公开(公告)号：US20240102791A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-28

申请号：US18371357

申请日：2023-09-21

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Akira NAKAMURA

IPC: G01B11/06 ,  B24B49/12

CPC classification number: G01B11/0625 ,  B24B49/12

Abstract: A technique of detecting an abnormality in measuring of a film thickness of a workpiece, such as a wafer, is disclosed. A method includes: generating multiple spectra of reflected light from multiple measurement points on a workpiece over a predetermined period of time during polishing of the workpiece; classifying the multiple spectra into a plurality of groups including at least a first group and a second group according to feature of each of the multiple spectra; determining a monitoring index value based on at least the number of spectra included in the first group; and detecting an abnormality in measuring of the film thickness of the at least one workpiece based on comparison of the monitoring index value with a threshold value.

公开(公告)号：US20180311788A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-01

申请号：US15961741

申请日：2018-04-24

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Akira NAKAMURA

IPC: B24B49/10 ,  B24B49/02

CPC classification number: B24B49/105 ,  B24B37/013 ,  B24B49/02 ,  G01B7/105 ,  G01B7/107 ,  G01B21/042

Abstract: In a first step, an output of an eddy current sensor is measured while a polishing target whose film thickness has been known is in contact with the polishing face, thereby obtaining a measurement value of the eddy current sensor which corresponds to the film thickness. In a second step, an output of the eddy current sensor is measured when the polishing target is polished while pressed against the polishing face, thereby obtaining a measurement value of the eddy current sensor that corresponds to a film thickness during polishing. A correspondence relationship between the film thickness of the polishing target and the measurement value of the eddy current sensor is determined from the measurement value obtained in the first step and the measurement value obtained in the second step.

公开(公告)号：US20170057051A1

公开(公告)日：2017-03-02

申请号：US15253671

申请日：2016-08-31

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Akira NAKAMURA

IPC: B24B49/10 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01B7/06 ,  B24B37/013

CPC classification number: B24B49/105 ,  B24B37/013 ,  G01B7/105 ,  H01L22/14 ,  H01L22/26

Abstract: An eddy current sensor 1-50 arranged in the vicinity of a substrate includes a core part 1-60 and a coil part 1-61. The core part 1-60 includes a common part 1-65, and four cantilever parts 1-66 to 69 connected to the common part 1-65. Ends of a first cantilever part 1-66 and a second cantilever part 1-67 are close and adjacent to each other. Ends of a third cantilever part 1-69 and a fourth cantilever part 1-68 are close and adjacent to each other. At the common part 1-65, an excitation coil is arranged. A first detection coil 1-631 is arranged at the first cantilever part 1-66 and a second detection coil 1-632 is arranged at the second cantilever part 1-67. A first dummy coil 1-642 is arranged at the third cantilever part 1-69, and a second dummy coil 1-641 is arranged at the fourth cantilever part 1-68.

Abstract translation: 布置在基板附近的涡流传感器1-50包括芯部1-60和线圈部1-61。 芯部1-60包括公共部分1-65和连接到公共部分1-65的四个悬臂部分1-66至69。 第一悬臂部分1-66和第二悬臂部分1-67的端部彼此靠近并相邻。 第三悬臂部分1-69和第四悬臂部分1-68的端部彼此靠近并相邻。 在公共部分1-65处，布置有励磁线圈。 第一检测线圈1-631布置在第一悬臂部分1-66处，第二检测线圈1-632布置在第二悬臂部分1-67处。 第一虚拟线圈1-642布置在第三悬臂部分1-69处，并且第二虚线圈1-641布置在第四悬臂部分1-68处。

公开(公告)号：US20140011305A1

公开(公告)日：2014-01-09

申请号：US13932062

申请日：2013-07-01

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Akira NAKAMURA

IPC: H01L21/66

CPC classification number: H01L22/12 ,  B24B37/30

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table for supporting a polishing pad; a substrate holder having a substrate holding surface and a pressure chamber formed by a flexible membrane, the substrate holder being configured to hold a substrate on the substrate holding surface and press the substrate against the polishing pad via pressure in the pressure chamber; a substrate separation assisting device configured to eject a fluid to a contact portion between the substrate and the flexible membrane so as to release the substrate from the substrate holding surface; and a vertically-moving mechanism configured to vertically move the substrate holder. The substrate holder is moved vertically in accordance with an amount of descent of the contact portion and then the substrate separation assisting device ejects the fluid to the contact portion.

