Claims
- 1. A method for polishing comprising:
- (A) aligning polishing pad tiles to form a mosaic pad, each said polishing pad tile comprising:
- a) a laterally extending front surface and a back surface substantially parallel to the front surface;
- b) a periphery surface linking said front and back surfaces, an intersection of said periphery surface and said front surface being laterally recessed with respect to an intersection of said periphery surface and said back surface;
- c) said pad tiles having a shape allowing for lateral alignment of said tiles wherein a seam between adjacent said tiles is defined by opposed said periphery surfaces and said seam is wider at said front surfaces of said adjacent tiles than at said back surfaces of said adjacent tiles, thereby creating a channel which facilitates the flow of polishing fluid,
- (B) placing a polishing fluid into an interface between a workpiece and said mosaic pad, and
- (C) having said workpiece and said mosaic pad move in relation to one another, thereby polishing or planarizing said workpiece.
- 2. A polishing pad tile comprising:
- a) a laterally extending front surface and a back surface substantially parallel to the front surface;
- b) a periphery surface linking said front and back surfaces, an intersection of said periphery surface and said front surface being laterally recessed with respect to an intersection of said periphery surface and said back surface;
- c) said pad tile having a shape allowing for lateral alignment with other said pad tiles wherein a seam between adjacent said tiles is defined by opposed said periphery surfaces and said seam is wider at said front surfaces of said adjacent tiles than at said back surfaces of said adjacent tiles, thereby creating a channel which facilitates the flow of polishing fluid during polishing of a workpiece.
- 3. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the profile of said periphery surface comprises a straight line perpendicular to said front and back surfaces and a straight line ending at said front surface such that said front surface of said pad file has a beveled edge.
- 4. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the profile of said periphery surface comprises a straight line perpendicular to said front and back surfaces and a curved line ending at said front surface such that said front surface of said pad tile has a rounded edge.
- 5. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the profile of said periphery surface comprises two straight lines perpendicular to said front and back surfaces wherein said profile is a step shape.
- 6. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the profile of said periphery surface comprises a straight line forming an angle in the range of 30 degrees to 90 degrees from the bottom surface.
- 7. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the shape of said front and back surfaces is hexagonal.
- 8. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the shape of said front and back surfaces is square.
- 9. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the shape of said front and back surfaces is triangular.
- 10. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the shape of said front and back surfaces is semicircular.
- 11. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the shape of said front and back surfaces is pie-shaped.
- 12. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein the tiles are produced by molding.
- 13. A pad tile in accordance with claim 2 wherein a plurality of protrusions extend from the pad tile periphery on or parallel to the plane of the pad surfaces, and a plurality of indentations complimentary to the protrusions extend into the pad tile to facilitate tile alignment.
- 14. A mosaic pad comprising:
- a plurality of pad tiles laterally aligned to form said mosaic pad, wherein each said pad tile comprises:
- a) a laterally extending front surface and a back surface substantially parallel to the front surface; and
- b) a periphery surface linking said front and back surfaces, an intersection of said periphery surface and said front surface being laterally recessed with respect to an intersection of said periphery surface and said back surface;
- wherein a seam between adjacent said tiles is defined by opposed said periphery surfaces and said seam is wider at said front surfaces of said adjacent tiles than at said back surfaces of said adjacent tiles, thereby creating a channel which facilitates the flow of polishing fluid during polishing of a workpiece.
- 15. A method for producing a mosaic pad comprising:
- laterally aligning polishing pad tiles, wherein each said tile comprises:
- a) a laterally extending front surface and a back surface substantially parallel to the front surface; and
- b) a periphery surface linking said front and back surfaces, an intersection of said periphery surface and said front surface being laterally recessed with respect to an intersection of said periphery surface and said back surface;
- wherein a seam between adjacent said tiles is defined between opposed said periphery surfaces and said seam is wider at said front surfaces of said adjacent tiles than at said back surfaces of said adjacent tiles, thereby creating a channel which facilitates the flow of polishing fluid during polishing of a workpiece.
- 16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said pad tiles are all of the same shape.
- 17. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said pad tiles are of two or more shapes.
- 18. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein pad tiles of two or more different materials are aligned with one another.
- 19. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising: placing and aligning pad tiles on a level platform, having the front surfaces in contact with the platform, and attaching a continuous nonporous substrate to the back surfaces.
- 20. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising: placing and aligning pad tiles on a curved form, having the front surfaces in contact with the curved form, and attaching a continuous nonporous substrate to the back surfaces.
- 21. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising placing and aligning pad tiles on a level platform, having front surfaces in contact with the platform, distributing a self-leveling material over the back surfaces of the tiles and attaching a continuous nonporous substrate to the self-leveling material.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/046,104 filed May 9, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (11)