Apparatus and method for conditioning a chemical mechanical polishing pad
US5775983A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 1, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jul 7, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 1, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB24B53/017
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad improves the polishing characteristics of the pad by providing an embedded pattern that facilitates polishing and reduces glazing. Moreover, the present invention conditions a pad without significantly abrading the polishing surface, thereby prolonging the pad's useful life. A series of independently rotatable rollers having a knurled outer surface is used to embed a pattern of score marks in the surface of the polishing pad. Alternatively, a knurled conical roller engages a radius of the pad. The apparatus is adaptable to either manual or automated processes. The present invention is particularly useful for conditioning polishing pads used in the fabrication of semiconductor wafers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.