A method of controlling processing of a substrate includes generating, based on a signal from an in-situ monitoring system, first and second sequences of characterizing values indicative of a physical property of a reference zone and a control zone, respectively, on a substrate. A reference zone rate and a control zone rate are determined from the first and sequence of characterizing values, respectively. An error value is determined by comparing characterizing values for the reference zone and control zone. An output parameter value for the control zone is generated based on at least the error value and a dynamic nominal control zone value using a proportional-integral-derivative control algorithm, and the dynamic nominal control zone value is generated in a second control loop based on at least the reference zone rate and the control zone rate. The control zone of the substrate is processed according to the output parameter value.

A polishing system includes a platen having a top surface, an annular polishing pad supported on the platen, a carrier head to hold a substrate in contact with the annular polishing pad, a support structure from which the carrier head is suspended and which is configured to move the hold the carrier head laterally across the polishing pad, and a controller. The platen is rotatable about an axis of rotation that passes through approximately the center of the platen, and the inner edge of the annular polishing pad is positioned around the axis of rotation. The controller is configured to cause the support structure to position the carrier head such that a portion of the substrate overhangs the inner edge of the annular polishing pad while the substrate is contacting the polishing pad.

Embodiments of the disclosure generally provide polishing pads includes a composite pad body and methods for forming the polishing pads. One embodiment provides a polishing pad including a composite pad body. The composite pad body includes one or more first features formed from a first material or a first composition of materials, and one or more second features formed from a second material or a second composition of materials, wherein the one or more first features and the one or more second features are formed by depositing a plurality of layers comprising the first material or first composition of materials and second material or second composition of materials.

A polishing pad of a typical substrate polishing apparatus is a consumable item. In the substrate polishing apparatus of the prior art, it is determined that the service life of the polishing pad has expired when the polishing pad is used by a predetermined number of times or for a predetermined period of time. In a case where the serviceable life of the polishing pad still remains in practice even when the service life has expired, the still usable polishing pad is to be replaced. Disclosed is a substrate polishing apparatus including a polishing table for installing a polishing pad having a transparent window and an indicator provided in the polishing table to check deterioration of the transparent window and provided in a location visually observable through the transparent window.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a polishing head defining plural pressure chambers D1 to D5 for pressing a wafer W on a polishing pad 42, a pressure control unit performing pressure feedback control by individually controlling pressures in the pressure chambers D1 to D5, a film thickness measurement unit measuring a film thickness distribution of the wafer W being polished, a storage unit storing multiple pieces of information on a preset pressure of the pressure chambers D1 to D5, and a response characteristic acquisition unit changing the preset pressure every time a predetermined condition is satisfied during polishing of the wafer W, measuring a polishing rate applied to the wafer W, and acquiring a response characteristic of the polishing of the wafer W. The response characteristic indicates responsiveness of the polishing of the wafer W to the pressure feedback. The response characteristic is acquired based on the obtained polishing rates.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate support portion including a platen and a transparent polishing pad on the platen, the platen comprising a light generator that generates light that passes through the transparent polishing pad and proceeds towards a semiconductor substrate on the substrate support portion, and the transparent polishing pad including a surface that contacts and polishes the semiconductor substrate. The substrate processing apparatus further includes: a substrate holder that fixes the semiconductor substrate such that the semiconductor substrate is in contact with the substrate support portion; and a slurry supply portion that supplies slurry between the semiconductor substrate and the transparent polishing pad. The slurry includes a light blocking material that blocks the light; and abrasive particles that are configured to be activated by accepting electrons generated, based on the light, by a photocatalyst within the slurry.

Disclosed is a light transmitting member for a polishing pad. The light transmitting member has a cylindrical or truncated conical shape, and a screw thread is formed on a side portion thereof. A polishing pad includes such a light transmitting member and a substrate polishing apparatus includes such a polishing pad.

Embodiments relate to a polishing pad, which comprises a window having a hardness similar to that of its polishing layer. Since the polishing pad comprises a window having a hardness and a polishing rate similar to those of its polishing layer, it can produce an effect of preventing scratches on a wafer during a CMP process. In addition, the polishing layer and the window of the polishing pad have a similar rate of change in hardness with respect to temperature, so that they can maintain a similar hardness despite a change in temperature during the CMP process.

Embodiments of the disclosure generally provide polishing pads having a composite pad body and methods for forming the polishing pads. In one embodiment, the composite pad body includes one or more first features formed from a first material or a first composition of materials, and one or more second features formed from a second material or a second composition of materials, wherein the one or more first features and the one or more second features are formed by depositing a plurality of layers comprising the first material or first composition of materials and second material or second composition of materials.

The present disclosure provides a polishing pad, which may maintain polishing performances required for a polishing process, such as a removal rate and a polishing profile, minimize defects that may occur on a wafer during the polishing process, and polish layers of different materials so as to have the same level of flatness even when the layers are polished at the same time, and a method for producing the polishing pad. In addition, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to determine a polishing pad, which shows an optimal removal rate selectivity along with excellent performance in a CMP process, through the physical property values of the polishing pad without a direct polishing test.