Abstract: A method for making heated plane of a cooler obtain better flatness and roughness includes a grinder with a grinding plate and a fixture. Then, the cooler is arranged onto the fixture. Next, the abrasive is injected into the gap between the grinding plate and the heated plane, making the fixture press and clamp the cooler in a way, such that the heated plane of the cooler contacts the abrasive closely. Finally, the grinding plate is rotated to make at least one grinding process to the heated plane, making the heated plane obtain a surface with better roughness and flatness, further enhancing the contact tightness between the heated plane and a heating element, and therefore promoting the thermally conductive efficiency between the cooler and the heating element.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing stress on a surface, comprising one or more service assembly and one or more cleaning assembly. The service assembly comprises one or more means for applying dirt to said surface, or one or more means for scuffing said surface, or one or more means for dragging a test material across said surface, or a combination thereof. The cleaning assembly comprises one or more scrubber, or one or more burnisher, or a combination thereof. Also provided is a method of testing a surface with such an apparatus.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) device for processing a wafer is provided which includes a plate for supporting the wafer to be processed in a face-up orientation, a polishing head opposing the plate, wherein the polishing head includes a rotatable polishing pad operable to contact the wafer while the polishing pad is rotating, and a slurry coating system providing a slurry to the polishing pad for polishing the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of supplying the polishing liquid by periodically interrupt the supply of the polishing liquid, thus avoid over-supply or wastage of the polishing liquid. Hence, the consumption of the polishing liquid can be decreased and the production cost can be lower.

Abstract: A recycling method of slurry for use in wafer polishing for reusing slurry used in a polishing process of semiconductor wafer, comprises the steps of: adding a dispersant to a recovered used-slurry to inhibit aggregation of the slurry; breaking up aggregates in such a manner that the whole of the used slurry, subjected to the dispersant addition step, is passed through a shearing force imparting device to impart shearing force to the aggregates contained in the slurry by the shearing force imparting device, thereby breaking up the aggregates; and removing foreign substances in the slurry subjected to the aggregate breakup step, by means of a foreign substances removing device. According to the method, a large amount of used-slurry can be processed in a short time.

Abstract: A method, process and system for the recycling of electrochemical-mechanical planarization slurries/electrolytes as they are used in the back end of line of the semiconductor wafer manufacturing process is disclosed. The method, process and system includes with the removal of metal ions from slurries using ion exchange media and/or electrochemical deposition.

Abstract: A conditioning process including the steps of: (a) providing a system including: (i) a workpiece having a metal working surface; (ii) a contact surface, disposed generally opposite the working surface, the contact surface including an organic, polymeric material and (iii) a plurality of particles, including abrasive particles, the plurality of particles disposed between the contact surface and the working surface, and (b) treating the workpiece so as to: (i) effect an at least partially elastic interaction between the contact surface and the abrasive particles such that at least a portion of the abrasive particles penetrate the working surface, and (ii) incorporate organic particles into the metal working surface, thereby producing a modified working surface, wherein the treating of the workpiece includes a lapping process including: (i) exerting a load on the contact surface and the metal working surface, and (ii) applying a relative motion between the metal working surface and the contact surface.

Abstract: A device suitable for sawing a workpiece, contains a wire web formed by a sawing wire or adapted to receive such a wire web, a forward feed instrument holding a semiconductor workpiece to be sawed and feeding the workpiece in the direction of the wire web, and a reservoir filled with a sawing suspension, the reservoir being arranged and filled such that at least the part of the sawing wire which is in engagement during the sawing process is immersed into the sawing suspension of the reservoir.

Abstract: A system for polishing a glass includes a lower unit capable of rotating a glass placed at a fixed position, an upper unit capable of contacting with the glass and being passively rotated due to the rotation of the glass, and a moving unit for moving the upper unit in a horizontal and/or vertical direction. The upper unit includes a fixed platter fixed to a spindle of the upper unit, a polishing platter installed movably with respect to the fixed platter, and a pressing member interposed between the fixed platter and the polishing platter so as to keep the uniformity of pressure applied from the polishing platter to the glass.

