Polishing apparatus

A polishing apparatus comprising:

• a storage section for storing a workpiece disposed at one end of an installation floor space;
• two polishing units disposed at an opposite end of the installation floor space;
• and
• a transport device for transferring workpieces between said storage section and said two polishing units, wherein said transport device includes a temporary storage section and at least one robotic device for transferring the workpieces between said polishing units and the temporary storage section such that a workpiece to be polished and a polished workpiece are each capable of being received within the temporary storage section.

A polishing apparatus for polishing a circular workpiece, held by a holder device, by pressing a surface of the workpiece against a polishing surface of a circular polishing tool, said polishing apparatus comprising:

• a primary polishing table including a polishing surface having a radius that is larger than a diameter of the workpiece;
• and
• a secondary polishing table including a polishing surface having a radius that is smaller than the diameter of the workpiece but larger than a radius of the workpiece,
• wherein said polishing surface of said secondary polishing table is constructed to be arranged such that at least a portion of a surface of the workpiece being polished by said polishing surface of said secondary polishing table extends beyond an edge of said polishing surface of said secondary polishing table.

A polishing apparatus comprising:

• a top ring for holding a workpiece;
• a pusher for receiving a polished workpiece from said top ring;
• and
• a film thickness measuring device for measuring, while said top ring is positioned above said pusher, a thickness of a film formed on a polished workpiece held by said top ring.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

• polishing a wafer by moving a polishing table relative to a top ring holding the wafer;
• transferring the polished wafer, while being held by said top ring, from said polishing table to a position above a pusher that is to receive the polished wafer from said top ring;
• and
• while said top ring holds the polished wafer above said pusher, measuring a thickness of a film formed on the polished wafer.

A polishing apparatus comprising:

• a loading/unloading unit for loading and/or unloading a workpiece;
• a polishing unit for polishing a workpiece;
• a cleaning section for cleaning a polished workpiece;
• and
• a temporary storage station, provided in said cleaning section, for receiving a workpiece to be transferred to said polishing unit from said loading/unloading unit and for receiving a polished workpiece to be transferred from said polishing unit to said loading/unloading unit.

A polishing apparatus comprising:

• at least one polishing surface;
• a first temporary storage station for receiving a workpiece to be polished;
• a second temporary storage station for receiving a polished workpiece;
• and
• at least one robot for transferring the workpiece to be polished to said first temporary storage station or transferring the polished workpiece to said second temporary storage station.

A polishing apparatus comprising:

• a top ring for holding a workpiece during polishing of the workpiece;
• a first temporary storage station for receiving a workpiece to be polished;
• a pusher for transferring the workpiece to be polished to said top ring;
• and
• a robot for transferring the workpiece to be polished from said first temporary storage station said pusher.

A polishing apparatus comprising:

• a loading/unloading unit for storing workpieces to be polished;
• a polishing table for polishing a workpiece;
• and
• at least two temporary storage stations, with one of said at least two temporary storage stations for receiving from said loading/unloading unit a workpiece to be polished, and another of said at least two temporary storage stations for receiving a workpiece that has been polished by said polishing table and is to be returned to said loading/unloading unit.

An apparatus for processing a semiconductor device, comprising:

• a loading unit for storing semiconductor wafers to be treated;
• a first temporary storage station for receiving a semiconductor wafer to be treated;
• and
• a second temporary storage station for receiving a treated semiconductor wafer.

A polishing apparatus comprising:

• a top ring for holding a workpiece during polishing of the workpiece;
• a first temporary storage station for receiving the workpiece prior to polishing of the workpiece;
• and
• a vertically movable pusher for transferring the workpiece to said top ring.