Processing apparatus, method for fabrication of semiconductor device by using the processing apparatus, and semiconductor device fabricated by this method

Abstract

The processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises an object holding unit for holding a processing object, a tool holding unit for holding a tool for processing the processing object, and a relative movement mechanism for causing relative movement of the processing object held in the object holding unit and the tool held in the tool holding unit, while maintaining contact therebetween. The object holding unit and/or the tool holding unit are composed of a plurality of support plates of almost flat shape having elastic property which are arranged in a row.

1 . A processing apparatus comprising an object holding unit for holding a processing object, a tool holding unit for holding a tool for processing said processing object, and a relative movement mechanism for causing relative movement of the processing object held in said object holding unit and the tool held in said tool holding unit, while maintaining contact therebetween, wherein 
 said object holding unit and/or said tool holding unit are composed of a plurality of support plates of almost flat shape having elastic property which are arranged in a row.    
     
     
         2 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of support plates are disposed by stacking in a row in the plate thickness direction.  
     
     
         3 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of support plates are disposed by lining up parallel to each other with a prescribed spacing and stacking in the plate thickness direction.  
     
     
         4 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of support plates have formed therein at least one opening providing them with said elastic property, and said plurality of support plates are disposed by stacking in the plate thickness direction, so that the openings in said support plates that adjoin each other in the vertical direction are shifted with respect to each other.  
     
     
         5 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein an opening providing with said elastic property is formed in at least two support plates of said plurality support plates, and the patterns of said openings in said two support plates differ, if viewed from the plate thickness direction of said support plates.  
     
     
         6 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 4  or  5 , wherein at least part of said openings is formed by a chemical removal process.  
     
     
         7 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said chemical removal process is etching.  
     
     
         8 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein an average surface roughness of said support plates subjected to said chemical removal process is 0.2 a or less.  
     
     
         9 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said openings formed by said chemical removal process are chamfered by barrel polishing or after-etching.  
     
     
         10 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 4  or  5 , wherein said openings are composed of curved or linear slits and almost round open portions formed at the ends of said slits and having a diameter larger than the width of said slits.  
     
     
         11 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 4  or  5 , wherein said openings are composed of curved or linear slits and opening portions with a shape reducing shear stresses to which said support portion is subjected when said processing object is processed with said tool.  
     
     
         12 . The processing apparatus according to any of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein said support plate is produced from a material with a tensile strength of 1000 N/mm 2  or higher.  
     
     
         13 . The processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said material is an austenitic stainless steel.  
     
     
         14 . The processing apparatus according to any of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein the fatigue life of said support plate based on the maximum value of the equivalent stress amplitude to which said support portion is subjected when said processing object is processed with said tool is no less than the actual use period of said processing apparatus.  
     
     
         15 . The processing apparatus according to any of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein at least said support plate is placed in vacuum environment or environment of a substance with low chemical reactivity with respect to the constituent materials thereof during processing of said processing object with said tool.  
     
     
         16 . A method for the fabrication of a semiconductor device, wherein 
 said processing object is a semiconductor wafer, and    the surface of said semiconductor wafer is planarized by using the processing apparatus described in any of  claims 1  to  5 .    
     
     
         17 . A semiconductor device fabricated by the method for the fabrication of a semiconductor device described in  claim 16.