Chemical mechanical polishing pad

1. A polishing pad suitable for planarizing at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates, the polishing pad comprising a polymeric matrix, the polymeric matrix having a top polishing surface, the top polishing surface having polymeric polishing asperities or forming polymeric polishing asperities upon conditioning with an abrasive, the polymeric polishing asperities extending from the polymeric matrix and being a portion of the top polishing surface that can contact a substrate during polishing, the polishing pad forming additional polymeric polishing asperities from the polymeric material with wear or conditioning of the top polishing surface, and the polymeric polishing asperities being from a polymeric material having a bulk ultimate tensile strength of at least 6,500 psi (44.8 MPa) and a bulk tear strength of at least 250 lb/in. (4.5×10 3 g/mm).

2. The polishing pad of claim 1 wherein the bulk tear strength is 250 to 750 lb/in. (4.5×10 3 to 13.4×10 3 g/mm).

3. The polishing pad of claim 1 wherein the polymeric matrix includes a polymer derived from difunctional or polyfunctional isocyanates and the polymeric polyurethane includes at least one selected from polyetherureas, polyisocyanurates, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyurethaneureas, copolymers thereof and mixtures thereof.

4. The polishing pad of claim 3 wherein the polymeric matrix is from the reaction product of a curative agent and an isocyanate-terminated polymer, the curative agent contains curative amines that cure the isocyanate-terminated reaction product and the isocyanate-terminated reaction product has an NH 2 to NCO stoichiometric ratio of 90 to 125 percent.

5. The polishing pad of claim 1 wherein the bulk tensile strength is 6,500 to 14,000 psi (44.8 to 96.5 MPa) and the polymeric matrix has a bulk elongation at break of at least 200 percent.

6. A polishing pad suitable for planarizing at least one of semiconductor, optical and magnetic substrates, the polishing pad comprising a polymeric matrix, the polymeric matrix having a top polishing surface, the top polishing surface having polymeric polishing asperities or forming polymeric polishing asperities upon conditioning with an abrasive, the polymeric polishing asperities extending from the polymeric matrix and being the portion of the top polishing surface that can contact a substrate during polishing, the polymeric matrix includes a polymer derived from difunctional or polyfunctional isocyanates and the polymer includes at least one selected from polyetherureas, polyisocyanurates, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyurethaneureas, copolymers thereof and mixtures thereof, the polymeric matrix having a bulk ultimate tensile strength of 6,500 to 14,000 psi (44.8 to 96.5 MPa) and a bulk tear strength of 250 to 750 lb/in. (4.5×10 3 to 13.4×10 3 g/mm).

7. The polishing pad of claim 6 wherein the bulk tear strength is 275 to 700 lb/in. (4.9×10 3 to 12.5×10 3 g/mm).

8. The polishing pad of claim 6 wherein the polymeric matrix is from the reaction product of a curative agent and an isocyanate-terminated polymer, the curative agent contains curative amines that cure the isocyanate-terminated reaction product and the isocyanate-terminated reaction product has an NH 2 to NCO stoichiometric ratio of greater than 100 to 125 percent.

9. The polishing pad of claim 6 wherein the bulk tensile strength is 6,750 to 10,000 psi (46.5 to 68.9 MPa) and the polymeric matrix has a bulk elongation at break of at least 200 percent.

10. The polishing pad of claim 6 including porosity of 25 to 65 volume percent within the polymer matrix and an average pore diameter of 2 to 50 μm.