JP2021137958A - Buff processing device and substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve the in-plane uniformity of buff processing.SOLUTION: According to one embodiment, a buff processing device for performing buff processing on a substrate is provided. The buff processing device has: a rotary shaft; a buff head body; a torque transmission mechanism for transmitting rotation of the shaft to the buff head body; and an elastic member which elastically supports the buff head body in a longitudinal direction of the shaft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a buffing apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus. The present invention also relates to a cover used for the buffing apparatus and a maintenance method for the buffing apparatus.

In recent years, a processing apparatus has been used to perform various processing on an object to be processed (for example, a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or various films formed on the surface of the substrate). As an example of the processing apparatus, a CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) apparatus for performing a polishing treatment or the like of a processing object can be mentioned.

The CMP apparatus delivers the object to be treated to a polishing unit for polishing the object to be treated, a cleaning unit for cleaning and drying the object to be treated, and the polishing unit, and the cleaning unit performs the cleaning process. And a load / unload unit that receives the processed object that has been dried. Further, the CMP apparatus includes a polishing unit, a cleaning unit, and a transport mechanism for transporting the object to be processed in the load / unload unit. The CMP apparatus sequentially performs various processes of polishing, cleaning, and drying while transporting the object to be processed by the transport mechanism.

In addition, a process for slightly additional polishing the substrate and removing and cleaning the deposits on the substrate while pressing a contact member having a diameter smaller than that of the substrate against the substrate after the polishing treatment and causing the substrate to move relative to each other. The unit may be provided in the CMP device separately from the main polishing section.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-50436 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-162893

In the processing unit using the contact member having a diameter smaller than that of the substrate as described above, it is desirable to ensure the in-plane uniformity of the substrate to be processed. When the substrate is processed with a small-diameter contact member, or when the processing is completed and the contact member is separated from the substrate, if the contact member and the substrate are not kept parallel, the substrate is partially overloaded. Polishing, uneven wear, and scratches may occur.

In general, liquids such as slurry, chemicals, and pure water may be used for polishing or cleaning the substrate. Therefore, a cover may be provided around the contact member in order to prevent various liquids used for the treatment from entering the drive unit that drives the contact member. However, if a cover is provided around the contact member, it takes time to remove the cover during maintenance such as replacement work of the contact member.

The present invention is intended to at least partially solve at least some of the above problems.

According to the first aspect, a buffing apparatus for buffing a substrate is provided. Such a buffing device includes a rotatable shaft, a buff head body, a torque transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the shaft to the buff head body, and elasticity that elastically supports the buff head body in the longitudinal direction of the shaft. It has a member and.

According to the second aspect, in the buffing apparatus of the first aspect, the torque transmission mechanism and the elastic member include the bellows type coupling, and the bellows type coupling has one end directly or indirectly. Is connected to the shaft, and the other end is connected to the buff head body.

According to the third aspect, in the buffing apparatus of the first aspect, the torque transmission mechanism includes a drive pin for transmitting the rotation of the shaft to the buff head main body, and the elastic member includes a spring. ..

According to the fourth aspect, in the buffing apparatus of the third aspect, the drive pins and the springs are each three or more, and are arranged at equal intervals on the entire circumference of the buff head main body.

According to the fifth embodiment, in the buff processing device of any one of the first to fourth embodiments, the buff pad carrier detachably attached to the buff head main body and the buff pad carrier.
It has a buff pad attached to the buff pad carrier.

According to the sixth embodiment, the buff processing device of any one of the first to fifth embodiments has a gimbal mechanism that slidably supports the buff head main body.

According to the seventh aspect, in the buffing apparatus of the sixth aspect, the rotation center of the gimbal mechanism is configured to be near the surface of the buff pad with the buff pad attached.

According to the eighth aspect, in the buffing apparatus of the seventh aspect, the rotation center of the gimbal mechanism is within a range of 10 mm from the surface of the buff pad with the buff pad attached.

According to a ninth aspect, in any one of the sixth to eighth forms of the buffing apparatus, the gimbal mechanism has a spherical plain bearing.

According to the tenth aspect, in the buffing apparatus of any one of the first to ninth forms,
The buffing device has a head strut portion that is directly or indirectly fixed to the shaft, and a support member that is fixed to the buff head body, and the shaft can move in the longitudinal direction of the shaft. The head strut portion is configured to be separated from the support member when the substrate is buffed, and to be in contact with the support member when the buff head main body moves away from the substrate. ..

According to the eleventh aspect, in the buffing apparatus of the tenth aspect, the head strut portion has a spherical concave surface that contacts the buff head main body, and the buff head main body contacts the spherical concave surface. The gimbal mechanism has a spherical convex surface to be formed, and the gimbal mechanism is composed of the spherical concave surface of the head strut portion and the spherical convex surface of the buff head main body.

According to a twelfth aspect, the buffing apparatus of any one of the first to ninth forms has a cover that at least partially surrounds the shaft, the buff head body, the torque transmission mechanism, and the elastic member. ..

According to a thirteenth aspect, a cover that can be attached to a rotatable buff head used in a buffing device for buffing a substrate is provided. Such a cover includes a first cover member and a second cover member attached to the first cover member, and the second cover member is configured to be slidable with respect to the first cover member.

According to the fourteenth form, in the cover of the thirteenth form, the first cover member includes an axial portion extending in a direction along the rotation axis of the buff head, and an outer protruding portion extending outward from the axial portion. The second cover member has an axial portion extending in a direction along the rotation axis of the buff head and an inner protruding portion extending inward from the axial portion, and the outer protruding portion and the inner protruding portion. The portion can be engaged with the portion in a direction along the rotation axis, and the inner protruding portion can slide with respect to the outer surface of the axial portion of the first cover member.

According to the fifteenth form, in the cover of the thirteenth or fourteenth form, the cover is configured to be attached to a stationary portion of the buff head.

According to the sixteenth embodiment, a cover that can be attached to a rotatable buff head used in a buffing device for buffing a substrate is provided. Such a cover includes a first cover member and a second cover member attached to the first cover member, and the second cover member is configured to be removable from the first cover member.

According to the seventeenth form, in the cover of the sixteenth form, the first cover member has an axial portion extending in a direction along the rotation axis of the buff head and an axial portion protruding outward from the axial portion and on the rotation axis. The second cover member has an outward projecting portion having an inclined surface inclined with respect to a vertical surface, and the second cover member includes an axial portion extending in a direction along the rotation axis of the buff head and the first cover member. It has an inclined surface that can be engaged with the inclined surface.

According to the eighteenth form, in the cover of the sixteenth or seventeenth form, the second cover member is composed of a plurality of splittable cover members, and the plurality of cover members are each formed into a first cover member. It is configured to be mountable.

According to the nineteenth aspect, in the cover of any one of the sixteenth to eighteenth forms, the first cover member has a fastener for fixing the first cover member and the second cover member, and the first cover member. And the second cover member are fixed, the inclined portion of the first cover member and the inclined portion of the second cover member are engaged with each other, and the fastener is loosened. 1 The engagement between the inclined portion of the cover member and the inclined portion of the second cover member is released.

