Polishing pads used in the manufacturing of microelectronic devices, and
apparatuses and methods for making and using such polishing pads. In one aspect
of the invention, a polishing pad for planarizing microelectronic-device substrate
assemblies has a backing member including a first surface and a second surface,
a plurality of pattern elements distributed over the first surface of the backing
member, and a hard cover layer over the pattern elements. The pattern elements
define a plurality of contour surfaces projecting away from the first surface of
the backing member. The cover layer at least substantially conforms to the contour
surfaces of the pattern elements to form a plurality of hard nodules projecting
away from the first surface of the backing member. The hard nodules define abrasive
elements to contact and abrade material from a microelectronic-device substrate
assembly. As such, the cover layer defines at least a portion of a planarizing
surface of the polishing pad.
