Patent ID: 8221196

Claim:
A shape memory chemical mechanical polishing pad for polishing a substrate selected from at least one of a magnetic substrate, an optical substrate and a semiconductor substrate; comprising: a polishing layer in a densified state; wherein the polishing layer comprises a shape memory matrix material transformable between an original shape and a programmed shape; wherein the polishing layer exhibits an original thickness, OT, when the shape memory matrix material is in the original shape; wherein the polishing layer exhibits a densified thickness, DT, in the densified state when the shape memory matrix material is in the programmed shape; wherein the DT is ≦80% of the OT; wherein the shape memory matrix material exhibits a ≧70% reduction in storage modulus as the temperature of the shape memory matrix material is raised from (T g −20)° C. to (T g +20)° C., wherein T g is the glass tansition temperature of the shape memory matrix material measured by dynamical mechanical analysis taking the inflection point in the storage modulus versus temperature curve as the T g ; and, wherein the polishing layer has a polishing surface adapted for polishing the substrate.