Abstract: To provide an electron beam assisted EEM method that can realize ultraprecision machining of workpieces, including glass ceramic materials, in which at least two component materials different from each other in machining speed in a machining process are present in a refined mixed state and the surface state is not even, to a surface roughness of 0.2 to 0.05 nm RMS. The EEM method comprises a working process in which a workpiece and chemically reactive fine particles are allowed to flow along the working face to remove atoms on the working face chemically bonded to the fine particles together with the fine particles through chemical interaction between the fine particles and the working face interface. The workpiece comprises at least two component materials present in a refined mixed state and different from each other in machining speed in the machining process.

Abstract: A method for injecting slurry between the wafer and the pad in chemical mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers comprising a solid crescent shaped injector the concave trailing edge of which is fitted to the size and shape of leading edge of the polishing head with a gap of between 0 and 3 inches, the bottom surface facing the pad, which rests on the pad with a light load, and through which CMP slurry or components thereof are introduced through one or more openings in the top of the injector and travel through a channel or reservoir the length of the device to the bottom where it or they exit multiple openings in the bottom of the injector, are spread into a thin film, and are introduced at the junction of the surface of the polishing pad and the wafer along the leading edge of the wafer in quantities small enough that all or most of the slurry is introduced between the wafer and the polishing pad, wherein multiple inlets for the introduction of fluids to different points in the channel or directly to t

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing method and apparatus provides a deformable, telescoping slurry dispenser arm coupled to a dispenser head that may be arcuate in shape and may also be a bendable telescoping member that can be adjusted to vary the number of slurry dispenser ports and the degree of curvature of the dispenser head. The dispenser arm may additionally include slurry dispenser ports therein. The dispenser arm may advantageously be formed of a plurality of nested tubes that are slidable with respect to one another. The adjustable dispenser arm may pivot about a pivot point and can be variously positioned to accommodate different sized polishing pads used to polish substrates of different dimensions and the bendable, telescoping slurry dispenser arm and dispenser head provide uniform slurry distribution to any of various wafer polishing locations, effective slurry usage and uniform polishing profiles in each case.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wafer polishing apparatus, comprising: a polishing pad to which a polishing liquid is supplied for polishing a wafer; a carrier head to carry the wafer; and one or more polishing liquid supplying device which supplies the polishing liquid onto the polishing pad, wherein the polishing liquid supplying device has a polishing liquid supplying member which is positioned close to or in contact with the polishing pad, and is relatively moved against the polishing pad, so that the polishing liquid supplied to the upper portion of the polishing liquid supplying member flows down along the polishing liquid supplying member to be painted on a surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: The present invention is a slicing method and a wire saw apparatus including winding a wire around a plurality of grooved rollers and pressing the wire against an ingot to be sliced into wafers while supplying a slurry for slicing to the grooved rollers and causing the wire to travel in a reciprocating direction, in which the ingot is sliced with controlling a temperature of the ingot by supplying a slurry for adjusting an ingot temperature to the ingot independently from the slurry for slicing while the slurry for adjusting an ingot temperature is supplied to the ingot only at the exit side of the wire caused to travel in the reciprocating direction. As a result, there is provided a method and a wire saw apparatus in which rapid cooling of an ingot especially in a time close to end of slicing of the ingot can be alleviated, consequently degradation of a nano-topography can be suppressed, and further high-quality wafers having a uniform thickness can be sliced when slicing the ingot by using a wire saw.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing head 1 comprising a carrier 3, a guide ring 4, a dress ring 5, and a head body 2, wherein the head body 2 is rotatable, and holds the carrier 3, the guide ring 4, and the dress ring 5; the head body 2 has a reversed-bowl shape and has a hollow 8; the dress ring, and at least the guide ring or the carrier are held by being coupled to a lower brim of the head body via a diaphragm 6; the hollow of the head body is sealed. During polishing, the pressure of the sealed hollow is adjusted with a pressure regulating mechanism 9 communicating with the hollow, thereby elastically deforming the diaphragm. As a result, a wafer W can be polished while the wafer and the dress ring are pressed with a given pressing force against a polishing pad 11 on a turn table 12 with rotating the wafer held by the carrier and the dress ring.

