A method for preparing a flexible sol-gel polishing block, the method comprises: (1) adding a gel agent and a 20 μm diamond abrasive into deionized water, and stirring to even to obtain a first material; (2) adding carbon fiber into the first material obtained in the step 1, and mixing to even to obtain a second material; (3) injecting the second material obtained in the step 2 into a mold, and curing to obtain a cured gel; and (4) drying the cured gel to obtain the flexible sol-gel polishing block.

A polishing pad includes a pad layer and one or more polishing structures over an upper surface of the pad layer, where each of the one or more polishing structures has a pre-determined shape and is formed at a pre-determined location of the pad layer, where the one or more polishing structures comprise at least one continuous line shaped segment extending along the upper surface of the pad layer, where each of the one or more polishing structures is a homogeneous material.

A polishing pad includes a pad layer and one or more polishing structures over an upper surface of the pad layer, where each of the one or more polishing structures has a pre-determined shape and is formed at a pre-determined location of the pad layer, where the one or more polishing structures comprise at least one continuous line shaped segment extending along the upper surface of the pad layer, where each of the one or more polishing structures is a homogeneous material.

Methods and formulations for manufacturing polishing articles used in polishing processes are provided. In one implementation, a UV curable resin precursor composition is provided. The UV curable resin precursor comprises a precursor formulation. The precursor formulation comprises a first resin precursor component that comprises a semi-crystalline radiation curable oligomeric material, wherein the semi-crystalline radiation curable oligomeric material is selected from a semi-crystalline aliphatic polyester urethane acrylate, a semi-crystalline aliphatic polycarbonate urethane acrylate, a semi-crystalline aliphatic polyether urethane acrylate, or combinations thereof. The precursor formulation further comprises a second resin precursor component that comprises a monofunctional or multifunctional acrylate monomer. The resin precursor formulation further comprises a photoinitiator, wherein the precursor formulation has a viscosity that enables the precursor formulation to be dispensed to form a portion of a polishing article by an additive manufacturing process.

Methods and formulations for manufacturing polishing articles used in polishing processes are provided. In one implementation, a UV curable resin precursor composition is provided. The UV curable resin precursor comprises a precursor formulation. The precursor formulation comprises a first resin precursor component that comprises a semi-crystalline radiation curable oligomeric material, wherein the semi-crystalline radiation curable oligomeric material is selected from a semi-crystalline aliphatic polyester urethane acrylate, a semi-crystalline aliphatic polycarbonate urethane acrylate, a semi-crystalline aliphatic polyether urethane acrylate, or combinations thereof. The precursor formulation further comprises a second resin precursor component that comprises a monofunctional or multifunctional acrylate monomer. The resin precursor formulation further comprises a photoinitiator, wherein the precursor formulation has a viscosity that enables the precursor formulation to be dispensed to form a portion of a polishing article by an additive manufacturing process.

A chemical mechanical polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor substrate is provided containing a polishing layer that comprises a polyurethane reaction product of a reaction mixture comprising (i) one or more diisocyanate, polyisocyanate or polyisocyanate prepolymer, (ii) from 40 to 85 wt. % based on the total weight of (i) and (ii) of one or more blocked diisocyanate, polyisocyanate or polyisocyanate prepolymer which contains a blocking agent and has a deblocking temperature of from 80 to 160° C., and (iii) one or more aromatic diamine curative. The reaction mixture has a gel time at 80° C. and a pressure of 101 kPa of from 2 to 15 minutes; the polyurethane reaction product has a residual blocking agent content of 2 wt. % or less; and the polishing layer exhibits a density of from 0.6 to 1.2 g/cm.sup.3.

A chemical mechanical polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor substrate is provided containing a polishing layer that comprises a polyurethane reaction product of a reaction mixture comprising (i) one or more diisocyanate, polyisocyanate or polyisocyanate prepolymer, (ii) from 40 to 85 wt. % based on the total weight of (i) and (ii) of one or more blocked diisocyanate, polyisocyanate or polyisocyanate prepolymer which contains a blocking agent and has a deblocking temperature of from 80 to 160° C., and (iii) one or more aromatic diamine curative. The reaction mixture has a gel time at 80° C. and a pressure of 101 kPa of from 2 to 15 minutes; the polyurethane reaction product has a residual blocking agent content of 2 wt. % or less; and the polishing layer exhibits a density of from 0.6 to 1.2 g/cm.sup.3.

A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) tool includes a platen and a polishing pad attached to the platen, where a first surface of the polishing pad facing away from the platen includes a first polishing zone and a second polishing zone, where the first polishing zone is a circular region at a center of the first surface of the polishing pad, and the second polishing zone is an annular region around the first polishing zone, where the first polishing zone and the second polishing zone have different surface properties.

A chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) tool includes a platen and a polishing pad attached to the platen, where a first surface of the polishing pad facing away from the platen includes a first polishing zone and a second polishing zone, where the first polishing zone is a circular region at a center of the first surface of the polishing pad, and the second polishing zone is an annular region around the first polishing zone, where the first polishing zone and the second polishing zone have different surface properties.

A method for raising a polishing pad for polishing a silicon wafer, wherein a polishing pad made of foamed urethane resin is attached to a polishing machine, after dressing is performed, dummy polishing is performed, after processing to remove the polishing residues that have built up in the polishing pad by the dummy polishing is then performed, an amount of polishing residues in the polishing pad is measured, and a rise of the polishing pad subjected to the dummy polishing is judged based on the measured amount of polishing residues. As a result, a method for raising a polishing pad can improve the particle level in the polishing pad life early stage.