Polishing apparatus

Abstract

A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a plate-like workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate. The polishing apparatus has a polishing table having a polishing surface thereon, a plurality of workpiece holders each for holding a workpiece and pressing the workpiece against the polishing surface, and a dresser for dressing the polishing surface by pressing a desired position of the polishing surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece, comprising: 
 a polishing section for polishing a workpiece; and    at least two reversing machines for reversing the workpiece, at least one of said at least two reversing machines being movable.    
     
     
         2 . A polishing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said movable reversing machine serves to reverse the dry workpiece, and another of said at least two reversing machines serves to reverse the wet workpiece.  
     
     
         3 . A polishing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning section for cleaning and drying the workpiece, said cleaning section having at least two cleaning units.  
     
     
         4 . A polishing apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 at least two feed robots for feeding the workpiece, one of said feed robots being movable along the array of said cleaning units.    
     
     
         5 . A polishing apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a loading/unloading section for housing workpieces which are to be polished and have been polished;    wherein each of said polishing section, said cleaning section and said loading/unloading section is accommodated in a housing.    
     
     
         6 . A polishing apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said reversing machine serving to reverse the wet workpiece is housed in a cover.  
     
     
         7 . A polishing apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said movable reversing machine moves after reversing the workpiece.  
     
     
         8 . A polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, comprising: 
 a polishing section for polishing a workpiece;    a loading/unloading section for housing workpieces which are to be polished and have been polished;    a cleaning section having at least two cleaning units for cleaning and drying the workpiece;    at least two feed robots for feeding the workpiece, one of said feed robots being movable along the array of said cleaning units; and    at least two reversing machines for reversing the workpiece, at least one of said reversing machines being movable between a location near said polishing section and a location near said loading/unloading section.    
     
     
         9 . A polishing apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each of said polishing section, said cleaning section and said loading/unloading section is accommodated in a housing.