A polishing method is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. A method of polishing a substrate by a polishing apparatus includes a polishing table (100) having a polishing surface, a top ring (1) for holding a substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface, and a vertically movable mechanism (24) for moving the top ring (1) in a vertical direction. The top ring (1) is moved to a first height before the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface, and then the top ring (1) is moved to a second height after the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface.

A wafer polishing head is provided. The wafer polishing head includes a carrier head, a plurality of piezoelectric actuators disposed on the carrier head, and a membrane disposed over the plurality of piezoelectric actuators. The plurality of piezoelectric actuators is configured to provide mechanical forces on the membrane and generate an electrical charge when receiving counterforces of the mechanical forces through the membrane. A wafer polishing system and a method for polishing a substrate using the same are also provided.

A wafer polishing head is provided. The wafer polishing head includes a carrier head, a plurality of piezoelectric actuators disposed on the carrier head, and a membrane disposed over the plurality of piezoelectric actuators. The plurality of piezoelectric actuators is configured to provide mechanical forces on the membrane and generate an electrical charge when receiving counterforces of the mechanical forces through the membrane. A wafer polishing system and a method for polishing a substrate using the same are also provided.

An intelligent analysis system for measuring signals of polishing pad surface, a method and a computer readable medium thereof are provided. The intelligent analysis system includes a measurement signal capturing device and a measurement signal analysis device signally-connected to each other. After the measurement signal capturing device obtains the measurement signal of the measured polishing pad, an artificial intelligence model of the measurement signal analysis device is trained to classify the measurement signal to remove the interference caused by a water film on the polishing pad to obtain a better measurement signal, such that the intelligent analysis system can solve the problems of time-consuming, laborious and misjudgment caused by the classification of the measurement signal by the conventional technology.

An intelligent analysis system for measuring signals of polishing pad surface, a method and a computer readable medium thereof are provided. The intelligent analysis system includes a measurement signal capturing device and a measurement signal analysis device signally-connected to each other. After the measurement signal capturing device obtains the measurement signal of the measured polishing pad, an artificial intelligence model of the measurement signal analysis device is trained to classify the measurement signal to remove the interference caused by a water film on the polishing pad to obtain a better measurement signal, such that the intelligent analysis system can solve the problems of time-consuming, laborious and misjudgment caused by the classification of the measurement signal by the conventional technology.

Disclosed are an automatic abrasion compensation system of a lower plate and a wafer lapping apparatus having the same. The automatic abrasion compensation system reduces wafer misloading and errors in wafer loading inspection occurring when the distance between the lower plate and a transfer robot is gradually increased due to abrasion of the lower plate during a lapping process. The automatic abrasion compensation system includes an ultrasonic sensor provided on the transfer robot, a jig located directly under the ultrasonic sensor and mounted on the lower plate, a controller configured to acquire measurement distance information by measuring a distance from the jig through the ultrasonic sensor, to compare the measurement distance information with set reference distance information and to generate an adjustment control signal, and a driver configured to automatically adjust a Z-axis position of the transfer robot depending on the adjustment control signal transmitted by the controller.

Disclosed are an automatic abrasion compensation system of a lower plate and a wafer lapping apparatus having the same. The automatic abrasion compensation system reduces wafer misloading and errors in wafer loading inspection occurring when the distance between the lower plate and a transfer robot is gradually increased due to abrasion of the lower plate during a lapping process. The automatic abrasion compensation system includes an ultrasonic sensor provided on the transfer robot, a jig located directly under the ultrasonic sensor and mounted on the lower plate, a controller configured to acquire measurement distance information by measuring a distance from the jig through the ultrasonic sensor, to compare the measurement distance information with set reference distance information and to generate an adjustment control signal, and a driver configured to automatically adjust a Z-axis position of the transfer robot depending on the adjustment control signal transmitted by the controller.

A method of using a polishing pad includes applying a slurry to a first location on the polishing pad. The method further includes rotating the polishing pad. The method further includes spreading the slurry across a first region of the polishing pad at a first rate, wherein the first region includes a plurality of first grooves, a first material property of the first region varies in a thickness direction of the polishing pad, each of the plurality of first grooves extends through at least two variations in the first material property, and the first material property comprises porosity, specific gravity or absorbance. The method further includes spreading the slurry across a second region of the polishing pad at a second rate different from the first rate, wherein the second region comprises a plurality of second grooves.

A method of using a polishing pad includes applying a slurry to a first location on the polishing pad. The method further includes rotating the polishing pad. The method further includes spreading the slurry across a first region of the polishing pad at a first rate, wherein the first region includes a plurality of first grooves, a first material property of the first region varies in a thickness direction of the polishing pad, each of the plurality of first grooves extends through at least two variations in the first material property, and the first material property comprises porosity, specific gravity or absorbance. The method further includes spreading the slurry across a second region of the polishing pad at a second rate different from the first rate, wherein the second region comprises a plurality of second grooves.

There is provided a detection signal processing circuit and a detection signal processing method for an eddy current sensor that are less easily influenced by a change in ambient environment than conventional technologies. A detection signal processing apparatus includes a converter configured to convert a first analog signal output by a detection coil into a first digital signal, a converter configured to convert a second analog signal output by a dummy coil into a second digital signal, and a detector which is a digital signal processing circuit configured to detect the first digital signal and the second digital signal.