A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a fixing portion; and a rotary body module including a rotating shaft rotatably installed on the fixing portion, a first rotating unit connected to the rotating shaft and on which a wafer is mounted, and a second rotating unit disposed around the first rotating unit and on which a retainer ring is mounted, wherein the fixing portion comprises a first driving member disposed above the first rotating unit and a second driving member disposed above the second rotating unit, wherein the first and second driving members are comprised of a magnet or an electromagnet, wherein a first magnet, disposed opposite to the first driving member, is provided in the first rotating unit, and a second magnet, disposed opposite to the second driving member, is provided in the second rotating unit, and wherein the first rotating unit and the second rotating unit are independently tilted.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system including a first CMP head and a second CMP head. The first CMP head is configured to retain a workpiece and comprises a first plurality of pressure elements disposed across a first pressure control plate. The second CMP head is configured to retain the workpiece. The second CMP head comprises a second plurality of pressure elements disposed across a second pressure control plate. A distribution of the first plurality of pressure elements across the first pressure control plate is different from a distribution of the second plurality of pressure elements across the second pressure control plate.

A CMP polishing apparatus for flattening a quadrate substrate is provided. A polishing apparatus for polishing a quadrate substrate is provided. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holding portion configured to hold the quadrate substrate. The substrate holding portion includes a quadrate substrate supporting surface that supports the substrate, and an attachment mechanism that attaches a retainer member to be disposed at an outside of at least one corner portion of the substrate supporting surface.

A CMP polishing apparatus for flattening a quadrate substrate is provided. A polishing apparatus for polishing a quadrate substrate is provided. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holding portion configured to hold the quadrate substrate. The substrate holding portion includes a quadrate substrate supporting surface that supports the substrate, and an attachment mechanism that attaches a retainer member to be disposed at an outside of at least one corner portion of the substrate supporting surface.

A polishing method for polishing a wafer by use of a polishing unit having a spindle with a polishing tool, the polishing tool having a disk-shaped base and an annular polishing layer that is fixed to one surface of the base and that includes an opening being located at a central portion in a diameter direction of the base and having a predetermined diameter, a maximum width of an effective polishing region of the polishing layer in a radial direction of the base being smaller than the radius of the wafer and the radius of the wafer being smaller than the diameter of the opening, the method includes polishing the wafer in such a manner that a part of a peripheral edge of the wafer protrudes from a periphery of the polishing layer and that the center of the wafer is located in the opening section of the polishing layer.

A polishing method for polishing a wafer by use of a polishing unit having a spindle with a polishing tool, the polishing tool having a disk-shaped base and an annular polishing layer that is fixed to one surface of the base and that includes an opening being located at a central portion in a diameter direction of the base and having a predetermined diameter, a maximum width of an effective polishing region of the polishing layer in a radial direction of the base being smaller than the radius of the wafer and the radius of the wafer being smaller than the diameter of the opening, the method includes polishing the wafer in such a manner that a part of a peripheral edge of the wafer protrudes from a periphery of the polishing layer and that the center of the wafer is located in the opening section of the polishing layer.

A wafer processing apparatus includes a chuck table that holds a wafer with metal electrodes embedded therein, a processing unit that grinds or polishes the wafer held by the chuck table, a cassette mounting table for a cassette in which such wafers can be accommodated, a transfer unit that holds and transfers each wafer between the cassette and the chuck table, a checking unit configured to check whether or not at least one of the metal electrodes is exposed on the wafer, a notification unit that notifies that the at least one metal electrode is exposed, and a control unit that controls operations of the processing unit and the transfer unit. If the exposure of the at least one metal electrode on the wafer is detected by the checking unit, the control unit stops the processing of the wafer and the transfer of the wafer.

A wafer processing apparatus includes a chuck table that holds a wafer with metal electrodes embedded therein, a processing unit that grinds or polishes the wafer held by the chuck table, a cassette mounting table for a cassette in which such wafers can be accommodated, a transfer unit that holds and transfers each wafer between the cassette and the chuck table, a checking unit configured to check whether or not at least one of the metal electrodes is exposed on the wafer, a notification unit that notifies that the at least one metal electrode is exposed, and a control unit that controls operations of the processing unit and the transfer unit. If the exposure of the at least one metal electrode on the wafer is detected by the checking unit, the control unit stops the processing of the wafer and the transfer of the wafer.

A Chemical Mechanical Polishing, CMP, process applied to a wafer of Silicon Carbide having a thickness of, or lower than, 200 μm, comprising the steps of: arranging the wafer on a supporting head of a CMP processing apparatus, the wafer having a front side and a back side opposite to one another, the front side housing at least one electronic component and being coupled to the supporting head; deliver a polishing slurry on the wafer, wherein the polishing slurry has a pH in the range 2-3; pressing the back side of the wafer against a polishing pad of the CMP apparatus exerting, by the supporting head, a pressure on the polishing pad in the range 5-20 kPa; setting a rotation of the polishing pad in the range 30-180 rpm, and setting a rotation of polishing head in the range 30-180 rpm; setting and maintaining a CMP process temperature equal to, or below, 50° C.

A Chemical Mechanical Polishing, CMP, process applied to a wafer of Silicon Carbide having a thickness of, or lower than, 200 μm, comprising the steps of: arranging the wafer on a supporting head of a CMP processing apparatus, the wafer having a front side and a back side opposite to one another, the front side housing at least one electronic component and being coupled to the supporting head; deliver a polishing slurry on the wafer, wherein the polishing slurry has a pH in the range 2-3; pressing the back side of the wafer against a polishing pad of the CMP apparatus exerting, by the supporting head, a pressure on the polishing pad in the range 5-20 kPa; setting a rotation of the polishing pad in the range 30-180 rpm, and setting a rotation of polishing head in the range 30-180 rpm; setting and maintaining a CMP process temperature equal to, or below, 50° C.