Substrate polishing apparatus and method

Abstract

A substrate polishing apparatus includes a substrate holding mechanism having a head for holding a substrate to be polished, and a polishing mechanism including a polishing table with a polishing pad mounted thereon. The substrate held by the head is pressed against the polishing pad on the polishing table to polish the substrate by relative movement of the substrate and the polishing pad. The substrate polishing apparatus also includes a substrate transfer mechanism for delivering the substrate to be polished to the head and receiving the polished substrate. The substrate transfer mechanism includes a substrate to-be-polished receiver for receiving the substrate to be polished, and a polished substrate receiver for receiving the substrate which has been polished.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A method of polishing a surface of a substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing surface of a polishing tool which is larger than the substrate and by moving the substrate and said polishing tool relative to each other, comprising:
 supplying a slurry from a plurality of slurry outlets formed in said polishing surface of said polishing tool; and   keeping a surface to-be-polished of said substrate on said polishing surface of said polishing tool so as to cover said slurry outlets while the substrate is being polished.   
     
     
         43 . A method of receiving a polished substrate by a substrate receiver having a plurality of substrate supports from a head after the substrate is polished, the substrate being held under vacuum suction on a substrate attracting surface of said head, pressed against a polishing tool mounted on a polishing table and polished by relative movement of the substrate and said polishing tool, comprising:
 supporting the polished substrate held by said head with said substrate supports which are kept in the same vertical position;   lowering the vertical position of selected ones of said substrate supports and releasing vacuum suction of said head to remove the substrate from said substrate attracting surface, thereby tilting the substrate;   receiving the tilted substrate by said substrate supports;   lowering the vertical position of remaining ones of said substrate supports into alignment with the vertical position of said selected ones of said substrate supports, thereby making the substrate horizontal; and   supporting the horizontal substrate by said substrate supports.   
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 43 , wherein the substrate is received by suction cups mounted on respective upper ends of said substrate supports.