Polishing method and polishing apparatus

Abstract

A polishing method can prevent scratches in a polished surface of a polishing object, caused by foreign matter adhering to a surface of a polishing member, thus preventing the attendant lowering of the yield even when the polishing object is large-sized. The polishing method includes: specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of the polishing member; and intensively cleaning the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.

1 . A polishing method for polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, comprising:
 specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of the polishing member; and   intensively cleaning the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.   
   
   
       2 . A polishing method for polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, comprising:
 reading information on an intensive cleaning position or an intensive cleaning area in a surface of the polishing member from a storage medium in a computer; and   intensively cleaning the intensive cleaning position or the intensive cleaning area in the surface of the polishing member.   
   
   
       3 . A polishing method for polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, comprising:
 reading information on an intensive cleaning position or an intensive cleaning area in a surface of the polishing member from a storage medium in a computer;   specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member; and   intensively cleaning at least one of the intensive cleaning position or the intensive cleaning area in the surface of the polishing member and the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.   
   
   
       4 . A polishing method for polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, comprising:
 specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of the polishing member;   storing foreign matter adhesion positions or foreign matter adhesion areas in the surface of the polishing member;   calculating an intensive cleaning position or an intensive cleaning area in the surface of the polishing member from the stored foreign matter adhesion positions or foreign matter adhesion areas; and   intensively cleaning at one of the calculated intensive cleaning position or foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member and the specified foreign matter adhesion position or foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member.   
   
   
       5 . The polishing method according to  claim 1 , wherein adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is detected by a detection section to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member. 
   
   
       6 . The polishing method according to  claim 5 , wherein the detection of adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is performed by image analysis of the surface. 
   
   
       7 . The polishing method according to  claim 3 , wherein adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is detected by a detection section to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member. 
   
   
       8 . The polishing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the detection of adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is performed by image analysis of the surface. 
   
   
       9 . The polishing method according to  claim 4 , wherein adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is detected by a detection section to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member. 
   
   
       10 . The polishing method according to  claim 9 , wherein the detection of adhesion of foreign matter to the surface of the polishing member is performed by image analysis of the surface. 
   
   
       11 . The polishing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is evaluated to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member. 
   
   
       12 . The polishing method according to  claim 11 , wherein the evaluation of the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is performed by image analysis of the polished surface. 
   
   
       13 . The polishing method according to  claim 3 , wherein the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is evaluated to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member. 
   
   
       14 . The polishing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the evaluation of the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is performed by image analysis of the polished surface. 
   
   
       15 . The polishing method according to  claim 4 , wherein the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is evaluated to specify the foreign matter adhesion position or the foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member. 
   
   
       16 . The polishing method according to  claim 15 , wherein the evaluation of the polished surface of the polishing object after polishing is performed by image analysis of the polished surface. 
   
   
       17 . A method for specifying a cleaning region in a surface of a polishing member, comprising:
 evaluating the surface of the polishing member to specify a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member as a position or area to be intensively cleaned; and   storing the specified intensive cleaning position or intensive cleaning area.   
   
   
       18 . A method for specifying a cleaning region in a surface of a polishing member, comprising polishing a polishing object by applying pressure between a polishing member and the polishing object while moving the polishing member and the polishing object relative to each other, and evaluating a polished surface of the polishing object to specify a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member as a position or area to be intensively cleaned. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein information on the specified foreign matter adhesion position or foreign matter adhesion area in the surface of the polishing member is stored. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the evaluation of the polished surface of the polishing object is performed by image analysis of the polished surface. 
   
   
       21 . A method for specifying a foreign matter adhesion region, comprising specifying a foreign matter adhesion position or a foreign matter adhesion area in a surface of a polishing member by image analysis of a shot image of a polished surface of a polishing object. 
   
   
       22 - 75 . (canceled)