IP Library Granted Patent US 12,479,063
Granted Patent B2
US 12,479,063 · App. 16/584,081 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Polishing pad, method for manufacturing polishing pad, and polishing method applying polishing pad

Inventors: Jaein Ahn (Seongnam-si, KR); Jang Won Seo (Suwon-si, KR); Jong Wook Yun (Suwon-si, KR); Sunghoon Yun (Seongnam-si, KR); Hye Young Heo (Yongin-si, KR); Su Young Moon (Anyang-si, KR)
Assignee: Enpulse Co., Ltd.
B24B37/24B24B37/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,479,063
App. No.
16/584,081
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A polishing pad includes a polyurethane, wherein the polyurethane includes in its main chain a silane repeating unit represented by Formula 1, wherein the number of defects on a substrate after polishing with the polishing pad and a fumed silica slurry is about 40 or less wherein R 11 and R 12 are each independently hydrogen or C 1 -C 10 alkyl groups, and n is an integer from 1 to 30.

Claims (28)

1 . A polishing pad comprising a top pad as a polyurethane polishing layer, wherein the polyurethane polishing layer comprises a foamed body of a urethane composition,

wherein the urethane composition comprises a urethane prepolymer, a curing agent, and a foaming agent,

wherein the urethane prepolymer is a copolymer of a prepolymer composition comprising an isocyanate compound, an alcohol compound, and a silane compound,

wherein the silane compound comprises a silane repeating unit and comprises at least one end terminated with a hydroxyl, amine or epoxy group, and the silane repeating unit is represented by Formula 2-1 or 2-2:

wherein R 11 and R 12 are each independently hydrogen or C 1 -C 10 alkyl groups, and R 21 is —Si(R 13 )(R 14 )(R 22 )—, wherein R 13 and R 14 are each independently hydrogen or a C 1 -C 10 alkyl group, and R 22 is —(CH 2 ) m1 — or —(CH 2 ) m2 —(OCH 2 CH 2 ) m3 — (wherein m1, m2, and m3 are each independently an integer from 1 to 20), and n is an integer from 1 to 30,

wherein a difference of a contact angle of the polishing pad for pure water and a contact angle of the polishing pad for a fumed silica slurry is 1.5 to 5, as calculated by Equation 1:

Ad (p−f) (%)=[100×( Ap−Af )]/ Ap   [Equation 1]

where Ap is the contact angle for pure water, Af is the contact angle for a fumed silica slurry, and Ad (p−f) is the difference between the contact angles, wherein the prepolymer composition comprises the silane compound in an amount of 0.1 to 5% by weight, based on a total weight of the prepolymer composition, and wherein a % NCO of the prepolymer is from 8 to 12% by weight, based on the total weight of the prepolymer composition.

2 . The polishing pad according to claim 1 , wherein the top pad reduces a number of defects of a silicon wafer after polishing by 80% or more compared to polyurethane foamed body without the silane repeating unit represented by Formula 1.

3 . A method for manufacturing the polishing pad of claim 1 , comprising

i) preparing a polyurethane in a form of the foamed body with polymerizing the urethane composition,

ii) manufacturing the top pad comprising the polyurethane, and

iii) fixing the top pad to a sub-pad by lamination to prepare the polishing pad,

wherein the urethane composition comprises the urethane prepolymer, the curing agent, and the foaming agent, and

wherein a main chain of the polyurethane contains the silane repeating unit represented by Formula 2-1 or 2-2:

wherein R 11 and R 12 are each independently hydrogen or C 1 -C 10 alkyl groups, and R 21 is —Si(R 13 )(R 14 )(R 22 )—, wherein R 13 and R 14 are each independently hydrogen or a C 1 -C 10 alkyl group, and R 22 is —(CH 2 ) m1 — or —(CH 2 ) m2 —(OCH 2 CH 2 ) m3 — (wherein m1, m2, and m3 are each independently an integer from 1 to 20), and n is an integer from 1 to 30.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the urethane prepolymer is prepared by a method comprising

allowing the prepolymer composition to react at 50 to 120° C., and a % NCO of the urethane prepolymer is from 8 to 12% by weight,

wherein the prepolymer composition comprises an isocyanate compound, an alcohol compound, and a silane compound,

wherein the silane compound comprises the silane repeating unit of Formula 2-1 or 2-2 and at least one end group with the hydroxyl, amine or epoxy group.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the preparation of the urethane prepolymer comprises:

mixing the isocyanate compound and the alcohol compound to prepare a first composition and allowing the first composition to react at 60 to 100° C. for 1 to 5 hours to prepare a first polymer (first step); and

mixing the first polymer and the silane compound to prepare a second composition and allowing the second composition to react at 60 to 100° C. for 0.5 to 3 hours to prepare a second polymer (second step).

6 . A method for producing a polished wafer, comprising mounting the polishing pad according to claim 1 and an unpolished wafer in a chemical mechanical

planarization (CMP) polisher and polishing the unpolished wafer with the polishing pad while feeding a polishing slurry into the CMP polisher.

7 . The polishing pad according to claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane is in the form of a foamed body with an average pore size of 10 to 30 μm.

8 . The polishing pad according to claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane has a Shore D hardness of 55 to 65.

9 . The polishing pad according to claim 1 , further comprising a top pad comprising the polyurethane and a sub-pad disposed on the top pad, wherein the sub-pad is a non-woven fabric or a suede.

Assignments (4)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 10, 2025
From: SK ENPULSE CO., LTD.
To: ENPULSE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 071370/0877 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: SKC SOLMICS CO., LTD.
To: SK ENPULSE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065509/0991 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2021
From: SKC CO., LTD.
To: SKC SOLMICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055439/0798 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2019
From: AHN, JAEIN; SEO, JANG WON; YUN, JONG WOOK; YUN, SUNGHOON; HEO, HYE YOUNG; MOON, SU YOUNG
To: SKC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 050504/0640 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210094143A1 · Apr 1, 2021
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