According to the twentieth aspect, in the cover of the nineteenth form, the first cover member has a hole having a dimension through which the fastener passes, and the second cover member has a slot through which the fastener passes. The second cover member can be removed from the fastener through the slot without removing the fastener while the fastener is loosened.

According to the twenty-first aspect, in any one of the 16th to 20th forms, the cover is configured to be attached to a rotating portion of the buff head.

According to the 22nd form, in the cover of the 21st form, the cover is attached to the buff head main body of the buff processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

According to the 23rd embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus is provided. Such a substrate processing apparatus includes a buffing apparatus of any one of the first to twelfth forms, a transport mechanism for transporting the substrate, a cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate, and drying for drying the substrate. It has a unit and.

According to the twenty-fourth embodiment, there is provided a maintenance method for a buffing apparatus having a first cover and a second cover attached to the inside of the first cover. In such a method, the step of lowering the buff head of the buff processing device, the shaft body to which the first cover is attached, and the buff head to which the second cover is attached are axially separated from each other, and the first cover is attached. And the step of separating the second cover and the second cover member of the first cover, which is configured to be slidable in the axial direction with respect to the first cover member fixed to the shaft body in the axial direction. It has a step of sliding it upward and a step of removing the second cover member attached to the buff head from the buff head and sliding the first cover member of the second cover in the axial direction. .. In such a maintenance method, the order of the step of lowering the buff head, the step of sliding the second member of the first cover member, and the step of sliding the first cover member of the second cover is arbitrary. ..

It is a top view which shows the whole structure of the processing apparatus by one Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows typically the polishing module by one Embodiment. It is a top view of the cleaning unit according to one Embodiment. It is a side view of the cleaning unit by one Embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a buffing module according to an embodiment. It is schematic cross-sectional view around the buff head of the buff processing apparatus according to one Embodiment. It is a top sectional view of the buff head shown in FIG. It is schematic cross-sectional view around the buff head of the buff processing apparatus according to one Embodiment. It is schematic cross-sectional view around the buff head of the buff processing apparatus according to one Embodiment. It is an enlarged view of the cover shown in FIG. 9 is a view of the cover shown in FIG. 9A as viewed from the direction of arrow 9B. It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the buff head of the buff processing apparatus according to one embodiment, and is the figure which shows the state which the outer cover and the inner cover are close to each other. It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the buff head of the buff processing apparatus according to one embodiment, and is the figure which shows the state which the outer cover and the inner cover are separated. It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the buff head of the buff processing apparatus according to one embodiment, and is the figure which shows the state which the 2nd cover member of the outer cover was slid upward with respect to the 1st cover member, and the inner cover was lowered.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the buff processing apparatus, which is the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, will be described together with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar elements are designated by the same or similar reference numerals, and duplicate description of the same or similar elements may be omitted in the description of each embodiment. In addition, the features shown in each embodiment can be applied to other embodiments as long as they do not contradict each other.

<Processing device>
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of a processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing apparatus (CMP apparatus) 1000 for processing an object to be processed includes a housing 1 having a substantially rectangular shape. The inside of the housing 1 is divided into a load / unload unit 2, a polishing unit 3, and a cleaning unit 4 by partition walls 1a and 1b. The load / unload unit 2, the polishing unit 3, and the cleaning unit 4 are assembled independently and exhausted independently. Further, the cleaning unit 4 includes a power supply unit that supplies power to the processing device and a control device 5 that controls the processing operation.

<Load / Unload unit>
The load / unload unit 2 includes two or more (four in this embodiment) front load units 20 on which wafer cassettes for stocking a large number of objects to be processed (for example, wafers (substrates)) are placed. These front load portions 20 are arranged adjacent to the housing 1 and arranged along the width direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of the processing device. An open cassette, a SMIF (Standard Manufacturing Interface) pod, or a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) can be mounted on the front load unit 20. Here, SMIF and FOUP are closed containers that can maintain an environment independent of the external space by storing the wafer cassette inside and covering it with a partition wall.

Further, in the load / unload unit 2, a traveling mechanism 21 is laid along the line of the front load portion 20. Two transfer robots (loader, transfer mechanism) 22 that can move along the arrangement direction of the wafer cassettes are installed on the traveling mechanism 21. The transfer robot 22 can access the wafer cassette mounted on the front load unit 20 by moving on the traveling mechanism 21. Each transfer robot 22 has two hands on the upper and lower sides. The upper hand is used to return the processed wafer to the wafer cassette. The lower hand is used to remove the unprocessed wafer from the wafer cassette. In this way, the upper and lower hands can be used properly. Further, the lower hand of the transfer robot 22 is configured so that the wafer can be inverted.

Since the load / unload unit 2 is the area that needs to be kept in the cleanest state, the pressure inside the load / unload unit 2 is higher than that of the outside of the processing device, the polishing unit 3, and the cleaning unit 4. Is always maintained. The polishing unit 3 is the dirtiest region because a slurry is used as the polishing liquid. Therefore, a negative pressure is formed inside the polishing unit 3, and the pressure is maintained lower than the internal pressure of the cleaning unit 4. The load / unload unit 2 is provided with a filter fan unit (not shown) having a clean air filter such as a HEPA filter, a ULPA filter, or a chemical filter. Clean air from which particles, toxic steam, or toxic gas has been removed is constantly blown out from the filter fan unit.

<Polishing unit>
The polishing unit 3 is a region where the wafer is polished (flattened). The polishing unit 3 includes a first polishing module 3A, a second polishing module 3B, a third polishing module 3C, and a fourth polishing module 3D. The first polishing module 3A, the second polishing module 3B, the third polishing module 3C, and the fourth polishing module 3D are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the processing apparatus as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first polishing module 3A holds a polishing table 30A to which a polishing pad (polishing tool) 10 having a polishing surface is attached and a wafer and presses the polishing pad 10 on the polishing table 30A. A top ring 31A for polishing while polishing, a polishing liquid supply nozzle 32A for supplying a polishing liquid or a dressing liquid (for example, pure water) to the polishing pad 10, and a dresser for dressing the polished surface of the polishing pad 10. An atomizer that injects 33A and a mixed fluid of liquid (for example, pure water) and gas (for example, nitrogen gas) or liquid (for example, pure water) to remove slurries and polishing products on the polishing surface, and polishing pad residue due to dressing. It is equipped with 34A.

Similarly, the second polishing module 3B includes a polishing table 30B, a top ring 31B, a polishing liquid supply nozzle 32B, a dresser 33B, and an atomizer 34B. The third polishing module 3C includes a polishing table 30C, a top ring 31C, a polishing liquid supply nozzle 32C, a dresser 33C, and an atomizer 34C. The fourth polishing module 3D includes a polishing table 30D, a top ring 31D, a polishing liquid supply nozzle 32D, a dresser 33D, and an atomizer 34D.

