Polishing apparatus, method of manufacturing semiconductor device employing this polishing apparatus, and semiconductor device manufactured by this method of manufacturing semiconductor device

Abstract

While data that indicate a relationship between a dressing position P defined by a distance between a rotating shaft 11 of a polishing pad 13 and a rotating shaft 31 of a dresser 30 and shape change of the polishing pad 13 based on input of a target shape of the polishing pad 13 and alternating repetition of dressing the polishing pad 13 by the dresser 30 and measurement of shape of the polishing pad 13 by a pad shape measurement instrument 20 is acquired at a stage prior to commencement of a series of polishing steps for continuously polishing a plurality of polishing target objects (semiconductor wafer W) by a polishing tool 10 , the polishing pad 13 is machined to the target shape 13 while the dressing position P is controlled, whereby the dressing position P is set during the polishing steps on the basis of a processing result of this data.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a polishing target object by polishing tool on which a polishing pad is mounted, comprising:
 pad type detection means for detecting, based on a measurement of the polishing pad, a type of the polishing pad mounted on the polishing tool; and   polishing condition setting means for setting polishing conditions of the polishing target object in accordance with the type of the polishing pad detected by the pad type detection means.   
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising a step of smoothing a surface of a semiconductor wafer serving as the polishing target object by using the polishing apparatus according to  claim 13 . 
     
     
         15 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the measurement is a measurement of a shape of the polishing pad. 
     
     
         16 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the measurement is based on pad-type discrimination protrusions formed in the polishing pad. 
     
     
         17 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the measurement is based on measurement of an undulating shape in the polishing pad. 
     
     
         18 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the measurement is a measurement of a reflectance of the polishing pad.