Abstract: A polishing apparatus that can effectively and efficiently remove potassium and other alkaline metals comprises integrally a polishing unit for polishing an object by means of a polishing agent and a cleaning unit for cleaning the polished object. The polishing unit and the cleaning unit have means for isolating the internal atmosphere from the external atmosphere and the cleaning unit has a means for cleaning the polished object by bringing hot pure water or steam of pure water into contact with the polished object. With a cleaning method hot pure water is brought into contact with the polished object without drying it after having been polished by such a polishing apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a precise polishing apparatus and method in which a polished body is polished by rotating a polishing pad having a diameter greater than that of the polished body while urging the polishing pad against the polished body in conditions that a center of the polished body is deviated from a rotation axis of the polishing pad and that the polishing pad is contacted with the entire polished surface of the polished body. The polished body may be a semi-conductor wafer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a precise polishing apparatus and method in which a polished body is polished by rotating a polishing pad having a diameter greater than that of the polished body while urging the polishing pad against the polished body in conditions that a center of the polished body is deviated from a rotation axis of the polishing pad and that the polishing pad is contacted with the entire polished surface of the polished body. The polished body may be a semi-conductor wafer.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus that can effectively and efficiently remove potassium and other alkaline metals comprises integrally a polishing unit for polishing an object by means of a polishing agent and a cleaning unit for cleaning the polished object. The polishing unit and the cleaning unit have means for isolating the internal atmosphere from the external atmosphere and the cleaning unit has a means for cleaning the polished object by bringing hot pure water or steam of pure water into contact with the polished object. With a cleaning method hot pure water is brought into contact with the polished object without drying it after having been polished by such a polishing apparatus.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus and a polishing method can effectively prevent large diameter particles from being fed with slurry to an object to be polished. A large-diameter particle screener blocks or disperses large diameter particles from entering the slurry. Then, slurry free from large diameter particles is taken up from a slurry container by an intake pipe and fed to the object to be polished.

Abstract: The present invention provides a precise polishing apparatus and method in which a polished body is polished by rotating a polishing pad having a diameter greater than that of the polished body while urging the polishing pad against the polished body in conditions that a center of the polished body is deviated from a rotation axis of the polishing pad and that the polishing pad is contacted with the entire polished surface of the polished body. The polished body may be a semi-conductor wafer.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus that can effectively and efficiently remove potassium and other alkaline metals comprises integrally a polishing unit for polishing an object by means of a polishing agent and a cleaning unit for cleaning the polished object. The polishing unit and the cleaning unit have means for isolating the internal atmosphere from the external atmosphere and the cleaning unit has a means for cleaning the polished object by bringing hot pure water or steam of pure water into contact with the polished object. With a cleaning method hot pure water is brought into contact with the polished object without drying it after having been polished by such a polishing apparatus.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method can polish a surface of an object very precisely at a high speed irrespective of the presence of a local defect on the surface to be polished. By using a multiplex ring-shaped polishing pad, an effective surface to be polished is increased, and very precise and uniform polishing can be performed at a high speed. By using a plurality of polishing pads, having different diameters smaller than the diameter of the surface to be polished, provided with an interval on the same revolution radius on a revolution table, or by using a plurality of polishing pads, having the same diameter smaller than the diameter of the surface to be polished, provided at positions having different revolution radii on a revolution table, very precise and uniform polishing can be performed.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a holder for holding a polished body with a polished surface thereof facing upwardly, and a polishing head for holding a polishing pad having a polishing surface having an area smaller than an area of the polished surface while contacting the polishing pad with the polished surface and for rotating the polishing pad around its rotation axis. The polishing head is provided with a driver for revolving the polishing pad around a revolution axis, and the revolution axis and the rotation axis are positioned so that a distance between the revolution axis and the rotation axis becomes smaller than a radius of the polishing pad.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing apparatus comprising a holding means for holding a polished body with a polished surface thereof facing upwardly, and a polishing head for holding a polishing pad having a polishing surface having an area smaller than an area of the polished surface while contacting the polishing pad with the polished surface and for rotating the polishing pad around its rotation axis, and wherein the polishing head is provided with a drive means for revolving the polishing pad around a revolution axis, and the revolution axis and the rotation axis are positioned so that a distance between the revolution axis and the rotation axis becomes smaller than a radius of the polishing pad.

Abstract: In order to efficiently polish a large-area member to be polished to a desired shape, a polishing apparatus includes a first polishing station including a first holding unit for holding a member to be polished in a state in which a surface to be polished thereof is upwardly placed, and a first polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is larger than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished, a detection station for detecting a polished state of the surface to be polished in a state in which the surface to be polished is upwardly placed, and a second polishing station including a second holding unit for holding the member to be polished in a state in which the surface to be polished thereof is upwardly placed, and a second polishing head for holding and rotating a polishing pad whose polishing surface is smaller than the surface to be polished in a state of contacting the surface to be polished.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method can polish a surface of an object very precisely at a high speed irrespective of the presence of a local defect on the surface to be polished. By using a multiplex ring-shaped polishing pad, an effective surface to be polished is increased, and very precise and uniform polishing can be performed at a high speed. By using a plurality of polishing pads, having different diameters smaller than the diameter of the surface to be polished, provided with an interval on the same revolution radius on a revolution table, or by using a plurality of polishing pads, having the same diameter smaller than the diameter of the surface to be polished, provided at positions having different revolution radii on a revolution table, very precise and uniform polishing can be performed.