Abstract: A process is provided for polishing a silicon electrode utilizing a polishing turntable and a dual function electrode platen. The dual function electrode platen is secured to the polishing turntable and comprises a plurality of electrode mounts arranged to project from an electrode engaging face of the dual function electrode platen. The electrode mounts complement respective positions of mount receptacles formed in a platen engaging face of the silicon electrode to be polished. The electrode mounts and the mount receptacles are configured to permit non-destructive engagement and disengagement of the electrode engaging face of the electrode platen and the platen engaging face of the silicon electrode. The dual function electrode platen further comprises platen adapter abutments positioned radially inward of the electrode mounts. The platen adapter abutments are configured to bring a platen adapter into approximate alignment with the rotary polishing axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) methods and apparatus suitable for polishing a substrate utilizing a low suspended solids slurry composition. The CMP methods of the invention comprise polishing a substrate with CMP slurry containing a low suspended solids level (e.g., about 0.01 percent by weight to about 1.0 percent by weight) of a particulate abrasive material in a CMP apparatus, while continuously monitoring and accurately maintaining a predetermined total suspended solids (TSS) level in the slurry. Preferably, maximum TSS variability of the slurry is less than about 20 percent (i.e., ±20% of the target TSS level), more preferably less than about 10 percent TSS variability (i.e., ±10% of the target TSS level) during the course of the polishing process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of cutting wafers by wire sawing is disclosed. In one embodiment, a wire sawing apparatus includes a horizontal ingot feeding wire slicing apparatus which includes a vertical wire web, in which sawing wires of the vertical wire web are located substantially in a vertical plane and move in a substantially vertical direction, a top outlet located in top position with respect to a work piece for applying fluid during sawing, and a chute located substantially below the work piece for receiving the fluid, wherein the work piece is impelled against the vertical wire web by horizontal movement and the fluid moves in a vertical direction against and into the work piece. The wire sawing apparatus further includes a frame for holding the horizontal ingot feeding wire slicing apparatus, and a control panel for operating the wire sawing apparatus.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a method for polishing a substrate surface. The methods generally include storing processing components in multiple storage units during processing, and combining the processing components to create a slurry while flowing the processing components to a polishing pad. A substrate is polished using the slurry, and the thickness of a material layer disposed on the substrate is determined. The flow rate of one or more processing components is then adjusted to affect the rate of removal of the material layer disposed on the substrate.

Abstract: This wafer polishing apparatus includes: a polishing plate having a polishing pad; a carrier plate which is placed facing the polishing pad and which slides and presses wafers against the polishing pad, while rotating in a state of holding the wafers; and an abrasive slurry supply device, wherein the abrasive slurry supply device is able to supply different abrasive slurries, each of the abrasive slurries contains abrasives of which the average grain size is different from those contained in the other abrasive slurries. This method for polishing wafers includes: while supplying an abrasive slurry to a surface of a polishing pad, sliding and pressing wafers against the polishing pad, wherein different abrasive slurries are supplied to the surface of the polishing pad, and each of the abrasive slurries contains abrasives of which the average grain size is different from those contained in the other abrasive slurries.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polishing method and a polishing apparatus that can secure an even polished shape and can remove slurry that has contributed to polishing and contains polishing by-product to the outside of a pad efficiently to reduce scratches due to the polishing by-product, and can suppress consumption of slurry to the minimum to realize cost reduction during running for mass production.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an apparatus for injecting slurry between the wafer and the pad in chemical mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers comprising a solid crescent shaped injector the concave trailing edge of which is fitted to the size and shape of the leading edge of the polishing head with a gap of up to 1 inch, the bottom surface of which faces the pad and rests on it with a light load, and through which CMP slurry or components thereof are introduced through one or more openings in the top of the injector and travel through a channel or reservoir the length of the device to the bottom where it or they exit multiple openings in the bottom of the injector, are spread into a thin film, and are introduced between the surface of the polishing pad and the wafer along the leading edge of the wafer in quantities such that all or most of the slurry is introduced between the wafer and the polishing pad and a method of use therefor.

