Patent ID: 7967665

Claim:
A substrate holding apparatus comprising: a top ring body for holding and pressing a substrate against a polishing surface; and a retainer ring for pressing the polishing surface and holding an outer circumferential edge of the substrate, said retainer ring including: a retainer ring portion having a retainer ring body arranged to contact the polishing surface during a polishing process, and a retainer ring pressing mechanism having a pressing force adjusting portion for receiving a fluid at a pressure so as to adjust a pressing force with which said retainer ring portion presses the polishing surface during the polishing process, wherein one of said retainer ring portion and said retainer ring pressing mechanism includes a first member having a magnet, and the other of said retainer ring portion and said retainer ring pressing mechanism includes a second member made of a magnetic material, and wherein said retainer ring portion and said retainer ring pressing mechanism are secured to each other by magnetic forces acting between said first member and said second member.