Since the first polishing module 3A, the second polishing module 3B, the third polishing module 3C, and the fourth polishing module 3D have the same configuration as each other, only the first polishing module 3A will be described below.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the first polishing module 3A. The top ring 31A is supported by the top ring shaft 36. A polishing pad 10 is attached to the upper surface of the polishing table 30A. The upper surface of the polishing pad 10 forms a polishing surface for polishing the wafer W. It should be noted that fixed abrasive grains can be used instead of the polishing pad 10. The top ring 31A and the polishing table 30A are configured to rotate about their axis, as indicated by the arrows. The wafer W is held on the lower surface of the top ring 31A by vacuum suction. At the time of polishing, the wafer W to be polished is pressed against the polishing surface of the polishing pad 10 by the top ring 31A while the polishing liquid is supplied from the polishing liquid supply nozzle 32A to the polishing surface of the polishing pad 10.

<Transport mechanism>
Next, a transport mechanism for transporting the wafer will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the first linear transporter 6 is arranged adjacent to the first polishing module 3A and the second polishing module 3B. The first linear transporter 6 has four transport positions along the direction in which the polishing modules 3A and 3B are arranged (first transport position TP1, second transport position TP2, and third transport position in order from the load / unload unit side). It is a mechanism for transferring the wafer between TP3 and the fourth transfer position TP4).

Further, the second linear transporter 7 is arranged adjacent to the third polishing module 3C and the fourth polishing module 3D. The second linear transporter 7 has three transport positions along the direction in which the polishing modules 3C and 3D are arranged (the fifth transport position TP5, the sixth transport position TP6, and the seventh transport position in order from the load / unload unit side). It is a mechanism for transporting wafers between (TP7).

The wafer is conveyed to the polishing modules 3A and 3B by the first linear transporter 6. The top ring 31A of the first polishing module 3A moves between the polishing position and the second transport position TP2 by the swing operation of the top ring head. Therefore, the transfer of the wafer to the top ring 31A is performed at the second transfer position TP2. Similarly, the top ring 31B of the second polishing module 3B moves between the polishing position and the third transfer position TP3, and the wafer is transferred to the top ring 31B at the third transfer position TP3. The top ring 31C of the third polishing module 3C moves between the polishing position and the sixth transfer position TP6, and the wafer is delivered to the top ring 31C at the sixth transfer position TP6. The top ring 31D of the 4th polishing module 3D moves between the polishing position and the 7th transfer position TP7, and the wafer is transferred to the top ring 31D at the 7th transfer position TP7.

At the first transfer position TP1, a lifter 11 for receiving the wafer from the transfer robot 22 is arranged. The wafer is passed from the transfer robot 22 to the first linear transporter 6 via the lifter 11. A shutter (not shown) is provided on the partition wall 1a so as to be located between the lifter 11 and the transfer robot 22 so that the shutter is opened when the wafer is transferred and the wafer is transferred from the transfer robot 22 to the lifter 11. It has become. Further, a swing transporter 12 is arranged between the first linear transporter 6, the second linear transporter 7, and the cleaning unit 4. The swing transporter 12 has a fourth transport position TP.
It has a hand that can move between the 4th and the 5th transport position TP5. Wafer transfer from the first linear transporter 6 to the second linear transporter 7 is performed by the swing transporter 12. The wafer is conveyed to the third polishing module 3C and / or the fourth polishing module 3D by the second linear transporter 7. Further, the wafer polished by the polishing unit 3 is conveyed to the cleaning unit 4 via the swing transporter 12. A temporary placement table 180 for the wafer W installed on a frame (not shown) is arranged on the side of the swing transporter 12. The temporary stand 180 is arranged adjacent to the first linear transporter 6 and is located between the first linear transporter 6 and the cleaning unit 4.

<Washing unit>
FIG. 3A is a plan view showing the cleaning unit 4, and FIG. 3B is a side view showing the cleaning unit 4. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the cleaning unit 4 is dried here with the roll cleaning chamber 190, the first transport chamber 191 and the pen cleaning chamber 192, the second transport chamber 193, and the like. It is divided into a chamber 194, a buffing chamber 300, and a third transport chamber 195. The pressure balance between the polishing unit 3, the roll cleaning chamber 190, the pen cleaning chamber 192, the drying chamber 194, and the buffing chamber 300 is as follows: drying chamber 194> roll cleaning chamber 190 and pen cleaning chamber 192> buffing. The chamber 300 ≧ polishing unit 3 can be set. The polishing unit uses a polishing liquid, and the buffing chamber may also use the polishing liquid as the buffing liquid. Therefore, by achieving the pressure balance as described above, it is possible to prevent particle components such as abrasive grains in the polishing liquid from flowing into the cleaning and drying chambers, thereby maintaining the cleanliness of the cleaning and drying chambers. It will be possible.

In the roll cleaning chamber 190, an upper roll cleaning module 201A and a lower roll cleaning module 201B arranged along the vertical direction are arranged. The upper roll cleaning module 201A is arranged above the lower roll cleaning module 201B. The upper roll cleaning module 201A and the lower roll cleaning module 201B clean the wafer by pressing two rotating roll sponges (first cleaning tools) against the front and back surfaces of the wafer while supplying the cleaning liquid to the front and back surfaces of the wafer. It is a washing machine. A wafer temporary stand 204 is provided between the upper roll cleaning module 201A and the lower roll cleaning module 201B.

In the pen cleaning chamber 192, an upper pen cleaning module 202A and a lower pen cleaning module 202B arranged along the vertical direction are arranged. The upper pen cleaning module 202A is arranged above the lower pen cleaning module 202B. The upper pen cleaning module 202A and the lower pen cleaning module 202B supply a cleaning liquid to the surface of the wafer and press a rotating pencil sponge (second cleaning tool) against the surface of the wafer to swing in the radial direction of the wafer. It is a washing machine that cleans the wafer by. A wafer temporary stand 203 is provided between the upper pen cleaning module 202A and the lower pen cleaning module 202B.

In the drying chamber 194, an upper drying module 205A and a lower drying module 205B arranged along the vertical direction are arranged. The upper drying module 205A and the lower drying module 205B are isolated from each other. Filter fan units 207A and 207B for supplying clean air into the drying modules 205A and 205B are provided above the upper drying module 205A and the lower drying module 205B, respectively.

The upper roll cleaning module 201A, the lower roll cleaning module 201B, the upper pen cleaning module 202A, the lower pen cleaning module 202B, the temporary stand 203, the upper drying module 205A, and the lower drying module 205B have bolts or the like on a frame (not shown). It is fixed via.

In the first transfer chamber 191, a first transfer robot (convey mechanism) 209 capable of moving up and down is arranged. In the second transfer chamber 193, a second transfer robot 210 that can move up and down is arranged. In the third transfer chamber 195, a third transfer robot (convey mechanism) 213 that can move up and down is arranged. The first transfer robot 209, the second transfer robot 210, and the third transfer robot 213 are movably supported by support shafts 211, 212, and 214 extending in the vertical direction, respectively. The first transfer robot 209, the second transfer robot 210, and the third transfer robot 213 have a drive mechanism such as a motor inside, and can move up and down along the support shafts 211,212,214. ing. Like the transfer robot 22, the first transfer robot 209 has two upper and lower hands. As shown by the dotted line in FIG. 3A, the first transfer robot 209 is arranged at a position where the lower hand can access the temporary storage table 180 described above. When the lower hand of the first transfer robot 209 accesses the temporary storage base 180, the shutter (not shown) provided on the partition wall 1b is opened.

