Polishing pad process for producing the same and method of polishing

Abstract

According to the present invention, there is provided a polishing pad for polishing the surface of wafers for creating semiconductor integrated circuits, wherein said pad has a high polishing speed, said polishing is uniform, and said pad has a long life. Preferably, the polishing pad of the present invention comprises nonwoven fabric (base matrix) and a nonporous photo-setting resin that fills the space between the nonwoven fabric, and can be produced by impregnating the base matrix with a photo-sensitive resin composition containing at least one selected from the group consisting of a hydrophilic photopolymeric polymer or oligomer, and/or a hydrophilic photopolymeric monomer, and then photo-setting the same.

1 . A polishing pad for use in surface polishing of wafers for creating semiconductor integrated circuits, comprising fabric and a nonporous resin that fills the space between component fibers of the fabric a polishing surface of the polishing pad consisting of the fabric and the nonporous resin, and 
 said fabric being nonwoven fabric comprising, as a component fiber, at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyester fiber, an acrylic fiber, a polyamide fiber, silk, wool and cellulose.    
     
     
         2 . (canceled)  
     
     
         3 . The polishing pad according to  claim 1 , wherein said resin is a photo-setting resin that was produced by photo-setting a photo-sensitive resin composition containing at least one selected from the group consisting of a hydrophilic photopolymeric monomer, a hydrophilic photopolymeric polymer and oligomer.  
     
     
         4 . The polishing pad according to  claim 3 , wherein a fabric comprising a fiber that has a moisture content of 10% or greater at 21° C. and 80% RH is used.  
     
     
         5 . The polishing pad according to  claim 3 , wherein a fabric comprising a fiber having a tensile strength at dry of 3 g/D or greater is used.  
     
     
         6 . A method of polishing a wiring containing copper or aluminum formed on the surface of wafers for creating semiconductor integrated circuits, wherein said polishing is performed using a polishing pad comprising fabric and a nonporous photo-setting resin that fills the space between component fibers of the fabric and a slurry.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said fabric is a fabric comprising a fiber having a moisture content of 10% or greater at 21° C. and 80% RH.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said fabric is a fabric comprising a fiber having a tensile strength at dry of 3 g/D or greater.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said fabric is a fabric comprising a fiber having a shape irregularity ratio of 1.2 or greater.  
     
     
         10 . A method of producing polishing pad for use in surface polishing of wafers for creating semiconductor integrated circuits, wherein said method comprises impregnating a base matrix comprising fabric with a photo-sensitive resin composition and then irradiating said resin composition with an ultraviolet ray or a visible light thereby to cure the composition.