Patent ID: 7175508

Claim:
A polishing apparatus comprising a subject holder for holding a polishing subject and a polishing head having a polishing member provided with a polishing surface on a surface thereof which faces a surface to be polished of said polishing subject, said polishing apparatus being constituted to perform polishing of said surface to be polished by moving said polishing surface relative to said surface to be polished while said polishing surface is in contact with said surface to be polished, characterized in that said polishing head comprises a head housing having an opening in a surface thereof which faces said surface to be polished, and a plate holding portion provided in said head housing for holding said polishing member, a ring member provided in an inside portion of said head housing, said ring member is formed to surround the periphery of said polishing member positioned within said head housing such that a predetermined clearance is formed between said ring member and an outer peripheral portion of said polishing member, in a radial direction of the ring member, said polishing member is provided in said head housing so as to block said opening, and constituted to be capable of a reciprocating motion in the direction of said surface to be polished using air that is supplied into and discharged from said head housing, said plate holding portion comprises: a slide guide member provided in head housing and extending in the same direction of said surface to be polished; a slide member provide on said slide guide member so as to be capable of reciprocating motion in the same direction of said surface to be polished; and a sing holding member provided on said slide member for holding said polishing member swingably.