The first transfer robot 209 includes a temporary storage table 180, an upper roll cleaning module 201A, a lower roll cleaning module 201B, a temporary storage table 204, a temporary storage table 203, an upper pen cleaning module 202A, and a lower pen cleaning module 202B. It operates to convey the wafer W between the two. The first transfer robot 209 uses the lower hand when transporting the wafer before cleaning (wafer to which the slurry is attached), and uses the upper hand when transporting the wafer after cleaning.

The second transfer robot 210 operates to transfer the wafer W between the upper pen cleaning module 202A, the lower pen cleaning module 202B, the temporary stand 203, the upper drying module 205A, and the lower drying module 205B. .. Since the second transfer robot 210 transfers only the washed wafer, it has only one hand. The transfer robot 22 shown in FIG. 1 takes out a wafer from the upper drying module 205A or the lower drying module 205B by using the upper hand, and returns the wafer to the wafer cassette. When the upper hand of the transfer robot 22 accesses the drying modules 205A and 205B, the shutter (not shown) provided on the partition wall 1a is opened.

The buffing chamber 300 is provided with an upper buffing module 300A and a lower buffing module 300B. The third transfer robot 213 transfers the wafer W between the upper roll cleaning module 201A, the lower roll cleaning module 201B, the temporary stand 204, the upper buffing module 300A, and the lower buffing module 300B. Operate.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the buffing chamber 300, the roll cleaning chamber 190, and the pen cleaning chamber 192 are arranged in order from the load / unload unit 2 in the cleaning unit 4. However, it is not limited to this. The arrangement mode of the buff processing chamber 300, the roll cleaning chamber 190, and the pen cleaning chamber 192 can be appropriately selected depending on the quality of the wafer, the throughput, and the like. Further, in the present embodiment, an example including the upper buff processing module 300A and the lower buff processing module 300B is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and only one buff processing module may be provided. Further, in the present embodiment, in addition to the buff processing chamber 300, a roll cleaning module and a pen cleaning module have been described as modules for cleaning the wafer W, but the present invention is not limited to this, and two-fluid jet cleaning (2FJ cleaning) is not limited to this. ) Or megasonic cleaning can also be performed. In the two-fluid jet cleaning, minute droplets (mist) placed on a high-speed gas are ejected from the two-fluid nozzle toward the wafer W to collide, and the shock wave generated by the collision of the minute droplets with the wafer W surface is used. The particles and the like on the surface of the wafer W are removed (cleaned). In megasonic cleaning, ultrasonic waves are applied to the cleaning liquid, and the acting force due to the vibrational acceleration of the cleaning liquid molecules is applied to the adhered particles such as particles to remove them. Hereinafter, the upper buff processing module 300A and the lower buff processing module 300B will be described. Since the upper buffing module 300A and the lower buffing module 300B have the same configuration, only the upper buffing module 300A will be described.

<Buffing module>
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the upper buff processing module. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper buffing module 300A includes a buffing table 400 on which the wafer W is installed, a buffing component 350, a liquid supply system 700 for supplying the buffing liquid, and conditioning of the buff pad 502 (as shown in FIG. It is provided with a conditioning unit 800 for performing sharpening). The buffing component 350 includes a buff head 500 to which a buff pad 502 for performing buffing is attached to the processed surface of the wafer W, and a buff arm 600 for holding the buff head 500.

The buffing solution contains at least one of DIW (pure water), a cleaning agent solution, and a polishing solution such as a slurry. There are mainly two types of buffing methods. One is a method of removing contaminants such as slurry and polishing product residue remaining on the wafer to be processed at the time of contact with the buff pad. The other method is a method of removing a certain amount of the treatment target to which the contaminants are attached by polishing or the like. In the former case, the buffing solution is preferably a cleaning chemical solution or DIW, and in the latter case, a polishing solution is preferable. However, in the latter case, the amount removed by the above treatment is, for example, less than 10 nm, preferably 5 nm or less, which is desirable for maintaining the state of the surface to be treated (flatness and residual film amount) after CMP. , It may not be necessary to remove as fast as normal CMP. In such a case, the processing speed may be adjusted by appropriately performing a treatment such as dilution on the polishing liquid. The buff pad 502 is formed of, for example, a polyurethane foam hard pad, a suede soft pad, or a sponge. The type of buff pad may be appropriately selected according to the material of the object to be treated and the state of contaminants to be removed. For example, when the contaminant is buried in the surface of the object to be treated, a hard pad that makes it easier for the physical force to act on the contaminant, that is, a pad having high hardness or rigidity may be used as the buff pad. On the other hand, when the object to be treated is a material having low mechanical strength such as a Low-k film, a soft pad may be used in order to reduce damage to the surface to be treated. In addition, when the buffing liquid is a polishing liquid such as a slurry, the removal speed of the object to be treated, the removal efficiency of contaminants, and the presence or absence of damage are not determined simply by the hardness and rigidity of the buff pad, so they can be selected as appropriate. good. Further, the surface of these buff pads may be provided with a groove shape such as a concentric groove, an XY groove, a spiral groove, or a radial groove. Further, at least one hole penetrating the buff pad may be provided in the buff pad, and the buffing liquid may be supplied through the main hole. Further, the buff pad may be made of a sponge-like material such as PVA sponge, which is permeable to the buffing liquid. As a result, it is possible to make the flow distribution of the buffing liquid in the buff pad surface uniform and to quickly discharge the contaminants removed by the buffing.

The buff table 400 has a mechanism for adsorbing the wafer W. Further, the buff table 400 can be rotated around the rotation axis A by a drive mechanism (not shown). Further, the buff table 400 may be adapted to cause the wafer W to perform an angular rotation motion or a scroll motion by a drive mechanism (not shown). The buff pad 502 is attached to the surface of the buff head 500 facing the wafer W. The buff head 500 can be rotated around the rotation axis B by a drive mechanism (not shown). Further, the buff head 500 can press the buff pad 502 against the processing surface of the wafer W by a drive mechanism (not shown). The buff arm 600 can move the buff head 500 within the radius or diameter of the wafer W as shown by the arrow C. Further, the buff arm 600 can swing the buff head 500 to a position where the buff pad 502 faces the conditioning portion 800.

The conditioning unit 800 is a member for conditioning the surface of the buff pad 502. The conditioning unit 800 includes a dress table 810 and a dresser 820 installed on the dress table 810. The dress table 810 can be rotated around the rotation axis D by a drive mechanism (not shown). Further, the dress table 810 may be adapted to cause the dresser 820 to scroll by a drive mechanism (not shown). The dresser 820 is a diamond dresser in which diamond particles are electrodeposited and fixed on the surface, or diamond abrasive grains are arranged on the entire surface or a part of the contact surface with the buff pad, and a resin brush bristles are on the contact surface with the buff pad. It is formed by brush dressers arranged on the entire surface or a part of the above, or a combination thereof.

