A grinding apparatus includes a chuck table that holds a wafer on a holding surface; a grinding unit that has a spindle unit in which a spindle with an annular grindstone mounted to a tip thereof is rotatably supported and that grinds the wafer by use of the grindstone; a grinding feeding mechanism that puts the grinding unit into grinding feeding in a grinding feeding direction perpendicular to the holding surface; a first height gauge that measures the height of the holding surface; a second height gauge that measures the height of an upper surface of the wafer; and a calculation section that calculates the difference between the height of the holding surface and the height of the upper surface of the wafer, as the thickness of the wafer. In the grinding apparatus, the first height gauge and the second height gauge are disposed in the grinding unit.

A grinding apparatus includes a chuck table that holds a wafer on a holding surface; a grinding unit that has a spindle unit in which a spindle with an annular grindstone mounted to a tip thereof is rotatably supported and that grinds the wafer by use of the grindstone; a grinding feeding mechanism that puts the grinding unit into grinding feeding in a grinding feeding direction perpendicular to the holding surface; a first height gauge that measures the height of the holding surface; a second height gauge that measures the height of an upper surface of the wafer; and a calculation section that calculates the difference between the height of the holding surface and the height of the upper surface of the wafer, as the thickness of the wafer. In the grinding apparatus, the first height gauge and the second height gauge are disposed in the grinding unit.

A grinding apparatus includes a chuck, a housing, a tool driving unit, a nozzle, a sensor and a sensor cover. The chuck is configured to hold a substrate. The housing accommodates the chuck therein. The tool driving unit is configured to drive a grinding tool pressed against the substrate within the housing. The nozzle is configured to supply a grinding liquid to the substrate within the housing. The sensor is disposed at an inside of the housing and is configured to detect a liquid level of a liquid collected within the housing. The sensor cover is located between the chuck and the sensor.

Provided is a high-precision substrate polishing system. An apparatus for polishing a substrate includes a platen on which a polishing pad is seated and which is rotatable, a substrate carrier configured to grip a substrate and rotatable on an upper side of the platen, an infrared sensor located inside the platen and configured to measure a temperature of the substrate, and a controller configured to determine a polishing state of the substrate using a value measured by the infrared sensor.

Provided is a high-precision substrate polishing system. An apparatus for polishing a substrate includes a platen on which a polishing pad is seated and which is rotatable, a substrate carrier configured to grip a substrate and rotatable on an upper side of the platen, an infrared sensor located inside the platen and configured to measure a temperature of the substrate, and a controller configured to determine a polishing state of the substrate using a value measured by the infrared sensor.

A grinding apparatus includes a chuck table, a grinding unit, a thickness measuring device for measuring a thickness of the workpiece, and a control unit. The thickness measuring device includes a measuring unit for measuring the thickness of the workpiece and a measuring unit moving mechanism for moving the measuring unit back and forth on a measuring track. The control unit controls the measuring unit to measure thicknesses of the workpiece at various points thereon while moving the measuring unit back and forth on the measuring track, calculates a cross-sectional shape of the workpiece from average values of thickness values measured by the measuring unit in a forward stroke on the measuring track and thickness values measured by the measuring unit in a return stroke on the measuring track, and calculates a tilt adjustment variable for a table rotational axis according to the calculated cross-sectional shape.

A grinding apparatus includes a chuck table, a grinding unit, a thickness measuring device for measuring a thickness of the workpiece, and a control unit. The thickness measuring device includes a measuring unit for measuring the thickness of the workpiece and a measuring unit moving mechanism for moving the measuring unit back and forth on a measuring track. The control unit controls the measuring unit to measure thicknesses of the workpiece at various points thereon while moving the measuring unit back and forth on the measuring track, calculates a cross-sectional shape of the workpiece from average values of thickness values measured by the measuring unit in a forward stroke on the measuring track and thickness values measured by the measuring unit in a return stroke on the measuring track, and calculates a tilt adjustment variable for a table rotational axis according to the calculated cross-sectional shape.

A method of grinding a workpiece includes a first grinding step of adjusting the relative tilt of a chuck table and a grinding wheel to a first state and bringing grindstones into abrasive contact with the workpiece to grind the workpiece, and a second grinding step of adjusting the relative tilt of the chuck table and the grinding wheel to a second state that is different from the first state and bringing the grindstones into abrasive contact with the workpiece to grind the workpiece. In the second grinding step, the workpiece is ground under a condition for causing the workpiece to have a smaller surface roughness than that in the first grinding step.

A method of grinding a workpiece includes a first grinding step of adjusting the relative tilt of a chuck table and a grinding wheel to a first state and bringing grindstones into abrasive contact with the workpiece to grind the workpiece, and a second grinding step of adjusting the relative tilt of the chuck table and the grinding wheel to a second state that is different from the first state and bringing the grindstones into abrasive contact with the workpiece to grind the workpiece. In the second grinding step, the workpiece is ground under a condition for causing the workpiece to have a smaller surface roughness than that in the first grinding step.

There is provided a grinding method for grinding a substrate with a grinding wheel. A dissimilar material portion made of a material different from a main constituent material of the substrate is embedded in the substrate. The grinding method includes: lowering the grinding wheel toward the substrate rotating while rotating the grinding wheel, and grinding the substrate by the grinding wheel; continuously imaging a processed surface of the substrate by an image sensor during grinding the substrate; analyzing an amount of exposure of the dissimilar material portion based on data of an image captured by the image sensor; and continuously grinding the substrate from a state where the dissimilar material portion begins to be exposed to a stage where the amount of exposure of the dissimilar material portion reaches a predetermined set value, based on the amount of exposure analyzed.