Abstract translation: 抛光装置包括：用于支撑抛光垫的抛光台; 具有基板保持面的基板保持器和由柔性膜形成的压力室，所述基板保持器构造成将基板保持在所述基板保持面上，并且经由所述压力室中的压力将所述基板压靠在所述抛光垫上; 基板分离辅助装置，被配置为将流体喷射到所述基板和所述柔性膜之间的接触部分，以从所述基板保持表面释放所述基板; 以及垂直移动机构，其构造成垂直移动所述基板保持器。 基板保持器根据接触部分的下降量垂直移动，然后基板分离辅助装置将流体喷射到接触部分。

公开(公告)号：US20130219740A1

公开(公告)日：2013-08-29

申请号：US13860787

申请日：2013-04-11

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Tomoatsu ISHIBASHI ,  Takahiro OGAWA ,  Kenichi SUGITA ,  Shinji KAJITA ,  Koichi FUKAYA ,  Akira NAKAMURA

IPC: H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/02054 ,  H01L21/02074 ,  H01L21/67034

Abstract: A substrate drying apparatus includes a drying gas nozzle configured so that, assuming that a surface WA of the substrate W is a projection plane, regarding the drying gas flow Gf in the nozzle moving direction Dr, a collision position Gfw with the substrate W is located downstream of a projected discharge position Gfv′, the projected discharge position Gfv′ being a discharge position from the drying gas nozzle projected on the projection plane. In a three-dimensional space, the drying gas flow Gf is inclined, such that an angle α formed by an axis Ga of the drying gas flow Gf and a vertical line Wp of the substrate W is in a range from a half contact angle θ/2 to an angle determined by deducting the half contact angle θ/2 from 90°, the half contact angle θ/2 being a half of the contact angle θ.

Abstract translation: 基板干燥装置包括干燥气体喷嘴，其构成为，假设基板W的表面WA为投影面，关于喷嘴移动方向Dr的干燥气体流量Gf，与基板W的碰撞位置Gfw位于 在喷出位置Gfv'的下游，喷出位置Gfv'是从投影在投影面上的干燥气体喷嘴的排出位置。 在三维空间中，干燥气体流Gf倾斜，使得由干燥气体流Gf的轴线Ga和基板W的垂直线Wp形成的角度α在半接触角θ / 2相对于从90°减去半接触角θ/ 2确定的角度，半接触角θ/ 2是接触角θ的一半。

公开(公告)号：US20240308018A1

公开(公告)日：2024-09-19

申请号：US18570406

申请日：2022-05-24

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Yuta SUZUKI ,  Hiroki TAKAHASHI ,  Akira NAKAMURA ,  Katsuhide WATANABE ,  Hisanori MATSUO ,  Takahito KAGOSHIMA

IPC: B24B37/005 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: B24B37/005 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L21/67288

Abstract: Included are: at least one sensor that detects a physical quantity of an object during polishing and/or during cleaning and/or during drying of a substrate; a conversion section that converts a sensor value during polishing and/or during cleaning and/or during drying detected by the sensor into a feature amount for each processing step with respect to a trained machine learning model; and an inference section that outputs at least one predicted value of a number of defects, a size of a defect, and a position of a defect in a target substrate by inputting target data including the feature amount to the trained machine learning model.

公开(公告)号：US20240253181A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-01

申请号：US18565046

申请日：2022-05-31

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Satoru YAMAKI ,  Keita YAGI ,  Nachiketa CHAUHAN ,  Akira NAKAMURA

IPC: B24B49/05 ,  B24B49/03 ,  B24B49/16

CPC classification number: B24B49/05 ,  B24B49/03 ,  B24B49/16

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique of calculating a responsiveness of a polishing rate to change in a pressure to press a workpiece, such as a wafer, a substrate, or a panel, for use in manufacturing of semiconductor devices, against a polishing pad. A method includes: performing simulation to calculate a pressing-pressure responsiveness profile indicating a distribution of pressing pressure, which is to be applied from the workpiece to a polishing pad (2), changed in response to a change in unit pressure in the pressure chamber of a polishing head (7); pressing the workpiece against the polishing pad to polish the workpiece, while a predetermined pressure is maintained in the pressure chamber; creating a polishing-rate profile indicating a distribution of polishing rate of the polished workpiece; and creating the polishing-rate responsiveness profile based on the pressing-pressure responsiveness profile, the predetermined pressure, and the polishing-rate profile.

