Patent · US Expired

Chemical mechanical polishing pad slurry distribution grooves

US5882251A · kind A · utility

97Cited by
9References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 19, 1997
Grant dateMar 16, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 19, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB24D18/00
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Provided is a chemical mechanical polishing pad having grooves in its polishing surface which have a sub-surface cross-sectional span greater than the grooves' surface opening span. In this way, the edges of the groove are undercut. This provides both increased groove volume for a given pad surface area and groove depth, and variable flexibility in the polishing pad's surface. Grooves in pads of the invention also typically include a neck region at the top of the groove, where the groove side walls are substantially parallel. This provides a margin for the pad to wear during polishing without affecting the pad's surface area. The invention also provides a method and apparatus for cutting grooves in a chemical mechanical polishing pad.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.