Claims
- 1. An endless belt for use in polishing silicon substrates, said belt comprising a continuous textile fabric supporting a polishing layer, said polishing layer comprising a polymer which coats said textile fabric so that said polymer is integrated with said textile fabric to form a unitary belt.
- 2. A belt according to claim 1, wherein said polymer is a polyurethane, having a low Shore-D hardness.
- 3. A belt according to claim 2, wherein the Shore-D hardness of the polyurethane is in the range of 65-75.
- 4. A belt according to claim 1, wherein said polymer is a thermoset or thermoplastic polymer having a high abrasion resistance.
- 5. A belt according to claim 4, wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of:—polyamides, silicones, fluoropolymers, epoxy resins and thermoplastic polyurethanes.
- 6. A belt according to claim 2, wherein said polymer comprises an upper layer and an intermediate layer of materials having different hardness.
- 7. A belt according to claim 6, wherein the upper layer is of a harder material than the intermediate layer.
- 8. A belt according to claim 6, wherein the upper layer is of a softer material than the intermediate layer.
- 9. A belt according to claim 8, wherein the upper layer is of a foamed plastic material.
- 10. A belt according to claim 8, wherein the upper layer comprises a layer of beads of plastic, glass or soluble material.
- 11. A belt according to claim 10, wherein said beads comprise expanded polystyrene pellets which are dispersed into the upper layer.
- 12. A belt according to claim 6, wherein abrasive particles or fibres are incorporated in the upper layer.
- 13. A belt according to claim 6, wherein the surface of the upper layer is provided with a textured coating.
- 14. A belt according to claim 1, wherein said fabric is woven in endless form and includes yarns of high tensile strength and low elongation.
- 15. A belt according to claim 14, wherein said yarns are selected from the group consisting of meta or para-aramids, polyetherimide, polyimide, polyetherketone, PEEK, gel spun UHMW polyethylene, and polybenzimidazole.
- 16. A belt according to claim 14, wherein said yarns comprise a mixture or blend of two or more such yarns.
- 17. A belt according to claim 14, wherein said yarns are glass fibres, carbon or ceramic yarns, basalt fibres, other rock fibres or mixtures of mineral fibres with synthetic polymer yarns.
- 18. A belt according to claim 1, wherein said fabric is a non woven fabric formed from one or more yarn staples.
- 19. A belt according to claim 18, wherein said yarn staple comprises one or more groups of fibres selected from the group consisting of:—meta and para aramids; polyetherimide; polyimide; polyetherketone; PEEK; gel-spun UHMW polyethylene; polybenzimidazole; glass fibres, carbon fibres, ceramic fibres; basalt fibre; and other rock fibres.
- 20. A belt according to claim 1, wherein said fabric comprises a non woven fabric incorporating additional spaced apart linear yarns extending substantially in a common direction and a polymeric matrix material interconnecting and at least partially encapsulating each said yarn.
- 21. A belt according to claim 20, wherein said linear yarns are oriented in the running direction of said belt.
- 22. A belt according to claim 20, wherein said linear yarns are oriented in transversely of said belt.
- 23. A belt according to claim 22, wherein additional reinforcing yarns are provided extending in the running direction of said belt.
- 24. A belt according to claim 1, wherein said belt includes a spiral-link belt.
- 25. A belt according to claim 24, wherein said spiral-link belt supports a woven or non woven fabric layer which is coated or impregnated with said polymer.
- 26. A belt according to claim 1, wherein the surface of said belt is formed with grooves extending in the running direction of the belt to remove wet slurry generated in use.
- 27. A belt according to claim 4, wherein said polymer is a thermoset urethane.
- 28. A belt according to claim 1, wherein said polymer impregnates or partially impregnates said textile fabric.
- 29. A belt for use in chemical mechanical polishing of a semiconductor substrate, said belt comprising a textile fabric supporting a polishing layer, said polishing layer coats said textile fabric so that said polishing layer is integrated with said textile fabric to form a unitary belt.
Parent Case Info
This is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent Ser. No. 08/903,004, entitled “Polishing Silicon Wafers”, filed on Jul. 30, 1997 to Walter Dudovicz.
US Referenced Citations (37)
Foreign Referenced Citations (6)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 696 495 |
Feb 1996 |
EP |
63-267155 |
Nov 1988 |
JP |
WO9616436 |
May 1996 |
WO |
WO 9835785 |
Aug 1998 |
WO |
WO 9835786 |
Aug 1998 |
WO |
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Aug 1998 |
WO |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Fynn, G.W. et al, “The Cutting and Polishing of Electro-optic Materials” (John Wiley and Sons, 1979), pp. 82,83. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/903004 |
Jul 1997 |
US |
Child |
08/941386 |
|
US |