FREE JOINT STRUCTURE, PUSH-PULL DEVICE, AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING MODULE

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This document claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-138978 filed Aug. 29, 2023, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

An example of a drive source for a push-pull mechanism that pushes and pulls an object is an air cylinder. The air cylinder includes a piston rod and a cylinder housing that accommodates the piston rod. The piston rod moves forward by supplying a compressed gas into the cylinder housing, and moves backward by a biasing force of a biasing member (e.g., a spring) provided separately from the air cylinder.

Another example of the air cylinder is one that uses only compressed gas to move the piston rod forward and backward. This type of the air cylinder does not have the biasing member, and supplies/discharges the compressed gas to/from opposing spaces through a partition wall arranged in the cylinder housing.

However, in the air cylinder having such a configuration, the piston rod may slide against the cylinder housing (more specifically, a guide portion) due to the movement of the piston rod. In this manner, if a sliding friction occurs between the piston rod and the cylinder housing, the movement of the piston rod may not be accurately controlled.

To solve this problem, there exists an air bearing cylinder that uses an air bearing that supports the piston rod with a compressed gas supplied into the cylinder housing. However, such an air bearing cylinder has a problem in that it has low radial rigidity for supporting the piston rod.

The piston rod and the shaft to which the object is connected may be connected via a joint member. In this case, in an air bearing cylinder with low radial rigidity, there is a risk that the piston rod may come into contact with the cylinder housing due to misalignment (i.e., eccentricity, angular misalignment) between the piston rod and the shaft. On the other hand, coupling the piston rod and the shaft via the joint member without any deviation takes a lot of time and effort, and is not realistic.

SUMMARY

Therefore, there is provided a free joint structure, a push-pull device, and a substrate processing module capable of absorbing the misalignment between the piston rod and the shaft.

Embodiments described below relate to a free joint structure, a push-pull device, and a substrate processing module.

In an embodiment, there is provided a free joint structure comprising: a push-pull force generating portion configured to generate a push-pull force; and a target load portion coupled to the push-pull force generating portion and to which the push-pull force from the push-pull force generating portion is applied, and the push-pull force generating portion is configured to apply a push force to the target load portion by making point contact with the target load portion and to apply a pull force to the target load portion by making surface contact with the target load portion.

In an embodiment, the free joint structure has an axial gap and a radial gap formed between the push-pull force generating portion and the target load portion.

In an embodiment, the free joint structure comprises a shim configured to adjust a size of the axial gap.

In an embodiment, the target load portion comprises: a pressing flat surface portion arranged opposite to the push-pull force generating portion; and an opening flat surface portion arranged on an opposite side of the pressing flat surface portion and having an opening into which the push-pull force generating portion is inserted, and the push-pull force generating portion comprises: a spherical portion configured to make point contact with the pressing flat surface portion; and a flat surface flange portion configured to make surface contact with the opening flat surface portion.

In an embodiment, the spherical portion and the flat surface flange portion are arranged opposite each other.

In an embodiment, the spherical portion is arranged opposite the pressing flat surface portion, and the flat surface flange portion is arranged opposite the opening flat surface portion.

In an embodiment, the target load portion comprises a spacer arranged between the pressing flat surface portion and the opening flat surface portion.

In an embodiment, there is provided a push-pull device comprising: a free joint structure as described above; and an air bearing cylinder coupled to the free joint structure.

In an embodiment, there is provided a substrate processing module comprising: a push-pull device as described above; a shaft coupled to the push-pull device; and a processing member connected to the shaft and configured to process a substrate or a polishing pad.

In an embodiment, the processing member corresponds to at least one of a polishing head configured to polish the substrate and a dresser configured to dress the polishing pad.

In an embodiment, the processing member corresponds to at least one of a buff cleaning member and a pencil cleaning member configured to clean the substrate.

