A polishing apparatus includes a polishing device, a polishing fixing device, and a controller. The polishing fixing device includes a rotating mechanism, a sensor, a movement compensation assembly, a first moving assembly and a second moving assembly. The sensor in the polishing fixing device senses pressure applied to the workpiece during polishing, the movement compensation assembly can drive the rotating mechanism to move in compensation, so as to keep the polishing pressure within a certain range for uniformity in polishing, improving the polishing quality and production efficiency of the workpiece.

A method disclosed herein includes forming a polishing pad configured for a chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) process and polishing a workpiece using the polishing pad and a CMP slurry. Forming the polishing pad includes forming an interpenetrating polymer network having a first phase and a second phase embedded in the first phase, removing the second phase from the interpenetrating polymer network, thereby forming a porous top pad that includes a network of pores embedded in the first phase, and adhering the porous top pad to a sub pad, thereby forming the polishing pad. The second phase is different from the first phase in composition, and the interpenetrating polymer network has a substantially periodic pattern. Surface roughness of the porous top pad is consistent during the polishing of the workpiece.

A semiconductor substrate grinding apparatus including a chuck table configured to mount and fix a semiconductor substrate, so that a back side of the semiconductor substrate faces upwardly and rotates in one direction; a grinding wheel on the chuck table configured to grind the back side of the semiconductor substrate; a cleaning liquid supplier on the chuck table, spaced apart from the grinding wheel, and configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the back side of the semiconductor substrate for cleaning by-products generated by grinding the semiconductor substrate; a slurry supplier on the chuck table, adjacent to the cleaning liquid supplier, and configured to supply a slurry to the back side of the semiconductor substrate; and a polishing wheel on the chuck table, spaced apart from the slurry supplier, and configured to perform chemical mechanical polishing on the back side of the semiconductor substrate using the slurry.

Shortcomings associated with insufficient control of a conventional CMP-process are obviated by providing an CMP-apparatus configured to complement a constant force (to which a workpiece that is being polished is conventionally exposed) with a time-alternating force and/or means for measuring an electrical characteristic of the CMP-process. The time-alternating force is applied with the use of a system component that is electrically isolated from the workpiece and that is disposed in the carrier-chick in which the workpiece is affixed for CMP-process, while the electrical characteristic is measured with the use of a judiciously-configured reservoir in which the used fluid is collected. The use of such CMP-apparatus.

There is disclosed a polishing apparatus which allows for easy replacement of a light source with another type of light source. The light-source assembly includes: a base fixed to a polishing table and coupled to a light-emitting transmission line; and a light-source module having a lamp for emitting light. The light-source module is removably attached to the base. The base is a common base which is adapted to any of a plurality of light-source modules of different types including the light-source module. The base includes a positioning structure which achieves positioning of the light-source module relative to the base.

Shortcomings associated with insufficient control of a conventional CMP-process are obviated by providing an CMP-apparatus configured to complement a constant force (to which a workpiece that is being polished is conventionally exposed) with a time-alternating force and/or means for measuring an electrical characteristic of the CMP-process. The time-alternating force is applied with the use of a system component that is electrically isolated from the workpiece and that is disposed in the carrier-chick in which the workpiece is affixed for CMP-process, while the electrical characteristic is measured with the use of a judiciously-configured reservoir in which the used fluid is collected. The use of such CMP-apparatus.

A polishing solution according to an embodiment includes an exothermic agent that generates heat through application of an alternating magnetic field thereto, and a viscosity modifier that undergoes a reversible phase transition between a gel state and a sol state depending on temperature.

An apparatus for performing chemical mechanical planarization is disclosed. The apparatus includes a support, wherein an axis of rotation extends through the support. The apparatus includes at least one elongated member including a first portion and a second portion opposed to the first portion. The first portion is configured to rotatably connect to the support and pivot the elongated member about the axis of rotation relative to the support through an angle of rotation that is at least about 270 degrees in a single direction. The apparatus includes a carrier head configured to connect to the second portion and to hold and process a substrate.

A polishing apparatus includes a polishing unit having a spindle having an axial bore defined therein, a housing by which the spindle is rotatably supported, a polishing pad mounted on an end of the spindle and having an opening defined therein that is held in fluid communication with the axial bore, a slurry supply pipe inserted in the axial bore in the spindle and having a supply port supplying a slurry to the workpiece held on the chuck table and an inlet port remote from the supply port, introducing the slurry into the slurry supply pipe, a slurry introducing unit connected to the inlet port of the slurry supply pipe, introducing the slurry into the inlet port, and a cleaning water introducing unit connected to the inlet port of the slurry supply pipe, introducing cleaning water into the inlet port.

Provided is a polishing liquid supply device capable of selectively supplying a plurality of different polishing liquids to a vessel for storing the polishing liquid used in a polishing apparatus. The polishing liquid supply device includes a plurality of ejection nozzles provided according to the plurality of different polishing liquids, a sensor that detects a position corresponding to one of the plurality of ejection nozzles at which a supplied port of the vessel is disposed, a storage device that stores information concerning the polishing liquid selected from the plurality of polishing liquids, and a processing device that performs a control to eject the polishing liquid from the ejection nozzle corresponding to the polishing liquid indicated by the information stored in the storage device.