Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The method includes rotating a polishing pad having radial feeder grooves in the polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The radial feeder grooves include a series of biased grooves connecting a pair of adjacent radial feeder grooves. A majority of the biased grooves have either an inward bias toward the center or an outward bias toward the outer edge of the polishing pad. Pressing and rotating the wafer against the rotating polishing pad for multiple rotations of the polishing pad at a fixed distance from the center of the polishing pad increases polishing or planarizing removal rate of the wafer.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The method includes rotating a polishing pad, the rotating polishing pad having radial feeder grooves in the polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The polishing regions are circular sectors defined by two adjacent radial feeder grooves. The radial feeder grooves extend from a location adjacent the center to a location adjacent the outer edge. Each polishing region includes a series of biased grooves connecting a pair of adjacent radial feeder grooves. Pressing and rotating the wafer against the rotating polishing pad for multiple rotations of the polishing pad adjusts polishing by either increasing or decreasing residence time of the polishing fluid under the wafer.

Abstract: The polishing pad is suitable for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer having a polymeric matrix and radial feeder grooves in the polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The radial feeder grooves extend at least from a location adjacent the center to a location adjacent the outer edge of the polishing pad. Each polishing region includes a series of spaced non-isosceles trapezoid groove structures having parallel base segments connecting two adjacent radial feeder grooves to form leg segments. The series of non-isosceles trapezoid groove structures extend from adjacent the outer edge toward the center of the polishing pad with the perimeter of the series of trapezoid structures also being a trapezoid.

Abstract: The polishing pad is suitable for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The polishing pad includes radial feeder grooves in a polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The radial feeder grooves extend at least from a location adjacent the center to a location adjacent the outer edge of the polishing pad. Each polishing region including a series of biased grooves that connects a pair of adjacent radial feeder grooves. A majority of the biased grooves having either an inward bias toward the center of the polishing pad or an outward bias for directing polishing fluid toward the outer edge of the polishing pad.

Abstract: The polishing pad is suitable for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The polishing pad includes radial feeder grooves in a polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The radial feeder grooves extend at least from a location adjacent the center to a location adjacent the outer edge of the polishing pad. Each polishing region including a series of biased grooves that connects a pair of adjacent radial feeder grooves. A majority of the biased grooves having either an inward bias toward the center of the polishing pad or an outward bias for directing polishing fluid toward the outer edge of the polishing pad.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The method includes rotating a polishing pad having radial feeder grooves in a polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The radial feeder grooves extend at least from a location adjacent the center to a location adjacent the outer edge. Each polishing region includes a series of biased grooves connecting a pair of adjacent radial feeder grooves. The series of biased grooves separate a land area and have inner walls closer to the center and outer walls closer to the outer edge. Pressing and rotating the wafer against the rotating polishing pad for multiple rotations polishes or planarizes the wafer with land areas wet by the overflowing polishing fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a grooving tool for machining the surface of a polymeric foam article, such as a chemical mechanical (CMP) polishing pad, the grooving tool comprising a flat bed platen on which the article sits, a grooving tool frame having a front face positioned parallel to and facing the flat surface of the polymeric foam article on which front face is contained one or more cutting tool teeth arranged in a predetermined direction and with a constant pitch. Each cutting tool tooth has a non-cutting shoulder where it joins the grooving tool frame (i) a groove cutting face that forms a rake angle ranging from 2° to 80°, (ii) a chip ejection face located on the top of the tooth between the non-cutting shoulder and the groove cutting face and (iv) a shouldering radius transitioning from the cutting tool tooth to the non-cutting shoulder.

Abstract: The polishing pad is suitable for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The polishing pad includes radial feeder grooves in a polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The radial feeder grooves extend at least from a location adjacent the center to a location adjacent the outer edge of the polishing pad. Each polishing region including a series of biased grooves that connects a pair of adjacent radial feeder grooves. A majority of the biased grooves having either an inward bias toward the center of the polishing pad or an outward bias for directing polishing fluid toward the outer edge of the polishing pad.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The method includes rotating a polishing pad having radial feeder grooves in the polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The radial feeder grooves include a series of biased grooves connecting a pair of adjacent radial feeder grooves. A majority of the biased grooves have either an inward bias toward the center or an outward bias toward the outer edge of the polishing pad. Pressing and rotating the wafer against the rotating polishing pad for multiple rotations of the polishing pad at a fixed distance from the center of the polishing pad increases polishing or planarizing removal rate of the wafer.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The method includes rotating a polishing pad having radial feeder grooves in a polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The radial feeder grooves extend at least from a location adjacent the center to a location adjacent the outer edge. Each polishing region includes a series of biased grooves connecting a pair of adjacent radial feeder grooves. The series of biased grooves separate a land area and have inner walls closer to the center and outer walls closer to the outer edge. Pressing and rotating the wafer against the rotating polishing pad for multiple rotations polishes or planarizes the wafer with land areas wet by the overflowing polishing fluid.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The method includes rotating a polishing pad, the rotating polishing pad having radial feeder grooves in the polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The polishing regions are circular sectors defined by two adjacent radial feeder grooves. The radial feeder grooves extend from a location adjacent the center to a location adjacent the outer edge. Each polishing region includes a series of biased grooves connecting a pair of adjacent radial feeder grooves. Pressing and rotating the wafer against the rotating polishing pad for multiple rotations of the polishing pad adjusts polishing by either increasing or decreasing residence time of the polishing fluid under the wafer.

