Pad for chemical mechanical polishing

A polishing pad for a semiconductor chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising a three-dimensional array of particles of abrasive material disposed in a three-dimensional grid of a matrix material, wherein the particles of abrasive material comprise one of the group of, calcium carbonate, alumina silicate, feldspar, calcium sulfate, glass and sintered carbon.

A polishing pad for a semiconductor chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising a three-dimensional array of particles of abrasive material disposed in a three-dimensional grid of a matrix material, wherein the matrix material comprises one of the group of, poly alkyd, poly vinylester, epoxy and polyester.

A method of polishing a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a rotatable platen;
• affixing a polishing pad to the platen;
• polishing surfaces of a plurality of semiconductor wafers by consecutively urging each of the semiconductor wafer surfaces against a first surface of the polishing pad so that as the polishing pad wears, a subsequent surface of the polishing pad, containing a different population of abrasive particles, becomes exposed so that a polishing performance of the polishing pad remains uniform throughout the life of the polishing pad, such that no reconditioning of the polishing pad is required when polishing the plurality of the semiconductor wafers surfaces.