Substrate holding apparatus, elastic membrane, polishing apparatus, and method for replacing elastic membrane

An elastic membrane for use in a substrate holding apparatus, comprising:

• a contact portion to be brought into contact with a substrate for pressing the substrate against a polishing pad;
• an edge circumferential wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the contact portion;
• and
• a plurality of inner circumferential walls arranged radially inwardly of the edge circumferential wall and extending upwardly from the contact portion,
• wherein at least two adjacent inner circumferential walls of the plurality of inner circumferential walls comprise slope circumferential walls inclined radially inwardly;
• the slope circumferential walls are inclined radially inwardly in their entirety from their lower ends to upper ends, and extend upwardly, and
• each of the slope circumferential walls has an upper end attached to an inclined surface formed in a head body of the substrate holding apparatus.

A substrate holding apparatus comprising:

• an elastic membrane that forms a plurality of pressure chambers for pressing a substrate;
• and
• a head body to which the elastic membrane is coupled;
• wherein the elastic membrane comprises:
• a contact portion to be brought into contact with the substrate for pressing the substrate against a polishing pad;
• an edge circumferential wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the contact portion;
• and
• a plurality of inner circumferential walls arranged radially inwardly of the edge circumferential wall and extending upwardly from the contact portion;
• wherein at least two adjacent inner circumferential walls of the plurality of inner circumferential walls comprise slope circumferential walls inclined radially inwardly;
• and
• the slope circumferential walls are inclined radially inwardly in their entirety from their lower ends to upper ends, and extend upwardly, and
• wherein, when the elastic membrane is viewed in a vertical cross-section, at least a part of the slope circumferential wall located radially outward, of the adjacent inclined peripheral walls is located above the slope circumferential wall located radially inward, of the adjacent inclined peripheral walls.

An elastic membrane for use in a substrate holding apparatus, comprising:

• a contact portion to be brought into contact with a substrate for pressing the substrate against a polishing pad;
• an edge circumferential wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the contact portion;
• and
• a plurality of inner circumferential walls arranged radially inwardly of the edge circumferential wall and extending upwardly from the contact portion,
• wherein at least two adjacent inner circumferential walls of the plurality of inner circumferential walls comprise slope circumferential walls inclined radially inwardly;
• the slope circumferential walls are inclined radially inwardly in their entirety from their lower ends to upper ends, and extend upwardly, and
• wherein, when the elastic membrane is viewed in a vertical cross-section, at least a part of the slope circumferential wall located radially outward, of the adjacent inclined peripheral walls is located above the slope circumferential wall located radially inward, of the adjacent inclined peripheral walls.