Reinforced chemical mechanical planarization belt

Abstract

A processing belt for use in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), and methods for making the same, are provided. Embodiments of the processing belt include a polymeric material reinforced with a woven fabric or synthetic material encased between the polymeric material and an additional polymeric material layer to define the processing belt. The processing belt is fabricated so that the woven fabric forms a continuous loop and is positioned against a surface of the polymeric material. The additional polymeric material layer is applied over the woven fabric, permeating the woven fabric to bond to the polymeric material forming an integral structure of woven fabric reinforced polymeric material.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A processing belt for use in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), comprising: 
 a fabric belt; and    a polymeric material encasing the fabric belt to define the processing belt to be used in CMP operations.    
     
     
         2 . The processing belt of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric belt forms a continuous loop within the polymeric material.  
     
     
         3 . The processing belt of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric belt is defined of kevlar.  
     
     
         4 . The processing belt of  claim 3 , further comprising openings in the fabric belt, the openings being configured to be suitable for optical transmissions through the opening in the fabric.  
     
     
         5 . The processing belt of  claim 4 , wherein the polymeric material is made thinner at the opening in the fabric.  
     
     
         6 . The processing belt of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric belt is defined of a synthetic material including polyester, polyimide, nylon, rayon, and PVC.  
     
     
         7 . A belt for use in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) processing, comprising: 
 a polymeric material being cast into a continuous loop to define the belt; and    a reinforcing fabric embedded between the polymeric material and an additional polymeric material layer, the reinforcing fabric being defined as a continuous loop within the polymeric material and the additional polymeric material layer.    
     
     
         8 . The belt of  claim 7 , wherein the polymeric material includes polyurethane, polyester, PVC, polyacrylate, and epoxy.  
     
     
         9 . The belt of  claim 7 , wherein the additional polymeric material layer is defined by one of polyurethane, polyester, PVC, polyacrylate, and epoxy.  
     
     
         10 . The belt of  claim 7 , wherein the reinforcing fabric is defined as a woven and porous structure.  
     
     
         11 . The belt of  claim 7 , further comprising openings fabricated in the reinforcing fabric, the openings being suitable for optical transmissions through the reinforcing fabric.  
     
     
         12 . The belt of  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric material and the additional polymeric material layer are made thinner at the openings in the reinforcing fabric.  
     
     
         13 . The belt of  claim 7 , wherein the reinforcing fabric is defined from kevlar.  
     
     
         14 . The belt of  claim 7 , wherein the reinforcing fabric is defined of a synthetic fiber including nylon, polyester, polyimide, rayon, and PVC.  
     
     
         15 . The belt of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a processing surface defined over the polymeric material, the polymeric material being a first polymeric material and the processing surface being defined from a second polymeric material bonded to the first polymeric material.    
     
     
         16 . A processing belt for use in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), comprising: 
 a continuous loop reinforcing woven fabric;    a continuous loop polymeric material; and    a continuous loop additional polymeric material layer bonded to the continuous loop polymeric material and encasing the continuous loop reinforcing woven fabric between the continuous loop polymeric material and the continuous loop additional polymeric material layer to define the processing belt to be used in CMP operations,    wherein the continuous loop reinforcing woven fabric is defined from one of kevlar, nylon, polyimide, and polyester.    
     
     
         17 . The processing belt of  claim 16 , wherein the continuous loop reinforcing woven fabric includes openings that allow optical transmission to pass through the continuous loop reinforcing fabric.  
     
     
         18 . The processing belt of  claim 17 , wherein the continuous loop polymeric material and the continuous loop additional polymeric material encasing the continuous loop reinforcing woven fabric are thinner at the openings than the continuous loop polymeric material and the continuous loop additional polymeric material encasing the continuous loop reinforcing woven fabric in regions other than at the openings.  
     
     
         19 . A method for fabricating a belt for use in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), comprising: 
 forming a belt-shaped fabric;    providing a mold configured to form a belt-shaped structure;    forming a polymeric material in the mold;    attaching the belt shaped fabric to the formed polymeric material; and    applying an additional polymeric material layer over the belt-shaped fabric, the applying being over and through the belt-shaped fabric such that the belt-shaped fabric is encased between the polymeric material and the additional polymeric material layer, the polymeric material and the additional polymeric material layer being bonded together.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 defining a polymeric processing surface over the polymeric material.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the forming a belt-shaped fabric includes forming openings through the belt-shaped fabric through which optical transmissions can pass.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the belt-shaped fabric is formed of kevlar.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the polymeric material includes polyurethane, polyester, PVC, polyacrylate, and epoxy.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the additional polymeric material layer is defined of one of polyurethane, polyester, PVC, polyacrylate, and epoxy.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the polymeric material and the additional polymeric material layer encasing the belt-shaped fabric are chemically bonded together.