Method of altering and preserving the surface properties of a polishing pad and specific applications therefor

• Main Authors: YOKLEY EDWARD M, OBENG YAW S
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.02.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GRINDING; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS; MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POLISHING; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TOOLS FOR GRINDING, BUFFING, OR SHARPENING; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The present invention is directed, in general, to an improved material and method of planarizing a surface on a semiconductor wafer and, more specifically, to a method of altering the properties of polymers, preferably thermoplastic foam polymers, used in polishing applications. The chemical and mechanical properties thermoplastic foam substrates can be transformed by inorganic, inorganic-organic, and or organic-organic grafting techniques, such that the polymer foam is endowed with new set of properties that more desirable and suitable for polishing.