# US 10,864,612 B2 · Polishing pad and method of using > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,612 B2 - Document ID: US10864612B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/647,444 - Filed: 2017-07-12 - Published: 2018-06-14 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-14 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Inventors: ChunHung Chen; Jung-Yu Li; Sheng-Chen Wang; Shih-Sian Huang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864612B2 ## CPC - B24B 37/26: characterised by the shape of the lapping pad surface, e.g. grooved - B24B 37/005: Control means for lapping machines or devices - B24B 37/10: for single side lapping - B24B 37/22: characterised by a multi-layered structure - B24B 37/24: characterised by the composition or properties of the pad materials - B24B 49/12: involving optical means - B24B 53/017: Devices or means for dressing, cleaning or otherwise conditioning lapping tools - B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS ## Abstract A polishing pad includes a first region having a first geometric property and a first material property. The polishing pad further includes a second region having a second geometric property and a second material property, wherein the second region is closer to an edge of the polishing pad than the first region. The first geometric property is different from the second geometric property; or the first material property is different from the second material property. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A polishing pad comprising: a first region having a first material property, wherein the first region comprises a first plurality of grooves, and each groove of the first plurality of grooves has a first depth; a second region having a second material property, wherein the second region is closer to an edge of the polishing pad than the first region, the second region comprises a second plurality of grooves, and each groove of the second plurality of grooves has a second depth less than the first depth; and the first material property of the first region varies in a thickness direction of the polishing pad, the thickness direction is perpendicular to a direction from the first region to the second region, each of the first plurality of grooves extends through at least two variations in the first material property, and the first material property comprises porosity, specific gravity or absorbance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The polishing pad of claim 1, wherein each groove of the first plurality of grooves has a first groove width, and each groove of the second plurality of grooves has a second groove width different from the first groove width. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The polishing pad of claim 2, wherein the first material property is different from the second material property. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The polishing pad of claim 2, wherein the second groove width is less than the first groove width. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The polishing pad of claim 1, wherein the adjacent grooves of the first plurality of grooves has a first groove pitch, and adjacent grooves of the second plurality of grooves has a second groove pitch different from the first groove pitch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The polishing pad of claim 1, wherein the first material property is different from the second material property, and the first material property comprises porosity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The polishing pad of claim 1, further comprising a third region between the first region and the second region, wherein the third region comprises a third plurality of grooves, and each groove of the third plurality of grooves has a third groove depth different from each of the first groove depth and the second groove depth. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The polishing pad of claim 1, further comprising a third region between the first region and the second region, wherein the third region has a third material property different from the first material property and the second material property. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The polishing pad of claim 1, wherein the second groove depth is at most three times the first groove depth. ### Claim 10 A polishing pad comprising: a first region having a first plurality of grooves, wherein each groove of the first plurality of grooves has a first groove pitch, a first groove width, and a first groove depth; a second region having a second plurality of grooves, wherein each groove of the second plurality of grooves has a second groove pitch, a second groove width and a second groove depth, wherein the first groove pitch is different from the second groove pitch, the first groove width is different from the second groove width, and the first groove depth is different from the second groove depth; and a specific gravity of the first region varies in a thickness direction of the polishing pad, the thickness direction is perpendicular to a direction from the first region to the second region, a first specific gravity of the first region at a top-most surface of the polishing pad is greater than a second specific gravity of the first region at a bottom-most surface of the polishing pad, and each of the first plurality of grooves extends completely through a portion of the first region having the first specific gravity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The polishing pad of claim 10, wherein the second region is closer to an edge of the polishing pad than the first region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The polishing pad of claim 11, wherein the first groove pitch is greater than the second groove pitch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The polishing pad of claim 11, wherein the first groove width is less than the second groove width. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The polishing pad of claim 11, wherein the first groove depth is less than the second groove depth. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The polishing pad of claim 10, wherein the second region has a second material property, and the second material property is equal to the first material property. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The polishing pad of claim 10, wherein the second region has a second material property, and the first material property is different from the second material property. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The polishing pad of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first region or the second region has a groove having tapered sidewalls. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The polishing pad of claim 10, wherein the first region further comprises four layers of material in the thickness direction of the polishing pad.