| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a polishing pad and an observing device of polishing pad, quantitatively determining the service life to the number of wafers depending on the state of the polishing pad, accurately determining the end of life of the polishing pad, and automatically determining the use start time of the polishing pad. <P>SOLUTION: A projecting part 50 having continuously variable sectional area is formed in the direction of thickness of the polishing pad 14 in a groove of the polishing pad 14. The observing device having an image sensor 52 for imaging the projecting part 50 and a determination part 56 for calculating the diameter and area of the top face 64 of the projecting part 50 to decide the life end of the polishing pad 14 is installed in a polishing apparatus. The projecting part 50 is imaged by the image sensor 52 every time one wafer W is polished or two or more wafers are polished, the diameter and the sectional area are calculated by a CPU 60 of the determination part 56, and a warning is given from a speaker 68 when the calculated diameter of the top face 64 of the projecting part 50 reaches an area determined to be the end of life. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
