Substrate holding apparatus and substrate polishing apparatus

Abstract

A substrate holding apparatus has a substrate holder body with a substrate holding side facing a polishing surface and holding a substrate on the substrate holding side and a retainer ring fixedly secured to the substrate holder body. The retainer ring is arranged to surround an outer periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holder body so that the retainer ring engages with the polishing surface radially outside the substrate as the polishing of the substrate is effected. The substrate holder body is provided with a membrane having inside and outside surfaces. The inside surface cooperates with a surface of the substrate holder body to define a fluid pressure chamber to which a fluid pressure is applied. The outer surface engages with the substrate held by the substrate holder body.

1 . A substrate holding apparatus for holding a substrate that is to be polished and bringing it into contact with a polishing surface on a polishing table, the apparatus comprising: 
 a substrate holder body for holding a substrate;    a retainer ring integrally formed with or fixedly secured to the substrate holder body to hold a circumferential edge of the substrate; and    an elastic membrane and an elastic membrane supporting member contained in an inner space defined by the substrate holder body and the retainer ring, the elastic membrane supporting member holding an outer circumferential portion of the elastic membrane, wherein    the elastic membrane supporting member has a through-hole through which a pressurized fluid is supplied from a fluid chamber, which is an upper space of the elastic membrane supporting member, to a rear surface of the elastic membrane;    the elastic membrane has an opening at a central portion thereof, from which opening a suction portion is exposed, the suction portion being formed on the elastic membrane supporting member and provided with a communication hole, a lower end of which is open;    the fluid chamber is supplied with a pressurized fluid to press the substrate against the polishing surface; and    the communication hole of the suction portion is connected to a vacuum source, whereby the substrate is held by the suction portion.    
     
     
         2 . A substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a pressure of the pressurized fluid supplied to the fluid chamber is adjustably changed so as to adjust a polishing pressure against the substrate.  
     
     
         3 . A substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein a vertical position of the elastic membrane supporting member relative to the substrate holder body is limited by a restriction member.  
     
     
         4 . A substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein a means for applying a pressing force to the substrate holder body is a mechanism for moving the substrate holder body in a vertical direction.  
     
     
         5 . A polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , for holding a substrate that is to be polished and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface on the polishing table.  
     
     
         6 . A substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein a means for applying a pressing force to the substrate holder body is a mechanism for moving the substrate holder body in a vertical direction.  
     
     
         7 . A polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , for holding a substrate that is to be polished and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface on the polishing table.  
     
     
         8 . A polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , for holding a substrate that is to be polished and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface on the polishing table.  
     
     
         9 . A substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a vertical position of the elastic membrane supporting member relative to the substrate holder body is limited by a restriction member.  
     
     
         10 . A substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein a means for applying a pressing force to the substrate holder body is a mechanism for moving the substrate holder body in a vertical direction.  
     
     
         11 . A polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 9 , for holding a substrate that is to be polished and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface on the polishing table.  
     
     
         12 . A substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a means for applying a pressing force to the substrate holder body is a mechanism for moving the substrate holder body in a vertical direction.  
     
     
         13 . A polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 12 , for holding a substrate that is to be polished and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface on the polishing table.  
     
     
         14 . A polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , for holding a substrate that is to be polished and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface on the polishing table.  
     
     
         15 . A substrate holding apparatus for holding a substrate that is to be polished and bringing it into contact with a polishing surface on a polishing table, the apparatus comprising: 
 a substrate holder body for holding a substrate;    a retainer ring integrally formed with or fixedly secured to the substrate holder body to hold a circumferential edge of the substrate; and    an elastic membrane and an elastic membrane supporting member contained in an inner space defined by the substrate holder body and the retainer ring, the elastic membrane supporting member holding an outer circumferential portion of the elastic membrane, wherein    the elastic membrane supporting member has a through-hole through which a pressurized fluid is supplied from a fluid chamber, which is an upper space of the elastic membrane supporting member, to a rear surface of the elastic membrane;    the elastic membrane has an opening at a central portion thereof, the opening being provided with a suction portion having a communication hole, a lower end of which is open, the communication hole being connected to a vacuum source, such that the suction portion is exposed from the opening, the suction portion being formed on the elastic membrane supporting member and provided with an elastic sheet that is attached to a lower end surface of the suction portion;    the fluid chamber is supplied with a pressurized fluid to press the substrate against the polishing surface, such that a lower end surface of the elastic sheet is positioned above a lower end surface of the elastic membrane while the substrate is being polished; and    the communication hole of the suction portion is connected to the vacuum source, whereby the substrate is held by the suction portion, such that the lower end surface of the suction portion becomes substantially flush with the lower end surface of the elastic membrane.    
     
     
         16 . A polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a substrate holding apparatus as set forth in  claim 15 , for holding a substrate that is to be polished and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface on the polishing table.  
     
     
         17 . A polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface and a substrate holder for holding a substrate that is to be polished and bringing it into contact with the polishing surface on the polishing table, wherein 
 the substrate holder is provided therein with a fluid chamber defined by an elastic membrane having an opening; a suction portion having a communication hole is exposed from the opening of the elastic membrane; and an outer circumferential portion of the elastic membrane is held by the elastic membrane supporting member having a through-hole through which a pressurized fluid is supplied from the fluid chamber to a rear surface of the elastic membrane, the suction portion being formed on the elastic membrane supporting member, and wherein    the fluid chamber is supplied with a pressurized fluid to press the substrate against the polishing surface, and the communication hole of the suction portion is connected to a vacuum source, whereby the substrate is held by the suction portion.    
     
     
         18 . A polishing apparatus as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the substrate holder has a retainer ring integrally formed with or fixedly secured to the substrate holder body to hold a circumferential edge of the substrate, such that a pressing force is applied to the substrate holder body to thereby press the retainer ring against the polishing surface.  
     
     
         19 . A polishing apparatus as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the polishing surface is made of a hard abrasive member having a modulus of compression of 19.6 MPa (200 kg/cm 2 ) or more.  
     
     
         20 . A polishing apparatus as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the polishing surface comprises fixed abrasive particles fixed in a binder and formed in a plate shape.