Shaped polishing pads for beveling microfeature workpiece edges, and associate system and methods

A system for removing material from a microfeature workpiece having a first face, a second face facing opposite from the first face, an edge surface between the first and second faces, and an edge at a juncture between the edge surface and one of the first and second faces, the system comprising:

• a carrier positioned to carry the microfeature workpiece with the first and second faces generally normal to an axis;
• a polishing pad support positioned proximate to the carrier;
• and
• a compliant polishing pad carried by the polishing pad support and having:
• a first section with a first polishing surface and a first support surface corresponding to the first polishing surface, wherein the first polishing surface forms an acute angle relative to the axis and to the first support surface;
• and
• a second section having a second polishing surface and a second support surface corresponding to the second polishing surface, wherein the first and second support surfaces are generally co-planar.

A system for removing material from a microfeature workpiece having a first face, a second face facing opposite from the first face, an edge surface between the first and second faces, and an edge at a juncture between the edge surface and one of the first and second faces, the system comprising:

• a polishing pad having:
• a first portion with a first polishing surface and a first support surface corresponding to the first polishing surface, wherein the first polishing surface forms an acute angle relative to the axis and to the first support surface;
• and
• a second portions with a second polishing surface and a second support surface corresponding to the second polishing surface, wherein the first and second support surfaces are generally co-planar, and wherein that the first and second polishing surfaces are generally self-supporting, face at least partially toward each other, and are positioned to remove material from the edge of the microfeature workpiece when at least one of the polishing pad and the microfeature workpiece is rotated about an axis oriented at an acute angle relative to the first and second portions.

A system for removing material from a microfeature workpiece having a first face, a second face facing opposite from the first face, an edge surface between the first and second faces, and an edge at a juncture between the edge surface and one of the first and second faces, the system comprising:

• a polishing pad having:
• a support surface positioned to face a polishing pad support;
• and
• a polishing surface facing generally opposite from the support surface, the polishing surface having a first portion forming a rim extending circumferentially around at least part of the polishing pad, and a second portion positioned annularly inwardly from the first portion and facing at least partially toward the first portion, at least one of the first and second portions being positioned to remove material from the edge of the microfeature workpiece when at least one of the polishing pad and the microfeature workpiece is rotated about an axis oriented at an acute angle relative to the first and second portions.

A method for removing material from a microfeature workpiece, comprising:

• carrying a microfeature workpiece having a first face, a second face facing generally opposite from the first face, an edge surface between the first and second faces, and an edge at a juncture between the edge surface and one of the first and second faces;
• contacting the edge of the microfeature workpiece with a polishing surface of a polishing pad while the polishing surface is non-parallel to the first face, the polishing surface including a first portion forming a rim extending circumferentially around at least part of the polishing pad, and a second portion positioned annularly inwardly from the first portion and facing at least partially toward the first portion;
• and
• removing material from the edge of the microfeature workpiece by rotating at least one of the microfeature workpiece and the polishing pad relative to the other about an axis generally normal to the first face of the microfeature workpiece while the edges contacts the polishing surface.