A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a sound measuring unit that measures a first polishing sound of a film formed on a wafer, a sound pressure prediction regression model generation unit that generates a first regression model for obtaining a first sound pressure prediction value of the first polishing sound, a sound pressure prediction value calculation unit that performs a first calculation of the first sound pressure prediction value by using the first regression model, a residual difference calculation unit that performs a second calculation of a first residual difference, the first residual difference being a difference between a first sound pressure actual measurement value of the first polishing sound and the first sound pressure prediction value, and an end point determination unit that determines a polishing end point of the film by using the first residual difference.

A polishing table holds a polishing pad. A top ring holds a semiconductor wafer. A swing arm holds the top ring. The swing arm swings around a swing center on the swing arm during polishing. An optical sensor is disposed on the polishing table and measures an optical characteristic changeable in accordance with a variation in film thickness of the semiconductor wafer. A fluid supply control apparatus determines a distance from an axis of rotation to the optical sensor when the semiconductor wafer is rotated by the top ring. An end point detection section detects a polishing end point indicating an end of polishing based on the optical characteristic measured by the optical sensor and the determined distance.

A polishing table holds a polishing pad. A top ring holds a semiconductor wafer. A swing arm holds the top ring. The swing arm swings around a swing center on the swing arm during polishing. An optical sensor is disposed on the polishing table and measures an optical characteristic changeable in accordance with a variation in film thickness of the semiconductor wafer. A fluid supply control apparatus determines a distance from an axis of rotation to the optical sensor when the semiconductor wafer is rotated by the top ring. An end point detection section detects a polishing end point indicating an end of polishing based on the optical characteristic measured by the optical sensor and the determined distance.

An end point detection method is provided for detecting an end point based on a drive current supplied to a drive unit that rotates and drives one of a polishing table and a holding unit. The end point detection method includes: a step (S102) of determining whether a polishing condition of a polishing process to be executed coincides with a preset specific polishing condition; a step (S103) of adjusting a current control parameter in a drive control unit that controls the drive current, the current control parameter related to a change in the drive current with respect to a change in a driving load of the drive unit, if it is determined that the polishing condition coincides with the specific polishing condition; and a step (S105) of detecting the drive current supplied to the drive unit based on the adjusted current control parameter.

An end point detection method is provided for detecting an end point based on a drive current supplied to a drive unit that rotates and drives one of a polishing table and a holding unit. The end point detection method includes: a step (S102) of determining whether a polishing condition of a polishing process to be executed coincides with a preset specific polishing condition; a step (S103) of adjusting a current control parameter in a drive control unit that controls the drive current, the current control parameter related to a change in the drive current with respect to a change in a driving load of the drive unit, if it is determined that the polishing condition coincides with the specific polishing condition; and a step (S105) of detecting the drive current supplied to the drive unit based on the adjusted current control parameter.

A carrier may be configured and operated to engage a lapping plate with a plurality of physically separated sliders attached to a common adhesive of the carrier. The carrier can be constructed to have at least one finger adjacent to and capable of translating a single slider of the plurality of physically separated sliders.

A carrier may be configured and operated to engage a lapping plate with a plurality of physically separated sliders attached to a common adhesive of the carrier. The carrier can be constructed to have at least one finger adjacent to and capable of translating a single slider of the plurality of physically separated sliders.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a polishing pad that hardly generates scratches on a surface of a subject to be polished. This polishing pad is characterized in that: the polishing pad is provided with a polishing layer having a polishing region and a light-transmitting region; the light-transmitting region includes a surface layer positioned on the pad surface side, and at least one soft layer laminated under the surface layer, and the soft layer has a hardness lower than that of the surface layer.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a polishing pad that hardly generates scratches on a surface of a subject to be polished. This polishing pad is characterized in that: the polishing pad is provided with a polishing layer having a polishing region and a light-transmitting region; the light-transmitting region includes a surface layer positioned on the pad surface side, and at least one soft layer laminated under the surface layer, and the soft layer has a hardness lower than that of the surface layer.

The substrate polishing apparatus capable of measuring a film thickness of a substrate with high accuracy without decreasing a transmittance of light when measuring the film thickness of a substrate being polished is disclosed. The substrate polishing apparatus includes: a stage; a polishing head configured to hold a polishing pad; a polishing-liquid supply nozzle; a film-thickness measuring head; a spectrum analyzer; and a head nozzle to which the film-thickness measuring head is attached. The head nozzle includes a first flow-passage system and a second flow-passage system each configured to form a flow of liquid across an optical path of light and reflected light, the first flow-passage system has an aperture located on the optical path, the second flow-passage system has a liquid outlet port and a liquid suction port located at both sides of the aperture.