Polishing pad

1. A polishing pad, comprising a plurality of polishing elements, each of the polishing elements secured so as to restrict lateral movement thereof with respect to others of the polishing elements, but remaining moveable in an axis normal to a polishing surface of the polishing elements, and a compressible under layer, each of the polishing elements being secured to the compressible under layer and protruding above a top surface of the compressible under layer, wherein the polishing elements are secured to the compressible under layer using one or more of the following clamps: “L”-shaped clamps, “T”-shaped clamps, or torus-shaped clamps.

2. A polishing pad, comprising a plurality of polishing elements, each of the polishing elements secured so as to restrict lateral movement thereof with respect to others of the polishing elements, but remaining moveable in an axis normal to a polishing surface of the polishing elements, wherein each individual one of the polishing elements is affixed to an individual compressible under layer.

3. A polishing pad, comprising a plurality of polishing elements, each of the polishing elements secured so as to restrict lateral movement thereof with respect to others of the polishing elements, but remaining moveable in an axis normal to a polishing surface of the polishing elements, wherein at least some of the polishing elements interlock with others of the polishing elements.

4. A polishing pad, comprising a plurality of polishing elements, each of the polishing elements secured so as to restrict lateral movement thereof with respect to others of the polishing elements, but remaining moveable in an axis normal to a polishing surface of the polishing elements, wherein the polishing elements are secured using guide pins embedded within a compressible under layer of the polishing pad.

5. The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein the polishing elements have a Shore D hardness greater than 80.

6. The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein the polishing elements are arranged in groups, each of the polishing elements of a group configured to act in concert, but independent of polishing elements of other groups.

7. The polishing pad of claim 2 , further comprising a guide plate through which the polishing elements protrude.

8. The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein the polishing elements protrude more than 1 mm above the surrounding support and slurry distribution layer.

9. The polishing pad of claim 1 , wherein an edge of the polishing pad includes a ring configured to retain slurry on the pad during polishing.

10. The polishing pad of claim 9 , wherein the height of the ring of the polishing pad is less than a height of the polishing elements.