The free joint structure, which includes the push-pull force generating portion configured to apply a push-pull force to the target load portion, can absorb a misalignment between the piston rod and the shaft. Therefore, even if the misalignment occurs between the piston rod and the shaft, the free joint structure can prevent the piston rod from sliding against the cylinder housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing a substrate processing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a view showing polishing modules;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a cleaning module including a buff cleaning member;

FIG. 4 is a view showing a cleaning module including a pencil cleaning member;

FIG. 5 is a view showing a dressing device having a free joint structure;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the free joint structure;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the free joint structure;

FIG. 8 is a view showing the free joint structure in a state where a push-pull force generating portion does not apply the push-pull force to a target load portion;

FIG. 9 is a view showing the free joint structure in a state where the push-pull force generating portion applies a pull force to the target load portion;

FIG. 10 is a view showing the free joint structure in a state where the push-pull force generating portion applies a push force to the target load portion;

FIG. 11 is a view showing a radial gap and an axial gap of the free joint structure;

FIG. 12 is a view showing the free joint structure having a shim for adjusting a size of a gap; and

FIG. 13 is a view showing another embodiment of the free joint structure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted. In the embodiments described below, the configuration of one embodiment that is not particularly described is the same as the other embodiments, so duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a substrate processing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a housing 10 and a load port 12 on which a substrate cassette for stocking a large number of wafers is placed. The load port 12 is arranged adjacent to the housing 10. The wafer is, for example, a semiconductor wafer, and is an example of a substrate.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a polishing unit 2 and a cleaning unit 4 arranged inside the housing 10. The polishing unit 2 includes a plurality of (four in this embodiment) polishing modules 14a to 14d. The cleaning unit 4 includes a first cleaning module 16 and a second cleaning module 18 that clean the polished substrate, and a drying module 20 that dries the cleaned substrate.

The polishing modules 14a to 14d are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Similarly, the first cleaning module 16, the second cleaning module 18, and the drying module 20 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

In this specification, the polishing modules 14a to 14d, the first cleaning module 16, and the second cleaning module 18 are collectively referred to as substrate processing modules for processing the substrate.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a first transport robot 22 arranged adjacent to the load port 12, and a transport module 24 arranged adjacent to the polishing modules 14a to 14d. The first transport robot 22 receives the substrate before polishing from the load port 12 and transfers the substrate to the transport module 24, and receives dried substrate from the drying module 20 and returns the substrate to the load port 12. The transport module 24 transfers the substrate received from the first transport robot 22, and delivers the substrate between the polishing modules 14a to 14d.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a second transport robot 26 arranged between the first cleaning module 16 and the second cleaning module 18, and a third transport robot 28 arranged between the second cleaning module 18 and the drying module 20. The second transport robot 26 transfers the substrate between the transport module 24 and each of the cleaning modules 16 and 18. The third transport robot 28 delivers the substrate between each of the modules 18 and 20.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a control device 30 arranged inside the housing 10. The control device 30 is configured to control an operation of each device in the substrate processing module.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the polishing modules. In the embodiment described below, the polishing modules 14a to 14d may be collectively referred to as the polishing module 14. The polishing module 14 includes a polishing table 80 that supports a polishing pad 84 having a polishing surface 84a, a polishing head (top ring) 81 that holds a wafer W and presses the wafer W against the polishing surface 84a, and a slurry supply nozzle 82A that supplies a slurry (polishing liquid) onto the polishing surface 84a.

The polishing module 14 includes a pure water supply nozzle 82B for supplying pure water onto the polishing surface 84a, a chemical liquid supply nozzle 82C for supplying a chemical liquid onto the polishing surface 84a, and a pure water supply nozzle 85 for supplying pure water for removing the slurry adhering to the polishing surface 84a. In other words, the pure water supply nozzle 85 is an atomizer. Therefore, hereinafter, the pure water supply nozzle 85 may be referred to as an atomizer 85.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the polishing module 14 includes a plurality of supply nozzles 82A, 82B, and 82C, but in one embodiment, the polishing module 14 may include a single supply nozzle that selectively supplies any one of the liquids, the slurry, pure water, and the chemical liquid, instead of the supply nozzles 82A, 82B, and 82C.

