To provide a method which can detect an end point of polishing that becomes difficult to be detected by reciprocating a top ring.
In the polishing end point detection method, a polishing object 14 is polished into a flat and mirror face by pressing the top ring 13 holding the polishing object 14 on a piece of polishing cloth 11 bonded on a rotating turntable 12. The detection method comprises the steps of reciprocating the top ring 13 over the turntable 12 by a swing mechanism, detecting the current values of a turntable drive motor 16 at predetermined positions which are away in the same distance from the rotation center of the turntable 12 over which the top ring reciprocates, comparing the current values with the average value of the previously detected current values at the same positions, and detecting the change of polishing frictional force.
SAKATA FUMIHIKO
TAKAHASHI YOSHIMIZU
Shintaro Hotta