Abstract: A retainer ring and a method of using the retainer ring are provided. The retainer ring has openings along a bottom surface. Grooves encompass the openings and extend to an interior portion of the retainer ring wherein a semiconductor wafer may be held. In operation, a semiconductor wafer is placed inside the retainer ring. As the retainer ring and the semiconductor wafer are moved relative to an underlying polishing pad, slurry is dispensed through the openings in the retainer ring. The grooves in the retainer ring allow the slurry to flow from the openings to the interior portion of the retainer ring and the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A method is provided to remove a thickness of a sputter target surface deformation layer to thereby achieve a reduced burn-in time during sputtering operations. The method comprises extrusion hone polishing of the target surface with a visco-elastic abrasive medium.

Abstract: A method of polishing to reduce surface roughness of at least one surface of a glass ceramic substrate that includes an amorphous glass portion and a crystalline portion. The method comprises at least one step of polishing the surface using a polishing pad and an abrasive polishing slurry. The polishing slurry comprises a first concentration of Ceria particulates and a second concentration of Silica particulates. The amorphous glass portion and the crystalline portion of the at least one surface are polished substantially equally.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polisher comprises a polishing platen capable of supporting a polishing pad, and first and second substrate carriers that are each capable of holding a substrate against the polishing pad. First and second slurry dispensers, each comprise (i) an arm comprising a pivoting end and a distal end, (ii) at least one slurry dispensing nozzle on the distal end, and (iii) a dispenser drive capable of rotating the arm about the pivoting end to swing the slurry dispensing nozzle at the distal end to dispense slurry across the polishing platen.

Abstract: The present invention generally comprises a method and an apparatus for recycling electrochemical mechanical polishing (ECMP) fluid. A selected portion of used ECMP fluid may be delivered to a recycling unit where the fluid may be refurbished. The concentration of the components that are present in the selected portion of used ECMP fluid may be measured. Based upon the measurements, individual components of the ECMP fluid may be selectively dosed into the selected portion in an amount sufficient to ensure that the selected portion of used ECMP fluid, once refurbished, contains the appropriate concentration of components. Alternatively, a predetermined amount of virgin ECMP fluid may be added to the selected portion. The refurbished ECMP fluid may be recycled into an ECMP system for use in another ECMP process.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solar cell including a silicon wafer is provided. In certain example instances, the method may include flattening fine roughness existing on a side face of a silicon block or a silicon stack used for manufacturing the silicon wafer for use in the solar cell.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polishing method and a polishing apparatus that can secure an even polished shape and can remove slurry that has contributed to polishing and contains polishing by-product to the outside of a pad efficiently to reduce scratches due to the polishing by-product, and can suppress consumption of slurry to the minimum to realize cost reduction during running for mass production.

Abstract: A diluted slurry supplying apparatus utilized in a polishing apparatus for finishing a semiconductor wafer with a slurry containing colloidal silica and water-soluble polymer is provided. The polishing method comprises: a slurry supplier capable of supplying the slurry containing the colloidal silica and the water-soluble polymer; a diluent supplier capable of supplying a diluent containing an aggregation preventing agent to dilute the slurry; a mixer capable of receiving the slurry and the diluent having been supplied from the slurry supplier and the diluent supplier, respectively, the mixer forming a diluted slurry with a pH value of at least 9; and an ultrasonic vibrator capable of applying an ultrasonic vibration to the diluted slurry staying in the mixer or being fed out from the mixer. Here, the diluent supplying apparatus can change a dilution proportion of the diluted slurry.

Abstract: A surface treating apparatus treats a substrate surface by rotating a cylindrical polishing member in a state where the polishing member makes contact with the substrate surface. A polishing liquid is supplied to a polishing liquid passage that is provided in a central portion of the polishing member, and the polishing liquid is supplied to the substrate surface by rotating the polishing member while filtering the polishing liquid by a foam member provided on an outer periphery of the polishing liquid passage. Aperture diameters of the foam member are larger on the side of the polishing liquid passage than on the outside of the polishing member.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a polishing method for polishing the end surface of a wafer by using a polishing tape, wherein the end surface of the wafer is polished in the condition where a polishing liquid containing an oxidizing agent is supplied to the end surface of the wafer.

