Polishing apparatus, polishing method and method of conditioning polishing pad

摘要

A polishing apparatus (31) comprising a plurality of polishing stations (32a, 32b) for polishing materials (W) to be polished and a plurality of cleaning stations (33a, 33b) for cleaning the materials being polished, said polishing stations and said cleaning stations being alternately arranged; and an arm (34) for holding the materials being polished and transferring the materials being polished between said polishing stations and said cleaning stations successively, said arm including a polished head (5) for holding the the material being polished, each of said cleaning stations comprising a retainer stand (44) on which the material being polished is placed; and a cleaning device (45,73) for cleaning the material being polished in a state held by said polishing head, claening the material being polished in a state placed on said retainer stand, and cleaning said polishing head in a state where the material being polished is separated from said polishing head.