Patent ID: 8882563

Claim:
A chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising: at least one polishing platens rotatably installed with a platen pad mounted on its upper surface; a guide rail disposed along a predetermined path; a substrate carrier unit including a rotary union to downwardly press a substrate during a polishing process, the substrate carrier unit moving along the guide rail with loading the substrate; and a docking unit installed to be docked to the substrate carrier unit so as to supply air pressure to the rotary union which downwardly presses the substrate held by the substrate carrier unit, when the substrate carrier unit is positioned over the polishing platen, wherein the path has a first path and a second path, said path including an unconnected path between the first path and the second path, wherein the substrate carrier unit is carried across the unconnected path by a carrier holder which accommodates the substrate carrier unit and moves across the unconnected path between the first path and the second path whereby the substrate carrier unit travels through the path.