Chemical mechanical planarization pad with void network

1. A method of producing a polishing pad, comprising:

providing a mold, having a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein said first cavity defines a recess;

providing a polymer matrix material including void forming elements in said recess, wherein said void forming elements comprise one or more of the following: particles and a fabric;

forming a polishing pad having a working surface for polishing and removing at least a portion of said elements from said polishing pad forming void spaces at a distance from the working surface and within said polymer matrix of said polishing pad by one of a chemical method or mechanical method, prior to use in chemical/mechanical planarization procedures.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polymer matrix material comprises a polymer matrix pre-cursor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing at least a portion of said elements comprises dissolving said elements.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said elements are removed under pressure.

5. A method of producing a polishing pad, comprising:

providing a mold, having a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein said first cavity defines a recess;

providing a polymer matrix material including void forming elements in said recess;

forming a polishing pad having a working surface for polishing and removing at least a portion of said elements from said polishing pad via pressure and forming void spaces at a distance from the working surface and within said polymer matrix of said polishing pad by one of a chemical method or mechanical method, prior to use in chemical/mechanical planarization procedures.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said elements further comprise fibers.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said element comprise a soluble material.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said elements are formed from hollow fibers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said void spaces have a diameter of 0.1 μm or greater.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said void spaces are at least partially connected.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said void spaces have a length to diameter ratio of 4:1 or greater.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the void volume of the CMP pad may be in the range of 0.1 to 95% by total volume of the pad.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to use in chemical/mechanical planarization procedures comprises prior to exposure to a polishing slurry.

14. A device for polishing, comprising:

a pad comprising a polymer matrix including a working surface and having a plurality of voids defined within said polymer matrix and at a distance from said pad working surface, wherein said voids have a length to diameter ratio of 4:1 or greater and said voids are at least partially interconnected, and said voids assume the form of one or more of the following: particles and a fabric.

15. The device for polishing of claim 14 , wherein said void volume is in the range of 0.1 to 90% by total volume of the pad.

16. The device for polishing of claim 14 , further comprising elements.

17. The device for polishing of claim 14 , wherein said voids are distributed relatively uniformly through a volume of said pad.

18. The device for polishing of claim 14 , wherein said voids are distributed in a gradient through a volume of said pad.

19. A method of polishing, comprising:

providing a substrate for polishing having a surface;

providing an aqueous slurry on at least a portion of said surface of said substrate;

providing a pad comprising a polymer matrix and having a working surface for polishing and having a plurality of voids at a distance from the working surface, wherein said voids have a length to diameter ratio of 4:1 or greater, said voids are at least partially interconnected, and said voids assume the form of one or more of the following: particles and a fabric; and

polishing said surface by the interaction of said substrate, said aqueous slurry and said pad.

20. A polishing pad for polishing a surface of an electronic substrate, comprising:

a polymeric matrix including voids, wherein said pad has a working surface for polishing said surface of an electronic substrate and a second surface;

said pad having a thickness T extending from said working surface to said second surface;

wherein said voids are located at a distance from said working surface and only in a region from said pad surface up to a thickness of 0.95(T), and said voids assume the form of one or more of the following: particles and a fabric.

21. The polishing pad of claim 20 wherein said voids have a length to diameter ratio of 4:1 or greater and said voids are at least partially interconnected.

22. The polishing pad of claim 20 wherein said voids are located only in a region from said pad surface to a thickness of 0.50(T).

23. The polishing pad of claim 20 wherein said voids have a diameter of 0.1 μm or greater.

24. The polishing pad of claim 20 wherein said voids are uniformly distributed in that region where said voids are located.

25. A polishing pad for polishing a surface of an electronic substrate, comprising:

a polymeric matrix including voids, wherein said pad has a first working surface for polishing said surface of an electronic substrate and a second surface;

said pad having a thickness T extending from said first working surface to said second surface;

wherein said polishing pad includes a first region where said voids are uniformly distributed, and a second region where said voids are not present, wherein said second region comprises at least 5.0% of the pad volume and wherein said voids are located at a distance from said working surface, and said voids assume the form of one or more of the following: particles and a fabric.