An apparatus for polishing a silicon wafer comprises a polishing turntable mounted for rotation and adapted to receive a polishing pad. The apparatus further comprises a mounting fixture for rotating the wafer relative to the polishing pad and a slurry delivery system for delivering a polishing slurry to the polishing pad. At least one of the polishing turntables and mounting fixture are free of surfaces of metal exposed to the polishing slurry so as to inhibit metals from contacting the surface of the wafer.
