Polishing method and polishing apparatus

Abstract

A polishing method for polishing a workpiece using the chemical polishing process endpoint detecting technology is applicable to actual polishing processes and polishing apparatus. The polishing method including pressing the workpiece against a polishing surface of a polishing table, moving the workpiece and the polishing surface relatively to each other to polish the workpiece, and disposing a gas suction pipe having a gas inlet port, directly above the polishing surface, supplying an atmospheric gas from above the polishing surface through the gas inlet port to a gas detector via the gas suction pipe, and monitoring a particular gas contained in the atmospheric gas with the gas detector while the workpiece is being polished.

1 . A method of polishing a workpiece, comprising:
 pressing the workpiece against a polishing surface of a polishing table;   moving the workpiece and the polishing surface relatively to each other to polish the workpiece;   disposing a gas suction pipe having a gas inlet port, directly above the polishing surface;   supplying an atmospheric gas from above the polishing surface through the gas inlet port to a gas detector via the gas suction pipe; and   monitoring a particular gas contained in the atmospheric gas with the gas detector while the workpiece is being polished.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting an endpoint of the polishing of the workpiece when the particular gas is produced or no longer produced.   
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet port is disposed at a height of 100 mm or smaller from the polishing surface. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 supplying fresh air to a detecting element of the gas detector while the atmospheric gas is not being monitored by the gas detector.   
   
   
       5 . An apparatus for polishing a workpiece, comprising:
 a polishing table having a polishing surface;   a mechanism for pressing the workpiece against the polishing table, and moving the workpiece and the polishing surface relatively to each other to polish the workpiece;   a controller for controlling the polishing table and the mechanism;   a gas suction pipe disposed directly above the polishing surface; and   a gas detector, which is connected to the gas suction pipe, for detecting a particular gas;   wherein the gas suction pipe has a gas inlet port for supplying an atmospheric gas from above the polishing surface through the gas inlet port to the gas detector via the gas suction pipe, so that the gas detector can detect a particular gas contained in the supplied atmospheric gas.   
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the controller detects an endpoint of the polishing of the workpiece when the gas detector detects or no longer detects the particular gas. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the gas inlet port is disposed at a height of 100 mm or smaller from the polishing surface. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an air supply section for supplying fresh air to a detecting element of the gas detector while the atmospheric gas is not being detected by the gas detector.