The polishing module 14 includes a dressing device 110 for dressing the polishing pad 84. The dressing device 110 includes a dresser 115 that is in sliding contact with the polishing surface 84a of the polishing pad 84, a shaft 113 connected to the dresser 115, a dresser arm 111 that supports the dresser 115 via the shaft 113, and a dresser pivot shaft 112 that pivots the dresser arm 111. The dresser pivot shaft 112 is arranged outside the polishing pad 84.

The dresser 115 oscillates on the polishing surface 84a as the dresser arm 111 pivots. A lower surface of the dresser 115 constitutes a dressing surface made of a large number of abrasive grains such as diamond particles.

The polishing module 14 includes an air bearing cylinder 163 mounted on the dressing device 110. The air bearing cylinder 163 (more specifically, a shaft 165) is coupled to the shaft 113 via a free joint structure 200 described later.

The dresser 115 (and the shaft 113) is configured to be movable up and down by the air bearing cylinder 163. The air bearing cylinder 163 is configured to adjust a distance between the dresser 115 and the polishing pad 84 by driving the air bearing cylinder 163.

The dressing device 110 having such a configuration operates the dresser 115 so as to rotate while oscillating above the polishing surface 84a, and dresses the polishing surface by slightly scraping off the polishing pad 84 with the dresser 115.

The polishing table 80 is formed in a disk shape and is configured to be rotatable about its central axis as an axis of rotation. The polishing pad 84 is attached to an upper surface of the polishing table 80. When the polishing table 80 is rotated by a motor (not shown), the polishing pad 84 rotates integrally with the polishing table 80.

The top ring 81 holds the wafer W on its lower surface by vacuum suction or the like. The top ring 81 is configured to be rotatable together with the wafer W by a power of a motor (not shown).

The top ring 81 is connected to a shaft 81a. The shaft 81a is coupled to the air bearing cylinder 163 (more specifically, the shaft 165) via the free joint structure 200. The top ring 81 is configured to be movable up and down by the air bearing cylinder 163.

The air bearing cylinder 163 is configured to adjust a distance between the top ring 81 and the polishing table 80 by driving the air bearing cylinder 163. With this configuration, the top ring 81 presses the wafer W held by the top ring 81 against the polishing surface 84a of the polishing pad 84.

A support arm 81b supporting the top ring 81 is configured to be oscillatable by a motor (not shown) and moves the top ring 81 in a direction parallel to the polishing surface 84a. In this embodiment, the top ring 81 is configured to be movable between a receiving position for the wafer W (not shown) and a position above the polishing pad 84, so that the position at which the wafer W is pressed against the polishing pad 84 can be changed.

The slurry supply nozzle 82A is provided above the polishing table 80, and supplies the slurry onto the polishing pad 84. The slurry supply nozzle 82A is supported by a shaft 83A. The shaft 83A is configured to be movable by a motor (not shown). Therefore, the slurry supply nozzle 82A can change a position at which the slurry is dropped around the shaft 83A during the polishing process of the wafer W. In this manner, the slurry supply nozzle 82A supplies the slurry so that it penetrates into a contact interface between the rotating wafer W and the polishing pad 84.

The pure water supply nozzle 82B is provided above the polishing table 80 and supplies pure water onto the polishing pad 84. The pure water supply nozzle 82B is supported by a shaft 83B. Similarly, the chemical liquid supply nozzle 82C is provided above the polishing table 80 and supplies the chemical liquid onto the polishing pad 84. The chemical liquid supply nozzle 82C is supported by a shaft 83C. Each of these shafts 83B and 83C is configured to be movable by a motor (not shown).

