A workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer is polished by pressing the workpiece against a polishing surface under a predetermined pressure. A polished surface of the workpiece is processed by pressing the workpiece against a processing surface under a predetermined pressure while the processing surface makes circulatory translational motion along a predetermined path. The processing surface comprises a surface of a polishing cloth or a surface of an abrading plate, and the polished surface of the workpiece is further polished or cleaned.
This is a Divisional Application of application Ser. No. 09/301,718, filed Apr. 29, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,156 which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/857,252, filed May 16, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,107 of application Ser. No. 08/972,012, filed Nov. 17, 1997 now abandoned, and of International Application No. PCT/JP98/05253, filed Nov. 20, 1998.
Priority Data
May 16, 1996 [JP] 8-146776 Nov 15, 1996 [JP] 8-321141 Nov 21, 1997 [JP] 9-338032
