Proposal of New Polishing Technology without Using a Polishing Pad

A polishing method that uses no polishing pad is proposed, in which fine polymer particles are supplied together with abrasives onto a hard tool plate. The polymer particles prevent direct contact between workpiece and tool plate and serve as countless micro pads rubbing the abrasives against the workpiece for polishing action, so that not only slurry supply to and removal of polishing by-products from the work-plate gap are kept good and constant, but also excessive frictional resistance may be suppressed. Polishing experiments with silicon wafers have shown that the method is feasible and characterized with higher material removal rates and less polishing resistance than conventional polishing.