Electrolytic processing apparatus and substrate processing apparatus and method

Abstract

The present invention alleviates workloads in chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) by replacing all or a portion of the substrate processing by means of chemical-mechanical polishing with electrolytic processing using deionized water, ultrapure water or the like and enables processing insuring the higher flatness with the higher efficiency. The electrolytic processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a chemical-mechanical polishing section 24 for chemically-mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate of a substrate, an electrolytic processing section 26 having a processing electrode and a feeding electrode and also having an ion exchanger 48 provided at least either between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode for electrolytically processing a surface of a workpiece under the existence of a solution by applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and a top ring 74 capable of freely moving between the chemical-mechanical polishing section 24 and the processing electrode section 26.

1 . An electrolytic processing apparatus comprising: 
 an electrolytic processing section having a processing electrode and a feeding electrode, for electrolytically processing a surface of a workpiece in the presence of a liquid by applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and    a processing end point detecting section for detecting a processing end point by detecting a change in a frictional force generated between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode during the processing.    
     
     
         2 . An electrolytic processing apparatus comprising: 
 an electrolytic processing section having a processing electrode and a feeding electrode, for electrolytically processing a surface of a workpiece in the presence of a liquid by applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and    a processing end point detecting section for detecting a processing end point by detecting a change in an amount of heat generated between the workpiece and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode during the processing.    
     
     
         3 . An electrolytic processing apparatus comprising: 
 an electrolytic processing section having a processing electrode and a feeding electrode, for electrolytically processing a surface of a workpiece in the presence of a liquid by applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and    a processing end point detecting section for detecting a processing end point by detecting a change in amplitude of a light reflected from a processed surface of the workpiece.    
     
     
         4 . An electrolytic processing apparatus comprising: 
 an electrolytic processing section having a processing electrode and a feeding electrode, for electrolytically processing a surface of a workpiece in the presence of a liquid by applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and    a processing end point detecting section for detecting a processing end point by detecting a change in an eddy current generated inside the workpiece during the processing.    
     
     
         5 . An electrolytic processing apparatus comprising: 
 an electrolytic processing section having a processing electrode and a feeding electrode, for electrolytically processing a surface of a workpiece in the presence of a liquid by applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode; and    a processing end point detecting section for detecting a processing end point by detecting and integrating a current flowing between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode during the processing.    
     
     
         6 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising: 
 a chemical-mechanical polishing section for chemically and mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate;    an electrolytic processing section having a processing electrode, a feeding electrode and an ion exchanger disposed at least either between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode, and for electrolytically processing a surface of the substrate in the presence of a liquid by applying a voltage between the feeding electrode and the processing electrode; and    a top ring releasably holding the substrate and movable between the chemical-mechanical polishing section and the electrolytic processing section.    
     
     
         7 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising: 
 a chemical-mechanical polishing section for chemically and mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate;    an electrolytic processing section having a feeding electrode and a processing electrode, for electrolytically processing the surface of the substrate in the presence of deionized water or a liquid with an electric conductivity of 500 μS/cm or below between the substrate and each or at least one of the processing electrode, and the feeding electrode, and applying a voltage between the feeding electrode and the processing electrode; and    a top ring releasably holding a substrate and freely movable between the chemical-mechanical polishing section and the electrolytic processing section.    
     
     
         8 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising: 
 a chemical-mechanical polishing section for chemically and mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate;    an electrolytic processing section having a processing electrode, a feeding electrode and an ion exchanger disposed at least either between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode, for electrolytically processing the surface of the substrate in the presence of a liquid by applying a voltage between the feeding electrode and the processing electrode;    one or more top rings for releasably holding the substrate; and    a pusher located between said chemical-mechanical polishing section and said electrolytic processing section and transferring the substrate between the chemical-mechanical polishing section and the electrolytic processing section.    
     
     
         9 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising: 
 a chemical-mechanical polishing section for chemically and mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate;    an electrolytic processing section having the feeding electrode and a processing electrode, for electrolytically processing the surface of the substrate in the presence of deionized water or a liquid with an electric conductivity of 500 μS/cm or below to at least either between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode;    one or more top rings for releasably holding the substrate; and    a pusher located between said chemical-mechanical polishing section and said electrolytic processing section and for transferring the substrate between the chemical-mechanical polishing section and the electrolytic processing section.    
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said chemical-mechanical polishing section performs a chemical-mechanical polishing using fixed abrasive member.  
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein an anti-oxidant is added in the liquid used in the electrolytic processing section.  
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of polishing tables are provided in the chemical-mechanical polishing section.  
     
     
         13 . A method for processing a substrate using three or more process stages comprising: 
 polishing a surface of the substrate by chemical-mechanical polishing; and    removing unnecessary portions from the surface of the substrate by electrolytic processing using deionized water or ultrapure water or liquid with an electric conductivity of 500 μS/cm or below.    
     
     
         14 . A method for processing a substrate using three or more process stages comprising: 
 polishing a surface of the substrate by chemical-mechanical polishing; and    removing unnecessary portions of the substrate by electrolytic processing placing an ion exchanger at least either between the substrate and an processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode and applying a voltage between the feeding electrode and the processing electrode in the presence of deionized water, a liquid with an electric conductivity of 500 uS/cm or below, or an electrolytic solution.    
     
