Abstract: Soft polishing pads for polishing semiconductor substrates are described. A soft polishing pad includes a molded homogeneous polishing body having a thermoset, closed cell polyurethane material with a hardness approximately in the range of 20 Shore D to 45 Shore D.

Abstract: A CMP polishing pad comprising (a) a polishing layer having a polishing surface and a back surface opposite said polishing surface; said polishing layer having at least one cured opaque thermoset polyurethane region and at least one aperture region; said at least one cured opaque thermoset region has a porosity from about 10% to about 55% by volume; said at least one aperture region having (1) a top opening positioned below the polishing surface, (2) a bottom opening that is co-planar with said back surface and (3) straight line vertical sidewalls extending from said aperture top opening to said aperture bottom opening; said at least one aperture region filled with a cured plug of thermoset polyurethane local area transparency material that has a light transmission of less than 80% at a wavelength from 700 to 710 nanometers and is chemically bonded directly to a thermoset polyurethane opaque area; (b) an aperture-free removable release sheet covering at least a portion of said back surface of the polishing l

Abstract: Soft polishing pads for polishing semiconductor substrates are described. A soft polishing pad includes a molded homogeneous polishing body having a thermoset, closed cell polyurethane material with a hardness approximately in the range of 20 Shore D to 45 Shore D.

Abstract: A CMP polishing pad comprising (a) a polishing layer having a polishing surface and a back surface opposite said polishing surface; said polishing layer having at least one cured opaque thermoset polyurethane region and at least one aperture region; said at least one cured opaque thermoset region has a porosity from about 10% to about 55% by volume; said at least one aperture region having (1) a top opening positioned below the polishing surface, (2) a bottom opening that is co-planar with said back surface and (3) straight line vertical sidewalls extending from said aperture top opening to said aperture bottom opening; said at least one aperture region filled with a cured plug of thermoset polyurethane local area transparency material that has a light transmission of less than 80% at a wavelength from 700 to 710 nanometers and is chemically bonded directly to a thermoset polyurethane opaque area; (b) an aperture-free removable release sheet covering at least a portion of said back surface of the polishing l

Abstract: The over-running clutch pulley (10) of a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a sheave member (20), a hub member (22) located substantially concentrically within the sheave member, and a clutch member (24), which cooperate to rotationally engage an input device (12) and an output device (14). The sheave member preferably includes a sheave input section (26) adapted to engage the input device, and a sheave clutch section (28) defining a sheave clutch surface (30). Similarly, the hub member preferably includes a hub output section (32) adapted to engage the output device, and a hub clutch section (34) defining a hub clutch surface (36). In the preferred embodiment, either the sheave clutch surface, the hub clutch surface, or both, have a surface microhardness greater than the hub output section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an article for altering a surface of a work piece, or a polishing pad having a window. In particular, the polishing pad includes a polyurethane urea material wherein the polyurethane urea material contains cells which are at least partially filled with gas. The polyurethane urea material can be prepared by combining polyisocyanate and/or polyurethane prepolymer, hydroxyl-containing material, amine-containing material and blowing agent. The polishing pad according to the present invention is useful for polishing articles, and is especially useful for chemical mechanical polishing or planarization of microelectronic and optical electronic devices such as but not limited to semiconductor wafers. The window of the polishing pad is at least partially transparent and thus, can be particularly useful with polishing or planarizing tools that are equipped with through-the-platen wafer metrology.

Abstract: A polishing pad including a window can be useful for polishing articles and can be especially useful for chemical mechanical polishing or planarization of a microelectronic device, such as a semiconductor wafer. The window of the polishing pad is at least partially transparent and thus, can be particularly useful with polishing or planarizing tools that are equipped with through-the-platen wafer metrology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an article for altering a surface of a workpiece, or a polishing pad having a window. In particular, the polishing pad includes a polyurethane urea material wherein the polyurethane urea material contains cells which are at least partially filled with gas. The polyurethane urea material can be prepared by combining polyisocyanate and/or polyurethane prepolymer, hydroxyl-containing material, amine-containing material and blowing agent. The polishing pad according to the present invention is useful for polishing articles, and is especially useful for chemical mechanical polishing or planarization of microelectronic and optical electronic devices such as but not limited to semiconductor wafers. The window of the polishing pad is at least partially transparent and thus, can be particularly useful with polishing or planarizing tools that are equipped with through-the-platen wafer metrology.

