Abstract: A single-side polishing method, and an apparatus therefor, for the upper surface and the end face of a substrate edge with a polishing strip are provided. The apparatus comprises a substrate holding member rotatably holding the substrate and a supporting a member capable of coming into contact with and retreating from the substrate holding member; a moving section pressed by a force imparting member against a single side and an end face of the substrate edge via the polishing strip is arranged so that the polishing strip polishes the side and the end face of the substrate edge upon rotation of the substrate.

Abstract: A wafer loading and unloading mechanism is arranged in such a way that polished wafers stored in the loading cassette in a loading robot are not subject to dust contamination. The mechanism for moving loading cassettes mounted in a loading robot upward and downward is provided under the loading cassettes in order to prevent polished wafers from being contaminated with dust which may be generated or become airborne when driving force is transmitted.