Abstract: [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] An object of the present invention is to provide an aqueous abrasives dispersion medium composition which does not have a problem of inflammability and which is excellent in dispersion stability of abrasives and viscosity stability over the time of usage, and aqueous slurry for processing using the aqueous abrasives dispersion medium composition. [Means for Solving the Problems] An aqueous abrasives dispersion medium composition comprising: glycols; glycolethers represented by a general formula (1): R2O—(CHR1CH2O)m—R3 (1); and water. (In the general formula (1), R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 represents an alkyl group or an alkenyl group of carbon number 1 to 18 , R3 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an alkenyl group of carbon number 1 to 18 , and m represents number 1 to 20.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a CMP abrasive comprising cerium oxide particles, a dispersant, an organic polymer having an atom or a structure capable of forming a hydrogen bond with a hydroxyl group present on a surface of a film to be polished and water, a method for polishing a substrate comprising polishing a film to be polished by moving a substrate on which the film to be polished is formed and a polishing platen while pressing the substrate against the polishing platen and a polishing cloth and supplying the CMP abrasive between the film to be polished and the polishing cloth, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of the above-mentioned polishing method, and an additive for a CMP abrasive comprising an organic polymer having an atom or a structure capable of forming a hydrogen bond with a hydroxyl group present on a surface of a film to be polished, and water.

Abstract: An abrasive supply system may, for example, be used to supply abrasive particles such as garnet to a cutting nozzle of an abrasive jet cutter. According to an embodiment, the abrasive is propelled by a substantially constant flow rate gas source. According to an embodiment, the system may be supplied with abrasive from an atmospheric pressure abrasive hopper. According to an embodiment, a controller automatically actuates refilling of an abrasive tank from the abrasive hopper, and then automatically closes an abrasive supply valve and restarts abrasive propulsion. According to an embodiment, the controller may include or consist of pneumatic logic.

Abstract: A method of planarizing a semiconductor structure comprises moving a conditioning element on a surface of a polishing member, rotating the semiconductor structure relative to the polishing member against the surface of the polishing member, and rinsing the surface of the polishing member and the semiconductor structure. While the conditioning element is moved over the surface of the polishing member and the semiconductor structure is rotated against the surface of the polishing member, slurry is directed onto the polishing member. The step of rinsing comprises contacting the conditioning element to the surface of the polishing member.

Abstract: A method and a device for treating grinding water of a lens grinding device are provided, in which grinding water is circulated via a grinding water tank, a filtering device, a lens grinding device main body by a pump, and an amount of grinding chips in a circulation cycle of the grinding water is detected based on a water level of the grinding water tank.

Abstract: The removing solution containing a cerium (IV) nitrate salt, periodic acid or a hypochlorite can be applied to metals containing copper, silver or palladium and also to metals containing other metals having a relatively large oxidation-reduction potential.

Abstract: A method of producing silicon blocks by cutting a silicon ingot is provided. The method uses a silicon ingot cutting slurry containing abrasive grains and an alkaline substance so as to provide the silicon blocks that can be produced into silicon wafers each having a thin thickness with reduced substrate damage at the time of producing a solar battery. The alkaline substance has a content mass that is at least 3.5% with respect to the mass of the entire liquid components of said slurry, and the slurry contains an organic amine having a mass ratio of 0.5 to 5.0 with respect to water in the liquid components of the slurry. The slurry is used at a pH of 12 or more and at a temperature of from 65 to 95 degrees C.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass substrate for a magnetic disk is provided, by which polishing accuracy on an inner circumferential end face of a glass substrate is improved, and a thermal asperity trouble can be avoided.

Abstract: A polishing wheel including a lower polishing surface and defining a different color from a secondary portion of the polishing wheel, so as to indicate wear of the polishing surface. The polishing surface includes a plurality of main radial flutes extending from a central passage to an outer edge. A reduced profile for the main radial flutes is provided adjacent to the outer edge. A plurality of secondary radial flutes is provided extending from the outer edge, but not in communication with either the central passage or the main radial flutes.

Abstract: A pedestal pad (workpiece supporting table pad) is arranged on the top of a pedestal (workpiece supporting table) for temporarily placing and holding a pre-polished or post-polished wafer (workpiece). This pedestal pad is formed of resin, and at least a surface of the pedestal pad which comes into contact with the wafer is non-absorbable to a fluid. The tissue of the pedestal pad is dense and smooth, and does not have any cavity, such as fine holes, which holds the fluid.