The atomizer 85 is provided above the polishing table 80 and extends along a radial direction of the polishing table 80. Immediately after the polishing process of the wafer W with the slurry, the atomizer 85 sprays a cleaning fluid at a predetermined flow rate toward the polishing pad 84 to wash away a part of the slurry adhering to the polishing surface 84a and the wafer W. The cleaning fluid is composed of a mixed fluid of a liquid (usually pure water) and a gas (e.g., an inert gas such as nitrogen gas).

FIG. 3 is a view showing a cleaning module including a buff cleaning member. As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning module 16 (or the cleaning module 18) includes a buff cleaning member 150 that cleans the wafer W while contacting the surface of the wafer W, and a rotating table 140 that supports the wafer W.

The buff cleaning member 150 includes a buff pad 151 for buffing the wafer W, and a buff head 152 for holding the buff pad 151. The buff head 152 is connected to a shaft 153.

The shaft 153 is coupled to an air bearing cylinder 163 (more specifically, the shaft 165) via the free joint structure 200. The buff cleaning member 150 is configured to be movable in a vertical direction by the air bearing cylinder 163.

The air bearing cylinder 163 is configured to adjust a distance between the buff cleaning member 150 and the wafer W supported by the rotating table 140 by driving the air bearing cylinder 163. The buff head 152 is configured to bring the buff pad 151 into contact with the wafer W while rotating the buff pad 151.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning module 16 (or the cleaning module 18) includes a pure water supply nozzle 160A for supplying pure water onto the surface of the wafer W, and a chemical liquid supply nozzle 160B for supplying the chemical liquid onto the surface of the wafer W.

The buff arm 154 supporting the buff cleaning member 150 is configured to oscillate the buff cleaning member 150. When the buff arm 154 oscillates the buff head 151 while the rotating table 140 rotates the wafer W, the wafer W is cleaned as a whole.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a cleaning module including a pencil cleaning member. As shown in FIG. 4, the cleaning module 18 (or the cleaning module 16) includes a substrate holding mechanism 70 that holds and rotates the wafer W, and a cleaning member 71 that comes into contact with the wafer W to scrub the wafer W.

The cleaning member 71 is connected to a shaft 72. The shaft 72 is coupled to the air bearing cylinder 163 (more specifically, the shaft 165) via the free joint structure 200. The cleaning member 71 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction by the air bearing cylinder 163. The air bearing cylinder 163 is configured to adjust a distance between the cleaning member 71 and the wafer W held by the substrate holding mechanism 70 by driving the air bearing cylinder 163. The air bearing cylinder 163 presses the cleaning member 71 against the surface of the wafer W with a predetermined pressure. The cleaning member 71 pressed against the surface of the wafer W scrubs the wafer W (scrub cleaning).

The cleaning module 18 (or cleaning module 16) includes an arm oscillating mechanism 79 that horizontally oscillates an arm 73 supporting the cleaning member 71, chemical liquid supply nozzles 75, 76 that supply a processing liquid (in this embodiment, a diluted chemical liquid) toward front and back surfaces of the wafer W, and pure water supply nozzles 77, 78 that supply pure water toward the front and back surfaces of the wafer W.

The substrate holding mechanism 70 includes chucks 70a to 70d for holding a peripheral portion of the wafer W, and a motor 70e coupled to the chucks 70a to 70d. The chucks 70a to 70d hold the wafer W, and the motor 70e is driven to rotate the wafer W about its axis.

The cleaning member 71 is a sponge member that has a pencil shape and rotates around a central axis of the cleaning member 71 while contacting the surface of the wafer W to scrub the wafer W. Hereinafter, the cleaning member 71 may be referred to as a pencil cleaning member 71.

The arm 73 is arranged above the wafer W and is coupled to the arm oscillating mechanism 79. The arm oscillating mechanism 79 includes a pivot shaft 79a and a rotation mechanism 79b. One end of the arm 73 is coupled to the pivot shaft 79a, and the other end of the arm 73 is coupled to the pencil cleaning member 71. A direction of the central axis of the pencil cleaning member 71 is perpendicular to the front surface (or the back surface) of the wafer W.

