Polishing pad, polishing apparatus, and polishing method

Abstract

A polishing pad which ensures that a work can be easily removed from the polishing pad surface after polishing, the amount of a polishing liquid used for polishing can be reduced, and the production cost of the polishing pad can be lowered. A first polishing pad (1) for polishing a work is provided with a plurality of slots (11) piercing the first polishing pad (1) in a sa direction, the length in the longitudinal direction of the slots (11) being preferably not less than 20 mm, the pitch in the width direction of the slots (11) being preferably less than 100 mm, and small holes (not shown) may be provided in addition to the slots (11).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a polishing pad, a polishing apparatus and a polishing method, and particularly to a polishing pad provided with a plurality of slots, a polishing apparatus using the polishing pad, and a polishing method using the polishing pad. BACKGROUND ART [0002] As Related Art 1, there have been commercialized polishing pads which are provided grooves in the surface thereof. For example, there is available the polishing pad IC1000-A22 produced by Rodel Nitta Company. As shown in FIG. 9, this polishing pad 61 is provided in its polishing pad surface 61S with grooves 62, 2 mm in width, in a lattice pattern at a pitch of about 2 cm. Incidentally, the grooves 62 are omitted in the plan view. [0003] As Related Art 2, there have been commercialized polishing pads provided with a plurality of small holes (for example, small holes of 1.8 mm in diameter) in the surface thereof. One example known of this type of polishing pads is the polishing pad ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022] In the first polishing pad, since the plurality of slots piercing through the polishing pad in the thickness direction are provided, the hermetic seal property between the surface to be polished and the polishing pad surface is lowered, so that a negative pressure is less liable to be generated there. Accordingly, it is easy to remove the work from the polishing pad surface after completion of polishing. In addition, since the slots formed in the polishing pad according to the present invention can be formed by punching, the polishing pad is lower in production cost than a polishing pad provided with grooves formed by cutting.

[0024] In the second polishing pad, since the plurality of holes piercing through the polishing pad in the thickness direction are provided and part of the plurality of holes are composed of clots, the hermetic seal property of between the surface to be polished and the polishing pad surface is lowered due to the presence of the slots and a negative pressure is less liable to be generated there, in the same manner as in the case of the first polishing pad. Therefore, it is easy to remove the work from the polishing pad surface after completion of polishing. Further, since a plurality of holes other than the slots are provided, the polishing resistance is restrained from increasing. Furthermore, since grooves are not provided in the present polishing pad, unlike the related-art polishing pads, there is no possibility that a polishing liquid might flow out through grooves to the exterior of the polishing pad. The slots formed in the polishing pad according to the present invention reserve the polishing liquid therein, which makes it possible to reduce the amount of the polishing liquid used. In addition, since the plurality of holes inclusive of the slots which are formed in the polishing pad according to the present invention can be formed by a single punching operation, the polishing pad is lower in production cost than the polishing pads provided with grooves which are formed by cutting. Further, since the slots are so formed as to pierce through the polishing pad in the thickness direction, the slots are not lost even when the polishing pad is worn as polishing proceeds. Accordingly, the polishing pad according to the present invention can show a longer pad life, as compared with the polishing pads provided with grooves.

[0025] A polishing apparatus according to the present invention is a polishing apparatus which uses a polishing pad according to the present invention, whereby the production cost of the polishing pad can be lowered. Since a polishing pad according to the present invention is thus used, the operating cost of the polishing apparatus is lowered. Furthermore, since the polishing pad according to the present invention has a longer pad life than that of a related-art polishing pad provided with grooves, the frequency of replacement of the polishing pad is reduced.

[0026] A polishing method according to the present invention is a polishing method in which a polishing pad according to the present invention is used, whereby the production cost of the polishing pad can be lowered. Since a polishing pad according to the present invention is thus used, polishing cost is lowered. Furthermore, since the polishing pad according to the present invention has a longer pad life than that of a related-art polishing pad provided with grooves, the frequency of replacement of the polishing pad is reduced.

Problems solved by technology

The polishing pad according to the Related Art 3 has the drawback that the production cost thereof is high, since the grooves must be formed by cutting after the formation of the holes by punching.

The problems involved in the polishing pads as above-mentioned cannot be solved by the polishing apparatuses and polishing methods using the polishing pads described in the above-mentioned Related Arts.

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