SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER-POLISHING DEVICE AND METHOD THEREFOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor wafer-polishing device that can be installed in a clean room, and can be unloaded to a next process by a wafer carrier that is used in a normal clean room after cleaning and drying the semiconductor wafer after polishing without causing the clean room to be contaminated, and to provide a method for polishing the semiconductor wafer. SOLUTION: A polishing section 2 for polishing the semiconductor wafer 4 by retaining the semiconductor wafer in an enclosure 1 having a sidewall by top ring 5 and at the same time pressing the semiconductor wafer to a turntable 3, and a washing section 30 for washing the semiconductor wafer 4 are housed. A partition wall 22 for separating the polishing section 2 from the cleaning section 30 is provided, and at the same time a transport mechanism 24 is provided to carry the semiconductor wafer 4 after polishing from the polishing section 2 to the cleaning section 30 via an opening 22a of the partition wall 22, and exhaust systems 46 and 47 are provided to evacuate air independently from the polishing section 2 and the cleaning section 30.