Abstract: A polishing method can safely detach and lift up a workpiece from a polishing surface without carrying out the operation of making the workpiece overhang the polishing surface. The polishing method includes carrying out processing of a surface to be polished of a workpiece by supplying a liquid to a polishing surface while pressing the surface to be polished of the workpiece held by a holding device against the polishing surface and moving the workpiece and the polishing surface relative to each other, attracting the workpiece after the processing to the holding device while supplying the liquid to the polishing surface at a decreased flow rate, thereby detaching the workpiece from the polishing surface, and lifting up the holding device together with the workpiece on confirmation of detachment of the workpiece from the polishing surface and attachment of the workpiece to the holding device.

Abstract: Semiconductor wafers have a front surface, a back surface, a notch, and an edge. A method of polishing a wafer includes polishing at least one of the surfaces and the notch of the wafer using a polishing pad and slurry. At least one surface of the wafer is cleaned of residual slurry. The cleaned surface is grasped by applying a vacuum to the cleaned surface of the wafer using a vacuum chuck. Edge of the wafer is polished using a pad and slurry while the wafer is grasped by the vacuum chuck.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamic slurry blending and control are described. A method comprises applying a slurry to a wafer during a polishing process, detecting a wafer property during the polishing process, and changing a slurry property during the polishing process based, at least in part, upon the detected wafer property. In another embodiment, a system comprises a slurry mixer, a polisher coupled to the slurry mixer via a slurry feeder, the polisher being configured to receive a slurry from the slurry mixer via the slurry feeder and to apply the slurry to a wafer during a polishing process, and a computer coupled to the slurry mixer and to the polisher, the computer being configured to receive a signal indicative of a detected wafer property and to control the slurry mixer to change a slurry property during the polishing process based, at least in part, upon the detected wafer property.

Abstract: A particle blast apparatus has a pivoting hopper, allowing the hopper exit to move from or between a first position at which the exit is aligned with the feeder entrance to a second position where the hopper exit is not aligned as such. The hopper may emptied or cleared in this manner. The hopper may be provided with a device configured to impart energy to the hopper while the hopper exit is located at the second position.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a polishing head having at least one elastic membrane configured to form a plurality of pressure chambers for being supplied with a pressurized fluid, and a controller configured to control supply of the pressurized fluid to the pressure chambers. The controller controls supply of the pressurized fluid so that the pressurized fluid is supplied first to the pressure chamber located at a central portion of the substrate when the substrate is brought into contact with the polishing surface, and then the pressurized fluid is supplied to the pressure chamber located at a radially outer side of the pressure chamber located at the central portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus can supply a polishing liquid uniformly and efficiently to a surface to be polished of a workpiece. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring for holding a semiconductor wafer and pressing the semiconductor wafer against the polishing surface. The polishing apparatus also includes a polishing liquid supply port for supplying a polishing liquid to the polishing surface, and a moving mechanism for moving the polishing liquid supply port to distribute the polishing liquid uniformly over an entire surface of the workpiece due to relative movement of the workpiece and the polishing surface.

Abstract: A slurry supply system with multiple supply modules and a flushing module concurrently coupled to the multiple supply modules is provided. Each supply module includes a slurry reservoir and at least one delivery line connecting to the slurry reservoir, wherein each delivery line is oriented toward a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The flushing module includes a flushing liquid reservoir and multiple flushing lines connecting to the flushing liquid reservoir, wherein each flushing line is coupled to each delivery line thereby the flush module can selectively flush one of the delivery lines.

Abstract: A rough-polishing method for conducting a rough polishing before mirror-finish polishing on a semiconductor wafer (W) using a polishing apparatus (1) includes a first polishing step for polishing the semiconductor wafer using slurry containing colloidal silica supplied by a slurry supplying unit (4) and a second polishing step for polishing the semiconductor wafer using alkali solution provided by mixing deionized water supplied from a deionized-water supplying unit (5) and alkali concentrate solution supplied by an alkali-concentrate-solution supplying unit (6). The pH value of the alkali solution and polishing time in the second polishing step are determined based on the load current value of the polishing table (2) in the first polishing step.