Semiconductor substrate holder for chemical-mechanical polishing containing a movable plate

The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) of semiconductor substrates for polishing and flattening a surface of the semiconductor substrate. More particularly, the invention relates to a semiconductor substrate holder for holding the semiconductor substrate to be polished whereby the substrate is held and pressed against a polishing pad. The holder contains a main body for holding the semiconductor substrate in a predetermined position relative to the main body. The main body has a base plate and a ring-shaped elevation provided thereon. A pressurizing device is provided for pressurizing the semiconductor substrate from inside the ring-shaped elevation towards the underlying polishing pad. A substrate holder is described which has a movable plate elastically mounted inside a main body. With the substrate holder, a polishing operation can be performed in two basic operation modes corresponding to two different vertical end positions of the movable plate. In a first (downward) mode the movable plate stays in mechanical contact with the substrate whereas in a second (upward) mode an air cushion is generated in a chamber between the movable plate and the substrate for pressurizing the substrate onto the polishing pad.