When conditioning the buff pad 502, the upper buff processing module 300A rotates the buff arm 600 until the buff pad 502 faces the dresser 820. The upper buffing module 300A conditions the buff pad 502 by rotating the dress table 810 around the rotation axis D, rotating the buff head 500, and pressing the buff pad 502 against the dresser 820. As for the conditioning conditions, the conditioning load is ~ 80N, and 40N or less is even better from the viewpoint of the life of the buff pad. Further, it is desirable to use the buff pad 502 and the dresser 820 at a rotation speed of 500 rpm or less. In this embodiment, the processing surface of the wafer W and the dress surface of the dresser 820 are installed along the horizontal direction, but the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, in the upper buff processing module 300A, the buff table 400 and the dress table 810 can be arranged so that the processing surface of the wafer W and the dress surface of the dresser 820 are installed along the vertical direction. In this case, the buff arm 600 and the buff head 500 perform buffing by bringing the buff pad 502 into contact with the processing surface of the wafer W arranged in the vertical direction, and buff the pad with respect to the dress surface of the dresser 820 arranged in the vertical direction. It is arranged so that the 502 can be brought into contact with the conditioning process. Further, either one of the buff table 400 or the dress table 810 is arranged in the vertical direction, and all or part of the buff arm 600 is rotated so that the buff pad 502 arranged on the buff arm 600 is perpendicular to each table surface. Is also good.

The liquid supply system 700 includes a pure water nozzle 710 for supplying pure water (DIW) to the processing surface of the wafer W. The pure water nozzle 710 is connected to the pure water supply source 714 via the pure water pipe 712. The pure water pipe 712 is provided with an on-off valve 716 capable of opening and closing the pure water pipe 712. By controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve 716, the control device 5 can supply pure water to the processing surface of the wafer W at an arbitrary timing.

Further, the liquid supply system 700 includes a chemical liquid nozzle 720 for supplying the chemical liquid (Chemi) to the processing surface of the wafer W. The chemical solution nozzle 720 is connected to the chemical solution supply source 724 via the chemical solution pipe 722. The chemical solution pipe 722 is provided with an on-off valve 726 capable of opening and closing the chemical solution pipe 722. By controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve 726, the control device 5 can supply the chemical solution to the processing surface of the wafer W at an arbitrary timing.

Further, the liquid supply system 700 includes a slurry nozzle 730 for supplying slurry to the processing surface of the wafer W. The slurry nozzle 730 is connected to the slurry supply source 734 via the slurry pipe 732. The slurry pipe 732 is provided with an on-off valve 736 capable of opening and closing the slurry pipe 732. By controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve 736, the control device 5 can supply the slurry to the processing surface of the wafer W at an arbitrary timing.

The upper buffing module 300A supplies the processing liquid to the wafer W, rotates the buff table 400 around the rotation axis A, presses the buff pad 502 against the processing surface of the wafer W, and rotates the buff head 500 around the rotation axis B. However, the wafer W can be buffed by swinging in the direction of arrow C. Although it is a condition in the buffing process, this process basically removes defects by mechanical action, but on the other hand, in consideration of reducing damage to the wafer W, the pressure should be 3 psi or less, preferably 2 psi or less. desirable. Further, the rotation speed of the wafer W and the buff head 500 is preferably 1000 rpm or less in consideration of the in-plane distribution of the buffing liquid. The moving speed of the buff head 500 is 300 mm / sec or less. However, since the optimum movement speed distribution differs depending on the rotation speed of the wafer W and the buff head 500 and the movement distance of the buff head 500, it is desirable that the movement speed of the buff head 500 is variable in the wafer W plane. As a method of changing the moving speed in this case, for example, a method in which the swing distance in the wafer W plane is divided into a plurality of sections and the moving speed can be set for each section is desirable. Further, as the flow rate of the buffing liquid, a large flow rate is preferable in order to maintain a sufficient in-plane distribution of the processing liquid even when the wafer W and the buff head 500 rotate at high speed. However, on the other hand, since an increase in the flow rate of the treatment liquid causes an increase in the treatment cost, the flow rate is preferably 1000 ml / min or less, preferably 500 ml / min or less.

Here, the buffing treatment includes at least one of a buffing treatment and a buffing cleaning treatment.

The buffing treatment is a treatment of the wafer W by making the wafer W and the buff pad 502 move relative to each other while bringing the buff pad 502 into contact with the wafer W and interposing polishing such as a slurry between the wafer W and the buff pad 502. This is a process of polishing and removing the surface. The buffing process exerts a stronger physical force than the physical force applied to the wafer W by the roll sponge in the roll cleaning chamber 190 and the physical force applied to the wafer W by the pen sponge in the pen cleaning chamber 192. This is a process that can be added to W. By the buffing treatment, it is possible to remove the surface layer portion to which contaminants are attached, additionally remove the portion that could not be removed by the main polishing in the polishing unit 3, or improve the morphology after the main polishing.

In the buff cleaning treatment, the wafer W and the buff pad 502 are moved relative to each other while the buff pad 502 is brought into contact with the wafer W, and the cleaning treatment liquid (chemical solution or chemical solution and pure water) is formed between the wafer W and the buff pad 502. This is a process of removing contaminants on the surface of the wafer W and modifying the processed surface by interposing. The buff cleaning process exerts a stronger physical force than the physical force applied to the wafer W by the roll sponge in the roll cleaning chamber 190 and the physical force applied to the wafer W by the pen sponge in the pen cleaning chamber 192. This is a process that can be added to W.

Next, the details of the buffing apparatus according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the buff head 500 of the buff processing device according to the embodiment. The buffing apparatus of this embodiment includes a rotatable shaft 510. A rotation drive mechanism such as a motor (not shown) is connected to the shaft 510. The shaft 510 extends downward from the buff arm 600. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the shaft 510 is hollow. A pipe for passing a treatment liquid such as a slurry, a chemical liquid, or pure water may be provided inside the shaft 510 to supply the treatment liquid from the inside of the buff head. As shown in FIG. 5, a boss 511 is fixed to the shaft 510. The boss 511 has a cylindrical shape, at least in part, surrounding the entire circumference of the shaft 510. The boss 511 rotates with the shaft 510. As shown in FIG. 5, the buff head flange 513 is fixed to a part of the lower part of the boss 511. The buff head flange 513 has a substantially disk-like structure. The buff head flange 513 is provided with a region for passing a drive pin 514 and a bolt 517, which will be described later. The rotation of the shaft 510 and the boss 511 also rotates the buff head flange 513.

