Patent · US Expired

Methods for using polishing pads

US6017265A · kind A · utility

81Cited by
10References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 13, 1997
Grant dateJan 25, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 13, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB24D18/0009
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Polymer-based pads useful for polishing objects, particularly integrated circuits, having interconnected porosity which is uniform in all directions, and where the solid portion of said pad consists of a uniform continuously interconnected polymer material of greater than 50% of the gross volume of the article, are produced directly to final shape and dimension by pressure sintering powder compacts of thermoplastic polymer at a temperature above the glass transition temperature but not exceeding the melting point of the polymer and at a pressure in excess of 100 psi in a mold having the desired final pad dimensions. In a preferred version, a mixture of two polymer powders is used, where one polymer has a lower melting point than the other. When pressure sintered at a temperature not to exceed the melting point of the lower melting powder, the increased stiffness afforded by incorporation of the higher melting polymer component gives improved mechanical strength to the sintered product. Conditions for producing the pads of this invention are such that the polymer powder particles from which the pads are produced essentially retain their original shape and are point bonded to form th…

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