Abstract: The surface(s) of a polishing pad for polishing an object has a first portion including hydrophilic material and a second portion including hydrophobic material. The first portion of the polishing surface is located in a first region of the polishing pad and the second portion of the polishing surface is located in a second region of the polishing pad juxtaposed with the first region in the radial direction of the pad. The hydrophilic material may be a polymer resin that contains hydrophilic functional groups having OH and/or ?O at bonding sites of the polymer. The hydrophobic material may be a polymer resin that contains hydrophobic functional groups having H and/or F at bonding sites of the polymer. The polishing pad is manufactured by extruding respective lines of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials. The extruders and a backing are moved relative to each other such that the lines form concentric rings of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials.

Abstract: A polishing pad, platen, method of monitoring, method of manufacturing, and method of detecting using a pseudo window area, where the pseudo window area has a thickness less than a thickness of a polishing layer and a thickness greater than zero.

Abstract: A wafer carrier is provided. The wafer carrier includes a storage holding member for storing a plurality of wafers and includes a plurality of open portions. The wafer carrier further includes a front fixing plate and a rear fixing plate disposed at a front and a rear end of the storage holding member, respectively. The front and rear fixing plates each face a side of at least one of the plurality of wafers. Moreover, left and right edges of the plurality of wafers stored in the storage holding member are exposed by the plurality of open portions.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen, a polishing pad affixed to a surface of the platen, and a polishing head configured to retain and rotate a wafer while pressing a surface of the rotating wafer against the polishing pad. A first portion of the polishing pad that engages the polishing head proximate the edge of the wafer provides less rigidity than a second portion of the polishing pad that engages a portion of the surface of the wafer. For example, the polishing pad and/or the platen may have a recess or other cushioning structure positioned proximate a locus of movement of a portion of the polishing head that supports the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: A polishing pad, platen, method of monitoring, method of manufacturing, and method of detecting using a pseudo window area, where the pseudo window area has a thickness less than a thickness of a polishing layer and a thickness greater than zero.

Abstract: Particular aqueous slurry compositions including fine abrasive particles and polishing methods for polishing insulating films such as silicon dioxide and silicon nitride using such slurry compositions are provided in which the abrasive particles have a mean particle surface area of at least about 100 m2/g and the slurry compositions include the abrasive particles and at least one additive selected from potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide and amine compounds.

Abstract: An additive composition for a slurry contains a first salt of polymeric acid including a first polymeric acid having a first weight average molecular weight and a first base material, and a second salt of polymeric acid including a second polymeric acid having a second weight average molecular weight and a second base material. A slurry composition is prepared by mixing the additive composition, a polishing particle composition, and water. When implementing a chemical mechanical polishing using the slurry composition, a favorable polishing selectivity is realized.