishing film;
With
The polishing film is disposed between an edge of the substrate and the contoured pad, and the contoured pad and the polishing film are disposed on the substrate in a state where the polishing film is in contact with the edge of the substrate. A device that contours the edges. The edge of the substrate includes an outer edge and at least one bevel;
54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the contoured pad is adapted to contour the polishing film against the outer edge and at least one bevel. The edge of the substrate includes an outer edge, a first slope and a second slope,
The substrate includes a device region and an exclusion region,
54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the contoured pad is adapted to contour the polishing film to one or more of the outer edge, first slope, second slope, and exclusion region.   56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the contoured pad and the polishing film are prevented from contacting the device region.   54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the polishing film, the contoured pad and the frame are contained in a replaceable cassette.   54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the frame is further adapted to angularly translate the polishing film about an axis that contacts an edge of the substrate.   54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the frame is further adapted to rotate the polishing film circumferentially about an edge of the substrate relative to the substrate.   54. The apparatus of claim 53, further comprising a fluid supply channel, wherein the fluid supply channel is adapted to deliver at least one of water and cleaning chemicals to the edge of the substrate.   61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the fluid supply channel is further adapted to deliver fluid through the polishing film to an edge of the substrate.   61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the fluid supply channel is further adapted to deliver fluid through the contoured pad to an edge of the substrate.   64. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the contoured pad is permeable and can be inflated with a fluid.   61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the fluid supply channel is adapted to deliver sonic energy to an edge of the substrate.   54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the contoured pad is adapted to receive a fluid and apply the fluid to the polishing film.

Images