CN-122029007-A - Polishing apparatus for polishing semiconductor wafer

Abstract

According to the invention, the substrate polishing device can realize the small occupied area for processing the semiconductor wafer. The invention can prevent the polishing pad from being influenced by pollutants, and can ensure that each component can smoothly run without interference even in a limited space. A substrate loading/unloading position and a substrate polishing position are provided above a polishing table providing a polishing surface on which a polishing pad is mounted and on which a substrate is polished. The polishing head alternately reciprocates between a substrate loading/unloading position and a substrate polishing position. The polishing head polishes the substrate on the polishing pad at a substrate polishing position, and exchanges the substrate with the substrate loading/unloading device at a substrate loading/unloading position. A polishing pad conditioning arm is positioned below the substrate loading/unloading device for conditioning the polishing pad. The substrate transfer device enters a space between the polishing head and the substrate loading/unloading device and exchanges substrates with the substrate loading/unloading device above the polishing table.

Inventors

• DING YINQUAN

Assignees

• 丁寅权

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240905

Priority Date

20230912

Claims (10)

1. 1. A substrate polishing apparatus comprising a substrate polishing unit and a substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate to the substrate polishing unit, characterized in that the substrate polishing unit comprises: A polishing table mounted with a polishing pad and providing a polishing surface for polishing a substrate, the polishing table configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation; A substrate polishing location disposed above the polishing surface; a polishing head for polishing a substrate at the substrate polishing position; A substrate loading/unloading position disposed above the polishing table, and A substrate loading/unloading device disposed above the polishing table and configured to exchange a substrate with the polishing head at the substrate loading/unloading position; Wherein the polishing head reciprocates between the substrate polishing position and the substrate loading/unloading position, is configured to polish a substrate on the polishing pad at the substrate polishing position, and exchanges a substrate with the substrate loading/unloading device at the substrate loading/unloading position; And, the substrate transfer device can be inserted into a space between the polishing head and the substrate loading/unloading device and exchange a substrate with the substrate loading/unloading device above the polishing table.
2. 2. The substrate polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polishing head reciprocates along a linear guide between the substrate polishing position and the substrate loading/unloading position.
3. 3. The substrate polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the polishing head reciprocates between the substrate loading/unloading position and the substrate loading/unloading position by rotating about a second rotation axis provided between the substrate loading/unloading position and the substrate polishing position.
4. 4. The substrate polishing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a shortest linear distance between the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis is equal to or less than half a distance between the polishing table edge and a fence provided along a periphery of the polishing table.
5. 5. The substrate polishing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a polishing pad dressing arm that moves under the substrate loading/unloading apparatus and dresses the polishing pad.
6. 6. The substrate polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the polishing head is connected to a vertical shaft protruding downward from an inside of the housing, the housing includes a stepped portion protruding downward, and the stepped portion is carried and supported by the turntable bearing.
7. 7. The substrate polishing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shield plate provided between a lower portion of the substrate loading/unloading apparatus and the polishing table, wherein the substrate exchange between the polishing head and the substrate loading/unloading apparatus is performed above the shield plate.
8. 8. The substrate polishing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the shield plate extends above the substrate polishing position.
9. 9. The substrate polishing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the polishing pad dressing arm dresses the polishing pad under the shield plate.
10. 10. The substrate polishing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the polishing head is configured to first rise in a vertical direction at the substrate polishing position by a distance greater than a sum of a height of the substrate loading/unloading apparatus and a height of the polishing pad conditioning arm to avoid interference, and then move to the substrate loading/unloading position.

Description

Polishing apparatus for polishing semiconductor wafer Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims priority from korean patent application nos. 10-2023-0129160 and 10-2023-0129178 filed on 9 th month 12 of 2023, korean patent application nos. 10-2023-0126112 filed on 9 th month 9 of 2023, korean patent application nos. 10-2023-0133909 and 10-2023-0133914 filed on 9 th month of 2023, korean patent application nos. 10-2023-0141588 filed on 10-2023-013914 of 2023, korean patent application nos. 10-2023-1615 filed on 10 th month 22 of 2023, korean patent application nos. 10-2023-0154891 filed on 11 th month 9 of 2023, korean patent application nos. 10-2024-00390 filed on 2024, korean patent application nos. 10-2024-00396 filed on 7 th month 7 of 2024, korean patent application nos. 10-2024-8805, 2026 of 2024 and 2024-2024, korean patent application nos. 10-2024-2026 of 2024 and 2024, and korean patent application nos. 10-2024, 2024 of which are all cited in the disclosure of korean patent application nos. 10-2024 and 2024, and 2024 are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for polishing a substrate in a semiconductor device manufacturing process. Description of the Related Art Since a substrate polishing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate is generally installed in a clean room environment, and the construction and operation costs of the clean room are high, a design with high space utilization efficiency is required in order to minimize the floor space of the apparatus. For this reason, it is necessary to efficiently arrange the respective constituent elements of the substrate polishing apparatus, including the polishing table, the one or more polishing heads, the substrate loading/unloading apparatus, the polishing pad dressing arm, and the polishing liquid supply arm, in a limited space, so as to avoid interference with each other and ensure smooth operation. In addition, accessibility should be considered sufficiently for maintenance and servicing by the operator, and the device should be designed to protect the polishing pad from the source of contamination. Further, since the substrate polishing apparatus is a capital-intensive equipment, it is necessary to provide a structural design that contributes to reduction in manufacturing costs. Summary of The Invention According to one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate polishing apparatus includes a substrate polishing unit and a substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate to the substrate polishing unit. The substrate polishing unit includes at least one polishing head, a polishing table configured to rotate about a first axis, a substrate polishing position on the polishing table where a polishing pad is attached and a substrate is polished by the at least one polishing head, a substrate loading/unloading position disposed above the polishing table, a substrate loading/unloading device disposed above the polishing table and configured to exchange a substrate with the at least one polishing head at the substrate loading/unloading position, and a polishing pad dressing arm disposed below the substrate loading/unloading device and configured to dress the polishing pad. The at least one polishing head is movable between the substrate polishing position and the substrate loading/unloading position to polish a substrate at the substrate polishing position and exchange a substrate with the substrate loading/unloading device at the substrate loading/unloading position. The substrate handler of the substrate transfer apparatus is configured to enter a space between the at least one polishing head and the substrate loading/unloading apparatus and exchange substrates with the substrate loading/unloading apparatus above the polishing table. In one embodiment, the at least one polishing head is configured to move linearly along a linear guide to reciprocate between the substrate loading/unloading position and the substrate polishing position. In another embodiment, the at least one polishing head is configured to rotate about a second axis to move between the substrate polishing position and the substrate loading/unloading position. The first axis and the second axis may be aligned with each other. The distance between the first axis and the second axis may be equal to or less than half the distance between the polishing table edge and a fence disposed along the polishing table periphery. In one embodiment, the substrate loading/unloading apparatus includes a sidewall extending upwardly from a base, the sidewall having an opening through which the substrate handler may enter. In the above-described embodiments, the pivot axis of the polishing pad conditioning arm may be disposed outside the polishing table and located closer to virtual plane D than virtual plane C with respect to virtual plane D. The virtual plane C includes the substrate polish