The rotation mechanism 79b that pivots the arm 73 is coupled to the pivot shaft 79a. The rotation mechanism 79b is configured to pivot the arm 73 within a plane parallel to the wafer W by rotating the rotation shaft 79a.

As described above, the substrate processing modules (i.e., the polishing module 14, the first cleaning module 16, and the second cleaning module 18) include the air bearing cylinder 163 that operates processing members for processing the wafer W or the polishing pad 84. Examples of the processing members for processing the wafer W include the top ring 81, the buff cleaning member 150, and the pencil cleaning member 71. An example of the processing members for processing the polishing pad 84 includes the dresser 115.

The air bearing cylinder 163 has a configuration in which the piston rod 165 is supported in a non-contact manner by the compressed gas supplied into the cylinder housing 164. Therefore, unlike a general air cylinder, the air bearing cylinder 163 can prevent sliding friction occurring between the piston rod 165 and the cylinder housing 164.

On the other hand, the air bearing cylinder 163 has low radial rigidity. Therefore, if there is a misalignment (i.e., eccentricity or angular misalignment) between the piston rod 165 and the shaft 113 (and/or the shafts 81a, 153, and 72), the piston rod may come into contact with the cylinder housing due to the misalignment when the piston rod moves.

Therefore, the substrate processing module includes the free joint structure 200 capable of absorbing the misalignment between the piston rod and the shaft. Structures of the free joint structure 200 will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a dressing device having the free joint structure. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the free joint structure. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the free joint structure. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the free joint structure 200 coupled to the shaft 113 of the dressing device 110 is described, but the free joint structure 200 is not limited to the shaft 113 of the dressing device 110, and may be coupled to at least one of the shaft 81a to which the top ring 81 is connected, the shaft 153 to which the buff cleaning member 150 is connected, and the shaft 72 to which the pencil cleaning member 71 is connected (see FIGS. 2, 3, and 4).

As shown in FIG. 5, the dressing device 110 includes a guide member 160 that guides the shaft 113, a bearing 168 that rotatably supports the shaft 113, a pad height measuring device (e.g., a displacement sensor) 162 attached to the bearing 168, and a load measuring device (e.g., a load cell) 161 that measures a load of the dresser 115 applied to the polishing pad 84.

The pad height measuring device 162 is configured to measure a distance between the pad height measuring device 162 and the polishing surface 84a of the polishing pad 84. The control device 30 is electrically connected to the pad height measuring device 162 and the load measuring device 161. Therefore, the control device 30 accurately controls the dressing of the polishing pad 84 based on measurement values sent from the pad height measuring device 162 and the load measuring device 161.

The air bearing cylinder 163 includes a piston rod 165 coupled to the shaft 113 via the free joint structure 200, and a cylinder housing 164 that accommodates the piston rod 165.

A combination of the air bearing cylinder 163 and the free joint structure 200 constitutes a push-pull device 300. The control device 30 is electrically connected to the push-pull device 300 and is configured to control an operation of the push-pull device 300.

The cylinder housing 164 has a partition wall 169 arranged therein. The partition wall 169 divides an internal space of the cylinder housing 164 into a first space 164a and a second space 164b.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the compressed gas is supplied to the first space 164a, the compressed gas generates a push force Fc1 on the partition wall 169. When the compressed gas is supplied to the second space 164b, the compressed gas generates a pull force Fc2 on the partition wall 169. The piston rod 165 moves forward due to the push force Fc1 and moves backward due to the pull force Fc2.

As shown in FIG. 7, the cylinder housing 164 has an annular gas storage chamber 167 (more specifically, a first gas storage chamber 167a and a second gas storage chamber 167b) arranged around the piston rod 165. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cylinder housing 164 forms a compressed gas layer in the gas storage chamber 167 by supplying the compressed gas to the gas storage chamber 167. The compressed gas layer supports the piston rod 165 in a non-contact manner. Note that FIG. 7 omits illustration of the first space 164a, the second space 164b, the partition wall 169, and the like shown in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 7, the free joint structure 200 includes a push-pull force generating portion 230 that generates a push-pull force as the piston rod 165 moves, and a target load portion 240 that is coupled to the push-pull force generating portion 230 and to which the push-pull force from the push-pull force generating portion 230 is applied.

