Polishing pad release liner system

Abstract

A polishing pad for planarizing and polishing a semiconductor substrate. The polishing pad ( 22 ) includes an adhesive layer ( 34 ) that is operative to adhere the polishing pad to a polishing fixture. To protect the adhesive layer from contamination during storage and shipment, a release liner ( 24 ) is placed over the adhesive layer. The release liner has sufficient surface characteristics to stay in adhesive connection with the adhesive layer during storage and shipment; however, the release liner is operative to be peeled away from the adhesive layer without disturbing the bond between the polishing pad and the adhesive layer. To aid in the removal of the release liner from the polishing pad, the release liner includes a pull tab ( 26 ). The pull tab is comprised of a single-sided tape that is adhered to the outer surface of the release liner. A portion ( 28 ) of the pull tab extends beyond the edge of the release liner. This extending portion has sufficient length to enable an operator of the polishing fixture to remove the release liner from the polishing pad while wearing gloves.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A semiconductor substrate polishing system comprising: 
 a polishing pad, wherein the polishing pad includes a first adhesive layer that is operative to adhere the polishing pad to a polishing fixture;    a release liner in operative adhesive connection with the first adhesive layer; and    a pull tab in operative adhesive connection with the release liner, wherein the pull tab extends beyond an edge of the release liner.    
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 1   , further comprising a second adhesive layer between the pull tab and the release liner, wherein the second adhesive layer is operative to create a sufficient bond between the pull tab and the release liner to enable an operator to release the release liner from the polishing pad by pulling the pull tab.  
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 2   , wherein the bond between the pull tab and the release liner is between two to four times the continuing release value of the release liner from the pad.  
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 2   , wherein the pull tab includes an adhesive tape.  
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 4   , wherein the pull tab includes a single-sided adhesive tape.  
     
     
         6 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 4   , wherein the pull tab includes an extending portion that extends from the edge of the release liner, wherein, the extending portion includes a portion of the second adhesive layer, wherein the portion of the second adhesive layer is encapsulated between a first protective layer and a second protective layer.  
     
     
         7 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 6   , wherein the first protective layer is comprised of a backing layer of the adhesive tape.  
     
     
         8 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 6   , wherein the extending portion is folded, where the first and second protective layers correspond to a backing layer of the adhesive tape.  
     
     
         9 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 2   , wherein the pull tab includes an extending portion that extends between 0.5 inches and 2.0 inches in length from the edge of the release liner.  
     
     
         10 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 9   , wherein the pull tab is between 0.5 inches and 1.0 inches in width.  
     
     
         11 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 10   , wherein the pull tab includes a portion adhered to the release liner that is between 1.0 inch and 4.0 inches in length.  
     
     
         12 . The semiconductor substrate polishing system according to    claim 2   , wherein the release liner has a shape and a size which corresponds to the polishing pad.