IP Library Granted Patent US 12,558,758
Granted Patent B2
US 12,558,758 · App. 17/963,380 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Polishing pad and preparing method of semiconductor device using the same

Inventors: Jang Won Seo (Seoul, KR); Sung Hoon Yun (Seoul, KR); Eun Sun Joeng (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Jae In Ahn (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: ENPULSE CO., LTD.
B24B37/24B24B37/22B24B37/26H01L21/31053H01L21/3212
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,558,758
App. No.
17/963,380
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure is to provide a polishing pad which is capable of providing physical properties corresponding to various polishing purposes for various polishing objects through the subdivided structural design in a thickness direction, and of securing environmental friendliness by applying a recycled or recyclable material to at least some components, in relation to disposal after use, unlike the conventional polishing pad. Specifically, the polishing pad includes a polishing layer, wherein the polishing layer includes a polishing variable layer having a polishing surface; and a polishing constant layer disposed on a rear surface side of the polishing variable layer opposite to the polishing surface, and wherein the polishing constant layer includes a cured product of a composition having thermosetting polyurethane particles and a binder.

Claims (110)

1 . A polishing pad comprising:

a polishing layer,

wherein the polishing layer includes a polishing variable layer having a polishing surface; and a polishing constant layer disposed on a rear surface side of the polishing variable layer opposite to the polishing surface, and

wherein the polishing variable layer refers to a region whose physical and/or chemical characteristics change during a polishing process using the polishing pad,

wherein the polishing constant layer refers to a region whose physical and/or chemical characteristics do not change during a polishing process using the polishing pad,

wherein an interface between the polishing variable layer and the polishing constant layer is a separable interface, and

wherein a ratio of shore D hardness of the polishing variable layer and shore D hardness of the polishing constant layer is from 0.50 to 1.50, and

wherein the polishing variable layer is from 30% to 60% by volume of a total volume of the polishing layer, and

wherein a first polishing variability index of the polishing variable layer according to Equation 1 below is from 0.1 to 11.0:

(

Ri

-

Rf

)

·

Ti

(

Ti

-

Tf

)

·

Ri

[

Equation

1

]

wherein Ri is a surface roughness (Ra) of the polishing surface at a lifespan introduction time of the polishing variable layer, Rf is a surface roughness (Ra) of the polishing surface at a lifespan end time of the polishing variable layer, Ti is a total thickness of the polishing pad at the lifespan introduction time of the polishing variable layer, and Tf is the total thickness of the polishing pad at the lifespan end time of the polishing variable layer.

2 . The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein the polishing variable layer includes at least one groove on the polishing surface, the groove having a depth that is less than or equal to a total thickness of the polishing variable layer, and

wherein a second polishing variability index of the polishing variable layer according to Equation 2 below is from 0.1 to 3.5:

(

Ri

-

Rf

)

·

Gi

(

Gi

-

Gf

)

·

Ri

[

Equation

2

]

wherein Ri is a surface roughness (Ra) of the polishing surface at a lifespan introduction time of the polishing variable layer, Rf is a surface roughness (Ra) of the polishing surface at a lifespan end time of the polishing variable layer, Gi is the depth of the groove at the lifespan introduction time of the polishing variable layer, and Gf is the depth of the groove at the lifespan end time of the polishing variable layer.

3 . The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein the polishing variable layer includes at least one groove on the polishing surface, the groove having a depth that is less than or equal to a total thickness of the polishing variable layer, and

wherein a depth change rate (%) of the groove according to Equation 3 below is from 20% to 100%:

(

Gi

-

Gf

)

Gi

×

100

[

Equation

3

]

wherein Gi is the depth of the groove at the lifespan introduction time of the polishing variable layer, and Gf is the depth of the groove at the lifespan end time of the polishing variable layer.

4 . The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein Shore D hardness for an entire laminated structure is from 45 to 70.

5 . The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein the polishing variable layer includes a thermosetting resin, and

wherein the polishing constant layer includes a thermoplastic resin.

6 . The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein the polishing variable layer includes a cured product of a preliminary composition having a urethane-based prepolymer.

