Patent ID: 7264641

Claim:
A polishing pad for use in chemical-mechanical polishing comprising a biodegradable polymer, wherein the biodegradable polymer comprises (a) a repeat unit selected from the group consisting of L-lactic acid, D-lactic acid, or a combination thereof; or (b) a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyglycolide, polycaprolactone, poly(dioxanone), poly(trimethylene carbonate), polyglyconate, polybydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyvalerate, poly(1,4-butylene succinate), poly(1,4-butylene adipate), polyanbydrides, polyorthoesters, DL-polylactide, D-polylactide, L-polylactide, poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide), poly(ethylene glycol-co-lactide), poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone-co-glycolide), and combinations thereof; and wherein the polishing pad has a polishing surface and is in the form of micropellets of the biodegradable polymer dispersed in a non-biodegradable polymer resin.