Endpoint detection in chemical mechanical polishing (cmp) by substrate holder elevation detection

(57) The end point detector and the monitor system of operation which measure quickly and correctly change of the thickness of a wafer, and other flat-ized parameters in a summary chemical mechanical polish process. In the case of the operation of 1, an end point detector has distance measuring equipment for a standard platform and a measuring plane. A standard platform approaches a wafer assembly object and is arranged, and a standard platform and a measuring device keep a known fixed distance, and are arranged. A measuring plane is arranged fixed to a wafer assembly object in the position which can carry out engaging of clutch of the measuring instrument with a measuring plane, when a wafer is put on a standard platform. A measuring instrument measures displacement of a measuring plane as opposed to / whenever it carries out engaging of clutch to a measuring plane / a measuring instrument. Displacement of a measuring plane is proportional to change of the thickness of the wafer between each measurement time. In other cases of the operation, flat-ized equipment has a flat plate, the flat-ized material which adhered to this plate, a career-bureaucrats solid which operates a substrate holder by flat-ized material, and non-contact distance measuring equipment. When a substrate holder carries out engaging of clutch of the substrate to flat-ized material and 相対動 has arisen between a substrate holder and flat-ized material, non-contact distance measuring equipment measures the actual height of a substrate holder. A monitor system of operation determines an end point, polishing speed, and other CMP operation parameters using the height of an actual pad.