7 . The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein the polishing constant layer includes one selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylchloride (PVC), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and combinations thereof.

8 . The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein the polishing constant layer includes a cured product of a composition having thermosetting polyurethane particles and a binder.

9 . The polishing pad of claim 8 , wherein each of the polishing variable layer and the polishing constant layer includes at least one layer.

10 . The polishing pad of claim 8 , wherein an average particle diameter of the thermosetting polyurethane particles is from 20 μm to 3.0 mm.

11 . The polishing pad of claim 8 , wherein the binder includes a first urethane-based prepolymer and a first curing agent.

12 . The polishing pad of claim 8 , wherein the composition includes from 15 parts by weight to 150 parts by weight of the binder with respect to 100 parts by weight of the thermosetting polyurethane particles.

13 . The polishing pad of claim 8 , wherein the polishing variable layer includes a cured product of a composition including a second urethane-based prepolymer.

14 . A method for preparing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a polishing pad on a surface plate, the polishing pad including a polishing layer having a polishing surface; and

polishing a polishing object while rotating the polishing pad and the polishing object relative to each other under a pressure condition after arranging a polished surface of the polishing object to be in contact with the polishing surface,

wherein the polishing layer includes a polishing variable layer having the polishing surface, and a polishing constant layer disposed on a rear surface side of the polishing variable layer opposite to the polishing surface,

wherein the polishing variable layer refers to a region of which physical and/or chemical characteristics change during a polishing process using the polishing pad,

wherein the polishing constant layer refers to a region of which physical and/or chemical characteristics do not change during a polishing process using the polishing pad,

wherein an interface between the polishing variable layer and the polishing constant layer is a separable interface,

wherein a ratio of shore D hardness of the polishing variable layer and shore D hardness of the polishing constant layer is from 0.50 to 1.50,

wherein the polishing variable layer is from 30% to 60% by volume of a total volume of the polishing layer, and

wherein a first polishing variability index of the polishing variable layer according to Equation 1 below is from 0.1 to 11.0:

(

Ri

-

Rf

)

·

Ti

(

Ti

-

Tf

)

·

Ri

[

Equation

1

]

wherein Ri is a surface roughness (Ra) of the polishing surface at a lifespan introduction time of the polishing variable layer, Rf is a surface roughness (Ra) of the polishing surface at a lifespan end time of the polishing variable layer, Ti is a total thickness of the polishing pad at the lifespan introduction time of the polishing variable layer, and Tf is the total thickness of the polishing pad at the lifespan end time of the polishing variable layer.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the polishing constant layer includes a cured product of a composition having thermosetting polyurethane particles and a binder.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein a load by which the polished surface of the polishing object is pressed against the polishing surface of the polishing layer is from 0.01 psi to 20 psi.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2025
From: SK ENPULSE CO., LTD.
To: ENPULSE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 071308/0411 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 3, 2023
From: SKC SOLMICS CO., LTD.
To: SK ENPULSE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063530/0303 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2022
From: SEO, JANG WON; YUN, SUNG HOON; JOENG, EUN SUN; AHN, JAE IN
To: SKC SOLMICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061376/0240 →
Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2021-0134746 · Oct 12, 2021 · national
KR 10-2021-0134792 · Oct 12, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230111352A1 · Apr 13, 2023
References Cited (18)
US 20040091521A1 · Radloff et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050197050A1 · Prasad · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20130012108A1 · Li · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20180281148A1 · Lehuu · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20210129285A1 · Joeng · 2021 [cited by examiner]
CN 107000157A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2008021340A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 2015013345A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018535104A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020030092787A · 2003 [cited by applicant]
KR 20080005573A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020150021540A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 101924566B1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
TW 201625381A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
Office Action for the Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0134792 issued by the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Feb. 19, 2024. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for the Taiwanese Patent Application No. 111138464 issued by the Taiwanese Patent Office on Mar. 31, 2023. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for the Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-161992 issued by the Japanese Patent Office on Oct. 31, 2023. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for Chinese Patent Application No. 202211222303.9 issued by the Chinese Patent Office on Oct. 28, 2025. [cited by applicant]