The push-pull force generating portion 230 is configured to apply the push force Fc1 to the target load portion 240 by making point contact with the target load portion 240, and to apply the pull force Fc2 to the target load portion 240 by making surface contact with the target load portion 240.

More specifically, the push-pull force generating portion 230 includes a pressing member 202 connected to the piston rod 165, and a pull-up member 203 fixed to the pressing member 202. The target load portion 240 includes a pressing flat surface portion 207 arranged opposite the push-pull force generating portion 230, and an opening flat surface portion 201 arranged on an opposite side of the pressing flat surface portion 207 and having an opening 201a into which the push-pull force generating portion 230 is inserted.

The pressing member 202 of the push-pull force generating portion 230 has a spherical portion 202a that is in point contact with the pressing flat surface portion 207, and a rod portion 202b fixed to the spherical portion 202a. The rod portion 202b is fixed to the piston rod 165, and the spherical portion 202a is arranged at a tip of the rod portion 202b. The piston rod 165 and the rod portion 202b extend in a straight line.

The pull-up member 203 has a cylindrical portion 203b into which the rod portion 202b is inserted, and a flat surface flange portion 203a extending radially outward from the cylindrical portion 203b. The push-pull force generating portion 230 (more specifically, the rod portion 202b and the cylindrical portion 203b) is inserted into the opening 201a formed in a center of the opening flat surface portion 201. The spherical portion 202a and the flat surface flange portion 203a are arranged below the opening flat surface portion 201, and are arranged on opposite sides to each other.

The spherical portion 202a is arranged opposite the pressing flat surface portion 207 so as to be able to make point contact with the pressing flat surface portion 207. The flat surface flange portion 203a is arranged opposite the opening flat surface portion 201 so as to be able to make surface contact with the opening flat surface portion 201.

In this embodiment, the pressing flat surface portion 207 is arranged below the push-pull force generating portion 230. More specifically, the pressing flat surface portion 207 includes a contact member 206 arranged opposite the spherical portion 202a, and a support flange 205 that supports the contact member 206.

The contact member 206 has a contact portion 206a that comes into contact with the spherical portion 202a of the pressing member 202, and a rod portion 206b fixed to the contact portion 206a. The contact portion 206a has a machined surface formed on a surface of the contact portion 206a.

The rod portion 206b is connected to the shaft 113 and extends in a straight line with the rod portion 202b. The support flange 205 has an opening 205a formed in a center of the support flange 205. The rod portion 206b passes through the opening 205a of the support flange 205.

In this embodiment, the spherical portion 202a is formed on the pressing member 202, and the contact portion 206a is formed on the contact member 206, but the structure of the free joint structure 200 is not particularly limited as long as the pressing member 202 can be brought into point contact with the contact member 206. In one embodiment, the pressing member 202 may have a contact portion corresponding to the contact portion 206a, and the contact member 206 may have a spherical portion corresponding to the spherical portion 202a.

The pressing flat surface portion 207 and the opening flat surface portion 201 are arranged parallel to each other. The target load portion 240 includes a plurality of spacers 209 arranged between the pressing flat surface portion 207 and the opening flat surface portion 201, and a fastener 208 that fastens the pressing flat surface portion 207 and the opening flat surface portion 201.

The opening flat surface portion 201 has a plurality of fastening holes 201b arranged around the opening 201a. The support flange 205 has a plurality of insertion holes 205b arranged around the opening 205a. The spacer 209 has a cylindrical shape through which the fastener 208 passes.

The fastener 208 is inserted into the insertion hole 205b and the fastening hole 201b through the spacer 209. In this state, by tightening the fastener 208, the fastener 208 fixes a relative position of the pressing flat surface portion 207 and the opening flat surface portion 201.

