A polishing apparatus includes a chuck table, a rotation mechanism that rotates the chuck table around a predetermined rotation axis, a polishing unit that has a spindle and in which a polishing pad for polishing the wafer sucked and held by the holding surface is mounted on a lower end part of the spindle, a slurry supply unit, and a cleaning unit that cleans the holding surface. The cleaning unit has a cleaning abrasive stone for removing the slurry that adheres to the holding surface through getting contact with the holding surface and a positioning unit that positions the cleaning abrasive stone to a cleaning position at which the cleaning abrasive stone gets contact with the holding surface and an evacuation position at which the cleaning abrasive stone is separate from the holding surface. Hardness of the cleaning abrasive stone is lower than the hardness of the holding surface.

CMP pad dressers having leveled tips and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, a CMP pad dresser can include a support substrate and a plurality of superabrasive particles secured to the support substrate with each superabrasive particle extending away from the support substrate to a protrusion distance, where a highest protruding tip of each of the plurality of superabrasive particles align along a designated profile with a tip variation of from about 5 microns to about 100 microns.

CMP pad dressers having leveled tips and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, a CMP pad dresser can include a support substrate and a plurality of superabrasive particles secured to the support substrate with each superabrasive particle extending away from the support substrate to a protrusion distance, where a highest protruding tip of each of the plurality of superabrasive particles align along a designated profile with a tip variation of from about 5 microns to about 100 microns.

A chemical mechanical polishing conditioner comprises a substrate and at least one abrasive unit. The abrasive unit is provided on the substrate, and the abrasive unit comprises a supporting layer, an abrasive layer and a stress-relief layer. The supporting layer is provided with a working face far away from the substrate and a non-working face opposite to the working face. The abrasive layer is provided on the working face of the supporting layer, and the abrasive layer is a first diamond-plated film formed by chemical vapor deposition method. The first diamond-plated film is provided with a plurality of abrasive tips. The stress-relief layer is provided on the non-working face of the supporting layer, and the stress-relief layer is a second diamond-plated film formed by chemical vapor deposition method. A thermal stress-relieving effect may be exerted by the stress-relief layer, so as to reduce warpage or deformation of the supporting layer.

A chemical mechanical polishing conditioner comprises a substrate and at least one abrasive unit. The abrasive unit is provided on the substrate, and the abrasive unit comprises a supporting layer, an abrasive layer and a stress-relief layer. The supporting layer is provided with a working face far away from the substrate and a non-working face opposite to the working face. The abrasive layer is provided on the working face of the supporting layer, and the abrasive layer is a first diamond-plated film formed by chemical vapor deposition method. The first diamond-plated film is provided with a plurality of abrasive tips. The stress-relief layer is provided on the non-working face of the supporting layer, and the stress-relief layer is a second diamond-plated film formed by chemical vapor deposition method. A thermal stress-relieving effect may be exerted by the stress-relief layer, so as to reduce warpage or deformation of the supporting layer.

A dressing tool, to be used in dressing a plurality of grindstones arrayed in an annular pattern on one surface side of a grinding wheel, includes a dressing section for dressing the plurality of grindstones, a support plate that is located on a side opposite to a front surface side of the dressing section making contact with the plurality of grindstones and that supports a back surface side of the dressing section, and an RFID tag from and in which information concerning the dressing tool is read and written. One of or both the support plate and the dressing section are provided with a recess, and the RFID tag is disposed in the recess and is fixed by a non-conductive material provided in the recess.

In one embodiment, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a polishing table configured to hold a polishing pad for polishing a substrate, and to rotate the polishing pad. The apparatus further includes a dressing module configured to hold a dresser for dressing the polishing pad, and to dress a surface of the polishing pad by sweeping the polishing pad with the dresser while rotating the dresser. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to control a number of revolutions of the polishing table based on a position of the dresser to the polishing table, while the polishing pad is dressed.

In one embodiment, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a polishing table configured to hold a polishing pad for polishing a substrate, and to rotate the polishing pad. The apparatus further includes a dressing module configured to hold a dresser for dressing the polishing pad, and to dress a surface of the polishing pad by sweeping the polishing pad with the dresser while rotating the dresser. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to control a number of revolutions of the polishing table based on a position of the dresser to the polishing table, while the polishing pad is dressed.

Disclosed is a polishing pad including a polishing layer having a polishing surface, wherein the polishing surface includes a deep-groove region having a first pattern formed by a deep groove or hole having a depth of 0.3 mm or more, and a land region that is a region other than the deep-groove region, and the land region includes shallow recesses having a second pattern and a depth of 0.01 to 0.1 mm, and a plurality of island-like land portions surrounded by the shallow recesses and having a maximum distance in a horizontal direction of 8 mm or less.

Disclosed is a polishing pad including a polishing layer having a polishing surface, wherein the polishing surface includes a deep-groove region having a first pattern formed by a deep groove or hole having a depth of 0.3 mm or more, and a land region that is a region other than the deep-groove region, and the land region includes shallow recesses having a second pattern and a depth of 0.01 to 0.1 mm, and a plurality of island-like land portions surrounded by the shallow recesses and having a maximum distance in a horizontal direction of 8 mm or less.