System for detecting the endpoint of the polishing of a semiconductor wafer by a semiconductor wafer polisher

摘要

A polisher provided with a vibration detection system which can detect vibration caused by rubbing between an article to be polished and a polishing member without any noise which is generated in prior art polishers. The polisher includes a turntable assembly with a polishing surface, a rotatable carrier assembly for holding an article to be polished in such a manner that the article is kept in contact, under pressure with the polishing member while being polished. A vibration detector is provided on the rotatable carrier assembly in order to detect the vibration caused by the rubbing between the article and the polishing member of the turntable assembly. A light signal emission device is provided on the rotatable carrier assembly and is adapted to receive electrical signals transmitted from the vibration detector to generate and emit light signals in response to the vibration detected by the detector. A light signal receiving device is provided on a stationary part of the polisher. The light emission device may be an infrared light emission device.