Disclosed is a substrate polishing method comprising placing a substrate into a substrate polishing apparatus, rotating each of the substrate and a polishing pad of the substrate polishing apparatus, allowing a bottom surface of the substrate to contact a top surface of the polishing pad, and determining whether the polishing pad would benefit from maintenance. The polishing pad includes a plurality of annular regions that are homocentric with a central point of the top surface of the polishing pad. The step of determining whether the polishing pad would benefit from maintenance includes ascertaining a state of the bottom surface of the substrate, and selecting one of the plurality of annular regions by using information about the state of the bottom surface of the substrate. The one of the plurality of annular regions would benefit from maintenance.

Disclosed is a substrate polishing method comprising placing a substrate into a substrate polishing apparatus, rotating each of the substrate and a polishing pad of the substrate polishing apparatus, allowing a bottom surface of the substrate to contact a top surface of the polishing pad, and determining whether the polishing pad would benefit from maintenance. The polishing pad includes a plurality of annular regions that are homocentric with a central point of the top surface of the polishing pad. The step of determining whether the polishing pad would benefit from maintenance includes ascertaining a state of the bottom surface of the substrate, and selecting one of the plurality of annular regions by using information about the state of the bottom surface of the substrate. The one of the plurality of annular regions would benefit from maintenance.

A polishing head of a wafer polishing apparatus is provided with: a membrane head that can independently control a center control pressure pressing a center portion of a wafer, and an outer periphery control pressure pressing an outer peripheral portion of the wafer; an outer ring integrated with the membrane head so as to configure the outer peripheral portion of the membrane head; and a contact type retainer ring provided outside the membrane head. The membrane head has a central pressure chamber of a single compartment structure that controls the center control pressure, and an outer peripheral pressure chamber that is provided above the central pressure chamber, and that controls the outer periphery control pressure. A position of a lower end of the outer ring reaches at least a position of an inner bottom surface of the central pressure chamber.

Disclosed is a turntable cloth peeling jig including: a cylindrical winding cylinder including a slit formed on an outer periphery of the cylindrical winding cylinder and extending in an axial direction thereof; a cloth clamping member disposed inside the winding cylinder and configured to clamp an outer peripheral edge of a cloth inserted into the slit; an extension bar attached to one end portion of the winding cylinder so as to extend coaxially therewith; an engaging portion provided at a tip end portion of the extension bar and engaged with a rotation jig configured to rotate the winding cylinder; and a handle provided in the engaging portion and configured to support the winding cylinder when rotating the rotating jig.

Disclosed is a turntable cloth peeling jig including: a cylindrical winding cylinder including a slit formed on an outer periphery of the cylindrical winding cylinder and extending in an axial direction thereof; a cloth clamping member disposed inside the winding cylinder and configured to clamp an outer peripheral edge of a cloth inserted into the slit; an extension bar attached to one end portion of the winding cylinder so as to extend coaxially therewith; an engaging portion provided at a tip end portion of the extension bar and engaged with a rotation jig configured to rotate the winding cylinder; and a handle provided in the engaging portion and configured to support the winding cylinder when rotating the rotating jig.

Provided is a top ring that ensures uniformly pressing a substrate against a polishing pad. A top ring 302 for holding a substrate WF includes a base member 301 coupled to a top ring shaft 18, an elastic film 320 that is mounted to the base member 301 and forms a pressurization chamber 322 for pressurizing the substrate WF between the base member 301 and the elastic film 320, a substrate suction member 330 that includes a porous member 334 including a substrate suction surface 334a for suctioning the substrate WF and a pressure reducing portion 334b communicating with a pressure reducing unit 31. The substrate suction member 330 is held to the elastic film 320.

A polishing method is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. A method of polishing a substrate by a polishing apparatus includes a polishing table (100) having a polishing surface, a top ring (1) for holding a substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface, and a vertically movable mechanism (24) for moving the top ring (1) in a vertical direction. The top ring (1) is moved to a first height before the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface, and then the top ring (1) is moved to a second height after the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface.

A polishing method is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. A method of polishing a substrate by a polishing apparatus includes a polishing table (100) having a polishing surface, a top ring (1) for holding a substrate and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface, and a vertically movable mechanism (24) for moving the top ring (1) in a vertical direction. The top ring (1) is moved to a first height before the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface, and then the top ring (1) is moved to a second height after the substrate is pressed against the polishing surface.

Disclosed are an automatic abrasion compensation system of a lower plate and a wafer lapping apparatus having the same. The automatic abrasion compensation system reduces wafer misloading and errors in wafer loading inspection occurring when the distance between the lower plate and a transfer robot is gradually increased due to abrasion of the lower plate during a lapping process. The automatic abrasion compensation system includes an ultrasonic sensor provided on the transfer robot, a jig located directly under the ultrasonic sensor and mounted on the lower plate, a controller configured to acquire measurement distance information by measuring a distance from the jig through the ultrasonic sensor, to compare the measurement distance information with set reference distance information and to generate an adjustment control signal, and a driver configured to automatically adjust a Z-axis position of the transfer robot depending on the adjustment control signal transmitted by the controller.

Disclosed are an automatic abrasion compensation system of a lower plate and a wafer lapping apparatus having the same. The automatic abrasion compensation system reduces wafer misloading and errors in wafer loading inspection occurring when the distance between the lower plate and a transfer robot is gradually increased due to abrasion of the lower plate during a lapping process. The automatic abrasion compensation system includes an ultrasonic sensor provided on the transfer robot, a jig located directly under the ultrasonic sensor and mounted on the lower plate, a controller configured to acquire measurement distance information by measuring a distance from the jig through the ultrasonic sensor, to compare the measurement distance information with set reference distance information and to generate an adjustment control signal, and a driver configured to automatically adjust a Z-axis position of the transfer robot depending on the adjustment control signal transmitted by the controller.