Abstract: In a work polishing apparatus, a polishing head including a head base portion, in an upper portion, to which a vertically movable and rotatable head shaft is fixed, and a holding member, in a lower portion, having a lower surface on which a work is held, is provided with, on the upper surface side of the holding member, a vertically movable partitioning portion and first and second fluid chambers respectively on the inner and outer circumference sides of the partitioning portion. Pressure in the first fluid chamber and in the second fluid chamber can be independently increased or decreased. The partitioning portion can be lowered at least to a position where the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber are partitioned such that a pressure difference can be produced between the interior of the first fluid chamber and the interior of the second fluid chamber.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus including: a turntable with an attached polishing pad; a polishing head that holds a wafer; a tank that stores a polishing agent; a polishing agent supply mechanism which supplies the stored polishing agent to the polishing pad; a waste liquid receiver which collects the polishing agent flowing from the turntable; and a circulation mechanism which is connected to the waste liquid receiver and supplies the collected polishing agent to the tank, the polishing agent is supplied to the polishing pad from the tank with the polishing agent supply mechanism, the used polishing agent which flows from the turntable is collected by the waste liquid receiver, a surface of the wafer held by the polishing head is rubbed against the pad to polish it while supplying the collected polishing agent to the tank to circulate the polishing agent, and the waste liquid receiver is fixed to the turntable and the waste liquid receiver having a bottom plate and a removable side plate.

Abstract: A turn table transport carriage configured to carry a turn table removed from a polishing apparatus or turn table which is to be disposed to the polishing apparatus, turn table transport carriage including a turn table holding section configured to hold the turn table, support base which supports the turn table holding section from a lower side, elevating mechanism which moves up and down the turn table holding section, and inclination mechanism which inclines the turn table holding section holding the turn table, the turn table transport carriage being characterized by enabling carrying the turn table in a state where the turn table holding section holding the turn table is inclined by the inclination mechanism. Consequently, there is provided the turn table transport carriage which has a narrow width at the time of carrying the turn table and can reduce a width of a passage for carrying the turntable.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus which is an index system polishing apparatus which includes a polishing head for holding a wafer, a plurality of turn tables to which polishing pads for polishing the wafer are attached, and a loading/unloading stage for loading the wafer to the polishing head or unloading the wafer from the polishing head, and which polishes the wafer while switching the turn tables to be used for polishing the wafer held at the polishing head by causing the polishing head to perform rotation movement, the polishing apparatus including a turn table upward and downward movement mechanism which allows the turn table to move upward and downward. With this polishing apparatus, it is possible to reduce an amount of displacement caused when moment load is applied on the polishing head during polishing.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes: a plurality of polishing heads for holding a wafer, a polishing pad for polishing the wafer, a rotatable turn table having the polishing pad attached thereto, a turn table driving mechanism for rotating the turn table, a plurality of wafer-detecting sensors for detecting coming off of the wafer from the polishing head during polishing, wherein the polishing apparatus has the wafer-detecting sensor disposed above peripheral portions of the respective polishing heads and on each downstream side in a rotation direction of the turn table with respect to the respective polishing heads. The polishing apparatus can detect coming off of a wafer from a polishing head during polishing more rapidly, and can prevent a breakage of the wafer thereby.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing apparatus including: a turntable which has a polishing pad attached thereto; a polishing head configured to hold a wafer; a tank configured to store a polishing agent; a polishing agent supply mechanism which supplies the polishing agent stored in the tank to the polishing pad; a waste liquid receiver which collects the polishing agent flowing down from an upper side of the turntable; and a circulation mechanism which is connected to the waste liquid receiver and supplies the polishing agent collected by the waste liquid receiver to the tank, the polishing agent is supplied to the polishing pad from the tank by the polishing agent supply mechanism, the used polishing agent which flows down from the upper side of the turntable is collected by the waste liquid receiver, a surface of the wafer held by the polishing head is rubbed against the polishing pad so that it is polished while supplying the collected polishing agent to the tank to circulate the polishing agent, a

Abstract: A turn table transport carriage configured to carry a turn table removed from a polishing apparatus or turn table which is to be disposed to the polishing apparatus, turn table transport carriage including a turn table holding section configured to hold the turn table, support base which supports the turn table holding section from a lower side, elevating mechanism which moves up and down the turn table holding section, and inclination mechanism which inclines the turn table holding section holding the turn table, the turn table transport carriage being characterized by enabling carrying the turn table in a state where the turn table holding section holding the turn table is inclined by the inclination mechanism. Consequently, there is provided the turn table transport carriage which has a narrow width at the time of carrying the turn table and can reduce a width of a passage for carrying the turntable.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes: a plurality of polishing heads for holding a wafer, a polishing pad for polishing the wafer, a rotatable turn table having the polishing pad attached thereto, a turn table driving mechanism for rotating the turn table, a plurality of wafer-detecting sensors for detecting coming off of the wafer from the polishing head during polishing, wherein the polishing apparatus has the wafer-detecting sensor disposed above peripheral portions of the respective polishing heads and on each downstream side in a rotation direction of the turn table with respect to the respective polishing heads. The polishing apparatus can detect coming off of a wafer from a polishing head during polishing more rapidly, and can prevent a breakage of the wafer thereby.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus which is an index system polishing apparatus which includes a polishing head for holding a wafer, a plurality of turn tables to which polishing pads for polishing the wafer are attached, and a loading/unloading stage for loading the wafer to the polishing head or unloading the wafer from the polishing head, and which polishes the wafer while switching the turn tables to be used for polishing the wafer held at the polishing head by causing the polishing head to perform rotation movement, the polishing apparatus including a turn table upward and downward movement mechanism which allows the turn table to move upward and downward. With this polishing apparatus, it is possible to reduce an amount of displacement caused when moment load is applied on the polishing head during polishing.

Abstract: The workpiece centering apparatus is capable of highly reducing damage of a workpiece. The workpiece centering apparatus comprises: a guide plate being provided in a tray and covering a water inlet so as to horizontally introduce water into the tray; and at least three overflow outlets for overflowing the water from the tray, the overflow outlets being formed in a peripheral wall of the tray and arranged in the circumferential direction at regular intervals. The workpiece, which is horizontally fed on a surface of the water stored in the tray, is received and floated by surface tension of the water. Then, the workpiece is centered in the tray by water flows radially overflowing from the tray via the overflow outlets.

Abstract: The workpiece centering apparatus is capable of highly reducing damage of a workpiece. The workpiece centering apparatus comprises: a guide plate being provided in a tray and covering a water inlet so as to horizontally introduce water into the tray; and at least three overflow outlets for overflowing the water from the tray, the overflow outlets being formed in a peripheral wall of the tray and arranged in the circumferential direction at regular intervals. The workpiece, which is horizontally fed on a surface of the water stored in the tray, is received and floated by surface tension of the water. Then, the workpiece is centered in the tray by water flows radially overflowing from the tray via the overflow outlets.