Methods of bonding superabrasive particles in an organic matrix
View Patent ↗Superabrasive tools and their methods of manufacture are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of improving retention of superabrasive particles held in a solidified organic material layer of an abrading tool, a portion of each of said superabrasive particles protruding out of the solidified organic material layer is provided. The method may include securing a plurality of superabrasive particles in the solidified organic material layer in an arrangement that minimizes mechanical stress impinging on the protruding portion of any individual superabrasive particle when used to abrade a work piece. As an example, the arrangement of the plurality of superabrasive particles may be configured to uniformly distribute frictional forces across substantially each superabrasive particle.
1. A method of making a chemical mechanical polishing pad dresser having improved superabrasive particle retention, comprising:
applying a spacer layer to a temporary substrate;
contacting a plurality of superabrasive particles against the temporary substrate by disposing the plurality of superabrasive particles within the spacer layer such that each of the plurality of superabrasive particles contacts the temporary substrate and protrudes from the spacer layer opposite the temporary substrate;
applying an at least partially uncured organic material to the spacer layer opposite the temporary substrate to contact the protruding portions of the plurality of superabrasive particles such that a predetermined space is maintained between the at least partially uncured organic material and the temporary substrate;
curing the at least partially uncured organic material to form an organic material layer that holds the plurality of superabrasive particles; and
removing the temporary substrate to expose a portion of each of the plurality of superabrasive particles protruding from the organic material layer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein disposing the plurality of superabrasive particles within the spacer layer further includes pressing the plurality of superabrasive particles into the spacer layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer layer has thickness approximately equal to a distance to which the superabrasive particles are to protrude from the organic material layer.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the thickness is less than about 40 microns.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the superabrasive particles are disposed in the spacer layer in a grid.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the superabrasive particles are evenly spaced at a distance of from about 2 times to about 4 times an average size of the superabrasive particles.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the superabrasive particles are evenly spaced at a distance of from about 3 to about 5 times an average size of the superabrasive particles.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of superabrasive particles contacts the temporary substrate along a flat surface of the substrate.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of superabrasive particles contacts the temporary substrate along a sloped surface of the substrate.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sloped surface has either a single slope or multiple slopes.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sloped surface has an average slope of about 1/1000.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the plurality of superabrasive particles contacts the temporary substrate along a flat surface of the substrate, and a portion of the plurality of superabrasive particles contacts the temporary substrate along a sloped surface of the substrate.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of superabrasive particles contacts the temporary substrate along a curved surface of the substrate.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the curved surface is concave.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temporary substrate has a smooth working surface.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the smooth working surface aids in orienting a flat surface of the superabrasive particles to protrude from the organic material layer.
17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the spacer layer from the organic material layer.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the organic material layer to a permanent substrate.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the superabrasive particles are a member selected from the group consisting of: diamond, including natural diamond, synthetic diamond, and polycrystalline diamond, cubic boron nitride including single crystal cubic boron nitride, and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, SiC, Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , and WC.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the superabrasive particles are diamond.