Polishing pad with removal features

Abstract

The invention provides a polishing pad comprising a polishing element and an adhesive layer provided on the bottom surface of the polishing element for attaching the polishing element to a polishing device. To protect the adhesive layer and prevent unintentional adhering of the polishing element, the polishing pad is also provided with a protective liner adhered to and protectively covering the adhesive layer. To facilitate removal of the protective liner, the protective liner includes an extended pull tab and the polishing element includes an extended removal tab.

1 . A polishing pad comprising: 
 (a) a polishing element having a perimeter;    (b) a removal tab connected to the polishing element and extending beyond the perimeter;    (c) a protective liner having a first surface adhered to the polishing element; and    (d) a pull tab connected to the protective liner and extending beyond the perimeter of the polishing element.    
     
     
         2 . The polishing pad of  claim 1 , wherein the polishing element has a centroid located within the perimeter, and the removal tab and the pull tab are angularly offset from each other with respect to the centroid.  
     
     
         3 . The polishing pad of  claim 2 , wherein the angle of offset is about 20 degrees to about 40 degrees.  
     
     
         4 . The polishing pad of  claim 2 , wherein the removal tab and the pull tab extend about 3 millimeters or more beyond the perimeter.  
     
     
         5 . The polishing pad of  claim 2 , wherein the removal tab is integral with the polishing element.  
     
     
         6 . The polishing pad of  claim 5 , wherein the pull tab is integral with the protective liner.  
     
     
         7 . The polishing pad of  claim 6 , wherein the protective liner has a second and perimeter, the second perimeter is coterminous with the perimeter of the polishing element.  
     
     
         8 . The polishing pad of  claim 7 , wherein the perimeter of the polishing element and the second perimeter are circular.  
     
     
         9 . The polishing pad of  claim 8 , wherein each of the polishing element and the second perimeter is about 10 millimeters to about 200 millimeters in width.  
     
     
         10 . The polishing pad of  claim 2 , wherein the pad element and the removal tab comprise a polymer.  
     
     
         11 . The polishing pad of  claim 10 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers, thermoplastic polyurethanes, thermoplastic polyethylenes, polytetrafluoroethylenes, polyethyleneterephthalates, polyimides, polyaramides, polyarylenes, polyacrylates, polystyrenes, polymethylmethacrylates, and thermoset polymers.  
     
     
         12 . The polishing pad of  claim 5 , wherein the protective liner and the pull tab comprise a polymer.  
     
     
         13 . The polishing pad of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer between the protective liner and the polishing element, the adhesive layer adhering the protective liner to the pad element.  
     
     
         14 . The polishing pad of  claim 13 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive.  
     
     
         15 . The polishing pad of  claim 1 , wherein the polishing element has a centroid located within the perimeter, and the locations of the removal tab and the pull tab angularly correspond to each other with respect to the centroid.  
     
     
         16 . A method of manipulating a polishing pad comprising: 
 (i) providing a polishing pad including a polishing element having a bottom surface and a perimeter, a removal tab connected to the polishing element and extending beyond the perimeter, a protective liner adhered to the polishing element, and a pull tab connected to the protective liner and extending beyond the perimeter;    (ii) separately grasping the removal tab and the pull tab;    (iii) pulling the removal tab and the pull tab in generally opposite directions to peel the protective liner from the polishing element;    (iv) applying the bottom surface to a platen of a polishing device to adhere the polishing pad to the polishing device.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 (v) releasing the removal tab.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the polishing element has a centroid located within the perimeter, and the removal tab and the pull tab are angularly offset from each other with respect to the centroid.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 (vi) re-grasping the removal tab; and    (vii) pulling the removal tab in a direction generally away from the platen to peel the bottom surface from the platen, thereby removing the polishing pad from the polishing device.    
     
     
         20 . A polishing pad comprising: 
 (a) a polishing element having a perimeter, a top surface, and a bottom surface;    (b) a removal tab connected to the polishing element and extending beyond the perimeter, the removal tab including a pad projection portion projecting from the bottom surface;    (c) a protective liner having a first surface adhered to the polishing element; and    (d) a pull tab connected to the protective liner and extending beyond the perimeter of the polishing element, the pull tab including a liner projection portion projecting from the first surface.