Abstract: In order to reclaim defective articles, wafers carried in from a loading unit are transported to a wafer stocker unit, a polishing unit, a pre-rinsing unit, a rinsing unit, a spin dehydrating unit and a drying unit in the named order, and in a defect inspecting device, defective articles are sorted and the remainder are taken out of an unloading unit as products. The defective articles are classified in a discriminating device in conformity with the kinds of defects and are returned to the polishing unit, the rinsing unit or the drying unit through a return duct.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece. The apparatus includes a rotatable table having a surface for holding a workpiece to be polished, a table drive mechanism for rotating the rotating table, a polishing tool rotatable around a rotation axis and being rectilinearly movable in an axial direction along the rotation axis, a polishing tool drive mechanism for rotating and rectilinearly moving the polishing tool, the polishing tool drive mechanism pressing the polishing tool against the workpiece to be polished at a predetermined pressure, a supply for supplying an abrasive material between the polishing tool and the workpiece to be polished, and a foreign substance removing device for removing a foreign substance on the surface of the table. The removing device is located rotationally downstream of the table relative to the polishing tool.

Abstract: A precision polishing apparatus has a first hermetically sealed chamber provided with polishing means, a third hermetically sealed chamber capable of communicating with the first hermetically sealed chamber through a second hermetically sealed chamber, first and second opening-closing means for alternately placing the first and the third hermetically sealed chamber in communication with the second hermetically sealed chamber, and atmosphere pressure control means for controlling the atmosphere pressure of the first and the second hermetically sealed chamber so that the atmosphere pressure of the first hermetically sealed chamber may become lower than the atmosphere pressure of the second hermetically sealed chamber when at least the first opening-closing means is opened.

Abstract: In order to reclaim defective articles, wafers carried in from a loading unit are transported to a wafer stocker unit, a polishing unit, a pre-rinsing unit, a rinsing unit, a spin dehydrating unit and a drying unit in the named order, and in a defect inspecting device, defective articles are sorted and the remainder are taken out as products out of an unloading unit. The defective articles are classified in a discriminating device in conformity with the kinds of the defects thereof, and are returned to the polishing unit, the rinsing unit or the drying unit through a return duct.

Abstract: A precision polishing apparatus has a first hermetically sealed chamber provided with polishing means, a third hermetically sealed chamber capable of communicating with the first hermetically sealed chamber through a second hermetically sealed chamber, first and second opening-closing means for alternately placing the first and the third hermetically sealed chamber in communication with with the second hermetically sealed chamber, and atmosphere pressure control means for controlling the atmosphere pressure of the first and the second hermetically sealed chamber so that the atmosphere pressure of the first hermetically sealed chamber may become lower than the atmosphere pressure of the second hermetically sealed chamber when at least the first opening-closing means is opened.

Abstract: A method for driving an ionic conductive liquid comprises placing a pair of electrodes in the ionic conductive liquid, and exerting an electromagnetic force to the liquid by application of a voltage between the pair of the electrodes to drive the liquid. A method for mixing and agitating a medium comprises feeding the medium to an ionic conductive liquid, placing a pair of electrodes in the ionic conductive liquid, and exerting an electromagnetic force to the liquid by application of a voltage to drive the liquid and to mix and agitate the medium. An apparatus for delivering a liquid comprises a container for housing an ionic conductive liquid, at least one pair of electrodes in the container, and a power source for applying an voltage between the pair of electrodes, the apparatus delivering the liquid from the container by driving the liquid according to the method for driving.

Abstract: In a method for measuring a specified component in a specimen by reacting the specimen with a first reagent formed by binding a substance active to the specified component, with carrier particles and a second reagent formed by labelling a substance active to the specified component with a first label, and measuring the substances in the complexes obtained in the reaction, there is disclosed a method featured by labelling the carrier particles with a second label different from the first label, and detecting the second label and then the first label utilizing the detection of the second label as a trigger.This method enables a highly precise measurement without the influence of noise components in the detection of specified trace components in the specimen, utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction or a nucleic acid hybridization.

Abstract: A minute flow path is filled with liquid so that the liquid may be supplied from an accumulating portion. Energy is imparted to the liquid exposed outwardly of an opening in the flow path by a heat generating element or by energy application to thereby heat and gasify the liquid. Thereupon, the liquid is supplied by an amount corresponding to the gasified liquid by capillary phenomenon through the flow path, and gasification is continuously effected, whereby a flow free of pulsating flow can be formed in the flow path.