Polymeric substrate with polymeric microelements

摘要

The present invention relates to a method of making or using an article of manufacture in the form of a polishing pad (10) for polishing or planarizing a surface of an electronic substrate, as well as a planarized semiconductor device made thereby. The pad comprises an elastomeric, polymeric matrix (14) impregnated with a plurality of hollow (22), flexible, polymeric microelements (16, 16'). The pad has a work surface (18) and a subsurface (24) proximate to the work surface. One portion (16') of the polymeric microelements is at the work surface and another portion (16) of the polymeric microelements is embedded within the subsurface of the pad that is not exposed to the working environment. The work surface of the pad is relatively softer than the subsurface as a result of mechanically opening or chemically altering the shells of at least some of the hollow, flexible, polymeric microelements located proximate the work surface such that the open polymeric microelements are less rigid than the polymeric microelements embedded in the subsurface, or by texturizing the work surface, thereby causing the work surface to be softer than the subsurface.