Abstract: A carrier assembly includes carrier protrusions extending outward from a base plate front face, one protrusion for each wafer to be polished. Each carrier protrusion has a front face separated from the base plate front face. An optional detachable ring may surround each protrusion front face to form a cavity for holding a wafer. In some examples of a carrier assembly, a frame having a separate aperture for each carrier protrusion holds all the detachable rings against the base plate front face. In other examples of a carrier assembly, the detachable rings are omitted, or a separate retaining ring for each carrier protrusion replaces the frame. A carrier protrusion may optionally be formed with edge relief to allow part of the wafer to deflect away from a polishing pad during polishing. A compressible elastic material may optionally be placed between a wafer and a carrier protrusion.