Patent ID: 7883394

Claim:
A substrate polishing apparatus comprising: a substrate holding mechanism comprising a top ring; and a polishing table having a polishing surface, wherein a substrate to be polished that is held by said top ring is pressed against the polishing surface of said polishing table, and said substrate is polished by relative movement between said substrate held by said top ring and the polishing surface of said polishing table; a dome having an inlet port and an outlet port and covering the polishing surface and said top ring; and an outlet duct connected to said outlet port, wherein said inlet port and said outlet port face each other and are configured to create a gas stream flow which is parallel with the polishing surface and flows from said inlet port to said outlet port such that said substrate is cooled by said gas stream flow; wherein said substrate holding mechanism further comprises a top ring driving shaft, and wherein said dome is configured to cover the polishing surface and a lower end of said top ring driving shaft, whereas an upper end of said top ring shaft is outside the dome.