Method and apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing

摘要

A polishing device (16) is hermetically accommodated in a chamber (13) containing an atmosphere having a composition different from the ambient air, so that the atmosphere around the polishing device (16) is altered into the composition different from the ambient air, and voltage is applied between a wafer (W) and a polishing pad (34a) to polish the wafer (W) with an electrolytic effect. The polishing device (16) has the atmosphere containing extremely less oxygen, preventing a surface of the wafer (W) from oxidation and thereby providing a constant polishing rate.