Polishing method and apparatus

Abstract

This polishing method and polishing apparatus include: a polishing characteristics measurement step in which electrochemical characteristics of a slurry in relation to a material to be polished are measured; and a preparation step in which the slurry is prepared based on the measured electrochemical characteristics, wherein, in the polishing characteristics measurement step, a slurry is supplied from a slurry supply apparatus 202 , and using a sample polishing pad that is formed from the same material as the polishing pad and a sample material to be polished that is formed from the same material as the material to be polished, the electrochemical characteristics are measured both when the sample material to be polished is being polished by the sample polishing pad and when the sample material to be polished is not being polished by the sample polishing pad.

1 . A polishing method in which, at the same time as a slurry is being supplied to a surface of a polishing pad by a slurry supply apparatus, a material to be polished is polished by moving the polishing pad relatively to the material to be polished that is formed on a substrate surface while also bringing the polishing pad and the material to be polished into mutual contact, comprising:
 measuring a polishing characteristics by measuring electrochemical characteristics of the slurry in relation to the material to be polished; and   preparing the slurry based on the measured electrochemical characteristics, wherein,   in the polishing characteristics measurement, a slurry is supplied from the slurry supply apparatus, and using a sample polishing pad that is formed from the same material as the polishing pad and a sample material to be polished that is formed from the same material as the material to be polished, the electrochemical characteristics are measured both when the sample material to be polished is being polished by the sample polishing pad and when the sample material to be polished is not being polished by the sample polishing pad.   
   
   
       2 . The polishing method according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the polishing characteristics measurement, the electrochemical characteristics are measured using a plurality of the sample materials to be polished that correspond to a plurality of the sample materials to be polished that are formed on the substrate surface. 
   
   
       3 . The polishing method according to  claim 2 , wherein,
 in the polishing characteristics measurement, the corrosion potentials of each of the plurality of sample materials to be polished are measured, and when the corrosion potential of a primary material is measured in the polishing characteristics measurement as being lower than the corrosion potential of a secondary material from among the respective sample materials to be polished, the composition of the slurry is prepared in the preparation such that the corrosion potential of the secondary material is set within a passive state area or a stable area of a Pourbaix diagram of the primary material.   
   
   
       4 . The polishing method according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the preparation, the pH of the slurry is adjusted. 
   
   
       5 . A polishing apparatus that is provided with a polishing pad, and a slurry supply apparatus that supplies slurry onto the polishing pad, in which,
 at the same time as the slurry is being supplied by the slurry supply apparatus, a material to be polished is polished by moving the polishing pad relatively to the material to be polished that is formed on a substrate surface while also bringing the polishing pad and the material to be polished into mutual contact, wherein   there are provided a polishing characteristics measurement section that measures electrochemical characteristics of the slurry in relation to the material to be polished, and   a preparation section that prepares the slurry based on the measured electrochemical characteristics, and wherein   a slurry is supplied from the slurry supply apparatus, and a sample material to be polished that is formed from the same material as the material to be polished and a sample polishing pad that is formed from the same material as the polishing pad are held in the polishing characteristics measurement section, and   the polishing characteristics measurement section measures the electrochemical characteristics both when the sample material to be polished is being polished by the sample polishing pad and when the sample material to be polished is not being polished by the sample polishing pad.   
   
   
       6 . The polishing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein a plurality of the sample materials to be polished that correspond to a plurality of the sample materials to be polished that are formed on the substrate surface are held in the polishing characteristics measurement section. 
   
   
       7 . The polishing method according to  claim 2 , wherein, in the preparation, the pH of the slurry is adjusted. 
   
   
       8 . The polishing method according to  claim 3 , wherein, in the preparation, the pH of the slurry is adjusted.