Polishing method and polishing apparatus

Abstract

A polishing method can prevent scratches in a polished surface of a polishing object, caused by foreign matter adhering to a surface of a polishing member, thus preventing the attendant lowering of the yield even when the polishing object is large-sized. The polishing method includes: specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of the polishing member; and intensively cleaning the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of a polishing member;

FIGS. 2A through 2C are diagrams showing an adhesion region specifying section which specifies a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of a polishing member by using a pressure sensor;

FIGS. 3A through 3C are diagrams showing an adhesion region specifying section which specifies a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of a polishing member by using a displacement sensor;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an adhesion region specifying section which specifies a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of a polishing member by a non-contact method;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an adhesion region specifying section which evaluates a polished surface of a polishing object by a non-contact method to specify a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of a polishing member;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the layout of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing a top ring and part of a polishing table;

FIGS. 8A through 8E are diagrams showing examples of scratch patterns for use as standard patterns;

FIGS. 9A through 9C are diagrams illustrating a method for calculating the probability of adhesion of foreign matter from stored data on foreign matter adhesion areas specified by an adhesion region specifying section;

FIG. 10 is a control flow diagram of a main routine for polishing;

FIG. 11 is a control flow diagram of a routine for determination of the completion of preparations for polishing;

FIG. 12 is a control flow diagram of a dressing routine;

FIG. 13 is a control flow diagram of a polishing pad cleaning routine;

FIG. 14 is a control flow diagram of a routine for monitoring adhesion of foreign matter by evaluation of a polishing pad;

FIG. 15 is a control flow diagram for determination of adhesion of foreign matter by evaluation of a polished surface;

FIG. 16 is a control flow diagram for the calculation of an intensive cleaning area;

FIG. 17 is a systematic diagram of an adhesion region specifying device; and

FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of a process for specifying a foreign matter adhesion area in the adhesion region specifying apparatus shown in FIG. 17.

Claims

1. A polishing method for polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, comprising: specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of the polishing member; andintensively cleaning the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

2. A polishing method for polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, comprising: reading information on an intensive cleaning position or an intensive cleaning area in a surface of the polishing member from a storage medium in a computer; andintensively cleaning the intensive cleaning position or the intensive cleaning area in the surface of the polishing member.

3. A polishing method for polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, comprising: reading information on an intensive cleaning position or an intensive cleaning area in a surface of the polishing member from a storage medium in a computer;specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member; andintensively cleaning at least one of the intensive cleaning position or the intensive cleaning area in the surface of the polishing member and the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

4. A polishing method for polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, comprising: specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of the polishing member;storing foreign matter adhesion positions or foreign matter adhesion areas in the surface of the polishing member;calculating an intensive cleaning position or an intensive cleaning area in the surface of the polishing member from the stored foreign matter adhesion positions or foreign matter adhesion areas; andintensively cleaning at one of the calculated intensive cleaning position or foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member and the specified foreign matter adhesion position or foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

5. The polishing method according to claim 1, wherein adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is detected by a detection section to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

6. The polishing method according to claim 5, wherein the detection of adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is performed by image analysis of the surface.

7. The polishing method according to claim 3, wherein adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is detected by a detection section to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

8. The polishing method according to claim 7, wherein the detection of adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is performed by image analysis of the surface.

9. The polishing method according to claim 4, wherein adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is detected by a detection section to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

10. The polishing method according to claim 9, wherein the detection of adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is performed by image analysis of the surface.

11. The polishing method according to claim 1, wherein the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is evaluated to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

12. The polishing method according to claim 11, wherein the evaluation of the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is performed by image analysis of the polished surface.

13. The polishing method according to claim 3, wherein the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is evaluated to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

14. The polishing method according to claim 13, wherein the evaluation of the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is performed by image analysis of the polished surface.

15. The polishing method according to claim 4, wherein the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is evaluated to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

16. The polishing method according to claim 15, wherein the evaluation of the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is performed by image analysis of the polished surface.

17. A method for specifying a cleaning region in a surface of a polishing member, comprising: evaluating the surface of the polishing member to specify a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member as a position or area to be intensively cleaned; andstoring the specified intensive cleaning position or intensive cleaning area.

18. A method for specifying a cleaning region in a surface of a polishing member, comprising polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, and evaluating a polished surface of the polishing object to specify a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member as a position or area to be intensively cleaned.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein information on the specified foreign matter adhesion position or foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member is stored.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the evaluation of the polished surface of the polishing object is performed by image analysis of the polished surface.

21. A method for specifying a foreign matter adhesion region, comprising specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of a polishing member by image analysis of a shot image of a polished surface of a polishing object.

22-75. (canceled)