Polishing apparatus

Abstract

A polishing apparatus is used for polishing and planarizing a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring configured to hold a substrate and press the substrate against the polishing surface. The top ring has an extendable and contractable connection sheet configured to cover a gap between a retainer ring guide fixed to a top ring body and a retainer ring guided by the retainer ring guide to move vertically. The polishing apparatus has a nozzle configured to eject a cleaning liquid in a horizontal direction toward the connection sheet and apply a flow of the cleaning liquid directly onto the connection sheet for cleaning the connection sheet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate, comprising:
 a polishing table having a polishing surface;   a top ring configured to hold a substrate and press the substrate against said polishing surface, said top ring having an extendable and contractable connection sheet configured to cover a gap between a retainer ring guide fixed to a top ring body and a retainer ring guided by said retainer ring guide to move vertically; and   a nozzle configured to eject a cleaning liquid in a horizontal direction toward said connection sheet and apply a flow of the cleaning liquid directly onto said connection sheet for cleaning said connection sheet.   
     
     
         2 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said top ring is configured to be movable between a polishing position above said polishing table, and a substrate transfer position laterally of said polishing position, and said nozzle is provided retractably laterally of said top ring located at said substrate transfer position. 
     
     
         3 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle comprises a nozzle which has a flattened portion, at a tip thereof, configured to be flattened and extending in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         4 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle has a flattened portion, at a tip thereof, configured to be flattened and extending in a horizontal direction; and
 said flattened portion has a wedge shape so that a thickness of said flattened portion is gradually thinner from one end side to the other end side.   
     
     
         5 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate, comprising:
 a polishing table having a polishing surface;   a top ring configured to hold a substrate and press the substrate against said polishing surface, said top ring having a seal member configured to cover a gap formed between a top ring body and an inner circumferential surface of a retainer ring which is vertically movably provided at a peripheral portion of said top ring body; and   a nozzle configured to eject a cleaning liquid in a vertical direction toward said gap, formed between said top ring body and said inner circumferential surface of said retainer ring, and to apply a flow of the cleaning liquid directly onto said seal member for cleaning said seal member.   
     
     
         6 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said seal member is formed integrally with an elastic membrane which is provided at a lower surface of said top ring body to form at least one pressure chamber at a lower portion of said top ring body. 
     
     
         7 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said top ring is configured to be movable between a polishing position above said polishing table, and a substrate transfer position laterally of said polishing position, and said nozzle is provided retractably below said top ring located at said substrate transfer position. 
     
     
         8 . A polishing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said nozzle comprises a straight jet nozzle.