As shown in FIG. 5, a spherical plain bearing 520 is attached to the shaft 510.
More specifically, the inner ring 520a of the spherical slide bearing 520 is fixed to the shaft 510. An outer ring 520b is arranged outside the inner ring 520a. The outer surface of the inner ring 520a of the spherical plain bearing 520 is a spherical convex surface, and the inner surface of the outer ring 520b is a spherical concave surface. The spherical convex surface of the inner ring 520a and the spherical concave surface of the outer ring 520b can slide on each other to form a gimbal mechanism. The buff head body 512 is fixed to the outer ring 520b of the spherical plain bearing 520. A buff pad carrier 518 is attached to the lower surface of the buff head body 512. The buff pad carrier 518 is detachably attached to the buff head body 512. A buff pad 502 is attached to the lower surface of the buff pad carrier 518. The buff pad 502 is for directly contacting the wafer W to buff the wafer W. As described above, the buff pad 502 is formed of, for example, a polyurethane foam hard pad, a suede soft pad, a sponge, or the like. In the present invention, the hard pad means a pad having an elastic modulus in the range of approximately 350 psi to 3,000 psi. Further, in the present invention, the soft pad means a pad having an elastic modulus of about 50 psi to 300 psi.

As shown in FIG. 5, the buff head flange 513 and the buff head body 512 are connected by a drive pin 514. Therefore, the rotational torque of the shaft 510, the boss 511, and the buff head flange 513 is transmitted to the buff head main body 512. By rotationally driving the buff head body 512, the buff pad carrier 518 and the buff pad 502 can be rotationally driven. As described above, since the gimbal mechanism is configured by the spherical plain bearing 520, the buff head main body 512 can be tilted along the sliding surface of the spherical plain bearing 520 while rotating.

As shown in FIG. 5, a bolt 517 is screwed into the buff head main body 512 through the buff head flange 513. A spring 516 (elastic member) is arranged between the lower surface of the head of the bolt 517 and the buff head flange 513. Therefore, the buff head main body 512 is supported by the force of the spring 516. In other words, the spring 516 gives a load to the gimbal operation (tilt) of the buff head body 512. Therefore, unless a force is applied to the buff pad 502 from the lower surface, the spring 516 keeps the buff pad 502 in a parallel position. Further, by supporting the buff head main body 512 by the spring 516, it is possible to prevent or alleviate the so-called cocking in which the buff head 500 is tilted during the buffing process of the wafer W. The spring constant of the spring 516 is selected in consideration of the force supporting the buff head main body 512, the load applied to the gimbal operation, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 5, the buffing apparatus includes a cover 550 that surrounds the buff head 500. The cover 550 is for preventing a liquid such as a treatment liquid from entering the inside of the buff head 500. The detailed structure of the cover 550 will be described later.

FIG. 6 is a top sectional view of the buff head 500 shown in FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, three drive pins 514 and three springs 516 are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction of the buff head 500 at equal intervals. In another embodiment, the drive pins 514 and the springs 516 do not have to be three each, and may be, for example, two each. Alternatively, as another embodiment, four or more drive pins 514 and springs 516, respectively, may be arranged alternately in the circumferential direction of the buff head 500 at equal intervals. It is considered that a larger number of drive pins 514 and springs 516 can improve the in-plane uniformity of the wafer W during buffing.

The operation of the buffing apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 will be described. When the shaft 510 rotates, the rotational force is transmitted to the shaft 510, the boss 511, and the buff head flange 513, and the rotational force is transmitted to the buff head body 512 by the drive pin 514 and transmitted to the buff pad carrier 518 and the buff pad 502. NS.

When the buff pad 502 is pressed against the wafer W to be processed, the shaft 510 is moved downward so that the downward force is applied to the shaft 510, the inner ring 520a and the outer ring 520b of the spherical slide bearing 520, the buff head body 512, and the buff pad. It is transmitted to the carrier 518 and the buff pad 502, and the buff pad 502 can be pressed against the wafer W.

Further, when the buff pad 502 is separated from the wafer W to be processed, the shaft 510 is moved upward, so that the lifting force is the shaft 510, the boss 511, the buff head flange 513, the spring 516, the bolt 517, the buff head main body 512, and the buff head body 512. It is transmitted to the buff pad carrier 518 and the buff head 502, and the buff pad 502 is pulled away from the wafer W.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the buff head 500 of the buff processing device according to the embodiment. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, similarly to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a shaft 510, a boss 511, a buff head main body 512, a buff head carrier 518, and a buff pad 502 are provided. However, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, instead of the buff head flange 513, drive pin 514 and spring 516 of the embodiment of FIG. 5, a ring-shaped bellows type coupling 522 is provided. As shown in FIG. 7, the bellows type coupling 522 has one end fixed to the boss 511 and the other end fixed to the buff head main body 512. The bellows type coupling 522 has the functions of both the drive pin 514 and the spring 516 of the embodiment of FIG. 5, and transmits the rotational torque of the shaft 510 to the buff head main body 512 and elastically transfers the buff head main body 512. To support. When the bellows type coupling 522 is used as in the embodiment of FIG. 7, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the embodiment of FIG. 5, and the entire circumference of the buff head main body 512 can be elastically supported. There is a merit that it can be done. On the other hand, in the embodiment using the drive pin 514 and the spring 516 of FIG. 5, there is an advantage that there are more options for the spring constant of the spring 516 as compared with the embodiment using the bellows type coupling 522.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the spherical plain bearing 520 as shown in FIG. 5 is not provided. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the head strut portion 524 is fixed to the lower side of the boss 511. The lower surface of the head strut portion 524 is provided with a spherical concave surface that comes into contact with the buff head main body 512. On the other hand, the region of the buff head main body 512 in contact with the head strut portion 524 has a spherical convex surface. The spherical concave surface of the head strut portion 524 and the spherical convex surface of the buff head main body 512 are slidable, and a gimbal mechanism is formed. The rotation center of the gimbal mechanism shown in FIG. 7 is located at a position lower than the rotation center of the gimbal mechanism of the embodiment shown in FIG. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the center of rotation of the gimbal mechanism is generally near the surface of the buff pad 502. In one embodiment, the center of rotation of the gimbal can be within 10 mm of the surface of the buff pad 502. In one embodiment, when a soft pad is used as the buff pad 502, the center of rotation of the gimbal mechanism is such that the distance from the surface of the buff pad 502 is 0.1 times or less the diameter of the buff pad 502. On the other hand, when a hard pad is used as the buff pad 502, the center of rotation of the gimbal mechanism is such that the distance from the surface of the buff pad 502 is 0.3 times or less the diameter of the buff pad 502. By setting the rotation center of the gimbal mechanism near the surface of the buff pad 502 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, cocking during buffing can be prevented or alleviated. When using a soft pad, it is desirable that the center of rotation of the gimbal mechanism be closer to the surface of the buff pad than when using a hard pad, because the soft pad is more susceptible to cocking than the hard pad. ..

Further, the buffing apparatus according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 includes a support member 526. The support member 526 is fixed to the buff head body 512. The support member 526 is arranged so that a part of the lower surface thereof overlaps with a part of the head strut portion 524 in the axial direction. However, there is a gap between the head strut portion 524 and the support member 526 so that the buff head 500 does not come into contact with the wafer W except when the buff head 500 is pulled up from the wafer W.