公开(公告)号：US20240198480A1

公开(公告)日：2024-06-20

申请号：US18519827

申请日：2023-11-27

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Satoru YAMAKI ,  Keita YAGI ,  Akira NAKAMURA ,  Kodai SHIRAKAWA

IPC: B24B49/05 ,  B24B49/16

CPC classification number: B24B49/05 ,  B24B49/16

Abstract: A method capable of accurately obtaining polishing-rate responsiveness to a change in pressure for pressing a workpiece, such as a wafer, against a polishing pad is disclosed. The method includes: creating an estimated polishing-rate responsiveness profile using simulation, the estimated polishing-rate responsiveness profile indicating a distribution of polishing-rate responsiveness to pressure change in the first pressure chamber; creating an actual polishing-rate responsiveness profile using polishing results of a workpiece, the actual polishing-rate responsiveness profile indicating a distribution of polishing-rate responsiveness to pressure change in the second pressure chamber, and creating a hybrid polishing-rate responsiveness profile by combining the estimated polishing-rate responsiveness profile and the actual polishing-rate responsiveness profile.

公开(公告)号：US20150262893A1

公开(公告)日：2015-09-17

申请号：US14656429

申请日：2015-03-12

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Akira NAKAMURA ,  Hiroaki SHIBUE ,  Yasumasa HIROO ,  Hiroshi OTA ,  Taro TAKAHASHI ,  Mitsuo TADA

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/306 ,  G01B7/06 ,  B24B37/013 ,  B24B49/10

CPC classification number: H01L22/26 ,  B24B37/013 ,  B24B49/105 ,  G01B7/105 ,  H01L22/14

Abstract: The polishing process includes a first state where an eddy current sensor and a polishing target object do not face each other and a second state where the eddy current sensor and the polishing target object face each other. The method of correcting a film thickness measurement value includes obtaining a first measurement signal (Xout, Yout) output from the eddy current sensor in the first state (step S108), computing a correction value (ΔX, ΔY) on the basis of the obtained first measurement signal and a reference signal (Xsd, Ysd) set in advance, obtaining a second measurement signal (X, Y) output from the eddy current sensor in the second state (step S104), and correcting the obtained second measurement signal on the basis of the computed correction value while the polishing process is being performed (step S105).

Abstract translation: 抛光处理包括涡流传感器和抛光对象物不彼此相对的第一状态以及涡流传感器和抛光对象物体彼此面对的第二状态。 修正膜厚测量值的方法包括获得在第一状态下从涡流传感器输出的第一测量信号（Xout，Yout）（步骤S108），计算校正值（＆Dgr; X，＆Dgr; Y） 获取第一测量信号的基础和预先设置的参考信号（Xsd，Ysd），获得在第二状态下从涡流传感器输出的第二测量信号（X，Y）（步骤S104），并且校正所获得的第二测量信号 在进行抛光处理时，基于计算出的校正值的测量信号（步骤S105）。

公开(公告)号：US20220363487A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-17

申请号：US17765374

申请日：2020-09-18

Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION

Inventor： Akira NAKAMURA

IPC: B65G43/02

Abstract: A conveyance abnormality prediction system includes an estimation unit that has a learned model having machine learned a relationship between a data set including sensor data outputted, at a time of substrate transport in the past, from each of a plurality of sensors provided on a substrate transport unit and a degree of conveyance abnormality at the time of the substrate transport, estimates a degree of conveyance abnormality at a time of new substrate transport by using, as an input, a data set including sensor data outputted from each of the plurality of sensors at the time of the new substrate transport, and outputs the estimated degree of conveyance abnormality.