Polishing pad and method of fabricating semiconductor substrate using the pad

Abstract

It is provided a polishing pad of novel construction capable of controlling actively and efficiently a slurry flow during polishing a surface of a semiconductor substrate, such as a wafer, thus making it possible to precisely and stably performing a desired polishing process. Onto a surface of a pad substrate 12 of synthetic resin material, formed is a groove 16 extending approximately circumferentially. An inner circumferential wall surface 20 and an outer circumferential wall surface 22 are made parallel to each other and slant with respect to a center axis 18 of the pad substrate 12.

1 . A polishing pad for use in polishing a semiconductor substrate, comprising: 
 a pad substrate of synthetic resin; and    at least one groove formed in a surface of said pad substrate;    wherein:    said groove is at least partially constituted of a slant groove having two side walls that slant substantially parallel to each other in a depthwise direction with respect to a center axis of said pad substrate.    
     
     
         2 . A method of producing a polishing pad comprising the step of cutting into a surface of a pad substrate of synthetic resin a slant groove having two substantially parallel side walls slant in a depthwise direction with respect to a center axis of said pad substrate, with a cutting tool having a cutting part to be placed in contact on an incline against said surface of said pad substrate at side faces thereof.  
     
     
         3 . A method of producing a polishing pad according to  claim 2 , further comprising the step of turning said slant groove so as to extend substantially circumferentially with said cutting tool placed against said surface of said pad substrate, while rotating said pad substrate of synthetic resin about a center axis thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A method of producing a polishing pad according to  claim 2 , further comprising the step of cutting said slant groove by gradually advancing said cutting part of said cutting tool in a direction of incline against said surface of said pad substrate, while subjecting a groove producing location on said surface of said pad substrate to a plurality of repeated cutting cycles.  
     
     
         5 . A method of producing a polishing pad according to  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of: blowing ionized air from a back of said cutting part during cutting by said cutting tool said slant groove into said pad substrate in order to prevent chips from being charged; and suctioning and collecting said chips forwarded to a front of said cutting part therefrom.  
     
     
         6 . A method of producing a polishing pad according to  claim 5 , wherein said ionized air is blown with a slant angle approximately equal to that of the slant groove.  
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a polishing pad according to  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: cutting simultaneously a plurality of said slant grooves by means of a multi edged tool in which a plurality of said cutting parts are arranged in series with respect to a cutting direction; and blowing said ionized air from a back toward a front of said multi edged tool through gaps between said plurality of said cutting parts.