The operation of the buffing apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 will be described. When the shaft 510 rotates, the rotational force is transmitted to the shaft 510, the boss 511, the bellows type coupling 522, the buff head main body 512, the buff pad carrier 518, and the buff pad 502.

Further, when the buff pad 502 is pressed against the wafer W to be processed, the shaft 510 is moved downward so that the downward force is applied to the shaft 510, the boss 511, the head strut portion 524, the buff head main body 512, the buff pad carrier 518, and the buff pad carrier 518. It is transmitted to the buff pad 502, and the buff pad 502 can be pressed against the wafer W. At this time, the head strut portion 524 does not come into contact with the support member 526.

Further, when the buff pad 502 is separated from the wafer W to be processed, the lifting force is transmitted to the shaft 510, the boss 511, and the head strut portion 524 by moving the shaft 510 upward, and the head strut portion 524 is moved upward. Is lifted to. When the head strut portion 524 is lifted upward, the head strut portion 524 and the support member 526 come into contact with each other. At this time, the spherical concave surface of the head strut portion 524 constituting the gimbal mechanism and the spherical convex surface of the buff head main body 512 are separated from each other. After that, the lifting force is transmitted to the head strut portion 524, the support member 526, the buff head main body 512, the buff pad carrier 518, and the buff pad 502, and the buff pad 502 is pulled away from the wafer W. Therefore, when the buff pad 502 is pulled up from the wafer W, the buff head main body 512 is stably supported by the head strut portion 524, and it is possible to prevent the slurry or the like adhering to the buff head from falling during the buffing process.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the buff head 500 of the buff processing device according to the embodiment. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the shaft 510, the boss 511, the buff head flange 513, the buff head body 512, the drive pin 514, the spring 516, the buff head carrier 518, and the buff pad are similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 502 is provided. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the spherical plain bearing 520 as shown in FIG. 5 is not provided. In the buffing apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the gimbal mechanism is configured by the spherical concave surface of the head strut portion 524 and the spherical convex surface of the buff head main body 512, as in the embodiment of FIG. The rotation center of the gimbal mechanism of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is located at a position lower than the rotation center of the gimbal mechanism of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, similar to the embodiment shown in FIG.

Further, the buffing apparatus according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 includes a support member 526 fixed to the buff head main body 512, similarly to the buffing apparatus shown in FIG. 7.

The operation of the buffing apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 will be described. When the shaft 510 rotates, the rotational force is transmitted to the shaft 510, the boss 511, and the buff head flange 513, and the rotational force is transmitted to the buff head body 512 by the drive pin 514 and transmitted to the buff pad carrier 518 and the buff pad 502. NS.

Further, when the buff pad 502 is pressed against the wafer W to be processed, the shaft 510 is moved downward so that the downward force is applied to the shaft 510, the boss 511, the head strut portion 524, the buff head main body 512, the buff pad carrier 518, and the buff pad carrier 518. It is transmitted to the buff pad 502, and the buff pad 502 can be pressed against the wafer W. At this time, the head strut portion 524 does not come into contact with the support member 526.

Further, when the buff pad 502 is separated from the wafer W to be processed, the shaft 510 is moved upward, so that the lifting force is increased by the shaft 510, the boss 511, and the head strut portion 5.
It is transmitted to 24, and the head strut portion 524 is lifted upward. When the head strut portion 524 is lifted upward, the head strut portion 524 and the support member 526 come into contact with each other. At this time, the spherical concave surface of the head strut portion 524 constituting the gimbal mechanism and the spherical convex surface of the buff head main body 512 are separated from each other. After that, the lifting force is transmitted to the head strut portion 524, the support member 526, the buff head main body 512, the buff pad carrier 518, and the buff pad 502, and the buff pad 502 is pulled away from the wafer W. Therefore, when the buff pad 502 is pulled up from the wafer W, the buff head main body 512 is stably supported by the head strut portion 524, and it is possible to prevent the slurry or the like adhering to the buff head from falling during the buffing process. In the buffing apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, when the buff head 500 is lifted, the force of the spring 516 is not used unlike the embodiment of FIG. 5, and the head strut portion 524 and the support member 526 are used. I am using. Therefore, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the spring constant of the spring 516 can be made smaller than the spring constant of the spring 516 of the embodiment of FIG.

Next, the structure of the cover 550 according to the embodiment used in the buffing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 8, the cover 550 is composed of a substantially cylindrical member that surrounds the outer circumference of the buff head 500. FIG. 9A is an enlarged view of the cover 550 shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9A, the cover 550 comprises an outer cover 550a and an inner cover 550b. The outer cover portion 550a is attached to the stationary portion of the buff head 500. That is, even if the buff head 500 rotates, the outer cover 550a does not rotate. On the other hand, the inner cover 550b is attached to the rotating portion of the buff head 500. That is, when the buff head 500 rotates, the inner cover 550b also rotates.

The outer cover 550a includes a first cover member 552a and a second cover member 560a attached to the first cover member 552a. The first cover member 552a includes an axial portion 554a extending in a direction along the rotation axis (shaft 510) of the buff head 500, and an outer protruding portion 556a extending outward from the axial portion 554a.

The second cover member 560a includes an axial portion 562a extending in a direction along the rotation axis (shaft 510) of the buff head 500, and an inner protruding portion 564a extending inward from the axial portion 562a. As shown in FIG. 9A, the outer protrusion 556a of the first cover member 552a and the inner protrusion 564a of the second cover member 560a engage in a direction along the rotation axis. Further, the inner protruding portion 564a is slidable with respect to the outer surface of the axial portion 554a of the first cover member 552a. Therefore, the second cover member 560a can be slid with respect to the first cover member 552a. With such a configuration, the inside of the buff head 500 can be easily accessed without removing the outer cover 550a, and the maintenance work of the buff head 500 can be performed without removing the outer cover 550a.

The inner cover 550b includes a first cover member 552b and a second cover member 560b attached to the first cover member 552b. The first cover member 552b includes an axial portion 554b extending in a direction along the rotation axis (shaft 510) of the buff head 500, and an outer protruding portion 556b extending outward from the axial portion 554b. The lower surface 558b (the surface facing the wafer W) of the outer protrusion 556b is inclined with respect to the surface (wafer W surface) perpendicular to the rotation axis of the buff head 500. In one embodiment, the inclination angle of the lower surface 558b of the outer protrusion 556b is about 45 degrees, and the outer side of the outer protrusion 556b is inclined so as to be located lower. Further, the first cover member 552b of the inner cover 550b includes a hole 553b for passing a screw 580 described later.

The second cover member 560b of the inner cover 550b can be configured to be divided into three parts, and one second cover member can be configured to surround one third of the circumference of the buff head 500.

