Polishing apparatus

Abstract

A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing tool having a polishing surface, a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate, a monitoring device configured to monitor a polishing state of the surface of the substrate being polished, and a controlling device configured to change a polishing condition on the basis of the polishing state of the surface of the substrate being polished detected by the monitoring device.

1 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate, comprising; 
 a polishing tool having a polishing surface;    a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate, the substrate held by said substrate holder being brought into sliding contact with said polishing surface;    a monitoring device configured to monitor a polishing state of the surface of the substrate being polished; and    a controlling device configured to change a polishing condition on the basis of said polishing state of the surface of the substrate being polished detected by said monitoring device.    
   
   
       2 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said controlling device changes said polishing condition when said polishing state of the surface of the substrate being polished detected by said monitoring device becomes a preset condition related to peeling-off of a film formed on the substrate.  
   
   
       3 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said film comprises a low-k film.  
   
   
       4 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring device monitors at least one of a load torque of a motor for rotating said polishing tool and a load torque of motor for rotating said substrate holder.  
   
   
       5 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring device monitors a force acting on said substrate holder in a sliding direction of said substrate holder.  
   
   
       6 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring device monitors the state of the surface of the substrate being polished optically.  
   
   
       7 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring device monitors whether acoustic emission is generated or not.  
   
   
       8 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said polishing condition is a polishing load.  
   
   
       9 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said polishing condition is at least one of a rotational speed of said polishing tool and a rotational speed of said substrate holder.  
   
   
       10 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said polishing condition is a swing speed of said substrate holder.  
   
   
       11 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said polishing condition is a supply amount of a polishing liquid supplied to said polishing surface.  
   
   
       12 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said polishing condition is a type of polishing liquid.  
   
   
       13 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said polishing condition is in-situ dressing condition.  
   
   
       14 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said polishing condition is a temperature of a polishing liquid supplied to said polishing surface.  
   
   
       15 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said polishing condition is a temperature of said polishing surface.