Abstract: The polishing pad is suitable for polishing or planarizing a wafer of at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer having a polymeric matrix and radial feeder grooves in the polishing layer separating the polishing layer into polishing regions. The radial feeder grooves extend at least from a location adjacent the center to a location adjacent the outer edge of the polishing pad. Each polishing region includes a series of spaced non-isosceles trapezoid groove structures having parallel base segments connecting two adjacent radial feeder grooves to form leg segments. The series of non-isosceles trapezoid groove structures extend from adjacent the outer edge toward the center of the polishing pad with the perimeter of the series of trapezoid structures also being a trapezoid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a grooving tool for machining the surface of a polymeric foam article, such as a chemical mechanical (CMP) polishing pad, the grooving tool comprising a flat bed platen on which the article sits, a grooving tool frame having a front face positioned parallel to and facing the flat surface of the polymeric foam article on which front face is contained one or more cutting tool teeth arranged in a predetermined direction and with a constant pitch. Each cutting tool tooth has a non-cutting shoulder where it joins the grooving tool frame (i) a groove cutting face that forms a rake angle ranging from 2° to 80°, (ii) a chip ejection face located on the top of the tooth between the non-cutting shoulder and the groove cutting face and (iv) a shouldering radius transitioning from the cutting tool tooth to the non-cutting shoulder.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of making a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) polishing layer or pad comprising providing an open mold having a surface with a female topography that generates a flat or shaped CMP polishing layer surface and having held in place thereon one or more endpoint detection window pieces; mixing a liquid isocyanate component with a liquid polyol component to form a solvent free reaction mixture; spraying the reaction mixture onto the open mold while the one or more window pieces is held in place, with each window piece at a predefined location, followed by curing the reaction mixture.

Abstract: The present invention provides pre-conditioned chemical mechanical (CMP) polishing pads comprising a polymer, preferably, a porous polymer having a pad surface microtexture effective for polishing having a series of visibly intersecting arcs on the polishing layer surface, the intersecting arcs having a radius of curvature equal to or greater than half of the radius of curvature of the pad and extending all the way around the surface of the pad in radial symmetry around the center point of the pad wherein the resulting CMP polishing pad has a surface roughness of from 0.01 ?m to 25 ?m, Sq. The CMP polishing pads may be made by methods comprising grinding the surface of a CMP polishing pad with a rotary grinder to form the surface microtexture.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparati for pre-conditioning polymeric, preferably, porous polymeric, chemical mechanical (CMP) polishing pads or layers and polishing a substrate that comprise a rotary grinder assembly having a rotor with a grinding surface of a porous abrasive material, a flat bed platen for holding the CMP polishing pad or layer in place so that the grinding surface of the rotary grinder is disposed above and parallel to the surface of the flat bed platen to form an interface of the surface of the CMP polishing layer and the porous abrasive material, and a substrate holder located above and parallel to a top surface of the flat bed platen and to which a CMP substrate is attached, thereby creating a polishing interface between the surface of the substrate and the CMP polishing layer wherein the substrate holder rotates independently from the rotary grinder assembly and the flat bed platen.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for making a pre-conditioned chemical mechanical (CMP) polishing pad having a pad surface microtexture effective for polishing comprising grinding the surface of the CMP polishing pad having a radius with a rotary grinder while it is held in place on a flat bed platen surface, the rotary grinder having a grinding surface disposed parallel to or substantially parallel to the surface of the flat bed platen and made of a porous abrasive material, wherein the resulting CMP polishing pad has a surface roughness of from 0.01 ?m to 25 ?m, Sq. The present invention also provides a CMP polishing pad having a series of visibly intersecting arcs on the polishing layer surface, the intersecting arcs having a radius of curvature equal to or greater than half of the radius of curvature of the pad and extending all the way around the surface of the pad in radial symmetry around the center point of the pad.