Patent ID: 8057282
Filing Date: 2011-11-15
Classification: B24B

Abstract:
1. A method for polishing at least one of a magnetic, optical and semiconductor substrate in the presence of a polishing medium with a polishing pad, the substrate being fixed within a carrier fixture, the carrier fixture having a channel-free surface, the method comprising: a) securing the substrate in the carrier fixture with the channel-free surface adjacent and parallel to a polishing surface of the polishing pad, the polishing pad having multiple grooves, the multiple grooves having a high-rate path, at least fifty percent of the high-rate path being within twenty percent of a groove trajectory φ(r) in polar coordinates referenced to a concentric center of the polishing pad and defined in terms of (1) distance R between the concentric center of the polishing pad and the rotational center of the substrate being polished, (2) radius R b) applying polishing medium to the polishing pad adjacent the carrier fixture; and c) rotating the polishing pad and carrier fixture to polish the substrate with the polishing pad and the polishing medium wherein the channel-free surface of the carrier fixture presses against the polishing pad to impede flow of the polishing medium into the substrate and the high-rate groove paths traverse the carrier fixture to promote flow of the polishing medium to the substrate.