Method to enhance polishing performance of abrasive charged structured polymer substrates

Abstract

The intersection of discrete polishing islands staggered in a curvilinear shape with a workpiece maintains a substantially uniform film thickness throughout the polishing operation and also leading to a stable polishing operation due to the substantially invariant pressurization.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An abrasive article for polishing a surface of a workpiece, the abrasive article comprising:
 a plurality of polishing islands arranged to interact with a workpiece to maintain a substantially constant contact area; and   abrasive features associated with at least some of the plurality of polishing islands, the abrasive features applying cutting forces to the work piece during motion of the abrasive article relative to the workpiece.   
     
     
         2 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of polishing islands form a curvilinear repeating and staggered arrangement for rotary polishing operations. 
     
     
         3 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of polishing islands form a repeating and staggered island pattern for linear operations. 
     
     
         4 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of polishing islands are arranged in a curvilinear form along the center of rotation of a circular polishing pad. 
     
     
         5 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of polishing islands are pads arranged in a curvilinear form for a rotating pad. 
     
     
         6 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of polishing islands are pads arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the workpiece. 
     
     
         7 . An abrasive article for polishing a workpiece, the abrasive article comprising:
 a plurality of polishing islands arranged to intersect with a workpiece to maintain a substantially constant contact area, wherein at least some of the polishing islands include
 a first surface engaged with the workpiece, and 
 a second surface, attached to a polyamide substrate; and 
   the plurality of polishing islands arranged in a cascade arrangement so as to cause a substantially invariant hydrodynamic film under the workpiece during motion of the abrasive article relative to the workpiece.   
     
     
         8 . The abrasive article of  claim 7  wherein the first surface includes an abrasive feature comprising one or more of
 a nano-scale roughened surface coated with a hard coat, 
 nano-scale diamonds attached to a trailing edge of the first surface, 
 an abrasive particles attached to a film, or 
 an abrasive composite. 
 
     
     
         9 . The abrasive article of  claim 7  wherein the polishing pads include abrasive portions having a plurality of different lengths as measured along a direction of motion of the abrasive article relative to the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . An abrasive article for polishing a workpiece, the abrasive article comprising:
 a first polishing island:   a second polishing island; and   a non-straight link connecting the first polishing island and the second polishing island.   
     
     
         11 . The abrasive article of  claim 10  further comprising a substrate of a polyamide material, the polyimide material coupled to the first polishing island and the second polishing island. 
     
     
         12 . The abrasive article of  claim 10  further comprising a sponge like pad coupled to the first polishing island and the second polishing island, a preload placed onto the workpiece via a sponge like pad. 
     
     
         13 . The abrasive article of  claim 10  wherein the first polishing pad and the second polishing pad are arranged in a curvilinear form along the center of rotation of a circular polishing pad. 
     
     
         14 . The abrasive article of  claim 10  wherein the first polishing pad and the second polishing pad are arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the workpiece. 
     
     
         15 . An abrasive article for polishing a surface of a workpiece, the abrasive article comprising:
 a plurality of polishing islands arranged to intersect with a workpiece to maintain a substantially constant contact area;   at least some of the plurality of polishing islands connected to other polishing islands with a non-straight link; and   a polishing substrate containing abrasive features applying cutting forces to the work piece during motion of the abrasive article relative to the slider bar.   
     
     
         16 . The abrasive article of  claim 15  including a curvilinear repeating and staggered polishing island arrangement for rotary polishing operations. 
     
     
         17 . The abrasive article of  claim 15  including a repeating and staggered island pattern for linear operations. 
     
     
         18 . The abrasive article of  claim 15  wherein the polishing pads are arranged in a curvilinear form along the center of rotation of a circular polishing pad. 
     
     
         19 . The abrasive article of  claim 15  wherein the polishing pads are arranged in a curvilinear form for a rotating pad. 
     
     
         20 . The abrasive article of  claim 15  wherein the polishing pads are arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the workpiece.