Provided is an apparatus and a method that allow a control of a removal amount at an atomic level and allow a selective removal from a projecting portion of a process target.

According to one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus is provided, and the substrate processing apparatus includes: a table for holding a substrate; a nozzle for supplying a process liquid to a top of the substrate held onto the table; a head for holding a photocatalyst; a conditioner for conditioning the photocatalyst; a first moving mechanism for moving the head in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the table; and a second moving mechanism for moving the head between the table and the conditioner.

A double-side polishing method including: disposing a wafer between a polishing pad attached to an upper surface of a lower turn table and a polishing pad attached to a lower surface of an upper turn table provided above the lower turn table; and polishing both sides of the wafer. An absolute value of a difference between a gap at inner circumferential portions of the two polishing pads and a gap at outer circumferential portions thereof is defined as a pad gap. The pad gap is larger when the both sides of the wafer are polished than when the two polishing pads are dressed. This provides a double-side polishing method that simultaneously achieves enhancement of quality level (processing precision) and extension of cloth life.

A polishing machine with an automatic feed and discharge function includes a machine frame, a clamping mechanism, a polishing shaft, a feed mechanism and a discharge mechanism. The clamping mechanism, the discharge mechanism, the polishing shaft and the feed mechanism are mounted on the machine frame. Multiple polishing heads are mounted on the polishing shaft. The feed mechanism includes a feed frame, a sliding platform, a sliding drive member, multiple columns of storage mechanisms for storing polishing pads, and multiple columns of push mechanisms, and the number of the columns of the storage mechanisms matches the number of the columns of the push mechanisms. The feed frame is mounted on the machine frame. The sliding platform is slidably arranged on the feed frame. The storage mechanisms are mounted on the sliding platform. The push mechanisms are mounted on the feed frame and are located above the storage mechanisms.

An apparatus of cleaning a polishing pad includes: a first gas nozzle for spraying gas onto the pores of the polishing pad; and a first liquid nozzle for spraying a liquid to the pores of the polishing pad.

An apparatus of cleaning a polishing pad includes: a first gas nozzle for spraying gas onto the pores of the polishing pad; and a first liquid nozzle for spraying a liquid to the pores of the polishing pad.

The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus to remove consumable (e.g., sacrificial) polishing pad layers from a multilayer polishing pad. For example, the method includes measuring a thickness profile of a top polishing pad layer of a multilayer polishing pad and comparing the thickness profile to a threshold. The method, in response to the thickness profile being above the threshold, rinses the top polishing pad layer of the multilayer polishing pad and removes, after the top polishing pad layer has been rinsed, the top polishing pad layer to expose an underlying polishing pad layer of the multilayer polishing pad.

The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus to remove consumable (e.g., sacrificial) polishing pad layers from a multilayer polishing pad. For example, the method includes measuring a thickness profile of a top polishing pad layer of a multilayer polishing pad and comparing the thickness profile to a threshold. The method, in response to the thickness profile being above the threshold, rinses the top polishing pad layer of the multilayer polishing pad and removes, after the top polishing pad layer has been rinsed, the top polishing pad layer to expose an underlying polishing pad layer of the multilayer polishing pad.

A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus is provided, including a polishing pad and a polishing head. The polishing pad has a polishing surface. The polishing head is configured to hold a wafer in contact with the polishing surface during the polishing process. The polishing head includes a retaining ring, at least one fluid channel, and a vacuum pump. The retaining ring is arranged along the periphery of the polishing head and configured to retain the wafer. The at least one fluid channel is provided inside the polishing head, wherein the retaining ring includes a bottom surface facing the polishing surface and a plurality of holes in fluid communication with the bottom surface and the at least one fluid channel. The vacuum pump is fluidly coupled to the at least one fluid channel.

A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus is provided, including a polishing pad and a polishing head. The polishing pad has a polishing surface. The polishing head is configured to hold a wafer in contact with the polishing surface during the polishing process. The polishing head includes a retaining ring, at least one fluid channel, and a vacuum pump. The retaining ring is arranged along the periphery of the polishing head and configured to retain the wafer. The at least one fluid channel is provided inside the polishing head, wherein the retaining ring includes a bottom surface facing the polishing surface and a plurality of holes in fluid communication with the bottom surface and the at least one fluid channel. The vacuum pump is fluidly coupled to the at least one fluid channel.

A pad carrier assembly that includes a coupling base and a pad carrier coupled to the coupling base, the coupling base and the pad carrier are configured to support a buffing pad by a mechanical clamping mechanism. Embodiments of the present disclosure will provide a method of supporting a buffing pad in a horizontal pre-clean module. The method includes mechanically clamping or retaining a buffing pad on a peripheral edge of the buffing pad, wherein the coupling base and the pad carrier are coupled and disposed in a horizontal pre-clean module, and supporting the buffing pad and preventing the buffing pad from sagging, by use of one or more pad retaining features.