     
         15 . A method for processing substrate comprising: 
 polishing a surface of the substrate by chemical-mechanical polishing using a fixed abrasive member; and    removing unnecessary portions of the substrate with deionized water or ultrapure water or liquid with an electric conductivity of 500 μS/cm or below.    
     
     
         16 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of electrolytic processing sections, each of said electrolytic processing sections having a feeding electrode and a processing electrode, for electromechanically processing a surface of a substrate by supplying a fluid to at least either between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode and supplying a voltage to between the feeding electrode and the processing electrode.    
     
     
         17 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein an ion exchanger is provided at least either between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode in at least one of the plurality of electrolytic processing sections.  
     
     
         18 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein an ion exchanger is provided at least either between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode in all of the plurality of electrolytic processing sections.  
     
     
         19 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 17  or  18  comprising a plurality of electrolytic processing sections with different types of ion exchangers respectively.  
     
     
         20 . The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of  claims 16  to  19   claim 16  further comprising a chemical-mechanical polishing section for chemically and mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate.  
     
     
         21 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising: 
 an ion exchanger holding member for holding an ion exchanger;    an electrolytic processing section having a processing electrode, a feeding electrode and an ion exchanger disposed at least either between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode, for electrolytically processing a surface of the substrate in the presence of a liquid by applying a voltage between the feeding electrode and the processing electrode; and    an ion exchanger replacement means for replacing the ion exchanger holding member in the electrolytic processing section with another ion exchanger holding member.    
     
     
         22 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein said electrolytic processing section has a plurality of ion exchanger holding members.  
     
     
         23 . A substrate processing method for electrolytically processing a surface of a substrate through a multi-stage process in the presence of a liquid, an ion exchanger at least between a substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode, and a voltage applied between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, the method comprising: 
 electrolytically processing the substrate using a first ion exchanger; and    electrolytically processing the substrate using a second ion exchanger, wherein said first ion exchanger has high elasticity than that of said second ion exchanger.    
     
     
         24 . A substrate processing method for removing unnecessary portions of a surface of a substrate by using a plurality of steps of: 
 carrying out electrolytic processing by placing an ion exchanger at least between the substrate and the processing electrode or between the substrate and the feeding electrode, applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode, and causing a relative movement between the substrate and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode in the presence of a ultrapure water, deionized water or a fluid with an electric conductivity of 500 μS/cm or below;    carrying out electrolytic processing by applying a voltage between the processing electrode and the feeding electrode and also causing a relative movement between the substrate and at least one of the processing electrode and the feeding electrode in the presence of an electrolytic solution; and    carrying out polishing by chemical-mechanical polishing.    
     
     
         25 . The substrate processing method as descrimember in  claim 24  further comprising: 
 removing conductive materials on the surface of the substrate by electrolytic processing using an ion exchanger; and  
 removing a barrier layer on the surface of the substrate by either electrolytic processing with an electrolytic solution or chemical-mechanical polishing.  
 
     
     
         26 . A substrate processing method comprising: 
 removing conductive materials on a surface of a substrate by electrolytic processing using a first ion exchanger;    and removing a barrier layer on the surface of the substrate with electrolytic processing using a second ion exchanger which is other than said first ion exchanger, electrolytic solution, chemical-mechanical polishing, or a combination thereof.    
     
     
         27 . The substrate processing method according in  claim 25 , wherein the conductive material is copper.  
     
     
         28 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 25  wherein the barrier layer is made of any one of TaN, Ta, TiN, and WN.  
     
     
         29 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said chemical-mechanical polishing section performs a chemical-mechanical polishing using fixed abrasive member.  
     
     
         30 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said chemical-mechanical polishing section performs a chemical-mechanical polishing using fixed abrasive member.  
     
     
         31 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said chemical-mechanical polishing section performs a chemical-mechanical polishing using fixed abrasive member.  
     
     
         32 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein an anti-oxidant is added in the liquid used in the electrolytic processing section.  
     
     
         33 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein an anti-oxidant is added in the liquid used in the electrolytic processing section.  
     
     
         34 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein an anti-oxidant is added in the liquid used in the electrolytic processing section.  
     
     
         35 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a plurality of polishing tables are provided in the chemical-mechanical polishing section.  
     
     
         36 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein a plurality of polishing tables are provided in the chemical-mechanical polishing section.  
     
     
         37 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of polishing tables are provided in the chemical-mechanical polishing section.  
     
     
         38 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of polishing tables are provided in the chemical-mechanical polishing section.  
     
     
         39 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of polishing tables are provided in the chemical-mechanical polishing section.  
     
     
         40 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 18  comprising a plurality of electrolytic processing sections with different types of ion exchangers respectively.  
     
     
         41 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 17  further comprising a chemical-mechanical polishing section for chemically and mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate.  
     
     
         42 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 18  further comprising a chemical-mechanical polishing section for chemically and mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate.  
     
     
         43 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 19  further comprising a chemical-mechanical polishing section for chemically and mechanically polishing a surface of a substrate.  
     
     
         44 . The substrate processing method according in  claim 26 , wherein the conductive material is copper.  
     
     
         45 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 26  wherein the barrier layer is made of any one of TaN, Ta, TiN, and WN.  
     
     
         46 . The substrate processing method according to  claim 27  wherein the barrier layer is made of any one of TaN, Ta, TiN, and WN.