Abstract: A region being free of groove is provided in a central portion of the polishing pad, and a region having grooves formed thereon is provided the outer portion thereof. A retainer ring surrounds and sustains a circumference portion of the wafer, and a part of the portion that tends to provide higher polishing rate, which is adjacent to the retainer ring in the circumference portion, is disposed so as to face against the region being free of the groove. Then, while pressing the wafer against the polishing pad, the wafer and the polishing pad are rotated in the same direction. Then, the slurry is supplied from a slurry feeding unit to the outer portion of the region being free of groove. Since substantially no slurry is supplied in the region being free of groove, the polishing rate is reduced there, and thus the uniform polishing rate of over the entire wafer is provided.

Abstract: A region free of groove is provided in a central portion of a polishing pad, and a region having grooves formed thereon is provided on the outer portion thereof. A retainer ring surrounds and sustains a circumference portion of the wafer, and a part that tends to provide higher polishing rate, which is adjacent to the retainer ring in the circumference portion, is disposed so as to face against the region free of the groove. Then, while pressing the wafer against the polishing pad, these are rotated in the same direction. Then, a slurry is supplied from a slurry feeding unit to the outer portion of the region free of groove. Since substantially no slurry is supplied in the region free of groove, the polishing rate is reduced there, and thus a uniform polishing rate over the entire wafer is provided.