Polishing apparatus

Abstract

A polishing apparatus polishes a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus comprises a table ( 30 ) which makes a motion, a base ( 20 ) placed on the table, a polishing tool ( 10 ) fixed to the base and having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of the workpiece (W), a plurality of transmission members ( 41 ) provided along a circumferential direction of the table, and a plurality of holes ( 22 ) formed in the base. The transmission members are inserted into the holes, respectively, for transmitting the motion of the table to the base.

1 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, comprising: 
 a table;    a base placed on said table; and    a polishing tool fixed to said base and having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of the workpiece;    wherein said base has at least a portion which is not fixed to said table for allowing said base to be deformed through said portion.    
     
     
         2 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fixing member for fixing said base to said table.  
     
     
         3 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a transmission member provided on said table at a position where said base is not fixed to said table;    wherein said table makes a motion, and the motion of said table is transmitted to said base through said transmission member.    
     
     
         4 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said base comprises a plurality of base segments.  
     
     
         5 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said polishing tool comprises a fixed abrasive.  
     
     
         6 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said base is made of a material whose coefficient of linear expansion ranges from {fraction (1/100)} to 100 times a coefficient of linear expansion of said polishing tool.  
     
     
         7 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, comprising: 
 a table;    a base placed on said table and having an annular shape;    a polishing tool fixed to said base and having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of the workpiece; and    a fixing member for fixing said base to said table;    wherein an inner circumferential portion of said base is fixed to said table by said fixing member and an outer circumferential portion of said base is not fixed to said table so as to allow said base to be deformed radially outwardly.    
     
     
         8 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said base comprises a plurality of base segments having a fan shape.  
     
     
         9 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of transmission members provided along a circumferential direction of said table; and    a plurality of holes formed in said base and having an elongate shape extending in the radial direction of said base, said transmission members being inserted into said holes, respectively, for transmitting the motion of said table to said base.    
     
     
         10 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, comprising: 
 a table;    a base placed on said table and having an annular shape;    a polishing tool fixed to said base and having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of the workpiece; and    a fixing member for fixing said base to said table;    wherein said base comprises a plurality of base segments, said polishing tool comprises a plurality of polishing tool segments which are fixed to said plurality of base segments, respectively, and an outer circumferential portion of said base is fixed to said table by said fixing member and an inner circumferential portion of said base is not fixed to said table so as to allow said base to be deformed radially inwardly.    
     
     
         11 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein each of said base segments has a fan shape.  
     
     
         12 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of transmission members provided along a circumferential direction of said table; and    a plurality of holes formed in said base and having an elongate shape extending in the radial direction of said base, said transmission members being inserted into said holes, respectively, for transmitting the motion of said table to said base.    
     
     
         13 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, comprising: 
 a table which makes a motion;    a base placed on said table;    a polishing tool fixed to said base and having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of the workpiece;    a plurality of transmission members provided along a circumferential direction of said table; and    a plurality of holes formed in said base and having an elongate shape extending in the radial direction of said base, said transmission members being inserted into said holes, respectively, for transmitting the motion of said table to said base.    
     
     
         14 . A polishing tool assembly for polishing a workpiece, comprising: 
 a base positionable on a table;    a polishing tool fixed to said base and having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of the workpiece, said polishing tool comprising a fixed abrasive; and    a plurality of holes formed in said base and having an elongate shape extending in the radial direction of said base;    wherein said holes are arranged to allow a plurality of transmission members provided along a circumferential direction of said table to be inserted therein when said polishing tool assembly is mounted on said table.    
     
     
         15 . A polishing tool assembly for polishing a workpiece, comprising: 
 a plurality of polishing tool segments having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of the workpiece; and    a polishing tool attachment for holding said polishing tool segments thereon in such a state that the circumferentially adjacent polishing tool segments are held in close contact with each other.    
     
     
         16 . A polishing tool assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said polishing tool segment comprises a fixed abrasive having abrasive particles fixed by a binder.  
     
     
         17 . A polishing tool assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein each of said polishing tool segments is in a sectorial or fan-shaped form, and said circumferentially adjacent polishing tool segments are held in close contact with each other to form a disk or cylindrical shape as a whole.  
     
