EP0806266A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Polishing method and polishing apparatus using the same
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1997-04-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-04-29
Abstract
Abstract A polishing method is disclosed of polishing the surface of a layer provided on the surface of a substrate having the surface configuration measuring step of detecting the surface information of the layer at a plurality of locations and obtaining the surface configuration of the layer, the film thickness distribution measuring step of detecting the film thicknesses of the layer at a plurality of locations and obtaining the film thickness distribution of the layer, the determining step of determining whether the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of the layer are within a preset allowable range, and the polishing controlling step of continuing or stopping the polishing on the basis of the result of the determination at the determining step.
Inventors
- 👤 Masaru Nyui
- 👤 Mikichi Ban
- 👤 Kazuo Takahashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:18
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B37/00; B24B37/005; B24B37/013; B24B49/00; B24B49/02; B24B49/04; B24B49/12; G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/02; G01B11/06; G01B11/0616; G01B11/0683; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/18; G05B19/401; H; H10; H10P; H10P74/00; H10P74/23; H10P74/238; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/37; G05B2219/37398; G05B2219/37576; G05B2219/45; G05B2219/45026; G05B2219/45199; G05B2219/50; G05B2219/50067
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A polishing method of polishing the surface of a layer provided on the surface of a substrate having: the surface configuration measuring step of detecting surface information at a plurality of locations on said layer and obtaining the surface configuration of said layer; the film thickness distribution measuring step of detecting the film thicknesses at a plurality of locations on said layer and obtaining the film thickness distribution of said layer; the determining step of determining whether the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of said layer are within a preset allowable range; and the polishing controlling step of continuing or stopping the polishing on the basis of the result of the determination at said determining step.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein said polishing controlling step has the step of stopping the polishing when it is determined by said determining step that both of the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of said layer are within an allowable range.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein said polishing controlling step has the step of stopping the polishing when it is determined by said determining step that the surface configuration of said layer is outside an allowable range and the minimum film thickness of said layer is equal to or less than a reference value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the measurement by said surface configuration measuring step and the measurement by said film thickness distribution measuring step are simultaneously effected.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the same portion of said layer is measured at said surface configuration measuring step and said film thickness distribution measuring step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
A polishing apparatus for driving the surface of a layer provided on the surface of a substrate and polishing means relative to each other to thereby polish said layer, having: detecting means for detecting the surface information of said layer; and changeover means for selectively changing over one of said polishing means and said detecting means relative to the polished surface of said layer and disposing it in opposed relationship with the other of said polishing means and said detecting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein said detecting means has means for detecting the surface information of said layer at a plurality of locations simultaneously.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein said polishing means has a plurality of partial polishing tools for polishing a portion of the surface of said layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein said detecting means has means for measuring the surface location information and film thicknesses at a plurality of locations on said layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein said detecting means has distance measuring means for detecting the distance from the surface of said layer to a reference surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of Claim 10 wherein said detecting means has film thicknesses measuring means for measuring the film thickness of said layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of Claim 6 having control means for determining from a signal from said detecting means by a determining portion whether the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of said layer are within a preset allowable range, and controlling whether to continue or stop the polishing of said layer on the basis of a signal from said determining portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
147 words
A polishing method of driving the surface of a layer provided on the surface of a substrate and polishing means relative to each other to polish the surface of said layer having the steps of: setting a reference surface at a position sufficiently longer from the surface of said layer than the film thickness of said layer; illuminating first and second light beams differing in coherent distance from each other from light source means to said layer and said reference surface; individually detecting the reflected light beam from each surface based on said first light beam and the reflected light beam from each surface based on said second light beam by detecting means; and obtaining the surface information of said layer from a signal from said detecting means, and controlling the continuation or stoppage of the polishing of said layer on the basis of said surface information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of Claim 13 wherein the surface information of said layer is the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of said layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of Claim 14 wherein said step of controlling has the determining step of determining whether the surface configuration are film thickness distribution of said layer are within a preset allowable range.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of Claim 13 wherein said step of controlling has the step of obtaining the surface information of said layer from the difference between the intensity of the reflected light beam from each surface based on said first light beam and the intensity of the reflected light beam from each surface based on said second light beam.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
144 words
A polishing apparatus for driving the surface of a layer provided on the surface of a substrate and polishing means relative to each other to thereby polish said layer having: a reference surface located at a position sufficiently longer from the surface of said layer than the film thickness of said layer; illuminating means for illuminating first and second light beams differing in coherent distance from each other to said layer and said reference surface; detecting means for individually detecting the reflected light beam from each surface based on said first light beam and the reflected light beam from each surface based on said second light beam: and control means for obtaining the surface information of said layer from a signal from said detecting means and controlling the continuation or stoppage of the polishing of said layer on the basis of said surface information.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of Claim 17 wherein the surface information of said layer is the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of said layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of Claim 18 wherein said control means has a determining portion for determining whether the surface information and film thickness distribution of said layer are within a preset allowable range.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of Claim 17 wherein said applying means has a semiconductor laser of variable coherent distance.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of Claim 17 wherein said control means finds the surface information of said layer from the difference between the intensity of the reflected light beam from each surface based on said first light beam and the intensity of the reflected light beam from each surface based on said second light beam.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
94 words
A polishing method of driving the surface of a layer provided on the surface of a substrate and polishing means having a polishing pad of an area smaller than that of the surface of said layer relative to each other to thereby polish said layer having: the detecting step of detecting the surface information of said layer by detecting means provided on a portion of said polishing means; and the controlling step of controlling the continuation or stoppage of the polishing of said layer on the basis of a signal from said detecting means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of Claim 22 wherein said polishing means is movable in a plane parallel to the surface of said layer, and said detecting step has the step of detecting the surface information of said layer by the utilization of position information from position detecting means for detecting the position information of said polishing means in said plane.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of Claim 22 wherein said detecting step has the step of detecting the distance from the surface of said layer to a reference surface and measuring the film thickness of said layer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of Claim 22 wherein said detecting step has the step of detecting the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of said layer, and said controlling step has the step of determining whether the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of said layer obtained from said detecting step are within a preset allowable range.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
61 words
A polishing apparatus for polishing the surface of a layer provided on the surface of a substrate having: polishing means driven relative to the surface of said layer and having a polishing pad of an area smaller than that of the surface of said layer; and detecting means secured to said polishing means for detecting the surface information of said layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of Claim 26, wherein said polishing means is movable in a plane parallel to the surface of said layer, and has position detecting means for detecting the position information of said polishing means in said plane, and said detecting means utilizes the position information from said position detecting means to find the surface information of said layer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of Claim 26 wherein said detecting means has distance measuring means for detecting the distance from the surface of said layer to a reference surface and measuring the film thickness of said layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of Claim 26 having control means for controlling the continuation or stoppage of the polishing of said layer on the basis of a signal from said detecting means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of Claim 29 wherein said detecting means has means for detecting the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of said layer, and said control means has a determining portion for determining whether the surface configuration and film thickness distribution of said layer obtained from said detecting means are within a preset allowable range.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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