FIG. 8 is a view showing the free joint structure in a state where the push-pull force generating portion does not apply the push-pull force to the target load portion. FIG. 9 is a view showing the free joint structure in a state where the push-pull force generating portion applies the pull force to the target load portion. FIG. 10 is a view showing the free joint structure in a state where the push-pull force generating portion applies the push force to the target load portion. FIG. 11 is a view showing a radial gap and an axial gap of the free joint structure.

As shown in FIG. 11, the free joint structure 200 has axial gaps D1, D2 and a radial gap D3 formed between the push-pull force generating portion 230 and the target load portion 240. In one embodiment, a size of each of the axial gaps D1, D2 is 0.1 mm. For example, when the spherical portion 202a is in point contact with the contact portion 206a (i.e., when the axial gap D1 is zero), the axial gap D2 is 0.2 mm.

Similarly, when the flat surface flange portion 203a is in surface contact with the opening flat surface portion 201 (i.e., when the axial gap D2 is zero), the axial gap D1 is 0.2 mm. In one embodiment, the radial gap D3 is 2.0 mm.

In one embodiment, from a standpoint of push-pull control responsiveness and a necessary tolerance for misalignment, the size of each of the axial gaps D1, D2 may be set in a range of 0.01 to 0.2 mm, and the radial gap D3 may be set in a range of 0.5 to 2 mm.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the push-pull force from the push-pull force generating portion 230 is not applied to the target load portion 240, the push-pull force generating portion 230 is fixed to the piston rod 165 with the axial gaps D1, D2 and the radial gap D3 formed. In other words, the push-pull force generating portion 230 is in a free state with respect to the target load portion 240.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the compressed gas is supplied to the second space 164b to raise the push-pull force generating portion 230, the flat surface flange portion 203a of the pull-up member 203 comes into surface contact with the opening flat surface portion 201. In this manner, the push-pull force generating portion 230 applies the pull force Fc2 to the target load portion 240. As a result, the push-pull force generating portion 230 separates the dresser 115 together with the shaft 113 from the polishing pad 84 via the target load portion 240.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the compressed gas is supplied to the first space 164a and the push-pull force generating portion 230 is lowered, the spherical portion 202a of the pressing member 202 comes into point contact with the contact portion 206a of the contact member 206. In this manner, the push-pull force generating portion 230 applies the push force Fc1 to the target load portion 240. As a result, the push-pull force generating portion 230 brings the dresser 115 together with the shaft 113 closer to the polishing pad 84 via the target load portion 240.

According to the embodiment, the free joint structure 200 can absorb the misalignment between the piston rod 165 and the shaft 113. More specifically, when the push-pull force generating portion 230 is brought into point contact with the target load portion 240, the axial gaps D1 and D2 and the radial gap D3 allow the misalignment (angular misalignment) between the piston rod 165 and the shaft 113.

Therefore, even if the misalignment (angular misalignment) occurs between the piston rod 165 and the shaft 113, the piston rod 165 can move forward and backward without being affected by the angular misalignment described above. As a result, the free joint structure 200 can prevent the piston rod 165 from sliding against the cylinder housing 164.

When the push-pull force generating portion 230 is brought into surface contact with the target load portion 240, the axial gaps D1, D2 and the radial gap D3 allow the misalignment (eccentricity) between the piston rod 165 and the shaft 113. Therefore, even if the misalignment (eccentricity) occurs between the piston rod 165 and the shaft 113, the piston rod 165 can move forward and backward without being affected by the eccentricity described above. As a result, the free joint structure 200 can prevent the piston rod 165 from sliding against the cylinder housing 164.

If there is a design error in the flat flange portion 203a that comes into surface contact with the target load portion 240, i.e., if the flat surface flange portion 203a does not have a completely flat surface, the push-pull force generating portion 230 may not be able to reliably absorb the eccentricity. A similar problem may also occur in the opening flat surface portion 201 of the target load portion 240 with which the flat surface flange portion 203a comes into surface contact.