Abstract: A polishing pad is described as comprising, (a) particulate polymer which can be chosen from particulate thermoplastic polymer (e.g., particulate thermoplastic polyurethane), particulate crosslinked polymer (e.g., particulate crosslinked polyurethane and/or particulate crosslinked polyepoxide) and mixtures thereof; and (b) organic polymer binder (e.g., polyurethane binder and/or polyepoxide binder), which can bind the particulate polymer together, wherein said organic polymer binder can be prepared in-situ . The particulate polymer and organic polymer binder can be distributed substantially across the work surface the polishing pad, and the pad can have a percent pore volume of from 2 percent by volume to 50 percent by volume, based on the total volume of said polishing pad.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an article for altering a surface of a workpiece, or a polishing pad having a window. In particular, the polishing pad includes a polyurethane urea material wherein the polyurethane urea material contains cells which are at least partially filled with gas. The polyurethane urea material can be prepared by combining polyisocyanate and/or polyurethane prepolymer, hydroxyl-containing material, amine-containing material and blowing agent. The polishing pad according to the present invention is useful for polishing articles, and is especially useful for chemical mechanical polishing or planarization of microelectronic and optical electronic devices such as but not limited to semiconductor wafers. The window of the polishing pad is at least partially transparent and thus, can be particularly useful with polishing or planarizing tools that are equipped with through-the-platen wafer metrology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an article for altering a surface of a workpiece, or a polishing pad having a window. In particular, the polishing pad includes a polyurethane urea material wherein the polyurethane urea material contains cells which are at least partially filled with gas. The polyurethane urea material can be prepared by combining polyisocyanate and/or polyurethane prepolymer, hydroxyl-containing material, amine-containing material and blowing agent. The polishing pad according to the present invention is useful for polishing articles, and is especially useful for chemical mechanical polishing or planarization of microelectronic and optical electronic devices such as but not limited to semiconductor wafers. The window of the polishing pad is at least partially transparent and thus, can be particularly useful with polishing or planarizing tools that are equipped with through-the-platen wafer metrology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an article for altering a surface of a workpiece, or a polishing pad. In particular, the polishing pad includes a polyurethane urea material wherein at least a portion of the polyurethane urea material contains cells which are at least partially filled with gas. The polyurethane urea material can be prepared by combining polyisocyanate and/or polyurethane prepolymer, hydroxyl-containing material, amine-containing material and blowing agent. The polishing pad according to the present invention is useful for polishing articles, and is especially useful for chemical mechanical polishing or planarization of microelectronic and optical electronic devices such as but not limited to semiconductor wafers.

Abstract: The over-running clutch pulley (10) of a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a sheave member (20), a hub member (22) located substantially concentrically within the sheave member, and a clutch member (24), which cooperate to rotationally engage an input device (12) and an output device (14). The sheave member preferably includes a sheave input section (26) adapted to engage the input device, and a sheave clutch section (28) defining a sheave clutch surface (30). Similarly, the hub member preferably includes a hub output section (32) adapted to engage the output device, and a hub clutch section (34) defining a hub clutch surface (36). In the preferred embodiment, either the sheave clutch surface, the hub clutch surface, or both, have a surface microhardness greater than the hub output section.

Abstract: A fluid diffuser includes an inner extruded tube and an outer extruded tube between which there is a woven fabric material tube. The diffuser includes pores formed by a non-ablative piercing process and being arranged to act as valves which are self-closing when fluid is not flowing through the diffuser. The woven fabric material is arranged to restrain diametral expansion of the inner and outer tubes and thereby restrain an increase in pore size as the pressure of fluid flowing through pores is increased. Thus, if the diffuser is used for diffusing air into water, the size of bubbles produced remains substantially constant as the pressure of air supplied to the diffuser is increased. Other diffusers are described which function in a similar manner, including a disc diffuser and tubular diffusers which are made of sheet material.

Abstract: The present specification discloses an adjustable element for use in a filter or valve. The element comprises a coiled spring, tension or compression, which can be extended or contracted by suitable means to vary the degree of filtration and flow-through cross-section. The present invention provides an adjustable element with the individual spring coils having a generally square or rectangular transverse cross-section, the surface of the coils being surface-hardened. The interengaging surfaces of the individual coils can be flat so that the coils engage squarely, or curved for tangential contact. The smooth outer and inner surface of the element reduce the rate of filter cake build-up, and together with the surface hardening, facilitate the accurate control of the adjustment of the element.

Abstract: A method of treating waste material, particularly radioactively contaminated waste such as ion exchange resins or molecular sieves incorporating .sup.137 Cs. The waste is one which is associated with water, e.g. the waste is wet, and is admixed with a synthetic resin composition which hardens on reaction with water. Also disclosed is an apparatus which may be used for producing the hardened waste/resin mixture in a protectively lined drum or other vessel for subsequent dumping, e.g. at sea.

Abstract: An electromechanical resonator is disclosed for use in optical scanning systems. The resonator comprises a torsionally resonant system including a torsion rod having one end fixed to a nodal zone member and an oscillatory mass at the free end. A flexurally resonant system includes a pair of oppositely disposed flexure arms extending transversely of the torsional axis and having their inner ends fixed to the nodal zone member. The nodal zone member is suspended by a coupling spring from a frame member and the coupling spring permits energy transfer from the flexurally resonant system to the torsional resonant system through nodal zone member. The resonant systems are maintained in oscillation by electrodynamic means coupled with the flexure arms.