The second cover member 560b of the inner cover 550b includes an axial portion 562b extending in a direction along the rotation axis (shaft 510) of the buff head 500. The upper surface 564b (the surface facing the opposite direction of the wafer W) of the axial portion 562b is inclined with respect to the surface (wafer W surface) perpendicular to the rotation axis of the buff head 500. In one embodiment, the inclination angle of the upper surface 564b of the axial portion 562b is about 45 degrees, and the inside of the axial portion 562b is inclined so as to be located lower. The upper surface 564b engages with the lower surface 558b of the first cover member 552b when the second cover member 560b is attached to the first cover member 552b. The axial portion 562b includes a slot 566b for passing the screw 580. Slot 566b extends upward from the lower edge of the axial portion 562b. 9B is a view of the slot 566b of the second cover member 560b of the inner cover 550b of FIG. 9A as viewed from the direction of arrow 9B. The size of the slot 566b is such that the screw 580 can be relatively moved in the slot 566b. Further, the axial portion 562b of the second cover member 560b of the inner cover 550b includes a step portion 568b. As shown in FIG. 9A, when the step portion 568b is attached so that the lower surface 558b of the first cover member 552b and the upper surface 564b of the second cover member 560b are engaged with each other, the screw head of the screw 580 is stepped. Engage with portion 568b. At this time, the shaft portion of the screw 580 does not come into contact with the upper end of the slot 566b.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the first cover member 552b and the second cover member 560b of the inner cover 550b can be connected to the buff head main body 512 together with the screw 580. By loosening the screw 580, the engagement between the screw head and the step portion 568b is released, and the second cover member 560b can be moved downward by the slot 566b. Therefore, the lower surface 558b of the first cover member 552b and the upper surface 564b of the second cover member 560b are disengaged, and the second cover member 560 is removed from the first cover member 552b without completely removing the screw 580. Can be done. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the screw 580 from falling, and it is possible to easily access the inside of the buff head 500 during maintenance.

The outer cover 550a and the inner cover 550b are configured to be axially separable from each other. 10A, 10B, and 10C are diagrams showing a state when the outer cover 550a and the inner cover 550b are separated. FIG. 10A shows a state in which the outer cover 550a and the inner cover 550b are in close proximity to each other and the buff head 500 is raised. FIG. 10B shows a state in which the outer cover 550a and the inner cover 550b are separated by lowering the buff head 500. FIG. 10C is a diagram showing a state in which the second cover member 560a of the outer cover 550a is slid upward with respect to the first cover member 552a, the buff head 500 is lowered, and the inner cover 550b is lowered. Further, FIG. 10C is a diagram showing a state in which the second cover member 560b of the inner cover 550b is removed and the first cover member 552b of the inner cover 550b is lowered. In the state of FIG. 10C, the inside of the buff head 500 can be easily accessed and maintenance can be performed. When performing maintenance, the order of lowering the buff head 500, sliding the outer cover 550a upward of the second cover member 560a, and lowering the inner cover 550b is arbitrary. For example, (1) the outer cover 550a and the inner cover 550b are separated by lowering the buff head 500, and then (2) the second cover member 560b of the inner cover 550b is removed and the first cover member 552b of the inner cover 550b is removed. Then, (3) the second cover member 560a of the outer cover 550a can be slid upward to perform maintenance. Alternatively, as another example, (1) the second cover member 560b of the inner cover 550b is removed and the first cover member 552b of the inner cover 550b is lowered, and then (2) the buff head 500 is lowered to obtain the outer cover 550a. Maintenance may be performed by separating the inner cover 550b and then (3) sliding the second cover member 560a of the outer cover 550a upward.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Also, the features of each of the above embodiments can be combined or interchanged as long as they do not conflict with each other. Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, it is described that the substrate is arranged horizontally so that the processing surface of the substrate faces upward, and the buff head is pressed from above the substrate for buffing, but the substrate is vertically oriented. It may be arranged and the buff head may be pressed against the substrate from the side for buffing.

500 Buff head 502 Buff pad 510 Shaft 511 Boss 512 Buff head body 513 Buff head flange 514 Drive pin 516 Spring 517 Bolt 518 Buff pad carrier 520 Spherical plain bearing 520a Inner ring 520b Outer ring 522 Bellows type coupling 524 Head strut 526 Support member 550 Cover 550a Cover 550b Inner cover 552a First cover member 560a Second cover member 554a Axial part 556a Outer protruding part 562a Axial part 564a Inner protruding part 552b First cover member 560b Second cover member 535b Hole 554b Axial part 556b Outer protruding part 558b Bottom surface 562b Axial part 564b Top surface 566b Slot 568b Step 580 Screw

Claims (10)

A cover that can be attached to a rotatable buff head used in buffing equipment for buffing substrates.
The first cover member and
It has a second cover member attached to the first cover member, and has.
The second cover member is configured to be slidable with respect to the first cover member.
cover. The cover according to claim 1.
The first cover member has an axial portion extending in a direction along the rotation axis of the buff head and an outer protruding portion extending outward from the axial portion.
The second cover member has an axial portion extending in a direction along the rotation axis of the buff head and an inward projecting portion extending inward from the axial portion.
The outer protrusion and the inner protrusion can be engaged in a direction along the rotation axis, and the inner protrusion can slide with respect to the outer surface of the axial portion of the first cover member.
cover. The cover according to claim 1 or 2.
The cover is configured to be attached to the stationary portion of the buff head.
cover. A cover that can be attached to a rotatable buff head used in buffing equipment for buffing substrates.
The first cover member and
It has a second cover member attached to the first cover member, and has.
The second cover member is configured to be removable from the first cover member.
cover. The cover according to claim 4.
The first cover member has an axial portion extending in a direction along the rotation axis of the buff head, and an outward projecting portion having an inclined surface that protrudes outward from the axial portion and is inclined with respect to a surface perpendicular to the rotation axis. And have
The second cover member has an axial portion extending in a direction along the rotation axis of the buff head and an inclined surface that can be engaged with the inclined surface of the first cover member.
cover. The cover according to claim 4 or 5.
The second cover member is composed of a plurality of splittable cover members, and the plurality of cover members are configured to be attachable to the first cover member, respectively.
cover. The cover according to any one of claims 4 to 6.
It has a fastener for fixing the first cover member and the second cover member.
In a state where the first cover member and the second cover member are fixed, the inclined portion of the first cover member and the inclined portion of the second cover member are engaged with each other.
With the fastener loosened, the engagement between the inclined portion of the first cover member and the inclined portion of the second cover member is released.
cover. The cover according to claim 7.
The first cover member has a hole having dimensions through which the fastener passes.
The second cover member has a slot through which the fastener passes.
With the fastener loosened, the second cover member can be removed from the fastener through the slot without removing the fastener.
cover. The cover according to any one of claims 4 to 8.
The cover is configured to be attached to the rotating portion of the buff head.
cover. A maintenance method for a buffing device having a first cover and a second cover attached to the inside of the first cover.
The process of lowering the buff head of the buffing device and
A step of separating the shaft body to which the first cover is attached and the buff head to which the second cover is attached in the axial direction to separate the first cover and the second cover.
Among the first covers, a step of sliding the second cover member, which is configured to be slidable in the axial direction, upward in the axial direction with respect to the first cover member fixed to the shaft body.
A step of removing the second cover member attached to the buff head from the second cover and sliding the first cover member of the second cover in the axial direction.
How to maintain a buffing device.

Images