Therefore, it is desirable to make a contact area of the flat surface flange portion 203a with the target load portion 240 as small as possible. In one embodiment, an outer diameter of the flat surface flange portion 203a is 1.5 times a diameter of the rod portion 202b.

FIG. 12 is a view showing the free joint structure having a shim for adjusting a size of a gap. As shown in FIG. 12, the free joint structure 200 may have shims 220A, 220B, and 220C for adjusting the size of the gap. By arranging at least one of the shims 220A, 220B, and 220C according to a design error and required precision of the push-pull force generating portion 230 and the target load portion 240, the free joint structure 200 can adjust the size of the gap.

In an embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the shim 220A is arranged between the cylindrical portion 203b of the pull-up member 203 and the piston rod 165. By arranging the shim 220A, a size of the axial gap D2 between the flat surface flange portion 203a of the pull-up member 203 and the opening flat surface portion 201 can be adjusted.

The shim 220B is arranged between the spacer 209 and the open flat surface portion 201. By arranging the shim 220B, the size of the axial gap D1 between the spherical portion 202a of the pressing member 202 and the contact portion 206a of the contact member 206 can be adjusted.

The shim 220C is arranged between the flat surface flange portion 203a of the pull-up member 203 and the opening flat surface portion 201. By arranging the shim 220C, the size of the axial gap D2 between the flat surface flange portion 203a and the opening flat surface portion 201 can be adjusted.

In this manner, the free joint structure 200 may include the shim 220A (and/or the shim 220C) that adjusts the size of the axial gap D2, and may include the shim 220B that adjusts the size of the axial gap D1.

FIG. 13 is a view showing another embodiment of the free joint structure. As shown in FIG. 13, the free joint structure 200 may include a push-pull force generating portion 230 in which the pressing member 202 and the pull-up member 203 described with reference to the above embodiment are integrally formed, and the target load portion 240 in which the opening flat surface portion 201, the pressing flat surface portion 207, and the spacer 209 are integrally formed.

In an embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the target load portion 240 includes a pressing flat surface portion 240a arranged opposite the push-pull force generating portion 230, and an opening flat surface portion 240c having an opening 240b into which the push-pull force generating portion 230 is inserted. The push-pull force generating portion 230 includes a spherical portion 230a in point contact with the pressing flat surface portion 240a, and a flat surface flange portion 230b in surface contact with the opening flat surface portion 240c.

According to this embodiment, the free joint structure 200 can have a simple structure and the number of parts can be reduced. In this embodiment, the free joint structure 200 can also achieve the same effects as the free joint structure 200 according to the above described embodiment.

In the above described embodiment, the substrate processing module (more specifically, the polishing module 14) includes the push-pull device 300 formed by combining the air bearing cylinder 163 and the free joint structure 200, the shaft 113 coupled to the push-pull device 300, and the dresser 115 as a processing member connected to the shaft 113 (see, for example, FIG. 5).

In one embodiment, the substrate processing module (more specifically, the polishing module 14) may include the push-pull device 300, the shaft 81a coupled to the push-pull device 300, and the top ring (i.e., polishing head) 81 as a processing member connected to the shaft 81a (see FIG. 2).

In one embodiment, the substrate processing module (cleaning modules 16, 18) may include the push-pull device 300, the shaft 153 coupled to the push-pull device 300, and the buff cleaning member 150 as a processing member connected to the shaft 153 (see FIG. 3).

In one embodiment, the substrate processing module (cleaning modules 16, 18) may include the push-pull device 300, the shaft 72 coupled to the push-pull device 300, and the pencil cleaning member 71 as a processing member connected to the shaft 72 (see FIG. 4).

The previous description of embodiments is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention. Moreover, various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles and specific examples defined herein may be applied to other embodiments. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope as defined by limitation of the claims.

FREE JOINT STRUCTURE, PUSH-PULL DEVICE, AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING MODULE

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