     
         18 . A polishing tool assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said polishing tool segments are mounted on said polishing tool attachment in such a state that said polishing tool segments are positioned with use of a positioning member mounted around the outer circumferential edges of said polishing tool segments.  
     
     
         19 . A polishing tool assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said polishing tool attachment has an outside diameter larger than said polishing tool segments.  
     
     
         20 . A polishing tool assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said polishing tool segments are mounted on a single polishing tool attachment.  
     
     
         21 . A polishing tool according to  claim 15 , wherein said polishing tool attachment is divided into a plurality of attachment segments so as to correspond to said polishing tool segments, and said polishing tool segments are mounted on the respective attachment segments.  
     
     
         22 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, comprising: 
 a workpiece holding device for holding the workpiece;    a polishing tool assembly according to  claim 15;  and    a polishing table on which said polishing tool is mounted.    
     
     
         23 . A polishing apparatus comprising: 
 a polishing tool having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of a workpiece;    a cartridge table having a surface on which said polishing tool is mounted;    a main table disposed so as to face a reverse surface of said cartridge table and having a support surface for supporting said cartridge table thereon;    a moving mechanism mounted on said reverse surface of said cartridge table or said support surface of said main table for facilitating movement of said cartridge table along said main table; and    a positioning member for positioning said cartridge table with respect to said main table.    
     
     
         24 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said moving mechanism comprises a rolling element which rolls on said support surface of said main table, or said reverse surface of said cartridge table.  
     
     
         25 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said positioning member comprises a recess formed in said support surface of said main table or said reverse surface of said cartridge table for accommodating said rolling element.  
     
     
         26 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising a fastening member for securing said cartridge table to said main table.  
     
     
         27 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said moving mechanism is disposed in point symmetry with respect to a center of the surface on which said moving mechanism is mounted.  
     
     
         28 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said polishing tool comprises a fixed abrasive.  
     
     
         29 . A polishing apparatus comprising: 
 a polishing tool having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of a workpiece;    a cartridge table having a surface on which said polishing tool is mounted;    a main table disposed so as to face a reverse surface of said cartridge table and having a support surface for supporting said cartridge table thereon;    a rolling element mounted on said reverse surface of said cartridge table or said support surface of said main table and rolling on said support surface of said main table or said reverse surface of said cartridge table; and    a recess formed in said support surface of said main table or said reverse surface of said cartridge table for accommodating said rolling element.    
     
     
         30 . A polishing apparatus comprising: 
 a polishing tool having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of a workpiece;    a cartridge table having a surface on which said polishing tool is mounted; and    a main table disposed so as to face a reverse surface of said cartridge table and having a support surface for supporting said cartridge table thereon;    wherein said cartridge table is coupled to a carrier device for carrying said cartridge table onto said support surface of said main table when said cartridge table is to be mounted on said main table and carrying said cartridge table upwardly above said support surface when said cartridge table is dismounted from said main table.    
     
     
         31 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 30 , further comprising a jig attached to said cartridge table and having a coupling member through which said cartridge table is coupled to said carrier device.  
     
     
         32 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein said polishing apparatus has a space to allow said carrier device to access said main table.  
     
     
         33 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 30 , further comprising a fastening member for securing said cartridge table to said main table.  
     
     
         34 . A method of assembling a cartridge table, comprising: 
 preparing a cartridge table having a surface on which a polishing tool is mounted, said polishing tool having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of a workpiece;    attaching a jig having a coupling member to said cartridge table;    coupling said jig attached to said cartridge table through said coupling member to a carrier device;    carrying said cartridge table to a position above a support surface of a main table for supporting said cartridge table by said carrier device, and lowering said cartridge table to place said cartridge table onto said support surface by said carrier device;    removing said jig from said cartridge table;    moving said cartridge table along said support surface of said main table by a moving mechanism which is mounted on a reverse surface of said cartridge table or said support surface of said main table; and    positioning said cartridge table with respect to said main table by a positioning member.    
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein said moving mechanism comprises a rolling element which rolls on said support surface of said main table or said reverse surface of said cartridge table.  
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 35 , wherein said positioning member comprises a recess, and said positioning is performed by accommodating said rolling element into said recess.